Honkai Star Rail: My Chat Group is Full of Broken Timelines — Chapter 63

Chapter 63: A New Path for Glamoth

The soft glow of holographic displays in the administrative hall painted the long, distorted shadows of three figures against the far wall.

AR-214, the ever-efficient android, projected a holographic star map onto the central table, its light shimmering in front of Kazuki. On the map, the countless green dots representing The Swarm were being steadily consumed by advancing lines of silvery-white. The great purge of Glamoth’s internal blight was nearing its conclusion. The next question was what came after—how the Republic would step back onto the galactic stage, reborn.

“Prince Consort,” AR-214’s synthesized voice was as calm and steady as ever, “once we have cleared the last of the vermin from our territory, what is our next move? Where should we go from here?”

An old archive file materialized beside the star map. It was a record from before the Glamoth Republic had developed its Iron Cavalry. Back then, Glamoth was just a minor civilization within the Interstellar Peace Corporation’s vast trade network, scraping by on mineral exports. It was precisely to gain more influence within that corporate system that their parliament had gambled on creating the Iron Cavalry—a decision that ultimately attracted The Swarm and turned Glamoth into a forgotten, isolated island in the sea of stars.

Kazuki tapped a thoughtful finger on the iconic logo of the Interstellar Peace Corporation. “My suggestion,” he said after a moment, “is to re-sign a trade agreement with the Corporation.”

He looked up, meeting the gazes of Firefly and AR-214. “You might not be familiar with the finer points of galactic politics,” Kazuki began, his tone that of a patient teacher, “but in this river of stars, the Corporation’s trade network is the closest thing there is to an invisible, universal law. As long as Glamoth doesn’t want to make an enemy of the entire galaxy, you have to establish a good relationship with them.”

Firefly’s brow furrowed, a flicker of old bitterness in her eyes. “But they stood by and did nothing. They watched as The Swarm besieged us, and they didn’t offer so much as a single ship in aid.”

“It wasn’t that they didn’t want to,” Kazuki corrected gently. “It was that, from their perspective, it was unnecessary.” He elaborated, seeing their confusion. “The Corporation is a hydra, riddled with internal factions. Departments like Market Development and Strategic Investment would celebrate each other’s failures. To them, the old Glamoth was just another barren star system with no real profit margin. Helping you offered no return on investment, so they simply… couldn’t be bothered. But now,” he paused, his gaze drifting toward the window where the Iron Cavalry drilled in disciplined formations, “now things are different.”

“You have Firefly, whose combat prowess is on par with an Emanator. You have this new generation of Iron Cavalry, free from the old side effects, turning your entire populace into a potential fighting force. In the eyes of the Corporation, it’s as if a legendary, sword-wielding master has suddenly appeared out of nowhere. No one would dare provoke you lightly. After they finish assessing your strength, their first instinct will be to curry favor, not to suppress you.”

The sound of a stylus gliding across a light screen was sharp and clear in the quiet hall as AR-214 diligently recorded Kazuki’s analysis. “You mean we need not worry about being ostracized by the galactic community?”

“For the most part, no,” Kazuki nodded. Then, a specific thought made him raise a cautionary finger. “However, there is one faction you must avoid at all costs—the Market Development Department.”

Mentioning them brought an old, exasperated memory to mind. He thought of a certain “former Trailblazer” associated with that department. If Aha blowing up the Astral Express only put him and Akivili in a joint running for the two worst Trailblazers in history, letting that guy on the train would have probably made even Pom-Pom cry. It was a proof of just how much of a scoundrel the man was.

“Then which faction should we approach?” Firefly asked. Though the intricacies of galactic affairs were new to her, she listened with rapt attention, absorbing every word.

“The Strategic Investment Department.” Kazuki pulled up the department’s public information file. “Their current head, a man known only as ‘Diamond,’ built his career and rose to power by resolving Swarm Disasters across several star systems. You and they already share common ground. More, this department is pragmatic; their entire philosophy is built on ‘return on investment.’ We help the galaxy purge the vermin, and they provide the resource support to do it. It’s a win-win.”

“Then, Prince Consort,” AR-214 posed the most critical question of all, “which Aeon should we follow?”

In the vast expanse of the galaxy, a faction of any significance had to walk a Path, to follow an Aeon. It was an unspoken rule. Minor factions could get by with a more eclectic approach. Before the Aeon Lan appeared, for instance, the Xianzhou ships had worshipped a pantheon of Aeons, with Preservation and Abundance being the mainstream faiths. It was why Preservation held a special, deified status on the Xianzhou, on par with Lan himself, while other Aeons were merely respected as Heavenly Lords.

The Glamoth Iron Cavalry were, by their very nature, born as Pathstriders of Propagation. Their entire existence was a war against The Swarm. But how could they possibly follow Tayzzyronth, the long-dead Aeon of Propagation?

“The Aeons… that is indeed the core of the problem,” Kazuki mused. “In this universe, the truly righteous gods, the ones whose ideals are worth following, are few and far between. You have Preservation, Abundance, The Hunt, Erudition…” He trailed off, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“But… and it’s not just because I’m biased,” he said with a slight smile, “I believe Glamoth’s future lies in following Lan, the Aeon of The Hunt.”

It wasn’t simply because he, a native of the Xianzhou, wanted to bolster his home Aeon’s influence. He genuinely felt that Glamoth’s entire modus operandi was a perfect fit for The Hunt.

After all, once Glamoth reintegrated with the galaxy, their primary mission would likely remain the same: fighting The Swarm across the stars. How was that any different from the Xianzhou endlessly hunting the Abominations of Abundance?

, Glamoth’s burning hatred for the insectoid plague perfectly aligned with The Hunt’s core concept of vengeance. The fact that they were born as Pathstriders of Propagation, yet refused to succumb to its all-consuming nature, embodied The Hunt’s ideal of restraint. Waging a righteous war to cleanse the galaxy of The Swarm, one of the three great cosmic calamities, could even serve to broaden the very definition of Lan’s Path.

Kazuki hadn’t forgotten the old saying.

‘The first ten millennia, the hunter nocked the arrow for survival. The second ten millennia, the hunter drew the bow for wrath. The third ten millennia, the hunter became The Hunt itself.’

The war among the gods was an inevitability. The Aeon of The Hunt was certain to seize a significant advantage in that conflict, completing an “Ascension” much like Qlipoth did in the aftermath of the first Swarm Disaster.

And, according to the flow of fate he knew, influenced by the Xianzhou and the intervention of the Stellaron Hunters, Lan would one day stand in direct opposition to Nanook of the Destruction. No… that confrontation had already begun. When Phantylia targeted the merchants of the Ming Huo, she had made Destruction an object of The Hunt’s vengeance.

The Xianzhou and Lan hunted the Abominations of Abundance and the Antimatter Legion. The Galaxy Rangers and countless other Pathstriders of The Hunt pursued injustice across the stars. The Glamoth Republic would hunt the vermin of Propagation.

If the scope of The Hunt’s vengeance could be broadened to encompass all injustice, all unrighteousness, all evil… then perhaps, one day, Lan could ascend to become the Aeon of “Justice” itself.

‘And if I remember correctly,’Kazuki thought, a fragment of knowledge from a different timeline surfacing,’the Iron Cavalry of that other universe—the Molten Flame Knights—were Pathstriders who walked a line between two Aeons. Their primary Path was The Hunt, but their power was fueled by a tamed echo of Propagation.’

A vision, sharp and sudden, bloomed in his mind’s eye.

You open your eyes, emerging from the nutrient-rich fluid of the cultivation pod.

Before you, it stands—the armor. The same suit that has haunted the Empress’s nightmares, a specter of Phantylia’s creation, now repurposed for you.

You reach out. The unfamiliarity of your own body makes the hand tremble, but you push through the awkwardness. Your fingertips brush against the cold, metallic surface of the armor.

As if responding to your touch, a torrent of dazzling flames erupts, swirling around the suit before clinging to you, becoming an inseparable part of your being.

Eliminate all enemies. Burn them to ash.

The igniter activates. The actions, imprinted upon your very genes, begin to execute themselves.

You charge headlong into the heart of The Swarm, your combat computer instantly locking onto the weakest node in their formation. Flames paint the sky, a searing dawn illuminating the ruins of a fallen Glamoth.

The roar of slaughter echoes, a ceaseless thrum in your consciousness. You tear the heart from a monster’s chest, the motion as natural as breathing. You have performed this action a thousand times before, an instinct as deep and primal as a larva knowing how to chew.