Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Astral Express! Departure!You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

After dinner, Furina eagerly stepped onto her newly acquired flying skateboard, fully intending to take a grand tour around the Court of Fontaine. The sleek, hovering contraption was simply far too much fun to leave sitting in a corner.

“I’m completely stuffed! I’m going out to play with my flying skateboard for a while!”

With a dramatic flourish, Furina leaned forward on the board and zoomed out of the Palais Mermonia, leaving a faint trail of light in her wake.

Standing quietly in the grand hall, Neuvillette watched her retreating figure, his expression unreadable as he fell into deep thought.

Time slipped into the next day.

On the bustling docking bay of the Herta Space Station, Asta and Arlan stood ready to see off the crew of the Astral Express. The station was still recovering, and cargo drones buzzed overhead, ferrying crates. There was only one final batch of supplies left to load. Once it was secured in the cargo hold, the Express would depart for its next destination across the stars.

Arlan tapped his datapad, looking up. “Miss Asta, the final batch of supplies will be here momentarily.”

Asta gave a slight nod, her posture relaxing just a fraction. She turned her attention to Himeko and Stelle.

“I really cannot thank you enough for your assistance this time,” Asta said, her tone filled with genuine gratitude. “If you hadn’t stepped in, the situation at the space station would have been catastrophically worse.”

Himeko offered a warm, elegant smile and shook her head. “You’re entirely welcome, Asta. By the way, where is Herta? Didn’t she mention she was coming to see us off?”

Stelle, who had been lingering nearby with her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, immediately perked up. “Yeah, exactly! My Galaxy Frog Hero is still with her. She told me last night she’d bring it back when she came to say goodbye today.”

Asta forced a polite, terribly strained smile. Damn it… it all comes back to that frog.

The sole reason Herta had decided to skip the farewell was precisely so she could keep that bizarre frog for her own research. Looking at Stelle’s expectant, slightly anxious face, Asta decided it was best to just rip the bandage off.

“Um… Stelle,” Asta began carefully. “Your frog might, perhaps, maybe not be coming back for the time being. Madam Herta is… still using it for her research.”

Stelle’s golden eyes widened in absolute horror. “What?! It’s not coming back? My frog! No! I have to go get it back right now. I was counting on that little guy to bring me back some epic loot!”

Before the chaotic Trailblazer could sprint back into the station, Himeko caught her by the collar, pulling her back with practiced ease.

“Stelle, I strongly advise against going,” Himeko said, her voice calm but firm. “It would just be a wasted trip. Knowing Herta, you wouldn’t even be able to get past the laboratory door. We can retrieve it the next time the Astral Express passes by the station, or… we can simply buy you another one.”

Stelle slumped, the fight draining out of her.

Seeing the girl’s utter devastation, Asta quickly interjected. “How about this, Stelle? Once Madam Herta is finally bored with the frog, I’ll personally have someone express-ship it to you. How does that sound?”

Stelle let out a long, dramatic sigh. “Alright… I guess that’s the only way. If I’d known she was going to kidnap it, I never would have showed it to her yesterday. I regret everything!”

Himeko chuckled softly, patting Stelle on the shoulder. “Alright, alright. Let’s get on the train. The last of the supplies have already been loaded.”

During their conversation, the cargo drones had finished their work. Dan Heng had already completed the inventory count and sent a brief confirmation message to Himeko’s phone.

Stelle and Himeko boarded the train, standing by the open doors to wave a final goodbye to Asta and Arlan.

As the doors sealed shut, it took Stelle a few minutes of sinking into the plush parlor car sofa to properly adjust her mood. However, the thought of Penacony—the legendary Planet of Festivities—was enough to wash away the last lingering traces of her annoyance over the kidnapped frog. It was supposed to be a paradise of fun.

Soon, Pom-Pom’s crisp voice crackled over the train’s intercom.

“Attention passengers! The Astral Express is about to depart. Please hold on tight and stay seated. Do not extend any part of your body outside the train. Commencing warp in 3, 2, 1! Departure!”

Stelle leaned against the window, watching the stars blur into streaks of brilliant light as the Express accelerated. The soft, rhythmic music playing in the parlor car filled the air, leaving her feeling deeply emotional.

‘What a crazy way to celebrate,’ she thought.

The experiences of the past few days felt entirely surreal—a sci-fi romantic adventure blending smoothly with the mechanics of a fantasy LitRPG world. It all felt a bit unreal, as if she were trapped in a vivid, highly detailed dream.

March 7th, who was currently standing in the dead center of the aisle, noticed Stelle staring blankly out the window.

“Hey! Stelle, what are you thinking about?”

Stelle blinked, shaking her head slightly. “Nothing much. It just feels very dreamlike.”

March 7th beamed, her hands on her hips. “I felt the exact same way when I first boarded the Express! Don’t worry, you’ll get totally used to it after a while.”

With that, March widened her stance, clenching her hands into determined fists as she braced her entire body. “Alright! This time, I will definitely stay on my feet!”and support the real translator.Read at elysianreads.com This is a stolen translation. You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Amidst March’s self-encouragement, the speed of the Astral Express breached the critical threshold and tore into the warp jump state.

Stelle saw a blinding flash of white light, followed instantly by a heavy wave of weightlessness that washed over her entire body, pressing her deep into the cushions.

Minutes ticked by. Slowly, the crushing sensation faded, and the blinding light outside the window receded.

Stelle rubbed her eyes, peering out the glass. Instead of a vibrant, neon-lit paradise, a massive, snow-white sphere loomed in the void. It looked utterly desolate.

“Is this… Penacony?” Stelle asked, tilting her head. “It doesn’t look like a very fun place at all.”

Dan Heng, standing nearby with his arms crossed, shook his head. “No. According to the coordinates in the Data Bank, this planet is called Jarilo-VI. However… its current state differs wildly from the records. This planet should be lush and full of life.”

A loud thud echoed through the car. March 7th groaned, rubbing her backside as she peeled herself off the floor.

“Ouch… my butt. I failed again! Next time, I swear I’ll succeed!” She paused, looking out the window. “Huh? Are we there? Why does the vibe feel so off?”

The parlor car doors slid open, and Himeko, Welt, and Pom-Pom walked in.

Pom-Pom looked up at the crew, his long ears drooping slightly. “We’ve encountered an unexpected situation. The star rail ahead is completely unstable. The Astral Express has made an emergency stop, and the recovery period is indefinite.”

Stelle blinked. Indefinite?

Seeing Stelle’s dumbfounded expression, March 7th sighed. “Looking at the situation, it’s probably a Stellaron causing trouble again, right?”

At the mention of a Stellaron causing trouble, Stelle flinched, her hand subconsciously flying to her chest where her own Stellaron rested.

Noticing her panic, Welt adjusted his glasses and offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Stelle. This anomaly wasn’t caused by the Stellaron inside you. Your internal readings are perfectly stable.”

Stelle let out a massive breath, dropping her hand. Thank the Aeons it wasn’t her fault.

Himeko stepped forward, looking at the frozen world below. “This rogue Stellaron must be located on Jarilo-VI. According to the Data Bank, this was once a thriving world. For it to become a frozen wasteland… it is highly likely the work of the Cancer of All Worlds. Stelle, Dan Heng, March 7th. I want to entrust this Trailblaze expedition to you three.”

The trio exchanged glances and nodded in unison, immediately moving to prepare for planetary descent.

Two hours later.

The biting wind howled through a jagged valley on the snowfields of Jarilo-VI. Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th crunched through the thick snow, finally arriving at the glowing beacon left behind by the nameless Trailblazers of the past.

Before they could even inspect it, the surrounding snow erupted.

Several Fragmentum monsters lunged from the drifts, ambushing them head-on.

Dan Heng’s eyes narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his polearm, the Cloud-Piercer, its blade catching the pale light. “Careful!”

Stelle gripped her trusty baseball bat, her eyes locking onto a flock of bird-like creatures crackling with volatile purple lightning. They shrieked, diving straight for her.

`[Heavy Strike]`!

Stelle swung her bat in a brutal, upward arc. Enhanced by the system skill, the kinetic force of the blow doubled in an instant. The bat connected with a deafening crack, shattering the Thunderbird into crystalline fragments before the creature could even let out a death rattle.

A few yards away, March 7th drew her bow, her crystalline arrow nocked and drawn taut as she focused her breathing.

`[Precision Arrow]`!

The bowstring snapped forward. The arrow tore through the freezing air, piercing cleanly through the cores of three fiery Fragmentum birds in a single, devastating line.

Dan Heng didn’t even bother activating his advanced skills; monsters of this caliber simply weren’t worth the energy. The Cloud-Piercer danced in his hands, a blur of deadly, sweeping arcs that effortlessly dismantled the remaining creatures.

Under the overwhelming, coordinated assault of the trio, the entire flock of Fragmentum monsters was reduced to fading dust in less than thirty seconds.

Stelle lowered her bat, casually kicking a chunk of crystallized Thunderbird at her feet.

“Well,” she muttered, adjusting her jacket against the cold. “They look pretty scary, but they go down awfully easy.”You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.