Chapter 440: Coaxing Pom-Pom to Trailblaze
No one noticed that while Section Chief Miyabi's focus was razor-sharp and the power within her body surged ceaselessly alongside the biting "Tailless" chill, the Qingxin jade pendant at her waist—a gift from Wise—was undergoing an extremely subtle, imperceptible transformation in direct response to her rising fighting spirit.
Up in the spectator stands, Asaba Harumasa sat in a state of absolute numbness. His jaw was practically glued to the floor.
First, there was Stelle, who had completely shattered Miyabi's ultimate technique head-on with sheer brute force. Now, this new Traveler—Lumine—was casually juggling five different elemental energies in a blinding, flashy display, wielding some bizarre devouring ability that defied all logic.
The corner of Harumasa's mouth twitched. A deep sense of absurdity washed over him.
Miyabi was, after all, the undisputed ace of Hollow Special Operations Section 6. She was a recognized Void Hunter-level combatant in New Eridu, a living legend who never failed to suppress Hollow disasters or hunt down high-risk criminals.
How was it that against this bizarre group of otherworldly visitors, she was struggling? One by one, these strangers seemed completely in control. Some even held the upper hand.
Harumasa's gaze drifted across the rest of the spectators.
There was the unfathomable Zhongli, respectfully addressed simply as "Mr." by the others, watching the destructive battle with the calm demeanor of an old man admiring flowers. There was Paimon, a floating mascot who could somehow save lives with a magical wrench and moved with such terrifying speed it felt like time itself had stopped. And then there was Dan Heng, radiating a quiet, unshakable steadiness, who had just stepped out with Stelle.
Are Void Hunter-level fighters from other worlds sold in bulk or something? A sarcastic thought bubbled up unbidden.
It felt like picking anyone at random from this bizarre crew would result in a fighter capable of trading blows with Miyabi—or worse, overpowering her entirely.
Harumasa's train of thought pivoted sharply. His eyes darted toward Wise and Belle, who were sitting just a few seats away, leaning forward and completely engrossed in the arena screen.
If this monstrously strong group of outworlders was so closely tied to Wise and Belle... could this pair of siblings really just be "ordinary Proxies"?
Hanging around a circle of absolute powerhouses, absorbing their insights, witnessing their battles, and likely receiving private guidance—there was zero chance the siblings were weak. Harumasa replayed their usual humble deflections in his head. 'We're just technical Proxies, we're not very good at fighting.'
Was that just a massive understatement? A deliberate smokescreen?
Feeling like he had just stumbled onto a massive blind spot, Harumasa quietly scrutinized their side profiles. Wise's analytical eyes tracked every movement on the screen, while Belle's expression was unusually serious, soaking in the combat data.
Wise and Belle absolutely felt the burning, inquisitive stare drilling into the backs of their heads.
Yet, neither of them turned around. They simply stared harder at the screen, projecting an aura of intense concentration.
Some things were better left unexplained. Maintaining the status quo and playing dumb was the safest strategy. They had zero intention of drawing unnecessary heat just because Harumasa's imagination was running wild.
Seeing no reaction, Harumasa realized his staring was getting a bit too obvious. He casually averted his eyes, clearing his throat quietly. He knew this was all just speculation. He had no hard proof.
If the chance arises... maybe I can test the waters in private, he mused, burying the suspicion deep in his mind before returning his focus to the dazzling elemental explosions in the arena.
Meanwhile, in the sprawling main corridor of the base.
Stelle marched briskly toward the exit, Dan Heng trailing a half-step behind. Her mind was already running complex mathematical equations on exactly how many Gear Coins she could harvest from the Hollows today.
But as they passed a designated rest area, Stelle's sharp golden eyes caught a flash of familiar colors.
It was Pom-Pom. The fluffy Conductor was gripping a cleaning brush that was nearly the same size as its own body, scrubbing furiously at a shiny metallic sign on the corridor wall. It looked exactly like the daily maintenance routine back on the Parlor Car.
Stelle slammed on the brakes. Her boots squeaked against the floor tiles. Her face contorted into a masterful blend of helplessness, amusement, and sheer tragic heartbreak.
She dropped into a crouch right next to the busy rabbit-like creature, clutching her chest. "Pom-Pom! My sweet, hardworking Pom-Pom! You clean and organize the Express every single day, always busy with this and that."
"Now that we've finally landed in such a magical new world, with so many novel sights to see and thrilling activities to join, you're still stuck here scrubbing walls?! What a tragic waste of a trip, Pom-Pom!"
Pom-Pom paused mid-scrub. The Conductor looked up, long ears twitching in genuine confusion. "But keeping the environment tidy is the Conductor's sacred duty! No matter where we are, a clean and orderly space makes people feel happy, Pom!"
"Oh, details, details! The dust isn't going anywhere!" Stelle grabbed Pom-Pom by the shoulders, her voice dripping with dramatic encouragement. "There are far more important, universe-shaking things waiting for us right now!"
"Look, Dan Heng and I are about to dive into a Hollow and make an absolute fortune in Gear Coins! But, as you know, the terrain inside a Hollow is incredibly complex. The evacuation points shift, the routes scramble, the math is a nightmare..."
Stelle's eyes practically glowed with a dangerous, brilliant light. The ultimate scheme had formed in her chaotic brain.
A bright, overwhelmingly sycophantic smile stretched across her face. Her tone dropped into a honeyed, gentle purr.
"Pom-Pom~ You are the smartest, most capable, and absolute best route planner in the cosmos! You map out the Astral Express's stellar jumps flawlessly! Calculating a tiny little Hollow evacuation route would be an absolute piece of cake for someone of your caliber! Come on, drop the brush! Come play in the Hollows with us..."
"Wait, no, I mean—come execute a critical 'Trailblaze Mission'! You can be our official 'Navigator'! Guide us to the high-value resource nodes! How about it? It beats wiping down a boring sign, right? Right?!"
Without waiting for an answer, Stelle snatched Pom-Pom's little paw and started dragging the Conductor toward the exit. Over her shoulder, she shot Dan Heng a frantic, wide-eyed look that clearly screamed: Back me up here!
Dan Heng silently averted his gaze. He tilted his head back, suddenly finding the base's ceiling lighting structure utterly fascinating. He knew all too well that Stelle wouldn't be satisfied with just dragging him along to watch her cause chaos; she needed an accomplice. He was staying out of this.
Stumbling along behind Stelle, Pom-Pom's voice wavered with heavy hesitation. "Go to the Hollow... be a Navigator... guide the route... but the cleaning here isn't finished yet, Pom-Pom..."
"We'll scrub it together when we get back! I swear on my baseball bat!" Stelle promised with absolute, unshakeable confidence, continuing to haul the fluffy Conductor down the hall. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Pom-Pom! Don't you want to personally Trailblaze? To experience the thrill of an otherworldly Void? Don't you want to gather exclusive data and local specialties for the Express? This is the very essence of the Trailblaze!"
The heavy, sacred invocation of "The Trailblaze" struck a chord. Under Stelle's relentless coaxing, a spark of fiery determination ignited in Pom-Pom's round eyes.
Pom-Pom puffed out its chest, trying desperately to make its high-pitched voice sound stern and authoritative. "The cleaning work... can be postponed. Passenger Stelle, Passenger Dan Heng, please ensure you focus on safety and strictly follow the Hollow exploration protocols, Pom!"
"Don't worry, don't worry! With our brilliant Conductor here, we'll be the safest, most efficient team out there!" Stelle grinned from ear to ear, practically vibrating with excitement. This was her first time dragging the Conductor into the field, and her confidence in looting the Hollow dry had just skyrocketed.
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