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ArabicHonkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Echoes of Chaos
“Heavy Strike!”
Stelle swung her wooden sword in a brutal downward arc. The blade connected with a sickening thud, carving a solid chunk out of the Goblin’s health bar.
[Heavy Strike dealt 50 DMG.]
The creature shrieked, its remaining HP plummeting by half. Enraged, it hoisted a crude spiked club and lunged. Stelle didn’t flinch. She pivoted on her heel, bringing her blade up in a swift backhand parry that deflected the clumsy strike with a sharp crack of splintering wood. Using her superior momentum, she delivered a firm shove to the creature’s chest.
The Goblin stumbled backward, its stubby legs failing to find purchase on the dirt floor.
“Take another one!” Stelle pressed the advantage, stepping forward and cleaving the air with her weapon.
The final blow struck true. The Goblin’s health bar shattered into empty glass, and its grotesque form dissolved into a shower of pixelated light.
[Congratulations on killing a LV.1 Goblin. Gained 5 EXP.]
Stelle let out a breath, resting the flat of the blade against her shoulder. She was Level 2 now, which meant the experience yield from these low-tier mobs had dropped drastically. Still, her clearing speed had skyrocketed. As long as her skills connected, she could wipe them out in seconds.
She scanned the clearing. The immediate vicinity was completely devoid of green-skinned nuisances. Rustling leaves heralded the arrival of Furina and March 7th, both jogging into the area.
Furina brushed an imaginary speck of dust from her pristine outfit, her chin tilted upward in a picture-perfect display of aristocratic pride. “Hmph~ Tiny Goblins, handled with absolute ease. Truly, they are no match for my flawless technique.”
March bounded up right behind her, bow in hand. “Exactly, exactly! I can take them out in just two arrows now. The stat boost from leveling up is insane. Think about yesterday—we practically had to dogpile just one of them!”
Stelle opened her mouth to agree, but the words died in her throat. Just beyond the tree line, standing completely still, was Samuel. His usual relaxed demeanor was entirely absent, replaced by a cold, hard stare.
Suspended in the air before him was a lone Goblin, tightly bound by thick, glowing vines. The creature was thrashing wildly, spitting a stream of guttural, vicious screeches directly at Samuel’s face.
The sheer hostility radiating from the scene drew the girls’ attention immediately. They hurried over.
Stelle bumped Samuel’s shoulder lightly with her own. “Oi, Samuel. What’s the deal? You look like someone stole your trash can.”
Samuel blinked, the icy edge in his eyes melting away as he turned to look at her. He offered a faint shake of his head. “It’s nothing. Just ran into something… irritating.”
Without breaking eye contact with Stelle, he gave a mental command. The glowing vines constricted with a sickening crunch. The Goblin’s screams were cut short as it instantly burst into fragments of light.
“Are you guys planning to keep hunting?” Samuel asked, his tone perfectly even.
Stelle shook her head, eyeing the spot where the Goblin had just vanished. “Nah, I’m good. I wiped out ten of them today. That’s enough currency to buy the Travel Frog. Let’s see what the others think.”
Himeko, who had just stepped into the clearing with Welt, offered a gentle smile. “Let’s call it a day. We should head back and rest.”
A chorus of agreement followed, and the group turned back toward the settlement.
The walk back through the forest was quiet. Soon, they arrived at the Star Adventurer Group Station, settling into the rustic wooden chairs scattered across the first-floor lobby.
Stelle leaned over the table, keeping her voice low. “Himeko, did you notice? Samuel’s mood totally tanked back there.”
Himeko nodded slowly, her amber eyes reflecting deep thought. “I did. He was hiding it well, but something clearly unsettled him.”
March propped her chin on her hands. “Why don’t we just ask him? We’re a team now. If something’s bugging him, we can totally help out!”
Furina crossed her arms, nodding vigorously. “A brilliant suggestion! As his esteemed companions, it is our duty to share his burdens. Let us go inquire at once.”
Himeko considered it for a brief second before standing up. “Alright. Let’s go.”
They left the cozy confines of the station, tracing the winding paths of the settlement until they reached the massive, glowing roots of Irminsul. There, bathed in the ethereal blue light of the World Tree, sat Samuel.
Stelle broke into a light jog. “Samuel!”
Hearing his name, he turned. A genuine, albeit tired, smile touched his lips as he saw the Astral Express crew and the Hydro Archon approaching. “Why are you all out here? I thought you were heading in to rest.”
March skipped right up to him, hands on her hips. “Because we were worried about you, obviously! On the walk back, you were completely zoned out. Your bad mood was practically written in bold letters across your forehead.”
A quiet warmth spread through Samuel’s chest. In his previous life, he hadn’t been deprived of affection, but having these legendary figures genuinely fret over his well-being was a uniquely comforting feeling.
“It’s really nothing major,” Samuel sighed, leaning back against the glowing bark. “I just heard some rather unpleasant news from that Goblin.”
Welt adjusted his glasses, his expression turning serious. “Bad news? If you’re willing to share, we might be able to find a solution together.”
Samuel glanced toward the General Store a short distance away. “It’s a long story. Let’s grab a seat by the store entrance. I’ll explain everything.”
A few minutes later, Stelle was dragging out several small folding stools from the shop’s inventory. She arranged them in a rough circle on the grass, plopping down and staring at Samuel with wide, expectant eyes.
Samuel took a breath, letting the ambient hum of the World Tree center him. “Once, this place was a prosperous world…”
For the next half hour, the air grew heavy as Samuel recounted the lost history of the Source Continent. It was a history etched into the very roots of Irminsul, memories he had inherited upon his reincarnation.
He spoke of an era where Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, and Humans coexisted, all united in their reverence for the World Tree. The peace lasted until the day ‘Chaos’ tore through the sky. A flood of nightmarish monsters spilled into the realm.
The previous incarnation of Irminsul had rallied the continent’s inhabitants, leading a desperate resistance. The war was brutal, but they were holding the line—until the Orcs turned their coats. Seduced by dark power, the Orcs struck a deal with Chaos, shattering the alliance from within.
“Now,” Samuel murmured, his gaze distant, “the entire continent is essentially Orc territory. The surviving races are scattered, barely scraping by in the forgotten corners of the world.”
He looked back at the group. “The reason I lost my temper earlier was because of what that specific Goblin was screaming. It recognized my aura. It knew I was the current Irminsul. It was threatening to report my location so the Lord of Chaos could bring an army to slaughter me all over again.”
“That is the nature of Chaos,” he finished quietly. “They exist only to invade other worlds, consume them, and drag them into their domain.”
March’s hands curled into fists, her eyes blazing with indignation. “Wow! I am so angry right now! Those Orcs are absolute scum for betraying you! That settles it—from now on, it’s on sight. I’m not letting a single Goblin walk away!”
Furina slammed her hand against her knee, her theatrical flair fueled by genuine outrage. “Exactly! Treachery is the most unforgivable of sins! They shall face the ultimate judgment!”
While the girls fumed, Welt and Himeko exchanged a grim look. Their minds were already dissecting the broader implications.
“Samuel,” Welt began, his voice low and measured. “Can you elaborate on this ‘Chaos’?”
Samuel met his gaze. “I can, and I should. Because Chaos isn’t just a local problem. They are the ultimate evil across ten thousand realms. Their sole purpose is to conquer and assimilate. In the future… your worlds might find themselves in their crosshairs.”
Himeko’s brow furrowed, a shadow falling over her elegant features. “A force capable of targeting entire worlds… they must possess unimaginable strength. If they were to invade our universe, I wonder if even the Aeons could stop them.”
Samuel let out a soft chuckle, the sound dry and carrying a weight of hidden knowledge. “Don’t worry too much. Even if the Aeons struggle, there are entities far above them. In your reality, the Aeons are not the absolute ceiling.”
Welt’s eyes widened slightly behind his lenses. “Oh? You seem to possess a rather deep understanding of our universe, Samuel.”
Samuel smiled. Of course I do, he thought. I played every single Hoyoverse game to completion before I died.
Naturally, he couldn’t say that out loud.
“I know enough,” Samuel replied smoothly. “But it’s not convenient to explain right now. For your own peace of mind, it’s better to stay in the dark for a little longer. Just remember this: Aeons aren’t the end of the line. If anything, they are merely the beginning.”
The casual dismissal only poured gasoline on the fire of their curiosity. Welt, Himeko, Stelle, and March stared at him, completely hooked.
March grabbed Samuel’s arm, shaking it with exaggerated desperation. “Samuel, come on! You can’t just drop a cliffhanger like that! Tell us! If you don’t, I swear I’m going to be tossing and turning all night!”