The Astral Express.
Inside the parlor car.
Welt sat alone on one of the sofas.
He adjusted his glasses as a grave expression settled across his face.
Ever since the Express arrived at Herta Space Station, the uneasy feeling in his chest had steadily intensified.
“Dan Heng said the situation aboard the station was mostly under control.”
“Why can no one contact Himeko?”
“Did something happen to her?”
A message suddenly appeared on his terminal.
Welt read it and frowned.
“A Doomsday Beast.”
“It seems I should go and support Dan Heng and the others.”
He stood and prepared to leave the Express.
Then he happened to glance through the window.
What he saw stopped him in his tracks.
Dark crimson fractures covered the surface of a nearby planet.
At the center of those spreading cracks was a massive cross-shaped mark.
Welt’s eyes widened.
“A Honkai eruption mark.”
Before he could examine it more closely, an enormous creature swept past the window.
Welt’s heart nearly stopped.
It was a Judgment-class Honkai Beast.
Worse, he recognized its appearance immediately.
“Benares.”
“That is impossible.”
A figure was standing upon the Honkai Beast’s back.
Welt knew that silhouette.
He would have recognized it anywhere.
Even if the man had been reduced to ashes, Welt would still have known him.
Yet he refused to believe what he was seeing.
His grip tightened around his cane.
He stared at the familiar figure with undisguised fury.
This could not be happening.
Benares had only ever obeyed Sirin.
Why was that man riding it?
Why were Honkai Beasts and eruption marks appearing in this universe?
What exactly was happening?
While Welt struggled to understand, Benares rapidly approached the Astral Express.
The creature passed beneath the train and vanished from sight.
A head suddenly emerged from the floor in front of Welt.
It continued rising until a blond man stood within the parlor car.
A familiar smile appeared on his face.
“It has been a long time, Joachim.”
“Did you miss me, old friend?”
Welt froze.
It was him.
It was actually him.
The Honkai had followed him across the universe.
Welt, who normally remained calm under almost any circumstances, shouted through clenched teeth.
“Otto.”
Pom-Pom, who had been sweeping nearby, jumped in surprise.
“Passenger Welt, what is wrong?”
“Pom-Pom, get away from here.”
“This is dangerous.”
Pom-Pom did not understand why Welt looked so alarmed.
Even so, the conductor quickly waddled behind a nearby sofa and cautiously peeked over it.
Otto spread his hands.
His expression showed no actual sadness.
“Joachim, your reaction wounds me.”
“Should you not be happier to see an old friend again?”
He tilted his head.
“I believe I heard you mention that Himeko was missing.”
Welt’s pupils contracted.
“What did you do to her?”
“Do not worry, Joachim.”
Otto smiled.
“Himeko is already dead.”
Welt stared at him.
Otto turned his back and raised both hands.
Then he launched into one of his familiar speeches.
“I was forced to kill Himeko due to circumstances beyond my control.”
“You appear upset.”
“However, you may be looking at this the wrong way.”
“You may have lost Himeko, but you still have me.”
“I could become the navigator of the Astral Express.”
Otto finally turned around.
That infuriating smile remained on his face.
“So, former Herrscher of Reason.”
“Try being reasonable.”
Welt raised his cane.
“Reasonable.”
“What possible reason do you expect from me?”
“Star of Eden.”
“Zeroth Power.”
“Quasi-Black Hole.”
Welt did not hesitate.
A black hole formed before his cane and flew directly toward Otto’s face.
To Welt’s astonishment, it passed straight through Otto’s body.
The attack struck the wall behind him.
Furniture shattered.
A massive hole appeared in the side of the parlor car.
The entire area was left in ruins.
Pom-Pom emerged from behind the sofa in horror.
“Passenger Welt.”
“What have you done?”
The conductor hurried toward the damaged wall.
“My train.”
“Pom-Pom’s beautiful train.”
Pom-Pom stared at the destruction in despair.
Both fluffy ears drooped.
Welt had no attention to spare for the conductor.
He raised his cane and spun around.
Otto had vanished.
A suppressed laugh came from the nearby sofa.
Then it became uncontrollable.
“Hahahahaha.”
“Mr.
Yang, your reaction was incredible.”
“Hahahahaha.”
Welt looked toward the sound.
An unfamiliar woman had appeared on the sofa.
She was laughing so hard that tears had gathered in her eyes.
That was not Otto.
Welt immediately looked through the window.
The crimson eruption marks had disappeared from the nearby planet.
The creature he had mistaken for Benares was merely an ordinary Doomsday Beast.
It was already flying away.
Welt’s fury slowly faded.
The Herrscher of Reason had finally regained his reason.
He had apparently been deceived.
Still, as long as Otto had not truly returned, Welt could remain calm.
He looked at Kai with the exhausted expression of a man questioning every decision that had led him to this moment.
“Who are you?”
Kai reluctantly left the comfortable sofa.
She clasped her hands behind her back and approached Welt with a sweet smile.
“Hello, Mr.
Yang.”
“My name is Kai.”
…
Welt’s expression became more serious.
Kai.
The suspected Emanator of Elation is wanted by the IPC.
That explained the overwhelming sense of Elation surrounding her.
Why had she boarded the Astral Express?
Did she intend to turn the train into another fireworks display?
For the first time since Otto disappeared, Welt felt nervous again.
He could temporarily resist the power of an Emanator.
However, resistance was not victory.
If a real battle began, he would eventually be overwhelmed.
If Kai intended to attack the Express, Welt could not stop her alone.
Kai appeared to notice his concern.
She walked forward, took his arm, and guided him back onto the sofa.
“Relax, Mr.
Yang.”
“Kai is a perfectly well-behaved woman.”
“She would never do anything terrible.”
“What happened earlier was only a harmless joke.”
“You are a generous and understanding person.”
“You are not angry, are you?”
Kai tilted her head and formed a small pout.
She looked at Welt with the most innocent expression she could produce.
Silence.
She considered impersonating Otto Apocalypse and announcing Himeko’s death a harmless joke.
Welt had nearly abandoned all reason and destroyed part of the Astral Express.
There had been nothing harmless about it.
Welt gave her a long and exhausted look.
Even so, he did not become angry.
This was not because Kai was charming enough to escape responsibility.
Welt did not judge people by their appearance.
Otto was the notable exception.
The real reason was that Welt could sense no genuine hostility from Kai.
Her attitude was almost friendly.
Strangely, he could even sense a certain familiarity in the way she regarded him.
Perhaps affection was the better description.
That idea sounded absurd.
What reasonable person expresses affection by creating an illusion of their target’s greatest enemy?
Then Welt remembered that Kai was an Emanator of Elation.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
Ordinary logic could not be applied to someone devoted to cosmic entertainment.
Welt was capable of resisting an Emanator.
However, Kai had destroyed the IPC headquarters.
She was probably among the most powerful Emanators in existence.
Since she showed no intention of harming the Express, provoking her would be pointless.
The joke had gone too far.
Still, the consequences were not irreparable.
Most importantly, Otto had not returned.
The Honkai was not truly pursuing Welt across the stars.
He released a quiet breath and relaxed.
One hand rose to wipe away the cold sweat that was not actually present.
Kai watched him with a knowing smile.
Was he truly safe from his past?
What expression would Welt make after arriving on Jarilo-VI and hearing the names Cocolia, Bronya, Seele, and Natasha?
Kai could hardly wait to find out.
Hehe.
◉◉◉◉◉
Save to library!