Just as the group was about to continue discussing the situation, the chat group issued a notification for Apocalyptic Journey.
[Apocalyptic Journey]: Five-Person Team
[Duration]: 3 days
[Participants]: Tatsuki, March 7, Bronya, Silver Wolf, Emilia
[Mission]: Defeat Cocolia
Moreover, there was also an announcement for a Apocalyptic Journey: End of Apocalypse mission.
[Apocalyptic Journey]: End of Apocalypse
[Duration]: Until Jarilo-VI is destroyed
[Participants]: Unlimited
[Mission]:
Destroy the Stellaron to earn apocalypse points. Lessen the impact of the Eternal Freeze to earn apocalypse points.
End-of-apocalypse missions differ from normal Apocalyptic Journey events. So far, known examples are Shinobu's world, Saeko's world, and now Bronya's world. They are long-term missions tied to stopping each world's final doom. The normal cross-world function doesn't apply directly—you either solve it during a standard Apocalyptic Journey event or spend points to cross over intentionally.
"I could probably handle Saeko's zombie plague world now,"
Tatsuki mused. But that was another matter. For now, the crucial point was the newly announced team mission at hand.
Tatsuki: "Let's put other issues aside. What's most important is this mission right now."
Emilia: "Crossing worlds! I'm ready!"
Silver Wolf: "So Bronya is from the same world as me? But how do I cross worlds?"
March 7: "Right... I can just find Bronya here in the Underworld, but what about this Stellaron Hunter?"
Tatsuki: "We're not sure. If you see a Confirm button, try tapping it. We've never encountered this scenario before."
Silver Wolf: "Hehe, like doing a quest in a game. I'm pumped!"
Tatsuki smiled wryly–Silver Wolf truly was a hardcore gamer.
Returning his attention to reality.
Pop!
"Huh? What was that sound?"
Yukino, who was helping Kie clean, looked up in puzzlement.
Kie—her cheeks tinged pink, dressed in a simple white gown—quickly brushed off the question. "M-maybe you heard wrong. I'll take care of things here." She picked up a mop and swiftly cleaned the floor near her feet.
Tatsuki responded with an apologetic smile, a sparkle flashing in his eyes. A message then reached Kie's mind.
"Sorry about that; something came up. I'll make it up to you tonight."
Kie nodded lightly in acknowledgment. Tatsuki then confirmed his Apocalyptic Journey participation.
…
Meanwhile...
"Crossing worlds, is it…"
Silver Wolf, after some thought, decided to confirm her participation. She needed to verify the reality of this chat group. The moment she did, unlike a typical Dimensional Rift or portal, she simply vanished.
"Silver Wolf!"
Even Kafka, who usually exuded perfect composure, was caught off guard for a moment. Right before her eyes, Silver Wolf disappeared into thin air.
"So that's what must've happened to her…"
Kafka narrowed her eyes. She would wait here until Silver Wolf reappeared.
…
Somewhere in Belobog's Underworld…
"March, what are you doing?" Dan Heng asked, puzzled. March 7 had suddenly gathered everyone together: the unnamed Trailblazer, Natasha, Seele, even Svarog and Clara, whom she had somehow convinced to come along. They were all standing around, confused.
March 7 scratched her head, looking to Bronya. "Why don't you explain? I'm not good at summarizing."
Bronya lowered her gaze. "I'm not sure how to put it either. This concerns my mother…"
"What's there to think about?"
A crisp voice cut in—a direct, cool tone that belonged to none other than Silver Wolf, who showed up almost simultaneously with Tatsuki and Emilia.
"We're here to take out Cocolia, beat the boss, and save the world!"
"Detected unknown infiltration—dangerous variables found!"
Svarog's red eyes flashed. He raised an arm, ready to attack the newcomers.
"Wait—please don't, Mr. Svarog!" Clara called anxiously.
Silver Wolf didn't look panicked in the slightest, instead examining Svarog's robotic frame with interest. "An android, huh? A bit behind the times, but still curious."
Tatsuki narrowed his eyes with a faint smile. "Are you sure you want to fire on me?"
"…"
A moment of tense silence passed. Then Svarog lowered his arm.
"Evaluating data… Probability of successful attack: zero. Consequence analysis… Planetary destruction…"
"…"
Silver Wolf glanced at Tatsuki in surprise. She doubted Svarog's calculations were wrong, so it implied that man exuded a massive aura of danger. It truly startled her…
In the crowd, a man named Sampo was eyeing the newcomers, only for Tatsuki's keen gaze to land on him. Sampo immediately adopted a meek expression.
Tatsuki knew this guy had hidden depths, but he wasn't important enough to disrupt the mission.
"What's with those outfits? Clearly you're not from the Underworld," said a scythe-wielding Seele, adopting a fighting stance. "Who are you?"
"We're friends of March 7 and Bronya."
Tatsuki waved to the two in question.
"Huh? The one from Herta Space Station!"
The Trailblazer, Stelle, remembered Tatsuki's golden eyes vividly. There was this faint memory of being held in his arms, but it was foggy.
"His name's Tatsuki," Dan Heng prompted.
"O-oh, right… I guess I forgot your name before," Stelle muttered, blushing as she scratched her head.
"Friends…"
Bronya wasn't sure what to call them. After all, they planned to oppose her mother.
March 7 spoke out boldly, "Don't freak out, everyone! Tatsuki, Silver Wolf, and Emilia are my friends. They came here to help save Jarilo-VI."
"Save Jarilo-VI…?"
Natasha furrowed her brow—she was a leader in Wildfire and needed details. "Could you please give us a clearer explanation?"
Tatsuki glanced around. "Maybe we should talk in a better location?"
…
They ended up at Natasha's clinic, where Tatsuki briefly explained Jarilo-VI's circumstances and the Stellaron. Whether or not they believed him, they'd find evidence soon enough.
Sure enough, they split up to confirm the info. With Svarog's knowledge, they'd quickly learn about the Stellaron. Tatsuki, meanwhile, chatted casually with Silver Wolf and Emilia.
"How's it feel now, seeing the chat group is real?"
He directed the question at Silver Wolf.
She shrugged, tone light. "Never thought I'd actually warp here. Inconceivable. So you're all from other worlds?"
Emilia, a bit nervous, clasped her hands. "I'm Emilia, a candidate for the 42nd royal line of Lugunica—a half-elf."
"Never heard of that kingdom or half-elves…"
Silver Wolf sized Emilia up. With silver hair and a gentle face, Emilia did look elven in a sense.
Tatsuki just grinned. "I'm just an average citizen from my world."
Silver Wolf's eye twitched. "Average? I think you have a… unique idea of average. My body's practically trembling near you."
"Right, average hardly describes this big shot," came a small, floating catlike creature in a silvery hue. Its expression was tense, staring at Tatsuki. Even as an ancient spirit beast, it felt threatened by his aura.
"Puck?!"
Emilia exclaimed, covering her mouth. "You can cross worlds too?"
"Since I'm contracted to Lia, we share a link, meow."
Puck perched on Emilia's shoulder, paws folded, looking at Tatsuki. "This big fellow is strong, so I hope he won't bully Lia too much."
Tatsuki sighed. "Well, in my city, you need power just to survive."
"Huh… Sounds like your place is terrifying," Silver Wolf muttered wryly.
Tatsuki ignored her quip and teased, "By the way, Silver Wolf, don't you think Bronya looks a lot like you?"
Emilia nodded vigorously. "I noticed too. Your faces are so similar!"
"Galaxies are huge, guys. People can share similar appearances. You're overreacting."
Silver Wolf rolled her eyes.
"Tsk." Tatsuki realized Silver Wolf had no idea about the Honkai references he was alluding to, so he let it drop.
At that moment, the Trailblazer—Stelle—approached Tatsuki. She hesitated a moment, then said seriously, "I'm called Stelle. Thank you!"
"For what?" Tatsuki blinked in surprise.
She scratched her head awkwardly. "I'm not sure, I just… feel like I should thank you. It's like you caught me or something."
"…"
Oh. Tatsuki recalled that time on Herta Space Station when he'd briefly caught her as she stumbled. Hardly a big deal.
After thanking him, Stelle ran off, face red with embarrassment.
"…"
Silver Wolf watched Stelle's retreating figure in silence.
"What's wrong?" Tatsuki asked.
She shrugged. "Just feels like she's…kinda dopey."
Tatsuki rubbed his chin. "I agree. She does seem naive enough to be easily swindled."
"You're not going to target that girl, are you?" Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow.
Emilia, anxious, asked, "Tatsuki, do you…like that Stelle girl?"
Tatsuki's face grew serious. "Let me correct you: I like all pretty girls!"
"Eh?!" Emilia blurted.
"You're including Lia in that group as well?" Puck asked bluntly.
"Of course—Emilia's also quite the beauty," Tatsuki nodded.
"This is troublesome. I can't stop a big shot like you, so please don't push Lia too hard," Puck teased with a chuckle.
"I…um…"
Being praised despite her half-elf appearance—Emilia blushed hard and lowered her head like an ostrich trying to hide.
Tatsuki and Puck exchanged a glance that said, We understand each other!
"Tsk, so you do have an eye on Stelle." Silver Wolf smacked her lips.
"What's the matter—does my mother-in-law disapprove?" Tatsuki quipped.
Silver Wolf blinked in confusion. "Mother-in-law? Who're you talking about?"
"Who else? Stelle's mom—Kafka, obviously."
"…"
Silver Wolf froze, realizing that calling Kafka her mother made some twisted kind of sense for the relationship with Stelle.
Tatsuki sighed dramatically. "If my dear mother-in-law won't approve, then I suppose I'll just have to take her too."
"!"
Silver Wolf's jaw dropped. After a pause, she managed a single word: Savage.
…
After some discussion, cross-checking, and reflection, Bronya remembered how she'd come from the Underworld originally, while the others gleaned Stellaron intel from Svarog. They all resolved to confront Cocolia, the Great Guardian, head-on.
"Sambo time!"
Sampo boasted, leading them via a secret path into the overworld. Tatsuki could have used his power to break through or just fly them up there, but since Sampo insisted on helping, Tatsuki let it be.
…
Because their group was fairly large, they were soon spotted by the Silvermane Guards upon reaching the overworld. Tatsuki casually activated his Dominator in its initial form, making everyone around them ignore their presence. Just a moment ago, the guards had them surrounded, but now it was as though the group was invisible—they walked away, oblivious.
"What… happened to them?"
Most of the party was clueless, though March 7 recognized it right away, giving Tatsuki a covert thumbs-up. He'd just saved them a lot of trouble.
Silver Wolf, walking beside him, noticed how his eyes changed. "Is this something like Kafka's mental suggestion?"
"It's more direct than that," Tatsuki replied, without elaborating.
"…"
Others in the group had their own errands. Stelle and friends sought out Serval, the black-stockinged engineer. After hearing them out, Serval agreed to come along. They all planned to head to the Administrative District. Tatsuki, however, stopped them.
"No need to go there—Cocolia isn't inside."
They looked at him skeptically.
"Huh? How do you know?"
Seele, blunt as ever, questioned.
"I have my own means of gathering intel. She's currently at Everwinter Ridge."
From the mind of a Silvermane Guard under his dominion, Tatsuki had learned that Cocolia had entered the Fragmentum corridor—presumably heading for the Stellaron in the depths of the snowy plains.
He found it odd that Cocolia had gone there so soon—maybe the Stellaron had sensed abnormal interference?
....
1 extra chapter every 50 stones.