"Help me... survive?"
Firefly was puzzled, even a little uncertain.
Kafka gave a slight nod.
"Of course. The word 'survive' has two meanings here."
"First, based on Elio's original script, we deduced that you, Firefly, might face a powerful enemy here."
"That enemy could pose a serious threat to your life—even... death."
"So, I need to ensure you can safely overcome this 'death.'"
"Second, we need to find the Clockmaker's legacy."
"Who knows... maybe that legacy can cure your Entropy Loss Syndrome and let you continue 'living' into the future."
"After all, it's the legacy left behind by that Clockmaker. It might contain some substance that can suppress Entropy Loss."
"Even if it doesn't, it'll at least be an incredibly valuable treasure."
"This trip won't be a waste."
Kafka's words were concise and clear, carrying an air of inevitability.
A flicker of emotion passed through Firefly's eyes.
She understood perfectly!
Kafka and Silver Wolf's motives were pure.
It had nothing to do with the Clockmaker's legacy.
They were here... for her.
In past events, there had been times when one of the Stellaron Hunters was involved—
And the others, even when they had no stake in the matter, would rush in without hesitation to help.
Though, most of the time, it was because the [Script] dictated it.
No special reason was needed.
"Elio's script says so"—that alone was enough.
But now...
With the script gone—
Kafka and Silver Wolf were still willing to help her unconditionally.
This... truly moved Firefly.
The Stellaron Hunters might be a group of dangerous outcasts, unacknowledged by the universe's mainstream.
But after all this time together...
Perhaps...
They really had developed something like... camaraderie.
"Oh, right. Blade is on his way too," Silver Wolf added.
"According to him, the Xianzhou seems to be making moves as well."
"Jing Yuan might be sending himself as a surprise reinforcement..."
"So, what do we do next?" Firefly asked.
"Wait and observe," Kafka replied.
"To put it simply, we'll finish watching the in-game story first."
"Honestly, I'm more concerned about that woman called Acheron."
"She's likely the enemy you'll have to face."
Silver Wolf tapped on the micro-computer strapped to her wrist.
After a few casual inputs, she said:
"Let's not keep talking here."
"I hacked a user's account—we can temporarily check into a hotel room under their identity."
"It's on this floor too."
"Let's go find it."
The three began walking down the hallway.
But just as they reached the end—
They stopped in unison.
Kafka's eyes narrowed slightly, a meaningful look crossing her face.
"Feel that?"
"The concentration of Memoria here is abnormally high. Someone's tampering with it," Firefly confirmed.
"Seems our neighbor's got some skills," Silver Wolf teased.
An electronic interface appeared in front of her.
After quickly inputting a string of code—
The door unlocked.
Firefly's gaze lingered on the blank wall beside the hallway.
This stretch seemed slightly longer than the other floors—
A subtle discrepancy that most wouldn't notice unless they looked closely.
In Firefly's vision...
A door appeared there.
The room's owner stood on the other side, separated only by that invisible barrier.
Firefly sighed.
She turned away.
Since the other party meant no harm—
And was merely hiding within Penacony's hotel—
She wouldn't deliberately expose them.
After all...
The Stellaron Hunters' identities weren't exactly legal either!
Now that they were neighbors with this mysterious guest...
No matter what happened—
She trusted that either she, Kafka, or Silver Wolf would notice immediately.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
---
Inside the Hidden Room
Black Swan's expression shifted to surprise.
Facing Acheron's questioning gaze, she shook her head.
"Not the Family's hounds."
"But... far more dangerous than them."
"Their presence is deep... and treacherous."
Black Swan closed her eyes.
Her vision pierced through layers of obstruction—
Reconstructing the [memory] of the hallway from moments ago.
The images of Firefly, Kafka, and Silver Wolf appeared in the scene.
"Stellaron Hunters..."
Black Swan's expression slowly darkened.
Now...
Things had become even more complicated and troublesome!
If this were before—
She would've tailed these three without hesitation.
Because the memories of Stellaron Hunters were undoubtedly valuable treasures!
But now...
With this powerhouse beside her...
Acheron's memories alone were already far too profound!
Black Swan was genuinely... overwhelmed.
Acheron, meanwhile, looked puzzled.
"That girl... Firefly, is actually one of the Stellaron Hunters?"
"That's... unexpected."
From the earlier story—
Acheron had sensed that Firefly wasn't an ordinary girl.
—There was a veteran's decisiveness and resolve in her.
But she never expected...
Firefly was aligned with the Stellaron Hunters!
Black Swan speculated:
"Among the known Stellaron Hunters, there's Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and SAM."
"But it's possible there are others we don't know about."
"Or perhaps... Firefly is a recruit the Stellaron Hunters are planning to bring in..."
Of course...
There was one other possibility.
Black Swan didn't voice it.
Because even she thought it was absurd!
—Firefly is SAM.
Black Swan shook her head inwardly.
That's impossible.
The two weren't even the same type of character!
「The Ember Knight」SAM—
A remnant of the Glamoth Knights, a genetically enhanced warrior from birth, cognitively divergent...
A threat on par with Kafka and Blade.
How could that be the same as this adorable girl, Firefly?
...
Right?
Impossible.
"Absolutely impossible!!"
---
In the Adjacent Room
Silver Wolf suddenly let out a baffled exclamation.
Drawing the attention of Kafka and Firefly.
"What's wrong?"
Silver Wolf gave Kafka a complicated look.
"Kafka... you've finally risen."
"Huh?" Kafka blinked.
"This involves me?"
Silver Wolf nodded vigorously.
Firefly had assumed Silver Wolf was intently analyzing Family data or something similar.
But instead—
Silver Wolf projected a screen in front of them.
Excitedly, she announced:
"After an entire version—"
"Kafka, you've finally gotten your long-awaited synergistic teammate!"
"Version 2.0's first limited 5-star character—Black Swan!"
"Her kit is built around DoT (Damage over Time) mechanics!"
"You two can form the Kafka-Black Swan combo!"
"The golden age of DoT teams is here!"
"DoT teams have risen!"
"I just tested it in the new Pure Fiction mode."
"Even with trash-tier relics, I easily hit 40,000 points!"
"Excited, Kafka?"
Kafka tilted her head.
Of course, she played Star Rail too—
Though she wasn't as obsessed with meta as Silver Wolf.
She usually only pulled for characters she liked.
Such as Silver Wolf, Blade, and herself.
All at E6 S5.
Because why not steamroll everything?
Silver Wolf, despite having the means to max every character, insisted—
"The game's only fun if you play as a F2P!"
Just buy the monthly pass.
Use strategy, team comps, and skill to clear endgame content.
...
"Well, if you say so, I'll pull for Black Swan."
"Oh, right—you, me, and Blade are all in the gacha."
"Firefly, when are you joining the pool?"
Silver Wolf glanced at Firefly.
"Soon."
"But you'll probably be a boss first."
Firefly froze.
"I'm becoming a boss in the game?"
"That'd be my SAM form, right?"
"Then I'll look forward to seeing how Yu Ling designs my skills."
"I hope it's cool!"
To be continued…
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