Real World, (Platform 13.)
8:00 PM, the premiere day of "Prequel of the Stars: Glimmer"
'First!'
'Not many people now, I'm claiming this sea of bullet comments!'
'Oh, oh, oh, a bombshell right from the start!'
'Wait, wait, where's my husband Tendo?'
'You there, before you say "wait," show me your IP address! I seriously suspect you're from...'
Amidst the frenzied bullet comments of the dimensional fans, "Glimmer," the second season of "Prequel of the Stars," which they had eagerly awaited for 365 days, finally unveiled its mystery.
Although dimensional viewers had learned of Tendo's likely return in Season Two from the previous "Born Strong: Extra Episode," the production team hadn't given any firm dates or circumstances for his return, leaving fans on edge.
At the same time, since the Ember Base had completely sunk into the sea in Season One, and the 36 Children of the Stars had scattered like stars across the New Federation, Season Two, "Glimmer," would not only unlock new maps but also feature many new characters.
However, more than all of this, dimensional viewers were truly looking forward to Tendo and Caroline's reunion in this new era.
After all, the 'fireworks' at the end of Season One had brought many dimensional fans to tears.
Although the ending was ultimately happy for everyone, the separation of Tendo and Caroline still left many feeling a sense of unresolved longing.
They wondered if the Prequel of the Stars production team had 'ghosts' working for them. Why else would they needlessly separate these childhood sweethearts? Wouldn't it be better to just let them have sweet moments?
In short, the Prequel of the Stars production team were just a bunch of anime producers. How could they truly understand "Prequel of the Stars"?
With countless dimensional viewers watching in excitement, the opening theme of Season Two, "Glimmer," concluded, and the main episode began!
The first shot of the anime was a cyberpunk-style special bar, its signboard flickering on and off in the steam and haze.
A bar named... 'Rust Nail.'
[Prequel of the Stars World, Star Origin Era Year 101]
[Six years after the demise of the Ember Organization, City of Steam]
[Lower City, Rust Iron Hell, District 13]
Drip, drip...
Due to the large amounts of steam and other industrial waste gas constantly discharged by the Upper City, the Rust Iron Hell in the Lower City was perpetually shrouded in 'dark clouds,' rarely seeing sunlight.
Harmful acid rain fell continuously, visiting the area from time to time.
A sense of desolation and despair silently permeated the screen.
In the scene, the 'Rust Nail Bar' signboard flickered in and out of the faint mist formed by the steam.
Before long, a woman holding a black umbrella and dressed in a silver-white uniform entered the frame.
She arrived outside the Rust Nail Bar, looking up at the bar's signboard.
She seemed to be checking if she had come to the wrong place.
The woman had neat brown short hair, and two-thirds of her face was covered by the umbrella.
As the camera zoomed in, dimensional viewers quickly noticed a detail.
On the wrist of her left hand, which held the umbrella handle, she wore a familiar, pink 'children's toy watch.'
The appearance of this watch immediately made many dimensional viewers who had watched Season One seem to understand something.
Splash!
The woman shook the acid rain off her umbrella.
She pushed open the heavy, rusty door of the Rust Nail Bar, which looked as if it belonged to hell.
Upon entering the bar, the cacophonous heavy metal music and the guests' wailing shouts instantly drowned out the 'drip-drop' of the acid rain outside.
At the same time, a mixed odor of engine oil, cheap alcohol, sweat, and blood immediately assailed her.
Vivian frowned, reflexively covering her nose and mouth.
After she adapted to the harsh environment inside the Rust Nail Bar, she began to carefully observe the bar's interior layout.
On the bar's ceiling, several thick steam pipes were chaotically arranged.
From their rusty joints, dark red condensation occasionally dripped down.
It was hard to tell whether these liquids were rust or something else entirely.
The bar's walls, being surfaces welded together from large amounts of scrapped machinery, revealed exposed old mechanical parts everywhere.
One wrong move and a passing customer could easily get cut.
In the corner of the bar, several gang members who had undergone mechanoid modifications sat around a table cobbled together from scrap armor plates.
They excitedly played a game called 'Death Roulette,' hoping that someone would lose and get shot in the head, adding a cruel yet thrilling performance of death to this insane gamble.
"Truly... a disgusting place."
Twisted, chaotic, decadent, disordered...
Vivian only took a few glances, but she already felt a deep sense of disgust for this place.
If it weren't for her mission, she might never have set foot in such a hellhole in her entire life.
The Rust Iron District was called hell by the Upper City for a reason. This place truly lived up to its name.
In a corner of the Rust Nail Bar, a gang member from Rust Iron Hell, after miraculously surviving a round of Death Roulette, his expression immediately changed from nervousness to exuberant joy at having escaped death.
He ferociously slammed the revolver in his hand onto the table.
And pushed it forcefully towards the gang member named Bertrand.
"Hahaha! Bertrand, it's your turn!"
Seeing this, beads of sweat immediately dripped from Bertrand's forehead, where several rivets were exposed.
He gazed at the revolver on the table.
His brain, previously numbed by alcohol, instantly sobered up.
He instinctively swallowed, clearly having some thoughts of backing out.
However, even if he wanted to run, the surrounding gang members wouldn't let him off so easily.
After all, two people before him had successfully survived 'Death Roulette.'
Want to run now?
Too late!
"Um, I..."
"What 'I,' you? Pour the drink!"
Before Bertrand could finish his sentence, one of the gang members roughly slammed a brass mug filled with 'black beer' in front of him.
Looking at the pitch-black liquid in the mug, its foam like soot from a chimney, a 'coal-ash black beer,' Bertrand's hands, resting on his thighs under the table, began to tremble uncontrollably.
One had to know that this 'black beer,' brewed with industrial coal ash, merely its smell was enough to make an ordinary person's stomach raise a white flag.
Only 'dirty, lowly' rats like them from the Lower City would drink it like alcohol.
"What are you waiting for? Pick a bullet, Bertrand. Let's see how many hell gates you need to pass through."
Clink!
Six bullets landed on the metal tabletop, making a crisp clinking sound.
They came into Bertrand's view.
Looking at the six bullets on the table, Bertrand's constricted pupils no longer showed the madness of being numbed by alcohol.
Only the fear of death remained.
Because what lay before him now were not bullets at all.
These were clearly six reapers' scythes!
In a trance, Bertrand felt as if he saw a gate to hell slowly opening before him.
And seeing his appearance, the surrounding gang members became unhappy.
"What's wrong, Bertrand? You're not scared, are you?"
"It's fine. If you're scared, just say it bravely. We'll help you shove this damned bullet and that disgustingly awful beer right into your mouth."
"But if that really happens, we can't guarantee there won't be any 'accidents' during the process, alright?"
"Don't you all agree?"
"Hahaha! That's right, that's right!"
Bertrand heard his companions' half-joking, half-threatening words.
He knew he had no choice at all.
Because this was Rust Iron Hell.
A place where people died at any moment, where people went mad at any moment.
Where people... turned into devils at any moment.
And now, bound to the war chariot by devils, he had no retreat.