Pandora, Star Rail Universe…
Himeko felt bewildered. Her usual motherly smile had turned stiff and strained as she took in the scene before her.
In the middle of the ruined remains of what was once humanity's proud colony on Pandora… a conference table had been set up.
On the right side sat the representatives of Pandora—leaders from various Na'vi clans, Jake Sully as the head of the Resistance and the Omatikaya Clan, his wife Neytiri, along with Norm Spellman and Max Patel representing the humans who stood with them.
On the other side were the leaders of the Resources Development Administration—Charles Stringer, Frances Ardmore, and the heads of each division within the RDA.
The tension between the two sides made sense and was expected.
But…
What felt out of place, what made Himeko stop, were the children of the Astral Express.
"…Just what's going on here?" Himeko murmured, tilting her head slightly.
Noah moved around the table, calmly serving tea and snacks to everyone, as if this were just another normal day. The way he did it—smooth, familiar—it almost felt like he had done this a hundred times before.
Meanwhile, Hayate and Reinforce were eating with pure enthusiasm. No—devouring was the better word. The two of them had already gone through more plates than anyone else.
On the side, March and Caelus were busy arguing while laughing, each trying to outdo the other as they bragged about their performance in the war.
"I'm telling you, I totally carried the battle at sea!" March insisted.
"In your dreams," Caelus shot back immediately. "If our Dragon Lord weren't there, you would've been surrounded."
"Please leave me out of your conversation," Dan Heng deadpanned.
Himeko's only saving grace was that Sirin and Dan Heng were still acting normal. They sat properly, calmly sipping their tea and sampling the snacks that Noah kept bringing out.
With the war over, Pandora is done; it was time for postwar talks. The Astral Express may have sided with the Resistance during the battle, but now they will stand as mediators between the two sides.
Which brings us to the reason why Himeko is here.
"Hmm? Ah, Miss Himeko—you're finally here!" Noah noticed her as he casually placed another plate of sweets in front of Hayate and Reinforce.
"Thank you, Noah-kun!" Hayate said brightly, immediately reaching for the new plate. "Hi Miss Himeko! Welcome to Eywa'eveng!"
"Noah-san, thank you very much!" Reinforce added, cheeks already full. "Miss Himeko, come sit! We still have plenty of snacks~."
"You're welcome," Noah replied with a small smile.
"Ohh! Mom, you're just in time!" Caelus waved at her with a wide grin, already halfway through a plate of snacks. "Noah just brought out another batch—this one's actually really good!"
March perked up immediately, turning toward Himeko with twinkling eyes as she held up a cookie like it was something precious.
"You have to try these! I swear, if this were part of the war, we would've won even faster!"
Caelus snorted. "We already won fast."
"That's not the point!" March shot back, then turned back to Himeko, lowering her voice for a bit—but not nearly enough.
"Also, you should've seen Noah earlier—he was totally sulking when you called the shots instead of him."
"Hey—!" Noah protested immediately from the side.
March ignored him completely. "And then Sirin and Hayate had to calm him down like—"
"March! You don't need to tell her that!!" Hayate quickly cut in, her face turning red mid-sentence.
Sirin's hand had already moved, stuffing cookies in March's mouth before she could continue. "...That's classified information."
"Mmph?!"
Caelus burst out laughing. "Ahahaha! I wish you had seen it! The mighty, near-omnipotent Messenger of Trailblaze is getting reduced to that."
"Hey, how many times do I have to say it?! I wasn't sulking!" Noah shot back, trying to defend his honor.
March and Caelus grinned at the same time. "Sure, sure you weren't~."
Dan Heng let out a long, tired sigh, already done with all of them.
"...You kids are having way too much fun here, aren't you?" Himeko said with a wry smile.
She let out a soft chuckle and shook her head before taking her seat. Noah was already there, placing a cup of tea and a small plate of cookies neatly in front of her.
"Thank you, Noah," Himeko said as she took a sip of her tea.
Around them, both the Resistance and the RDA had no idea how to act. Conversations died before they could even start. People glanced at one another, unsure what to say.
Jake and his group were somewhat used to this by now after spending time with Noah and the others… but even they still looked a little stunned.
The RDA had it worse.
They had just lost a war—and now, right in front of them, they were being shown how far behind their civilization truly was.
"Hello everyone—from the Resistance and the RDA. It is a pleasure to finally meet all of you in person."
After letting the silence sit for a moment longer, Himeko set her cup down and spoke.
"Although we have spoken through communication channels, allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Himeko, the Navigator of the Astral Express, followers of the Aeon of Trailblaze, Akivili."
She offered a gentle smile as she looked around the table. Noah and the others naturally quieted down, giving her their full attention.
"Now that the war is over, our faction will act as the mediator between Eywa'eveng and Earth."
Everyone listened.
For the Resistance, they owed this victory to the Astral Express—and with Eywa itself acknowledging them, they had no reason to oppose whatever outcome came from this discussion.
While at the RDA side… They are in no position to argue anymore.
As the losers from this war, they could only accept the resolution in this conference.
"For now, please lay down your terms—what you want the people of Earth to do."
Himeko turned to Jake and his group, inviting them to speak.
Jake glanced at the others on his side. They exchanged looks, a silent discussion passing between them, before he gave a firm nod.
"Our terms are simple. Have the Sawtute (Sky People—Humans) leave Eywa'eveng and never come back."
The moment those words fell, the expressions on the RDA side darkened. Charles let out a sigh—as if he had expected this.
"I understand," Himeko said with a small nod. She then turned toward Charles and the others on the RDA side.
"I am aware that your ships above are currently experiencing system failures due to the blast from my orbital cannon. However, the damage should be minor. With some repairs, they should still be capable of interstellar travel. You should be able to get them operational again and return to your home planet, Earth."
Ardmore and several RDA officers couldn't help but twitch at that.
"We would like to apologize, but those 'minor' damages you are referring to are quite severe for us," Ardmore replied, her tone edged with sarcasm.
"Our ISV's navigation, propulsion, radar, weapons, energy reactors, and life support systems have all been heavily affected by the radiation from your attack," she continued, forcing a strained smile.
"It would take years for us to repair everything—especially now that our production capabilities and equipment have been… reduced to this."
Himeko blinked a few times, tilting her head slightly.
"Huh? Did your attack cause that much damage, Mom?" Caelus asked, sounding a little too casual.
Himeko slowly turned toward him with a deadpan look. He really was enjoying calling her that…
March, Dan Heng, Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce all caught the teasing tone in his voice. Noah, on the other hand, just felt a bit awkward listening to it.
"...That shouldn't be the case," Himeko replied after a short pause. "I carefully calculated the firing trajectory while taking their ships' capabilities into account when I used the Heavenly Flare. If anything, I was trying to avoid destroying them outright—if those ships fell onto Eywa'eveng, the damage would've been far worse. And it would've made it much harder for them to leave this world afterward."
She frowned slightly and crossed her arms.
"The blast should have only been enough to disrupt their navigation, weapons, and radar systems, not to cripple everything."
The RDA side finally understood why their ISV hadn't been hit. It wasn't a misfire as they had first thought—it was a deliberate miss. The Astral Express had no intention of letting the massive ISV fall onto Pandora and reduce the ships that could carry them back to Earth.
It was nothing but mercy from Himeko.
"Huh? So… they didn't install shields on their ships?" March asked, clearly surprised.
"It seems so," Reinforce said, tilting her head slightly. "But that's strange. Based on the initial scans VA-san and I conducted, they are using antimatter energy reactors to power their ships. That should be more than enough to generate a protective field."
"Hmm… Maybe it's not that you and VA made a mistake in your scans, Rein," Noah said, cutting in as he sipped his tea. "We just overestimated what their civilization is capable of."
Hayate made a troubled face.
"But Noah-kun, isn't adding shields to an interstellar ship just common sense? After all, building even one ship takes a lot of time and money. So they should be doing everything they can to make sure it's well protected, right?"
"Hachan, normally you're right… But you should also consider that no sane cosmic civilization would design an interstellar ship that looks like an industrial complex," Noah replied.
"You're really not letting that go, huh?" Hayate let out a wry smile at his answer.
"Didn't Mr. Yang explain that the reason their ships are designed like that is to minimize weight? That way, they can travel close to the speed of light, especially since they lack the FTL travel or communication systems, yet."
Noah snorted, then shrugged. "Doesn't mean it has to look that bad."
It seems that he still had many complaints about the ISVs' design.
March tilted her head. "Huh? But if they can use antimatter engines, shouldn't that put them among the top civilizations out there? Then why can't they handle basic things like shielding?"
"March, the antimatter engines RDA uses are very different from the ones used by the Legion," Dan Heng corrected her.
"Ehh? Really?" March blinked, confused.
Dan Heng nodded.
"What the Legion's engines do is 'devour' the chaotic energy released during a planet's collapse and the extinction of its civilization. It's essentially using the concept of 'Destruction' itself as a source of power."
He turned to her as he continued.
"But what the RDA uses is simply taking advantage of the energy released by matter annihilation."
"Ohh…" March nodded slowly… though from her expression, it was clear she didn't fully understand it.
Meanwhile, the RDA scientists felt their pride sink even further. They had already seen the gap between their technology and the Astral Express… but they thought it was only a few hundred years at most.
From the way the crew spoke, however, faster-than-light travel and communication were simply normal for cosmic civilizations.
Even their greatest achievement—antimatter energy generation that allowed them to reach 70% of the speed of light was nothing more than something basic in the wider universe.
The gap wasn't a few hundred years.
It was an entirely different level.
"I'm sorry, but we can't allow the Sawtute to remain that long in Eywa'eveng. They must leave this world as soon as possible," one of the clan leaders said. "Our people won't feel at peace knowing they're still here… and might start hunting us again."
Murmurs of agreement followed from the other clan leaders. Their distrust toward the RDA ran deep.
"...I have a suggestion."
Reinforce raised her hand as she gently floated upward, drawing everyone's attention.
"Hmm? Of course. Let's hear it, Rein," Himeko said with a small smile.
Reinforce nodded. "How about we anchor their ships to the Astral Express… and give it a ride to jump them directly to their home system?"
She glances at everyone before continuing.
"Since the distance is only around 4.423 light-years, we can reach it in a single jump—and it won't even cost much energy."
Silence fell over the table as everyone processed what she had just said.
"...That… actually sounds surprisingly feasible," Noah admitted after a moment.
"Hmm, indeed." Himeko nodded. "A distance of less than five light-years is something we can cover in an instant."
"Thank you for trying to help us leave this place, but… unfortunately, we cannot return to Earth."
Charles, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Huh?"
The reaction wasn't just from Himeko and the Astral Express—even the Resistance looked confused.
"Are you still trying to be stubborn, tawtute?!" one of the clan leaders snapped. "You've already lost! You must honor our wish and leave our home!"
"…We will honor that. Of course."
Charles replied calmly.
"What I'm saying is… we can't return to Earth. Not that we won't."
He let out a tired sigh.
"We simply can't afford to go back. Not anymore."
"…What?"
Jake, Norm, Max, and the other humans on the Resistance side all reacted at once.
Himeko and the crew stiffened, already understanding the meaning behind his words.
"...No way," March whispered, instinctively gripping Caelus' arm.
"…So that's how it is," Himeko murmured, letting out a small sigh before taking a sip of her tea.
"So you've really reached the end of your options."
Charles didn't answer, nor did anyone else on the RDA side, but their silence said everything.
"Heh… so your civilization is finally reaping what it sowed," Sirin said, shaking her head. "This is nothing more than you facing the consequences of your own actions."
"…Do your people have any backup plan?" Hayate asked gently.
Charles unclenched his jaw and let out a long sigh.
"…Our civilization planned to begin colonizing this star system. It's the closest viable system to our home."
He looked up at the sky, toward the gas giant—Polyphemus—that Pandora orbited.
"Our forces here were meant to be the first wave. Refugees… and the ones tasked with securing control of this world. After that, another fleet would arrive, carrying around two million people as the initial population."
His voice grew heavier as he continued.
"From there, we would begin expanding to the other moons… including Pandora's twin—Cassandra."
He picked up the cup Noah had placed in front of him earlier and took a slow sip.
"Once we establish control across these moons, more people from Earth—currently in cryosleep—would be brought here. Over time, this entire star system would become the new home of our civilization."
He lowered the cup and looked at Himeko and the others, a bitter smile forming on his face.
"That… is the only survival plan our species has left to avoid extinction."
A heavy silence settled over the table.
"You really don't have any options left, huh?" Noah said quietly. "Your home planet is uninhabitable… and you're not welcome here either."
He looked at them for a moment before adding, almost bluntly—
"From where I can see… your civilization is done."
Eventually, Himeko let out a sigh, clearly troubled by the situation in front of her.
"...Nevertheless, relocating twenty billion people isn't simple," she said, tapping her cup lightly. "Transportation itself isn't the issue… but finding a world that can actually support them—that's the real challenge."
"I don't think that's the main problem, Miss Himeko," Noah said.
Himeko looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Noah set his cup down. "Their technology is… too dirty. Even if we find them a new world, the way they use their tech—give it a few hundred years, and that world will end up just like their home planet."
"…Is our technology really that bad?" one of the scientists asked hesitantly.
Sirin let out a small, sharp laugh. "You weren't able to use the same technology that let you cross the stars to save your own planet, and you're still asking that?"
The scientist winced at her words.
"Sii…"
"Sirin-chan."
"Sirin-san."
Noah and Hayate both sighed at the same time, while Reinforce gently floated closer, looking a bit worried.
Sirin looked away and crossed her arms, clicking her tongue softly.
"...Miss Himeko, I know we don't have the right to ask this, but…" Charles stood up from his seat, his voice tightening. "Can your group help us?"
He bowed deeply.
"We don't know how we can repay you… But we are willing to do anything. Please… just save our people."
One by one, the rest of the RDA personnel stood and followed his lead, bowing as well.
"Please… help our planet!"
"This…" Himeko's expression turned troubled. She didn't know what to say.
Then a small, adorable voice was heard.
"…I'll be honest, I don't see any reason for us to help your civilization," Sirin said, looking at Charles and the others on the RDA side with an indifferent gaze.
"Besides, even if we repair the damage on your planet… it won't matter. The planet itself will still do its best to get rid of you."
"Huh? What do you mean by that, Miss?" Charles asked, frowning.
Sirin tilted her head slightly, a faint smile forming. "Have you ever wondered why Eywa'eveng rejects your people? Why does it keep interfering with your operations?"
The RDA members exchanged uneasy looks. It was the same question Himeko had asked before the war began.
After a moment, one of the scientists hesitated before speaking.
"…Young lady, are you suggesting that planets have… consciousness?"
Sirin's eyes lit up slightly.
"Ohh, not bad!" She clapped lightly, clearly pleased. "Here, take a cookie as your reward."
She tossed one over before taking a bite of her own.
"Just like you guessed, each planet has its own will—its own awareness, just like any living being."
She spoke casually, as if explaining something obvious.
"It's what many cultures end up worshipping as 'gods.' In some worlds, when enough belief gathers, that will grow stronger… and eventually takes form as a being that governs part of the planet."
She gave them a faint smile.
"That's what you would call divine authority—the power granted by the world itself."
The humans on the RDA side were shaken by this. The 'myths' most of them had dismissed… were actually real.
"They act as the planet's guardians—or in human terms… its immune system," Sirin said, giving them another look with half-lidded eyes as she rested her cheek on her hand.
"Normally, when things fall out of balance on a planet, its defense mechanisms activate. They appear as natural disasters or events that eliminate the main source of infection—tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons… even diseases and pandemics."
She gestured lightly as she spoke.
"It's all part of the world trying to restore its balance."
A faint, mocking smirk appeared on her lips.
"So just imagine what the world will do once it learns who has been the source of its suffering all these years."
"…Ahahaha… so even if we ask for your help to repair our planet… it will still do its best to eliminate us?" The scientist let out a hollow laugh, his voice filled with despair.
"So our people are already doomed."
Just like him, those who understood Sirin's words felt the same crushing helplessness. Some tried to deny it, refusing to accept her explanation, but the evidence was already there. The way Pandora reacted to them… and how their own planet was treating them now…
It was undeniable.
What Sirin said… was the truth.
Himeko finished her tea and placed the cup back on the table.
"So, Noah… how do you plan to save this doomed civilization?"
"Huh?" Noah blinked, caught off guard. He looked at Himeko in confusion. "...Why are you asking me that?"
Himeko rolled her eyes at his answer. "Please, child. I know you already have a solution. You're just waiting for the right moment to reveal it."
That immediately caught everyone's attention. They looked between Himeko and Noah, hope slowly returning to their eyes.
"Eh? But why should we help them?" Noah replied with a thin smile
Himeko's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "See? You didn't deny it."
"..." Noah had no comeback for that.
"Wait a minute, Miss Himeko… are you saying Mr. Noah can actually save us?!" Charles leaned forward, unable to hold back his urgency.
Himeko shrugged lightly.
"I don't know how he'll do it. But if anyone here can actually do something right now… it would be Noah."
All eyes turned toward him expectantly.
He let out a sigh.
"...Fine."
He set his cup down before continuing.
"First, I'll use the Fourth Divine Key—Key of Restoration—to heal the damage your planet has accumulated over time. At the same time, I'll terraform the other planets in your star system and make them habitable for the rest of your population."
He glanced at everyone briefly before continuing.
"The second part… I'll use my Sacred Gear—Crowned Clown—to take control of your planet, and the rest of the planets in your system."
He said it plainly.
"I'll become their new 'god.' That way, your people can live there without the planet rejecting you."
He glanced at Himeko, already knowing what came next.
"That would place your entire star system under the Trailblaze. Which means…"
"…It will fall under our management," Himeko finished smoothly.
"Yes," Noah nodded.
"What does that mean?" Frances Ardmore asked, her expression tensing
"To put it simply…" Noah met her eyes directly. "From that point onward—until the end of your civilization—shall be under our authority."
Everyone at the RDA side eyes widened at his words.
"We'll oversee your development—technology, economy, infrastructure. But you'll still retain your autonomy. We're not here to control every detail… only to guide your direction when it matters."
Silence followed.
"...That is acceptable," Charles said after only a few seconds of thought. His voice remained firm. "It is far better for us to be under your protection… than to watch our entire civilization die within a few years."
Several RDA members nodded, grim but resolute.
Then—
Noah suddenly stiffened, his eyes went upward.
"...Huh?"
A faint pressure brushed against his senses, like something trying to speak. Around them, the Na'vi reacted almost at the same time. They looked up toward the sky, some dropped to their knees while others bowed their heads in reverence.
"Huh? That's weird… I just felt someone whisper in my ear," March said, rubbing it as she frowned.
"...So it's not just me this time, huh?" Caelus added, glancing around.
As he said that, it wasn't just the two of them. Dan Heng, Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce had all heard it—the voice of the world itself.
Then suddenly, Noah's expression went completely blank. Himeko let out a soft, amused laugh. The others slowly began to realize what had just happened.
The Na'vi were the first to move. One by one, they turned toward Noah… their expressions turning into something close to reverence. And then they knelt.
"By Eywa's will… we shall follow you as the new 'God' of our world," one of the clan leaders declared, lowering his head as the others followed.
Jake exhaled softly, a faint smile forming as he stepped forward before bowing as well.
"...That's the clearest I've ever heard Eywa," he said with no hidden amusement. "May you guide us to prosperity… Eywaa fìp—our new god."
"Eh… what just happened?" Charles asked, completely lost.
Himeko let out a soft, amused laugh, covering her lips lightly. "Fufufu… nothing too complicated. It seems this world got a little… jealous."
"Jealous…?" Charles repeated, blinking.
"Yes," Himeko said, smiling faintly. "It didn't like the idea of another world being taken under Noah's care… without being included."
"Oh…"
Sirin let out a sigh, shaking her head with a helpless smile. "To put it simply… Noah has just become the world's new 'god.' Not just your world."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"Ohhh…!!"
Charles and the rest of the RDA finally understood.
Slowly, their gazes turned toward Noah. Bathed in the faint light granted by Eywa, he did look… divine, like someone who had just ascended.
But…
There was nothing divine about his expression. Because the so-called "god" was... having an existential crisis.
"Just why?! Why is this happening to me?!" Noah groaned, holding his head in complete despair. He looked like he wanted to cry, but not a single tear came out.
"This doesn't make any sense!" he continued, almost ranting now. "I just came here to stop a war!"
He looked up at the sky like it personally betrayed him.
"Why does helping to stop a world invasion end up with me becoming a god of two star systems?!"
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