Chapter 102 - 101: Arriving Simultaneously at Dragon Emergence Hall - March, When Did You Become Five Stars?

During this weekend you can get a discount when becoming a member on Patreon. Become a member today! Use code: BLACKFRIDAY24 To receive a 70% discount. Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff ****** In Scalegorge Waterscape, aboard the ship, Jing Yuan and Dan Heng watched the unfolding game scenario before them, both lost in deep thought. Indeed, without the existence of the "Honkai: Star Rail" game, this would have been their initial encounter. In that version, Dan Heng vehemently denied being Imbibitor Lunae, while Blade remained largely uninvolved throughout the scene. After forcing Dan Heng's transformation into his Jikokuten form, Blade silently departed with Kafka. Their interactions were brief, limited to fleeting moments on the same screen. But now, here they were—sharing the same ship peacefully, even watching videos together without conflict. This reality seemed somewhat more harmonious than the game's storyline, Jing Yuan mused. With a soft thud, the ship gently bumped against something. "We've arrived," Jingliu announced, promptly jumping ashore. Blade followed closely behind. Jing Yuan and Dan Heng exchanged glances. Seizing this brief moment alone, Jing Yuan spoke up, "As per the game's plot—you'll help me one last time as Dan Feng. From then on, I will rescind your exile order and no longer view you as anyone's shadow." Dan Heng opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something. Eventually, it condensed into two words: "Thank you." The ship behind them also docked at the shore. The Astral Express Crew, Stellaron Hunters, Yanqing, and Luocha disembarked one by one, quickly filling the shoreline with a large group of people. Silver Wolf observed, "Why are there so many here?" "I don't recall this many people arriving before." "Oh, my mistake—it's reality, not following the game's storyline." March 7th approached Silver Wolf curiously and asked, "Why haven't you continued challenging the Forgotten Hall? I've been waiting for your guide after completing it!" A hint of displeasure flashed across Silver Wolf's face. With arms crossed, they replied, "Initially, we thought we had succeeded, but then we realized that what we're currently facing is just the normal version of the Forgotten Hall." "Only by clearing the normal version can you unlock the higher difficulty level—called... 'Chaotic Memories'!" "The monsters' strength here is on a completely different level compared to the regular 'Recollection' instance." "And it periodically refreshes rewards too." "It's clearly Feathered Spirit's design for the highest difficulty dungeon." "With the current progression of player characters, passing this challenge is impossible!" Upon hearing Silver Wolf's words, March 7th displayed a surprised expression. She shook her head and said, "If even you can't defeat it, then there's no chance for me either." "Hmph, give me three more days. Once I finish training my second team, we'll definitely succeed!" Kafka smiled and remarked, "Now, we're about to face real-world adversaries." "Heh, how intriguing! This is our first time acting together with such a large group." Behind them, Stelle held her phone, still watching the live stream. The current scene in Little Gui's broadcast had just reached this point as well. Ahead lay the Dragonvista Rain Hall, with the statue of the High Elder standing quietly within. "The plot has progressed to this stage already..." Stelle murmured to herself. "However, there are significant differences between reality and the game. Kafka, Silver Wolf, Luocha... these individuals weren't supposed to be here." As everyone gradually approached the statue, each harboring their own thoughts while observing their surroundings, a majestic female voice echoed throughout the area. "Heh, so finally someone arrived at this heavenly abode..." The voice reverberated, resonating deeply within one's heart. Of course, this effect was intended for ordinary people. But were any of those present truly ordinary? Consequently, not a single individual displayed surprise or shock. Instead, they all focused intently on the turbulent sea before them. Some eyes blazed like torches, others wore smiles, and some radiated murderous intent. The voice continued, "You've certainly wasted no time, haven't you?" "I suppose that game provided ample insights for you, hmm?" "Heh heh..." "But don't rush; I'm not yet fully prepared." "Please take this time to prepare well and write your...last words." Jing Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Phantylia..." March 7th defiantly placed her hands on her hips. "This gal is way too full of herself!" "Does she even know who all has arrived here?" Old Yang asked. "I believe Phantylia can only sense that someone entered this heavenly realm but doesn't specifically know who," Old Yang replied. "Otherwise, I doubt she'd be so composed." "Uncle Yang makes a valid point." March 7th pinched the soft flesh under her chin thoughtfully. "So now, do we just stand here idly? Waiting for Phantylia to show up?" Pointing towards Dan Heng near the statue, Old Yang said, "Over there... It seems Dan Heng is preparing to create a path out." Upon hearing this, Silver Wolf discreetly tapped his wrist, releasing an invisible filming drone. A corner of his mouth curved upwards with intrigue. "The game likely won't capture the upcoming sea-parting event live; creating such visuals would be too costly. By recording this segment myself, I can fill in as additional narrative content. When the time comes, posting it on the forums will allow all players to witness this grand spectacle!" Meanwhile, in Little Gui's stream: Dan Heng had just reunited with the protagonist group. As expected, March 7th was startled by his appearance. "Y-you're... Dan Heng?! No way..." "You...are Dan Heng, right? What's with those horns on your head?" Dan Heng replied mildly, "It's a long story, March. It's me." "No kidding! You actually do have hidden powers?!" Now he truly looked like a stoic little azure dragon! Guinaifen wore a maternal smile, but suddenly, a possibility struck her mind. Unable to resist sharing it with her viewers, she exclaimed, "Think about it—our protagonist, the Trailblazer, got stabbed by Cocolia's riding spear and transformed into the Hero of Preservation. "Then, Dan Heng was stabbed by Blade using an ancient sword and became Yinyue and Danheng... "So, March 7th, what about you? "When will you get stabbed and transform into a five-star character?" Her words instantly sparked excited discussions in the chat. "Now that you mention it, I'm genuinely looking forward to March 7th's five-star form!" "The entire Astral Express crew will eventually reach Five Stars." "After the space station storyline, there's an Easter egg where choosing not to board the train triggers a shortcut ending. During Curtain Call, all other characters' names were listed next to their roles except for March 7th's, which showed as [???]. Her backstory must be significant too!" "March, hurry up and transform already!!!" Having indulged their imaginative speculations, Guinaifen returned to following the story. Jing Yuan spoke up, "Alright, let's set aside reminiscing for now." "When you first arrived at Luofu, you mentioned that the Astral Express had come to resolve the star core calamity. At the time, Jing Yuan hesitated to accept this claim, suspecting that the Stellaron Hunters might have ulterior motives. Now it seems my concerns were unwarranted. "It is true that the Hunter did harbor her own intentions—by sending all of you here, she deliberately escalated the situation so you would fight alongside Xianzhou." "Given the circumstances, your sincerity can no longer be doubted... Luofu owes each of you its gratitude, and we should not ask for more assistance. "However, as Fu Qing rightly pointed out, Phantylia's emergence has made matters unpredictable. As General of Luofu, I must rely on Dan Heng's strength and request your utmost support," Jing Yuan continued. As the group's patriarch, Old Yang responded first, "Even if Luofu's crisis were unrelated to the star cores, given my nature, I wouldn't stand idly by. But my personal stance does not represent the entirety of the Astral Express. "Explore, Understand, Establish, Connect—the Trailblazing principles guiding our journey can be summarized in these eight words. The path ahead is fraught with peril, making adherence to them harder than scaling the heavens. "Fear, danger, adversaries, death... countless obstacles litter the journey, leaving only a handful of The Nameless capable of persevering." "Whether advancing or leaving, The Nameless should choose their own destination... just like casting their vote for where the train heads," Jing Yuan continued. March 7th and Stelle extended their hands. All eyes turned to Dan Heng. As this was the Dan Heng storyline, the options appearing on the interface naturally represented his choice. [Extend your hand] [Do not extend your hand] Guinaifen glanced at the choices and decisively selected [Extend your hand]. "Of course he'll participate." "As both a member of the Astral Express Crew and the former Vidyadhara High Elder of Luofu, I believe Dan Heng will choose to face challenges head-on!" "That's because it embodies the essence of Trailblazing!" echoed the crowd.