The desert had always been a place where life feared to tread.
It was arid, lacking water and food. There was no foundation for life to flourish, no place for recreation. If the world weren't so small, no one would have willingly cast their gaze upon this land.
But as technology advanced, this desert was transformed by human hands, finally managing to catch the last train of civilization's prosperity.
Oases grew under human cultivation, nurturing water sources and enriching the biodiversity. People from all over migrated here, pouring generations of effort into this place, all to make it the next paradise for human civilization...
And then, civilization abandoned it.
The Honkai's devastation was particularly severe in this wasteland. In just a few short months, water sources dried up, and life vanished. The oases that had sustained the region began to recede.
Zombies and Deadwalkers from the settlements now roamed the wilderness. The vast expanse became a perfect habitat for Honkai Beasts. Under the cover of the yellow sand, they would suddenly appear near settlements, slaughtering everyone.
They would also act like highwaymen, blocking the path of convoys crossing the desert and flipping them over...
"Is it really as bad as you say?" On a sand dune, several off-road motorcycles sped along, kicking up clouds of yellow dust. The massive commotion seemed to announce their presence to the world.
"Hey! You sand bandits! Stop kicking up so much dust! What if the truck flips over?!" The driver of the large truck, surrounded by the motorcycles, furiously rolled down his window. He leaned out and unleashed a torrent of curses at the brash bandits racing across the sand.
"Then it's your own damn fault for being a bad driver! Hahahaha—!!" The lead bandit, his face scarred and fearsome, roared with laughter at the driver's tirade, prompting a wave of jeers from his underlings.
Still, the bandits toned it down amidst their laughter, giving the truck driver a clearer path.
"Seriously... Why did it have to be these guys escorting my cargo? Mr. Siegfried alone would have been enough..." the driver grumbled, settling back into his seat and gripping the steering wheel in frustration.
"Cough, cough, cough—!!" In the cargo hold, Siegfried, who was drooling over the goods, suddenly heard that remark. His hand, which had been inching towards a bottle of wine, snapped back.
"Whoa, that was a close one." Siegfried pulled his hand back, glanced around, and then peeked through the crates at the other person in the cargo hold. Seeing no reaction, he shrank back.
He awkwardly stroked his stubbled chin and began to give himself a pep talk.
"This is life-saving cargo. I can't steal what I'm supposed to be guarding. That's right, can't steal it..." Siegfried muttered repeatedly, but his eyes kept drifting back to the wine among the supplies.
It was all low-alcohol wine. Other than for drinking or cooking high-end dishes, Siegfried couldn't think of any other use for it. Once they reached their destination, most of it would probably end up in the bellies of the upper-class elites or stored away in their shoddy cellars.
Someone's going to drink it anyway, right? Might as well be me...
No, no, this is the good reputation my dear wife... and that bastard Ryoma worked so hard to build. My wife couldn't come this time because she was busy. If I ruin our reputation...
Siegfried shuddered, and his restless hand instantly behaved itself.
Instead of letting his mind wander, he might as well maintain his baby.
Siegfried reached for his hip and drew a pistol of a completely different style from its holster. Compared to the surrounding wooden crates, the gun looked like something from two eras in the future.
The unenclosed barrel was symmetrical, top and bottom. Its straight, minimalist lines exuded a cold, brutalist beauty. The body of the gun looked like it could be reconfigured at any moment, sparking endless speculation.
In other words, this was a pistol that could fulfill any man's fantasy, a next-generation weapon even in Future City.
It was the magnum opus born from two years of arduous artistic study with the renowned painters of Future City.
He called it—
"Siegfried-senpai!" An excited cry suddenly rang out. Siegfried flinched violently, and the gun in his hand jittered as he jumped. He managed to catch it in an extremely awkward grip.
"Is that the legendary Ultimate Fantasy: Sacred Fire of Eden, Star of Judgment—Alahato?!!" Just as he caught his breath, a girl with stars in her eyes leaned in close, her gaze fixed on the gun in his hand.
Siegfried paused, then smoothly retracted his hand, striking a dignified senior pose. "Mm, you have a good eye. This is indeed my Ultimate Fantasy: Sacred Fire of Eden, Star of Judgment—Alahato."
Seeing the girl practically about to pounce on the gun, Siegfried hesitated for a moment before raising it. "What's the matter, want to take a look, Susanna?"
"Eh, eh, eh—?!" Susanna was instantly overwhelmed. She took several incredulous steps back before daring to point at herself. "Me? Really me? Can I really see the legendary Ultimate Fantasy: Sacred Fire of Eden, Star of Judgment—Alahato?!"
You were practically burning a hole through it with your eyes just now...
"Of course, you can!" Siegfried gave Susanna a firm thumbs-up. "If a weapon can only be hidden away, then it's not a weapon fit for a true warrior!"
Siegfried deliberately lowered his voice to a resonant bass. "A truly powerful warrior is one who stands tall and lays everything bare, allowing their enemies to study their every move, and then openly crushes every countermeasure the enemy devises!"
"Ooh, ooh, ooh!!" Susanna trembled with excitement.
These are holy words! This is the precious guidance of Siegfried-senpai! This is the wisdom passed down by a true warrior, a knight of the Kaslana family!
As she watched Siegfried hand over the pistol with the ridiculously long and embarrassing-to-say name, Susanna raised her hands, which were shaking like leaves, to receive the Ultimate Fantasy: Sacred Fire of Eden, Star of Judgment—Alahato with the most precious and respectful etiquette of her family.
"Trouble! Mr. Siegfried!" Just as her fingers were about to touch the Ultimate... the Star of Judgment, the small door connecting the cab and the cargo hold flew open, revealing the driver's panicked face.
"The sa—uh, Mr. Akman says he's spotted a Honkai Beast!"