Near the Starskiff docks.
Himeko led the Astral Express and its crew to rest and resupply here.
During the expedition to Frieren's world, the combat intensity had not been high, and the train itself had not suffered any damage.
They only needed routine maintenance, along with replenishing ammunition and daily supplies.
However, there were still quite a few matters to deal with.
"Report, we received a total of 559 applications today, all requesting to become Nameless and follow the Astral Express and the Commander."
An Angeloid carried in a massive stack of letters.
Each was written with deep sincerity. Some were from Xianzhou natives, while others were tourists staying on the Luofu or adventurers from other worlds.
With news spreading that the Aeon of Trailblaze had revived and the Astral Express had reappeared, many people wished to follow this god who connected countless worlds.
He was both an Aeon and the Commander of the Starsea Empire!
All Xianzhou people understood the weight of these two identities.
Even if they could not meet Setsuna or join the Starsea Empire, just getting a job on the Astral Express—even something as menial as cleaning the floors—would probably guarantee them a worry-free life.
"...The Commander is really popular."
The white-haired girl casually picked up a few letters and skimmed through them. They were filled with extravagant praise for the Sacrosanct.
The wording was so exaggerated that she began to doubt whether the Commander she knew was the same person others were talking about.
"There are still several hundred people outside the docks requesting an audience with the Astral Express navigator. They've brought a lot of gifts."
The Angeloid continued.
"Uh... have them all go back."
Himeko sighed.
"Tell them the Astral Express is not recruiting for now. Also, inform Miss Tingyun and ask the Xianzhou people not to get so excited."
"Understood, but aside from the Xianzhou people, there are also many individuals who came from other worlds. We'll have to ask the Cloud Knights to disperse them."
The Angeloid accepted the order.
"Phew—"
Himeko rubbed her temples, sat back down, and poured herself a cup of coffee.
"The Astral Express has never been this lively before."
"Being a Nameless isn't something you can just sign up for... honestly..."
"Mm."
The Stellaron vessel nodded, patting her chest in agreement.
"Tell them we only recruit beautiful girls—and not just any beautiful girls! They need the Commander's approval!"
"Like me."
"Can you stop making the Astral Express sound like some kind of brothel train? That's damaging the Commander's reputation."
Gudako narrowed her eyes.
"I'm just stating facts."
The members of the Astral Express either came from the Starsea Empire itself or were personally selected by Setsuna. There was no way they would casually recruit random passersby.
"We plan to rest for two days, then depart for Jarilo-VI."
"If any of you have companions you'd like to invite onto the Astral Express, both the Commander and I would welcome them."
Himeko looked at everyone.
While she wouldn't recruit outsiders, she was fine with bringing in trusted companions.
"Mm... there are still many empty rooms in the carriages. Having more companions would be nice."
"I only know you guys."
The grey-haired girl spread her hands.
Kiana, Bronya, and the others—being locals—said their companions were all already within the Starsea Empire.
"Mm..."
Silver Wolf had been immersed in gaming.
"We only have Kafka and me... wait!!"
Snap!
She froze for a moment and closed her holographic interface.
"Ah!"
"Sam!!!"
Because when they had first joined the Starsea Empire, they had encountered too many shocking events in succession.
First, Elio's script had become obsolete. Then Setsuna took control of the Path of Trailblaze, and the Astral Express charged into another world.
One bizarre event after another left Silver Wolf and Kafka overwhelmed.
Now that they finally had time to rest, she immediately thought of another Stellaron Hunter.
The girl clad in mechanical armor—Sam.
She had been born as a weapon and suffered from Entropy Loss Syndrome due to genetic modification. In order to seek meaning in life, she had joined the Stellaron Hunters.
"Where is Sam now?"
The Stellaron vessel asked.
"Uh... Elio had previously assigned her a mission, saying it could help her find the meaning of life. The script mentioned something about three deaths..."
"But now that Elio can no longer observe the future, his script must be flawed!!!"
Silver Wolf hastily projected a communication interface.
"Sam, come to the Starsea Empire now!! We're currently stationed at the Xianzhou Luofu!"
"What? Elio's mission? Forget it—let the Commander help you!!"
...
A few days later.
Boom—
A white humanoid mech passed through the Jade Gate and landed before everyone.
"Damn, you guys have Gundams too!"
Gudako and the grey-haired girl exclaimed.
Its entire body was made of white metal plating, accented with dark gold. Its lines were smooth, and although it was not large, it radiated immense power.
Equipped with its own propulsion system, the mech slowly descended from the sky.
"Kafka, Silver Wolf, what is this?..."
"Why are you here?"
Her voice carried a strong mechanical tone, reminiscent of Cybertronian Transformers.
"Ah—it's a long story."
Silver Wolf scratched her head.
"We ran into some issues during a mission. The state of the universe no longer matches Elio's script."
"From now on, the Stellaron Hunters are free to act. To witness a new future, we've joined the Starsea Empire."
"...It's pretty interesting here. And their Commander is incredibly powerful—just inherited all of Akivili's equipment."
"?"
Sam paused, then realized that Silver Wolf meant the leader of the Starsea Empire and the Aeon of Trailblaze were the same person.
An Aeon ruling a mortal empire? The girl felt puzzled.
"Free action?... I really haven't received any communication from Elio for a long time."
"Things have been crazy here recently. We planned to contact you after things settled down—sorry."
Silver Wolf blew a bubble.
"Anyway, all the missions and scripts Elio gave us are outdated. The game version has been updated."
"This is the brand-new Starsea Empire 2.0 version! With regular DLC updates too—super awesome."
"..."
Sam was still processing everything.
"Hey, why don't you take off the mech first? Isn't it inconvenient to move around like that?"
The grey-haired girl poked her.
"Ritsuka Fujimaru doesn't walk around the Xianzhou in Strelizia all day either."
"Mm..."
Sam fell silent for a moment.
"Sorry, I can't leave it for too long."
"Eh?"
"...Let's go see the Commander first."
Kafka sighed.
Half an hour later.
At the Starsea Empire's base.
Silver Wolf and Kafka brought the white mech before Setsuna.
"Commander, this is our companion—also a member of the Stellaron Hunters."
"Mm... she was previously on a different mission, so she couldn't come immediately."
"Yo."
Setsuna had been discussing the reconstruction of the Simulated Universe with Herta and Ruan Mei.
He looked up—and immediately smiled.
"Isn't this Firefly? Here to ignite the starsea?"
"Perfect timing. I was planning to send the train crew to find you."
"Hm?"
The mech emitted a puzzled sound.
"You know me?"
"Not exactly. I've just heard of you."
Setsuna examined her. His gaze seemed to pierce through the mech's armor, meeting the eyes of the girl inside.
Sam—or rather, Firefly.
She came from a long-destroyed world called Glamoth, a modified human created as a weapon of war.
To prevent rebellion or exploitation, Glamoth had implanted a failsafe in their genes—Entropy Loss Syndrome.
Those afflicted would undergo irreversible gradual disintegration of their physical structure, slowly fading away.
To outsiders, this disappearance was barely noticeable. Only medical pods could sustain their lives.
Sam was both her weapon and her medical pod.
"!"
Sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from Setsuna, Firefly was startled.
"Sorry, I don't quite understand the situation yet..."
She looked around. Aside from Silver Wolf and Kafka, everyone here was a stranger.
Why the Stellaron Hunters had gathered on the Xianzhou, and who exactly this Commander was—she had no idea.
She had only come here out of trust in her companions.
"It's fine. We have plenty of time to get to know each other."
Setsuna stepped forward and patted the mech's armor.
"Welcome to the Starsea Empire."
"I'll give you a brand-new script of fate."
...
"Mm, so you joined this new nation?"
After speaking with Kafka and Silver Wolf, Firefly fell into brief confusion.
She realized that the situation of the universe had changed drastically. The IPC, the Xianzhou, the Stellaron Hunters—everything was different from before.
"Yep, it's awesome here. Not only is the game map huge, but there are also regular DLC updates."
"We just got back from a new world. It was a bit weaker, but really interesting—magic, real magic!"
Silver Wolf had already fully integrated into life with the train crew.
"Also, there's some good news. Since the Interastral Peace Corporation is finished, our bounties are gone too."
"You don't have to worry about being hunted by weird bounty hunters or organizations anymore."
Most Stellaron Hunters were major wanted criminals of the IPC. Silver Wolf's bounty was relatively lower, around five billion, while Firefly and Kafka were both around ten billion.
"Uh..."
Firefly paused.
"That's... quite an unexpected solution..."
"Then... what are you doing here? Are you still carrying out missions like before?"
"More or less, but there's more freedom. The Commander usually just says to bring someone back or take over a world—the process is up to us."
"I think it suits someone like you, who just goes bang bang—boom—and finishes the game, right?"
Silver Wolf rested her chin in her hand, thinking, while sending Sam some information about the Starsea Empire.
"Mm..."
Firefly skimmed through it, overwhelmed, and fell silent, hesitating.
Of course, she had heard of the Starsea Empire. The destruction of the IPC was a universe-shaking event.
However, the Stellaron Hunters had always acted freely and had no connection to this unfamiliar civilization.
If Kafka and Silver Wolf hadn't called her over, she would still be on standby at Penacony, preparing to follow the next step of the script.
"Sorry, this is a bit sudden..."
"I'm not very familiar with this place..."
Firefly and Sam shook their heads.
Even with the assurance of two familiar companions, being suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar nation still felt abrupt.
"It's fine. You can take your time to understand it."
Setsuna smiled.
"But first, I can give you a small gift."
He patted Sam.
"A new body. One that won't disappear, won't disintegrate, and won't require Sam to sustain you. A body that can move freely on its own."
"Eh?!"
Firefly was about to thank him out of reflex, but froze.
"...What did you say?"
"I know your situation. Silver Wolf and Kafka asked me about it before."
"Because of Entropy Loss Syndrome, you can barely leave your medical pod. Sam is your everything."
"Mm... although I do enjoy seeing cute girls piloting mechs, staying inside forever is definitely a problem."
"Don't you want to see blue skies and white clouds for yourself? Breathe in fresh sea air? Travel across the starsea in a ship?"
Setsuna looked at her with a smile.
"!!!"
Firefly took two steps back, utterly shocked.
Due to Entropy Loss Syndrome, she could clearly foresee her future: an inevitable, gradual disintegration of her body, and a fading grasp on reality.
In the end, she would completely vanish—true death.
That was why she loved Penacony. In Penacony, she could move freely within dreams.
Even if it was only a virtual reality, the sensations felt real. But once she returned to reality, she could only confine herself within Sam's small interior.
And now, a man she had only just met was telling her he could solve this problem?
"Are you... joking?"
"Life sciences are a traditional specialty of the Starsea Empire. It's nothing difficult."
Setsuna smiled.
"Come with me."
...
Half an hour later.
Inside the base's life sciences laboratory.
Clack—
The Sam mech shrank and transformed before them, revealing the girl inside.
She had long silver hair cascading down her back, adorned with a black hairpin.
She wore a grey-and-green long-sleeved dress, with a black shawl draped over it. Paired with dark green gradient stockings and grey short boots, she looked gentle and adorable.
Without the mech, the girl seemed somewhat uneasy.
"Mm, I'm Firefly. And also Sam."
Faint teal patterns spread across Firefly's face—an effect of Entropy Loss Syndrome.
She could not remain outside Sam for long. Once separated from the mech, her life rapidly began to slip away.
"Lie down."
Mobius and Ruan Mei gestured, and Firefly lay inside the life-support chamber.
Click—
Hummm...
A transparent cover rose, and her physical condition was thoroughly scanned and analyzed on the holographic interface.
Kafka and Silver Wolf stayed close to Setsuna. After all, Firefly was their companion.
Silver Wolf felt like a family member waiting for a doctor's verdict.
"How is it? How is it?"
"Mm..."
Ruan Mei and Mobius examined the results.
"The damage caused by Entropy Loss Syndrome is irreversible. The people of Glamoth intentionally modified her genes so that her body structure would gradually self-disintegrate."
"Mm... it seems Glamoth never intended for modified humans to live long. Even if the effects of Entropy Loss Syndrome are removed, their lifespan is still far shorter than that of normal humans."
Ruan Mei shook her head.
Firefly bit her lip, remaining silent.
As a weapon of war, Glamoth had never intended for them to grow happily, live freely, and be cared for in old age.
The best ending for a weapon was to achieve its mission and die on the battlefield—without becoming a burden to its creators.
"Is there a solution?"
Silver Wolf asked nervously.
The Starsea Empire had many talented individuals, and its technological level far surpassed imagination. She hoped for good news.
"The secret of Entropy Loss Syndrome disappeared completely with the fall of Glamoth. If we were to reverse-engineer it, it would take a long time—and I doubt Firefly could last that long."
Mobius shrugged.
"So we'll use a simpler method: completely reconstruct your body."
"Eh?"
Firefly was startled.
"Your current body has already suffered severe damage. Rather than patching it up while dealing with Entropy Loss Syndrome, it's easier to reconstruct it at the molecular level."
"Oh, it's basically like giving you a brand-new body—completely reshaping you at the genetic level, with full modification and enhancement."
"Since we're at it, if needed, we can also throw in genetic ascension and a super-evolution surgery. Saves time, right?"
Mobius tapped the table lightly.
"Don't worry. We'll give you a near-perfect new body."
"Mm..."
Inside the transparent chamber, Firefly looked out with a trace of fear.
Entrusting her fate to strangers she had just met required tremendous courage.
She felt that Setsuna probably wasn't lying to her. As the supreme leader of the Starsea Empire, there was no reason for him to do anything to a mere Stellaron Hunter like her.
The presence of her two former teammates also gave her some reassurance.
Whoosh—
White mist filled the interior of the chamber. Under the effect of the anesthetic gas, she slowly drifted into deep sleep.
The two geniuses of the Life Sciences Department, along with a group of young assistants, began busy adjustments at the experimental equipment.
"Preparing for genetic recombination..."
"Readjusting body parameters. Mm, her height, weight, and figure are already quite good—no additional corrections needed."
Swish—
Microscopic medical robots were released, repairing Firefly's body at the nanoscale while rewriting her genetic modules.
[Confirmed. Genetic reconstruction in progress: 13%... 25%... 33%...]
[Body simulation in progress. Re-scanning...]
"Whoa."
Silver Wolf and Kafka simply stayed in the lab, accompanying Firefly through the procedure.
"You can freely alter a person's biological form?"
Silver Wolf asked with curiosity.
"Of course. If you want to grow taller—or, say, grow in other ways—we can accommodate that."
Mobius replied.
"If necessary, we can even turn you into a little girl and let you switch freely between a loli form and a teenage form."
"???"
"Why do you even have such bizarre technology?! What possible purpose does that serve?!"
Silver Wolf was stunned. She imagined herself as a little girl—how strange.
Then she glanced at Kafka.
"I decline."
Kafka answered concisely without even looking up.
"..."
The process moved quickly. Reconstructing a body was routine work for the Life Sciences Department.
They watched as Firefly's body was gradually disassembled and reassembled.
The progress bar on the holographic interface advanced at a visible pace.
Two days later.
Click—
The mist inside the sealed chamber slowly dissipated, and the effects of the anesthesia faded.
"Mmm..."
Firefly's long eyelashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes.
Her expression was still a little dazed.
"Yo, you're awake?"
The grey-haired girl leaned in, looking at the groggy Firefly.
"The surgery arranged by the Commander was a complete success. You're now a perfectly cute girl!"
"Oh, but there's a small side effect—your boobs have unfortunately shrunk to AA!"
"Eh?!—"
"What?!"
Firefly froze for a moment.
Almost reflexively, she reached up to her chest.
"Ah?!—"
"Really?!"