"Is this Jarilo-VI?"
After recalling [Bailu], the Astral Express finally regained its peace and quiet.
Stella crowded in front of the Parlor Car's massive window with the others, gazing at the planet ahead—covered in thick white snow and ice, rotating silently in the starry sky.
Even from such a vast distance, it felt as if one could sense the bone-chilling cold.
"Whoa... it looks so cold. I feel like my breath would turn into ice crystals instantly."
March 7th hugged her arms and subconsciously rubbed them as if she could already feel it.
"Are we... going down there next?"
Stelle looked at the frozen planet, her heart pounding a little.
Although she was Stelle, going to such an extreme environment for her first official mission felt like quite a challenge.
"Most likely."
Stella nodded, recalling the profiles of the two characters in her encyclopedia.
"Clara and Hook, the two children I could transform into before, are from Jarilo-VI. It seems this trip is unavoidable."
"Huh?!"
March 7th's eyes widened upon hearing this, and she pointed out the window.
"That snowy wasteland? I can understand Hook dressing like a little cotton ball, but Clara! She... she doesn't even wear shoes! Running around in a place like that? What is her body made of? Or do people from Jarilo-VI just have their ice resistance maxed out?"
This was indeed an unsolved mystery.
Stella couldn't explain it either and could only shrug.
"Hook? Who's that? There's another child?"
Stelle caught the new name and asked curiously.
"Oh, it's her."
Stella casually summoned the energetic [Hook] again.
As soon as the little "Pitch-Dark Hook the Great" appeared, she found herself being held in Stella's arms like a giant doll and immediately began to flounder in protest.
"Hey! Honorary Member! Don't hold the Captain of Mole Gang like this! Put me down! I want to walk on my own!"
[Hook] flailed her short arms in protest, her goggles getting crooked.
"Oh, alright."
Stella complied readily, immediately recalling [Hook] with a crisp, clean motion, as if she had only brought her out for a quick demonstration.
Stelle: "..." (Your summoning and recalling speed is way too fast!)
The subsequent events unfolded exactly as expected.
The Conductor, Pom-Pom, walked over with heavy (psychological) steps to announce some bad news:
The stability of the Star Rail ahead had dropped significantly for some mysterious reason, and the Astral Express could no longer safely Warp.
The scheduled 7-day stop had been extended indefinitely until the source of the Star Rail abnormality could be identified and resolved.
Immediately after, Mr. Welt Yang brought a more specific (and more troublesome) analysis.
He pulled up the star chart data and pointed at Jarilo-VI, his gaze behind his glasses serious. "Based on the Star Rail disturbance patterns and energy residue analysis, the culprit behind all this is most likely—a Stellaron."
"As expected, it's a Stellaron again."
March 7th facepalmed with an expression that said, "Why is it this thing again?"
"These things are like illegal constructions in the universe, popping up everywhere and coming with their own powerful demolition (destruction) attributes."
"Stelle."
Himeko turned her gaze toward the gray-haired girl, her tone gentle but firm.
"This will be your first official Trailblaze mission as a Trailblazer of the Astral Express. This time, you, little March, and Dan Heng will form a team to head to Jarilo-VI, investigate the truth behind the Stellaron, and try to..."
"Wait!"
Himeko was interrupted by a clear voice before she could finish.
Everyone looked toward the sound to see Stella raising her hand high, her face a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and a "here goes nothing" expression.
"This time! I want to participate too!"
She announced loudly, her eyes sparkling.
"Stella?"
Himeko was a bit surprised, her tone carrying concern and hesitation.
"Your abilities are very unique, we know that. But Trailblaze missions often come with unknown dangers, especially when a Stellaron is involved..."
She expressed her worries tactfully.
After all, in the Astral Express Crew's eyes, Stella's "combat power" mainly consisted of magic tricks (transformations) and summoning clones with interesting personalities but questionable actual strength; she was even certified by March 7th as being at a level that could be "easily handled even without a bow."
"Don't worry, Sister Himeko!"
Stella puffed out her chest, trying her best to look "reliable."
"This time is different! I've... I've made full preparations!"
She sounded a bit unsure, but her eyes were firm.
To boost her confidence, she glanced at the system panel and saw the character avatar of [Stelle], which she had forcibly leveled up to Lv. 9 using all the [adventure logs] and [Travelers Guides] she had saved. This gave her a bit of reassurance.
Yeah, Level 9! Although it might not be enough compared to monsters that were often dozens of levels higher, it was still much better than Level 1!
And...
"I also have a secret weapon!"
Stella added, thinking of [Bailu]'s healing abilities.
"At critical moments, I can help! I definitely won't be a burden... probably."
She whispered the last two words very quietly.
Himeko looked at Stella's determined (though somewhat lacking in confidence) eyes, then at Welt beside her.
Welt pushed up his glasses, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly. "Stella's abilities might play an unexpected role in information gathering, identity disguise, or even special situations. As long as she stays safe and follows the team, it wouldn't hurt for her to join and gain some experience."
Dan Heng, holding cloud piercer, didn't object, only saying plainly, "Keep up, and don't act on your own."
March 7th immediately cheered up. "Great! You're coming too, Stella! Then we'll be a four-person team! It'll be even livelier now! Don't worry, I'll protect you!"
She patted her chest in assurance, completely forgetting that she had just called her weak.
Stelle looked at Stella and grinned. "Sure, the more the merrier. Plus, you can transform into me; if necessary, you can impersonate me to draw fire... uh, I mean, to execute the plan!"
Stella: "..." (I'm already starting to regret this, what should I do?)
Finally, with Stella's persistence and the support of some members, Himeko sighed helplessly, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Alright. Since you're so insistent and Mr. Welt also thinks it's feasible... then, Stella, welcome to the Jarilo-VI Trailblaze Recon Team."
"Yay! Thank you, Sister Himeko!"
Stella jumped for joy but then remembered the icy environment and couldn't help but shiver. She began to seriously consider whether to transform into Hook early just to wear that "skin" of thick clothes...
"Remember."
Himeko's smile faded as she solemnly instructed the four young people about to depart.
"Safety comes first. Focus on investigation; the Astral Express will provide support if necessary. I wish you... a successful Trailblaze."
And so, the Astral Express's Trailblaze team was about to embark on an unknown journey to the frozen planet, Jarilo-VI.