Jarilo-VI.
A biting wind swept across the snow-covered planet, carving its chill through the desolate air. It howled around the small group that had just materialized beside the Star Rail Anchor.
"Achoo—!"
March 7th sneezed, her breath forming a little cloud. "It really is colder than I imagined!"
"Yep, yep!" Bai Ming agreed, immediately sidling up and wrapping her arms around March. "Here, March! We'll be warm if we hug each other~"
"You…" March didn't actively return the hug, but she didn't pull away either, her silence a tacit acceptance.
Dan Heng, as always, was unfazed. He had been prepared for such environments from the moment they set out.
"Jarilo-VI. We've arrived."
Following Dan Heng's gaze, March looked ahead. A swirling veil of snow greeted them. Countless flakes drifted down from an iron-gray sky, a constant, silent deluge that had long since smothered the planet's original colors. The world was a study in monochrome—dull white and oppressive gray.
"—It truly is a frozen, snowy land," March murmured, a hint of awe in her voice.
"—It truly is a frozen, snowy land," Bai Ming echoed with a similar sigh.
"You parrot!" March couldn't help but retort, though a smile touched her lips.
"Hehe, it's called being on the same wavelength~" Bai Ming chirped, unbothered. In fact, March's comment reminded her of something. She focused internally for a moment.
Suddenly, March felt a wave of gentle, radiating warmth emanating from Bai Ming, who was still clinging to her.
She… lit herself on fire?!
"Bai Ming," March whispered, astonished. "What's going on? Why are you so warm all of a sudden?"
"Because I'm a warm girl at heart!"
"…" March gave her a flat, disbelieving stare.
"Hey! Don't look at me like that!" Bai Ming waved a hand dismissively. "I'm just using a little… personal trick!"
The trick was [Vermilion Knight: Eclipse]. By subtly channeling traces of the [Destruction] Aeon Nanook's power, Bai Ming could activate the Valkyrie Battlesuit's systems without a full manifestation. The faint, contained thermal energy from the frame now served as a perfectly efficient, portable heater.
Using a battlesuit as a heater… I'm probably the first Captain in history to think of that, she mused internally, decidedly not planning to admit it aloud.
"Did you pull out another one of your strange gadgets?" March grumbled. "It's not really necessary, you know. Those blessed by the Trailblaze Path receive its protection. Even in places like this, we feel an inner warmth~"
"Ehh—?" Only then did Bai Ming realize that, indeed, she hadn't felt the biting cold since arriving. The realization dawned. "Wait! If we don't get cold… March, why did you..."
At Bai Ming's pointed question, March's cheeks immediately flushed a brilliant scarlet. Simultaneously, a notification shimmered in Bai Ming's vision.
[Heart-Throbbing Event Complete]
[Evaluation: 19/100]
[Reward Obtained: Crystals * 190]
[First-Time Affection Bonus: Crystals * 100]
Another one? Curious, Bai Ming mentally opened the event log.
[March 7th Wants a Hug]
[19/100]
So that's it. With the intuitive understanding granted by the gacha system, Bai Ming grasped March's unspoken intention instantly.
"March~" she sang, her voice teasing. "So you wanted a hug? You should've just said so! Who are we to each other?!"
"Eh?! How did you—" March was flabbergasted, her blush deepening. Luckily, a trio of synchronized chimes from their phones saved her.
[The Astral Express Family]
[Himeko]: Team, have you arrived safely?
Seizing the lifeline, March quickly typed a reply.
[March 7th]: We're here! All safe and sound!
[Himeko]: Good.
[Himeko]: Remember, this is an unknown world to us. Please proceed with utmost caution.
[Bai Ming]: Don't worry! With me here, I'll protect March with my life!
[Himeko]: That would be the ideal outcome, of course.
The exchange helped March regain some composure. She turned to Dan Heng, deliberately steering the conversation.
"Um, Dan Heng! With everything buried in snow, which way do we go?"
"According to the coordinates…" Dan Heng studied the blank white expanse ahead. What might have once been a path was now just a slightly less treacherous stretch of snow. "…it should be straight ahead."
"Alrighty! Then let's get moving!" March said, her cheerfulness returning.
"In any case, caution is paramount. The Express's data on this planet is millennia old. We must treat this as a completely unknown world. We know next to nothing about what's here now." Dan Heng said calmly
"You can relax!" March declared, puffing out her chest. "Bai Ming has that Stellaron that fought the Doomsday Beast. I've got my Six-Phase Ice. Dan Heng, you have your… you know, your whole mysterious past thing!"
"Exactly!" Bai Ming chimed in, striking a pose. "The three of us together? We'll plow through anything in our way!"
"Right! Anyone who messes with us is asking for trouble!" March pumped a fist.
"Asking for it!" Bai Ming echoed.
"Bai Ming! How long is this parroting phase going to last?!"
"Let's hope your confidence is warranted," Dan Heng said, not pressing further. "Move out."
The trio proceeded, Dan Heng taking point with March and Bai Ming following. A comfortable quiet settled over them, broken only by the crunch of snow underfoot.
Then, Bai Ming leaned closer to March. "March, can I ask you a favor?"
"A favor? What is it?"
"Lend me your hand!"
"…Okay?" March offered her hand, puzzled.
Bai Ming had a plan. Checking her crystal count earlier, she'd seen she had 950—enough for three pulls. As a self-proclaimed non-believer in luck who was, in fact, deeply superstitious, she knew what she needed: a lucky charm. And the walking, talking epitome of vibrant fortune was right beside her.
Holding March's hand, Bai Ming guided it toward the invisible gacha interface only she could see.
First pull!
The result materialized: [Galileo (Top) ★★★★]. A decent piece, with evasion-triggered damage boost and critical damage set bonuses, but nothing groundbreaking. Standard pool filler, she thought. It has to exist so the good stuff feels rare.
Second pull!
Still holding March's hand, she initiated the second roll. This time, a distinctive purple glow flashed. A new prompt appeared.
[Congratulations on obtaining Valkyrie Battlesuit - Valkyrie Bladestrike!]
Oh?!
Bai Ming's spirits soared. It wasn't that [Valkyrie Bladestrike] was top-tier; it was an early A-rank suit belonging to Raiden Mei. But it held a special place in her heart. In the early days, she was a workhorse for many Captains—low investment, solid output, and an ultimate that unleashed the iconic "40-meter blade," Susano'o. The old community rhymes echoed in her memory: "First came Bladestrike, then came the sky; Void Edge make gods cry." A wave of nostalgia hit her. Like [White Comet], this suit was a piece of history.
"Bai Ming?" March's voice, tinged with concern, broke through her reverie. "What's wrong? You've been frozen like a statue for a while now. Is something else wrong?"
"R-really?" Bai Ming snapped back to the present.
"Yep." March nodded, glancing upward. Their clasped hands were still suspended in the air. "You've been holding my hand like this, completely still."
"I-Is that so? Sorry!" Bai Ming began to lower their hands, mentally preparing for her third and final pull.
But at that moment, Dan Heng, several paces ahead, stopped dead. His body tensed.
"Hold still."
Instantly alert, Bai Ming asked, "What's wrong?"
"There's movement ahead." Dan Heng's spear materialized in his hand with a soft hum. His gaze was locked on the shifting curtains of snow. "Something's coming toward us. And the intent… feels hostile."
"Something's coming?" Bai Ming muttered, her thoughts snapping to the newly acquired [Valkyrie Bladestrike]. A fierce grin touched her lips. "Well, that's perfect timing. If it's an enemy…" She stepped forward, her posture shifting into readiness, eyes sharpening as they peered into the white gloom. "...then let me test my new blade."
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A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Zenless Zone Zero: Loving Daily Life Starting in New Eridu
Honkai Impact 3rd, I Can Transform into a Valkyrie!
patreon.com/deadlygoober