❝𝙾𝚏 𝚏𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎...𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚎...❞

❝𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖.❞

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

"Long time no see...Astral Express Crew." The hologram of a very familiar woman appeared suddenly in the parlor car of the Astral Express.

"I'm glad that I came at the right time. Everyone's here. Every...single...one~" The red-haired woman, Himiko, narrowed her eyes at the other and frowned. "There's no need for any mysterious introductions...Stelleron Hunter."

"Himiko, right? Well, I'm sorry for interrupting your little get-together. But I'm sure once you've heard my request, you'll forgive me. I'd like you to make a little... destination altercation."

"I've seen your face before...Stelleron Hunter. Though, it was only once on a bounty poster. Do you know the figure?" Himiko crossed her arms and stared at Kafka. In return, the woman just giggled and turned away.

"Doesn't concern me. However, a bounty certainly seems like a compliment more than an insult. The bigger the figure, the bigger the compliment, I suppose."

"I will say, Herta gave you a huge compliment. "A lunatic who claims he can see destiny leads a bunch of people in pursuit of the dangerous objects in the world." Let me tell you, she doesn't give out compliments often."

"In pursuit of the most dangerous objects in the world, huh? Well, I think we're cut from the same cloth then."

"You're in the wrong place. We're not going to accept your request, and we're not going to get into bed with you stellaron hunters." Himiko countered. "It was nice talking to you. I'm sure we can continue this conversation next time in person."

"Have you guys heard of the Luofu?" Kafka suddenly asked. Welt and Himiko looked at each other, knowingly and yet, unaware of the questions' true meaning.

"The Xianzhou Luofu? The Hexfleet belonging to the Xianzhou Alliance? Yes, we know of it." Welt answered after a couple of moments

"Well, what you don't know is that it's actually a few warp jumps away from your current location. Not to meantion... forty-five system hours ago, there was a stellaron burst in the Luofu. An unexpected calamity... don't you think?"

"And what exactly do you plan to do? The Xianzhou Alliance isn't us. They won't give you time to explain. Once you draw the attention of 'The Hunt', you'll become their prey. The Alliance will hunt you to the ends of the universe." Welt explained.

"Stop speaking in riddles, Kafka! Say what you have to say." Himiko interrupted the man.

"Simple. The Xianzhou thinks that we have something to do with the Stelleron, that we're responsible. My friend, Blade, has been taken in by the cloud knights. I want to bring him back. Resolve this, and clear our names."

March puts her hands on her hips and sighs.

"But this has nothing to do with us! Yeah! This is just a weird coincidence. You just so happened to show up AFTER the stelleron burst? Plus, we're not your friends! We could care less if a Stellaron Hunter is innocent or not."

Caelus, who was standing next to March, thought for a little bit before turning to Kafka with his proposal.

"What's in it for us?" March turned and glared at the boy. "No! You're not supposed to listen to her! The Alliance is strong, a single Stelleron burst isn't something they can't handle."

"You could, of course, not get involved. Knowing that the Stellaron hasn't exactly affected this region of space, so you COULD, make the jump to the next planet, but the longer you wait, the more blocked of the star rail is going to get." Kafka smiled at the boy and turned to face him. "Plus, there's one more thing~"

Welt sighed and rubbed his temples. He was already so done with this. "And that would be?"

"Wellll, I heard that the Luofu is holding a very special prisoner. He's been there for about a thousand years or so. And that he's just now showed his face. Listen, I don't know anything about this 'VIP', but what I do know is that one of the passengers on the Express is rather...friendly..with him. I just thought you'd like to know that."

Everyone looked at each other, confused at what that could mean. One of them KNEW this prisoner? But, who did was the question.

"Anyways, I can tell you what the future WILL hold. Eventually, the Stelleron will contaminate the entire ship, and half of the inhabitants with perish. Oh brave and fearless trailblazers, can you truly turn a blind eye to that?"

All of them thought about that. And all were thinking the same thing. They truly couldn't live with that, even if the Luofu could supposedly take care of it. Himiko was the first to turn to the Stelleron Hunter with a question.

"This friend of yours, Blade, he'll perish too? Correct?'

"No comment. Here are the coordinates. It is up to you how you wish to proceed.

With that final farewell, Kafka, or rather, her hologram, disappeared in front of the Crew. Though, she left along with many answers to their questions. One thing was definitely running through their minds more than the Stelleron crisis. Who exactly is this newly hear prisoner? And who on the Express knew him?

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐

"

I-I'm sorry..? Do I know you...?" A male voice spoke above the chaos in front of him. He slipped out of his cocoon in a trail of clear slime, and sat bare on the cold floor of the general's office.

He was doing his best to cover himself and hide away from the harsh eyes in front of him. He was supposed to be met by him...so why isn't he here?! Why are there Cloud Knights in his stead?! They're pointing their weapons, ready to attack once given the order or reason to. Wait...how did he remember that...? He wasn't supposed to.

he lied...

He Lied...

"HE LIED!"

The man roared out, standing up from his fetal position on the floor. The guards shouted obscenities and threats at him to "put his hands up" and "Don't make another move."

However, he could care less about them. All he cared about was finding the man that was responsible for putting in this position rather than embracing him in his arms!

With ungodly strength, he pushed through the wall of Cloud Knights, only to be met with a certain white-haired general.

"Ah, I see that today isn't exactly a great one." The man spoke. Suddenly, he knocked the other one to the cold floor once again, with strength comparable to the man curling up in pain.

The aggressor suddenly felt a warm fabric lay upon his bare body. He curled up and relished in the feeling, regressing to think of the man that he once knew.

"I am General Jing Yuan. And you, M/n Feng, are under arrest for violation one of the ten unpardenable sins."

As the guards previously knocked down got back up, M/n could only think about the words spoken to him. What he had done to deserve prison time, he didn't know, but what he did know is that he craved two things.

Vengeance on the man who had put him in his position...

And the warmth that the he received from him.