Chapter Summaries

After the World Tree’s defeat, Han Xiao defused a confrontation with the Three Universal Civilizations and prepared to use his new power to secure the Beyond Grade A Association’s future. He released the Heart Tree King and assigned him to govern the World Tree Civilization, then quietly left the celebrating forces.

• The Three Universal Civilizations withdrew their direct forces after agreeing with Han Xiao to investigate a third-party threat, and the soldiers celebrated their victory.
• Han Xiao told the Beyond Grade As that he had subdued the World Tree to deter the Three Universal Civilizations and strengthen the association’s postwar security.
• Han Xiao said he would delay reviving the fallen Beyond Grade As while the association completed preparations to establish its own government, and he considered cooperating with the Three Universal Civilizations to study the Sanctuaries and iteration.
• Ames asked Han Xiao to spend time with her, but Jotina intervened, and the two women confronted each other while Han Xiao slipped away.
• Han Xiao freed the Heart Tree King from the Space-Time Amber, explained that the World Tree Civilization had lost the war, and appointed him to manage it.
• The Heart Tree King accepted Han Xiao as his superior, returned to the Mother Tree World, and Han Xiao quietly departed using the Sovereign.

After the World Tree’s defeat, Han Xiao used the Information State Warning Network to capture Star Alliance infiltrators and uncovered the hidden civilization’s interference. The Three Universal Civilizations planned to make the Star Alliance a vassal after recovering, while Han Xiao declined to join their invasion and prepared to step back now that the threat that had burdened him for a century was gone.

• The Super Star Cluster Alliance leaders debated the shifting balance between Black Star and the Three Universal Civilizations and decided to cooperate with both sides to preserve a balance of power.
• Han Xiao installed the Information State Warning Network, tracked genuine signals to a secret Star Alliance base, and converted the infiltrators into World Tree members to access their memories.
• Han Xiao ordered the infiltrators to remain undercover and feed him intelligence, then brought the Three Universal Civilizations evidence that the Star Alliance had secretly interfered.
• Mabrus and the other leaders agreed to delay an invasion of the Star Alliance while they recovered and to use the infiltrators to send false reports about the war.
• Han Xiao told the Three Universal Civilizations that he and the Beyond Grade A Association would not join the invasion, and he felt relieved that the World Tree threat had ended.

The Three Universal Civilizations announced the World Tree Civilization’s defeat, and interstellar society celebrated as refugees began returning home. Meanwhile, the Star Alliance leaders trusted fabricated reports of the war and believed the Three Universal Civilizations were about to lose.

• The Three Universal Civilizations publicized Black Star’s decisive role in defeating the World Tree Civilization, and citizens celebrated the end of the war.
• Bennett watched Planet Aquamarine’s refugees prepare to return home and expressed pride in Black Star.
• Harrison reunited with Jenny on Floating Dragon Island, and Jenny said she would resign from Dragon Calm to explore with him.
• Iso interrupted Harrison and Jenny’s near-kiss, praised Harrison, and offered to teach him how to keep Jenny under control.
• The Star Alliance leaders read Han Xiao’s fabricated reports of devastating losses and internal divisions, then concluded that the Three Universal Civilizations were certain to lose.

Pangon argued that avoiding revenge during the World Tree War had kept his group alive and left them room to grow in the new balance of power. After the war, Han Xiao established the Super Sanctuary as a civilization for Supers, and it began attracting citizens and former allies of the Three Universal Civilizations.

• Pangon rebuffed his companions' complaints that he had prevented them from exploiting the war, arguing they would have been killed by Black Star and that the postwar balance offered better opportunities.
• The Beyond Grade A Association announced the Super Sanctuary, an immigrant civilization offering Supers citizenship, knowledge, training, and revival protections, with the Three Universal Civilizations recognizing it as a member of the Civilization Council.
• Han Xiao used the World Tree's power to expand the Super Sanctuary's territory in the Desolate Universe Belt, while Aurora reported that 120 billion Supers had already applied for citizenship.
• Han Xiao made Aurora his deputy, appointed Baigel acting leader of the Sanctum, and invited Sisko to relocate the Star Pupil Civilization to the Super Sanctuary.
• Hilbert and the Revived loyal to him left the Three Universal Civilizations and joined the Super Sanctuary, seeking unrestricted Sanctuary Revival protection.

Han Xiao established the Super Sanctuary’s leadership, delegated Black Star Army duties, and offered Sorokin a role in its economy. As the postwar order stabilized, Han Xiao planned to use the World Tree to unlock the Sanctuary’s information and prepared to attend the Three Universal Civilizations’ victory ceremony.

• Han Xiao appointed Nero acting commander of the Black Star Army, Aurora second-in-command of the Super Sanctuary, and Hila head of its Esper Department, while assigning other leaders to its departments.
• Han Xiao released Sorokin from the Netherland and offered him a senior economics or commerce position, which Sorokin accepted.
• Mabrus invited Han Xiao and the Super Sanctuary to the Three Universal Civilizations’ victory ceremony on January 1, Galaxy Calendar year 800, and Han Xiao agreed to attend.
• Han Xiao planned to use the World Tree to repeatedly access the Sanctuary and unlock its message board, but decided to wait until the new order stabilized.
• Manison told Kasuyi that he planned to research in seclusion rather than lead the Super Sanctuary’s Mechanic Department, while Kasuyi prepared to journey in search of the unknown.
• The Super Sanctuary gained citizens and began operating efficiently as the postwar order stabilized, and the Three Universal Civilizations’ celebration took place as scheduled.

At the New Century celebration, Han Xiao received a second Galaxy Medal for his role in the World Tree War and offered a brief wish for world peace. After the Three Universal Civilizations discussed their plans for the Star Alliance, Han Xiao entered the Sanctuary to begin his plan to gain access rights.

• Mabrus commemorated the fallen of the World Tree War and awarded honors to the living heroes, including a second Galaxy Medal to Han Xiao.
• Han Xiao accepted the Galaxy Medal and abandoned his prepared speech to wish for world peace.
• Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Pope discussed deceiving the Star Alliance, rebuilding their strength, and delaying another war for several years.
• Han Xiao activated the Sanctuary Key in the Super Sanctuary and entered the Sanctuary to begin his plan.

Han Xiao revived the fallen Beyond Grade As in public at the Super Sanctuary, then returned to grinding Sanctuary access. As Kasuyi and Oathkeeper departed for the Unexplored Universe, Manison began a long seclusion, and Urnos set out to seek the Beyond Divine Remnant Power.

• Han Xiao unlocked more Sanctuary messages about the Information Materialization Device and the mysterious Real State, then collected technical data and returned to the main universe.
• Han Xiao publicly revived the fallen Beyond Grade As at the Super Sanctuary, freed Dilron, and left him to face Seraon and the others seeking a reckoning.
• Aurora welcomed the revived Beyond Grade As and began explaining the situation to them.
• Kasuyi and Oathkeeper said farewell to their friends and departed for the Unexplored Universe, while Manison decided to enter long-term seclusion.
• Urnos followed his perception of the Beyond Divine Remnant Power and led an Arcane Church fleet toward the Unexplored Universe.

Evans and Carrot met in the Super Sanctuary and agreed to spar, while Melos ended the Sunil leaders’ tradition of relying on his influence. Han Xiao offered to share Sanctuary data with the Three Universal Civilizations, then began to tell them something he warned could frighten them.

• Evans’s attempt to refine an energy-field brain failed, and Carrot arrived to train after detecting high-energy readings; the two awkwardly agreed to spar.
• Melos told the current Sunil leader he would no longer receive visits from each generation, explaining to Sylvia that he wanted the Sunil to become independent.
• Melos and Sylvia reflected on how their lives had changed since they followed Black Star.
• The leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations worried about the Super Sanctuary’s growth and discussed how to persuade Han Xiao to help with the Star Alliance invasion.
• Han Xiao appeared in their conference and offered to share Sanctuary data, then said he had something important to tell them.

Han Xiao explained the Great Restart, the Sanctuary, and the hidden history of the Three Universal Civilizations’ repeated attempts to escape a Dark Side Universe. He revealed that the current universe had already undergone four restarts, leaving Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Church’s leader stunned.

• Han Xiao told Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Church’s leader that the universe ended in Great Restarts and that the Sanctuary preserved information from past iterations.
• Han Xiao explained that the Three Universal Civilizations had survived a previous Great Restart by stripping their universe’s information state and becoming a Dark Side Universe.
• Han Xiao traced how repeated Dark Side Iterations produced the World Tree, the Pivot Snake, and the players as bridges to the real universe.
• Han Xiao said that the universe had already been restarted four times and that the Three Universal Civilizations had been ultimate civilizations in an earlier iteration.
• Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Church’s leader struggled to understand Han Xiao’s revelations.

Han Xiao told Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Pope that their universe was caught in repeated cycles and that they needed to reach the Real Universe. After promising them access to the Sanctuary, he considered how the interface and the Dark Side Universe might work, leaving himself to weigh the burden of being their hope.

• Han Xiao explained Universe Iterations and the Great Restart to Mabrus, Louis, and the Arcane Pope, who struggled to accept the revelation.
• Han Xiao promised to send the leaders instructions and three Sanctuary Keys so they could verify his claims for themselves.
• After the call ended, Mabrus and the other leaders discussed whether they should abandon peaceful development and pursue entry into the Real Universe.
• Back in the Super Sanctuary, Han Xiao privately considered several theories about the interface, the flow of time, and the Dark Side Universe's cycles.
• Han Xiao concluded that he might be the Dark Side Universe's hope, but recognized that fulfilling that role was his own choice.

Han Xiao decided to help the Three Universal Civilizations complete the dark-side universe’s transformation, partly to protect himself and his home. After their teams entered three Sanctuaries, the leaders asked him to help end the Star Alliance threat while the explorers were away.

• Han Xiao weighed the risks to his home and the fate of the universe, then resolved to help the Three Universal Civilizations transform the dark-side universe.
• The Three Universal Civilizations prepared three teams of trusted elites, with Oulu and Clottey leading two of them; Urnos was absent from the Arcane Church’s team.
• Han Xiao watched as the three spaceships entered separate Sanctuary passages and explained that the teams would take a long time to return because their permissions were low.
• Mabrus, Louis, and the leader of the Arcane Church asked Han Xiao to help deal with the Star Alliance before it could disrupt their plans.
• Han Xiao agreed to look into the conflict and said he hoped his involvement would help the Star Alliance accept reality with less bloodshed.

The Super Star Cluster Alliance worried that Black Star and the Three Universal Civilizations’ cooperation might leave them isolated, while the Star Alliance celebrated fabricated reports of interstellar society’s defeats. The chapter ended when the Star Alliance learned that the World Tree army had entered its territory.

• The Super Star Cluster leaders learned that Black Star and the Three Universal Civilizations had secretly agreed to develop the Sanctuary together and feared they might join forces against the Alliance.
• The Star Arc leader urged the Super Star Cluster Alliance to reconsider its stance toward both sides and avoid appearing aloof.
• The Star Alliance leaders celebrated false battle reports claiming the World Tree was devastating interstellar society and that Black Star and other powerful figures had fallen.
• The Star Alliance head warned that the World Tree could become a threat after the Three Universal Civilizations were defeated.
• A secretary rushed in and announced that the World Tree army had been detected inside Star Alliance territory.

As the World Tree invaded the Star Alliance, panic and internal divisions shattered the alliance’s unified command, driving its members to flee. Han Xiao exploited the chaos by capturing Sevinis and striking at the Star Alliance’s leaders, leaving the Lorl Civilization without its leader.

• The World Tree fleet overwhelmed the Star Alliance’s rapid response force and began consuming a prosperous planet as the Heart Tree King looked toward the Star Alliance’s home planet.
• The Star Alliance leaders argued over fighting, fleeing, or seeking help from the Three Universal Civilizations, then abandoned the conference without agreeing on a plan.
• Member civilizations began evacuating independently, causing the Star Alliance’s governing structure to collapse as Han Xiao’s divide-and-conquer strategy took effect.
• Sevinis fled Lorl Civilization aboard an evacuation fleet, but Han Xiao disabled the ships, destroyed much of the escort, and captured Sevinis and the leaders aboard his flagship.
• Han Xiao declared Sevinis his first capture and vanished, leaving Lorl Civilization’s remaining forces confused and leaderless.

Han Xiao’s forces crushed the Star Alliance, captured its leaders, and revealed that the World Tree had already been defeated and was now his Universal Treasure. He offered the imprisoned leaders a choice between submission and destruction, leaving them to decide as the Three Universal Civilizations continued their campaign.

• Han Xiao used the virtual networks to capture the leaders and upper echelon members of all forty-six Star Alliance civilizations, while the World Tree and Three Universal Civilizations overwhelmed their disorganized defenses.
• In the prison, Sevinis and the other captives believed the Three Universal Civilizations had become servants of the World Tree after joining the attack on the Star Alliance.
• Han Xiao revealed that he had captured the World Tree and that fabricated battle reports had deceived the Star Alliance’s infiltrators for over a year.
• Han Xiao demanded that the Star Alliance civilizations submit as vassals if they wanted their peoples to survive, while Sevinis refused and was restrained.
• Han Xiao left the captives in the Three Universal Civilizations’ custody, and Tenny thanked him as their forces continued the cleanup.

Han Xiao researched a way to break through the Dark Side Universe while the Three Universal Civilizations dismantled the Star Alliance and the players completed their fifth professional league season. When the version update began, news arrived that the Sanctuary Exploration Team had returned, and Han Xiao rushed to meet them, leaving Ames worried that she could no longer share his burdens.

• Han Xiao watched Calamity Grade players compete in the professional league and considered how their growing strength might eventually bring new chaos.
• The Three Universal Civilizations finished most of their reckoning with the Star Alliance, while Dynasty won the fifth professional league season under Tai Erzi.
• As version 5.5 ended and the players logged off, Han Xiao assessed his research plan as more than seventy percent likely to succeed.
• Ames confronted Han Xiao about his secrecy and relentless work, but he promised that this would be the last time and that he would make sure they all survived.
• Mabrus informed Han Xiao that the Sanctuary Exploration Team had returned, so Han Xiao changed into the Sovereign and teleported away, leaving Ames feeling unable to keep up with him.

Clottey and the others returned from the Sanctuaries with proof of Universe Iteration and successful Sanctuary Revival, confirming Han Xiao’s claims to the Three Universal Civilizations. Han Xiao outlined two ways to escape the Dark Side Universe, and the leaders began preparing while weighing their options.

• Clottey and the returning explorers emerged from the Sanctuary passages, and Clottey confirmed they had found records about Universe Iteration and past civilizations.
• Clottey showed the Sanctuary Revival Mark, proving that the Three Universal Civilizations’ test using concealed revival mediums had succeeded.
• Han Xiao compared his Sanctuary Authority Mark with Clottey’s, then explained why the explorers had experienced time differently inside the Sanctuaries.
• Han Xiao proposed using the Information Materialization Device either on its own or with his Virtual Genesis ability to return to the Real Universe, estimating success rates of fifty and seventy percent.
• The Three Universal Civilizations’ leaders requested time to consider the plans and agreed to begin preparations, while Han Xiao kept his more risky World Tree plan secret.

Han Xiao prepared for the Information Materialization Device conversion by strengthening his Information Anchors, then revisited Planet Aquamarine to remember his past there. His memories formed his first Information Anchor, connected to the planet.

• Han Xiao realized that the conversion could sever his information interference channel, so he planned to reinforce his information foundation with memories and other Information Anchors.
• On Planet Aquamarine, Bennett reminisced with Nero and Mia about the fall of the Germinal Organization and celebrated his grandson’s promising Esper Gene.
• Han Xiao watched Bennett’s family leave and recalled his early struggles, the Germinal Organization’s destruction, and the calamities of versions 1.0 and 2.0.
• Han Xiao’s memories strengthened his information foundation and established his first Information Anchor, connected to Planet Aquamarine, before he departed.

Han Xiao visited Planet Saint and the Black Star Army headquarters, reflecting on the lives and history of those who had followed him. He formed two more Information Anchors before disappearing, leaving the people he had visited unexpectedly remembering him.

• Han Xiao toured Planet Saint and saw its mechanical lifeforms developing their own customs, businesses, and everyday lives.
• Han Xiao watched a mechanical father carry his child and resolved to let the mechanical civilization enjoy peaceful lives instead of sending them to fight for him.
• Han Xiao reflected on the mechanical civilization at the statues of his normal and Supreme Heavenly Venerate forms, formed an Information Anchor, and vanished.
• Han Xiao visited the Black Star Army headquarters unseen and recalled how Melos, Sylvia, Aroshia, Lagi, and Reynold had grown alongside the organization.
• Han Xiao formed another Information Anchor and disappeared, while Melos, Sylvia, Lagi, and the others unexpectedly remembered their early days with him.

Han Xiao released the Child of Destiny to help him create a new Information Anchor, then visited the Super Sanctuary and the Machine Race while reflecting on his companions. The chapter ended with a new anchor forming after his visit to Manison, who had refused to meet him.

• Han Xiao released the Child of Destiny and asked it to use its links with its offspring to help create an Information Anchor.
• Han Xiao observed Aurora leading a meeting, Fording and Morning Star on a date, Hila with her pet, and Sorokin managing the Super Sanctuary's business.
• Han Xiao visited the Gods' Plaza and sensed a new Information Anchor forming through his bonds with the Beyond Grade As.
• Han Xiao went to the Machine Race to visit Manison, but Manison's student Marigo Morgan told him that his teacher was in seclusion and would see no visitors.
• After Han Xiao departed, another Information Anchor formed, and Manison briefly looked in his direction before returning to his research.

Harrison and Jenny explored the ruins of the Teslande civilization with their child before Ames rescued them from a collapse and reunited with Han Xiao. As Han Xiao and Ames flirted and discussed having a child, their energy destroyed the planet, leaving Harrison and Jenny to escape into space.

• Harrison told Jenny the story of the last Teslande king as they searched the underground ruins and found two beast skeletons embracing.
• The ruins collapsed, and Ames used her force field to rescue Harrison, Jenny, and their child before taking the baby from Jenny to play with him.
• Jenny asked Ames whether she would have a child with Black Star, and Ames admitted she had not decided.
• Han Xiao arrived and told Ames he wanted a child with her because he needed another anchor for the future, while Harrison and Jenny fled aboard their spaceship.
• Han Xiao and Ames unleashed enough power during their intimate encounter to shatter the planet, and Harrison and Jenny watched the explosion from space.