Have you ever been to a memorial ceremony in a remote village?
It was a very strange experience. The old atmosphere, the paper money falling from the sky, and the creepy antiques will make you understand what "a weird feeling" means.
Seeing another group of tourists arriving, the village chief welcomed them warmly. He was practically stick and bones. Just his appearance could scare anyone.
"Another group of people who aren't afraid of danger," the chief said.
Yimer sighed. The village didn't have much to offer. The scenery was not special, and there were no noteworthy products.
But there was one thing that made the village famous.
The elders in the village consider it a taboo, but outsiders often visit because they find it intriguing.
Yimer knew that if people continued to treat it so casually, they would eventually be "swallowed" by the village.
Suddenly, Yimer noticed a very noticeable white-haired figure among the tourists.
"The figure looks great, just like a model," Yimer thought, but didn't pay much attention. Even though white hair is rare, it's not a big deal.
"I hope they stay longer," Yimer said as he left.
When Yimer was no longer watching, Orion Astra began to explore the village.
The village was ruined, desolate, and surrounded by mountains on three sides. Even though it wasn't midnight yet, the wind was harsh, like a ghost crLumine or a wolf howling.
"It's a naturally dangerous place," Orion Astra muttered. He wondered why he came here instead of going to Sundown Alley.
On the plane, the doctor lost his vision permanently. Orion Astra didn't slit his throat but closed his eyes.
"Ah! My eyes, my eyes!" the doctor screamed.
Orion Astra didn't want to listen to his wailing anymore and touched his temples. The doctor slumped in his seat, drained of all strength.
"Killing him will relieve anger, but it won't solve the problem. How many people use Honkai for experiments? How many actually fight Honkai, and how many are just making money under the guise of experiments?"
Orion Astra didn't have time to worry about that. He couldn't save everyone or foresee all disasters.
"If God were truly all-powerful, there would be no suffering."
So, Orion Astra focused only on what he could see and the evil he knew. A clear conscience was enough.
"Listen to me: Doctor, you are a scientist dedicated to fighting against Honkai. You have devoted your life to saving people. You put humanity first and spend your life researching related drugs, right?"
"Yes, yes, I am committed to..." the doctor replied, his voice fading to almost silence.
"Since when have I been able to alter other people's memories so easily?" Orion Astra thought. It seemed he was using this power more frequently.
He remembered that it all started when the envoy from Garden of Recollection appeared on the Astral Express.
Orion Astra thought about what he had done. ModifLumine memories was a powerful and terrifLumine ability. With the same power, one could easily control a planet.
But Orion Astra was determined to be a person who walked with the people, not a god who misused power.
"A sword's harm depends on the wielder's intentions."
Orion Astra calmed down and stopped thinking about it.
"Didi!"
Orion Astra noticed that the fuel gauge on the helicopter was in the red zone.
"Not enough fuel?" he wondered. The helicopter was only meant to take the doctor to safety and didn't have much fuel.
Sundown Alley might be too far for the helicopter to reach, so running out of gas made sense.
"Driver, is there enough fuel to reach the nearest refueling point?"
"Report sir, it's probably not enough."
Orion Astra knew the pilot would follow his orders, so the helicopter kept flLumine even without enough fuel.
"Land nearby."
Orion Astra looked down. They were surrounded by mountains and fog, with poor visibility.
"After landing, find a way to return to Fire Chaser's base. Remember, you just escaped from the scene with the doctor and accidentally ended up here. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
After giving instructions, Orion Astra opened the side door of the helicopter and jumped out.
"Ah, sir!!" The pilot silently retracted his hand from the control and finished his sentence in his mind.
"Don't forget to bring your parachute..."
After landing, Orion Astra found himself on a road around a mountain. He waved to passing vehicles and soon boarded a bus.
The bus took him to a tourist village known for making wishes. Legend says there is a "god" in the village who protects it from monsters.
Orion Astra remained quiet. In this era, any supernatural event is likely related to the Honkai. Since he couldn't go where he wanted right away, visiting the village was not a bad idea.
When he entered the village, Orion Astra sensed something unusual.
As night fell, the village was lit by kerosene lamps at every house.
Tourists asked the village chief about the lamps. He smiled and said, "This is our custom. We light lamps to greet our 'gods' and keep demons away."
"Oh! So, we might see the village 'god'?" The tourists were excited to see this "god."
"Of course!" The chief's grin was unsettling, his eyes like a predator watching its prey.
"Let's go!" Some tourists felt uneasy but were too excited to speak up.
Orion Astra noticed something odd. He saw many bright spots and a clear image appeared in his mind. His voice grew slightly louder.
"This place is an..."
"Altar?"