"Looks like the mini-boss fight is starting."
In the empty corridor, the girl with the single, silver spiral ponytail shifted her gaze from the game console displaying a victory screen, looking up towards the passageway ahead.
"Should I jump in and help?"
The plastic stick of her lollipop bobbed up and down as her mouth moved, Silver Wolf mumbling indistinctly.
"Nah, probably not worth the effort."
Stretching languidly, Silver Wolf pushed off the table's edge and hopped down.
Her short boots landed on the floor without a sound, like a quantum phantom.
Kafka and Silver Wolf's actual bodies had already departed after March 7th left the Curio room with the Trailblazer.
During their brief observation of the 'incident,' Caelus's performance art had successfully piqued Silver Wolf's interest, and Kafka also wanted to see what Caelus would do next.
Thus, Silver Wolf had left a quantum projection behind, continuing to observe Caelus's actions from the shadows.
The result? She witnessed two grey-haired individuals yelling, "The treasure chest is mine!" as they fought tooth and nail over thin air in a dark corner, even carefully collecting a crumpled wad of paper like it was a precious artifact.
Silver Wolf was stunned on the spot, leaning back in surprise, her small mouth slightly agape.
She even started to wonder if Kafka had accidentally let the vessel get caught in a door while storing it, damaging Stelle's brain in the process.
Is this something a normal person would do?
There was a certain beauty to their brain-stem deficiency!
Could these two really reach the future the Stellaron Hunters hoped for?
Fortunately, the pink-haired girl realized the severity of the situation and planned to take them to see a psychiatrist; otherwise, Silver Wolf would have been genuinely troubled.
Should she ask Kafka to give these two a factory reset?
From Silver Wolf's perspective, compared to Stelle and Caelus's mental issues, encountering a squad of high-level Voidrangers right now was hardly a problem!
Elio hadn't mentioned anything, which meant they wouldn't get into serious trouble, at least nothing that would affect the future.
That was enough!
Just as Silver Wolf was about to start her next game, a figure emerging from the cabin made her pause, her head halfway down.
"Who is that…!!"
That figure, like a fantastical butterfly from the Sea of Quanta, fluttering on ethereal blue wings, landed in her silver-grey eyes, leaving the hacker completely mesmerized.
So… so beautiful!
It wasn't just her appearance; it was that soft, gentle, little-sisterly aura that truly made Silver Wolf's heart skip a beat.
Perhaps sensing the intense gaze, the running girl stopped.
She noticed me?
Silver Wolf's heart leaped in surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to be able to perceive her.
She quickly cranked the quantum projection's stealth to maximum, her already faint, ghost-like form becoming completely transparent.
There, she shouldn't be able to s—!
Her thought process halted abruptly. The reason: the girl smiled at her.
In Silver Wolf's view, the girl's short hair, a gradient of sea-blue deepening into black, seemed to start growing, extending towards her.
As it spread, jacaranda flowers bloomed among the strands, blossoming freely, attracting navy-blue butterflies that fluttered and danced around the blossoms.
The ethereal blue spreading across her vision and the fluttering butterflies wove a beautiful tapestry, ensnaring Silver Wolf within it.
At this moment, it was like a reenactment of the famous scene from Hyouka, where Houtarou Oreki finds himself enveloped by Eru Chitanda's hair, adorned with fresh green flowers.
Any concern for Stelle and Caelus's sanity was instantly hurled to the far corners of the universe by Silver Wolf.
Her eyes could only see the jacaranda and butterflies, as if this girl held all the beauty in the world.
Long after the girl turned and left, the stunned Silver Wolf remained frozen in place. Even a Reaver's cannonball exploding nearby wasn't enough to snap her out of it.
"Could this be…"
Finally breaking free from her immobilized state, Silver Wolf stumbled back a couple of steps, clutching her right chest.
Her heart was racing!
Her XP system had been triggered!
"The legendary… love at first sight?"
When people are alone, they never hide their true thoughts behind social etiquette or morals.
Therefore, even though she had never experienced such an unfamiliar emotion, Silver Wolf could vaguely sense what it was.
Her expression changed instantly. She stuffed the game console into the small backpack behind her.
Stelle and Caelus getting beaten up by Voidrangers?
As long as they weren't killed, who cared!
But that girl just now—she absolutely could not let the claws of the Antimatter Legion harm a single hair on her head!
On the honor of the Stellaron Hunters!
However, would it be wise to just strut out there openly?
She still had a bounty on her head. Better to observe first and play the 'hero saving the damsel' only when absolutely necessary!
And after that, asking for her contact info would be perfectly natural, right?
Although, as a hacker, she had far more efficient methods, who pays much attention to a stranger suddenly appearing on their account list?
…
Unaware of the impact her smile had, Seele had merely sensed the quantum fluctuations.
Based on the available information, she deduced it was highly likely Silver Wolf observing 'herself' and Stelle.
As a precaution, Seele offered a smile towards the certified Bronya-fan Silver Wolf. (Translator's Note: The original text uses "奶憨味认证的银狼鸭," a complex phrase implying Seele recognized Silver Wolf's known 'type' or preference, possibly referencing Bronya Zaychik/"duck" memes.)
If the battle took an unexpected turn, perhaps that smile would convince Silver Wolf to lend a hand.
After all, she was Seele!
However, Seele had underestimated the sheer power of her 'little Seele' form's special attack modifier against Bronya-types; that radiant smile had completely captivated Silver Wolf's soul.
"Scatter with the butterflies, phantoms of the past!"
A pale blue quantum brilliance flickered. The navy-haired girl shifted from solid to ethereal, swinging her massive scythe towards a Voidranger, dismembering it in an instant.
"My life is over… Phew, I'm alive again!"
The grey-haired Trailblazer, who had begun reviewing the highlights of his two-hour-long existence, breathed a sigh of relief as the danger passed, his expression changing instantly.
"Alright, backup has arrived!"
March 7th, who was facing off against a Trampler with her bow, cheered, but blinked when she saw Seele collapse out of her quantum state.
This outfit doesn't look like the space station's security personnel?
Oh well, whoever it is, they're on our side.
Sidestepping the twin blades of another Reaver, Seele swung her scythe straight at its neck.
No finesse, just overwhelming brute force!
The sharp scythe instantly pierced the Reaver's throat. As she pulled the blade free, Seele ducked sideways and kicked upwards with her right foot, striking the enemy's jaw.
Executing the kick, Seele couldn't help but think, Wow, a girl's body is really flexible!
Infused with Honkai energy, the blow landed on the Reaver's neck with a crisp crack of bone, sending it flying backward into the corridor wall.
"Leave these guys to me. You two handle that Trampler," Seele said without looking back, swinging her scythe to force back the Voidrangers charging towards March 7th and Stelle.
She was familiarizing herself with this body, adapting to combat at a speed that surprised even herself.
It wasn't muscle memory or anything like that; it was Seele's… Caelus's own innate talent.
Strange, Honkai energy is supposedly a variant of Imaginary energy, but for Seele and Caelus, using it feels as natural as switching between a knife and fork and chopsticks!
"No problem~!"
As the words fell, an ice arrow and a baseball bat glowing with golden-blue light sliced through the air.
The frost arrow precisely struck the Trampler's neck armor, slowing its movements, while Stelle seized the opportunity to bash its head vigorously with the bat.
Its helmet dented, the enraged Trampler let out a deafening roar.
As if receiving a signal for reinforcements, several blue lights flashed in the air beside it. A full twenty Distortion Reavers materialized out of thin air, floating as they charged the trio.
"Hey, hey, hey! Calling your buddies just because you're losing? That's cheating!" March 7th's eyes widened as she backed away, shouting.
"Wow, so many of them." Caelus-Seele's expression shifted slightly.
[My other self, let Seele help you.]
Seele's voice sounded somewhat meek, but the determination within it was unwavering.
She didn't know why her 'other self' seemed weaker, why her fighting felt different than usual, lacking its usual flow and structure.
She only knew that her 'other self' needed help.
[I appreciate the thought, Seele, but still…]
Even though Seele had trained under Cocolia, her inherently gentle nature meant she might not be a match for the novice Caelus-Seele in combat.
But the next moment, Caelus-Seele paused. Seele's words had reminded her of something.
Lowering her gaze, she could see the striking crimson Stigmata on her fair chest.
Her brow furrowed slightly in thought, her eyes lit up with understanding, and realization dawned.
"Leave them to me!"
Under the astonished gazes of March 7th and Stelle, Seele stepped forward in front of them.
The scene that unfolded next made Stelle's eyes widen slightly, a sense of familiar déjà vu arising from her 'subconscious.'
Seele spun her scythe and tossed it upwards, then clenched her left fist across her chest while stretching her right arm high and back.
"Dark Seele Armor—" (Translator's Note: Referring to Stygian Nymph)
Then, Seele crossed her hands above her forehead before dramatically dropping and spreading her arms wide.
"—Combine!"
The girl's sharp cry echoed.
The summoner can use the Stigmata Summoner to fire the Honkai energy of the Herrscher of Death Stigmata, accepting the Dark Seele Armor to complete the fusion and become the Armored Hero: Dark Seele Knight! (Translator's Note: This seems like a humorous, meta-textual reference to tokusatsu shows)
"Armor Fusion!" declared Caelus, stepping out from the cabin with the dramatic cadence of an announcer.
And then…
[Auto-Battle: ON!]
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I have a little challenge for you! For every 100 POWER STONES, I'll release ONE EXTRA CHAPTER!