Honkai Star Rail: Survive. Adapt. Overcome.

The atmosphere was cold and tense as the group approached Svarog's base.

The massive metallic complex stood before them like an impenetrable fortress, surrounded by rusted structures and patrolled by its automatons.

Seele led the way with determination, while Bronya, Dan Heng, Stelle, March 7th, and Aleph followed closely behind.

"So this is Svarog's base?" March 7th murmured, cautiously eyeing the mechanical watchtowers.

"Yeah," Seele replied. "But don't expect a warm welcome. That hunk of scrap metal could attack at any moment."

Bronya frowned. "If we want answers about the Stellaron, we need to convince him to talk."

Before they could move further, a mechanical sound echoed through the air.

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

One of the massive metal doors of the base slowly opened.

From within emerged a large robot with an imposing silhouette and glowing red eyes.

Svarog's cold voice resonated from its speakers.

[Access denied.]

The group halted immediately.

"What?" Seele stepped forward. "We haven't even said anything yet!"

[No human is permitted to enter. Except Clara.]

March 7th puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "That's not fair!"

Seele clenched her fists. "Tsk! This is a waste of time. We're not going to convince him like this."

Dan Heng gazed at the massive metal gate. "Then we need Clara. She's the only one who can get us inside."

Stelle nodded.

"But where is she?"

Before they could start searching, Burroughs' voice echoed in Aleph's head.

[Side Missions Available.]

[Certified Loli Protector.]

[Reward: +1 Level, Path Unlock.]

[Target Detected: Clara has been located in the Villaremache area.]

[Status: In Danger.]

Aleph frowned and facepalmed upon seeing the side mission's name.

"...Are you kidding me?"

Seele quickly turned her head.

"What did you say?"

Aleph adjusted his gauntlet. Fortunately, he had an excuse… A reasonable one? Honestly, even he wasn't sure, but whatever.

"Burroughs hacked some drones I had a chance to access and detected Clara. She's in Villaremache, and it looks like she's in trouble."

Bronya's expression hardened.

"Then we can't waste any time. Let's go."

Without further hesitation, the group turned toward Villaremache and took off running.

*********

The air in Villaremache was filled with a strange energy.

Crystallized fragments floated in the air, distorting the light unnaturally.

The group moved swiftly, following the signs of activity until they finally saw her.

Clara was surrounded by several Fragmentum creatures, her small body trembling as she clutched a bag of spare parts tightly.

Several of the robots that had accompanied her as escorts lay destroyed on the ground.

In front of her, a massive floating ice entity loomed with an imposing presence.

Ice from Outer Space.

Dan Heng frowned.

March 7th immediately readied her bow.

"We need to get her out of there!"

Before they could move, one of the monsters lunged at Clara.

CRACK!

A wall of ice formed in front of her at the last second, blocking the attack.

"Run, Clara!"

March 7th shouted as she fired another frozen arrow.

Clara hesitated for a moment before reacting and ran toward the group, clutching her chest in fear.

Bronya stepped in front of her, rifle raised.

"Stay back. We'll handle this."

ROOOOAAR

The monsters roared in unison, sensing the new threat.

The Ice from Outer Space waved its crystalline appendages, summoning an icy blizzard that made the ground tremble.

Aleph clenched his fists, feeling the energy in the air.

"This is going to get complicated."

Seele spun her scythe and took a battle stance.

"Then let's stop wasting time."

Stelle rushed forward, dodging the icy blasts before striking with her reinforced bat, shattering one of the lesser creatures.

Dan Heng used his spear to deflect an ice projectile, then counterattacked with a slicing wind blast, forcing the creatures to retreat.

March 7th created an ice shield around the group, protecting them from the sharp fragments falling with every attack from the monster.

Seele vanished in an instant and reappeared behind the Ice from Outer Space, slashing to cripple its movement.

Bronya fired several bursts from her energy rifle, taking down the smaller monsters attempting to flank them.

Aleph observed the creature with interest, sensing the power of ice surrounding it.

He raised a hand and closed his eyes.

Burroughs appeared with a notification.

[Conditions Met. Energy Adaptation in Progress.]

The air around him grew cold.

When Aleph opened his eyes, sparks of frost danced between his fingers.

"Let's see how well I can play with this."

Aleph extended his hand and unleashed a wave of freezing energy.

Bufu!

The attack struck the Ice from Outer Space, making its core glow dimly as its structure cracked.

Even if the damage was reduced due to elemental compatibility, the impact was still quite powerful.

Seele glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You've got some interesting tricks, huh?"

Aleph smirked.

The Ice from Outer Space roared in fury.

The temperature dropped sharply.

The monster began gathering energy, preparing a massive attack.

Bronya noticed what was about to happen.

"We can't let it finish that attack!"

Dan Heng nodded.

"We have to take it down now!"

Stelle and Aleph advanced together.

Stelle swung her bat with all her strength, cracking the icy barrier protecting the enemy.

Aleph, synchronizing his movement with hers, charged a massive amount of energy into his fist.

"Mabufu!"

The attack struck the monster's core directly. Even if the blow wasn't entirely effective, the accumulated damage was severe enough to destroy it with an attack of its own element.

The Ice from Outer Space trembled violently before shattering into hundreds of icy fragments.

The remaining Fragmentum monsters quickly scattered—after all, the only particularly strong one among them had just been taken down.

The battle was over.

The group lowered their guard.

Clara looked at them in awe and relief.

"…Thank you!"

Bronya approached her.

"Are you okay?"

Clara nodded and hugged the bag of spare parts.

"Yes, I came to get supplies, and before I knew it, I was surrounded."

March 7th sighed with a smile. "Then we arrived just in time."

Dan Heng looked at her calmly.

"Clara, we need to talk to Svarog. Can you take us to him?"

Clara lowered her gaze.

"…I can't."

Seele frowned.

"Why not?"

Clara tightened her grip on the bag.

"I don't want them to keep fighting."

The group fell silent for a moment.

"Svarog said his duty is preservation and that he must make decisions that protect humanity regardless of their wishes."

Clara looked at them sorrowfully.

"I've tried countless times to convince him to try a different approach, but there's no way he'll listen to me. I'm sorry. If I let you talk to him, it will most likely end in a fight. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"…Clara."

"…I'm sorry, I can't help you."

The white-haired girl left along with the remaining standing robots.

.....

The group followed Clara to the vagrants' camp.

The area was in a precarious state.

The structures were fragile, made from recycled materials, and the lamps flickered constantly due to the lack of stable energy.

The inhabitants watched them warily, some whispering among themselves.

Seele noticed their stares and clenched her fists.

"It's always the same…"

Clara walked to the center of the camp, where the generator was located.

It was a large, old metal structure with several new parts.

She knelt and began inspecting the components with a worried expression.

Bronya leaned slightly.

"What exactly is the problem?"

"From what I see, you've been replacing every damaged or old part with a new one, but it still won't work, right?"

Dan Heng commented.

Clara blinked in surprise.

"Huh? How did you know? Well, I've fixed plenty of things before, but this turned out to be a bit too complex for me."

For a moment, Clara looked quite embarrassed.

"And I don't want to bother Svarog, so I can't ask him for help."

Dan Heng calmly inspected the machine.

"We can try to get it working with what we have."

March 7th smiled confidently.

"Yes! It wouldn't be the first time we've improvised."

Aleph looked at the generator with his arms crossed.

"Hmph. It just needs a few adjustments."

But deep inside, he was already panicking.

"Burroughs… Can you scan this and give me instructions? Please!"

[Master…]

Clara looked up.

"Would you really do that?"

Stelle nodded.

"No one has a problem lending Clara a hand, right?"

Clara smiled gratefully.

"Thank you!"

Dan Heng, Bronya, and March 7th stayed with Clara, helping repair the generator with the spare parts they had.

Bronya, with her technical knowledge, helped align the more delicate parts.

Dan Heng analyzed the components to ensure everything was stable.

March 7th tried to help, but ended up getting orders like "hold this" or "don't touch that."

"You're mean!"

Dan Heng really wanted to send her away, but he knew that would only make things worse.

Aleph, Stelle, and Seele observed alongside March 7th.

Bronya installed the last component, and Clara connected the wires.

Clara took a deep breath and turned the generator's valve.

Bzzzt… KZZT… VRRRRMMMM

The engine roared to life.

The camp's lights flickered before stabilizing, illuminating the area with a dim but steady glow.

The vagrants watched in awe.

"It's working!"

"We have power again!"

Some began to cheer.

An old man from the camp approached.

"Girl, you saved us again."

Clara shook her head.

"I didn't do it alone…"

Seele noticed the change and crossed her arms with a slight smile.

Bronya looked at Clara.

"Since we helped you, could you at least try to convince him to give us a chance to talk? We promise to do everything we can to avoid a fight."

Clara blinked, frowned, and thought for a moment before nodding.

She looked at the working generator, then at the outsiders who had helped her without asking for anything in return.

Finally, she relented.

"Yes. I'll take you to Svarog."

Aleph sighed in relief.

"Well, we're finally making progress."

Dan Heng crossed his arms.

"Let's hope he listens to us this time. We need to convince him to tell us what he knows about the Stellaron."

Dan Heng looked thoughtful for a few moments.

"Considering what we've learned about Svarog, it's very likely that he tried calculating all the variables and ultimately concluded that this is the best way to preserve the Underworld. If I'm right, our best course of action is to make him take us into account."

March 7th looked confused.

"Make him take us into account?"

"We're anomalies in his calculations, a variable. We need to convince him to bet on that."

Aleph scratched his neck with a contemplative expression.

"Honestly… Do you think that'll work?"

"I'm not sure. Normally, I wouldn't want to gamble on something like this. But it's one of the few options we have if we want to avoid using force."

Clara gestured for them to follow her.

"Come… I'll convince him to talk to you."

With the generator restored and Clara securing their entrance, the group set off toward Svarog's base.

....

The group followed Clara through the industrial paths leading to Svarog's Domain.

The sound of their footsteps echoed against the cold metal structure of the place as robots patrolled around them, watching without intervening.

Clara walked at the front, her expression resolute.

Aleph couldn't help but notice the difference in the automatons' attitude compared to the first time they tried to enter.

"It looks like Svarog really trusts her."

Dan Heng nodded.

"It's clear she has a special connection with him."

Finally, they arrived at the large plaza in front of Svarog's base.

The massive metal colossus awaited them in the center, its red eye glowing intensely.

The surveillance robots positioned themselves strategically around the area, ready to act if necessary.

[I see the power supply has been restored. Thank you, Clara. But why did you bring these people?]

Clara stepped forward.

"I told them I would bring them here. I promised. Please, at least try to listen to what they have to say."

Svarog observed her in silence.

[Analyzing... Very well. I will give them a chance since Clara wishes it.]

But then, Stelle stepped forward and spoke firmly.

"We want to know the truth about the Stellaron."

The atmosphere immediately grew tense.

Svarog turned his mechanical eye toward her, evaluating her.

[...Stellaron.]

[Comparing with previous records...]

A faint mechanical hum was heard before Svarog delivered his verdict.

[Result: Classified. This is supposed to be top-secret information that no one in the Underworld or the Overworld should have access to. Conclusion: Extermination. All humans who have involved themselves with the Stellaron have degenerated due to their greed and caused tragedies.]

Clara was alarmed.

"Svarog, no! They're not like the others—"

[Clara, step back and stay safe. Proceeding with Threat Elimination Protocol.]

Clara's eyes widened in desperation.

"You don't have to do this!"

But Svarog had already made his decision.

His robots activated their combat systems and began to surround the group.

Seele drew her scythe.

"Damn it, I knew it!"

Bronya readied her rifle.

"No choice! Get ready!"

Dan Heng calmly took hold of his spear.

"Do not underestimate an enemy like this."

March 7th tightened her bow with a defiant smile.

"Well then… let's see who wins, scrap heap!"

Stelle slammed her bat against the ground.

"Let's do this!"

Aleph sighed, feeling the adrenaline surge.

"And here I was hoping for a peaceful negotiation… Oh well, guess we're doing this the hard way."

[Initiating Combat.]

Svarog's eye glowed intensely.

The first to move were the assault robots.

They charged at the group with speed, firing energy projectiles and attacking with reinforced mechanical limbs.

Dan Heng dodged a strike from an automaton and countered with a quick slash of his spear, destroying its core.

Seele appeared behind another robot and sliced off its leg with her scythe before finishing it off.

Bronya fired explosive rounds, taking down multiple machines at once.

March 7th used her ice shield to protect Stelle, who took the opportunity to smash another robot with a brutal strike.

Aleph summoned a blast of ice, freezing several enemies before shattering them with a swift movement.

The battlefield was in chaos.

But then…

Svarog's mechanical voice echoed through the plaza.

[Evaluation complete. Increasing combat level.]

The massive metal figure moved with unexpected speed for its size.

Its enormous mechanical arm came down like a hammer toward Stelle and March 7th.

Both managed to dodge, but the shockwave sent them stumbling.

Seele attempted a quick strike, but Svarog reacted precisely, blocking with an energy barrier.

Bronya fired at its core, but the bullets barely dented its armor.

Dan Heng narrowed his eyes.

"Its defense is high… We need to find an opening."

Aleph clicked his tongue.

"Great. A boss with complex mechanics."

March 7th fired another volley of ice arrows, but Svarog advanced undeterred.

Clara shouted in desperation.

"Stop, Svarog! Don't hurt them!"

But the robot did not stop.

[Objective: Eliminate threats. There is no guarantee that they are different from the other humans who got involved with the Stellaron.]

Its arm began to glow with an intense charge of energy.

"So he's judging us for something we haven't even done yet? How convenient," Aleph shouted as he dropped to the ground to dodge a direct strike to his head.

"Watch out!"

The group tried to scatter, but before Svarog could launch his final attack…

BANG!

A gunshot rang through the air.

And then another.

Natasha appeared on the battlefield, firing at the smaller robots to clear a path.

"Did you really think you could give it your all without a proper field medic? Focus on the fight—I'll cover you!"

Seele's eyes widened in surprise.

"Nat?"

"When things start looking bad, you can always count on the great Sampo to have your back!"

"...So it was you?" the girl commented with a smirk.

Natasha kept her weapon raised.

"I can't let you all die here! Let's handle this together!"

Sampo grinned as he dodged an attack with agility.

"Come on, friends! You can't let a bunch of bolts and screws beat you!"

With their reinforcements, the group redoubled their efforts.

Svarog finally began to retreat.

Bronya charged her rifle for one last powerful shot.

Dan Heng found an opening and struck Svarog's core with a precise slash.

Stelle and Aleph attacked together, hitting hard enough to make Svarog stagger.

Seele spun her scythe rapidly, finishing off the last of the smaller robots.

Natasha provided support with gunfire and healing.

Sampo disoriented the enemies with his attacks.

Finally…

Svarog fell to his knees, his red eye flickering erratically.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this," Natasha murmured as she approached Svarog, who knelt on the ground, sparks flying from his body.

"We could finish this right here and now…"

Clara ran in front of him, blocking Natasha's line of sight.

"Svarog can't fight anymore… Please, don't hurt him!"

[Cla...ra.]

"Svarog, you said you wanted to fulfill all my wishes, didn't you? Well, my greatest wish right now is for everyone to work together." Clara looked at him with tearful eyes, seeing the miserable state he was in.

"Calculated results don't always lead to happiness for people."

Svarog remained silent.

"Even if we know the world out there isn't as beautiful as we'd like to believe… people have the right to discover it for themselves. Please, I'm begging you. Tell them what you know."

The massive machine didn't move for a moment.

The group kept their weapons ready, expecting the worst.

But then…

Svarog's voice echoed one last time.

[Reevaluating system protocols… Reset complete. Calculating variables.]

[Variable 1: Clara's request. Variable 2: The outsiders' motives.]

[Evaluation update: Transferring the decision to the outsiders and allowing access to Stellaron-related information.]

The light in his eye dimmed.

March 7th was the first to speak.

"…Did we win?"

Aleph let out a sigh of relief.

"Well… that was close."

Svarog turned his red eye toward them.

[Accessing classified files.]

[Initiating information transmission.]

At last…

Svarog began to reveal the truth behind the Stellaron, Cocolia, and the Supreme Guardians of the past.

The group listened intently.

And they knew their next destination was Overworld, the Upper City.

...

The echo of Svarog's mechanical voice still lingered in the air as the tension finally began to fade.

The group had obtained the information they needed about the Stellaron, confirming that the only way to solve Belobog's crisis was to ascend to the Upper City and confront Cocolia.

"Mother… Why?"

"Bronya."

"Maybe she didn't know… Perhaps…"

"Bronya!" Seele shouted.

"Don't fool yourself. This is the moment for you to make a decision."

Bronya fell silent, staring at the ground.

Before anyone could suggest leaving immediately, Natasha approached them.

"Thank you for your support."

Natasha shook her head with a smile at Aleph's gratitude.

She crossed her arms and gave the group a serious look.

"You've been fighting nonstop since you arrived here. If you try to go up in this condition, you'll not only put yourselves in danger but also ruin any chance of success."

Dan Heng slowly nodded.

"I admit we're a bit exhausted. Rushing in unprepared would be unwise."

March 7th sighed and dropped onto a rock.

"Whew! I don't want to admit it, but yeah, I need a break…"

Bronya remained silent for a moment before nodding.

A rumbling stomach was heard, and both Aleph and Stelle touched theirs.

"Well, a little food and a good nap won't hurt anyone."

Natasha relaxed slightly upon seeing the group accept her decision.

"Good. We'll return to Wildfire's base. There, you can recover, and in the meantime, we'll organize everything for you to ascend to the Upper City tomorrow."

Aleph stretched with a sigh.

"Well, I suppose a little sleep wouldn't hurt after almost being crushed by a giant robot."

Seele still had her arms crossed, clearly frustrated with the whole situation, but in the end, she sighed.

"Fine. But you'd better not back out when it's time to go up."

Natasha gave a small smile.

.....

Back at Wildfire's Base

The group finally had a moment of respite.

Some members of Wildfire tended to their wounds, while others offered them hot food.

Aleph and Stelle ate as if there was no tomorrow, much to the somewhat shocked gazes of their companions.

After ensuring everyone was comfortable, Natasha moved to the center of the base and gathered Wildfire's key members.

Oleg stood beside her, his expression calm.

Seele looked at Natasha curiously.

"What's going on?"

Natasha took a deep breath before speaking.

"Before you ascend to the Upper City, there's something you need to know about Wildfire."

Aleph raised an eyebrow.

"Something important?"

Natasha nodded.

"Tomorrow, Wildfire will help you ascend to Overworld. Seele will accompany you… And I'm pretty sure Aleph wants to go too."

The mentioned person raised a hand with a thumbs-up.

"The point is, only they will go with you."

The group blinked in surprise.

Bronya frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Natasha exchanged a glance with Oleg before turning back to the group.

"Considering what the Supreme Guardian did to isolate Underworld… How do you think she'd react if she learned that Underworld is no longer sealed?"

A moment of silence followed.

Dan Heng was the first to react.

"That… makes sense."

March 7th looked at her incredulously.

"Wait, seriously?! Then how are we supposed to manage up there?"

"Sampo has many contacts and resources outside. We negotiated with him so you could make use of them."

Aleph nodded with a grin.

"Well, it's always good to have allies in a revolution."

Natasha looked at him with a serious expression.

"It's not just that, Aleph. You are our best chance to change Belobog. If you manage to ascend and seal that Stellaron, you can end this cycle of suffering."

March 7th smiled.

"Well, that does sound like an important mission."

Dan Heng closed his eyes for a moment before nodding.

"Then, we'll do everything we can."

Natasha nodded in satisfaction.

"Rest for now. Tomorrow, you may not have the chance to do so."

Seele pounded the table with determination.

"Good. It's time to change this city once and for all."

The group exchanged glances.

Tomorrow…

The real battle would begin.

....

Inside His Room at the Hotel

Once inside his room, Aleph collapsed onto the bed and let out a heavy sigh.

"Ugh… What a tiring day."

[Master, would you like to see your rewards?]

"…Rewards?"

[...Have you already forgotten the ?]

Seeing the mission name, Aleph covered his face with his hands.

[Remember that you also completed the Main Quest .]

Aleph blinked in surprise.

"Wasn't I supposed to access it only when I had the required level?"

[While you don't meet the level requirement, Master, you do meet and even exceed the stat requirement. And although you currently only possess Bufu and Mabufu, their power is determined to be between Bufula and Bufudyne, so technically, you also fulfill the requirements. Considering this, I marked the mission as accepted.]

"Wow…"

[Would you like to see your rewards?]

"Yes."

[Rewards for "Certified Loli Protector"]

[Level +1]

[Path Unlock: Nihility (Nihility Path unlocked. Grants passive bonuses related to status effects and damage over time.)]

Aleph frowned.

"Nihility?"

[Explanation: The Path of Nihility favors those who inflict status ailments and wear down opponents with passive effects. Since the Master primarily employs ice and aims to freeze or slow enemies, this is the most compatible option for your current combat style.]

"Makes sense… Alright, what about the Main Quest rewards?"

[Rewards for "Break the Chains of Underworld"]

[Level +2]

[New Equipment: Demonica Black (Strange Journey)]

"Burroughs, show me the description of the Demonica."

Aleph was truly grateful that no one else was in the room, but that didn't mean he could scream in joy as much as he wanted.

He took a moment to breathe and calm down, but it was difficult—he had his own Demonica!

[Demonica Black - Description]

[An advanced suit designed for exploring hostile environments and combating unknown threats. Its structure is reinforced with a durable alloy, while its internal system enhances the user's physical and energy capabilities.]

[Set Effects]

[Helmet: +10% Resistance to Status Effects.]

[Chestplate: +15% Defense and Elemental Damage Reduction.]

[Gauntlets: +10% Skill Damage.]

[Boots: +5% Speed and Evasion.]

[Full Set Bonus: Dimensional Suppression → Increases resistance to Fragmentum corruption and grants immunity to control effects from mechanical enemies.]

Resistances: Ice (+30%), Wind (+10%), Quantum (+10%)

Weaknesses: Physical (-10%), Fire (-10%)

"Incredible," Aleph couldn't help but murmur with excitement.

"Burroughs, show me my current status."

[Current Status]

[Level: 8]

[St: 18]

[Vi: 19]

[Ma: 26]

[Ag: 18]

[Lu: 1]

[> Available Stat Points: 28]

[> Available App Points: 70]

Current Skills:

[Bufu (Power: Bufula-Bufudyne)]

[Mabufu (Power: Bufula-Bufudyne)]

Aleph sat on the bed, processing the information in silence.

He whistled.

"Wow, that stat boost is really noticeable."

He collapsed onto the bed again with a goofy smile.

"I'll worry about the rest tomorrow. For now… I need sleep."

Burroughs shut down the interface as Aleph closed his eyes.

****************************************************************************************

Ahhh, there's almost nothing left to complete Jarillo-VI. For some reason, I feel like writing the final battle is going to be pretty difficult… Meh, it must be my imagination, right?

Since my exams are on the 26th, I'll try to write a bit more.