After hearing Kallen's self-introduction, Gallagher froze again.
He truly had not expected it.
The Emanator standing before him, radiating the aura of Preservation, had just declared herself a Galaxy Ranger—and not only that, a Galaxy Ranger planning to switch careers and become one of the Nameless?
Seriously?
The Astral Express had only just resumed its journey. It had barely had time to rebuild its reputation.
And already an Emanator wanted to join?
So the Astral Express that the old man had longed for so desperately was actually this seductive?!
"You said you're a Galaxy Ranger?"
"But just now, you also said you were one of the Nameless," Gallagher said again.
Kallen looked utterly unconcerned.
"A person can have lots of identities. What's so strange about that?"
Right. A woman of many faces.
Gallagher chose his words carefully. "You're serious?"
"Of course." Kallen puffed out her chest. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
Gallagher gave her a long, careful look.
No. She really didn't.
Ever since she had revealed that Preservation aura, the way he perceived her had changed completely.
It was as if she were a born protagonist of justice.
So this was Preservation?
Gallagher found himself a little surprised. He knew enough about the company's behavior to have formed a certain impression already.
Looks like the company really had dragged Preservation's name through the mud.
He opened his mouth, then finally just shook his head. "Fine. Let's say I believe you. Then, Miss Kallen, what exactly did you come to Dreamflux Reef for?"
But this time, Kallen was plainly annoyed by the question.
Honestly, man, I've explained myself several times already. Why are you still stuck on this?
Gallagher seemed to realize his phrasing was off, and gave a dry cough.
Actually, having someone who called herself a Nameless come looking for Mikhail wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
After all, the old man's final wish had been that he bring the Astral Express here no matter what.
Maybe he could use this woman to help him find the real Nameless of the Express.
So Gallagher asked again,
"Miss Kallen, can you tell me why you're looking for Mikhail?"
And Kallen answered instantly.
"As a Galaxy Ranger, naturally I've come here to punish evil and uphold justice!"
"Punish evil and uphold justice?"
Gallagher repeated the phrase, his tone indescribably complicated.
"Kid, you came to Dreamflux Reef to punish evil and uphold justice?"
No way. They had already been keeping such a low profile, and still someone had sniffed them out?
And you still say you weren't sent by the Family?!
Bang!
Chains shot out from Judah.
Kallen attacked in an instant, binding Gallagher on the spot.
What counted as evil, she knew perfectly well.
And now, as a Galaxy Ranger, someone actually dared question the purity of her sense of justice?
Then clearly, that person must be evil.
Gallagher immediately struggled when he found himself tied up.
But unfortunately for him, his strength was nowhere near enough to resist Kallen.
"You dared doubt me. Do you know you were wrong now?"
"…I do."
Kallen nodded in satisfaction and withdrew the chains.
"That's better. Mister, you need to understand one thing."
"In this world, you can doubt my motives. You can doubt my identity. But you absolutely cannot doubt my sense of justice as a Galaxy Ranger."
"I came here for one reason only: to crush the Family's conspiracy and return Penacony to peace!"
Gallagher rubbed at his wrists where the chains had bitten into him, grumbling inwardly.
Was there something wrong with this girl's brain?
But outwardly, he behaved himself. "I was presumptuous."
"Since that's the case, then Miss Kallen, could you at least tell me why you say you want to shatter the Family's conspiracy?"
"As soon as you tell me, I'll take you to Mikhail immediately."
In the next moment, Judah struck again, and Gallagher was tied up once more.
In the Flower Garden left behind by Mikhail in Dreamflux Reef, Kallen finally arrived before him.
Or rather, before Mikhail's remains.
"Mikhail is dead. He died decades ago," Gallagher said, now acting as narrator.
Kallen showed no surprise at all.
"All right. I know."
That was information she had already known.
"You're not curious how he died?" Gallagher couldn't help asking.
"I am," Kallen said without even turning around.
"But you just said he died decades ago. When someone's been dead for decades, how he died stops mattering. What matters is why he managed to hold on for so long."
Gallagher fell silent.
The way this girl spoke always felt off to him.
She looked no older than a teenager, yet what came out of her mouth sounded like the jaded wisdom of someone who had spent years crawling through the mud.
"He was waiting," Gallagher finally said.
"Waiting for the Astral Express to come back."
"For the Astral Express?" Kallen deliberately sounded puzzled.
"Wasn't he one of the Nameless? The Nameless never look back."
"And so he waited his whole life. And it never came," Gallagher said.
At that, Kallen turned around, standing with Mikhail's remains behind her, and looked at Gallagher.
"What about you? What are you waiting for?"
Gallagher did not answer immediately.
He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and rolled it between his fingers a couple of times, then seemed to think better of smoking in front of a girl and put it away again.
"Me?" He gave a self-mocking laugh.
"The old man told me to watch over this city, so I've watched over it. He told me to wait for the train, so I've kept waiting."
"But looks like I'm finally about to get what I was waiting for."
Kallen instantly took the opening. "Oh? You mean you've been waiting for me?"
Gallagher's face changed immediately. "I'm waiting for the Astral Express Nameless!"
"Tch. No fun."
Kallen rolled her eyes.
Then she pointed at the memoria bubble cradled in Mikhail's arms.
"What's that?"
Gallagher hesitated.
He really didn't want to answer her, but if he defied her again, he was genuinely afraid she'd blow Dreamflux Reef to pieces just because she had Emanator-level power.
In the end, he sighed.
"That's Mikhail's legacy. I checked what's inside before. There's nothing in it. Probably some kind of Trailblaze cipher."
"My guess is it holds something that only matters to the Nameless."
Hearing his deliberately careful explanation, Kallen arched a brow. "What? Afraid I'll steal it?"
Gallagher's old face flushed slightly. "No such thing."
"I'm just stating facts. You're not one of the Astral Express's official Nameless. Even if you took it, it would probably be the same for you as it was for me."
Kallen did not comment.
After all, she really had no particular interest in Mikhail's legacy.
"So now can you finally tell me," Gallagher said, "why you came to Dreamflux Reef and why you wanted to find Mikhail?"
His voice echoed through the empty garden, carrying a kind of exhausted patience.
He had asked her this question countless times already.
Hopefully this time, she would finally give him an answer.
"Mister," Kallen said suddenly.
"Hm?"
"What do you think Penacony is like now?"
Gallagher paused, clearly not expecting the question.
"What's it like? Drunk on luxury, rotting in pleasure," he said with a trace of mockery.
"The Family has trapped everyone here in beautiful dreams, making them think they have the whole world, when in reality they don't even have the right to choose."
"And do you think Mikhail would have liked Penacony the way it is now?"
Gallagher fell quiet.
He looked at Mikhail's remains. On that face, stripped long ago of any expression, there still seemed to linger a stubborn, unyielding resolve.
"No," he said at last.
"The reason he fell out with the Family back then was precisely because he didn't want Penacony to become what it is now."
"So isn't my purpose here obvious?" Kallen spread her hands.
"I've come to save Penacony on behalf of Trailblaze."
The air fell silent for about three seconds.
Gallagher looked at her the way one might look at someone who had escaped from a psychiatric ward.
"You?" he asked.
"Yes, me."
"On behalf of Trailblaze?"
"That's right, on behalf of Trailblaze."
"To save Penacony?"
"You done yet?" Kallen narrowed her eyes, one hand already resting on Judah.
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 150)
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 (Chapter190)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter225)
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 195
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 225
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 210
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 100
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 75
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 71
Checking In in Demon Slayer 75
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 35
The Uma Musume Who Became 15
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