Hoshigaki Sora had wandered across the barren planet for quite some time before finally finding a shelter that could provide some protection.
Thanks to the system, all the alien text around him now automatically translated into something he could read and understand.
With an ability like this, worst case scenario—I'll never starve if I end up working as a translator.
He was already starting to piece together a possible post-transmigration career path.
After all, he'd need a cover identity of some kind. Not everyone could be like Kuuga's Yusuke Godai, bumming around and crashing at people's shops during his travels.
Most Riders, if you excluded the student-age ones, at least had a day job.
Cooks, ghosts, cops, doctors, inventors...
Clearly, having a proper job was important.
Sora figured that after he escaped this planet, he could rely on his newfound skills to land a translation gig. No way the entire galaxy used a single language, right? He could specialize in translating for obscure planets—niche but essential work.
And since he had power now, personal safety wouldn't be an issue.
And no danger means I can qualify for hazard pay when traveling for work. Perfect.
So, obviously, he'd need to apply to the company that sent people to the most far-flung places in the galaxy—
The Interastral Peace Corporation.
Sure, their corporate culture was infamously cutthroat, but Sora figured most people would rather not be sent off to backwater planets. That just left him more opportunities to "slack off" unnoticed while still getting paid.
Honestly, it sounded like the perfect job.
With dreams of this future swirling in his head, Sora drifted off to sleep inside the shelter.
By the next morning, hunger dragged him out of that dream.
Judging by the system's internal clock, he'd slept almost ten hours. Factoring in the earlier Voidranger fight and his long search for shelter, it was no wonder his stomach was staging a rebellion.
Back when he got hit by the Truck of Fate™, he'd just finished lunch. But by now, it had been way too long since his last meal.
"…Please let there be something edible on this planet."
That was his only real concern.
This was the world of Star Rail, not some post-apocalyptic Earth. He had no idea what the food situation was like—or even whether local food was compatible with human biology.
Still, with a bit of light cleanup, he prepared to begin foraging.
The sky remained dim and murky. The first rays of light had yet to break over the planet's surface, as though the world was still asleep.
But that sleepiness lent the place a kind of still grace, masking the desolation with a softer veil.
Despite the twilight, it wasn't fully dark. Small flickers of light appeared here and there across the landscape.
And now that his physical abilities had been enhanced, Sora could easily make out his surroundings by the faint ambient glow.
No visibility issues. Time to find food.
The area around him was mostly ruins. Aside from the shelter, nothing remained intact.
This area was a bust.
He'd have to head deeper into the ruins, into the darker zones, if he wanted any hope of finding supplies.
No time to hesitate. His stomach made that clear.
Sora summoned G3X, locked in the shelter's coordinates using the system's onboard AI, then called forth the Rider's motorcycle: the Guard Chaser.
"Funny, the ignition key design is the same one they used back in Kuuga."
Just like in Kuuga, you only needed to slot in the throttle and you could ride. Back then, the key could even morph into the Titan Sword. By the time Agito rolled around, it'd been downgraded into a glorified baton.
Trying to fight Unknowns with a baton? And yet somehow, Kanagami-san made it all the way to the finale. That guy's sheer survivability was off the charts.
Chuckling at the thought, Sora fired up the engine and took off.
The motorcycle roared through the darkness, trailing a streak of silver-blue light across the dead planet.
The Guard Chaser was fast—up to 350 kilometers per hour fast.
It handled every kind of terrain flawlessly, allowing Sora to cruise across the ruined world with ease.
Before long, he reached a relatively intact section of the city—low-risk zone.
He poked around for a while, and finally found something that might qualify as food.
"Might" being the operative word.
The translated labels on the items gave him serious pause.
Abyssal Cuttlefish Ink Baked Beans
Prilm Star Caramel Earthworm Dessert Can
Mist Swamp Zesty Moss
Enchanted Forest Seaweed Rice Mix
The names were... concerning.
They sounded edible. Sort of. Maybe.
And sure enough, there were even little sale signs next to them. One can cost 100 credits.
Sora stared in silence.
"…Looks like the local cuisine has a philosophy all its own."
This wasn't just a culinary desert—it was a surrealist nightmare in the shape of a menu.
He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of mindset produced food like this.
But at this point, he hadn't eaten in too long to be picky. Even if it looked weird, he had to try something.
Resolve hardened, he grabbed the Prilm Star Caramel Earthworm Dessert Can and popped it open.
Hey—it's caramel-flavored. That can't be too bad, right?
Gritting his teeth with a do-or-die attitude, Sora didn't even look. He just dumped half the can straight into his mouth.
"…Hey, not bad."
It was soft and springy, like squid jelly.
But where's the caramel? Where's my caramel?!
Try as he might, Sora couldn't detect even a hint of sweetness.
Did my taste buds break or something?
Just as he began to wonder if something was wrong with him—
RUMBLE.
The ground shuddered violently beneath him, followed immediately by a deafening explosion.
BOOM!!!
Sora bolted from cover to check—and saw it.
A massive starship, burning like a falling sun, was crashing in the distance.
Fire licked its hull as it descended—a brilliant, blazing meteor.
Sora could only gape. "…WTF."
Sure, he knew starships were commonplace in this universe. But still—he didn't expect to see one crash quite this soon.
Then it hit him.
A starship crash-landing means a starship came here.
Which means… someone reached this planet.
And if they could get here…
Then maybe—just maybe—I can get off this rock.
Fueled by that glimmer of hope, Sora jumped on the bike and raced toward the crash site at full speed.