Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Dragon Knight! Eagle Knight! Armor Up!

Stelle’s eyes widened as she scrolled through the item’s introduction on the shop interface. A sharp gasp escaped her lips.

“Whoa! Look at this thing!”

She wasn’t the only one captivated. Welt Yang maintained his signature stoic expression, calmly pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, but beneath that composed exterior, his soul was screaming. An Armor Summoner! It was the ultimate romance for any man of culture.

Bronya glanced at the price tag and immediately shook her head, her practical nature taking over. “Ten silver coins? That is absurdly expensive. Do you realize that amount of money could purchase ten thousand kilograms of rice?”

Furina waved a dismissive hand, turning her nose up at the metallic belts on display. “Hmph. It lacks elegance. I prefer things with a bit more… adorable flair. Not this clunky metal.”

Stelle and March 7th, however, were already frantically emptying their pockets, counting the silver coins on the counter. Nineteen. They were exactly one short.

March sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “You buy it first, Stelle. I’ll just go grind some more monsters and come back when I have enough. We still have a week, anyway.”

A silver coin suddenly flicked through the air, landing on the counter with a crisp clink. Herta stood nearby, her arms crossed and her expression entirely unbothered.

Stelle’s eyes sparkled as she looked over. “Herta? I didn’t expect you to be so generous! You really are a saint~” She reached out to pat the genius on the shoulder.

Herta slapped the hand away without hesitation. “Don’t flatter yourself. That is compensation. I forgot to mention—your little frog didn’t survive the latest experiment. It’s dead.”

The words hit Stelle like a physical blow. Her brain stalled. The glorious title of Galaxy Frog Hero shattered in her mind, leaving her frozen on the spot.

‘Dead… dead… dead.’

It wasn’t until March patted her back in a comforting rhythm that Stelle finally snapped out of her stupor. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head. “Herta! Give me back my frog! Waaaah! My baby! You died such a miserable death!”

Outside the General Store, Seele paused, hefting her scythe over her shoulder. She blinked in absolute confusion at the dramatic wailing echoing from within. “Huh? Her baby? Stelle has a child? There’s no way, right?”

Furina leaned out the doorway, crossing her arms with a heavy sigh. “She means her frog. She called it her baby. It’s the little amphibian she bought earlier. I have one too.”

Seele let out a long breath, shaking her head. “I see. Outworlders are weird.”

Back inside, Herta watched the Trailblazer sobbing on the floor and pinched the bridge of her nose. She pulled out two more silver coins and dropped them onto the counter. “I’ll add two more. Are we done here?”

The crying stopped instantly. Stelle wiped a completely dry, forced tear from her eye, scooped up the coins, and flashed a brilliant grin. “Hehe~ For the sake of two extra silver coins, you are completely forgiven.”

Herta rolled her eyes at the shameless display and walked out of the store.

With their funds secured, Stelle and March happily purchased the two transformation devices. Stelle immediately claimed the Dragon Knight, while March eagerly took the Eagle Knight.

A few steps away, Welt stared at the three meager silver coins resting in his palm. For the first time in his life, he felt the crushing weight of poverty. The item of his dreams was right there, yet utterly out of reach. The powerlessness was staggering.

To make matters worse, Stelle and March marched to the entrance, striking deliberate, exaggerated poses right in his line of sight.

“Dragon Knight! Armor up!”

“Eagle Knight! Armor up!”

A burst of dazzling light erupted. Holographic data rings swirled around them, snapping sleek, high-tech armor onto their bodies with a satisfying mechanical click. Stelle pulled out her phone to check her reflection, grinning at the crimson and gold plating. “This is… way too cool!”

March threw a few rapid-fire shadow boxes, her azure armor humming with kinetic energy. “So light! I feel like I could punch a dinosaur!”

Welt watched the display in absolute silence. He turned on his heel and began walking briskly toward the western hunting grounds.

‘Earn money. Buy armor.’

More than half an hour later, the plaza had quieted down. Only Samuel and the three little elves remained near the center of the city.

Looking at Anviel, a thought suddenly crossed Samuel’s mind. Since Anviel had managed to survive in the wild, could there be other surviving elves hidden deep within the Elven Forest?

He beckoned the small elf over. “Anviel, come here for a moment.”

Anviel immediately trotted over, her long ears twitching attentively. “Lord Sacred Tree, do you have a task for Anviel?”

Samuel shook his head gently. “No task. I just wanted to ask—have you seen any other elves in the Elven Forest during your time there?”

Anviel tilted her head, her brow furrowing as she dug through her memories. “Anviel isn’t entirely sure. Over the years, Anviel has indeed found traces of other clansmen in the forest. However… Anviel has never actually seen any of them in person.”

Samuel nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place. It seemed there were indeed surviving members of the Elf Clan scattered out there. The reason Anviel had only found traces and never the people themselves was obvious: they were hiding from the orcs. The tracks Anviel had stumbled upon were likely just signs those fleeing elves had forgotten to sweep away.

Since they were his people, he absolutely had to bring them back. He decided he would instruct Stelle and the others to keep an eye out during their hunting trips. If they could find the hidden elves, excellent. If not, it wasn’t a pressing issue.

Once Task 3 was completed, he would unlock the power of Creation. At that point, he could simply expend divine power to create new elves from scratch. A sprawling city-state with only a handful of residents was far too empty.

, Samuel had been considering having Stelle, Furina, and the others invite more people over from their respective worlds. He specifically wanted the heavy hitters and elites from their stories—figures like Jing Yuan, Zhongli, Venti, Lumine, and Jingliu.

Little did he know, two of those very names were already making their move.

Far away, across the boundaries of worlds, upon the Teyvat continent.

In Liyue, within a quiet pavilion perched atop the misty peaks of Mt. Tianheng, the Geo Archon Morax—currently using the mortal pseudonym Zhongli—sat alone, calmly sipping a cup of freshly brewed tea.

“Barbatos,” Zhongli spoke to the empty air, his voice deep and measured. “Since you are here, you might as well show yourself.”

A gentle, playful breeze swept through the pavilion, carrying the scent of Cecilia flowers. Venti materialized beside the stone table, a bright smile on his face. “Old man! Long time no see.”

Zhongli set his teacup down, his amber eyes studying the bard. “After all these years, you have finally awakened. The injuries you sustained during the cataclysm in Khaenri’ah were quite severe.”

Venti casually picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup, taking a long sip. “Well, I’m not as sturdy as you, old man. Isn’t it perfectly normal for someone like me to get a little banged up?”

Zhongli did not rise to the bait. “What brings you to Liyue this time?”

Venti leaned forward, his playful demeanor shifting into something slightly more serious. “Old man, have you been following the situation over in Fontaine lately?”

Zhongli paused. Fontaine? Had the nation of justice encountered a crisis? “No. I have not paid attention to matters outside of Liyue’s borders for a long time. Did something happen there?”

Venti chuckled, though his eyes remained sharp. “Let me tell you some massive news. Fontaine is currently hosting a rather large group of visitors from beyond the heavens!”

Zhongli’s brow furrowed slightly. “Is this true?”

Venti nodded, all traces of his usual joking gone. “Absolutely. I personally witnessed the Hydro Archon, Furina, receiving these outworlders. I even managed to find an opportunity to chat with one of them myself.”

Zhongli fell into deep thought, his fingers lightly tapping the stone table. A group of otherworldly visitors suddenly appearing in Fontaine… it was impossible to say whether their arrival heralded fortune or disaster. The winds were rising in Teyvat, and these were troubled times. He only sought to protect Liyue and generally preferred not to interfere in the affairs of the other nations.

Venti watched his old friend’s silent deliberation. “So, old man? Do you want to take a trip to Fontaine with me to see for yourself?”

Zhongli pondered the invitation for a long moment. The balance of the world was fragile. Finally, he nodded. “Fine. I will accompany you.”

He needed to personally investigate the background of these outworlders and, most, uncover their true purpose for descending upon Teyvat. As long as they posed no threat to Liyue, he would leave them be.

Venti grinned, finishing his tea in one gulp. “Excellent! When do we set off?”

Zhongli looked out over the sprawling harbor below, his expression calm and calculating. “There is no rush. I will have the Tianquan arrange for a Liyue merchant guild to travel to Fontaine. We shall hide ourselves among their ranks and investigate from the shadows first.”