Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Trio VS BronyaYou'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.

Forming her own team would ensure there was always someone reliable around to go adventuring and hunt monsters with.

Growing stronger quickly was the only tangible way out of the looming prophecy, the only way to truly save Fontaine. Since she wasn’t the real Hydro Archon—just a cursed human playing a desperate part—she would simply have to work hard, grind her levels, and improve herself until her strength matched the title!

Sitting across from her, Neuvillette and Clorinde were instantly unsettled by the revelation that the eccentric guests she had just hosted were intergalactic travelers.

Neuvillette took a slow, measured breath, his expression turning solemn. “Lady Furina, is what you just said true? Are those friends of yours genuinely from another world? This isn’t just one of your… jokes?”

Furina nodded, dropping her usual exaggerated flair for a moment of absolute seriousness. “Of course. I am absolutely certain. These past few days, I’ve been going to that other world every single day. There are methods there—systematic ways—to make one grow stronger at an incredible pace.”

Hearing this confirmed answer, Neuvillette finally understood. The pieces clicked into place. No wonder Lady Furina’s behavior had been so highly unusual lately, and the bizarre origin of that logic-defying ‘Flying Skateboard’ she had paraded around was now perfectly explained.

Clorinde adjusted her collar, her gaze sharp as she looked at her Archon. “Lady Furina, then what is the purpose of calling us here today?”

Furina crossed her legs with an elegant swish of her coattails and picked up her teacup, taking a delicate sip of black tea. “I plan to take both of you to the other world as well.”

With a mere thought, Furina handled her system interface and sent out the guild invitations.

Instantly, two glowing, translucent blue screens materialized in the air directly in front of the Iudex and the Champion Duelist.

`[Justice Adventure Team invites you to join. Accept/Decline]`

Neuvillette and Clorinde stared at the floating text, then looked back at Furina for an explanation.

Furina set her teacup down with a soft clink. “This is the Adventurers Guild I created. Join it first, as you can only cross over to the other world with me if you are part of my party. Go on, I’ll explain the rest of the details to you slowly.”

Trusting her, both of them reached out and tapped the ‘Accept’ prompt. The screens dissolved into particles of light, though neither felt any physical change in their bodies.

Neuvillette rested his gloved hands on his cane. “Lady Furina, what comes next?”

“Well then,” Furina smiled, “I’ll brief you on the basic precautions for the other side. First, it’s…”

For the next half hour, Furina enthusiastically laid out the mechanics of the Source Continent. She explained the LitRPG class system, the leveling mechanics, the enigmatic existence of Samuel, and the vast, star-faring universe that Stelle and the Astral Express crew hailed from.

Neuvillette fell into a deep silence. The sheer scale of this foreign cosmology was entirely novel to him; his draconic mind needed time to process and digest the implications of a multiverse governed by a gaming system.

Having finished her grand exposition, Furina clapped her hands together and stood up. She walked over to the plush sofa and scooped up Gentilhomme Usher, the blobby octopus summon currently sprawled out and fast asleep on the cushions.

“That’s all for today’s briefing!” she announced cheerfully. “Come to my quarters for breakfast tomorrow morning. After we eat, I’ll initiate the transfer and take you over.”

With that, Furina retreated to her bedroom to rest. Neuvillette and Clorinde remained seated in the quiet living room, the weight of the multiverse settling over them.

The next day arrived.

On the frozen world of Belobog, deep within a commercial district heavily corroded by the creeping frost of the Fragmentum.

“What is even going on?! They’re trying to arrest us for literally no reason.” Stelle panted, leaning against the crumbling brickwork of an abandoned cafe to catch her breath.

March 7th leaned on her bow, shrugging with practiced helplessness. “I’m already used to it. Getting chased by the local authorities happens in basically every other world we visit.”

Stelle’s lips twitched in deadpan annoyance. “I can’t get used to it. I haven’t even dug through their trash cans yet.”

Dan Heng kept his eyes on the frost-covered street, his grip tight on his polearm. “Let’s keep moving and get out of this district as quickly as possible. We’ve encountered multiple squads of Silvermane Guards trying to box us in along the way.”

Stelle and March nodded. They pushed off the wall, preparing to sprint down the next corridor of ice-rimed buildings.

Just as they stepped out of cover, the sharp crack of a rifle echoed through the frozen street. A high-caliber bullet tore through the air straight toward them.

Dan Heng reacted with blinding speed. He swept his Cloud-Piercer upward in a graceful arc, the lead catching the bullet mid-flight and cleanly splitting the projectile in two.

“Watch out!” he warned, dropping into a combat stance.

Stelle and March instantly drew their weapons, their casual demeanor vanishing.

From the swirling snow and Fragmentum mist, Bronya Rand stepped forward, her expression entirely devoid of warmth. Behind her marched a fully armed squad of Silvermane Guards, their halberds and shields locked in formation.

Bronya leveled her long rifle directly at the trio. “Surrender, you devious villains! You have nowhere left to run.”

Stelle weighed her trusty baseball bat in her hands, the metal gleaming with a faint, kinetic hum. “I didn’t want to get serious with you guys, but you asked for it.” She glanced back. “March, Dan Heng, use your skills. Let’s end this quickly.”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.

March and Dan Heng gave curt nods.

Seeing their refusal to yield, Bronya swept her hand forward. “Apprehend them!”

The Silvermane Guards let out a battle cry and charged.

Stelle took the initiative, sprinting straight into the vanguard. She vaulted off a frozen crate, bringing her bat down in a vicious arc toward the lead guard.

`[Heavy Strike!]`

The bat connected with the guard’s heavy shield. With a deafening clang, the sheer kinetic force shattered the guard’s stance, sending him skidding backward until he collapsed, entirely incapacitated. Stelle had deliberately pulled her punch; with her current system-enhanced physical strength, a full-power swing would have easily killed the man.

March 7th drew her bowstring back, the air around her rapidly dropping in temperature as Six-Phased Ice condensed at the arrow’s tip. She aimed toward the sky and released.

`[Precision Arrow!]`

The arrow shrieked upward, reaching its apex before bursting into a dazzling shower of solid ice constructs—specifically, a barrage of heavy, freezing rabbit plushies that rained down like artillery fire.

The icy projectiles slammed into the Silvermane Guards, cratering the frozen pavement. Every guard caught in the blast radius was instantly knocked out or pinned down by the freezing impact, groaning from the minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Dan Heng was a blur of motion. He wove through the remaining guards with fluid, lethal grace. His superb martial arts and precise footwork completely suppressed the soldiers, disarming and tripping them before they could even swing their halberds.

The battle was entirely one-sided. Seeing her squad decimated in seconds, Bronya gritted her teeth. She raised her rifle, tracked March’s movement, and pulled the trigger.

Before the bullet could reach the archer, Stelle flashed into the trajectory. She swung her baseball bat like a seasoned slugger, swatting the bullet out of the air with a shower of bright sparks.

March immediately capitalized on the defense, knocking an arrow and firing a counterattack.

Bronya sidestepped the freezing arrow with military precision, dropping to one knee as she aimed her rifle back at March, firing a rapid succession of shots.

Stelle stood her ground, her bat a whirling blur of metal. Sparks flew in every direction as she intercepted every single round, the rhythmic pinging echoing off the alley walls.

Bronya slammed her fist against the nearby brick wall in sheer frustration. “Damn it!”

“March, I’m going to catch her!” Stelle called out over the gunfire. “Cover me!”

“You got it!” March pivoted, firing suppressing shots at the few Silvermane Guards trying to flank them.

Stelle lowered her shoulder and charged straight at Bronya, aiming to capture the young commander and end the standoff. Dan Heng noticed her aggressive push and immediately shifted his position, sweeping his spear to knock away any guards attempting to intercept the Trailblazer.

In a matter of seconds, Stelle closed the distance.

Bronya fired a desperate shot at point-blank range. Stelle ducked under the barrel, spun on her heel, and swung her bat with calculated force.

`[Heavy Strike!]`

Just as the glowing bat was about to strike Bronya’s weapon from her hands, a strange, localized burst of energy suddenly erupted between them. The shockwave slammed into Stelle’s chest, knocking her violently backward.

Stelle hit the ground, boots skidding against the frost. Before she could even regain her balance and assess the new threat, several metallic canisters dropped from the rooftops above, clattering onto the pavement.

Hiss—

The canisters immediately vented thick, billowing clouds of yellow smoke. Stelle accidentally inhaled a single breath of the gas, and an overwhelming wave of dizziness instantly crashed through her skull. Her limbs turned to lead, and her vision blurred into dark spots.

In the final moment before she completely lost consciousness, a jovial, sleazy voice drifted through the fading chaos.

“Luckily Old Sampo was here, otherwise this situation would have been a real mess to clean up!”

Darkness took her.

More than three hours later, Stelle woke up groggily, her head pounding with a dull ache.

She blinked her eyes open, the harsh ceiling lights forcing her to squint. As her vision cleared, she found herself lying in a strange, dimly lit room. Looking around, it appeared to be a busy underground clinic, filled with occupied hospital beds and nurses rushing back and forth.

While Stelle was trying to sit up and piece together what had happened, a capable-looking woman with warm eyes and her ash-gray hair tied back walked over to her bedside.

“You’re awake,” the woman said softly, her voice carrying a soothing, professional tone. “Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?”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.