Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao prepared the Black Star Army for its expedition to the Kant Star System while players debated whether to defect to Krent after Summer Night Blossoms’ theory gained attention. The fleet set out, and Heber resolved to kill Han Xiao after the Secret War if he had not become a Beyond Grade A by then.

• Han Xiao discussed the Secret War’s likely course with Reynold and explained that Amethyst was launching a major counterattack to reclaim the Kant Star System.
• Summer Night Blossoms fumed at players who dismissed his theory, while Long Hatred of Heaven persuaded his guild to try joining the War Realm’s Krent-aligned faction.
• Lagi delivered a bleak, money-focused departure speech that boosted the army’s morale, and Han Xiao ordered the fleet to set out for the Kant Star System.
• Jorde reported that Section Zero had sent nearly all its forces to the Kant Star System and that Han Xiao had shown no significant growth in seven years.
• Heber said Han Xiao might eventually become a Beyond Grade A but vowed to kill him after the Secret War if he remained alive.

Han Xiao led a detachment to attack War Realm’s smallest outer stronghold, intending to earn Amethyst resources and give the players combat experience. He destroyed the defending fleet and orbital cannon in minutes, clearing the way for the players’ descent onto Planet K-00156.

• At the Section Zero strategy meeting, Han Xiao volunteered the Black Star Army to attack the smallest base station system alone in exchange for 7,000 tons of Dark Matter Flow Crystal and 2,000 tons of String Alloy.
• Han Xiao split the Black Star Army’s forces, taking Sylvia, Marion, and 300,000 players toward Planet K-00156 while Lagi led the main force elsewhere.
• As War Realm’s fleet surrounded the detachment, Han Xiao diverted its cannon fire and unleashed his mechanical army, destroying half the enemy ships almost instantly.
• Han Xiao fired the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon at the planet’s anti-space orbital cannon and froze the surrounding base complex.
• Han Xiao broke through the enemy flagship’s shield and armor with Psionic Energy, destroying it as his mechanical army eliminated the remaining ships.
• With the fleet cleared in under five minutes, Phillip announced that the players would begin their orbital drop in three minutes.

Han Xiao used the attack on Planet K-00156 to give the players experience while he fought the War Realm fleet and sent Sylvia and Marion to seize the jump relay station. After the players overran the stronghold and Sylvia took control of the station, Han Xiao prepared to attack the next planetary stronghold.

• Han Xiao watched three hundred thousand players drop onto Planet K-00156 and attack its surface bases while he waited for reinforcements to arrive.
• When the War Realm fleet emerged from a wormhole, Han Xiao hacked its ships and sent his mechanical forces to capture them as Sylvia and Marion entered the relay station.
• Frenzied Saber fought through the stronghold, killed its commander despite his surrender, and discovered that killing an officer earned him extra experience.
• Sylvia cut through the relay station's defenders and seized it, while Marion complained that she had damaged part of the station.
• Han Xiao captured most of the reinforcements, then saw a wormhole open to the second planetary stronghold and prepared to attack it.

Han Xiao’s forces cleared the War Realm’s outer bases in the Kant Star System and advanced through the central zone, while Section Zero prepared to assault the enemy’s final stronghold. As both sides readied for the decisive battle, Jorde ordered Hadavy to use a secret weapon against Han Xiao, but Hadavy secretly decided not to use it.

• Han Xiao led three hundred thousand players in clearing the remaining planetary bases and jump base station, then joined the main force after it destroyed another base station system.
• Section Zero cleared the War Realm’s six outer bases and pushed into the central zone, where the players fought repeatedly and enemy forces struggled to hold their ground.
• Han Xiao remained a deterrent to enemy high-level fighters while Lagi led the Black Star Army’s fighters; after Section Zero broke through two central base station systems, the remaining enemy forces withdrew to the final stronghold.
• Section Zero prepared to attack the final base station system, and its command center assigned Han Xiao to tie down the enemy’s high-level fighters and drive Hadavy away.
• Jorde told Hadavy to use a one-use weapon against Han Xiao, but Hadavy reluctantly agreed while secretly resolving not to use it.

Section Zero attacked War Realm’s Kant Star System, and Han Xiao joined the assault to confront Hadavy. When Jorde activated a hidden weapon during their fight, a psychic attack struck Han Xiao and revealed Sisko as its source.

• Section Zero launched attacks across the Kant Star System while Han Xiao waited aboard the Eternity for Hadavy to appear.
• Hadavy attacked the Black Star Army’s fleet, and Lagi intercepted him before Han Xiao arrived and took over the fight.
• Han Xiao used his mechanical army to restrain Hadavy while trading taunts with him.
• Jorde ordered Hadavy to use a hidden weapon, but a Whispering Bead opened and released a white ball of light that pursued Han Xiao.
• The light passed through Han Xiao’s defenses and inflicted mental damage and several debilitating conditions, revealing that Sisko had attacked him.

Han Xiao led Section Zero to victory in the Kant Star System, but a psionic poison attack left him with dangerous mental afflictions. Fording could not remove the poison, which was already spreading through Han Xiao’s mental realm.

• Sisko’s stored psionic attack afflicted Han Xiao with several negative statuses, and Jorde revealed that War Realm had used the poison to weaken him.
• Han Xiao intensified his attack, Hadavy escaped, and Section Zero drove War Realm’s forces from the Kant Star System after War Realm destroyed the warp base station.
• Players celebrated the victory and discussed switching factions to join War Realm or Krent after spending their rewards.
• Han Xiao examined the poison’s effects and summoned Fording and Lagi to assess his mental state.
• Fording found that the poison had spread across a tenth of Han Xiao’s mental realm and warned that it would develop a conscious subpersonality after reaching thirty percent; he could not remove it.

Han Xiao suppressed Sisko’s esper toxin with Lagi and Fording’s help, then traveled with Fording and Marion to seek Austin’s aid. Meanwhile, Hila and Aurora left Dragon Calm after years of training under Ames and set out to find Han Xiao.

• Fording strengthened Han Xiao’s mental barrier, and Lagi inscribed personal enchantments that reduced the toxin’s effects and let Han Xiao enter his mental brain region.
• Han Xiao contacted Austin, who agreed to help, and left for the Secret Church of the Red Robe with Fording and Marion while keeping his condition secret from the army.
• Jorde was pleased that the War Realm’s ambush had weakened Han Xiao and hoped he would be unable to fight.
• Hila and Aurora declined Verna’s offer to stay at Dragon Calm and prepared to leave for the Black Star Army.
• Ames wished Hila and Aurora well as they departed, and she reflected on what it felt like to be a teacher.

After Summer Night Blossoms led a group of players to join the War Realm, they lost their Black Star Army benefits and became wanted traitors, while Hila and Aurora hunted pirates in Colton. Han Xiao and his companions finally reached the Secret Church of the Red Robe headquarters.

• The Black Star Army returned victorious from the Kant Star System campaign, and players recorded the victory in the Galaxy Chronicles.
• Summer Night Blossoms led Long Hatred of Heaven and other players to the West Wind Star System to join the War Realm and Krent Empire.
• The defecting players became hostile to the Black Star Army, Section Zero, and the Amethyst Civilization, and Phillip cut off their access to army services.
• The Black Star Army issued a repeatable bounty mission against traitors, making the defectors wanted targets for its members.
• Hila killed the pirates surrounding her ship and absorbed their residual soul energy while Aurora took their four ships.
• Han Xiao and his two companions arrived at Austin's Secret Church of the Red Robe headquarters.

Han Xiao visited Austin at the Palace of Hidden Spells to learn whether Austin could remove the psychic toxin Sisko had left in his mind. Austin identified it as a Soul Embryo connected to the Evolution Cube and said Han Xiao would need to become a Beyond Grade A to recover safely.

• Han Xiao, Fording, and Marion arrived at the Palace of Hidden Spells, where Mage Desoro escorted them to Austin.
• Austin examined Han Xiao and identified the psychic toxin as a Soul Embryo created by Sisko's activated psychic weapon.
• Austin explained that Sisko had used the Evolution Cube to evolve his species and amplify his psychic power, which gave the Soul Embryo its unusual vitality.
• Austin said destroying the Soul Embryo could cause Han Xiao irreversible damage, but becoming a Beyond Grade A would let him recover on his own.
• Han Xiao suggested asking Sisko to neutralize the toxin, but Austin denied being close to Sisko.

Austin warned Han Xiao that the Tyrant would eventually come after him unless he became a Beyond Grade A, while Han Xiao discovered that leveling up could suppress the Soul Embryo. Hila and Aurora returned to the Black Star Army, and Han Xiao welcomed Hila back as a powerful ally.

• Austin told Han Xiao that the Tyrant would target him after the Secret War and that becoming a Beyond Grade A was his best chance to survive.
• Han Xiao reassured Fording and Marion, then realized that gaining levels could expand his mental domain and suppress the Soul Embryo’s corrosion.
• Han Xiao leveled up and confirmed that the Soul Embryo’s corruption had dropped from six percent to four percent.
• Hila and Aurora arrived at Black Star Army headquarters after Hila defeated attacking space pirates, while Ames worried about their safety.
• Han Xiao welcomed Hila and Aurora back, and Hila said she had finally caught up to him and was ready to fight alongside him.

Han Xiao brought Hila and Aurora to Blockade Line 027, where he planned to test Hila’s strength by attacking the War Realm’s W-58 Stronghold. As both sides prepared for the clash, Jorde ordered Manudo to draw Han Xiao into battle and assess his condition, while Summer Night Blossoms and other War Realm players waited to meet Black Star Army friends.

• Han Xiao learned that Aurora could heal injuries, boost others’ life force, and preserve her ability in energy potions, while Hila was eager to test her strength.
• Han Xiao assigned Hila and Aurora to serve as his bodyguards for now and decided to take them to the war front.
• At Blockade Line 027, Rexon reported that Black Star Army players had helped the defenders win recent battles, and Han Xiao arranged support for an attack on W-58 Stronghold.
• Jorde ordered Manudo to lure Han Xiao into a fight so he could assess the effects of Sisko’s psychic weapon, promising nearby calamity-grade reinforcements.
• Summer Night Blossoms and several War Realm players arrived on a barren planet to meet Black Star Army friends and obtain discounted supplies.

Summer Night Blossoms was betrayed during a deal and killed by bounty hunters, while Han Xiao watched Hila absorb battlefield souls and sent her to face three Calamity Grade enemies. Hila began fighting Manudo and his companions as the Black Star Army’s players recognized her.

• Summer Night Blossoms discovered that the buyer had exposed his group’s coordinates to bounty hunters, negotiated a larger bounty share, and was killed before respawning at W-58 Stronghold.
• Han Xiao rewarded the player who had killed a traitor, then watched Rexon’s forces attack W-58 Stronghold without joining the battle.
• Han Xiao had Hila absorb the residual mental energy of the battlefield’s dead, strengthening her Esper ability and expanding its range.
• Three Calamity Grade Supers emerged from W-58 Stronghold’s fleet, and Han Xiao sent Hila to fight them instead of intervening himself.
• Hila unleashed a massive red-energy attack against Manudo and his companions, while Black Star Army players recognized her and speculated about her past with Han Xiao.

Hila fought three War Realm Calamity Grades and learned the limits of her strength before Han Xiao took over and defeated them. Han Xiao staged signs of impatience to mislead Jorde into believing he had been weakened, and Jorde accepted the deception as he considered changing War Realm’s tactics.

• Hila struggled against Manudo and his two companions, then Aurora remotely healed her after a devastating hit by sharing her vitality.
• Han Xiao stopped Hila’s fight and offered the three enemies a chance to surrender, but one attacked, prompting Han Xiao to unleash his mechanical army.
• Han Xiao deliberately made his forces attack more frequently and less accurately while defeating the three Calamity Grades; Manudo surrendered and was captured.
• Rexon’s troops destroyed W-58 Stronghold, while Hila withdrew to process the experience of her battle.
• Jorde analyzed the battle footage and concluded that Sisko’s weapon had left Han Xiao with an injury that restricted his ability to fight.

After leveling up and using a stored Mission Settlement Card, Han Xiao completed his level 220 advancement and evolved into a Void Star Chaser, gaining a major increase in attributes and suppressing the Soul Embryo’s growth. He then turned to inspect his new racial talents.

• Han Xiao declined Rexon's celebration invitation and took Hila to other battlefields, where she gathered gray souls and rapidly increased her energy level.
• Players posted battle recordings and turned Hila’s return into gossip about Han Xiao’s romantic life, debating which female characters might be closest to him.
• Han Xiao reached level 220, used his Mission Settlement Card to complete the advancement mission, and underwent racial sublimation.
• Han Xiao chose the Void Star Chaser evolution path over eight alternatives, transforming his body and receiving substantial attribute bonuses.
• Han Xiao reached level 221, saw his Energy surpass 30,000, and found that his advancement had reduced the Soul Embryo’s growth from nine percent to below one percent.
• Han Xiao checked his new attributes and turned to inspect the racial talents gained from his evolution.

After advancing into a Void Star Chaser, Han Xiao examined his new cosmic abilities and planned to recruit version 3.0 players on Planet Dield to accelerate his growth toward Beyond Grade A. He left Sylvia to establish a Black Star Army branch there and checked in with Bennett about Planet Aquamarine.

• Han Xiao found that his Void Star Chaser talents improved his space travel, radiation absorption, and defenses, making him tougher and able to grow by absorbing cosmic energy.
• Han Xiao judged that reaching Beyond Grade A would require more experience and preparation, so he planned to recruit new players on Planet Dield and train Hila while taking worthwhile missions.
• Han Xiao considered seeking a Universal Treasure in the unexplored Shattered World but concluded that he could not reach it yet and would need to improve his talents by other means.
• Han Xiao teased Fording and Morning Star about sharing a body, and Aurora noticed that Han Xiao's life force had grown stronger.
• Han Xiao ordered Sylvia to establish a Black Star Army branch on Planet Dield and messaged Bennett to ask about Planet Aquamarine.

Ten years after Planet Aquamarine’s unification, Han Xiao reconnected with Bennett, met Bennett’s son Nero, and agreed to become his godfather and eventually look after him. Meanwhile, Version 3.0 brought millions of new players into the galaxy, and the Black Star Army made a dramatic arrival at Planet Dield.

• At the Federation First Elementary Academy, Nero learned about Black Star and asked whether he was still alive.
• Bennett introduced Nero to Han Xiao during a video call, and Han Xiao agreed to become Nero’s godfather.
• Bennett declined Han Xiao’s invitation to travel through the universe, saying he wanted to devote his life to the Aquamarine Federation, and asked Han Xiao to raise Nero after his death; Han Xiao agreed.
• Han Xiao heard that Planet Aquamarine was thriving as an interstellar civilization and that the Black Star Army had recruited many Version 3.0 players there.
• At Planet Dield, players debated which career and storyline to pursue before an enormous satellite fortress and more than a thousand Black Star Army battleships appeared in orbit.

Sylvia established a Black Star Army branch on Planet Dield, drawing in local players and driving away nearby pirates. Han Xiao declined to return to the Secret War front lines so he could focus on breaking through the Calamity Grade bottleneck, while agreeing that the army would still participate.

• Sylvia told Planet Dield's financial leaders that the Black Star Army would open a mercenary branch, and Carver agreed to help publicize it in exchange for discounted services.
• The Odegon Financial Group and other local powers announced their cooperation with the Black Star Army, which then recruited local personnel and players.
• Nearby star pirates fled after learning the Black Star Army had arrived, and more than ninety percent of Planet Dield's players joined the army within three days.
• Han Xiao gained experience from the influx of new players and decided they should pursue mercenary work rather than join the Secret War.
• Laifer told Han Xiao that the Crimson Dynasty and the Federation of Light had nearly reached an agreement and urged him to return for a counterattack.
• Han Xiao refused to join the operation so he could seek a breakthrough, and Laifer accepted his decision while requiring the Black Star Army to participate.

Han Xiao selected talent-rewarding missions, arranged for Aurora to make recovery potions for the army’s senior officers, and set out with Hila, Aurora, and Fording. Meanwhile, a team of Fallen Ark criminals led by Eklin arrived in the Shattered Star Ring to retrieve wormhole coordinates from Harofal and, if necessary, target Han Xiao before stealing the Evolution Cube.

• Han Xiao chose several worthwhile missions to pursue while building up the experience he needed for his next class change.
• Han Xiao asked Aurora to make recovery potions for the army’s senior officers, and she agreed with Hila’s tacit approval.
• Han Xiao departed with Hila, Aurora, and Fording to complete missions and obtain talents.
• Eklin’s three ships reached the Shattered Star Ring after six years of travel, and the awakened Fallen Ark members prepared to carry out their assignment.
• Eklin identified Harofal as the primary target for wormhole coordinate data and said the team would steal the Evolution Cube afterward.

Han Xiao brought Hila, Aurora, and Fording to Planet Nalen to pursue a quest that could grant him mental resistance. After Fording instantly destroyed the estate’s demon spirit, the hidden wizard Tomar stood exposed and stunned.

• Han Xiao arrived at Planet Nalen and explained that he had been accumulating attributes by absorbing cosmic radiation in space.
• Han Xiao disguised himself and his companions as locals, then led them to Stoneheart City to investigate a long-standing bounty for a demon spirit.
• The estate owner told Han Xiao about the spirit and the disappearance of Planet Nalen’s wizards, triggering the chain quest The Demon King of Planet Nalon.
• Han Xiao noticed a magical eyeball monitoring them and let it remain, while a secret group sent Tomar to watch over the demon-spirit investigation.
• At night, Fording destroyed the demon spirit with a mental attack, and Tomar emerged from hiding in disbelief.

Han Xiao and his companions joined the hidden wizards opposing Wosumede and accepted a mission to destroy an altar sustaining the King of Wraiths. After destroying it and effortlessly defeating the King’s manifestation, Han Xiao convinced Tomar that the group were gods, leaving Tomar sworn to secrecy.

• Tomar led Han Xiao and his companions to the Stoneheart City meeting place, where Lanli explained that Wosumede had nearly wiped out the wizards and asked them to destroy an altar guarded by wraiths.
• Han Xiao accepted the mission and chose Tomar to accompany the group instead of the eight wizards Lanli offered.
• Han Xiao, his companions, and Tomar reached the cave and entered despite Tomar’s warning that the wraiths grew stronger at night.
• Fording instantly destroyed the hundreds of wraiths, and Hila reduced the altar to dust, completing the mission stage and summoning the King of Wraiths.
• Fording silenced the King of Wraiths’ manifestation without killing it, and Han Xiao told Tomar that the group were gods who had come to punish Wosumede.
• Tomar believed Han Xiao and agreed to keep the group’s supposed divine identity secret.