"Looking at this planet from our perspective, it's easy to feel omniscient and omnipotent."
"But once you're standing on its soil, you realize how small and helpless you are."
Welt could hardly imagine the suffering the people of this planet endured under the Stellaron Core's influence.
Himeko began assigning the Trailblaze team: "Stelle, I want you, March 7th, and Dan Heng to handle this [Trailblaze] journey."
"Considering Adrian's a veteran passenger newly back on board, I'll add him to the mix."
Adrian had no objections. Whether he tagged along or not didn't matter—he could come and go freely.
That girl Silver Wolf had arranged a legit citizen identity for him. No clue what it was, but she said it'd be comfortable.
"The mission's clear: find the [Stellaron Core] causing this world's calamity and spatial distortions, bring it back to the Express, or hand it to Adrian to deal with."
"Awesome! The Anti-Void Soldier Squad's assembling again!" March 7th's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"You guys aren't coming?"
Himeko explained, "Someone's gotta stay with the train, or Pom-Pom will get lonely."
"Plus, we just got glanced at by Nanook not long ago. If the Antimatter Legion targets us again, it won't be good."
"This time's not our turn…" Welt's eyes carried a hint of disappointment.
"Mr. Welt, Belobog might have faces both familiar and unfamiliar to you," Adrian said cryptically.
"I know you want to go, but let the youngsters have their solo adventure. Builds camaraderie, you know."
"There's a new passenger, after all. By general reason, he hasn't officially embarked on a [Trailblaze] journey yet."
"Miss Himeko's too kind to me."
Stelle's opinion of Himeko rose another notch. What a mature, caring big-sister type!
She deliberately included Stelle to foster friendship with March 7th and Dan Heng, preventing the trio from feeling like strangers.
She's so thoughtful, I could cry.
Adrian quietly sensed the Eternity on Jarilo-VI. It was faint, but there.
Might as well do Qlipoth a favor, earn some goodwill. Maybe invite THEM to the Church for a hot spring dip later.
"With Little March around, the journey won't be dull," Himeko said to Adrian with a smile.
"Miss March is full of energy. Her and Stelle's enthusiasm will surely melt the endless snow covering this planet."
"Don't jinx it! That place looks freezing, and beautiful girls like me don't handle cold well!" March 7th chugged the rest of her juice.
"Anyway, let's hope this [Trailblaze] journey goes smoothly!" March 7th struck a pose, hands on hips, then realized something.
"Uh… saying stuff like that usually jinxes us."
"Whatever! Jarilo-VI [Trailblaze] Squad, let's roll!"
…
Belobog, Fort Qlipoth.
The eighteenth Great Guardian, Cocolia, sat in her chair, silent.
"Mother, are you alright?" A gray-haired woman with triple-turbo braids approached, handing her a brewed medicinal drink.
Looking at Cocolia, Bronya's eyes were filled with worry.
A few nights ago, Cocolia's sudden collapse had terrified Bronya. She immediately called a physician. Only after confirming Cocolia was fine did she relax.
She'd almost had to take over. Thankfully, Mother's strong constitution pulled her through.
Just a high fever, but one thing puzzled Bronya.
According to the physician, Cocolia's body was ice-cold, yet she was burning with fever… and she kept muttering unfamiliar words.
"Bronya, my child, thank you for looking after me these past days. I want to ask… how much do you know about elves?"
"Mother, forgive my limited knowledge. I only know they're supernatural beings with magical powers far beyond humans."
"There's no trace of elves in Belobog's history. If I had to guess… maybe the spring god Jarilo was an elf?" Bronya replied. She hadn't read many myths and didn't know much about elves.
As the Silvermane Guard commander, she was most familiar with Rift creatures, able to recite their appearances and weaknesses by heart.
"Hm…"
After Bronya left, Cocolia pressed her fingers to her temples, brows furrowed.
Since the day she saw a pitch-black meteor streak across the sky, she opened her eyes to find herself in a realm of consciousness.
Oddly, this realm was empty—nothing but endless darkness.
Was this really a realm of consciousness?
Then came flashes of images. The one etched deepest in Cocolia's memory was a silver-haired elf girl atop the Engine of Creation in Everwinter Ridge, holding a Stellaron Core.
It spooked her so much that, upon waking, she wanted to rush to Everwinter Ridge to check. Unfortunately, Bronya and the physician stopped her.
The next day, she reached Everwinter Ridge. The Stellaron Core was right there, everything normal. Cocolia finally breathed a sigh of relief.
[Cocolia… Cocolia…]
The lingering imaginary energy in her mind had faded, but that seductive voice flooded her head again. Cocolia clutched her skull, sweat beading on her forehead.
[Don't forget our pact… to build a new world…]
Seriously, she'd just recovered from illness, and now the Stellaron Core was harassing her.
Cocolia grumbled internally.
[Have you forgotten? We're allies… friends who've stood by the Guardians for generations.]
[Seven hundred years of perseverance… what has it brought you? Let me fulfill your wishes…]
[If you don't act soon… the world… will face utter destruction… Eternity…]
The Stellaron Core's voice faded along with her headache. Cocolia froze, stunned.
Eternity?
…
Meanwhile, Adrian and the others had safely landed.
Gazing at the endless snowfield, March 7th sighed, "It really is a frozen wasteland."
Stelle echoed, "It really is a frozen wasteland."
"Repeater, huh?!"
At the jab, Stelle shot the trio a wronged look.
The biting cold didn't faze them. Blessed by [Trailblaze], they could adapt to ice, snow, or even fiery mountains.
Adrian squinted, catching a glimpse of a deep-blue figure digging a hole and diving in.
"If you see a snow pile later, try digging it up."
"What, like there's rare treasure buried in the snow?" Stelle's baseball bat morphed into a snow shovel. She could only transform it into everyday items—combat weapons were beyond her.
Seeing the mimetic snow shovel in Stelle's hand, Dan Heng's gaze shifted to Adrian.
Only he could pull out something this weird. Dan Heng recalled the fight against the Doomsday Beast at the space station…
"If possible, could you add a magnetic grip to Cloud-Piercer?"
"No problem. I'll upgrade it tonight. Can't help being a warm-hearted guy."
"I wanna watch," Stelle said bluntly.
"Men and women shouldn't get too close." Adrian refused Stelle's request to observe the Cloud-Piercer modding process.
"Teacher Adrian, when's it my turn for some attention?"
March 7th felt a bit left out. Stelle and Dan Heng's weapons got buffs from Adrian, while she was still stuck with her plain bow, dealing mediocre damage.
"Eternity above, everyone gets a turn. Once this [Trailblaze] journey's done, back on the Express, I'll upgrade Miss March's weapon."
"Wow… my Trailblaze spirit's ignited! No time to waste—let's move out!"
March 7th's fighting spirit flared. For an upgraded weapon, charge!
She took one step, then stopped, seeing the endless white around them.
"Uh… which way do we go?"