In the starry skies of Jarilo, the Astral Express sat quietly docked in place.
Compared to the silent cosmos outside, the Astral Express itself was extremely lively.
Levi, Topaz, Herta, plus the original Nameless guests.
A total of four different factions were gathered together.
On this obscure, little-known planet, Jarilo.
At this moment, everyone felt an inexplicable sense of danger.
As if something big was about to happen here.
Herta snorted coldly. "Who cares what big thing it is! I came here for only one purpose! That is to find Mr. Cold Feet and get my revenge… I mean, rescue Asta."
Besides, what kind of trouble could possibly stump her, Herta?
"Dan Feng…" Mr. Yang kept muttering the name over and over. He always felt that this name had some kind of connection to Dan Heng.
Watching Levi calmly toss out a fake name without so much as blushing, Topaz began to suspect that "Levi" was fake too.
As if sensing Topaz's thoughts, Levi raised an eyebrow at her in hinting reassurance, this one was his real name.
Topaz smiled.
At least he still had some conscience, not giving her a fake name too.
Not for nothing that she had risked her life to bring him onto the ship.
Seeing the two of them chatting animatedly, Herta couldn't help but suspect whether the two had something going on.
But that had nothing to do with her.
Turning her gaze to the people of the Astral Express, Herta asked, "In this star sector, which planets have life?"
Mr. Yang replied, "As far as we know, only the planet where the train is docked shows signs of life, and unless something unexpected happens, the Stellaron is on that planet."
While Herta and Mr. Yang were talking, Levi, who had been teasing Numby in his arms, suddenly changed expression.
"Topaz, take Numby. I need to go deal with something."
"You…" Seeing how obviously off something was about Levi, Topaz was just about to ask what had happened.
A strange, unusual light appeared in Levi's black eyes.
Behind him, the half-wing symbolizing a Herrscher manifested. He shot a glance at Mr. Yang, who was breathing rapidly, and then vanished from everyone's sight in an instant.
Topaz walked to the window and watched the meteor plunging toward the snow-white planet, her brows knitting together.
It was obvious something had happened that he simply couldn't accept.
Since Topaz already had business to attend to in Belobog, and Herta was worried something might happen to Asta, both of them left the Astral Express.
Himeko noticed Mr. Yang's abnormal condition and helped him sit down in a chair.
Mr. Yang clutched his chest, breathing rapidly.
In such a short span of time, being excessively shocked twice in a row, his heart really couldn't take it anymore.
"A Herrscher! He's a Herrscher!"
If the mere existence of Honkai was enough to make him panic, then having a Herrscher directly reveal his identity right in front of him nearly scared him to death.
"Welt, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Himeko frowned. 'That young man's behavior just now really did match what he described as a Herrscher.'
"I wouldn't be wrong. That aura…"
And that iconic wing constructed entirely from Honkai energy.
Moreover, among Herrschers there were no shortage of cunning ones skilled at disguise. If the other party was that kind of Herrscher, then his level of danger would be incalculable.
Especially in a world where technological civilization was generally quite advanced…
Mr. Yang suddenly stood up, preparing to descend with Topaz and Herta.
With him there, March 7th and the others could avoid unknowingly dying at the hands of a Herrscher.
———
[Lower District of Belobog]
March 7th woke up rubbing her slightly aching head and looked around. "Where… are we?"
Because of the Honkai Beasts, the Lower District had already been completely reduced to ruins, no longer resembling a place where people could live.
Seeing her companions slowly getting up, March 7th murmured, "Are we… already dead?"
"Ah!"
Stelle suddenly screamed, but her mouth was immediately covered by Seele, who appeared out of nowhere.
"Shh!"
Seele pointed outside at the Honkai Beasts that were moving toward them after hearing the noise, signaling everyone to stay quiet.
After some time passed, the Honkai Beasts, having found no living creatures, turned around and left.
Seele finally let go.
"I… what's wrong with me?!"
Stelle looked terrified. Why did her eyes have mouths?
With her mouth and eyes swapped, such a bizarre appearance left Seele silent for quite a while the first time she saw it.
Even seeing it again, she still found it hard not to laugh.
"Pfft… To use Sampo's words, your injuries were too severe. Healing them properly always requires paying some price."
"But don't worry too much. Sampo said this is just a prank, after some time, you should recover your original appearance."
After saying that, Seele asked about Kiana's situation, but Stelle herself was completely confused about what had happened.
'Wait!'
Not completely confused. Stelle remembered a conversation Levi once had with Kiana in the chat group.
Something about pufferfish… Sirin… and the like.
The general idea was that there was an evil consciousness inside Kiana that wanted to control her and destroy the world.
Now that she thought about it, that thing had seized the right moment, successfully tempting Kiana and taking control of her body.
Recalling the scene she had witnessed earlier, Stelle let out a deep sigh.
That Sirin who had taken control of Kiana's body was probably invincible on this planet now.
If Levi were still around, there might be some chance to struggle, but now that Levi was dead, even that last chance was gone.
If Levi were still alive, it was questionable whether she herself would have even made it out.
Thinking that, Stelle opened the chat group, planning to see whether the miraculous group members had any solutions.
When she saw the latest messages in the chat, Stelle suddenly realized, Levi… seemed to still be alive.
'Then what was there to hesitate about?!'
[Stelle: Help! @Levi, that Sirin thing has taken control of Kiana! She almost killed us!]
[Levi: Where are you now? Any casualties?]
[Stelle: No one we know is dead, but a lot of civilians probably died. That thing summoned purple-and-white monsters and is destroying everything!]
'Honkai Beasts, huh…'
[Levi: I'm coming immediately!]
[Stelle: Don't just "immediately"! I'll post a commission, just come help directly!]
[Levi: No. Driving you, I might not even be stronger than I am right now.]
[Stelle: ???]
'So you're saying I'm weak?!'
Stelle suddenly had the urge to grab her bat and smack Levi over the head.
How was she weak?
Did he know she was a one-in-ten-thousand Pathstrider?
And that she even had a Stellaron inside her?
Tell her, who in the entire universe could house a Stellaron inside their body and remain perfectly fine?
Who else but her?
[Levi: Stop yapping like a dog! Check if anyone around you has markings like the ones that were on my arm back then. If they do… kill them on the spot.]
This world doesn't have Schicksal or Anti-Entropy. If it did, there might still be a way to save them.
But here, if you don't kill them, you're just giving yourself more enemies.
Hearing Levi's words, Stelle carefully checked everyone around her, even running over to check the remaining survivors.
Thankfully, no one showed signs of Honkai corruption.
After learning the situation on their side, Levi told Stelle and the others to find a safe place to hide, then closed the chat group and silently accelerated his descent.
———
The once ice-bound city of Belobog stood frozen in chaos, no one knowing what had happened.
The radiance of Preservation had already been extinguished, and icy cold waves swept across the entire city.
Faintly, one could hear screams, cries of despair.
And the monstrous roars echoing across vast distances.
"Run! Run! Run as much as you like! Humans, everything you've done to me, I'll make you taste it all!"
A white-haired girl floated quietly in midair, looking down arrogantly at the people fleeing in all directions below.
Beneath her, countless monsters were born from the void, wantonly destroying everything around them.
The subspace lances hovering behind her shot out from time to time.
When they returned, they were always stained with fresh blood.
"Silvermane Guards, heed my command!"