: No more, stop...
: Sigh… seeing these people force themselves to look calm is the hardest part to watch.
: This kind of ordinary farewell, the life-and-death separation of ordinary people… I can't believe it still makes me feel this heavy…
: Before, my focus was all on the Titans and the Chrysos Heirs, but behind every one of these ordinary people… there's a complete family.
: In an environment like this, the almost ruthless leadership Aglaea shows is probably what's normal. Originally, kindness would just be fatal.
: Amphoreus really is different from before. It even gives a bit of detailed portrayal to the small people now.
: It's exactly these details, along with that earlier road-movie-like feeling, that make our sense of immersion in Amphoreus so strong.
: My mood is heavy… but the emotional impact of this part truly doesn't lose to any other moment.
....
Apocalypse, the Black Tide, these things are too grand. Even when they fall upon the Chrysos Heirs, they still feel somewhat distant.
But when these things fall on an ordinary person, becoming concrete, a final farewell between loved ones. Only then do the audience truly feel the suffocating oppression of the apocalypse and the Black Tide.
What the apocalypse brings is not just the destruction of a world. It is countless separations of life and death between families like the one just now.
A wife losing her husband, parents losing their children. These small things all carry a very real weight.
And precisely because of this. The meaning and necessity of the Flame Chase Journey are understood even more deeply by the audience.
If we don't want more tragedies like this to happen, then we must keep moving forward.
....
As time passed, second by second. The painful transmission of messages finally came to an end.
Both Stelle and Castorice were deathly pale. They were both people who did not feared death.
But when it came to delivering the news of death to those still living, regret welled up from the depths of their hearts.
At the end of the alley, Castorice leaned against the stone wall and sat on the ground.
Stelle also leaned against the wall, silent.
"Lady Stelle." After a moment, Castorice lifted her head and looked at Stelle with a somewhat vacant gaze.
Although there was no wind today. She still felt a bone-piercing cold wind blowing from Thanatos.
"Am I… really so useless?"
"As a priestess of death, I can't bring peace to either the dead or the living."
She asked softly. Every time the expressions on the survivors' faces shifted from hope to grief, it caused Castorice pain.
"No." Stelle was also confused, but instinctively rejected the idea. She fell silent for a moment, recalling her many past journeys.
Himeko always said that Trailblazing was about connection. Stelle had always understood it simply, turning unfamiliar places into familiar ones, turning strangers into acquaintances.
But after stepping into Amphoreus, after witnessing tragedies. She suddenly realized. Perhaps Trailblazing wasn't only that.
In Amphoreus threatened by the Black Tide, where even the sky had become a taboo.
What comes after forming those connections?
Along the way, she saw the Chrysos Heirs supporting one another, and she saw ordinary people still struggling to live.
At this moment, those scenes connected into a single line in Stelle's mind.
At the end of that line. A familiar child and an elderly man were smiling at her.
It was Mikhail.
Before this, Stelle still had some doubts about why Mikhail stayed behind in Penacony.
But at this moment, those doubts vanished. Was it because he felt the same thing she was feeling right now?
Breaking obstacles and connecting the world is Trailblazing.
And creating a future where those trapped in pain and despair no longer need to cry, that too is Trailblazing.
Mikhail's legacy was understood, in a strange way.
[If the end of Trailblazing is already set in destruction, would you still choose to trailblaze?]
A sentence surfaced in Stelle's mind.
She had already forgotten who said it to her.
Before, Stelle did not have an answer.
But now, she did.
She would. And she will!
Even if the end is destruction, then at that end, she will stand there herself.
That is her path of Trailblazing.
"Castorice."
Stelle looked at her and spoke softly. "Isn't this exactly what we're doing right now? Once we see suffering, we can't just stand by. We have to make sure that things like today don't happen again. What has happened has already happened. We need to keep moving forward."
"…Lady Stelle." Hearing this, Castorice felt much better.
Stelle was right. Wasn't that the meaning of the Flame Chase Journey?
To recreate the world, and shape a new one without the Black Tide.
Having regained her motivation, Castorice smiled faintly at Stelle. "Thank you for talking me through this. I feel much better now."
"Hehe."
"I kind of just said whatever came to mind."
Stelle suddenly laughed foolishly and admitted it honestly.
Seeing Stelle suddenly turn a bit absent-minded, Castorice couldn't help but turn her head and laugh softly with her hand covering her mouth.
There really was a kind of magic about Stelle.
She could be extremely serious when it mattered, and then instantly switch to a completely different demeanor.
The audience watched the two of them on the screen.
The sadness from just before was unconsciously brushed away.
There was a feeling of watching one's own child grow up.
.....
: Stelle ... grew up!
: She really thought about the meaning of Trailblazing, and even understood Mikhail's choice back then.
: The foreshadowing in Honkai: Star Rail is really well done. Even the previous version's story paid off here!
: This part was so cool!
: After witnessing tragedy, Stelle's sudden enlightenment was seriously awesome! If she hadn't ended it with that silly laugh, it would've been peak!
: Can't help it, that's just Stelle.
: A Stelle that blends seriousness, depth, air headedness, that's the real Stelle. That's where her charm lies!
: Two girls sitting together talking about this topic, the sense of story is so strong.
: I really love this scene. From the Space Station to now, ending it with Stelle's growth makes this segment feel complete.
: You guys are way too focused on Stelle! Doesn't it feel like the way Castorice looks at her has gotten a bit closer too?
: Ssshhh! The ship is looking real good!
: But hey, the earlier thoughts where Castorice was held by Stelle hasn't been brought up yet. I wonder if there's something more to that.
....
The mood of the comments.
From the initial sadness and heaviness, it gradually began to ease.
Stelle's growth, as well as her interactions with Castorice, made the audience full of anticipation for the future.
The gloom was swept away. The pacing of the story also started to slow down and soften.
In Okhema, Stelle went back to rest, while Castorice went to visit Trianne.
Inside a room of the bath palace. Stelle saw Dan Heng standing on the balcony, gazing into the distance.
"Back already? How did it go this time?" Dan Heng turned around and asked calmly.
Stelle was just about to fool around, but suddenly remembered what had happened not long ago.
She let out a deep sigh and said tiredly, "Sigh… life really is a struggle."
"..." Dan Heng replied speechlessly, "Looks like you took quite a hit."
Stelle shook her head and told Dan Heng everything that had happened in the Grove of Epiphany.
After listening,
"But at least most of them managed to withdraw. The ones who stayed behind were all warriors."
After saying that, Dan Heng added in a comforting tone, "Don't blame yourself too much. Given the strength of that black-robed swordsman, being able to reclaim the Coreflame was already incredible."
"Mm…" The image of the black-robed swordsman flashed through Stelle's mind. Just thinking about him made a sense of pressure rise instinctively.
Stelle shook her head and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about him. By the way, Dan Heng, what have you been doing in Okhema these past few days?"
"Reading logs. Checking records."
"As for the matter of the sky being sealed, I've found some clues."
Dan Heng stroked his chin and spoke slowly. "That Hyacine person is a Sky Folk. Our records indicate they may have originated from there."
"Right now, the full picture of Amphoreus hasn't been revealed yet, but the danger has already gone beyond what we can handle."
"If we could get support from the Express, we might not have to stay this passive."
Just hearing about that black-robed swordsman from Stelle already made Dan Heng feel uneasy.
Stelle nodded vigorously, deeply agreeing. The two of them missed the Express immensely.
The audience felt the same way.
...
: If only Himeko and Welt were here, that'd be amazing.
: I don't know why, but as long as those two are around, it feels like even if the sky collapses, it'll be fine.
: Leaving everything else aside, if we could just establish contact with the Express, a lot of things would be much easier to deal with.
: Exactly! Like the Grove of Epiphany incident, if the Express had acted as a mediator, information would've spread way faster instead of relying only on Tribios and the others!
: And if worst comes to worst, Himeko could just call in a Celestial Rail Cannon and blast that damn black-robed swordsman!
: Hahahahaha, I can already picture it!
: Can't be helped, Amphoreus is way too mysterious. For now, we can only rely on Stelle and Dan Heng.
: I wonder how March 7th is doing. Hope she's safe!
: And speaking of the Express, the others must be researching this world together with Herta outside, right?
: Maybe we'll even see them this episode.
: I've got a feeling Amphoreus is hiding some huge secrets. Its internal combat power is off the charts, and the outside is shrouded in mystery.
: Stop, stop, if you keep going, I won't be able to sleep tonight.
...
The audience's comments gradually scattered in all directions.
On screen, the scene switched at this moment, arriving inside the Marmoreal Palace.
A duel that made people burst out laughing was underway.
Inside a hot bath, Mydei and Phainon, two men, were locked in a fierce contest.
That strange competitive instinct boys have was on full display at this moment.
They were actually competing over who could endure the heat longer in the hot bath!
This bizarre competition made the audience laugh instantly.
And the reason it started was even more ridiculous.
Phainon first recited a line of poetry, then looked at the completely confused Mydei and mocked him, "Don't tell me the Prince of Castrum Kremnos doesn't understand poetry? No way, right?"
Naturally, Mydei snapped back. With a look of disdain, he said, "Kremnoans don't read such weak words, but my library lacks none of that kind of collection."
How could Mydei lose face at a moment like this?
Who would've thought Phainon would just smile faintly and explain, "Those lines perfectly express the author's homesickness, just like you, being far away from your kingdom right now."
Mydei completely lost it. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "I understand it! Damn it, the word 'poetry' also doesn't exist in Castrum Kremnos' dictionary! *Castrum Kremnos profanity*"
Phainon immediately burst out laughing and teased, "From what I see, the Castrum Kremnos' dictionary really doesn't have any words in it."
Mydei instantly exploded. And Phainon's provocation worked perfectly.
So he casually suggested that the two of them go to the hot bath to see who could endure the heat longer.
And just like that, this laugh-inducing contest began. The audience was laughing their heads off.
These two were just too hilarious. Trading insults on one hand, while engaging in such childish competitions on the other.
...
: Hahahahaha, damn it, I can't take it anymore.
: What is this weird obsession with winning?!
: I'm dying, 'Castrum Kremnos' dictionary doesn't have words', holy shit!
: Mydei is way too easy to provoke!
: Hahaha, at times like this, Phainon is surprisingly devious, deliberately setting Mydei off.
: Their relationship is really good.
: Is this what boys' friendship looks like? I don't get it, but it's honestly kind of great.
: This is literally stewing yourself in an iron pot.
: Damn it, one comes up with a terrible idea, the other dares to accept it, there's nothing I can say.
...
The audience was laughing nonstop.
As the duel ended with Phainon collapsing to the ground, the instigator himself lay there in a sorry state, utterly defeated.
The comments were filled with endless "hahahahaha."
And yet, the audience themselves didn't even realize, after the Grove of Epiphany and Stelle's growth, those complicated emotions and heavy feelings had already been tuned into something cheerful and relaxed through Mydei and Phainon's storyline.
Everything felt brighter, as if filled with hope.
And it was precisely at this subtle emotional turning point, the scene shifted once more, arriving at another hot bath. Bad news was about to arrive…