〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Mei-Mei, this is really amazing! I can actually see people from different worlds talking!
〘Raiden Mei〙:Mm, it is indeed impressive. But is it truly possible to know the future?
〘Otto Apocalypse〙: I wonder if I succeeded in the future.
〘·HSR· Welt Yang〙: Otto, you're actually still alive?
〘Otto Apocalypse〙: Judging by Welt's tone, it seems I succeeded.
〘Silver Wolf〙: Just as I suspected, this is a viewing screen.
〘Soukaku〙: Section Chief Yanagi, are they talking in riddles?
{Since everyone is now familiar with each other, let us begin.}
[Now Playing: The Path to Becoming a Hero ]
『 After the text appeared, the light screen dimmed. When it lit up again, a scene emerged.
A Thiren mother was holding her young Thiren daughter's hand as they walked, surrounded by many oil paintings. 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: So cute! Is that a Foxian?
〘Fu Xuan〙: They shouldn't be the Foxian race of the Xianzhou; they don't have tails.
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: That is me and… my mother.
〘Soukaku〙: Wow, the Section Chief was so cute when she was little.
〘Nicole〙: So the martial-idiot fox looked like this as a kid.
〘Stelle〙: Martial-idiot fox?
〘Nicole〙: She's the type who only thinks about solving things with force. She's very easy to trick.
〘Rin〙: You actually managed to trick a Void Hunter?
〘Billy〙: Boss Nicole is incredible!
....
『 Little Miyabi squeezed her mother's hand. Her mother stopped and looked down at her.
Little Miyabi looked ahead and said, "When I grow up, I want to become a hero just like the Family Heads." 』
『 ....』
〘Phainon〙: Yearning for heroism at such a young age?
〘Kevin Kaslana〙: The weight of the word "hero" is not something a child can carry.
〘Elysia〙: But isn't that romantic♪? Kevin.
....
—✦In Between✦—
In the Realm, Elysia hugged Eden and pointed at Little Miyabi on the screen. "Eden, she's so cute♪!"
Eden nodded and smiled. "Mm, just as cute as you."
"Wow, Eden, you're still so silver-tongued. I love you the most♪!" Elysia laughed.
—
『 Miyabi's mother looked at her tenderly and asked, "Oh? Does Miyabi know what a hero has to do?" 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Wow, she's so beautiful and gentle. And why does her voice sound so familiar?
〘Silver Wolf〙: Doesn't this sound exactly like Kafka?
〘Kafka〙: It does indeed sound very similar to my voice.
〘Hanabi〙: Based on Master Hanabi's understanding of the word "hero," this lady is in a very dangerous spot.
〘March 7th〙: Please don't let anything bad happen!
....
『 Miyabi looked at her mother and gave her answer.
"I want to eliminate all the bad guys!"
Hearing this, Miyabi's mother froze for a moment, then gave her a gentle smile and patted her head.
"A hero isn't born just to eliminate things; they are born to protect." 』
『 ....』
〘Elysia〙: Wow, what a romantic sentiment♪. Write that down, write that down!♪
〘IPC Employee A〙: Exactly! Heroes are born to protect, and our Company is the hero protecting the peace of the universe. Come join us!
〘Boothill〙: Son of a nice lady! How are there brainwashed IPC dogs here too? The IPC protecting universe peace? Don't make me laugh.
....
『 "But, Mama just hopes Miyabi can grow up safe and sound." Miyabi's mother led her toward the exit.
"Because the journey of becoming a hero is often accompanied by irreparable loss…" 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: See? Master Hanabi wasn't wrong. I bet the "knives" are coming soon.
〘Stelle〙: Please no…
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: Miss Hanabi is not wrong. Because not long after, the Old Capital fell.
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: And my mother… died in that disaster.
....
—✦In Between✦—
Seeing Miyabi's words, everyone stopped talking and fell into silence.
Yanagi looked at Miyabi with concern.
"Section Chief, you…"
Miyabi waved her hand. "It's alright. I've already moved on."
She looked up at her mother on the screen and smiled.
"I'm happy to see my mother again."
As Miyabi's mother led her through the outer door, the screen filled with falling leaves, followed by a bright flash.
—
〘Stelle〙: Who threw a flashbang? My eyes!
〘Silver Wolf〙: It's a transition. Looking at it this way, this video looks more and more like a game promotional short.
〘Bronya Zaychik〙: I agree.
〘Otto Apocalypse〙: Perhaps the world we live in is seen as a game by others?
〘Silver Wolf〙: If this world really is a game, then that suits me just fine.
....
『 After the white light faded, a baby Miyabi appeared, surrounded by various objects. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: What are they doing?
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: This is a custom in some regions called "Zhuazhou." After an infant learns to crawl, they are surrounded by items representing different professions. Whichever item the baby grabs represents what they will like, and the family will educate them in that field.
〘Stelle〙: So that's how it is. If the first thing I grabbed after I was "born" was a baseball bat, does that mean I was destined to be the Galactic Baseballer?
〘March 7th〙: You weren't a baby back then; you just had amnesia.
〘Silver Wolf〙: Pfft, Galactic Baseballer, pfft.
....
—✦In Between✦—
Silver Wolf pointed at the screen and laughed to Kafka, "Kafka, your little Star-treasure is getting more and more abstract after joining the Express."
Kafka shook her head helplessly. "She wasn't like this when she was here… but she's still very cute regardless."
Seeing Kafka's doting eyes, Silver Wolf shook her head and complained, "I think you're truly beyond saving."
—
『 Baby Miyabi crawled forward determinedly. She didn't spare a single glance at the items beside her, crawling straight toward what she wanted.
It was a wooden sword. Baby Miyabi picked it up, unable to put it down.
"Choosing a blade at such a young age, she truly is the most promising successor of the Hoshimi family." The surrounding family members clapped.
"If the Young Lady can gain the recognition of that 'Tailless'…"
The words of the people around them sounded harsh to the current Family Head, Miyabi's father, and her mother. Their expressions turned grim.
"…then her future would truly be limitless."
"It is said that blade possesses power comparable to a Void Hunter."
"It's the Hoshimi family's greatest secret." 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: What is a Void Hunter?
〘Tsukishiro Yanagi〙: Void Hunter is a title New Eridu grants to those who have made immense contributions to the city. Every Void Hunter possesses extremely high combat power, and the Section Chief is currently one of them.
....
『 Following a dark transition, Baby Miyabi appeared in front of a blade wrapped in many red cords. 』
『 ....』
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Is this the "Tailless" they were talking about? Why is it wrapped in red cords?
〘Yunli〙: Maybe because it's a demonic sword?
〘Hoshimi Miyabi〙: While I don't know what Miss Yunli means by a demonic sword, this "Tailless" is a cursed blade.
....
『 Baby Miyabi crawled to the cursed blade and reached out her hands to touch it.
Miyabi's mother walked over and picked her up. "Miyabi does not need the power of a cursed blade."
As her mother carried her away, the scene transitioned seamlessly to another space.
Miyabi's mother looked tenderly at the child in her arms. To the left, a starry sky was visible through the window.
"I only hope… she can live a mundane and happy life." She stroked Miyabi's head. 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: The flags are all planted. There's definitely a massive "knife" coming.
〘Screwllum〙: Miss Hanabi is correct. Logic: Miss Miyabi became a Void Hunter of New Eridu, and she also stated her mother died in the disaster of the Old Capital's fall.
〘Stelle〙: I get it, stop talking.
....