Dan Heng remained silent, leaning against the wall. His rigid posture and furrowed brow indicated that something was deeply troubling him.
Himeko, who had noticed his behavior, approached with a cup of coffee in hand.
"Dan Heng, you've been like this since they left. What's wrong? Are you worried about those three? Relax, they're with Welt."
Dan Heng took a few seconds to respond.
"... Himeko, you saved a recording of the Stellaron Hunters' message, right? Could you show it to me?"
Himeko blinked in confusion but complied, activating the recording. Both watched in silence as Kafka's figure materialized once again, delivering her message. Dan Heng paid special attention, and when Blade's image appeared beside her, his expression changed drastically.
"Stop it here." he requested.
Himeko paused the recording. Dan Heng leaned forward, analyzing Blade's face with a strange glint in his eyes.
"You know him?"
"Damn it. It's him, Luofu is in danger..." he muttered, his frown deepening.
"If he's on board, then Mr. Yang, March 7th, Stelle, and Aleph... They're all in danger with that man there!"
"I have to go there immediately."
Himeko smiled slightly and placed her coffee cup on the table.
"I understand. Then go with them. I'll take care of the Express and keep Pom-Pom company."
Dan Heng looked at her for a moment before nodding in gratitude.
"Thank you, Himeko."
As he was about to leave, she asked one last question.
"When all this is over, will you keep traveling with us on the Express?"
Dan Heng didn't stop or turn around, but his response was clear and firm.
"Yes."
With those words, he disappeared into the distance.
....
Stepping back into the spaceport, Dan Heng took out his phone.
His frown deepened when he saw that his messages weren't sending.
"Some functions are still working, but for now, communication with the others doesn't seem possible."
He kept moving forward—maybe he could catch up with them if he hurried and tell them everything in person.
"Just like when I left, little has changed… As I remember, there was nothing but darkness."
Soon, he stopped.
The air vibrated with a familiar energy, and within seconds, he was surrounded by possessed soldiers and aberrations.
Two types of creatures emerged from the shadows—bird-like figures, some green, others a deep purple.
Dan Heng assumed his combat stance, drew his spear, and prepared for the inevitable.
"I don't have time for this..." he muttered before launching into the fight.
With swift movements, he took down several soldiers and dodged the aberrations' attacks.
...
In the end, the aberrations and soldiers hadn't been much of a challenge beyond their numbers, so taking down a few and escaping had been the best option.
In the distance, Dan Heng heard the sound of a sword clashing against multiple enemies.
He rushed in that direction and found a young brown-haired woman fighting against a group of possessed soldiers.
"Stay behind me! I'll handle this!"
Beside her, a young man with long blonde hair, dressed in white, remained calm as he carried a white coffin with golden details and a green gem embedded in the center. Despite the precarious situation, his eyes revealed only serenity.
"Just hold on a little longer!" the girl exclaimed, thrusting her sword powerfully at an enemy.
But the fight was uneven. A possessed soldier slipped through her guard, landing a deep wound on her side and bringing her to her knees.
Dan Heng reacted immediately, stepping between her and the enemy, blocking the attack with his spear. At that moment, the blonde man set the coffin down—a sword appeared in his hand.
"Let me help you." he said in a calm but firm voice.
The atmosphere seemed to shift as the young man began to move.
A greenish glow emanated from his body, enveloping the girl and Dan Heng in a restorative energy. The girl's wound healed instantly, and Dan Heng felt his energy renew.
"Incredible..." the girl murmured, catching her breath.
...
With the young man's support, they managed to repel the remaining enemies. When the last soldier fell, the girl walked up to Dan Heng with a smile.
"I'm Sushang from the Nimbus Knights! I was just transferred from Yaoqing!" She soon pouted and pointed at both of them. "You two shouldn't have gotten involved! You should leave the hard work to the professionals. I don't have eyes in the back of my head—what if I had hit you?!"
Dan Heng sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"If I had stayed back and done nothing, you would have been hurt even worse."
The young man smiled.
"Anyway, as I was saying! A Nimbus Knight's job is to protect others! And this is a restricted area, so please follow me, and I'll take you somewhere safe."
Having said that, Sushang turned to get a better look at Dan Heng.
"By the way, that spear technique was incredible! Which unit are you from?"
"I'm not a Nimbus Knight."
"Huh?"
The young man stepped forward, interrupting the conversation.
"Miss Sushang, do you know what happened here? I've never seen the Star Skiff Haven like this before."
"Honestly, I don't even know. I'm just following orders to assist and escort any civilians I find. So, come with me!"
Sushang turned and started walking but soon stopped, glancing back at them.
With a somewhat embarrassed expression, she asked.
"Uh… I have to fill out forms when I get back, and I can't leave them blank… What were your names again?"
***********
The sound of footsteps echoed softly on the metallic platform of the dock as the group waited. The atmosphere was charged with subtle tension, heightened by the inability to contact the Astral Express.
"Still no response…" Stelle murmured, frowning as she checked her phone once more.
"Then it's not a problem with Aleph's gauntlet..." March 7th looked confused.
"The Stellaron is likely interfering with external communications, just like what happened on Jarilo-VI." Welt calmly interjected, crossing his arms as he analyzed the situation.
"Again?" March 7th puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
"Why do things get complicated so fast?"
"Haha! It's part of the experience of being a Trailblazer!" March 7th commented.
Aleph sighed and looked skyward as he wondered.
When will they have a lunch break?
Tingyun stepped forward with a smile.
"In that case, there's no time to waste. Allow me to introduce our dear assistant, who will facilitate the search."
With a gesture of her hand, she activated a small machine that floated into the middle of the group.
It was a mechanical puppy with a refined design, glowing eyes, and metallic legs that made little noise as it moved.
"Ohhh, how cute!" March 7th immediately crouched down to get a closer look, almost touching her nose to the robotic dog's. "Look, Aleph! It even has a wagging tail!"
Aleph tried to be more subtle, but the look on his face made it obvious he agreed with March 7th.
"It's… interesting. Will it pounce on Kafka and bite her?"
"Yes and no. It's not just cute but extremely useful. This is Diting." Tingyun continued with a light laugh. "This search tool was specially designed by the Artisans Commission to replicate the senses of the Foxians, but enhanced to a greater level. It will be of great help in finding Kafka."
"A great advantage for us, though I wonder how precise it is." Welt commented thoughtfully.
"We'll find out soon enough." Tingyun replied with a playful wink, signaling the group to follow her toward the starskiff that would take them to the Miraestrellas Port shipyard.
*********
Once there, the mechanical puppy quickly moved, following trails the group would have otherwise ignored. They followed cautiously, picking up small pieces of evidence confirming that Kafka had been in the area.
"This is weird." March 7th murmured, lifting a torn piece of fabric that seemed to have belonged to a Nimbus Knight's clothing. "Don't you think it's too easy? It's like she left them here on purpose!"
Aleph's expression hardened slightly as a thought crossed his mind.
This wasn't like…?
"I don't like this." he said, frowning. "Something's wrong here. If it's this easy to track Kafka—a fugitive with a huge bounty—then it only means one thing. We might be…"
"Walking straight into a trap."
Welt nodded slowly, his expression mirroring the same thought.
"Kafka likely set up an ambush. But given the circumstances, we have no choice but to press on. This could be our only chance to capture her."
The group exchanged glances. There was no doubt they were stepping into dangerous territory. Even so, they couldn't afford to turn back.
"Then let's stay on guard." Stelle affirmed, resting her bat on her shoulder.
"Huh? A lipstick? 'A gift for the lost…' Tch." March 7th gritted her teeth. "That woman! She's mocking us!"
Setting aside the situation with Kafka, Aleph couldn't help but wonder about something.
Why did his level seem stuck at 30 despite having defeated numerous abominations and possessed soldiers, not to mention those Sanctus Medicus disciples?
"Aleph?"
Aleph turned to see Stelle calling him.
"Forget it, I'll figure it out later."
"What's wrong?"
The mechanical puppy let out a sharp beep, signaling a new clue.
A roar echoed, and several Mara-possessed soldiers appeared.
March 7th groaned in annoyance.
"More of these things?"
Aleph, on the other hand…
"Ha… Hahaha." His expression twisted into a forced smile as he gripped the newly formed ice bat in his hands. "Do these things ever let a guy rest?!"
And with a furious shout, he charged at the enemies while the group watched in surprise.
"That's it, Aleph, take them down!" March 7th cheered—after all, if he handled them, she wouldn't have to do anything.
Soon after, Stelle followed his lead.
Welt sighed as he raised his staff—better to finish quickly and keep moving forward.
********
The group continued advancing through the shipyard, following the tracks found by the mechanical pup.
March 7th gritted her teeth as she read aloud one of the notes stuck to a supply crate.
"Wow, such dedication! If you wanted to see me so badly, you just had to ask~"
"This is getting almost as frustrating as fighting those damn things." Aleph muttered, crossing his arms.
"And the worst part is, she's not even trying to hide it." March 7th's expression was so fierce that even Aleph didn't dare to tease her.
Tingyun frowned as Diting barked, signaling that they had reached the final point.
"The trail... disappeared?"
"When the prey's trail vanishes, the hunter should be careful."
In front of them, at the center of a loading platform with Nimbus Knights at her side, stood Kafka, her expression calm and her smile faint.
"Because it might mean the tables have turned. Oh, you arrived faster than I expected." she said with a smile, running a hand through her hair. "And to think you were so eager to see me… It makes me feel special."
Tingyun's expression was grave.
"Those Nimbus Knights… They haven't been possessed by Mara. What did you do to them?"
"Oh, nothing really. I just made a polite request, and they listened. Stelle knows what I mean, right?"
March 7th frowned and raised her bow.
"Quit playing with us and tell us what you're planning!"
"Planning?" Kafka tilted her head with a curious look. "Do you really think everything that's happened so far wasn't calculated? From the moment you set foot here, everything has gone exactly as it should."
"I highly doubt that." Welt interjected. "If you truly controlled every variable, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You're not infallible, Kafka."
"Perhaps I'm not." she admitted with a slight tilt of her head. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun watching you try to catch me, does it? Fun is an essential part of life."
Before anyone could respond, a deafening crash shook the platform. From the shadows, Mara-possessed soldiers and wind and electricity spawn began to emerge, their eyes glowing with a sinister light. The group immediately went on guard.
"Knew it. This was a damn trap." Aleph muttered through clenched teeth.
He thought about his lost rest, the countless battles along the way, the fact that he wasn't leveling up anymore, and therefore, wasn't getting revitalized with each level-up.
He couldn't help but feel irritated.
"You're going down!" he shouted, eyes locked on Kafka.
Kafka's gaze lingered on Aleph for a moment before shifting away.
"Not here. The Great Diviner is still far away, and this place doesn't suit me either."
"And why should we go at your convenience, Kafka?"
"Why so dramatic, Welt Yang? I just want to see how much our dear Stelle has improved." Kafka said in an almost sweet tone, watching the young woman with a gaze that was almost… maternal.
Without further preamble, the enemies lunged at the group.
Stelle, Aleph, and March 7th quickly charged forward to face them, while Welt provided support from behind.
Kafka watched the battle with her arms crossed. Soon, she smiled and began to retreat calmly.
"Don't think we'll let you escape so easily!" Stelle shouted, rushing toward her.
However, before they could reach her, the door she passed through shut in front of them, blocking their path. From the other side, they saw Kafka wave goodbye before walking away unhurriedly.
"Well, this has been fun, but I'm afraid I must go. See you soon… Don't worry, I won't make you wait too long."
March 7th was breathing heavily, her hair a complete mess.
"That woman is a problem."
Welt adjusted his glasses, looking at the spot where Kafka had stood.
"Yes, but her behavior today was… strange. She didn't seem worried about escaping. Rather, she was waiting for something."
Aleph remained silent, staring at the empty space where Kafka had disappeared, an odd feeling in his chest he couldn't quite understand.
"For now, the best thing to do is regroup and analyze what happened." Tingyun suggested with a serene smile. "I'm sure the answers will come in due time."
With a lingering sense of uncertainty in the air, the group prepared for what was to come next.
Diting let out a bark before starting to track Kafka's scent.
March 7th groaned as she tried to fix her hair.
"That woman owes me a spa treatment after this!"
....
The sound of the group's footsteps echoed against the shipyard's metal floor as they pursued Kafka. In the end, Aleph completely ignored Tingyun's words and destroyed the door.
The woman moved with an almost mocking grace, unhurried, as if she were waiting for them to catch up. Every now and then, she glanced over her shoulder, throwing amused looks at Stelle and Aleph.
"So insistent..." Kafka commented with a serene smile. "And here I thought you'd at least give me a little more of a head start."
"We're not here to play games." Aleph retorted through clenched teeth. He wanted a break, and if that meant catching Kafka, then that's exactly what he'd do. "No matter how hard you try, you won't escape this time."
"Oh, but I'm not trying to escape!" she replied, suddenly stopping and spinning on her heels with a playful expression. "What if I told you this was my fate all along?"
March 7th scoffed in frustration.
"Ugh, not the 'everything is part of the plan' thing again. Do you seriously think you'll convince us with that cheap trick?"
But Kafka didn't even look at her. Her attention was solely on Stelle, watching her with a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes.
"You've changed." she murmured, sounding pleased.
Stelle frowned but didn't respond. Something in Kafka's voice unsettled her deeply.
Aleph observed carefully. Kafka's attitude toward Stelle was obvious, but what intrigued him was how she also looked at him.
As far as he knew, their first encounter had been with her hologram aboard the Astral Express.
"Interesting..." Kafka murmured, tilting her head slightly. "I didn't expect to see you here. And yet, here you are. We didn't hear from you for quite some time."
"Disappointed?" he shot back, expression unreadable. Two could play the game of throwing words around just to get a reaction.
Kafka's smile barely changed, but there was something in her eyes—something even she didn't seem to fully understand.
"No." she whispered. "It makes me... happy."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. But Welt broke the tension.
"Enough with the games, Kafka. From the start, your 'escape' has been too controlled. Don't you see? She's leading us to a specific point."
Kafka simply looked at him, saying nothing. Instead, she drew her weapons.
"Don't flatter yourselves, Welt Yang. Neither I nor the Stellaron Hunters planned anything. We're just intervening and following the best possible routes."
Aleph felt a headache coming on. Normally, he enjoyed fighting, but even he had his limits.
"Whatever... Just stop talking in circles and fight!"
The air grew heavy the moment Kafka calmly raised her hand.
Her fingers barely moved, and a wave of psychic energy invaded Aleph and Stelle's minds, making them wince.
"Relax... Wouldn't it be easier to just surrender?" she cooed, drawing her katana.
Stelle clicked her tongue, resisting the attempt at mental manipulation.
Aleph, for his part, simply huffed.
Kafka frowned as she felt her own perception being tampered with. Soon, she saw multiple Alephs and Stelles surrounding her.
"What's wrong? Did you think you were the only one capable of manipulating others?" Aleph taunted with a smirk.
Yet the Stellaron Hunter didn't seem concerned.
With a sweep of her katana, she cleared the area, dispelling the illusions like smoke.
"A neat trick, but in the end, that's all it is... A trick."
But that brief moment was enough for Stelle to appear beside her, bat poised to strike.
The attack came down with crushing force.
For a split second, Kafka looked surprised by Stelle's speed. But soon enough, she smirked and sidestepped the blow with little effort.
A supernatural screech filled the air. From the shadows, a swarm of demonic flies lunged at her.
"Flies? Seriously?" Kafka scowled, feeling her energy being drained. She tried to leap away, but the moment she touched the ground, a spear of ice shot up from nowhere, forcing her to dodge at the last second.
Aleph was already at her side, his ice-covered bat gleaming as he swung it with the force of a boosted Bufula and Zio.
Kafka reacted swiftly, blocking the strike with her katana, which groaned under the impact's pressure. Before she could counterattack, a freezing projectile struck her side.
March 7th stood with her ice bow raised, winking at her.
"Too many fronts to cover at once? What bad luck, huh?"
Kafka didn't even bother to reply, merely flexing her fingers. A pulse of invisible energy shook the area, forcing Aleph and Stelle to step back. However, at that moment, Welt's calm voice rose from the rear.
"Not so fast. After all, you still need to see the General."
The space around them distorted, and Kafka felt her movements slow slightly, making her frown.
"How unpleasant." she muttered, gripping one of her weapons. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't like moving at other people's pace, Welt Yang." she added, bowing with mock courtesy.
A rain of bullets fell upon Welt's position, but his expression remained unchanged as he effortlessly dodged them all.
"How unfortunate."
Stelle charged again, her bat vibrating with energy. Aleph, beside her, raised his weapon, and in a blinding flash, it was coated in the crackling golden and blue light of As Estellar.
Kafka smiled once more, as if even her disadvantage couldn't affect her mood.
Just then, a sudden rumble filled the air.
Kafka aimed her weapons upward and unleashed a barrage of shots.
A voice came from above.
"How crude…" It was a soft, rather bored voice. "Don't you see?"
With a simple wave of her hands, Kafka's bullets were redirected as a small figure landed gracefully behind her.
"...That I already foresaw all your moves?"
From the shadows of the shipyard's structures, figures emerged. Nimbus Knights, armed and disciplined, deployed in formation.
"I am Fu Xuan, the Grand Diviner. From this point on, I will handle this criminal." she declared firmly.
"Greetings, Astral Express crew. This should be our first meeting… Though, since I've already seen you in a vision, perhaps it could be considered our second." Her face remained expressionless as she gazed at them. "Distant friends should be welcomed with fine wine, but, alas, the heavens, the earth, and the body are not aligned for such an occasion. Let's get to the matter at hand."
Aleph couldn't help but think as he looked at her.
"Another loli? God, what's with Asians and this fetish?"
March 7th blinked in confusion.
"What? Wait! What do you mean, 'I've seen you before even though this is our first meeting'? Were you spying on us?"
Fu Xuan regarded her calmly.
"Ahem! If you have an issue with my way of speaking, just say so, but don't shout. How rude."
March 7th frowned and turned to Aleph with a bewildered expression.
"Aleph, tell me you understood anything she just said."
Aleph sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Sorry, the service you're trying to reach is temporarily unavailable and offline. Please try again in a few hours."
"Since when are you a service?! And what terrible quality! You should at least compensate me!"
"The cost of the Aleph™ special massage package will be reduced from 10,000 credits to 9,900 credits for the next 15 minutes as compensation… Promotion valid only aboard the Astral Express."
"That's robbery!"
The tension in the air eased slightly with the intervention of the Nimbus Knights, who secured Kafka.
The woman didn't resist; on the contrary, she allowed herself to be captured with a calm expression, as if… As if she had gotten exactly what she wanted.
As they took her away, Kafka glanced once more at Stelle and Aleph. Her expression remained unreadable, but there was something in her eyes… something that hinted that this was far from over.