Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Set Off! Everwinter Hill!

Nahida puffed out her cheeks, a distinct look of frustration crossing her delicate features as she realized Samuel was deliberately keeping her in suspense. “Can’t you just tell me directly?” she huffed.

Samuel merely shook his head, a faint, teasing smile playing on his lips. Seeing the little Dendro Archon’s cute, sulking expression, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair.

“Alright, alright,” Samuel conceded, his tone softening. “I’ll set up your classes and personal panels first.”

With a casual wave of his hand, the air shimmered, and a heavy, ancient-looking Class Stone Tablet materialized before the three gods.

Zhongli stepped forward, his amber eyes methodically scanning the glowing text of every available path. After a moment of quiet deliberation, he selected the [Cleric] class.

Venti, who had eagerly locked in the [Archer] class, blinked in genuine surprise. He leaned over, peering at Zhongli’s glowing interface. “Old man, you’re the Martial God of Teyvat! You’re actually passing up the [Warrior] class?”

Zhongli gave a slight nod, offering no immediate verbal defense. His reasoning was purely practical. He had taken a deep interest in the class’s potent healing capabilities. For millennia, the inescapable wear and tear of erosion had troubled him. He harbored a quiet hope that the restorative methods of an entirely different world might possess the power to treat, or perhaps even halt, that degradation.

Having reviewed the extensive list of options, Nahida turned her bright eyes up to Samuel. “Samuel, what class do you think suits me best?”

“Just choose [Magician Apprentice],” Samuel replied smoothly. “Given your natural affinities, this class is a perfect fit.”

Nahida nodded thoughtfully. “Mm, that aligns with my own deductions. Then I will choose [Magician Apprentice].”

With their paths locked in, the three gods opened their respective system panels.

Nahida immediately registered as a Dendro Magician. Her starting skill was [Wood Whisker Entanglement], an ability that allowed her to summon thick, elemental wooden vines from the earth to bind enemies and deal continuous damage.

Beside her, a rare look of pleasant surprise broke through Zhongli’s usual stoic composure. He read the description of his initial skill: [Purification]. It was a specialized technique designed to completely clear abnormal statuses and corruptions.

Venti peeked over Zhongli’s shoulder again, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “Old man, your skill doesn’t seem to have any offensive output. It might be a bit difficult for you to level up out there~”

“Zhongli, you can head over to the Elves to trade for some physical weapons,” Samuel interjected. “The craftsmanship of their armory is quite decent. However, since you lack quick-kill offensive skills, you’ll have to rely entirely on your own martial prowess to cut down monsters.”

Zhongli crossed his arms, entirely unbothered by the prospect. “No matter. Combat is already a daily occurrence for me.”

Samuel nodded in approval. “By the way, the Orc Tribe to the east has dispatched another small raiding unit. I’ve already instructed Herta to go intercept them. You three can tag along with her shortly and hunt some Goblins to grind your levels.”

The three gods accepted the task without hesitation.

Deep beneath the soil of the Elven Forest, the vast, complex root system of Irminsul pulsed with quiet life. Through those roots, Samuel remained perfectly aware of every falling leaf and shifting shadow within his domain.

A short while later, the sharp click of heels announced Herta’s arrival on the Source Continent. Trailing just behind her were two distinct figures: Screwllum and Ruan Mei.

Herta cast a brief, appraising glance at Zhongli’s trio before turning her attention back to Samuel. “Samuel, these two are Screwllum and Ruan Mei, fellow geniuses from the Society. Set up their classes and personal panels.”

Screwllum stepped forward, smoothly removing his elegant top hat to offer a refined, mechanical bow. “Respected Mr. Samuel, I am Screwllum. It is a deep pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Ruan Mei remained silent, her beautiful plum-blossom eyes fixed intently on Samuel. Having learned of his true identity as the reincarnation of Irminsul from Herta, her scientific curiosity was burning like a quiet inferno. She wanted nothing more than to dissect his biological makeup. However, Herta had strictly warned her beforehand: if she wanted Samuel to cooperate with any physical examinations, she needed to reach Level 20 first.

Forcing her intense curiosity down into the depths of her heart, Ruan Mei offered a polite, measured nod. “I am Ruan Mei.”

“Hello,” Samuel greeted them warmly.

He quickly generated the system interfaces for the two Geniuses. Following Herta’s lead, both Screwllum and Ruan Mei opted for the [Magician Apprentice] class.

With the administrative work concluded, Herta rallied her newly formed strike force. Accompanied by Nahida, Zhongli, Venti, Ruan Mei, Screwllum, and a small army of her mechanical puppets, she marched eastward to eradicate the Orc raiding party.

Watching them disappear into the treeline, Samuel stretched his arms and strolled toward the General Store. He intended to brew a fresh pot of tea and relax by the entrance. He was incredibly satisfied with this new life. Delegating the grueling monster-hunting to a roster of overpowered underlings while he reaped the Divine Power was simply the perfect arrangement.

Overworld, Belobog.

The biting wind howled through the iron barricades. This time, with Supreme Guardian-in-training Bronya personally escorting them, Stelle and the Astral Express crew bypassed the heavily fortified restricted zone without a single hitch.

In the original timeline, they had relied on Serval to smuggle them through the first half, only to end up in a brutal clash with Gepard at the final gate. But Gepard was a man of absolute military discipline. With Bronya acting as their guarantor, the Captain of the Silvermane Guards had no choice but to stand down.

Stopping at the massive steel gates that marked the threshold of Everwinter Hill, Gepard struck his chest in a crisp salute. “Commander Bronya, I’m afraid I cannot accompany you further. The Fragmentum monsters’ attacks have grown increasingly aggressive over the past few cycles. I must remain stationed here to hold the line.”

Bronya returned the nod, her expression resolute. “It’s alright, Gepard. Stay here and protect Belobog. When we return, this long hardship will finally pass.”

Gepard offered one last salute, his heavy armor clanking in the freezing wind, before ordering his Silvermane Guards to lock down the perimeter.

The ascent up the jagged mountain path of Everwinter Hill was brutal.

March 7th rubbed her arms vigorously, her breath pluming in the freezing air. “Ugh, this place just gets colder the higher we climb.”

“The dropping temperature proves we are getting closer and closer to the Stellaron,” Dan Heng stated, his spear held at the ready.

Stelle casually rested her baseball bat over her shoulder, glancing back at Bronya. “Bronya, that Gepard guy really follows your every word. He didn’t even bat an eye at us wanted criminals. We actually had to beat him up the first time we met him.”

“Gepard is an exceptionally excellent general,” Bronya replied softly. “He executes his orders with absolute strictness.”

Suddenly, Seele’s scythe flashed in the dim light as she dropped into a combat stance. “Careful! Fragmentum monsters ahead!”

Stelle squinted through the driving snow, spotting a small cluster of crystalline abominations blocking the path. She raised an eyebrow, a cocky grin spreading across her face. “Yoho~ The Stellaron only sent these small fries? Seems this supposed world-ending threat isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

Kicking off the frozen earth with explosive force, Stelle charged straight into the fray, her bat swinging in a lethal arc. The rest of the crew instantly followed her lead, their weapons flashing as they tore into the Fragmentum creatures.

High above the battlefield, perched on the absolute peak of Everwinter Hill, three figures watched the chaos unfold.

Welt, Furina, and Clorinde had secured an excellent vantage point. Furina lay flat on her stomach near the edge of the icy cliff, peering down at the flashing lights of combat with wide-eyed wonder.

“Wow~ Stelle and the others are really going for it!” Furina cheered, her dramatic flair entirely unbothered by the freezing altitude. “These monsters really aren’t up to much at all. Stelle is just swatting them away with a single swing!”

Clorinde stood a few paces back, her hand resting casually on the hilt of her blade, her sharp eyes scanning the snowy perimeter for any hidden threats.

Welt, however, was entirely distracted. His gaze was locked onto the colossal, frozen silhouette of the Engine of Creation looming over the mountain peak. The sheer mechanical scale of the ancient mecha fascinated him. He silently resolved to thoroughly research its schematics the moment this Stellaron business was concluded.

Down below, Stelle’s group pushed forward with aggressive momentum, carving a path straight through the blizzard until they finally reached the summit’s clearing.

Standing amidst the swirling snow and crackling Fragmentum energy was Cocolia.

The Supreme Guardian’s eyes narrowed as she spotted her adopted daughter standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the intruders. “Bronya… why are you with this group of wanted criminals?”

Bronya stepped forward, her voice trembling with a mixture of grief and desperate hope. “Mother, Stelle and the others are good people! The Stellaron is the root cause of our world’s suffering. Mother… please, wake up!”

Cocolia lowered her head. The wind whipped her hair around her face as a low, bitter laugh escaped her lips.

“Bronya… you haven’t seen the new world,” Cocolia whispered, her voice echoing with a chilling, fanatical devotion. “The new world is the only future for Belobog. But forget it. Forget it all. You must have been deeply deluded by these outsiders.”

She raised her hands, and the surrounding Fragmentum energy began to violently surge toward her. “Let me show you the true power of the new world. Only then will you understand its absolute beauty.”