"Ugh…"
A black domain unfurled the moment the cane touched Blade's forehead, instantly suppressing the raging sword energy surrounding him.
It was a middle-aged man with brown hair. Unlike Stelle's impression, this man wasn't wearing glasses, and every gesture he made carried an inexplicable air of dominance.
"Who are you?"
Blade's voice seemed to rumble from deep within his throat, hoarse and chilling.
After taking a hit from the cane, he seemed slightly less crazed.
"Uncle Yang!"
March 7th's expression shifted as she hurriedly ran to Welt's side. "Why did you step in?"
"Hm? You all seemed outmatched, so I decided to act."
"Uncle Yang, we weren't trying to kill anyone," March 7th said earnestly. "You never hold back. What if you accidentally killed him?"
Stelle: ?
This version of Old Yang feels off too, doesn't it? Why does he seem both familiar and unfamiliar?
"Hmph, when facing Stellaron Hunters, there's no need to hold back." Welt snorted coldly, his cane transforming into a purple-black orb. "Star of Eden, give me…"
Dan Heng silently locked Welt's neck from behind, while March 7th hoisted his legs. Together, they lifted him up.
Blade froze for a moment, but when he saw Dan Heng slipping toward the elevator, the rationality he'd just regained vanished. With a low growl, he moved to draw his sword and charge.
"Sorry, Blade."
A pair of mechanical arms wrapped around him from behind, locking him in place. Immediately after, a sensation of weightlessness hit, and Blade was carried skyward by Firefly, crashing through the space station as they left.
"He hasn't even experienced death—"
Blade's voice echoed repeatedly before fading into silence.
"You two, aren't you being a bit too disrespectful?"
Welt's face darkened as he coldly reprimanded Dan Heng and March 7th.
In response, Dan Heng and March 7th stared back at him expressionlessly.
"Not talking now? Hmph, let me tell you…"
Ring ring ring—
Welt's phone suddenly rang. When he saw the caller ID for the video request, he fell silent for a moment, then quietly pulled out a pair of glasses and put them on, instantly looking a decade more subdued.
Dan Heng and March 7th silently put in earplugs, with the former thoughtfully handing a pair to Stelle, gesturing for her to do the same.
Given how absurd the plot had already become, Stelle, though full of questions, complied.
"…Hello?" Welt answered the video call, cautiously calling out.
"Hello, my foot! Ignoring me again, huh? Why'd you crank the Star of Eden's power so high? I got alerts all the way from Earth! All you do is galavant around the universe—do you really think you're still that idiot who took down the Second Herrscher single-handedly…"
Stelle: ???
Bro, did you walk onto the wrong set? Which version of Welt are you? And how are you even contacting Earth?
"…This is Uncle Yang's daily life. The person on the call is his wife. You'll get used to it," Dan Heng explained.
"Yeah, he always acts scary, but he's actually pretty kind. He's just a bit extreme when facing enemies," March 7th added.
Stelle didn't know what to say, only managing a polite smile and nod. She got it—completely. This was Transcendent Bro, wasn't it? She understood it all.
Welt forced a smile at the screen, waving his hand toward the elevator to signal them to go ahead.
"Let's go. Uncle Yang's a good man. He'll patiently listen to his wife finish talking. We should head to meet Himeko first—Uncle Yang will catch up on his own."
"Oh, okay…"
Stelle started to grow curious about what this version of Sister Himeko would be like. The only pity was that she probably wouldn't get to see her elegant, gentle side…
A few minutes later.
"Dan Heng, Little March, you're finally back."
Himeko took a delicate sip of her coffee, smiling warmly. "I'm just glad you're back safe."
"Want some coffee? …Hm? And this is…"
"Her name's Stelle. She's a victim of the Legion's attack. She helped us a lot along the way," Dan Heng said, taking up the role of explainer again.
Stelle felt an overwhelming urge to cry. She never could've imagined that the first character to remain completely unchanged would be Himeko!
She wanted to cry, wanted Sister Himeko to give her a hug!
"Oh? Really? For you two to struggle even together, Stelle must be something special," Himeko said, gently pinching Stelle's cheek. "On behalf of these two, thank you. Come on, let's go find Stationmaster Asta."
Stelle was instantly enveloped in her warmth, nodding dazedly and letting out a soft "Mm."
…
"Projection radar tracking is normal, telemetry signal frequency is a bit high! Remember to keep it at average levels."
At the command station, Asta leaned back in her swivel chair, her voice lazy yet commanding as she effortlessly directed the space station's operations. Her eyes lit up when she saw Himeko and the others approach. "Well, well, you all arrived at just the right time~"
Stelle: …
Fine, she was used to it by now.
"Oh? A new member? Not going to introduce her?" Asta crossed her arms, teasing playfully.
Dan Heng said, "This is Stelle, another victim of the Legion. She…"
"—is definitely an adorable kid."
Asta cut Dan Heng off, leaning close to Stelle and lightly sniffing her scent, a mischievous smile on her face. "Hi~ Miss Stelle?"
Stelle's face flushed, and she instinctively stepped back. Though her current body was female, her soul was undeniably male, and she wasn't quite equipped to handle Asta's direct approach.
After this interaction, Stelle finally figured out Asta's character in this version.
This Asta was a bit like a certain pink fox from next door.
"Just kidding, don't be shy." Asta flashed a light smile. "I've got the full picture. First, thank you all for your help. Without you, Arlan would've been under a lot more pressure on his own."
"Lady Herta's defense systems are quite effective. Only a small number of researchers… Well, on the bright side, considering we're up against the Legion, keeping losses this low is already impressive."
"So, what's your next step?"
"Wipe out this Legion completely. I've already contacted my family for a Star Annihilator fleet. However many Legion members are here today, that's how many I'll take out."
Stelle's lips twitched. What a bold and domineering statement—this version of Asta really felt like a proper heiress.
Roar!
Suddenly, a deafening roar rang out. The group turned toward the sound, and through the space station's shield, they saw a massive purple beast roaring and tearing at the station's outer shell. Its enormous form inspired dread.
A Doomsday Beast?
Stelle's eyes widened, but she quickly calmed down. According to the plot, it would take some time for a Doomsday Beast to breach the shield. By the time they reached the platform…
Roar!
Another roar echoed, and in Stelle's stunned gaze, a second Doomsday Beast appeared, locking eyes with her.
"…No way."
Crack!
As if confirming Stelle's fears, the two Doomsday Beasts attacked simultaneously, and cracks immediately spread across the space station's shield, as if it would shatter the next second.