Star Rail, Single Draw Acheron at the Start Chapter 7

Silver Wolf: Don't call me Auntie. What kind of young woman has a nephew as old as you?

Galaxy Youth: But I'm only a day old, and look, we even share the same surname, Silver.

Silver Wolf: ...

Galaxy Youth: Auntie, where's my mom? I miss her.

Silver Wolf: Kafka is on another mission. I was free, so I decided to see what you were up to. I didn't expect you to register for a chat app, so I came looking for you.

Galaxy Youth: As expected of Auntie, easily hacking into the Express's internal network! It makes my blood boil with excitement and admiration!

Silver Wolf: You learned that from my favorite folders, didn't you? I knew you'd absorb all that data from the game console and become a little... abnormal.

Galaxy Youth: I'm perfectly normal.

Silver Wolf: Change your nickname, then we'll talk.

Galaxy Youth: I won't.

Silver Wolf: I know your Express is about to warp soon. Before that, don't you want to play a few rounds of a tense and exciting game? I'll carry you.

Galaxy Youth: So Auntie just wants someone to play with because she's bored. My hourly rate is quite expensive, you know.

Silver Wolf: Why are we talking about money now... Didn't you get yourself a sugar mama?

Galaxy Youth: Not yet, we're still just ordinary friends.

Silver Wolf: Kafka has the ability to control minds. I'll have her bring that sugar mama over. She probably won't mind having a daughter-in-law anyway.

Galaxy Youth: Auntie, I want love, not a slave.

Silver Wolf: What the heck, you've got some principles, huh? Log in, log in, it's time to hunt.

Galaxy Youth: I don't have any games on my phone.

Silver Wolf: I've already installed them for you.

Galaxy Youth: How do I play this game? Do I just rub the screen?

Silver Wolf: Rub the screen? What era are you living in? Now we directly pull your consciousness into the game. I'll teach you.

Caelus stared in surprise at his phone's desktop, where a game software had suddenly appeared. Before he could even agree, it opened by itself and pulled him in. He felt a tugging sensation, and his consciousness was dragged into another space. Although Caelus outside was still looking down at his phone, his consciousness had already entered the game.

Caelus now found himself on a street with a medieval art style. Pedestrians bustled on both sides of the street, and NPCs stood along the roadside waiting to hand out quests. The people walking were players dressed in various types of equipment.

"Silly boy, over here."

Silver Wolf's voice reached him. Caelus turned his head towards the side of the street and saw a little girl, dressed just like he remembered. She looked illegally young, with a lazy expression on her face, as if nothing could truly excite her.

"Auntie, how do I play this game?"

After Caelus entered this game world, he felt a surge of energy throughout his body, as if he were born for this. Let the Trailblaze Journey go to hell!

"I've already accepted the quest, and I'll trade you the equipment," Silver Wolf said straightforwardly. A series of prompts appeared before Caelus, and valuable equipment landed in his inventory, ready to be equipped.

"You can trade too? I thought this was a competitive game," Caelus quipped.

"Of course it's competitive, but I hacked into the system and enabled the trading function. With your skills, you don't need to start from the bottom and grind monsters," Silver Wolf said, her voice laced with a hint of mischief.

"Auntie really knows me best."

"You should know that you've inherited everything from me. The skills and insights I've honed in games have been absorbed into your body. So, in this game, you're essentially my 2P character. I'm in dire need of a teammate like you."

Silver Wolf looked at Caelus as if he were her own child, though not in that sense. It was more like her meticulously trained account had become sentient. She had brought him here to play games to test his abilities.

As the two were talking, someone suddenly appeared in their party list. Caelus looked up in confusion and saw a towering figure, over three meters tall, clad in impenetrable medieval plate armor, completely concealing their form.

"Who's this?"

Caelus looked at the giant, who blocked out the light, with confusion. His full-face helmet hid any expression, and it was impossible to tell if they were male or female. But gender didn't need to be defined so clearly, did it? Aliens had diverse genders, and there were even sentient attack helicopters, so Caelus didn't care.

"Oh, she's my companion from the Stellaron Hunters. I pulled her in to play games since she had nothing else to do," Silver Wolf introduced casually, as if it were a perfectly ordinary connection, just roping someone in to fill a slot for the game.

"Hey man, what should I call you?"

Caelus raised his hand and patted the giant's plate armor, directly assuming they were male. If this were a woman, she'd have to be three meters tall with eyes like copper bells and muscles bulging everywhere. The thought was too much for Caelus, who was accustomed to having beautiful girls around him.

"Her voice is broken, so just call her Sa, Samo," Silver Wolf said in place of Samo. Caelus found it a bit strange, but then again, they were playing online, and equipment malfunctions were common. If some gruff voice suddenly yelled "Is my mic too loud?" mid-game, it would be terrifying.

"Hello there, Samo! I'm Caelus. Looking at your physique, you could probably punch a Doomsday Beast to death. I wish I were as burly as you."

Caelus smiled and extended his right hand, offering pleasantries. Of course, he was lying. He was quite satisfied with his own body. If he really grew as large as Samo, how could he get close to Asta? She wouldn't be able to handle it.

Samo remained silent, then raised an arm as large as a boxing sandbag to shake Caelus's hand. Caelus thought that even though this person was muted, they had a good personality and weren't arrogant despite their size. This person was trustworthy!

PS: Please collect, recommend, and vote for monthly tickets.

Chapter 18: "Bro, Don't Be Like That"

"Let's go, let's go!"

After equipping all his weapons and armor, Caelus eagerly shouted to start. He patted his back, where a long saber, much taller than himself, was slung. He had to raise his arm high above his head just to touch the hilt and draw it out – it was his favorite weapon, the Katana.

"Let's go."

Silver Wolf, completely unfazed while playing her game, teamed up with Caelus. The two were sent into a system countdown before being teleported to a barren wasteland, beginning their hunting journey.

"Slash! Slash! Slash it!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

"Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!"

After repeating the mission several times, Caelus and Silver Wolf were teleported back to the street where they accepted the quest, both wearing satisfied smiles. Caelus was happy because he had fun, while Silver Wolf was pleased to have found a suitable teammate.

Silver Wolf wasn't intentionally a lone wolf in games; she wanted to team up if she found a compatible player. However, others were either too troublesome or too unskilled to keep up with her plays, so she'd abandoned them. Caelus, however, was undoubtedly the best teammate she had waited years for.

Firstly, their coordination was impeccable. They could understand each other's intentions with just a glance. During hunts, they struck identical poses, making it seem like the monsters saw a double image of a person. Their synchronization was 100% in everything they did—rolling, attacking, healing—always perfectly in sync. This confirmed Silver Wolf's suspicion: Caelus's gaming skills were inherited from her as his teacher, making him incredibly powerful.

Compared to Silver Wolf and Caelus's synergy, Samo appeared very composed. Although she didn't speak, she communicated using pre-set voice lines.

For example, "Cover me," "I'm going in," "Dodge." Such communication made coordination quite simple, and her gaming skills were excellent, indicating she was an intelligent person in real life.

"Good job, kid. You'll play with me for the next few days."

Silver Wolf patted Caelus's shoulder in praise. She really loved having a gaming buddy who meshed so well with her and was available anytime.

"Definitely next time. I'm heading to Penacony too."

Caelus directly stated his destination. Upon hearing the name Penacony, Samo lowered her head and looked down at Caelus, seemingly interested in the place.

"Brother Samo, you want to go too? Do you Stellaron Hunters get paid vacation? If you can meet me in Penacony, I can show you around."

Caelus said to Samo. Samo neither nodded nor shook her head. Communicating with a teammate whose microphone was broken was like this, but Caelus felt she could probably type.

As soon as Caelus had this thought, he saw a cute anime girl's expression appear in the team chat. It was a smiling girl, a common chibi-style expression.

Caelus's head started to heat up. He imagined a three-meter-tall giant holding his phone at home, chatting with him, and using his thick fingers to press a chibi girl emoji to smile at him. Instinctively, his body started shaking like a sieve.

"Uh, we'll play together next time."

Caelus felt his body shake, and his consciousness retreated from the game world. Before leaving, he said this to Silver Wolf and Samo, and then he woke up.

"What happened?"

Caelus asked confusedly after waking up. March 7th's worried, pretty face was before him. She had somehow come to his room, while Acheron was still sitting beside him, seemingly not having moved.

"The Express is about to warp. According to regulations, there's a certain risk involved. We need to buckle up in the observation car."

March 7th explained truthfully. Caelus nodded in understanding, then took Acheron's hand and left the room, walking forward one carriage to the observation car.

Through the massive observation window, the Star Rail Express could be seen leaving the Space Station and floating in space. Caelus watched the Space Station recede, feeling a sense of reluctance for the first time. Himeko was there; she couldn't leave due to family reasons. Caelus felt lucky to have met companions right after being born and joined the free-spirited Express crew, starting an adventurous life.

But was it really luck? For his adventure to unfold so smoothly, perhaps that mysterious mother had already arranged everything.

Caelus sat on the sofa, and the seatbelt automatically fastened around his waist. Acheron was on his left, and March 7th was on his right. Looking at the two women with completely different styles, Caelus felt like he had achieved something incredible, having them on either side.

The Star Rail Express's special warp drive activated. As the senior member, March 7th naturally introduced its origin next to Caelus.

"Let me tell you, the Star Rail Express is amazing. It was once the vehicle of the Aeon of [Trailblaze], A Kivili."

March 7th spoke about A Kivili very seriously, as he was the one who saved her. Naturally, she joined the [Trailblaze] faction without hesitation.

"Is that so? Are we all [Trailblaze]'s lackeys?"

Caelus had only been born recently, so he was genuinely unaware of this trivia and looked at March 7th with astonishment. A train that could travel across the galaxy was indeed impressive.

"Can you speak more nicely? But you can't be a lackey even if you wanted to. A Kivili has already fallen. At most, we're walking on the [Trailblaze] Path."

March 7th rolled her eyes at Caelus before continuing, her tone tinged with helplessness. She wished she had an Aeon as a backer, but if she didn't, she didn't. There was nothing she could do.

"Acheron, have you heard about this?"

Caelus turned to ask Acheron beside him. Her experience was definitely vast, and he wondered how old she really was. Caelus was filled with curiosity about this woman.

"The Pathstriders have circulated stories about the Star Rail Express. I never thought I'd board the train myself one day."

Caelus nodded. She knew of the Star Rail Express's existence before but hadn't expected such an encounter. It all happened because of an accidental wrong turn.

Getting lost had caused Acheron a lot of trouble, but she was naturally calm, her emotions essentially unperturbed. She accepted her misfortune. This instance of getting lost was one of the few lucky moments in her life; not only did she find a ride to Penacony, but she also had someone who cared about her by her side.

Chapter 19: A New Beginning

"What a shame. If A Kivili were still alive, we'd get some respect wherever we went."

Caelus sighed. Knowing it was an Aeon's vehicle was quite impressive, but that was it. A Kivili probably hadn't left much of a legacy, and he wondered if the Fruit of Mentality still existed.

"Actually, we still get some respect now. Because when A Kivili was alive, he constantly charted star trails, connecting one planet after another, lighting up the bonds between civilizations. Some primitive planets developed thanks to our [Trailblaze]. Not everyone is nostalgic, but some people are grateful. The Star Rail Express's reputation has been passed down to this day. Everyone knows we're good people, a good faction."

March 7th's tone grew more proud as she spoke. She had already identified herself with A Kivili, as she was picked up by the Star Rail Express. The first faction she encountered after losing her memory was the Express crew. She naturally had to repay the life-saving kindness.

"So, Caelus, when you get to Penacony, behave normally. Don't embarrass the Express."

March 7th stated her core message. Caelus was now part of the Express crew, but she didn't think he seemed like a good person. It wasn't that his intentions were bad, but his behavior was hard to define.

"Am I not normal?" Caelus asked, pointing to his face.

"Hard to say."

March 7th said with a smile. Caelus immediately reached out to pinch her cheek. March 7th yelped in annoyance and immediately started playfully wrestling with Caelus. Acheron, watching the noisy scene, also curled her lips slightly.

"Ahem, this is Station Master Pom-Pom speaking. All passengers should be aware that our next stop is the Planet of Festivities, Penacony. Although this Station Master knows everyone has been eagerly anticipating that renowned cosmic hotel, there are three things I must remind everyone of before departure."

Pom-Pom appeared before the bickering duo. Since they had to give the Station Master some face, Caelus and March 7th stopped their squabble and looked at the Station Master as he spoke.

"First, Asdana, where Penacony is located, is a galaxy filled with Memory Matter. Historically, it was one of the great rifts from Memory Zone leaks. Even though thousands of years have passed, the Memory Matter concentration ahead is still higher than the average. Normally, there shouldn't be any major issues... but everyone's body is different. If you experience dizziness, hallucinations, or memory confusion, don't take it lightly!"

Every word Pom-Pom spoke was clear, but as they were put together, Caelus and March 7th's eyes gradually glazed over. They didn't understand a single one of these specialized names. This was indeed the result of not investigating their destination beforehand.

"Second, Penacony is a territory of the Harmony family, and this is the first time the family has publicly extended an invitation to other factions. Remember, the Express is traveling there as guests, so you must abide by the rules."

"Third, rather than a requirement, it's more of a request. While you're vacationing in Penacony, please take some time to look for some Nameless who disembarked here in the past."

"Huh? We have predecessors still on Penacony?"

March 7th asked in surprise. She thought it was just a normal vacation, but now it had turned into a search for people, and not just any people, but predecessors of the Express.

"Yes, according to the Express's records, a total of three passengers disembarked. Their names were Tirnan, Lagvork, and Lazarina. They were previously the Express's guard, mechanic, and surveyor. There is no other information beyond that."

Himeko chimed in at this point. As the Navigator of the Express, she knew about as much as Pom-Pom. She was usually the one who communicated the most with Pom-Pom, and could be considered the Express's encyclopedia.

"Isn't that like searching for a needle in a haystack?" March 7th quipped.

"Just go with the flow. Considering the diversity of Nameless... we might even find their descendants, or perhaps, with an extremely small chance, meet them in person."

Himeko said with a smile. This wasn't a task that absolutely had to be completed. After all, so many years had passed, who knew if they were alive or dead. Pom-Pom's request to find them was more for remembrance and memory, not because there was anything urgent.

After Pom-Pom finished speaking, a blinding passage opened up in front of the Express's head. The Express entered, the passage closed, and a super long-distance warp jump was initiated.

When Caelus woke up, the Star Rail Express had completed its warp jump, and before him was the star system where Penacony was located.