: Ah???
: Damn, creating a world without death, seriously?!
: What kind of nonsense is this…
: Bro, this art style just went full crazy Abundance mode.
: @Abundance
: Stop tagging them, seriously. What if they really pop up in Amphoreus?
: I can't take it anymore. Castorice, don't go thinking something this dangerous! Things will spiral completely out of control!
: This idea is seriously dangerous… damn.
: Is she about to turn dark?
: Feels like anime villains always say stuff like this before they snap.
: No, but why would she even think of something like this?!
....
After realizing Castorice's dangerous line of thinking, the audience couldn't hold it in anymore.
They hadn't expected that, after witnessing so much death, the idea that would emerge in Castorice's mind… would be to eliminate death itself.
The audience's first reaction was: has Honkai: Star Rail gone crazy?
How could a girl as gentle and kind as Castorice come up with such a dangerous notion, something so similar to the ideology of Abundance?
But soon after, they paused again. Because when one think's about it carefully… It doesn't seem that unreasonable.
Precisely because of Castorice's past, she truly possesses a kind of boundless love that resists death, she wants everyone to live well, to never have to suffer the torment of death.
But the environment she grew up in, Amphoreus, is, in reality, a completely closed-off planet.
She doesn't know what consequences resisting death might bring. She doesn't know about Aeons. Nor is there anyone to tell her how one should face death.
Nikador, or rather, Gnaeus, is also answering Castorice's question from the perspective of a person of this sealed world, Amphoreus.
Plus Gnaeus has no such ambition, nor does he feel about death the way Castorice does.
In all of Amphoreus, Castorice's understanding of death far surpasses everyone else.
Naturally, she stands at the farthest extreme, taking the stance most in line with her personality, and gives an almost fantastical answer.
The audience finds this answer absurd, and her idea dangerous, mainly because they, following Stelle and the Astral Express crew, have already witnessed too many grand, turbulent events.
The so-called elimination of death, eternal life without end, the Xianzhou people have already walked that path in blood once before.
A thousand years of blood and tears, all caused by immortality.
Even within their own ranks, immortality has made them more cruel.
Death cannot be eliminated. It will only continue to exist in another form.
But all of this… Castorice doesn't know.
In this closed world of Amphoreus, she has only just taken that step, stubbornly trying to protect all life in a way that harms no one.
After understanding this, the shock in the comments began to lessen.
When the audience looked again at the screen, at that slender figure nervously waiting for Stelle and Mem's reply, her petite body, with the River of Death behind her, and before her, the two who mean so much to her, Castorice carries anticipation, unease, and a faint, almost imperceptible fear.
She is afraid of being denied.
"I want to create a world without death." On the Xianzhou, a statement like this would most likely get the Cloud Knights breaking down your door.
It's an extremely dangerous sentence.
But here, the audience can clearly feel that this is simply the most simple, unadorned wish of a girl whose entire life was steeped in death.
She doesn't know about the Xianzhou, the disasters of Abundance, or the Hunt.
She doesn't know how naive, even childish, this statement is. Castorice only knows every death she has personally witnessed.
Every life that fades leaves behind a void that can never be filled. If death did not exist, those voids wouldn't exist either.
That's all. It's that simple.
That pure.
And precisely because of that, it makes the audience's hearts tighten.
They suddenly recall the earlier short scene, the young Castorice standing before a flower, reaching out to touch it, watching it wither because of her touch.
Perhaps even then, this thought had already taken root in her heart. And with each passing day, every new experience reinforced the same idea.
Until today. And so, this intensely dramatic scene came to be:
The War Maiden… wishing to erase death.
There is no contradiction.
The audience understands, they know it is precisely because she understands the weight of death more than anyone else.
Those hands that bring death are also the ones that most long to protect life. This most simple kindness, intertwined with the cruelest reality, creates a powerful contrast.
Combined with Castorice's life experiences, an overwhelming sense of absurdity and tragedy once again rises in the audience's hearts.
It's like watching someone you truly like, a gifted sapling, suddenly walk down the wrong path.
Yet they can't explain why Castorice has come to this point.
What is it? Her childhood? Those hands? Her own kindness? Or the world of Amphoreus itself?
They can't say.
And because the audience knows there is an information gap, what they know, Castorice does not, the sense of regret and helplessness becomes even stronger.
...
: Damn…
: I've got nothing to say.
: So this is Amphoreus…
: I thought this episode was just going to be pure hype.
: So after seeing all kinds of death, Castorice never actually came to terms with it.
: It's mainly because she's too kind… that I can't accept her answer about death.
: I think this answer is just nonsense. After so much buildup about different kinds of death, there has to be a real conclusion.
: Like 'see you tomorrow', I feel like something big is coming.
: After introducing so many philosophical ideas, they're definitely going to give their own stance later.
: I think everyone should be patient. Castorice's character depth is already maxed out, just waiting for the final conclusion.
: If this answer isn't on the level of 'see you tomorrow,' it's going to explode again.
....
Just like some people expected, even after Castorice said something so controversial, the response she got… was surprisingly light.
As the one being asked, Stelle could only let out an awkward laugh.
"I think you should discuss this with the other Chrysos Heirs."
Stelle didn't agree, nor did she dismiss it. She just scratched her head, instinctively feeling the idea wasn't very reliable.
As for Castorice, she didn't receive a good answer, nor a bad one.
That, at least, was acceptable.
She let out a sigh of relief and showed a gentle smile again. "This is a wish that I've held for almost a millennium. My mind might have changed once upon a time if people managed to strike up a friendship with me..."
"But I've never been more firm in my conviction, now that I've learned about your near-death state, It is my duty to wipe "Death" from the face of this world."
After saying that, Castorice didn't bring up the topic again, and continued forward with Stelle, heading deeper.
The reactions of the wandering souls toward Castorice grew stronger. Basically, the moment they saw her, they were terrified out of their wits.
And the reason for that soon revealed itself to everyone. Inside a library, a frightened librarian's soul, trembling, revealed a secret.
Styxia had become a land of death not because of that evil dragon, but because in the dragon's arms was a girl, she was the true god of death!
At this point in the story, it was already obvious. The girl in the dragon's arms… was clearly Castorice.
"But… my memories only began when Elder Amunet brought me to Aidonia…" Castorice, however, knew nothing about this.
And at that moment, a massive surge of memories suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Back then, she was still in Aidonia.
A battle-hardened young man had mastered Talanton's secret sword in the golden age, becoming undefeated because of it.
But after death descended upon the world, the god-given secret sword allowed him to kill others at will.
This wasn't even his intention. He would never fall short in skill, whenever he struck, his opponent would certainly die.
And the truth was, even if he had no intention of fighting, as long as the other party made a move, it would inevitably result in their death.
Thus, he fell into despair. The tormented young man couldn't accept that he had become an executioner. And because of his fame, he couldn't stop warriors from constantly coming to challenge him.
Amid guilt and suffering, he begged the War Maiden of Aidonia to grant him death… That secret sword of Talanton could not contend with true death.
So, Castorice sent the young man on his way. It was done out of compassion, and Castorice thought she wouldn't feel troubled because of it, but afterward, her heart was still in turmoil.
So Castorice went to see Elder Amunet.
"I did it out of sympathy, believing that I wouldn't be racked with agony, but... I am still in a state of turmoil."
"You are perhaps feeling lost from making your peace with "Death" in so abrupt a manner." That's what Elder Amunet said.
But Castorice replied firmly, "I... have not made peace with death."
"I've seen the people of Aidonia stand tall and proud in the face of death. Even before the fated finale arrived, they were already content with the lives that they'd lived...."
"They stood tall before death. Before their destined end arrived, their emotions were…"
"They had such proud expressions... Expressions that made me believe "Death" would be an insult to these mortals if the concept is truly a power that a god had carelessly cast down upon the world."
"Perhaps death's authority was never meant to exist in this world... just like how I shouldn't exist."
At that time, Elder Amunet was already very old. Castorice had only meant to confide her thoughts.
But after she finished speaking, she clearly remembered that Elder Amunet's gaze toward her became filled with worry, and hesitation.
Back then, Castorice thought it was simply because the elder didn't know how to respond to such words.
But considering what they knew now, perhaps… what Elder Amunet hesitated about was whether she should tell Castorice something.
"Elder…" Castorice took a deep breath. The calmness she had maintained while facing death began to waver again.
"Are you okay, Castorice?"
Seeing her state, Stelle stepped forward to comfort her.
"I'm fine…"
"I just suddenly remembered that my childhood… wasn't as I thought it was."
Castorice shook her head, suppressing the thoughts in her heart. They had already come this far, so they would keep moving forward.
Her origins, and her past… she would reclaim them all.
The group quickened their pace. Even though the interior of Styxia was in ruins, with hardly a complete path in sight, under Mem's power, they still moved as if walking on flat ground.
Soon, that high-hanging crescent remnant of a moon was truly within reach.
If everything had an answer, then it would surely be on that broken moon.
And as they approached, the surrounding buildings and ruins began to look more peculiar.
Everywhere was filled with the remnants of formations.
And then, a soul of an alchemist, as they approached, actually waved at them.
Another soul that retained its self-awareness?!
Castorice and Stelle went over. After bringing them closer, the alchemist seemed especially excited.
"Oh... Could you be the scions of Styxia?"
"How rare. It's been many years since living people came here. But no matter, just do as I say, and soon you'll witness a true great work!"
The overly familiar alchemist didn't care at all about Stelle and the others' reactions.
Stelle glanced at Castorice, then stepped forward and asked, "What great work?"
"Have you heard of the great name of Pollux, perchance?"
The alchemist crossed his arms, waiting for shock to appear on their faces.
"I've heard of it."
Stelle's calm reply disappointed him slightly, but he quickly chuckled again.
"You have? Then that's good.. "
"During the age of myth, a time likely before your birth, I was the unsurpassed zenith of alchemy that none could reach! On the shoals of the River of Souls, I shall make Pollux soar again... and bring "Death" back to the world!"
Hearing this, Castorice and Stelle were both confused.
Bring back death to the world? When had death… ever left this world?
Was this guy out of his mind?
At that moment, Mem bluntly asked, "But... didn't that dragon already bring "Death" to the world?"
Stelle added, "Yeah. Isn't the state of Styxia exactly because of 'death'?"
The smile on the alchemist's face disappeared. He shook his head, his expression turning grave.
"Oh...? Looks like you don't know the whole picture."
"While it's true that the missing girl can grant death to mortals... Pollux, the one who delivered her onto this world... Makes it so that humankind "cannot die.""