Diethard recorded the fight, while having an excited look on his face. C. C. turned around and saw Diethard's camera. C. C. asked, "What is going on here?" She walked closer to the bushes that Diethard was hiding in. She said, "Cameraman, are you in there?"

Diethard popped out of the bushes and said, "Hi, C. C."

C. C. folded her arms and coldly stared at Diethard. She asked, "What are you up to?"

Diethard explained, "I'm hiding around the bushes, so I can record the fight, without any interruptions."

C. C. said, "Zero didn't want this fight to be recorded."

Diethard had a sneaky smile on his face, while saying, "Well, sometimes Zero doesn't know what he really wants."

C. C. asked, "What do you mean?"

Diethard said, "Zero might say one thing, because his brain tells him it's the right thing to say. However, in reality, he should be saying something else. That's why I came out here and started recording, against Zero's commands. I know what he really wants."

C. C. asked, "How could you know that?"

Diethard replied, "You see, Zero and I understand each other. We are two misunderstood people that have a potential for greatness, but we get treated like outcasts, because people prefer to hear what's expected of them, rather than what's best for them. Do you know what that's like?"

C. C. smiled, while saying, "Yes I do. It's the type of relationship that Zero and I have."

Diethard replied, "Hey. Don't compare your bond with Zero to my own. There's nobody more important on this team than me."

C. C. said, "You are nothing to Zero." Diethard looked offended.

General Tohdoh and the other members of the Honorable Swords shot at the Britannian guards. Tohdoh faced Darlton, while saying, "You may think you're the General, but you lack the qualities of a true general."

Darlton looked amused, while saying, "Oh, really? What makes you think that?"

Tohdoh explained, "A true general fights for the causes, that'll make the world a better place. That's not what you do. You and your team endanger the world."

Darlton replied, "You know nothing about morality or justice, so stop trying to act superior to me, you mediocre excuse for a general." Darlton kicked Tohdoh in the stomach. Nagisa blasted Darlton, who crashed into a wall. Nagisa grabbed Tohdoh by the hand, to help him stand up straight. She smiled at him.

Tohdoh said, "Thank you, Nagisa."

Nagisa replied, "You're welcome, General Tohdoh."

Cornelia used her mech to blast various members of the Black Knights. Because of that, several Black Knights fell to the ground and passed out. Tamaki ran around, while looking confused.

Tamaki said, "I keep failing Zero. I can't do that, anymore. I gotta do something wicked cool to win Zero's respect." Tamaki looked up at Cornelia's mech. He looked at Ohgi and nudged him.

Ohgi angrily sighed and asked, "What do you want, Tamaki?"

Tamaki said, "I think I got an idea, on how to get the advantage in this war."

Ohgi replied, "I'll hear you out. What's your idea?"

Tamaki said, "If we all start firing our mechs at Cornelia's mech, at the same time, we'll bring Cornelia down."

Kallen replied, "That might actually work."

Ohgi looked surprised, while asking, "You really think so?"

Kallen said, "If we bring down the lady in charge, we'll make everybody else afraid of us."

Ohgi replied, "Very well then. Everybody, get into your mechs."

Zero and C. C. looked around and saw the Black Knights racing into their mechs. Zero asked, "What are they doing?" C. C. shrugged her shoulders.

Cornelia looked down and saw all the Black Knights getting around the same area. She smiled, while saying, "Well, this appears like the perfect opportunity to blast all of them at the same time." Cornelia was about to press a button on her mech, when the Black Knights all started blasting her mech, at the same time. Cornelia started looking afraid. A button appeared on her mech's monitor screen, that was telling her to eject. She sighed and pulled the eject lever. She jumped out of the mech, before it blew up. Guilford ran up to her, to try to help her get up. However, Cornelia got up on her own. Her sleeves had some big holes in them and her hair looked messy. The Black Knights looked proud and started patting Tamaki on the back.

Ohgi said, "Well done, Tamaki."

Tamaki replied, "Thanks you. It appears I'm rather smart, after all."

Zero stood in front of Cornelia, while saying, "It appears you're finished Cornelia."

Cornelia had a giant grin on her face, while saying, "That's what you think, you literal nothing. I always have extra tricks up on my sleeve." She looked up, while gleefully saying, "My latest trick is on his way."

Zero asked, "What do you mean?"

Suzaku flew down in the Lancelot. Cornelia said, "Suzaku, the Black Knights have exited their mechs, in order to congratulate their friend. Since their mechs are unaccompanied, you know what to do."

Suzaku replied, "Yes, your majesty." Suzaku pressed a button on the Lancelot, that made a flamethrower pop out. Suzaku started using the flame thrower to set the Black Knight's mechs on fire.

Zero asked, "How could any mech have such a device?"

Suzaku replied, "It's something that Lloyd installed. It's one of the few reckless inventions of his, that I'm fond of."

The Black Knights looked nervous, while watching their mechs burn up. Kallen screamed, "We gotta do something!"

Ohgi responded, "There's nothing we can do, Kallen."

Tohdoh said, "Ohgi's right. If we run to where the mechs are, we'll get burned. Besides, the mechs have already been burnt too much, to ever work again."

C. C. said, "It's sad to see Rakshata's inventions be burnt to the ground."

Cornelia smirked at Zero and the Black Knights, while saying, "It appears you've lost your greatest method of fighting us. Because of that, you've become far less of a challenge."

Suzaku started using the Lancelot, to attack the Black Knights. He used the Lancelot's arms to fling Black Knights around and he pressed buttons, that blasted Black Knights around. Zero started running closer, so he could help his teammates. However, Cornelia grabbed him and said, "You're not going to be facing against the Lancelot, Zero. I have a special opponent for you."

Jeremiah popped out of the shadows, with a big smirk on his face. Zero asked, "Orange-boy?"

Jeremiah looked offended, while saying, "How dare you call me that. You have no loyalty, no self-respect, and no standards."

Zero said, "The Britannians are the ones that fit that bill, not me."

Jeremiah replied, "Your cheap insults won't be affecting Britannia for much longer, you disloyal vigilante. Professor Lloyd made some adjustments to me. I'm stronger than ever."

C. C.'s eyebrows went up in fear. She asked, "Lloyd's out of prison?"

Jeremiah answered, "He sure is and he's madder than ever. As for me, I finally have the strength necessary, to bring Zero down."

Zero said, "That isn't happening."

Jeremiah smiled, while responding, "Go ahead and keep ignorant. It's nothing new, for you to underestimate what you're up against." Jeremiah grabbed Zero and punched him in the stomach. He threw Zero to the ground and started stepping on him. C. C. ran by, to try to help Zero, but Jeremiah picked her up and threw her into the bushes. Zero tried to get up, but Jeremiah used his fists, to punch Zero's mask, five times in a row. Cornelia gleefully grinned, while watching Zero get beaten up. Jeremiah looked down at Zero, with a proud smile on his face. He said, "Zero, I need you to do something for me."

Zero asked, "What would that be?"

Jeremiah replied, "Admit that I'm a better fighter than you and stop calling me orange-boy."

Zero responded, "You're the one who's weak, orange-boy."

Jeremiah looked stressed-out and confused, while asking, "How could you possibly feel that way? I'm standing on your stomach, as we speak. I hit you around, with ease. I've been throwing all the punches, while you haven't gotten a single hit in."

Zero responded, "Yes and despite that, you're the one who's paranoid and is doubting himself, while I remain calm and collected. Even when I'm beaten to the ground, I'm still the one calling the shots and you're still a lackey, who's never going to beat me."

Jeremiah replied, "You're wrong, Zero. You have to be."

Zero said, "I'm going to be just fine. As for you, you're not looking so hot. You were below average looking, to begin with. With all those robot parts the Earl of Pudding put in you, you look pretty bad, orange-boy."

Jeremiah replied, "Zero, I'm not going to tolerate your immature insults. You been sentenced to death, by Princess Cornelia. I am going to have you destroyed, because of my loyalty to Britannia and for my self-respect."

Zero said, "Go ahead, if that's what you desire. My life being on the line is hardly a concern to me."

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow and asked, "How could you say that? This is your own life we're talking about. Without you, the Black Knights would be lost."

Zero said, "I used to fear that would be the case, but not anymore. Even without their mechs, their most useful tool of all, they are just as brave and determined to save Japan, as ever. I believe they'll continue to keep that strong-willed attitude, even without me around. Plus, I know you're not going to destroy me, because Princess Cornelia is almost certainly reserving that honor for herself."

Cornelia walked closer and replied, "You know me well, Zero."

Zero said, "I know more about you, than you could ever predict."

Cornelia replied, "That intrigues me. I'm guessing there's something of significance, concerning your secret identity."

Zero responded, "You could say that."

Cornelia said, "If Jeremiah or I got rid of you, right now, we'd never know who you truly were. Considering you're apparently a Britannian, I find it essential that we find out who you are. You'll go down in history, as the biggest trader in all of Britannia."

Zero replied, "Then it appears I get to live another day. So, are you ready to let me and the Black Knights go, just like last time?"

Cornelia scoffed and responded, "Yeah right, Zero. You're never going to slip through my fingers, ever again. You're going to surrender, but this time, surrendering is going to have a different meaning. Last time, surrendering just meant admitting you've lost the fight and going home. This time, you'll have to agree to be imprisoned. After being put behind bars, I'll unmask you and have you eliminated."

Zero said, "You're as crazy as orange-boy, if you think I'll agree to that."

Cornelia replied, "You'll have to agree to that, if you want your teammates to live."

Zero asked, "What do you mean?"

Cornelia said, "Look around." Zero looked around and saw that the Britannian military, with the help of Suzaku's Lancelot, were beating the Black Knights.

Cornelia said, "I've instructed my men and women, to just knock-out your teammates and have them locked up. However, if you refuse to surrender to me, I will have my people eliminate yours. Your plans will completely crumble apart, without the Black Knights. You'll be all alone, while watching Area 11 be in worse shape in ever before. You'll become the person, who ruined Japan the most. Is that really the reputation you want to gain?"

Zero paused and thought about what to do. He angrily sighed and said, "I surrender, Cornelia. You've won the fight. You can take me in. Just spare the Black Knight's lives. Since you're true to your word, I know you'll do the right thing."

Cornelia faced Guilford, Darlton, and her guards., while saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, Zero has agreed to forfeit the rest of the fight, in exchange for letting his teammates live. You are to imprison the Black Knights. Not a single one of them is to be shot, from this moment on."

Zero (talking in his head): "I figured you'd say that, Cornelia. As stubbornly ignorant as you are, I know you have some good in you."

Cornelia said, "Zero is to be taken to a separate cell, where he will be unmasked and then face what he's got coming to him."

Kallen screamed, "No! Zero, don't surrender! You can't let Japan down!"

Zero looked at the Black Knights and confidently said, "You need to trust me. I'm making the best of a bad situation. I'm going to get us the victory we need. I'm forfeiting the fight, but I will never forfeit on saving Japan."

Jeremiah put handcuffs on Zero. Darlton and Guilford started escorting Zero away, while the guards put handcuffs on the Black Knights and started taking them to their cells. Cornelia stood around, while having a giant grin on her face. Suzaku got out of his mech and stood by Cornelia. Cornelia looked at him, while saying, "So, do you feel like we've won this time, Kururugi?"

Suzaku answered, "Yes. Not everything feels right, just yet, but I can't deny this isn't a strong victory."

Cornelia said, "You did an excellent job. Professor Lloyd is a complete madman, but his Lancelot was a brilliant design. You were very heroic, today."

Suzaku replied, "Thank you. I'm honored to hear that from you, your majesty. However, I do have a question for you."

Cornelia asked, "What is it?"

Suzaku asked, "Why did you re-hire Lloyd? That guy was arrested for kidnapping and frankly, he deserves to remain behind bars."

Cornelia said, "The woman he kidnapped is on Zero's team. If anything, he was doing us a favor, by going after her. Every decision I make has a meaning behind it. Don't lose sight of that, Kururugi."

Suzaku replied, "I understand, your majesty." Suzaku (talking in his head): "This time, I destroyed all of the mechs and Zero got arrested. Despite that, I don't feel like we won. Why is that?"