Wei Qing's pupils tightened as he felt the uncontrollable pounding in his chest.
He remembered some old forum theories from his previous life—players had speculated about Pom-Pom before.
That rabbit might look weak…
…but it was the kind of existence that both Welt, the Herrscher of Reason, and Dan Heng, the Vidyadhara High Elder, had independently labeled as "definitely not someone you want to mess with."
Could it be… a Trailblaze candidate?
No—Akivili had already fallen. So what, was Pom-Pom the new Aeon of Trailblaze?!
"Y-your heartbeat sounds really weird, pom…" Pom-Pom's tiny paws clutched the edge of the sofa, tense. "And you still haven't answered my question, pom. Who are you? Why do you have such a strong Trailblaze aura?"
Wei Qing forced down the storm inside him and put on a harmless smile again.
"Ahem. I already introduced myself. My name is Yi Qing—a traveler who longs for the sea of stars. As for this Trailblaze aura…"
He released a thin strand of Emanator-level Trailblaze authority—gentle and pure, resonating faintly with the Express's very origin.
"Maybe… after Akivili's fall, the spark of Trailblaze scattered across the universe—and I just happened to inherit one small flame."
It was a "reasonable" explanation, at least on the surface.
After all, while an Emanator typically required direct blessing from an Aeon, there were exceptions—especially for "ownerless" Paths, or special cases like Nihility.
Pom-Pom's ears twitched. It sniffed at Yi Qing again, nose twitching.
"Spark… inheritance…" it muttered, weighing the truth.
The resonance with the Express couldn't be faked—it really was the same root.
And the moment Yi Qing revealed that aura, Pom-Pom even felt its weakness easing dramatically.
It felt… really good, pom!
As the Conductor, Pom-Pom was bound to the Express. Its perception of Trailblaze far exceeded any ordinary Pathstrider's.
This "Yi Qing" carried an immense, exquisitely pure Trailblaze presence—far beyond a typical traveler. In fact, even compared to many powerful Nameless Pom-Pom remembered, his felt greater.
It was hard to feel rejection toward someone like that.
"But… but the train has already…" Pom-Pom's voice lowered, ears drooping. It looked around the empty observation car, heavy with loss. "There are almost no Nameless left, pom. Everyone left… and the train is about to… not be able to move anymore, pom."
Wei Qing's heart stirred. He crouched, trying to meet Pom-Pom at eye level.
"I know the train is in trouble. I can feel it—both you and the Express aren't doing well. Can you tell me what happened? Why did everyone leave? Maybe I can help."
Pom-Pom just shook its head.
"It won't help, pom. This is… already decided."
"The train is sick. It needs to rest for a while before it can depart again, pom."
"Sick?" Wei Qing frowned slightly, letting Trailblaze sense sweep the train again—more carefully this time.
Now he caught something deeper:
A fatigue and blockage rooted in the Path itself, like a river that had flowed for billions of years finally nearing drought.
"Is it… the aftershock of Akivili's fall?"
"Not entirely, pom." Pom-Pom shook its head weakly. "An Aeon's fall does hurt the Path badly, yes, but Trailblaze's will never truly went out. It's just… the rails carrying that will have worn down too much, pom."
It reached out a small paw and stroked the sofa beneath it—like it was soothing a gravely ill friend.
"The train has crossed too many worlds, connected too many civilizations, witnessed too many… Every trailblaze, every connection, leaves marks on the rails of the Path."
"Good ones, bad ones—joy, grief… too much piled up, pom. Too much… until the train itself can barely hold it anymore, pom."
Wei Qing listened in silence.
He understood now.
The Astral Express wasn't just transportation—it was the last tangible embodiment of the Trailblaze Path after Akivili fell.
It was like a massive receiver for information and emotion. Over endless journeys, it had accumulated a load beyond imagination.
While Akivili lived, perhaps an Aeon's power could comb through and purify that burden.
But after Akivili's fall, that weight fell entirely onto the Express—and onto Pom-Pom, who was bound to it.
"So… the Nameless leaving…"
"That's not because of that, pom," Pom-Pom said, voice cracking. "It's because of the rails. The train hasn't been able to take in new members for a long time, pom…"
"The Express needs to travel light. It needs to reduce its connections to the universe and enter something like… hibernation, pom. Slowly digesting and smoothing out the wear."
"If it keeps forcing trailblaze… the train will collapse completely, pom."
"And that's why you're weak too?"
Pom-Pom puffed its chest, trying to look brave. "Pom-Pom is the Conductor of the Astral Express. Pom-Pom and the train are one, pom."
"If the train is sick, Pom-Pom will feel bad too. But it's okay, pom! Pom-Pom will stay with the train until it gets better, pom!"
Wei Qing looked at the little rabbit.
He reached out and gently rested a hand on Pom-Pom's head. Warm Trailblaze power flowed in like a soft current.
Pom-Pom shivered, startled, lifting its head with wide eyes.
"S-so comfy…! I feel… I feel like I have more strength, pom!"
"Looks like my power really does help you and the Express," Wei Qing said with a small smile. "Then let me introduce myself again."
"My name is Yi Qing—an aimless traveler. And also… an Emanator of Trailblaze, who wants to spend this 'final journey' with the Astral Express."
He stopped hiding completely. Emanator-grade Trailblaze authority spread gently. The heavy, stagnant air in the observation car seemed to breathe again.
"E-emanator?!" Pom-Pom squeaked. "But… Akivili already—"
"The Path is still there," Wei Qing said, keeping it vague. "Even if an Aeon falls, power remains. Someone will always inherit it."
"Conductor Pom-Pom… even if the Express is about to rest, I still want to become Nameless now."
"Would you grant me that honor?"
Pom-Pom fell silent.
It could clearly feel how much Yi Qing's power benefited both itself and the train.
With an Emanator aboard, maybe the Express could keep going a little longer.
And Yi Qing's pure Trailblaze aura made Pom-Pom instinctively feel close—trusting.
But the Express's condition…
"…Even if you join, Yi Qing," Pom-Pom said with difficulty, "the train can probably only keep trailblazing for another year or two at most, pom…"
That time felt heartbreakingly short. Far too short for someone who came all this way.
Wei Qing could feel the weight of sadness in Pom-Pom's words.
To Pom-Pom, the Express wasn't merely a vehicle—it was home. A moving home that carried countless Nameless dreams and bonds.
Now the home was empty, about to sleep, and Pom-Pom was alone.
Wei Qing was quiet for a moment—then answered.
"Then let me be a passenger for these last years."
Pom-Pom stared up at him, its big eyes reflecting something tangled and bright.
"R-really, pom? You really want to… be Nameless during the train's last stretch?"
"Of course." Wei Qing smiled. "To witness the Astral Express's final trailblaze of this era—that's an honor."
"And…"
He looked around the observation car, feeling the stories layered into the walls.
"Even the last journey will have scenery worth remembering."
Something in Pom-Pom's eyes trembled. Tears welled, then it nodded hard.
"Pom-Pom understands, pom! Even if the train will hibernate soon… before that, being able to welcome a new Nameless—especially someone as special as you— the train will be happy too, pom!"
Pom-Pom straightened its tiny bowtie and forced its sternest Conductor face.
"Then, Passenger Yi Qing! I, Conductor Pom-Pom of the Astral Express, officially welcome you aboard, pom!"
Wei Qing extended a hand, lightly squeezing Pom-Pom's little paw.
"The honor is mine, Conductor."
"Ahem! Passenger Yi Qing!" Pom-Pom tried to sound strict. "Since you've joined, you must follow train rules, pom! No fighting in the cars! Keep the train clean, pom!"
"Of course." Wei Qing nodded easily, eyes sweeping the empty car. "Then, Conductor—besides you and me, is there anyone else on board?"
Pom-Pom shook its head, ears bobbing.
"Right now, only Pom-Pom and Passenger Yi Qing are on the train, pom."
"But Passenger Granholm—the train's current navigator—went down to Qilan Star, pom!"
It pointed outside the huge window at the dim, colorless planet.
"This world is suffering from a Stellaron and Nihility, pom. Granholm said that before the train fully hibernates, he wanted to try trailblazing one more time—see if he could help this world, pom."
"How long has he been gone?" Wei Qing asked.
"Almost a month, pom!" Pom-Pom's voice filled with worry. "He used to send reports regularly, but for the last week… communications cut off completely, pom. Pom-Pom is really worried…"
Wei Qing narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.
Granholm… the last known navigator before Himeko's era.
In the original story, it seemed like he vanished along with the Express's silence after a certain trailblaze attempt.
So Qilan Star might be his final stage.
"Then my first trailblaze job," Wei Qing said lightly, "is to find our missing navigator."
"R-really, pom?" Pom-Pom's eyes lit up—then clouded with fear.
Before it could say more, Wei Qing rubbed its head and spoke first.
"Don't worry, Conductor."
"I'm strong. And if we walk the same Path… I can't just watch him die."
Pom-Pom nodded hard and somehow produced a small, glowing ticket badge, handing it over with ceremony.
"This is the Nameless credential, pom! Carry it—so the train can sense your position! Be careful… and find Passenger Granholm, pom!"
Wei Qing took the badge. A warm pulse of resonance ran through his fingertips—proof of connection to the Astral Express.
He pinned it to his collar and gave Pom-Pom a reassuring smile.
"Wait for my good news."
With that, his presence vanished from the observation car.
A moment later, Wei Qing stood at the edge of Qilan Star's thin atmosphere, looking down at the planet that had once been dazzling.
Unlike Pom-Pom, who was bound to the train, Wei Qing could sense the world directly—even from far away.
The Stellaron's presence…
was nearly gone.
So the Stellaron crisis had been resolved—most likely by Granholm.
Not bad.
Wei Qing couldn't help but feel a little impressed.
Sealing a Stellaron alone meant at least T1-tier strength.
Worthy of the Astral Express's navigator.
But even so, Granholm still hadn't returned.
Was it because of Nihility?
As Nameless, if you chose to help Qilan Star, it made sense to finish the job—to try removing Nihility too.
Except…
Wei Qing, himself a Nihility Pathstrider, could sense it clearly:
The Nihility on this planet was not simple.
And more than that—
He felt the aura of an Emanator.
Not just any Emanator.
A T0-tier Emanator.
A Nihility Emanator.
A Path that—by common logic—shouldn't even have Emanators.
Wei Qing's gaze sharpened, the answer forming like ice in his mind.
"…Could it be that woman?"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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