Through Sparkle's efforts, a group of extremely frantic "fans" suddenly appeared on the internet.
This group was disciplined and organized. Their combat power was extremely strong.
And they specifically targeted other anti-Honkai Star Rail fan groups.
Very quickly, they became well known...
Honestly speaking, when it came to attacking others, it still had to be the haters who did it best.
Because of this group, the haters suddenly found themselves unable to move an inch. Without the actual fans needing to step in, they quickly ended up fighting among themselves.
For the fans, of course, this was a good thing. In many comment sections, those unpleasant voices had basically disappeared.
...
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
Soon, it was time once again for the release of new content.
After several weeks of buildup, fans had more or less finished analyzing and interpreting everything about Amphoreus.
Because of that, they were even more excited for Episode 3.
On top of that, MiHoYo's official website released a message saying that Episode 3 would be no smaller in scale than Episode 1. Naturally, fans felt that something big was coming and their expectations rose even higher.
Of course, besides the fans, some data-analysis organizations were also closely monitoring changes in global traffic.
After Episode 2 created miracle-like statistics, many people wanted to know whether Episode 3 could maintain that level of popularity, or perhaps... reach an entirely new peak.
On this day, whether they were MiHoYo fans, MiHoYo's opponents, or neutral observers, countless eyes were firmly fixed on the Honkai: Star Rail official website.
On the official website, fan discussions were extremely lively.
....
: Waited several weeks, and today was finally here! If there was no Star Rail to watch anymore I was going to die!
: Ever since Episode 2, the online atmosphere had been much cleaner! For almost two weeks I hadn't even seen any hate groups!
: Hahaha, true. With data that good, it had already slapped a lot of people in the face, right?
: Hoped Episode 3 was even more exciting!
: Guaranteed, Ruan Mei!
: No surprises! Our Stelle was about to become the Time Demigod!
: Looked forward to Demigod Stelle!
: By the way, I wondered if this episode would reveal Amphoreus' secrets. I was really curious!
: Even if they didn't reveal Amphoreus' secrets, just telling the story of the Flame-Chasers would already be worth it!
...
The fans kept discussing. They were filled with anticipation for the upcoming episode.
On one hand, they wanted to see Stelle become the Demigod of Time. On the other hand, they also wanted answers to the mysteries, such as the truth about Amphoreus.
Over the past few weeks, discussion about Amphoreus had remained extremely popular.
While the audience was discussing the latest theories and trending topics, the long-awaited moment finally arrived.
On the official website, a massive surge of traffic flooded in instantly.
Countless comments began scrolling across the screen.
And after the darkness faded from the screen, Episode 3 of Amphoreus finally began.
...
Inside Okhema.
The camera froze on Stelle's back.
At that moment, she stood in a garden, in front of Trianne's resting place.
She was mourning, and at the same time was deep in thought.
"All shall bid farewell to one, and that person alone will witness the miracle - Such is the will of fate..." Stelle repeated this sentence silently in her heart.
This prophecy. As Tribbie and Trinnon recovered more of their memories, it once again began to circulate among the Chrysos Heirs.
What Stelle was thinking about right then was this: if she accepted Oronyx's trial, that would mean she became part of Amphoreus as well. Would the prophecy also come true for her?
But no matter what. The Coreflame of Oronyx was in their hands. And in this world, the only one qualified to take on the responsibility of the Coreflame… was her.
Thinking about it like that, it actually felt pretty exciting. A mischievous smile appeared on Stelle's face again.
...
The scene shifted to the inside the Marmoreal Palace.
Aglaea was speaking with Castorice.
" Ah, it's you, Cas. I finished the anthology of poems you lent me, here it is."
"I thought you'd be too preoccupied to find time for reading." Castorice asked Aglaea.
"Precisely because of these obligations, I felt compelled to read it swiftly."
Aglaea handed over a thick poetry collection.
Castorice took the book, but confusion appeared in her eyes.
"Wouldn't all these preoccupations slow your pace?"
Aglaea gently shook her head.
"On the contrary. Knowing that time is limited can push one to overcome their limitations. The weight of these responsibilities seems to have enhanced my reading efficiency."
The two chatted for a while longer. Before they realized it, the topic drifted to Anaxa.
"As I remember, you and Phainon were both disciples of the Nousporists. I assume that Anaxa's exams were as unreasonable as the man himself, correct?"
Aglaea said this with a subtle tone, as if recalling something.
Castorice recalled those days of study and unconsciously curled her lips into a gentle smile.
"The courses Professor Anaxa taught were... Introduction to Alchemy and History of Mythology. To be perfectly honest, those two courses were the students' greatest nightmares."
Aglaea's expression became even more subtle. Crossing her arms, she said, "The history of mythology, taught by the blasphemous "Great Performer" himself... I can imagine their fear."
Her tone was not particularly polite.
Castorice naturally knew about the relationship between Aglaea and Anaxa. Curiosity got the better of her, and she carefully asked,
"Now that I think about it, students would often rush to the podium during class to challenge him on those blasphemous ideas."
"May I ask, Lady Aglaea, has your relationship with Professor Anaxa always been like this?"
Aglaea didn't avoid the topic and directly picked up the thread.
"He openly dismisses people's faith, and questions the very justification of the Flame-Chase Journey. Our positions have been destined to be at odds. While you were studying there, I assume you must have heard of his nickname."
At this point, Aglaea paused. Then she frankly added, "Despite his insufferable arrogance, I do hold a certain respect for his nature as a scholar. To remain true to his principles, he is unafraid to stand opposed to the world and that requires considerable resolve."
"Anaxagoras' life is almost like a satire: as a Chrysos Heir, he refuses to heed the prophecy, while he disrespects the gods..."
Seeing the content on screen, the audience began to ponder as well.
By this stage of the story, everyone could clearly feel the completely different temperaments of Aglaea and Anaxa.
Aglaea was obviously a true leader.
She faithfully followed the prophecy, was willing to devote everything to the Flame-chasing cause, and possessed strong leadership.
But Anaxa openly used things like "science," alchemy, and even soul-splitting. And in his words, he showed clear disdain for leaders like Aglaea.
It felt like a confrontation between divine authority and reason.
No… The symbolism surrounding them didn't stop there.
There was also the influence of the Titans of Romance and Reason.
...
: Started right away with Aglaea roasting Anaxa?
: Looked like this episode would focus on the Titan of Romance and Reason.
: Felt like this episode might finally reveal something big. Anaxa seemed like the kind of character who would drop shocking statements!
: The prophecy itself clearly had problems. Anaxa's disrespect toward the gods might have been because he discovered something!
: I was so excited!
: But these two really felt like fated rivals, haha!
: The heirs of the Titan of Romance and the Titan of Reason actually couldn't stand each other, lol!
: Also, when Aglaea called Anaxa by his full name, for some reason it was hilarious.
: Castorice's expression was funny too!
...
Castorice listened to Aglaea's words on screen, looking extremely awkward.
Standing there, she only felt immense pressure. She deeply regretted bringing up this topic.
And Aglaea, perhaps because someone was listening, continued speaking at length about how she intended to deal with Anaxa.
"In light of his assistance in the battle against the Flame Reaver, I am willing to grant him some time to find a way to remove the Coreflame."
"However, if Anaxa decides to make any move that places us in danger, I will not hesitate to take extreme measures."
After Aglaea finished speaking, Castorice sensed the trembling of golden threads in the air nearby.
It was terrifying. She stood there stiffly, pressing her lips together, not daring to reply.
Fortunately, someone arrived to break the tension.
Both of them looked toward the newcomer.
It was Stelle. Aglaea gathered her thoughts and smiled, while Castorice let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"But now, let's greet our guest."
Aglaea welcomed Stelle.
"You're here, Stelle. Does this mean you're ready to take on Oronyx's trial?"
"I'm still on the fence..." Stelle scratched her head.
As soon as Stelle finished speaking, the pink creature popped out from behind Stelle's head and waved its short little arms enthusiastically at the two of them.
"I understand. It was the sacred beast's idea, after all. However, it warrants careful consideration, given their intricate ties to the Titan."
Aglaea nodded slightly to Mem in greeting.
There was not the slightest hint of dismissing the cute creature. In the history of Amphoreus, beings like Mem had appeared before.
So Aglaea was not unfamiliar with them.
Watching the characters greeting each other on screen, the audience grew excited again.
The Titan of Time… Those words alone were incredibly tempting. And everyone really wanted to see what Stelle would look like after becoming a Demigod.