[Honkai: Star Rail - Seele]:"Huh? March 7th's ability being summoning that orb makes sense—her color scheme does match it pretty well. But what does this have to do with me?"
[Silver Wolf]:"In our world, where [] is, everything's a game. Maybe your ultimate or skills cause light pollution and directly attack players' eyes?"
[Qingque]:"Don't you guys think what the Master Diviner said just now felt super familiar?"
[Guinaifen]:"For real. I won't say which book it's referencing, though."
[Stelle]:"What book? Let me take a look?"
[Qingque]:"Battle Continent."
[March 7th]:"It's shi! Don't expose it!"
[Stelle]:"Let me taste it first, then I'll decide!" [After Seele's awakening, under Jing Yuan's supervision, it was Stelle's turn next! "Looks like it's up to me!"
As a handyman of the Cloudspire Sect, Stelle had always believed she was the chosen one.
Striking a peculiar pose, she swaggered toward the Sword Monument with a stride that disowned all six relatives. "A stride that disowns all six relatives? Is she some kind of protagonist blessed by fate or what?"
Yunli muttered from the sidelines. The moment Stelle touched the Sword Monument, an urgent alarm blared, and emerald-green mist billowed out.
Non-human entities are prohibited from touching this Sword Monument! Scarlet words floated ominously in the air, highlighting Stelle's... uniqueness.
Ability: Trash Picking!"Where did this trash gremlin come from?!"
Jing Yuan swiftly appeared behind Stelle and kicked her to the ground. As she lay sprawled on the floor, Stelle recalled her bold declarations before awakening and compared them to her current predicament. Instantly, she felt like a complete clown.]
[Stelle]:"No! What kind of garbage Sword Monument is this?! This is trash picking! The most elite talent in my heart!!!"
[March 7th]:"Why are you so into this role?"
[Stelle]:"No, you don't understand. This is trash picking! The ultimate ability that will make me the King of Trash Cans!"
[Guinaifen]:"Girl, this is literally the protagonist's starting point! I can already see the plot unfolding!"
[Qingque]:"Looked down upon → gains a miraculous opportunity → explores secret realms → turns the tables → plays weak but eats the tiger. Classic, so classic!"
[Firefly]:"As expected of Stelle, still as spirited as ever!"
[Silver Wolf]:"Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Firefly is beyond saving." ["Let this young master have a try instead!"
Nalan Yanqing, the top disciple of the Cloudspire Sect and a prodigy blessed by heaven, stepped forward confidently.
Before he even reached the awakening platform, murmurs of awe spread through the crowd. "It's him—the genius known as the Luofu's Punching Bag!"
Yanqing placed his right hand lightly on the Sword Monument. A bone-chilling sword aura erupted, forming a powerful pressure field that even Yunli at the outermost edge could feel. "Such overwhelming presence!"
Yunli gasped, her voice tinged with envy. Dozens of azure longswords materialized, forming an immense sword array. "An artifact-control ability—Myriad Swords Return to Origin?!"
Even Jing Yuan had to shield his face with his sleeve against the sword aura.
Ability: Myriad Swords Return to Origin
Skill: Can summon a devastating rain of swords at will. Swords move according to the user's thoughts, allowing precise control!"They say a mighty figure once awakened a similar ability and became a hegemon after achieving unity between man and sword!"
"That's so cool! I wanna try awakening too!"
Yunli was utterly dazzled by Yanqing's display, hopping up and down in excitement.]
[Yanqing]:"Why… do I feel like I'm playing the villain here?"
[March 7th]:"Not just 'like.' Master Yanqing, you're straight-up holding the villain script."
[Yanqing]:"Wait—and what's with that 'Luofu's Punching Bag' title?!"
[Stelle]:"Think about your track record, Yanqing. You fought Jing Yuan, Blade, Kafka, Dan Heng Pro Max—and lost to all of them! If that's not a punching bag, what is?"
[Yanqing]:"...Understood, Teacher."
[Li Sushang]:"Yanqing—and also 'other me'—I'll teach you both the Taixu Swordplay so you can master Myriad Swords Return to Origin!"
[Li Sushang]:"Especially you, 'other me'! I'll tutor you! Did you even attend elementary school?!"
[Sushang]:"Nooo!!!"
[Guinaifen]:"Good luck, Shuangshuang! At least it's better than Kiana being lectured by Dr. Truth!"
[Herrscher of Sentience]:"That Yanqing kid—better not teach him Taixu Swordplay. I'm worried his master won't survive the aftermath."
[Jing Yuan]:"?" ["I wanna try awakening too!"
Yunli bounced eagerly to the platform. "Where did this brat sneak in from?"
"Scram already!""This isn't a place for kids."
Having realized she wasn't the chosen one, Stelle finally understood her place—just a lowly handyman born to serve the great disciple Yanqing as a lackey. "I know I shouldn't be here…" Yunli hung her head dejectedly after being stopped. *"Wait, let her try.
What's the harm in letting her experience it?"*
Yanqing smirked gleefully, eager to watch Yunli make a fool of herself. "But Young Master… she's just a child…"
"...Did I permit you to speak?"
Yanqing's eyes snapped open, sharp as blades. A sword materialized instantly, its tip pointed straight at Stelle.]
[Stelle]:"The world is upside down! Upside down!!"
[Qingque]:"Yanqing seems less like a villain and more like…"
[March 7th]:"...the disposable early-stage cannon fodder antagonist."
[Huohuo]:"Wait, so Stelle isn't following the protagonist template?"
[Tail]:"The protagonist is obviously that little girl from the Zhuming Xianzhou. Stelle's just an extra."
[Sparkle]:"Extra~ Extra~ Stelle the extra~" ["If an ordinary person without aptitude touches that Sword Monument, their body won't withstand the awakening energy. Nine times out of ten, the violent power within will tear them apart."Acerbic as ever, thought Aventurine silently.
"Uh-oh! Just remembered I left laundry hanging at home—gotta go!"
Faced with such a scene, how could a naive young girl like Yunli not panic? She immediately prepared to bolt. "If you run, I'll kill her right now."
Countless swords aimed at Stelle. The spectators couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, isn't anyone gonna stop him?"
"He's from the Cloudspire Sect—who dares oppose him?""The examiner 'went to the bathroom' ages ago and still hasn't returned."
"...As always, connections trump everything."]
[Fu Xuan]:"The world is upside down (Jing Yuan can't control Yanqing)."
[Yanqing]:"Yanqing would never treat the General like this!"
[Stelle]:"What kind of tyrannical young master trope is this?!"
[March 7th]:"...So Stelle said all that earlier to protect Master Yunli?"
[Stelle]:"Obviously! I am the Galaxy Bat-wielding Hero who upholds justice across the cosmos!"
Just remembered I left laundry hanging at home—gotta go!"*
Faced with such a scene, how could a naive young girl like Yunli not panic? She immediately prepared to bolt. "If you run, I'll kill her right now."
Countless swords aimed at Stelle. The spectators couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, isn't anyone gonna stop him?"
"He's from the Cloudspire Sect—who dares oppose him?""The examiner 'went to the bathroom' ages ago and still hasn't returned."
"...As always, connections trump everything."]
[Fu Xuan]:"The world is upside down (Jing Yuan can't control Yanqing)."
[Yanqing]:"Yanqing would never treat the General like this!"
[Stelle]:"What kind of tyrannical young master trope is this?!"
[March 7th]:"...So Stelle said all that earlier to protect Master Yunli?"
[Stelle]:"Obviously! I am the Galaxy Bat-wielding Hero who upholds justice across the cosmos!"