[Stelle wanders through the space station, still hesitant about her future choices.]
[In the distance, she spots Dan Heng, but when she approaches to speak, she finds herself at a loss for words. Surprisingly, the usually aloof Dan Heng initiates the conversation first: "What's wrong? You look like you have something to say."]
[A trace of curiosity and confusion appears on Stelle's face: "Ever since I first met you, I've always felt you didn't seem like someone who enjoys traveling."]
[Dan Heng shakes his head, his handsome face remaining calm, though his tone carries a slight fluctuation: "Boarding the train isn't the same as 'traveling' or 'adventuring'... The Astral Express represents 'Trailblazing,' understand?"]
["'Trailblazing' means 'the unknown'—whether it's unknown risks or unknown joys." Dan Heng pauses before continuing, "In my view, the unknown isn't necessarily more frightening than the known. The unknown often signifies that things can still be controlled and changed."]
["I see..." Faced with Dan Heng's direct and sincere gaze, Stelle's eyes waver slightly. "But I'm still hesitant."]
[Dan Heng's cool voice echoes in her ears: "Don't use hesitation as an excuse. The longer you hesitate, the more your original intentions will fade away."]
[Stelle shudders as if clouds have parted before her eyes—her heart has already made a decision.]
["Thank you, Dan Heng."]
[Dan Heng gives a slight nod before turning back to gaze at the stars.]
[With her resolve firm, Stelle heads toward the platform where the Astral Express is docked. Upon spotting Himeko's signature red hair, she enthusiastically greets her.]
["So? Have you made up your mind?" Himeko smiles gently. "If there's anything you want to say, feel free."]
[After a moment of thought, Stelle voices the question buried deep in her heart: "Why did you invite me aboard?"]
[Himeko doesn't hesitate to answer, cutting straight to the point: "Because you're different from everyone else. The [Stellaron] inside you is the primary reason, but not the only one."]
["I think you need an opportunity to discover for yourself how you differ from others. People may tell you how unique you are, that you have a [Stellaron] inside you..." Himeko pauses, shaking her head before continuing. "But truly understanding that for yourself is entirely different from being told—no matter how credible it may seem."]
["Only by experiencing enough will you realize what the 'Stellaron' has given you, what it has taken from you, and who you truly are. Learning to master this 'Stellaron' means mastering your own destiny."]
——
"If she came to our village, this girl would probably be called the 'Stellaron Jinchūriki,' right?"
"Though it seems the Stellaron is way more dangerous than you."
"Oh?" Kurama lets out a dissatisfied grunt.
"Hey, hey, don't be mad." Naruto laughs cheerfully. "I believe in the theory of the 'Cancer of All Worlds'—this thing probably has the power to destroy worlds. But personally, I think it's both a danger and an opportunity."
Naruto, who also had a nuclear-level weapon sealed inside him, fully agrees with Himeko's perspective. Back then, because the Nine-Tails was sealed within him, the villagers saw him as a threat to the village's peace, treating him with cold disdain.
But as he trained step by step—from barely managing a partial Tailed Beast transformation to mastering the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode—he knew exactly what kind of leap in power came with fully controlling Kurama's chakra.
"If Stelle ever visits the village, I think we'd get along great." Naruto rests his chin on his hand, daydreaming about a future where the Celestial Screen opens a pathway between their worlds, allowing him to have a friendly chat with the Astral Express crew.
"Aren't you worried about the dangers the Aeons might bring?" Kurama warns.
In the Simulated Universe, when the memory of an Aeon appeared, even someone as strong as Naruto couldn't help but be overwhelmed—though he snapped out of it quickly, he still got a firsthand sense of their power.
"Yeah, I've thought about that. Of course there'd be risks."
Naruto takes it in stride, stretching before grinning and patting Kurama, who's lying on the ground. "Opportunities and dangers always come hand in hand... Haven't we overcome every danger we've faced over the years?"
[After Himeko's explanation, Stelle feels even more certain of her decision—she's boarding the train!]
[She looks up and formally announces her choice to Himeko, who simply responds with a gentle smile, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go. It's time to depart."]
[Once everyone is aboard, after a few minutes of preparation, the train finally starts moving. March 7th stands by the window, enthusiastically waving goodbye to those outside.]
[On the platform, Asta and Arlan politely wave back, while Herta, after confirming their safe departure, immediately turns away to resume her research without a second glance.]
[Stelle sits by the window, gazing wistfully at the space station, when suddenly a voice interrupts her melancholic mood.]
["Hey! I'm talking to you, hey!"]
[Stelle follows the sound and sees a fluffy, strange creature slowly approaching her feet. It wears a tall hat and an adorable red uniform, with huge ears dragging on the ground. It looks like a rabbit, but it walks upright.]
[Yet, this creature doesn't feel particularly strange—on the contrary, no matter how you look at it, it's nine, if not ten, out of ten in cuteness.]
"So... so adorable!" Furina's heart skips a beat!
Even after 500 years of life, even after witnessing countless trends in Fontaine's plush toys over those centuries, she's never seen such an adorable "little animal" before!
...She's utterly smitten.
And it's not just her—overnight, a frenzy sweeps across all of Teyvat.
Images of Pom-Pom are quickly snapped, and in no time, toy manufacturers across Fontaine scramble into action. Plushies and figurines of Pom-Pom are mass-produced in overtime, all to seize the market at the earliest opportunity.
Because they know... the golden ticket has arrived!
At almost the same moment, a certain Snezhnaya's finest toy salesman finds himself surrounded by his younger siblings, their chattering voices filling the room by the fireplace.
"Uh..."
Tartaglia breaks out in a cold sweat, left with no choice but to dispatch his Fatui subordinates to Fontaine immediately... to purchase the latest Pom-Pom plushies.