Originally, they were bound for a mysterious, supermassive planet veiled in mist, known to a select few as the "Origin Star."
March 7th had prepared extensively for this expedition. But now— a sudden change of destination left her deeply frustrated.
Seeing her reaction, the young Trailblazer explained earnestly, "Herta just sent new coordinates. Apparently, there are two Stellaron on that planet, and she's commissioned us to investigate the situation there."
At that, March 7th's eyes widened. "Two Stellarons on a single planet? Wouldn't that cause an enormous disaster…?"
After all, a single Stellaron was dangerous enough to destroy an entire world—let alone two.
The Trailblazer took a deep breath. "It's not looking good. According to Herta's observations, the planet is saturated with a unique energy known as Ether. The disaster has likely already begun…"
At the mention of Stellaron-induced catastrophes, the Trailblazer couldn't help recalling Belobog. Once a prosperous planet, it had been devastated by a worldwide disaster caused by a single Stellaron. And this time, with two appearing at once, the scale of destruction could be unimaginable.
Hopefully, there are still survivors.
Their mission was to confirm whether any life remained on that world and plan their next course of action accordingly.
Beside them, March 7th sighed irritably. "Stellarons are supposed to be rare, yet two suddenly appear at the same time?"
Then, as if struck by inspiration, her eyes lit up. "I get it—it's a Stellaron nest!"
The Trailblazer was speechless. "I… have no idea."
Just then, their phone buzzed again. Another message from Herta.
Opening it, the Trailblazer saw that she'd sent a new file. They opened it immediately—and after reading the contents, their expression darkened.
Himeko and Dan Heng walked over. "What's wrong? Another problem?"
The Trailblazer replied, "Herta says those two Stellarons are there because of an experiment."
March 7th frowned. "What kind of experiment?"
"A God-Making Project," the Trailblazer said. "According to her, a few Emanators attempted to use the two Stellarons as materials to artificially create divine bodies. The experiment, as expected, failed. The Emanators were severely injured, and since then, no one has managed that region. It's fallen into complete chaos…"
Because that area was far removed from human civilization, in an isolated corner of the galaxy, it had remained unnoticed until recently—when Herta's observations detected it. She then entrusted the Trailblazer with investigating that starfield.
After hearing this explanation, March 7th scowled. "Those awful Emanators! Always experimenting, and now they've left such a colossal mess behind."
Himeko thought for a moment, then said, "Since Herta requested it, we should take a look. Do you have the exact coordinates?"
The Trailblazer handed them over.
After glancing at them, Himeko smiled slightly. "This starfield happens to be on the way to the Origin Star. It won't delay us for long."
She then passed the coordinates to Pom-Pom, and the Astral Express sped off toward the designated starfield.
March 7th let out a resigned sigh. "I just hope this won't take too long. They say the mist around the Origin Star only clears once every thousand years. If we miss this chance, we'll have to wait until the next… next… next… next lifetime!"
Dan Heng said calmly, "No need to wait for the next lifetime. We'll make it in this one."
March 7th gave him a look. "Easy for you to say! I'm a human girl—I don't live that long. Besides, we're going to the Origin Star to help you find that Vidyadhara Senior of yours. In another thousand years, he's probably long gone!"
Dan Heng corrected her. "That Senior may have [Dragon] blood like me, but he isn't a member of the Vidyadhara. His identity is… quite special."
But before he could continue, March 7th interrupted, "Wait—why was that Senior on the Origin Star in the first place?"
Dan Heng explained, "According to the Vidyadhara chronicles, there was an accident six thousand years ago. When that Senior was still young, he was stranded on the Origin Star…"
March 7th blinked in shock. "Hold on—six thousand years ago?"
Dan Heng nodded. "That's what the records say."
He himself had been unaware of this Senior's existence until recently, when he stumbled across the record in an ancient Vidyadhara text describing such an extraordinary figure.
After a brief silence, March 7th murmured, a little disheartened, "Six thousand years… He's probably long dead by now."
Even for a Vidyadhara, surviving six millennia sounded impossible.
But Dan Heng replied earnestly, "It's said his [Dragon] bloodline was exceptionally pure. Unless he met an untimely end, living six thousand years shouldn't be a problem."
Of course, that was only his speculation. He'd never met the Senior himself—only read about him in records dating back six millennia—so he couldn't be certain whether the man was still alive.
Still, regardless of whether that Senior lived or not, Dan Heng was determined to go. If he could find him, perhaps there would be a way to resolve some of the issues he faced during his "Dragon Transformation."
After hearing Dan Heng's account, the Trailblazer nodded. "As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, we'll help you."
March 7th chimed in confidently, "Exactly! With me, Lucky Star March 7th, around, that Senior will definitely still be alive when we meet him!"
Himeko reminded them calmly, "That planet has been sealed for thousands of years. It's filled with unknowns. We'll need to make careful preparations before arrival."
Before heading to the Origin Star, they first had to fulfill Herta's commission—to investigate the planet devastated by the Stellaron disaster.
Himeko soon went to prepare for the mission, while March 7th and Dan Heng busied themselves with their own tasks, leaving the Trailblazer alone in the cabin lounge.
Suddenly, the phone buzzed again. Another message from Herta.
She warned the Trailblazer to be extremely cautious—the planet might still harbor "False God" remnants, the failed results of the God-Making Project. Should anything happen, they were to contact her immediately.
The Trailblazer replied promptly, "Don't worry. We'll take care of it."
...
As the Astral Express raced through the stars, bound for the planet where New Eridu was located, a fierce battle was already raging below—the largest conflict in nearly a century between humanity and Hollow Zero, on a world ravaged by the Hollow disaster.