Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao attacked a satellite fortress while Morred’s fleet fought to break through the jump base station’s shield. Han Xiao’s mechanical army overwhelmed the fortress defenses, but five Calamity Grades held him in combat, so Morred ordered reinforcements to help him.

• Tamaria attacked Han Xiao with her mechanical axe as fortress turrets opened fire, but Han Xiao dodged the barrage and unleashed his mechanical army.
• Han Xiao’s million-strong force destroyed forty percent of the local turret defenses and began dismantling the fortress while fighting the Myriad Beast Soldiers.
• Han Xiao used Shapeshifters and their psionic shock cannons to wound Tamaria, then ordered half his mechanical army to surround her and the other four Calamity Grades.
• Morred watched the fleets’ battle stall outside the shield and learned that five Calamity Grades had pinned Han Xiao down.
• Morred ordered the other two fleets to send all their Calamity Grade teams to reinforce Han Xiao.

Han Xiao used his mechanical army to wear down Tamaria and her companions while hacking into the satellite fortress. He baited Tamaria into close combat, restrained her, and killed her with a concentrated barrage, then turned toward her terrified teammates.

• The base station commander sent five more Calamity Grades to stop Han Xiao after detecting an enemy squad heading to support him.
• Han Xiao's mechanical army overwhelmed Tamaria and her four companions with staggered attacks as he attempted to hack the satellite fortress.
• Tamaria broke through the encirclement and attacked Han Xiao, who baited her into grabbing him and trapped them both with control devices.
• Han Xiao ordered the mechanical army to fire on both of them, surviving the barrage while Tamaria was killed.
• Han Xiao faced Tamaria's four frightened companions and invited them to fight.

Han Xiao destroyed the satellite fortress from within, opening a gap in the T-04 Jump Base Station’s shield and leaving the War Realm defenders exposed to Morred’s fleet. As the fleet poured through the opening and bombarded the base station, its commander realized that Black Star had overwhelmed their forces.

• Han Xiao took control of the satellite fortress, planted Psionic Energy bombs, and destroyed it from within.
• Morred ordered the allied fleet to break through the blockade and clear a path for the Calamity Grade support teams, despite objections from other commanders.
• As the support teams approached the fortress, Han Xiao’s explosion destroyed it and removed an anchor point in the base station’s protective shield.
• Han Xiao emerged from the wreckage and greeted the stunned support teams, while Morred led the fleet through the newly opened gap.
• The base station commander watched the fleet bombard the station and recognized that Black Star had defeated its defenders and ruined their plans.

After Han Xiao destroyed the War Realm’s jump base station, Section Zero won a decisive battle and the Amethyst Civilization rewarded him for his contribution. The postwar meeting left Han Xiao praised and valued, while he worried that killing Tamaria might provoke Heber.

• Han Xiao destroyed the jump base station, completed his tactical mission, and earned favorability and experience for his actions.
• With enemy reinforcements cut off, Section Zero routed the remaining forces and won a major victory.
• Morred invited Han Xiao and the other leaders to a postwar meeting aboard the flagship, where Laifer praised their contributions.
• Laifer singled out Han Xiao for destroying the satellite fortress and killing Tamaria, then announced that the Amethyst Civilization would increase its investment in the Black Star Army and consider a long-term partnership.
• Han Xiao realized Tamaria had been the first senior War Realm officer killed in the Secret War and wondered whether Heber would retaliate.

After Black Star’s victory made him famous across the Shattered Star Ring, Heber chose to let him grow rather than attack him, intending to face him himself if he became a Beyond Grade A. Ames, meanwhile, insisted that Han Xiao could not leave Dragon Calm, unless she was unable to stop him.

• The Amethyst Civilization rewarded Han Xiao with twenty-seven million Enas and rare resources, while Laifer kept him in reserve for important missions as he replenished his mechanical army.
• News of Black Star’s feats spread, drawing the attention of factions across the Shattered Star Ring and making him a celebrated Beyond Grade A seed.
• At Planet Heber, Jorde reported Tamaria’s death, but Heber refused to retaliate immediately and said Black Star would be his enemy to face later.
• Heber ordered Jorde’s forces to survive and grow stronger against Black Star, treating him as a whetstone for the War Realm’s cadres.
• Iso warned Ames that Han Xiao would eventually leave Dragon Calm, but Ames insisted he could not leave unless she was unable to stop him.

Sylvia celebrated reaching Grade B and tried to persuade Reynold to stay with the Black Star Army, while Borick doubted DarkStar’s chances against Han Xiao. DarkStar’s leader served a terrifying Beyond Grade A aboard the Fallen Ark but decided to return and rebuild his forces, as Aroshia wondered whether Han Xiao could die fighting the Mechanic Emperor.

• Sylvia told Reynold she had reached Grade B and showed him news about Han Xiao becoming a likely Beyond Grade A seed, hoping to convince him to remain with the Black Star Army.
• Borick, a DarkStar sleeper serving as an instructor, lost confidence in DarkStar’s leader and resolved to warn him against challenging Black Star if he returned.
• DarkStar’s leader brought captured espers to the hooded master of the Fallen Ark, who drained them and promised him a new fleet in exchange for suitable espers.
• After seeing rumors that Han Xiao might become Beyond Grade A, DarkStar’s leader decided to return to the Shattered Star Ring while Han Xiao was away at war.
• Resta urged Aroshia to persuade Han Xiao to fight the Mechanic Emperor, but Aroshia wondered whether Han Xiao could die in battle.

After the jump-station battle raised his standing, Han Xiao planned to transform and expand the Black Star Army while developing new armor and fortresses. He appointed Lagi deputy commander and announced a recruitment drive across the Shattered Star Ring, leaving countless powerhouses and organizations considering joining.

• Han Xiao studied captured War Alliance technology, derived useful shield technologies, and developed a smaller satellite fortress blueprint and improved Myriad Beast Soldier armor.
• Han Xiao decided to turn the Black Star Army from a mercenary group into a larger armed organization, using his reputation as a likely Beyond Grade A to recruit talent and strengthen its forces.
• Harmon told Han Xiao that Lagi had returned, and Han Xiao asked Harmon about the Craggy Rock Tribe's chieftain selection battle, which was eleven years away.
• Han Xiao appointed Lagi the Black Star Army's first deputy commander and publicized Lagi's past as a Grade A+ Super and former leader of the Secret Church of the Red Robe's Forbidden Sorcerers.
• Organizations across the Shattered Star Ring speculated about Black Star's rise and his relationship with Dragon Calm after the deputy commander announcement.
• Han Xiao issued a public call for large-scale recruitment across the Shattered Star Ring, attracting the interest of countless powerhouses and organizations.

Han Xiao oversaw the Black Star Army’s explosive recruitment drive, which brought in over a million recruits and three Calamity Grade officers. As civilizations and mercenary leaders sought to work with him, he signed expansion agreements and was invited to lead a Shattered Star Ring mercenary alliance.

• Phillip selected 1.4 million qualified recruits, and Han Xiao returned to the Black Star Army headquarters to manage the expansion.
• Han Xiao welcomed the Calamity Grades Kampe, Marion, and Mischich into the army, bringing its total number of Calamity Grades to six.
• Envoys from nearly eighty percent of Colton’s star system-level civilizations offered cooperation deals, and Han Xiao signed agreements to establish Black Star Army bases in their territories.
• Youyu, Gurega, and other mercenary commanders invited Han Xiao to found and lead the Shattered Star Ring mercenary alliance.

After securing new partnerships, Han Xiao reorganized the rapidly expanding Black Star Army and planned how to use its opportunities to grow. Over three years, the army became a renowned Star Field-level faction as the Secret War spread and public opinion increasingly separated it from Dragon Calm.

• Gurega and his companions left the Black Star Army base impressed by Han Xiao's rise and glad they had made his acquaintance early.
• Melos worried that three new Calamity Grade recruits would weaken his standing, while resolving to keep training without giving up his card playing.
• Han Xiao evaluated the army's current scale and development potential, then planned branch bases, resource operations, recruitment, and a Shattered Star Ring mercenary alliance.
• The Black Star Army recruited toward ten million members and established branch bases across the Colton Star Cluster while Han Xiao continued fighting the War Realm in the Secret War.
• The army's growing fame led more people to treat it as separate from Dragon Calm, and additional factions entered the Secret War.
• Three years passed on Planet Aquamarine as the Black Star Army continued developing and the conflict's effects spread.

Iso introduced Verna to Ames and arranged for her to train under Han Xiao as his possible successor in Dragon Calm. Meanwhile, Han Xiao led a raid against the War Realm’s last logistical relay station in the desolate cosmic belt.

• Iso brought Verna to meet Ames, who welcomed her and resumed sparring with Hila after Iso led Verna away.
• Hila told Aurora that Iso was preparing Verna to take over Han Xiao’s position, while Ames said Han Xiao remained one of hers for now.
• Iso told Verna to assemble a new field operations force and sent her to seek Han Xiao’s help, intending for him to train her.
• Over three years, the Black Star Army expanded across Colton and became a long-term partner of the Amethyst Civilization as rumors tried to drive Han Xiao and Ames apart.
• Han Xiao led raids that destroyed nearly all of the War Realm’s relay stations and was now attacking its last logistical relay station.

Sylvia fought through the War Realm’s defenders at a logistics transfer station while Han Xiao commanded the fleet’s assault. When reinforcements and an allied ambush surrounded his fleet, Han Xiao went to face Hadavy, a recurring challenger.

• Sylvia battled Myriad Beast Soldiers on a satellite fortress and nearly lost hope of returning to her studies before Marion intervened against an enemy Calamity Grade.
• Han Xiao directed Section Zero’s fleet as it overwhelmed the transfer station’s defenses and threatened the teleportation stargate.
• War Realm reinforcements emerged through the stargate, and another faction’s fleet arrived to attack Han Xiao’s forces from the rear.
• Hadavy challenged Han Xiao over a video message, and Han Xiao left the command room to face him.

Han Xiao deployed his upgraded mechanical army against Hadavy and the forces attacking the Black Star Army, only to discover that the apparent ambush was a trap designed to carry him through the stargate into War Realm territory. Hadavy and thirty Calamity Grades held him down as they approached the Seoul Star Cluster, leaving Han Xiao trapped in the enemy’s plan.

• Han Xiao summoned three million advanced mechanical soldiers, whose annihilation weapons helped repel enemy ships while holding Hadavy at bay.
• Hadavy pretended to retreat through Han Xiao’s fleet, prompting Han Xiao to pursue him toward the front line.
• Thirty Grade A Supers, including Fosters and seven vanguard officers, emerged from the War Realm reinforcements and attacked Han Xiao.
• Hadavy seized Han Xiao and charged toward the stargate while the other Calamity Grades helped propel him and War Realm’s fleet protected the gate.
• Han Xiao realized War Realm intended to isolate and capture him in the Seoul Star Cluster, but Hadavy refused to release him and continued carrying him toward the gate.

Han Xiao broke free of the War Realm’s attempt to kidnap him, defeated their forces, and captured several Calamity Grade combatants. After completing the campaign in the Desolate Universe Belt, he learned that Laifer was granting him a long vacation.

• Jorde ordered the War Realm’s fighters to capture Han Xiao and bring him through the stargate, but Han Xiao escaped Hadavy’s grasp using [Advanced Void Travel].
• Han Xiao countered the mystic mages’ spatial spells, trapped Fosters’s Star Shattering Fist in a Curvature Force Field Distorter, and disrupted the mages with a Magic Tide Generator.
• Jorde ordered the War Realm forces to retreat; Hadavy and the vanguard officers escaped, but Han Xiao and Lagi held back and captured the remaining Calamity Grade fighters.
• The War Realm abandoned its logistics hub, and Han Xiao’s fleet destroyed the remaining enemy forces and dismantled the stargate.
• Laifer congratulated Han Xiao on the victory, then told him the mission was complete and offered him a long vacation.

After the Secret War mission ended, Han Xiao ordered the Black Star Army back to Colton for a long break and reviewed its rapid growth. He planned to use the respite to complete an inheritance mission, but a message from Iso about Verna and a successor caught his attention.

• Han Xiao told the fleet's officers that Amethyst had ended their mission and granted them a long break, then assigned Melos to oversee the army's businesses.
• The fleet returned to Colton, where Han Xiao assessed how the Black Star Army had grown into a vast organization built on war, mining, and mercenary work.
• Han Xiao decided to use the break to complete a trial-based inheritance mission and obtain its level 180 blueprint.
• Han Xiao reviewed his pending missions, including the stalled [Prey] mission involving Manison and Fording's completed [Choice] outcome with Morning Star.
• Han Xiao received a message from Iso asking him to hand over his work and begin training a successor early, and he focused on the mention of Verna.

Han Xiao returned to the Black Star Army headquarters and agreed to help Verna establish a second Dragon Calm field operations force, using the army’s resources to support her. After Verna and the others left, Reynold privately asked Han Xiao for help with a serious problem.

• Verna waited nervously at the Black Star Army headquarters and introduced herself to Han Xiao when his fleet arrived.
• Han Xiao reassured Verna that he would help her establish a second field operations force and asked about Ames’s response to the plan.
• Han Xiao brought Verna to his office and ordered Reynold, Melos, and Sylvia to provide recruits, funding, and consortium support for the new force.
• Reynold asked everyone to leave so he could speak with Han Xiao alone.
• Reynold told Han Xiao that he had a problem no one else could help him with and asked for Han Xiao’s assistance.

Reynold asked Han Xiao to rescue his sister Lothaire, a former religious leader imprisoned by the Hutt Civilization for using her Esper ability to influence people. Han Xiao accepted the mission and, after seeing Lothaire’s photograph, recognized her as another person familiar from his previous life.

• Reynold told Han Xiao how his sister Lothaire had abandoned him as a child, founded a religion using her mind-influencing Esper ability, and was arrested after the Cecil regimes discovered her power.
• Reynold explained that the Hutt Civilization had taken Lothaire as a prisoner, and he asked Han Xiao to save her.
• Han Xiao agreed to help, and the mission interface assigned him the task of rescuing Lothaire from the Hutt Civilization.
• Reynold showed Han Xiao photographs of Lothaire, and Han Xiao recognized her as someone he knew from his previous life.

Han Xiao visited the Hutt Civilization to secure Lothaire’s release, bringing her brother Reynold to the prison where she was held. The Hutt officials refused to grant bail, leaving Han Xiao to consider another way to get her out.

• Volman learned that Han Xiao would arrive to meet Lothaire and was assigned to receive him.
• Han Xiao arrived with Reynold and traveled with Volman to the prison holding Lothaire.
• Reynold reunited with Lothaire, who barely recognized him and dismissed his attempt to save her as foolish.
• Han Xiao recognized Lothaire as a future key member of the Silver Revolutionary Army and asked the Hutt Civilization to release her on bail.
• Volman reported Han Xiao’s request to the higher-ups, who refused to release Lothaire because she was an important prisoner.

After the Hutt Civilization refused to release Lothaire, Han Xiao arranged for the Amethyst Civilization to take custody of her and transfer her to him. Aboard the Blacklight Stealth, Lothaire challenged Han Xiao and Reynold about why she had been rescued, until Han Xiao called her a reformer and unsettled her.

• The Hutt higher-ups refused Han Xiao’s request, so Han Xiao left with Reynold and told Volman they would meet again soon.
• Five days later, Amethyst envoys arrived at the Black Star Army branch with Lothaire, and they released her to Han Xiao.
• Han Xiao reminded Volman that he had said they would meet again, then departed with Lothaire and Reynold.
• Aboard the Blacklight Stealth, Lothaire accused Reynold of having persuaded Han Xiao to rescue her because of her abilities, while Reynold insisted he had simply wanted to save her.
• Han Xiao explained that Amethyst had taken custody of Lothaire from the Hutt Civilization, and Lothaire mocked Reynold before asking whether she was free to leave.
• Han Xiao called Lothaire a reformer rather than an ambitious schemer, and Lothaire froze in surprise.

Han Xiao saw through Lothaire’s motives for founding her sect and persuaded her to join the Black Star Army after rescuing her. He sent Reynold and Lothaire to headquarters, then headed out to pursue his class advancement mission while an unseen observer tracked him.

• Han Xiao explained that Lothaire had founded her sect to reshape her people’s culture, and Lothaire admitted he was right.
• Lothaire agreed to work with Han Xiao, while he considered how her ability could help shape the Black Star Army’s ideology and build ties with the Silver Revolutionary Army.
• Han Xiao reviewed Reynold’s Character Summon Card and reflected on its potential to help him craft powerful equipment.
• Han Xiao sent Reynold and Lothaire back to headquarters, then left the Colton Star Cluster to pursue his class advancement mission.
• An unseen observer watched Han Xiao as he departed the Colton Star Cluster.

Han Xiao completed Harofal’s ten-stage mission and obtained the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon blueprint. As he and Harofal left the observation station, a fleet destroyed it, and Han Xiao recognized the fleet’s leader as the long-missing leader of DarkStar.

• Han Xiao completed Harofal’s blueprint mission and received the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon blueprint.
• Han Xiao learned the blueprint and prepared to leave the observation station with Harofal.
• An enemy fleet attacked and destroyed the observation station, while Han Xiao saved his barracks boxes from the blast.
• Han Xiao and Harofal emerged from the wreckage and saw a fleet of at least five hundred battleships surrounding them.
• The leader of DarkStar appeared and addressed Han Xiao, revealing himself as the attacker.