===== << START >> =====
Astral Express Lounge, enroute to DesuMachi planet.
Noah's voice gently broke the silence. "Then as planned, this world will be explored by Hachi, Mei, and Sora-chan."
His eyes went to the trio as the rest of the crew turned their gaze along with him. Hachiman sat with his usual flat expression, chin on top of palm while his other arm lay flat on the table, as if this were just another day. Sora, in contrast, was practically bouncing with excitement. Mei's posture went a little stiff. She looked a bit anxious, but her eyes were determined.
"This is an unknown world," Noah continued, his tone gentle and clear. "A place no one has fully explored. And we are entrusting this duty to the three of you to explore, to understand, to establish, and to connect with the people of this world by leaving your own marks, your own footprints. This will be your very own journey. Your real 'First Steps' as Trailblazers."
Hachiman looked at Noah and gave a short nod. Sora followed with bright claps, grinning ear to ear. Mei, however, bit her lip, hesitation showing across her face.
"Captain," she said softly, "based on the details we've gone over… isn't this world a little too dangerous for Sora-chan?"
Sora blinked in surprise, looking up at Mei with wide, puzzled eyes. "Mei-nee…?"
Hachiman simply closed his eyes, saying nothing.
Noah raises his brows before his lips curled into a teasing grin. "Oh? Could it be that Mei wants to be alone with Hachi for this whole expedition? What a bold strategy, Mei-san~"
"W-WHAT?! NO!! It's not like that!!" Mei stammered, face turning bright red as sparks of lightning came around her in protest.
Sora tilted her head, her expression innocent. "Ehh! Really? So Mei-nee wants to go on a solo trip with Hachi-nii?"
"NO!!! Don't say weird things like that!!" Mei panicked, waving her hands as if trying to physically swat the misunderstanding out of the air. "I was talking about Sora-chan's safety!"
That only made the laughter louder. Even Elysia leaned forward with a teasing smile on her lips. "Ehh, but you do sound like you're trying to keep him all to yourself."
Mei groaned, cheeks still red. "Why do these things always turn back on me...?"
Without saying a word, Hachiman casually summoned his Persona, Arsene, who silently appeared behind the laughing Noah and gave him a firm smack on the head.
"Ow! What the—?!" Noah yelped, rubbing the back of his head as he slumped forward.
"Captain!!" Mei scolded, her face still red. "Why would you even say something like that?! I was being serious about Sora-chan!"
Sora blinked innocently, caught between the shouting. But before Noah could dig himself any deeper, Hachiman finally spoke.
"Raiden," he said, adjusting his jacket with a sigh, "don't take anything this idiot says at face value. He thrives off from reactions like yours."
"Eh?" Mei turned to him, still flustered, her voice rising a little. "B-but he sounded so serious…!"
Hachiman gave her a sideways glance, lips twitching. "That's his trick. Mix nonsense with real points so you can't tell where one ends and the other begins."
Around the table, Team Reason members nodded knowingly they'd clearly seen this play out countless times before. Meanwhile, the girls from Star-Pulse—Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, Sirin, and even Gabriel—offered Mei amused, sympathetic smiles.
Mei sighed, cheeks still flushed. "...You're all way too used to this."
Elysia winks at her with a sing-song lilt. "Ufufu~ you will get it eventually, Mei."
Hachiman picks up his cup of coffee as Mei continues to question her new reality.
"Besides this world might be dangerous, and yeah, the mission will surely be bumpy," he said plainly while sipping from his cup. "But for us? It's not really that much of a problem. This world hasn't been touched by the Aeons. We are the first. The Nameless. That means no competition, no interference from other Paths and factions. Just us."
He stopped for a moment, glancing at Mei.
"You already know this, Raiden. Even the weakest Pathstrider could flatten an entire town or a mountain with minimal effort. And with no one else like us in this world, we're pretty much sitting at the very top."
Mei blinked. And in that moment, she realized it—she was still thinking with the mindset of her old life. But they weren't normal anymore. She, Hachiman, and even Sora-chan, all carried the blessing of the Trailblaze. They were Pathstriders now. Members of the Trailblaze Faction.
"If we take this into account," Hachiman began, as casually as if he were commenting on the weather, "I'm now a memetic entity, freed from the limits of the human body. Add in my Persona powers that can bend reality and let me go toe-to-toe with godlike beings, and I could probably take on a few demon lords or dragons solo."
He glanced around the room, then added without a hint of pride, "And that's before we consider my Astral Emblem and my Path alignment with Remembrance. Honestly, nothing in this world would be able to stop me."
Noah let out a groan, feeling the pain from the spot he got hit. Hajime rolled his eyes while letting out a grunt, but neither of them argued. After all, it would take both of them working together just to match Hachiman in a fight.
As wild as it sounded, no one could deny it. Right now, Hachiman was undoubtedly indeed the Strongest among them. If he ever wanted, he could wipe out an army without breaking a sweat and do it with that same deadpan expression while drinking his Max coffee.
"Yeah, yeah, you're the strongest," Hajime muttered under his breath.
"…Seriously, who made this guy this strong…" Noah grumbled, still rubbing the spot where Hachiman's Persona had slapped him earlier.
Ignoring his bros, Hachiman set down his cup as he continued to speak. "Setting aside your Herrscher abilities, which you can't fully control yet. You've still got your Electro Emblem and your Path alignment to Hunt powering you up. That alone is more than enough to handle most of what we'll face. And Sora? She's got the blessing of the Trailblaze and a bunch of gadgets courtesy of Anisphia and Hajime."
He gave both inventors a sideways glance.
"Honestly, I'm more concerned for the poor fools who try to mess with her."
Across the table, Hajime and Anisphia both started whistling innocently, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.
Sona shakes her head. "He's not wrong."
"Ufufu~ definitely not," Lavinia whispered back with a grin.
"I see… I was too hasty." Mei turned to Noah and gave him a small bow. "Sorry about that, Captain."
Noah waved his hand dismissively with a chuckle. "Ahaha, no worries, no worries. I had my fun teasing you earlier, so let's just say we're even."
Mei's lips curved into a small smile as she nodded. "Thank you."
Sora immediately perked up, eyes wide with hope. "So… does that mean I can go with you guys?!"
"Yes, Sora-chan," Mei said warmly. "You're coming with us."
"Yay!! Thanks, Mei-nee! I promise I'll keep some distance if you want to stick close to Hachi-nii!"
"SORA-CHAN!!" Mei burst out, flustered once more, her cheeks burning red.
That set off another round of laughter around the room, even louder this time. Kiana nearly choked on her tea, while Elysia clapped her hands in delight. Sirin hid her face behind her terminal, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her away, and even Lumine's lips twitched at the corners.
"Good! With the exploration team settled," Noah said, bringing the room back to focus with a clap of his hands. "This will be the placement for us. Team Star-Pulse will remain on standby at the Express. We'll position ourselves where we can provide support in any given situation, directly or indirectly. So don't worry the three of you won't entirely be on your own."
Kiana, Sirin, Elysia, Lumine, and Gabriel all gave affirming nods toward Hachiman, Mei, and Sora.
"As for Team Reason," Noah continued with a faint grin, "you guys are on reserve. Which means you're free to do as you please. You can visit the worlds we already established contact with, catch up with your projects, do commissions… or just take a vacation."
"Wait, wait," Hajime blinked, leaning forward. "Vacation? Are you serious, Noah?"
"Yep," Noah replied with a shrug.
"…Why though?" Hajime asked, giving Noah a suspicious stare. He was a man long used to Noah's wild directions, but this felt different—out of character from his usual style, something even the rest of the crew noticed.
The lounge went silent, everyone waiting for Noah's reasoning.
He leaned back in his seat with a thoughtful hum, then flashed a grin. "Well~ since Team Reason's already the biggest squad on board, we—Star-Pulse and Team Hachi-Mei-Sora (temporary name, subject to teasing)—have to work together to keep you from recruiting even more people. Especially in a world where monarchy is everywhere, Hajime will definitely end up charming more princesses and unsuspecting maids~."
Team Reason's response was a perfectly synchronized deadpan stare. Hajime's cheek twitched, a visible tick forming near his temple as he glared at Noah like a man betrayed by fate itself.
"…Captain?" Mei muttered, still confused.
"I don't get it…" Sora tilted her head.
Hachiman just sighed, eyes stared at the ceiling questioning every life choice that led him here.
The girls from Star-Pulse exchanged knowing looks and sighed together, clearly used to their man's antics.
"But seriously," Noah continued, "we can't let our local Godslayer run loose in a world that takes divine authority seriously. One wrong move and we might start a holy war. Or worse, some faction might try to use us to push their so-called 'divine plans.' No thanks."
Mei and Sora stared blankly, mouths slightly open, clearly not understanding a single word of Noah's 'divine war prevention' logic. It flew so far over their heads it might as well have been on another planet.
"…Captain, what are you even talking about?" Mei asked, tilting her head with genuine confusion.
"Holy war? Divine plans? Huh? That sounds kinda cool though!" Sora added, her eyes sparkling despite not following anything.
Noah, unfazed by the sea of bewildered faces, simply leaned back into Kiana's side and slumped his head into her lap, arms wrapped snugly around her waist.
Kiana turned pink on the spot but didn't make any effort to push him away. Instead, she sighed and gently combed her fingers through his hair, resigned to the absurdity. "Honestly, what I'm going to do with you~."
Hachiman exhaled through his nose and facepalmed. "And this is the guy leading us."
Hajime's eyes went completely hollow, like a man spiritually detached from the chaos around him. "I refuse to process any of this."
—-
The rest of the crew was caught between amusement and disbelief. Meanwhile, the Star-Pulse girls sent envious glances toward Kiana, wishing they were the one getting that treatment.
"Uhh… I'm not sure I followed all of that," Mei admitted, tilting her head with a puzzled look. "But is Captain basically saying that if Team Reason backs us up, it might cause more trouble than help?"
"More or less," Hachiman replied, resting his chin on his hand. His tone was flat as always, but his gaze was sharp, analyzing Noah's words carefully. "Good, you didn't take what this idiot said at face value. Half the time it's wrapped in nonsense, especially when he's in the mood, but there's always something important hidden in there."
"…So, there's definitely a deeper meaning behind what he just said?" Mei blinks.
""""Yes.""''
This time, the reply didn't just come from Hachiman. Nearly everyone around the table answered—some with nods, others with murmurs of agreement. Team Reason still looked visibly tired of Noah's antics, giving him matching exasperated stares, but Mei noticed they were already processing and breaking apart what he had said.
Even the Star-Pulse girls, who had been amused a moment ago, gave her small, reassuring smiles. Their eyes told her they understood Noah and trusted him. Enough to take even his most ridiculous words seriously.
"Captain mentioned about recruiting people…" Anisphia narrowed her eyes, her thoughts already racing ahead. "That probably means Hachiman, Mei, and Sora-chan will meet others who might become part of their team."
"Most likely," Alice said with a thoughtful nod, tapping her chin lightly. "And in a world governed by monarchy, that usually means encounters with nobles, maybe even royalty. Princesses, maids... people drawn into them either by fate or circumstance. A classic plot."
"Setting aside the comment about me charming princesses… or maids… it still feels weird to say out loud," Hajime muttered under his breath, clearly regretting ever giving Noah that material.
"But you do," Alice replied flatly.
"Absolutely," Anisphia agreed without hesitation. Euphyllia added a small but firm nod, confirming the objective fact.
Sagiri gave him a tired smile. Lavinia openly laughed. Sona shook her head with a sigh that barely hid her amusement. Ingvild covered her mouth, giggling softly, while Ophis, utterly unfazed, continued munching on her snacks.
Ram and Rem playfully raised their hands, pointing first at their mistress—princesses themselves: Alice, Anisphia, Euphyllia, Sona, Sagiri, Lavinia and Ingvild, and then toward their fellow maids: Patricia, Illia, Lainei, Villhaze, and Belfast.
Patricia only smiled knowingly, sipping her tea. Illia simply blinked, Lainei fidgeted with a blush, Villhaze crossed her arms with a snort, and Belfast gave a graceful smile.
Hajime visibly restrained himself from launching into a full denial, knowing it was an argument he would lose.
"...In light novels or anime, especially in isekai worlds where heroes are a thing, it's practically a genre rule," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You save a noble here, defeat a demon lord there, and suddenly there's a princess offering you her hand. That's just how it goes. And Hachi will definitely find himself in that exact situation sooner or later."
"Don't lump me into your genre rules," Hachiman deadpanned immediately, not even looking up from his coffee.
"Divine plans... factions... holy war..." Euphyllia said softly, repeating Noah's earlier words. Her expression turned serious. "So there's a faction out there, one possibly aiming to challenge divine authority itself?"
Sagiri nodded slowly, her gaze sharpening. "It seems that way. And if they've seen someone like Nagumo Hajime in action, someone who can stand against beings of divine authority."
"They will have the confidence to proceed in whatever their plan." Sona added, folding her arms. "They'll believe they have a chance to succeed. That's when things get dangerous."
"Noah-san also mentioned we could revisit the worlds we've already established contact with. Something about commissions, project updates... and even vacation," Ingvild said, reminding everyone with a thoughtful tone.
"Then he's basically hinting that you guys need to retrace those worlds," Hachiman said dryly. "Time for you guys to catch up with your 'side quests' that you ignore after clearing the 'main quest'."
Team Reason groaned in unison like gamers being told their side missions just got doubled.
"Ughhh… we've already been to so many worlds. I don't even know where to start," Hajime groaned, slumping over the table while mentally sorting through the long list of off-cam visits.
"Just go with your gut~" Noah chimed lazily from where he was still comfortably curled against Kiana's lap. "Trust your instincts. Since even I didn't know which was the priority."
With a resigned sigh, Hajime pulled up the map of the Silver Rails from his terminal. The screen opened to life, showing the intricate web of trails and worlds they had visited. Some worlds they added, others they reconnected to the Silver Rails.
Mei and Sora exchanged confused glances, clearly struggling to follow the full picture drawn from Noah's chaotic explanation.
"…Did everyone really get all of that from what Captain just said?" Mei asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"They're amazing!" Sora said, eyes sparkling as she watched Team Reason already moving to coordinate plans. "They can understand such complicated words so easily!"
"That's just because they've been around him longer," Hachiman replied, sipping his now lukewarm coffee with a deadpan stare. "They've developed the unfortunate skill of decoding whatever that idiot tries to say."
"But, Hikigaya-kun, you joined the crew not too long ago, same as us… right?" Mei tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled. "Then how were you able to understand the Captain's words?"
"…Unfortunately. It's the Bro-code. A blessing and a curse," Hachiman muttered, reflecting on the tragic realization. "It made me able to understand Noah and Hajime."
"Whoa! Bro-code! That sounds so cool!" Sora twinkled, practically bouncing in her seat with admiration.
Hachiman groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "It's not cool as it sounds…"
"Ahaha, sorry about that, Mei~ Our Noah tends to make people question reality sometimes," Elysia said with a playful grin.
Mei gave a small smile in return. "It's alright. But… Everyone really trusts the Captain, don't they? No one doubted his explanation. They just accepted it and started planning like it made total sense."
"That's because of who Noah is," Lumine replied, calmly pouring hot water into the teapot. "Or more accurately what he is."
Sora blinked and leaned forward curiously. "What do you mean by that, Lumi-nee?"
Lumine glanced toward Noah with a soft smile. "Noah's a very rare kind of person. He's a Force Sensitive individual."
"A Force what??" Sora repeated, eyes wide in confusion.
"A Force Sensitive Individual." Lumine said clearly with a soft smile.
"Since ancient times, there have been special individuals across the universe who are attuned to something called the Force," She added. "The Force is a mysterious energy created by life itself. It's not just physical, it's a spiritual energy that connects all living things."
"Those people who can tap and use the Force are called Force-sensitives~," Elysia added, picking up where Lumine left off. "They can use it in incredible ways. Like telekinesis, telepathy, precognition, healing and all sorts of amazing things."
She leaned back slightly, her expression turning thoughtful. "But the Force isn't just some magical power you control. It has its own will. It guides, nudges, and whispers. Most Force-sensitives learn to listen, like really listen to it so they don't lose their way."
"Among Force-sensitives, there's a group known as the Jedi Order," Lumine continued. "The Order is a monastic and peacekeeping organization devoted to the light side of the Force. Their goal is to maintain peace and justice across the universe, stepping in whenever that balance is threatened."
She paused for a moment, then added, "On the other side are the Sith. They use the dark side of the Force for their own desires. Where Jedi are taught restraint and harmony, Sith embrace power and dominance."
"So our dear Noah learned from a Jedi, which makes him one as well," Elysia said with a playful smile, sipping the tea Lumine had just poured.
"Whoa… amazing! So Noah-nii is even cooler than I thought!" Sora exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Does that mean Captain can actually see the future?" Mei asked, glancing at the Star-Pulse girls with curiosity.
"Not exactly seeing the future," Sirin explained gently. "It's more like… glimpses. A strong feeling that something is about to happen. The Force whispers to him, guiding him toward what he will have to face."
Kiana nodded in agreement, then added softly, "It usually happens when we reach a crossroads in our journey. If something really big is about to happen, Captain gets a tingling feeling. He tells us where to go, what to prepare for… and more often than not, he's right."
Sirin gave Noah a few light pokes on the cheek, only for him to suddenly pull her into a surprise side hug. She blinked rapidly, caught off guard as he leaned in with a teasing grin.
"Wha—Noah!" she squeaked, her voice rising as her face flushed a deep pink.
Mei blinked, visibly went red from secondhand embarrassment as her own cheeks reddened. Beside her, Hachiman sighed and calmly reached over to cover Sora's eyes again without a word.
"Mou! Hachi-nii, you're covering my eyes again!" Sora whined.
"This is… not for you to see," Hachiman replied flatly.
Meanwhile, Sirin had gone completely stiff in Noah's arms, her cheeks glowing so brightly it looked like steam might be rising off her head. She swayed slightly, her system in what seemed like critical overload.
The rest of the Star-Pulse girls froze in stunned silence. They'd expected Noah to tease, maybe even act sweet—but this level of boldness left them speechless.
"…He evolved again," Lumine muttered, unable to look away.
"…I'm not ready for this timeline," Elysia whispered, clutching at her heart.
Kiana just sighed, torn between pride, amusement, and concern. "Seriously, what am I going to do with you…"
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