Chapter 94: Newcomer!

Kie's face was slightly flushed as she suppressed her voice.

Tamayo, meanwhile, only glanced at Nanashi, her gaze wandering.

Kanae, on the other hand, had already started to feel aroused again—her hands and feet growing restless.

Nanashi immediately understood what was happening.

Kie must have used her Blood Demon Art.

He sighed inwardly.

These two really are bold.

As he planned on joining them, a familiar voice rang out in the chat group.

March 7th: "Ugh! This is outrageous! The Supreme Guardian of Belobog is way too cruel!"

Shinobu: "What happened? Aren't you guys exploring a new area?"

March 7th: "Yeah, we've arrived at Yarilo-VI. This planet is covered in an eternal cold wave and is being corroded by the Rift—most likely due to the Star Core's influence."

March 7th: "Not long after we landed, we met Belobog's Supreme Guardian, Cocolia. We told her we wanted to help them remove the Star Core's corruption."

Nami: "And? How did she respond?"

March 7th: "At first, she acted like everything was fine and even let us stay in a hotel."

March 7th: "But in the middle of the night, she suddenly issued a warrant for our arrest, calling us dangerous outsiders! I'm furious!"

It was clear that March 7th was truly angry.

Aqua: "Wait, so… are you in jail right now?"

March 7th: "Of course not! No way I'd let that happen! We managed to escape to the Underworld."

March 7th: "From what I've heard, this place is basically an underground mining area and town. The connection to the surface has been completely cut off."

Lemuel: "An underground city? Wouldn't that help protect against natural disasters?"

March 7th: "I have no idea… but the people here look completely exhausted. Everything is in ruins, and there's a constant air of despair."

Nanashi agreed with March 7th's assessment.

The lower district—isolated from the upper city—had essentially been abandoned.

Without access to necessary resources, it was destined to be consumed by the Rift.

In a place where survival itself was a challenge, conflicts were inevitable.

Fraud, deception, theft, and even murder were common occurrences, all for the sake of a little profit.

Perhaps only the areas still under the influence of the underground fire could be considered somewhat safe.

At that moment, a system notification suddenly appeared in the chat group.

New Member Alert!

[Ding! Silver Wolf has joined the chat group!]

[Ding! Bronya has joined the chat group!]

The names on the screen made Nanashi pause.

"Silver Wolf? Bronya?

"Honkai… Star Rail?"

Was this just a coincidence?

The first thing that came to mind was Honkai Impact 3rd, as both names also existed in that world.

However, before he could ask, someone else beat him to it.

Chat Group Conversation

March 7th: "Huh? Isn't Bronya that Silvermane Guard girl who got dragged into the Underworld with us?"

Bronya: "March 7th…? You're that outsider?"

March 7th: "Yep! That's me!"

Saeko: "So, you two are from the same world?"

Bronya: "Same world? What do you mean? What is this? Some kind of outsider technology?"

March 7th: "Haha, nope! Not our doing."

Nanashi: "This is the Doomsday Chat Group, a platform that connects people from different worlds experiencing apocalyptic crises. Welcome to the group."

Bronya: "Different worlds? That's… impossible!"

A young woman with three ponytails, clad in a Silvermane Iron Guard uniform, stood in the middle of Panyan Town. 

A gun rested in her grip, a military medal pinned to her chest.

Bronya frowned deeply.

The light screen floating before her eyes was something only she could see.

No one else around her reacted to it in the slightest.

"The outsiders… are in this, too? Different worlds… Could this really be happening?"

Somewhere in the Universe – In A Strange City Building

A petite girl leaned casually against the railing, her gaze lost in the distance.

Her outfit was as unconventional as her demeanor—adorned with game-themed accessories from head to toe.

Her silver-gray hair, streaked with blue highlights, faded into a gradient at the tips. A pair of rabbit-ear-shaped accessories and goggles rested atop her head, accompanied by a black hairpin and matching black earrings.

She wore an asymmetrical black-and-white patchwork bra, partially concealed beneath a semi-transparent privacy film. Over it, she sported a cropped jacket with a white fur collar, loosely zipped, revealing a round badge. The exterior of the jacket was decorated with game controller buttons, lines, logos, and pixelated patterns.

Her hands were clad in black half-finger gloves.

She paired her top with low-waist fishnet shorts, from which streamers dangled at the sides. On her legs, she wore fishnet stockings and sporty boots, completing her unconventional ensemble.

Silver Wolf clad in this peculiar attire, was engrossed in a handheld game console, a bubble of gum swelling in her mouth.

Bang!

The bubble burst.

Her fingers froze mid-motion.

"Oh?"

She let out a soft murmur of surprise as she stared into the air.

"What's wrong, Silver Wolf?"

A woman with long, flowing purple hair approached, her elegant steps measured and deliberate.

Her voice carried a certain allure—gentle, yet laced with an almost hypnotic charm.

Her attire was no less peculiar.

Draped over her shoulders was a black, cape-like shawl coat, fastened at the shoulders and flowing around her arms. A silver butterfly brooch adorned the neckline, while intricate purple lace embellished the cuffs. A long ribbon trailed from the back, accentuating the form-fitting white shirt she wore underneath.

Her left side was draped with a silk scarf, and she sported black leggings that connected seamlessly to her purple stockings via crisscrossing straps.

Sunglasses perched atop her head, partially veiling her violet-red eyes.

Her hair and pupils bore the same striking hue, enhanced by cosmetic contact lenses that dulled their highlights.

Leather straps wrapped around her chest and arms.

Her coat bore an intricate spider motif, its web-like texture sprawling from the back to the sleeves, subtly extending onto her gloves.

She wore asymmetrical black leather boots, fastened to her legs with ornate rings.

And those long legs… they commanded attention.

Silver Wolf opened her mouth to say something but hesitated, momentarily lost in thought.

Then, her lips curled into a mischievous grin.

"Heh… Kafka, I think I've encountered an unknown game I can't crack."

Kafka's wine-red eyes shimmered slightly as she cast a glance at the now-inactive game console in Silver Wolf's hands.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Need me to take a look at what kind of game it is?"

"No need." Silver Wolf blinked, rejecting the offer without hesitation. "This one… I have to conquer it on my own."

"Oh? That does sound intriguing." Kafka's lips curved into an amused smile.

"Let me know if you need anything."

With that, she turned gracefully and strode away.

She had to contact Elio.

Something about this unknown game—and Silver Wolf's reaction to it—felt unusual.

Meanwhile, Silver Wolf exhaled a quiet sigh of relief before her expression morphed into one of pure excitement.

"Alright… let's see what you're really made of."

Chat Group Conversation

March 7th: "Wait, so Bronya is Cocolia's daughter? Then why did your mother suddenly order our arrest? This is just too much!"

Bronya: "You are outsiders who pose a danger to Belobog. The Supreme Guardian is acting in the city's best interest."

March 7th: "Huh?! But I've heard from the people in the Underworld that the Supreme Guardian is a tyrant! She abandoned the lower district!"

Bronya: "…"

A pause.

Bronya: "This is my first time in the lower district as well. Seeing its state raises many questions… but I trust the Supreme Guardian's decisions."

March 7th: "Hmph! We came to Yarilo-VI to deal with the Star Core. She's clearly hiding something!"

Bronya: "Please refrain from insulting the Supreme Guardian."

Bronya: "And as for Yarilo-VI and this 'Star Core' you mentioned… I've never heard of them."

For seven hundred years, the relentless cold wave had engulfed Yarilo-VI.

Technology and culture had regressed, severing the planet's connection to the greater universe.

Now, its people didn't even know the name of the world they lived in.

March 7th: "Your planet isn't just this land—it's called Yarilo-VI."

March 7th: "The eternal cold wave was caused by the Star Core. How could you not know that? Did the Supreme Guardian deliberately hide it from you?"

Bronya: "Our home is called Yarilo-VI? And you're saying the cold wave is caused by the Star Core? What does that even mean?"

Their argument intensified, driven by the disparity in what they knew.

The others, sensing the tension, wisely chose to stay out of it.

There was an old saying:

"One cannot judge without knowing the full picture."

However, someone in the group happened to know the full story.

Silver Wolf: "Hey, hey, mind if I say something?"

Shinobu: "Is this newcomer really about to butt into their argument?"

Silver Wolf: "Yep, because I just happened to dig up some info on Yarilo-VI."

Lemuel: "Mr. Silver Wolf? Or... Miss?"

Silver Wolf: "I'm a girl, if it matters."

Lemuel: "Oh, then Miss Silver Wolf, does that mean you and March 7th are from the same world?"

Silver Wolf: "No idea. I only just found out about Yarilo-VI myself. I'm not convinced you're from another world either."

Nanashi: "Silver Wolf... a Star Core Hunter."

Suzuki: "Whoa! A direct call-out from the boss!"

March 7th: "Star Core Hunter? I think I heard Himeko mention that they're one of the company's most wanted criminals."

Emilia: "Mr. Nanashi, do you already know the identity of our new member?"

Silver Wolf: "Oh? That's interesting! Tell me, how does someone from another world know who I am?"

Nanashi: "Don't ask. Too much hassle to explain. Just focus on Yarilo-VI."

Silver Wolf: "So mysterious... Alright, let's get to it."

Silver Wolf: "According to the data I found, Yarilo-VI has indeed been affected by the Star Core. It's lost all contact with the rest of the universe and is on the brink of destruction."

Silver Wolf: "However… it looks like the Astral Express has arrived there."

She couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the train—only Elio's foresight suggested its presence.

But she had managed to dig up valuable records on Yarilo-VI from the company's archives.

Silver Wolf: "Seven hundred years ago, the Antimatter Legion invaded Yarilo-VI. In desperation, the city's rulers made a wish upon the Star Core, hoping to stop the invasion."

Silver Wolf: "And so, the Star Core answered their wish—with an eternal cold wave that froze the Antimatter Legion in place."

Silver Wolf: "But the nature of the Star Core is a disaster. Once the cold wave began, it couldn't be stopped. It continues to expand, bringing more rift erosion, and will eventually destroy the planet."

Silver Wolf: "That's why the company decided to evacuate Yarilo-VI."

Silver Wolf: "As the supreme ruler of Yarilo-VI, the Supreme Guardian should know all of this."

Bronya: "How… how is that possible? My mother has never told me any of this..."

March 7th: "See? I told you something's off about that so-called Supreme Guardian!"

Nanashi: "Is it possible… that Cocolia herself has been influenced by the Star Core?"