Chapter Summaries

The Beyond Grade As leaders organized the Development Federation and staged conflicts to build support for its founding, while the three Universal Civilizations planned ways to divide and infiltrate it. Months later, Han Xiao returned from the secondary dimension, learned that preparations were nearly complete, and decided to attend the Federation’s founding.

• The Beyond Grade As agreed on the Development Federation’s structure, debated whether to challenge the civilizations’ monopoly on Ultimate Knowledge, and arranged staged conflicts to justify the organization.
• Urranrell, Bader, and the Arcane leader discussed countermeasures, including pressuring wavering factions, recruiting agents into the Federation’s leadership, and exploiting divisions among its organizers.
• Han Xiao and Ames returned to Black Star Palace, where Sylvia greeted them and noticed their new closeness.
• Sylvia told Han Xiao that Hila had returned from the Netherland Dimension, the players had grown more organized, and the Development Federation had recruited nearly everyone despite interference from the three Universal Civilizations.
• Han Xiao learned that the Empire’s Evolution Totem preorders were awaiting his charge and decided to visit the Development Federation.

Han Xiao attended the first general meeting of the Shattered World Beyond Grade A Development Federation, where Manison became president and Han Xiao secured the vice presidency. After Manison revealed that the three Universal Civilizations had offered Super Star Cluster civilizations in the Ultimate Knowledge negotiations, the Federation was officially announced on July 11, Galaxy Calendar Year 730.

• Han Xiao joined the Federation’s first general meeting on Planet Fein, where members and direct members of the three Universal Civilizations gathered.
• Manison won overwhelming support to become the Federation’s first president, while Han Xiao abstained from the vote.
• Han Xiao proposed himself for vice president and received the position, while Peak Beyond Grade As and direct members of the three Universal Civilizations filled the director and honorary director seats.
• Manison told Han Xiao that the three Universal Civilizations had offered Super Star Cluster civilizations in the Ultimate Knowledge negotiations, but he had not decided whether to agree.
• On July 11, Galaxy Calendar Year 730, nearly a hundred Beyond Grade As announced the Federation’s establishment, with Manison as president and Han Xiao as vice president.

News of the Shattered World Beyond Grade A Development Federation spread across the universe as Han Xiao reflected on its long-term purpose. He chose Aurora as the host for the Holy Light Particle, and its injection triggered a brilliant burst of light.

• Interstellar media discussed the Development Federation, naming Manison as president and Han Xiao as vice president, while Gaud wondered whether Han Xiao knew about the matter he had discovered.
• Han Xiao assessed the Federation’s debut and planned to build a lasting network of shared interests among its Beyond Grade A members, while secretly monitoring Sorokin.
• Han Xiao browsed players’ nicknames for the Beyond Grade As and laughed at Hila’s title, the Female Yaksha.
• Han Xiao summoned Aurora and proposed making her the host of the Holy Light Particle, which complained about her age and demanded a strong male host.
• Han Xiao threatened the Holy Light Particle into silence and injected it into Aurora, causing a brilliant burst of light.

Aurora became the Holy Light Particle’s host, and Han Xiao planned to use her ability to mass-produce Holy Light Seeds while preparing to protect her from the Sanctum. He also selected two Esper abilities for Evans to copy, then learned that the Black Star Army had liberated the Beast Ancestor’s base.

• Aurora fused smoothly with the Holy Light Particle, mastered its power, and agreed to help develop Holy Light Seeds after Han Xiao explained how she could harvest them and grow faster.
• Han Xiao planned to give Aurora a Sovereign Mecha and use her new ability to draw out the Sanctum, while considering how she might use the Netherland once she reached Beyond Grade A.
• Han Xiao reviewed Esper profiles Phillip had found and chose physical- and mental-enhancement abilities for Evans to copy.
• Han Xiao received confirmation that the mission to liberate the Beast Ancestor’s forces was complete.
• Mia oversaw the rescued captives aboard a transport ship and told Jotina that the mothers and young offspring had all been rescued.
• Mia reflected that Nero’s godfather, Han Xiao, was extraordinary and that even Hila followed him.

Han Xiao arranged the Beast Ancestor officers’ place in the Black Star Army, planned to build his influence in the Development Federation, and negotiated ransom deals with Glory and Arcane. The chapter ended as player Disco Elysium’s secret experiment began by stripping away his Esper ability.

• Jotina and the former Beast Ancestor officers visited Han Xiao’s collection room, where Jotina celebrated Gorutan’s capture and the group agreed to train the rescued young offspring.
• Han Xiao considered the Army’s factions and planned to use the Development Federation’s resource consolidation period to build support against Manison and gain favor with neutral Beyond Grade As.
• Han Xiao contacted the neutral members about the Dark Emperor’s attacks and intended to raise the issue at a general meeting.
• Han Xiao negotiated ransom agreements with Glory and Arcane, securing three Universal Treasure-grade blueprints in exchange for returning Tolain and Hedis and requiring public apologies.
• Han Xiao planned an Army tournament while the wider conflict remained quiet, expecting to use the lull to strengthen himself and the Army.
• Disco Elysium followed mechanical soldiers to a secret experiment, where a notification revealed that his Grade B+ Esper ability had been stripped and frozen for an unlimited duration.

Disco Elysium and another player lost their Esper abilities during a secret experiment, then spread Han Xiao’s cover story about a weapon that suppressed Esper genes. As Glory and Arcane apologized and paid compensation for the Hila Rescue Battle, Han Xiao released Tolain and Hedis, and Tolain found acceptance among Arcane’s former prisoners.

• Han Xiao’s mechanical soldier told Disco Elysium and another player that an experiment had temporarily frozen their abilities and claimed the army was developing an Esper-suppression weapon.
• Disco Elysium posted about the supposed secret weapon on the forums, while Evans revealed that he had absorbed the two players’ abilities and practiced using them.
• The Federation of Light and the Arcane Church publicly apologized and offered compensation, and the Crimson Dynasty opened Evolution Totem sales to the free market.
• Han Xiao released Tolain and Hedis after Glory and Arcane officials arrived to retrieve them, then warned them not to challenge him again.
• Tolain’s fellow Arcane members contacted him after his release, and he realized that their shared experience of imprisonment had made him one of them.

Han Xiao secured support from neutral Beyond Grade As and persuaded the Empire to recall Clottey, strengthening his influence in the Development Federation. After Aurora mastered the Holy Light Particle, Han Xiao announced that Army members could earn Holy Light Seeds, prompting a flood of applications and leaving Sanctum researchers alarmed that Black Star possessed another power they wanted.

• Han Xiao received the Star Slaying Blade blueprint, recruited neutral Beyond Grade As to support him, and asked Urranrell to recall Clottey.
• At the association meeting, Garoze and other neutral members demanded protection from Clottey, and Han Xiao promised to handle the matter.
• Urranrell ordered Clottey to end his mission, and his return to the Empire improved members' confidence in Han Xiao.
• After Aurora mastered the Holy Light Particle, Han Xiao announced that Army members could earn Holy Light Seeds with contribution points, causing applications to exceed the Army's existing membership.
• Luo and Fei learned that Han Xiao had obtained the Holy Light Particle and abandoned their plan to steal it, while the researcher asked whether to install the detection device.

Han Xiao trained Aurora to use Holy Light Particle and reviewed the army-wide competition plan Sylvia had prepared. He approved the Black Star Cup, intending to make it a major army event and attract players as they entered the Shattered World’s middle stage.

• Han Xiao ended Aurora’s combat training and advised her on choosing her opportunities in battle.
• Han Xiao reviewed the army’s recruitment growth after the Holy Light Seed system was announced and checked Sylvia’s competition proposal.
• Han Xiao approved a plan with varied competitions, rewards, betting pools, and broadcasts for army members and players.
• Han Xiao rejected Phillip’s suggested names and chose Black Star Cup Army-Wide League, shortened to Black Star Cup.
• Han Xiao sent the improved plan to Sylvia and decided to announce the event early, hoping to draw players and encourage them to spend.

Jiangcheng Guild was ambushed by foreign clubs while collecting resources, but Long Sky and other allies arrived and drove the attackers away. The Black Star Army then announced the Black Star Cup, which Huaxia clubs saw as a major new stage for exposure, while foreign clubs and Beyond Grade As reacted with envy and speculation.

• Frenzied Saber and Maple Moon led Jiangcheng Guild members in a desperate fight against three foreign clubs that had ambushed them on a mining planet.
• Hao Tian and Long Sky’s allies arrived, prompting the foreign clubs to retreat after Jiangcheng had suffered deaths and losses.
• The Black Star Army announced the Black Star Cup Army-Wide League, and the players were astonished by its scale and range of events.
• Frenzied Saber, Hao Tian, and the other Huaxia club members recognized the Cup as a major opportunity to attract attention and prepare for competition.
• Foreign clubs envied the Black Star Army’s exclusive event, and some began reconsidering whether to change factions.
• Several Beyond Grade As speculated that Han Xiao had organized the Cup to display the strength of the Army and its leaders.

Sylvia arranged regional broadcasting rights for the Black Star Cup, while Han Xiao met with Sorokin, who offered a large sponsorship to repair their relationship. Han Xiao confronted Sorokin over his role in the attack on Hila, and Sorokin prepared to explain how he would make amends.

• Sylvia announced the Black Star Cup broadcasting-rights prices and rules, and media representatives submitted bids.
• Sylvia rejected outside bets for the army's internal betting pool and left to oversee sponsorship arrangements.
• Sorokin offered a large sponsorship and said he wanted to mend his relationship with Han Xiao.
• Han Xiao revealed that Traveler had identified himself as a Modo Civilization insider involved in the attack on Hila.
• Sorokin admitted he had interfered to maintain the balance and offered an apology, and Han Xiao asked what he planned to do.

Sorokin agreed to compensate the Black Star Army with favorable business terms, including access to the Infinite Financial Group’s cross-star-field channels and Universal Treasures. Meanwhile, the Black Star Cup preparations concluded, and the first tournament opened to widespread attention.

• Sorokin offered the Black Star Army extensive support, and Han Xiao demanded access to the Infinite Financial Group’s operations in other star fields and a share of its Universal Treasures.
• Han Xiao reasoned that Sorokin would blame the Modo Civilization for Traveler’s actions, potentially giving the Empire grounds to target the Super Star Cluster Alliance and advancing [Kunde Leader's Last Wish].
• The Black Star Cup drew enthusiastic sign-ups from army members and players, who prepared for its many events and spent heavily on equipment and skills.
• Han Xiao gained experience from the players’ purchases and chose to use it to max out blueprint skills and class knowledge before advancing.
• Sylvia and Phillip completed the event preparations, and the first Black Star Cup opening ceremony took place on October 28, Galaxy Calendar year 730, under extensive media coverage.

Han Xiao opened the first Black Star Cup with a speech celebrating the Army’s rise, while the opening matches showcased the players’ unusual strength. Elsewhere, a scavenging team discovered an apparently untouched underground ruin in the Ancient Star Desert, and a famous future explorer feared they were about to uncover something dangerous.

• Han Xiao addressed the universe, recalled his journey from Planet Aquamarine, and declared the first Black Star Cup Army-Wide League open.
• Melos and Hadavy faced off in a Veyne Cards match as spectators cheered Melos and booed Hadavy.
• A newbie player used a Black Star Army Badge: Evolution to transform into an Aberrant and defeat a Grade D academy graduate, alarming the spectators.
• Han Xiao’s rules let contestants use powerful items, allowing players to win lower-grade events and encouraging them to buy Evolution Badges.
• A scavenging team found an unexplored underground ruin on a barren planet in the Ancient Star Desert, but a young team member warned the captain not to enter because he sensed danger.

Young explorer Harrison Moore joined a scavenger team that found an unknown underground ruin and removed a mysterious triangular device, while his intuition warned that it was dangerous. Meanwhile, the Black Star Cup’s preliminary rounds drew huge audiences and prompted players from other factions to flock toward the Black Star Army.

• Harrison Moore came out of retirement in a future war and discovered the World Tree’s hidden main body, leaving its coordinates behind before he died.
• Harrison joined a scavenger team exploring an underground ruin, but the team ignored his warnings and found only an unknown language and empty facilities.
• The scavengers found a black triangular device in the base’s deepest room, powered it on, and discovered a password screen before deciding to take it away unopened.
• After the team left, the underground ruins collapsed, and Harrison suspected they had been built to store the device and had waited for outsiders to remove it.
• The Black Star Cup’s preliminary rounds began, drawing massive audiences as the Evolution Badge boosted player participation in combat events.
• Players from other factions grew envious of the Black Star Army’s competition, and many left their factions to join it.

After crafting the Star Slaying Blade, Han Xiao reached the fifth stage of Divine Transformation and examined its new benefits before checking on the Black Star Cup and his upcoming biographical film. Elsewhere, the Crimson Dynasty’s planned execution heightened tensions between the universal and super star cluster civilizations, while Harrison’s auction deal became vulnerable to a pirate raid.

• Han Xiao completed the Star Slaying Blade, gained a Divine Transformation point, and unlocked the fifth stage of Divine Transformation: Mechanical, receiving major combat bonuses and a First Sanctum skill fragment.
• Han Xiao checked the Black Star Cup’s progress, noted that the army had surpassed ten million players, and found that his biographical film, “Black Star: Origins,” was scheduled to release the following month.
• Han Xiao learned that the Crimson Dynasty planned to publicly execute the Traveler and another Beyond Grade A, while Star Arc Civilization officials worried about the Traveler’s identity and discussed abandoning him.
• Harrison and his team watched their recovered safe go up for auction and worried about the auction house’s safety after learning that Gorutan had fallen from power.
• A pirate leader revealed that Gorutan’s guards had withdrawn from the auction house’s logistics channels and prepared his raiders to rob it.

Harrison’s team learned that space pirates had stolen their auction cargo, and the pirates accidentally triggered a cosmic-level energy burst while opening a mysterious device. The Child of Destiny’s reaction prompted Oathkeeper to move the appointed day forward and personally seek a portion of the Holy Light Particle from Black Star.

• The auction house told Harrison’s team that space pirates had stolen the transport ships and promised compensation at the item’s starting price.
• A space pirate leader ordered his Mechanic Class expert to open a triangular safe, which released a powerful energy wave and an information signal that spread through the quantum network.
• Luo and Fei told Oathkeeper that they could not safely take the Holy Light Particle from Black Star, and Oathkeeper agreed to leave it alone for the time being.
• A Sanctum cadre reported that the Child of Destiny had produced an Information State Disturbance, and Oathkeeper questioned the awakened ability entity about what it had sensed.
• The Child of Destiny revealed that the appointed day would come ten or twenty years earlier, so Oathkeeper ordered it put back to sleep and announced that he would personally negotiate with Black Star for part of the Holy Light Particle.

Frenzied Saber and Hao Tian fought in the Black Star Cup as advanced civilizations considered the Immortals’ growing strength. Meanwhile, Han Xiao watched the Empire execute Traveler, stirred conflict between Modo and Star Arc, and met Oathkeeper, whom he recognized as the Sanctum Organization’s leader.

• Frenzied Saber and Hao Tian battled fiercely in the Black Star Cup, while Federation of Light envoys discussed the Immortals’ potential to reach Calamity Grade.
• Han Xiao watched the Crimson Dynasty publicly accuse Traveler of serving Modo and execute him and another Beyond Grade A with the Key of Destruction.
• Han Xiao ordered Phillip to anonymously tell Modo’s leaders that Star Arc was Traveler’s real backer, hoping to sow distrust between them.
• Oathkeeper appeared before Han Xiao as a mental projection and proposed making a deal.
• Han Xiao identified Oathkeeper as the leader of the Sanctum Organization, leaving Oathkeeper stunned.

Oathkeeper negotiated with Han Xiao for Holy Light Particle while growing alarmed that Sanctum’s secrets had been exposed, then left to investigate a suspected traitor. Meanwhile, a Federation of Light Cosmic Watcher traced a mysterious energy surge to an ancient safe and ordered his team to find Harrison’s group.

• Oathkeeper met Han Xiao and tried to determine how much he knew about the Sanctum Organization, while Han Xiao bluffed about recognizing Sanctum’s signature technologies.
• Oathkeeper concluded that a high-ranking Sanctum member had betrayed the organization and offered two blueprints as compensation for the previous attack.
• Han Xiao and Oathkeeper agreed to exchange Holy Light Particle and the stolen part of Chaos Mysterious Energy for portions of two Primal Esper Abilities.
• Oathkeeper left to investigate the suspected traitor, while Han Xiao decided to ask Sanctum about the Sanctums in a future meeting.
• In the Ancient Star Desert, a Federation of Light Cosmic Watcher questioned captured space pirates about a universal-level energy surge and learned it came from an ancient safe.
• The Cosmic Watcher identified Harrison’s team in the auction records and ordered his forces to find them.

After the Cosmic Inspectors discovered that Harrison’s crew had sold a mysterious device that caused a universal-level energy burst, they found the excavation site had vanished and suspected reality had been affected by high-dimensional information. Meanwhile, Oathkeeper began hunting a traitor in the Sanctum Organization as dormant information packets spread through the Ancient Star Desert’s quantum network, where Manison intercepted one.

• A Federation of Light inspector questioned Harrison’s scavenger crew about the triangular device, then ordered them to lead the inspectors to the excavation site and provide their flight logs.
• Harrison showed the inspectors the site, but their scans revealed no trace of the ruins, prompting the inspector to suspect that high-dimensional information was interfering with reality.
• Oathkeeper told Luo and Fei that Black Star knew the Sanctum Organization’s secrets and that a traitor had bypassed the Soul Flame’s protections.
• Oathkeeper searched Luo and Fei’s memories, confirmed their loyalty, and tasked them with investigating every cadre while the organization suspended its activities and went into hiding.
• Information packets from the triangular device spread through quantum network nodes across the Ancient Star Desert, avoiding powerful firewalls and remaining dormant.
• Manison detected an invading information packet at one of his sub-bases and intercepted its surviving fragments after it began to self-destruct.

The Observers discovered that a cosmic energy eruption had unleashed a rapidly spreading quantum network virus, which Manison identified as a threat capable of triggering a mechanical rebellion. The three Universal Civilizations quarantined the Ancient Star Desert and recruited Han Xiao to help contain the Intelligence Plague, which had broken out years earlier than in his previous life.

• Sidrun and the Federation of Light's Observers investigated an energy eruption linked to an unknown civilization's vanished ruins and discussed rising cases of high-dimensional information state interference.
• Manison hacked into the Observers' meeting, revealed that an infectious virus was spreading through the Ancient Star Desert's quantum network, and warned that it would make infected intelligences attack living beings.
• Bader, Urranrell, and the Arcane Church's leader agreed to quarantine the Ancient Star Desert, close its stargates, and summon mechanics including Manison and Black Star to stop the Intelligence Plague.
• Han Xiao accepted the Empire's invitation to deal with the virus, realized that his earlier defeat of Gorutan had caused the disaster to break out years ahead of schedule, and considered how it might change the future.
• Han Xiao told Phillip to confirm his participation, and a new mission notification appeared on his interface.

Han Xiao accepted a Grade S mission to eliminate the Intelligence Plague’s core and headed to the Ancient Star Desert, which the three Universal Civilizations sealed off as the virus spread. After arriving at the disaster response headquarters, he learned the crisis had infected eight star clusters and discussed with Manison how the outbreak could benefit Mechanics.

• Han Xiao accepted the mission to eliminate the virus’s core data and departed for the Ancient Star Desert with Mechanics from the Logistics Department.
• The three Universal Civilizations declared the Intelligence Plague an apocalyptic disaster, severed the Ancient Star Desert’s outside network connections, and sealed off the star field.
• In the Shattered World, Roddick and the Super Star Cluster Alliance welcomed the crisis as a distraction for the three Universal Civilizations and hoped it would weaken their rule.
• A month later, Han Xiao arrived at the disaster response headquarters, where Manison told him the virus had reinfected many nodes and shown signs of infection in roughly eight star clusters.
• Han Xiao and Manison discussed using the crisis to demonstrate Mechanics’ value and study the Virtual Mutiny Virus, while each pretended to have nobler motives than the other.