After leaving Tiga's world, Koji and the others headed to their second stop: the world of Honkai: Star Rail. On a certain planet, they ran into a purple-haired woman carrying a tachi who was asking for directions.
"Hello. Excuse me—do you know where Penacony is?"
"?"
Aside from Koji, everyone's gaze bounced back and forth between Raiden Ei and the newcomer.
She really did look similar—except the vibe was different. The aura Acheron gave off made people want to sink into it, as if everything should ultimately return to nothingness.
Koji sized her up from head to toe. Acheron: an Emanator-level Nihility Pathstrider. Her true name was Raiden, Warden of the River of Forgetfulness, Mei—MiHoYo's famous "female actress," absurdly terrifying in strength, stronger than plenty of Aether mains.
"Hello, I'm Raiden Ei. And you are…?"
Ei introduced herself first. She hadn't expected that—besides her sister—she'd ever meet someone whose face and voice were this alike.
"Raiden…"
A ripple finally appeared in Acheron's calm, indifferent eyes. She still remembered that surname.
As someone who walked the Path of Nihility and possessed Emanator-level power, the price of that power was becoming stained with more and more "nothing."
As a Self-Annihilator under the influence of Nihility, most of Acheron's memories had been stripped away. The past in her mind grew blurry. Her body was slowly, gradually collapsing. Her emotions faded little by little. Her senses also gradually dulled; her sense of taste barely remained.
If there was no solution, then one day she would vanish completely—returning to nothingness.
"Acheron… a Galaxy Ranger."
Acheron gave her name, but everyone present knew that wasn't her real name.
"A Galaxy Ranger?"
"Your whole 'Nihility stench' is practically spilling out. A Galaxy Ranger walking the Path of Nihility?" Koji teased with a grin.
At the mention of Nihility, Lumine and the others looked at Acheron in surprise.
Before coming to this world, Koji had already explained the Paths here. Nihility could be called the most dangerous one—at any time, you risk being assimilated by it and returning to nothingness.
And the woman in front of them… the aura she exuded really did make people want to sink.
"…"
Acheron fell silent. She knew the Nihility on her was indeed dense—but ordinary people shouldn't be able to recognize it.
She was an Emanator-level Self-Annihilator, after all. She had at least that much confidence in controlling her presence.
"Say your real name," Koji said seriously. "We want to properly meet you. Self-Annihilators of Nihility—every one of you has a past you can't easily talk about."
"Yeah," Furina added, looking at Acheron with sincere eyes. "Say it. We can all be your listeners."
"…Raiden, Warden of the River of Forgetfulness, Mei."
Acheron hesitated, then spoke it—maybe because of Raiden Ei, someone so similar to her.
"You're also a Raiden?"
Ei froze for a moment. She hadn't expected they would even share the same surname.
Acheron nodded.
"Right—Kiana mentioned before that she knows someone named Raiden Mei, and she looks a lot like Ei."
Yae Miko suddenly remembered that, and stared at Acheron in surprise.
"Kiana?"
"What a familiar name. I've met her before. But the universe holds countless worlds that are alike yet different—and within those worlds are countless people who are alike yet different."
"I've also met old acquaintances with similar faces. I'm not the person you're thinking of."
Acheron shook her head.
The name "Kiana" still stirred something in her. They used to be close.
But that was all in the past—because Izumo had already been swallowed by Nihility.
"Mei, what are you going to Penacony for?" Paimon asked curiously.
Acheron paused. It had been a long time since anyone called her by that name. This little creature was a pretty strange existence, too.
"On someone's behalf, I'm delivering three items," Acheron said lightly.
She had no interest in a world of dreams. As an Emanator of Nihility, she no longer had the chance to dream.
"Let's go. We'll visit Penacony together. The 'Planet of Festivities' reputation isn't small," Koji said.
"Then I'll be in your care."
Acheron nodded. If someone led the way, she wouldn't end up in the situation of not finding it.
Koji had a phone from this world. With a quick search, he found flights from their current planet to Penacony, and they arrived without trouble.
"Wait—don't we not have tickets?" someone suddenly realized.
To enter Penacony, it wasn't that easy. Ordinary people weren't qualified at all.
Koji thought for a moment, then dialed one of the few numbers in his contacts.
"Mr. Koji, what can I do for you?" Asta's voice came through.
This phone had been provided by Asta back then, so of course it included her private contact.
"Asta, we're in Penacony, but we don't have a reservation," Koji stated directly.
Without a reservation, it would be inconvenient to enter Penacony. As for stowing away—there was absolutely no need.
"No big deal. I can have someone arrange rooms for you," Asta replied. She had a bit of background—and a bit of money.
"Is Herta next to you?"
"Herta is here."
Then the phone was handed to Herta's little doll.
"What is it?"
Once she knew it was Koji, she didn't refuse the call.
"Herta, you know Calderon Chadwick, right?"
"…"
"You mean Chadwick of the Genius Society, Seat 79?"
Herta thought for a moment. The only Chadwick who would be worth mentioning to her would be that genius senior.
"Exactly. The one who invented the Imaginary Collapse Pulse—Dr. Chadwick. He's currently imprisoned right here in Penacony, in the form of a memory bubble."
Koji knew Herta would be interested.
"I see. The Company and the Family are coveting that super-weapon, aren't they?"
As a member of the Genius Society, Herta had naturally heard of the Imaginary Collapse Pulse—only later it vanished without a trace.
And the inventor, Chadwick, had been unheard of for a long time. People like them had assumed he died in some unknown corner of the cosmos.
Who would've thought he was imprisoned in Penacony? The information lockdown had been excellent—no one else knew.
If the Company couldn't pry open Chadwick's mouth, then borrowing the power of Harmony might give them a chance.
A super-weapon with that kind of destructive power—of course the Family would be greedy too. Everyone had their own agenda. The only unlucky one was Chadwick.
Herta had never met Chadwick, but as fellow members of the Genius Society, she had to do something.
"I'll contact Screwllum. The two of us will go to Penacony and see how the Family plans to explain this."
Geniuses didn't have much empathy—but they also couldn't let people look down on them.
If you provoke someone from the Genius Society, then now's the time to show a bit of muscle.
(End of Chapter)
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