Chapter Summaries

Qingque learned that Jing Yuan had retired and arranged for her to succeed him as Luofu general, despite her having expected to retire from the Divination Commission. After visiting the other commissions with An Xiu and Madoka, she faced Fu Xuan, who had already guessed that Qingque would become the new general.

• Qingque received her Divination Commission retirement papers and learned that Jing Yuan had stepped down as general.
• Qingque discovered that Jing Yuan and the marshal had appointed her as Luofu's new general, and Feixiao and Huaiyan arrived to help her take over.
• Feixiao asked Qingque to guide An Xiu and Madoka around the Xianzhou while notifying the Six Charioteers, and Qingque realized Jing Yuan had planned her appointment well in advance.
• Jing Yuan, enjoying his retirement, guessed that Qingque had received the appointment and considered leaving the Luofu after the Wardance Ceremony.
• Qingque worried about visiting Fu Xuan, but An Xiu urged her to handle her duties, and Fu Xuan greeted the group outside the Divination Commission.
• Fu Xuan revealed that she had inferred the coming change of generals and expressed surprise that Jing Yuan had appointed Qingque so quickly.

Qingque visited the Luofu’s Six Commissions before her formal succession as general, then discussed ways to manage the workload with An Xiu and Madoka. Jingliu approached them seeking Madoka’s help against Abundance, but An Xiu advised her to pursue Eternity instead, leaving Jingliu confused about his meaning.

• Qingque hurried away from Fu Xuan and visited the Six Commissions, where Yukong and the other Charioteers received her succession announcement.
• Qingque met Lingsha at the Alchemy Commission, joked about the exhausting duties of a general, and left after a short visit.
• An Xiu suggested Qingque delegate suitable duties and use her intuition to choose trustworthy subordinates, and Qingque decided to try his approach.
• Qingque, An Xiu, and Madoka sensed Jingliu following them and stopped her in an alley near Central Starskiff Haven.
• Jingliu said she wanted Madoka’s help to kill Abundance, but An Xiu told her Eternity was a better path to pursue, leaving her puzzled.

An Xiu made Jingliu accept the power of Eternity in exchange for surrendering everything she possessed, then sent her to Belobog to register as a resident before returning to the Xianzhou Luofu. Two days later, the Astral Express departed for Jarilo-VI with Big Herta and Ruan Mei aboard, and arrived to find the Aeon of Eternity looming in the starfield.

• An Xiu showed Jingliu his power over Eternity and offered her a chance to sever Abundance if she gave up everything she had.
• Jingliu accepted An Xiu's power, which protected her from the Mara-Struck, and agreed to register as a Belobog resident before returning to the Xianzhou Luofu.
• Qingque chose not to reveal what she had witnessed, and she, An Xiu, and Madoka went to a restaurant together.
• Lord Mudu instructed his Buliren followers to lie low on the Xianzhou Luofu until the Wardance Ceremony, when they planned to rescue Hoolay.
• The Astral Express departed Herta Space Station for Jarilo-VI with Big Herta and Ruan Mei aboard.
• The Astral Express arrived in Jarilo-VI's star region, where March 7th and the others saw the enormous Aeon of Eternity.

The Astral Express crew, Herta, and Ruan Mei arrived at Jarilo-VI and learned how Belobog’s security and prosperity had attracted visitors and Corporation employees. After docking at a Corporation-built temporary spaceport, the crew entered Belobog and began looking for lodging.

• Herta explained that the Aeon of Eternity’s actions during the Propagation revival fit the Path’s principles of unchangingness and continuity.
• Herta warned Ruan Mei that she would need Belobog’s approval before establishing a laboratory, and Ruan Mei decided not to risk building one without permission.
• Himeko planned to dock at the Xianzhou Luofu, but Herta revealed that the Corporation had shipped a temporary spaceport to Jarilo-VI, so the Astral Express docked there instead.
• The Astral Express crew registered as visitors, entered Belobog, and observed its orderly streets and Corporation workers competing for assignments there.
• The crew went to the largest hotel in the Administrative District to arrange lodging and noted that its practical facilities reflected Belobog’s priorities.

Aventurine greeted the Astral Express crew at Belobog’s best hotel, while Big Herta and Ruan Mei arranged to cooperate with Belobog on research into Eternity and Miracle. Madoka judged Herta worthy of the Path of Miracle, but Herta still needed an opportunity to resonate with it.

• Aventurine introduced himself to the Astral Express crew and explained why Belobog’s Supreme Guardian had prioritized other projects over expanding the hotel.
• Himeko checked the crew into the hotel, and the group split up to explore Belobog while planning to attend the Xianzhou Luofu’s Wardance Ceremony later.
• Big Herta and Ruan Mei met Bronya and proposed sharing their research results and patents in exchange for establishing an experimental base in Belobog.
• Bronya requested that the geniuses guide Belobog’s researchers, and Madoka offered access to power personally bestowed by Miracle, prompting Big Herta to accept.
• As An Xiu led the group to an existing experimental base, Big Herta asked Madoka whether she could become a magical girl, and Madoka said Herta needed an opportunity to resonate with the Path of Miracle.

Great Herta and Ruan Mei joined Belobog’s Experimental Base, while Stelle and March 7th visited the Magical Girl Association, where they met Sparkle. Kafka and Silver Wolf also arrived in Belobog and headed toward Qlipoth Fort.

• Great Herta and Ruan Mei inspected Belobog’s Experimental Base, met Mobius and the other researchers, and began working there.
• Stelle and March 7th followed Stelle’s mysterious pull to the Magical Girl Association headquarters, while March wondered whether she could become a magical girl.
• Kafka and Silver Wolf discussed Stelle’s status as an Emanator of Miracle and left a café for Qlipoth Fort; Himeko noticed them but chose not to intervene.
• March 7th and Stelle entered the Association’s vast hall and met Sparkle, who introduced herself as a restricted Masked Fool earning extra money.
• Stelle said she was already a magical girl, while March 7th said she wanted to become one but had mainly come to look around.

Madoka took the captured Aha mask from the Magical Girl Association, met March 7th and Stelle, and invited them to see her again at the Xianzhou Luofu’s Wardance Ceremony. Three days later, An Xiu prepared to leave for the ceremony after visiting the Experimental Base, where researchers studied Aha alongside the geniuses.

• Sparkle tried to sell March 7th and Stelle photos with the Aha mask, and Aha laughed from inside it before its power was suppressed.
• Stelle sensed the Miracle and Elation powers sealed in the mask and believed Sparkle’s claim that Aha had been captured.
• Madoka arrived, reassured March 7th and Stelle, took the Aha mask, and posed for a photo with them.
• Madoka told Stelle she could see her again at the Wardance Ceremony on the Xianzhou Luofu, then left with Aha.
• Three days later, An Xiu dressed with Madoka’s help and planned to visit the Experimental Base before joining Belobog’s delegation to the Xianzhou.
• At the Experimental Base, researchers discussed the unprecedented chance to study the sealed Aha.

An Xiu and Madoka visited Belobog’s Experimental Base, where Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum praised the research team and offered Belobog half their personal technical patents. Meanwhile, Welt and Dan Heng uncovered how Cocolia’s Stellaron influence led to her overthrow, and the Belobog delegation arrived on the Xianzhou Luofu to meet Qingque, who had inherited Jing Yuan’s Divine Arbiter and defeated Generals Feixiao and Huaiyan in a spar.

• An Xiu and Madoka found Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum working with Mobius, Vill-V, and MEI, and the three geniuses offered Belobog half their personal technical patents in recognition of its capable assistants.
• Welt and Dan Heng explained to March 7th and Himeko that Cocolia had been manipulated by the Stellaron and that Bronya and Seele had overthrown her, ended the crisis, and changed Belobog’s course.
• Dan Heng chose to stay behind on the Astral Express while Welt and the others prepared to depart for the Xianzhou.
• The Belobog delegation arrived on the Xianzhou Luofu, where Qingque, Feixiao, and Huaiyan welcomed them.
• Qingque revealed that she had inherited Jing Yuan’s Divine Arbiter and had defeated Feixiao and Huaiyan together in a spar after adjusting to its power.

Seele joined Belobog’s delegation to the Xianzhou Luofu as Hoolay escaped the Prisoner’s Prison with help from the Buliren. An Xiu let Jingliu go protect the prison’s living staff while the Buliren fought through the guards and prepared to attack the command post.

• Huaiyan greeted Seele, and Qingque led Belobog’s delegation to its guest lounge while An Xiu explained that Qingque had received Madoka’s blessing.
• Hoolay escaped his cell after the Buliren disabled the Prisoner’s Prison’s communications and restraints, and he learned from Mudu how dangerous the Luofu’s current defenses were.
• An Xiu declined Jingliu and Seele’s offers to fight Hoolay, then sent Jingliu to protect the living people in the Prisoner’s Prison without stopping Hoolay from escaping.
• Hoolay and the Buliren broke through the prison’s defenses as Hanya and Xueyi struggled to hold them back and seek reinforcements.
• Hoolay dispatched a Buliren squad to attack the command level, and the squad neared the rear defenses.

Jingliu helped Hoolay escape Prisoner’s Prison after badly wounding him, while Qingque ordered the Xianzhou to focus on capturing him and leave Jingliu alone. Hidden in a Luofu stronghold, Hoolay learned about the new general and began assessing the Xianzhou’s leadership.

• Jingliu killed the Buliren attacking Hanya, then confronted Hoolay at the exit and wounded him with sword strikes that suppressed his healing.
• Hoolay escaped through the breach Jingliu had cut, and the other Buliren fled with him as Jingliu left before reinforcements arrived.
• Qingque ordered the Cloud Knights to prioritize capturing Hoolay and report the jailbreak to the Marshal, while Feixiao was assigned to lead the pursuit.
• Hoolay and the Buliren disguised themselves as foxians and hid in a Luofu stronghold, where Hoolay studied modern information using a Jade Abacus.
• Hoolay questioned Mudu about the new Luofu general and heard that the former general was gravely injured and the new general had been a low-ranking diviner with little combat experience.

Hoolay targeted Qingque at the Wardance Ceremony, hoping to kill the inexperienced new general and escape the Xianzhou. Qingque revealed her formidable power and overwhelmed Hoolay, while An Xiu sensed another attacker preparing to strike.

• Hoolay agreed to ambush Qingque during the Wardance Ceremony, and Mudu planned to use their disguises to reach her backstage.
• Qingque appeared publicly as the Luofu’s new general, stunning the Divination Commission, her parents, and the audience.
• After her speech, Qingque sensed hidden malice backstage, and Hoolay and a dozen Buliren revealed themselves and attacked her.
• Qingque summoned the Divine Arbiter, defeated the Buliren, and battered Hoolay while his Abundance healing kept him alive.
• An Xiu, Madoka, and Seele headed toward the battle after An Xiu sensed an Erudition-path attacker also intended to target Qingque.
• Qingque decided to end the fight quickly and infused the Divine Arbiter’s formation blade with multicolored power.

Qingque defeated Hoolay and then fought Polka Kakamu, who had orchestrated the Buliren attack to study and eradicate Miracle. After killing Polka Kakamu, Qingque was joined by Feixiao and Huaiyan, who arrived to find the battle already over.

• Qingque used the Divine Arbiter to destroy Hoolay and took the Red Moon, but sensed another attack and narrowly evaded Polka Kakamu’s ambush.
• Qingque recognized Polka Kakamu as the attacker, while Polka Kakamu’s hostility stemmed from Miracle’s ability to disrupt her Omniscience Domain.
• Polka Kakamu revealed that she had aided the Buliren and freed Hoolay to create chaos and gather data before targeting Qingque.
• Qingque let Polka Kakamu wound her so she could seize her arm, then struck her with the Divine Arbiter and her own Miracle-powered fist.
• Qingque finished Polka Kakamu with a Celestial Jade strike and healed her wound as Feixiao and Huaiyan arrived at the battlefield.

After Qingque defeated Hoolay and Polka Kakamu, she returned to the Luofu and publicly confirmed her victories, winning the citizens’ support and restoring the Wardance Ceremony. An Xiu left the Star Rail world and traveled to the world of How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

• Feixiao and Huaiyan confirmed that Qingque had defeated the Lord of Silence, and Qingque learned that the Luofu and the Wardance Ceremony were safe.
• Qingque returned to the Luofu with Feixiao and Huaiyan, then publicly reported her victories and apologized for the disruption to the Wardance Ceremony.
• Qingque handed the ceremony over to Fu Xuan and Yukong before returning to the Divination Commission, while Fu Xuan accepted her as general.
• In Belobog, Big Herta, Ruan Mei, and Screwllum prepared to take over Polka Kakamu’s legacy, and An Xiu planned to confront Nous later.
• An Xiu browsed the refreshed system shop, bought a TM Dragon Dance, and chose to travel to the world of How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?
• An Xiu arrived in Tokyo and watched students from Koyo Girls' Academy from a nearby café.

An Xiu recruited Hongo Hina to become the Apocalypse Consortium’s fighter for the Kengan matches after deciding Sakura Hibiki was unsuited to the role. Hina agreed to the prospect of fighting stronger opponents, and Makima offered to buy the underground fighting organization she had already joined.

• An Xiu watched Sakura Hibiki and decided her personality made her a poor choice for a fighter, then chose Hongo Hina as his main target.
• Hongo Hina followed An Xiu and Makima to an abandoned apartment and attacked An Xiu, but Makima knocked her unconscious with one strike.
• An Xiu brought Hongo Hina to the Apocalypse Consortium and explained her background before offering her a position as its Kengan fighter.
• Hongo Hina asked whether the other fighters were strong, then worried that accepting would mean leaving her underground fighting organization.
• Makima said the Apocalypse Consortium could acquire Hina’s organization, and An Xiu prepared to negotiate with its owners.

An Xiu recruited Hongo Hina from Valkyrie and trained her in the Ripple Breathing Method and Six Powers for two weeks. Hongo Hina demonstrated extraordinary progress, and she asked An Xiu what training came next.

• Makima offered Valkyrie two billion yen in funding and share purchases to recruit Hongo Hina as a fighter for the Apocalypse Consortium in the Kengan Association.
• An Xiu brought Hongo Hina to the consortium’s training ground, where she accepted him as her master and chose to learn both the Ripple Breathing Method and Six Powers.
• An Xiu guided Hongo Hina through her first Ripple breathing practice, helping her gather life energy and establish the special breathing rhythm.
• For two weeks, An Xiu put Hongo Hina through punishing physical and dream training, using the Horse Talisman to heal her and special Sea King meat to support her recovery.
• Hongo Hina shattered a high-strength dummy with a punch and evaded volleys from tennis cannons using Shave, Paper Art, and Moonwalk.
• Hongo Hina asked An Xiu what training item came next.

Hongo Hina made her Kengan Association debut for the Apocalypse Consortium and defeated the much larger Aida Yuji with one punch. The company presidents were stunned by her speed and strength, while An Xiu told her stronger opponents awaited.

• An Xiu suspended Hongo Hina's training so she could rest before her first Kengan match.
• Makima briefed An Xiu and Hongo Hina on their opponent, Aida Yuji, a 37-year-old former sumo wrestler with a seven-win, five-loss record.
• The spectators and company presidents questioned the Apocalypse Consortium's choice to enter the 17-year-old Hongo Hina, who weighed only 48 kilograms.
• At the opening bell, Hongo Hina crossed the arena and punched Aida Yuji so hard that he flew into a concrete wall and lost consciousness.
• The referee declared Hongo Hina the winner, and she told An Xiu that Aida Yuji had felt weak.
• An Xiu praised Hongo Hina, said stronger opponents would come later, and told her to leave with him and Makima.

Imai Cosmo watched footage of Hongo Hina defeating a massive sumo wrestler and struggled to explain her impossible speed and strength. As Hina continued training for the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, Makima proposed modifying her soul so she could use cursed energy and learn Black Flash.

• An Xiu and Makima took Hongo Hina home and planned a tougher combat uniform that matched her school outfit.
• Nishishinji Akira showed Imai Cosmo footage of Hongo Hina’s match, and Cosmo was shocked by her speed and the force of her punch.
• Cosmo studied slowed footage of Hina’s rapid steps and told Nishishinji Akira he believed he could still win if they fought.
• Over the following week, Hina trained at school, in her dreams, and at the consortium headquarters, mastering Tempest Kick and Finger Pistol.
• An Xiu considered ways to strengthen Hina before the tournament, and Makima offered to use Idle Transfiguration to give her the ability to use cursed energy and Black Flash.
• An Xiu worried that modifying Hina’s soul might cause problems.

Makima reported Nintendo Group’s Kengan match application and discussed teaching Hongo Hina Black Flash, while An Xiu prepared Hina to face Kono Haruo. Hina chose to draw out Haruo’s stronger awakened state, and their match began with Hina striking his knee before he counterattacked.

• Makima told An Xiu that Nintendo Group had challenged the Apocalypse Consortium, naming Kono Haruo as its undefeated fighter.
• An Xiu prepared Hongo Hina for the match and warned her that knocking Haruo unconscious could awaken his warrior instincts; Hina showed interest in facing that stronger version.
• Kono Haruo and Hongo Hina entered the arena, while Nogi Hideki and Hatsumi Sen watched the match by broadcast and Hatsumi favored Hina.
• The referee started the match, and Haruo charged Hina with a heavy punch.
• Hina dodged Haruo’s opening blow and punched his knee, but Haruo swept his arm toward her as she realized she could not dodge.

Hongo Hina defeated Kono Haruo with Shave, Paper Art, Tempest Kick, and Moon Walk, but Haruo awakened and forced the fight to continue before she knocked him out for good. Her victory left Nogi Hideki and Hatsumi Sen weighing her as a potential rival to the Fang of Metsudo.

• Hongo Hina stopped Kono Haruo's charge, evaded his attacks, and wounded him with two Tempest Kicks before striking his temple and knocking him unconscious.
• Kono Haruo awakened as Haru, dodged Hina's attacks with surprising agility, and charged her again.
• Hongo Hina used Tempest Kick and Moon Walk in midair to wound Haru, then knocked him unconscious after his Battle Soul state ended.
• The referee declared Hongo Hina the winner representing the Apocalypse Consortium, and the crowd cheered.
• Nogi Hideki and Hatsumi Sen discussed Hina's strength, and Hatsumi Sen said he would defeat her.

Makima and An Xiu drew the attention of Katahara Metsudo and the Kure Clan after the Apocalypse Consortium’s fighter won a match. At Nogi Hideki’s headquarters, Makima agreed that the Consortium would launch the chairman election war, while Nogi offered his support in exchange for a match and a chance to secure the chairmanship.

• Nogi Hideki told Hatsumi Sen that they should contact the Apocalypse Consortium and consider making it an ally.
• Katahara Metsudo and Kure Erioh discussed the Consortium’s ambitions, and Katahara sent a Kure Clan member to approach Makima.
• Makima stopped the Kure Clan member from reaching the fighter’s lounge, accepted his business card, and later told An Xiu what had happened.
• Akiyama Kaede invited An Xiu, Makima, and Hongo Hina to meet Nogi Hideki at Nogi Group headquarters.
• Makima rejected Nogi Hideki’s initial proposal and offered for the Apocalypse Consortium to initiate the chairman election war with Nogi Group’s help gathering votes.
• Nogi Hideki agreed on the condition that the Consortium first fight the Nogi Group in a Kengan match, with the match’s true wager kept secret.