Honkai Star Rail:The Assistant director

Continuing where we left off...

Ritsuka's perspective...

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Stelle and I are inside the elevator that is taking us to the sealed zone, which is the place that Ruan Mei is controlling.

We both arrived at the sealed zone and the moment we got out of the elevator, we could see that the zone was completely dark.

Stelle and I saw a droid floating in front of us, but the robot was malfunctioning.

The moment the droid looked at us, the zone alarm was activated and the elevator went up, leaving us trapped in the zone. Soon after, the lights in the zone came back on, illuminating the place.

Stelle: Ehhh... Ritsuka, is this normal to happen in this zone?

Stelle said this, being a little scared after being slightly startled by the droid.

Ritsuka: This zone wasn't like this before the legion arrived. I'm not surprised that this place is in trouble. Hmpf. It seems that Ruan Mei completely ignored these problems and must have only paid attention to what kind of thing she was doing inside this zone.

I say this looking around seeing no sign of life present.

Ritsuka: Let's see what that droid knows about this zone. What we need right now is information.

The two of us walk towards the damaged droid that, surprisingly, is still functional.

We ask some questions to the droid that answers all the questions, some answers are things I already knew about the zone, such as the visitors and experiments that have already happened here.

However, the droid ends up revealing that we are in transition basement number 1. Basement number two has an incubator and Dangerous Curio storage.

💭 I don't remember there being an incubator in this zone unless Herta must have placed it without telling me.

Stelle: Where can we find the incubator?

Stelle asks this question to the droid that said that we can't enter since the passage is blocked, but the robot suggests that we continue to explore the basement and locate records of cultivation path.

Ritsuka: Hmph. Cultivation path. What a curious word.

Stelle: Why do you think that?

Ritsuka: Let's say that one of the servants I know uses this word to describe the path to immortality and how important it is to them.

💭 It's a good thing I didn't go to any of the singularities from ancient China. I'm sure I would be hunted by many people and emperors and some deities and demons just because I have connections and close relationships with many important people.

Stelle: Is it good to be immortal?

Ritsuka: It depends on who you ask. Some people will tell you their reasons why it's good and others will say it's a curse. Nowadays, there are several ways to acquire immortality, each with its own variations.

I say this as I walk towards the elevator so we can start exploring the place.

Stelle: So what is your opinion on immortality? Have you ever wished to be an immortal?

Stelle asks this question while we are walking and I have a thoughtful expression.

Ritsuka: That is a difficult question to answer. For me, immortality is just a way to escape the inevitable death, but I have witnessed for myself that even immortality is incapable of escaping death, that even a celestial entity can die. I once received an offer to be immortal from a Chinese Emperor, but I did not give them the answer.

I say this remembering the immortality pill that Emperor Qin Shi Huang gave me on Valentine's Day because he considered me an equal to them.

Stelle: Why did you not give the answer.

Ritsuka: Besides the most obvious reason It's because I do not know if I am capable of enduring an eternal life. From the beginning I was an ordinary person with simple thoughts. Growing up and developing in a society, raising a family and dying, leaving behind my legacy.

Fou:Fou....

💭Life was so simple, being a normal student...

Stelle: I think you could do it. You're probably the strongest person I know. Both in strength and mentally, so I don't think immortality would affect you much.

Fou:Fou!

Stelle said this with a slight smile and the elevator took us to the bottom floor.

Ritsuka: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Stella, but I'm not planning on having an eternal life anytime soon.

On the floor we arrived at, the roof isn't in good condition, and some parts of it are without light.

Stella: It really looks like this place was invaded by the legion to leave it like this.

Ritsuka: But it seems that some devices are working normally even though the area has been damaged.

We started walking around the place and behind a window, we could see a large incubator in the center of the place.

Ritsuka: It looks like it's the incubator that the Droid said was blocked. Let's continue. We have to find a way to get into that place.

We continued exploring the place until we entered an experiment room where one of the computers contains a recording of Ruan Mei.

The recording shows Ruan Mei recording the results of the life form experiment she created. She mentions that these life forms have different personalities and characteristics from one another, this includes the different personalities as well, but something that all of these forms have is the feeling of longing they have for their creator, Ruan Mei.

💭Hmm.... This recording doesn't seem to have anything suspicious.... I assume there must be more of these recordings around this place...

At that moment, Stella and I heard a very soft moan that for a moment sounded like an animal's cry to me.

Stella: Hmm? Did you hear that, Ritsuka?

Ritsuka: I heard it. It seems to be coming from over there near the stairs.

We continued on following the strange sound and discovered a certain strange little creature standing near a chair.

Ruan Mei's Creation: Meow...

Ritsuka: Well, this is new to me. A cat with a dessert as a shell. This is definitely a creation of Ruan Mei, after all she is a woman addicted to desserts and sweets, so her creating a life form based on something she likes makes sense, but why is this cutie doing it here?

Stelle: His name is "Ashy Paste".

Stelle said and I look at her with a raised eyebrow.

Ritsuka: Can you understand him?

Stelle: Yes, I managed to get a Synesthesia Beacon to be able to translate what they are saying.

Ritsuka: Where did you get this?

Stelle: A strange guy who seems to really like these little guys gave it to me so I could understand them.

I look at Stelle for a moment, questioning whether this really happened, but I remember that this space station is the perfect place for people with strange and bizarre habits, so I decided not to question it any further.

💭Furthermore, it would be hypocritical of me to find this strange, after all, irrational things are the "normal" in Chaldea.

Ritsuka:Ok. Well let's use this now, we need to see if he knows anything.

The moment we used the translation device, we heard loud crying sounds coming from Ruan Mei's creation.

The little animal began to whine and become very depressed about how it considered itself a failure to Ruan Mei.

After listening to Ruan Mei's recording, it was clear that this life form she had created had great affection for her.

Stelle tried many things to calm the little animal down, but she was unsuccessful.

However, to my surprise, Fou jumped off my shoulder and stood next to Ruan Mei's creation.

Fou: Fou! Fou! Fou...

After he started talking and touching it to calm the little animal down, Fou managed to get the little animal to stop crying.

Ritsuka: Good job calming it down, Fou.

I said this with a smile to Fou, who responded by posing, showing his pride.

Fou: Fou!

At that moment, Stelle and I heard a loud sound coming from the incubator and I immediately became alert.

Ritsuka: It seems like there's something inside, but we still need to find a way to get in.

Stelle: But we need to find a safe place for this little one first.

Stelle said this looking at the little animal that Ruan Mei created, which is currently looking at the two of us.

Ritsuka: You're right. This place isn't safe for it. Stelle, you hold the little one and I'll open the way.

💭 It's pretty obvious that Stelle is a little scared of this place.

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We continue on our way, being alert to our surroundings, and along the way, the little one in Stelle's arms starts to sing a very depressing song about Ruan Mei's poor treatment of her creation and how these little ones feel about her.

Ritsuka: You don't have to sing this song, little one, but thank you for wanting to help my dear friend here.

I say this by making the little life form stop singing the song because I can feel the negative feelings that this song brings, and they are very suffocating feelings.

💭 Damn Avenger's passive ability. How can a simple song carry this burden of heavy depressive pain? Why did Ruan Mei ignore the dedication and affection of these little ones? Why?

We continued our exploration that took us to a dark and very damaged corridor, but the moment we entered the corridor door I felt an enemy presence close to me.

Ritsuka: Stelle, stay still. I think we have enemies in front of us.

Stelle: But there's nothing suspicious in front of us.

Stelle said this being confused by what was said, but I didn't answer her and started walking slowly.

At the same moment I felt an enemy attack on my side and I immediately attacked my enemy creating a huge claw in sharp flames on my right arm.

I pierced the body of my enemy who was invisible at the same time and his appearance was revealed to me.

💭What?! What is a Propagation insect doing here?!

Without thinking twice I immediately incinerated the insect making it groan in agony as it felt its body turning to ash.

With the insect incinerated, I start to get very worried when I see that Propagation's creation is in the space station.

💭Now the order that HooH gave me makes a lot of sense. She saw that there were those damn insects present in the station!

Stelle: What was that?!

Stelle said, surprised to see that there was an invisible enemy nearby.

Ritsuka: An insect of Propagation. I never thought that these abominations would come here in the space station. But since they are here. It doesn't matter. If an invisible insect is here, I don't doubt that there are more of them hidden in this corridor. So just to be sure...

I cover my entire right arm in blue-black flames and shoot a huge wave of flames covering the entire corridor.

As expected, I hear the groan of agony and pain coming from the insects that were invisible, but I still haven't stopped shooting my flames.

Stelle: Ehhh.... Ritsuka... I think that's enough. I don't think there are any more insects in this hallway.

Ritsuka: You might be right. But these creatures are like cockroaches, easy to kill but stubborn in staying dead. So I want to make sure that no part of them survives.

I say this by increasing the power of my flames a little until after a few seconds I make the flames disappear.

Ritsuka: There you go. I think they must all be dead.

I say this leaving the corridor more damaged than it was before, in addition to several insect bodies turning to ash.

Stelle:You think?!

Fou: Fou?!

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

After that incident, we left the hallway and entered another place full of computers, but this time there were many of the life forms that Ruan Mei created mirrored in the place.

Stelle: My goodness. How many little ones do we have here...

Ritsuka: Hmm... Ruan Mei must have a specific place where she keeps these little creatures...

We also found another one of Ruan Mei's recordings and this memory shows Ruan Mei saying that these life forms she created are a failure since they didn't give satisfactory results.

Ruan Mei seems to want to know more about the "essence of life" and for some reason that worries me.

Ashy Paste said he wants us to continue exploring and he guides us to another recording of Ruan Mei, but this is an incomplete recording.

The recording shows that Ruan Mei is very obsessed with discovering the primordial secrets of the "essence of life" and wants to know its secrets and the origin of life itself. Ruan Mei also said that she is looking to have contact with a specific life form, but the recording ended before it could be revealed.

Ritsuka: I don't like this. These recordings of Ruan Mei are very worrying.

Stelle: Monkey dance!

Stelle said another random thing that is the work of Ruan Mei's drug and I let out a sigh when I see that the effect has not yet worn off.

Ritsuka: It seems that you are still unable to mention Ruan Mei yet. Anyway, let's keep walking.

Ashy Paste took us to a kind of garden where there is a device that was created to relieve the stress and negative feelings of the life forms that Ruan Mei created.

Having found a safe place, Stelle left Ashy Paste inside the device and at the same moment we heard a door opening.

Stelle: Is it just me or did a door open by itself just now?

Ritsuka: It seems to have come from the path of those stairs. Let's investigate.

We go up the stairs and enter a research room where there is another droid in the way.

The robot says that we need permission from Ruan Mei, fortunately Stella has that permission and she is able to access the data from this hidden room.

The droid says that it has the other part of the incomplete recording that we just heard and we immediately start listening to the last part of the recording.

Ruan Mei: I thought of a life form that would truly lie beyond my reach. And that is... an Emanator.

💭What?!

Ruan Mei: I cannot understand what an Emanator is. Scholars see them as the executors of the Aeons' powers. So where did it start, and at what point did they become closer to the "Aeons" compared to other life forms? At first,I tried to create a genius. I failed. That question has no solution yet,and a long journey of discovery still lies ahead.

💭I fear what she will say next...

Ruan Mei:However, Erudition isn't the only Path in the Universe. If we set logic aside, would there be more primitive and pure "Emanators" on other Paths? Of course there would be. Tayzzyronth

💭She didn't do what I'm imagining she did?! No! Is it impossible that she would be crazy enough to do such a feat?!

Ruan Mei:I was able to se the beginning and end of the Swarm Disaster through the Simulated Universe,obtain data on the Imperator Insectorum and their descendants,replicate them,nurture them,and create a brand-new scientific discipline. Will Herta and Screwllum like this experiment? Most likely not. Therefore, before they realize what I am doing. I must hurry my work,as well as find a fitting "assistant".

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

When the recording comes on I'm speechless about what I just heard.

💭Ruan Mei..... What did you do? All this for a damn search about life?!

Ritsuka: Hehe... hehehe...

Not knowing how to react I start laughing as a way of not letting my anger and fury take over.

Stelle: Ritsuka..... Are you okay?

Stelle said this looking at me with a worried expression and I continue to laugh.

Ritsuka:Hahahahaahahaha...

Black smoke comes out of my body and I feel my entire body entering flames of uncontrolled fury, but I immediately use my Equilibrium powers to maintain control.

My eyes turn different colors and I take a deep breath and stop laughing like a crazy psychopath.

Ritsuka: I'm sorry, Stelle for seeing this bad side of me. It's just that it's really hard to maintain composure after hearing the nonsense Ruan Mei just said!

💭I almost lost control of myself for a moment.

Ritsuka:She created a Emanator of Propagation! A fucking Tayzzyronth bug! Not only that, she has the audacity to involve you in this dangerous mission! It's a miracle this shit didn't get out of hand!

I say this while being very angry and immediately my body is covered in black flames giving me the appearance of a shadow.

Stelle: Ehhh.... Ritsuka what are you doing?

Ritsuka: Speeding up this damn mission! We have to eliminate an Emanator and clean up the shit that Ruan Mei did before the situation gets worse!

Without wasting time I fly towards Stelle and carry her in my arms and quickly go back upstairs to enter the door that takes us to the incubator.

As we approached the door we found a person standing in the middle of the path playing a game of chess alone.

💭Wait a minute... Those exotic Roman clothes... It can't be...Teacher?!

(Photo)

Dr Ratio stops playing chess and he approaches us wearing his classic Greek mask.

Dr Ratio:You two seem to be in distress. Something the matter? If that's the case...you better get thinking.

Stelle:Ehhh....

Fou:Fou.....

Stelle is confused when she sees Dr. Ratio for the first time and I am surprised to see him at the space station.

💭Why is he here? Teacher doesn't come without at least sending a warning, especially at the space station which is a place he hates.

Dr. Ratio: Are you waiting for a signal? Time is ticking. Descend via the elevator. What you seek is there.

💭Wait, does he know about the situation that is happening? But how?

Stelle: Who are you?

At the moment Stelle asked this question, even though Dr. Ratio was wearing a mask, I can imagine that he had an irritated expression at that moment.

Dr. Ratio: Have you considered whether the answer to your question will be of any relevance to our current predicament?

Ritsuka: Stelle, this is my general teacher Veritas Ratio, but he prefers to be called Dr. Ratio and he is a very important member of the Intelligentsia Guild.

I say this by giving a brief introduction of my teacher to Stelle, who has an intrigued expression.

Stelle: How interesting...

However, Dr. Ratio does not seem very happy to see that I answered Stelle's question.

Dr. Ratio: I did not expect you to answer an irrelevant question, Apprentice. Don't tell me that you have been infected by ignorance again and have lost track of the problem we are going through?

Ritsuka: I am fully aware of what is going on, Professor, but it doesn't hurt to make a quick introduction.

Stelle: One last question. Why do you wear an alabaster head....

Dr Ratio: Because I can't bear to see idiots. Of course, they wouldn't want to see me either.

Stelle 💭 Then why are you Ritsuka's teacher, after all he is an idiot.

Ritsuka: Let's go, Stelle. We can't waste any more time.

Dr Ratio: Apprentice, after you clean up the mess inside, the two of us need to discuss something privately.

Ritsuka: Alright, Professor.

With that, Stelle and I enter the incubator elevator that immediately takes us to the room where our enemy is.

However, when we finally get inside the incubator, the Emanator of Propagation is not present.

Ritsuka: Be careful where you walk, Stelle, and Fou, stay close to her.

Fou: Fou!

Fou jumps off my shoulder, staying on Stelle's shoulder, and we slowly approach the incubator.

Stelle: Is he invisible?

Ritsuka:Of course. Stelle, when he appears, he will start creating several other inferior insects. You take care of the little ones while I deal with the Emanator.

Stelle: Okay!

At the same moment, we feel the presence of the Emanator appearing behind us, showing its enormous appearance.

Ritsuka: Stelle, be prepared! And stay close to me!

Stelle:Right!

💭 I can't hold back, I'll have to use one of my Noble Phantasms to eliminate him. If I use Excalibur, the Space Station will be destroyed in the process. Using the Black Barrel is out of the question, so there's only one option left.

Ritsuka: It's time to use the power you gave me, Count. Hahahaha...

At that moment, my entire body is covered in black flames and I decide to change shape, looking like the Count of Monte Cristo Edmond Dantes.

(Photo)

Ritsuka:Damned Propagation insect! I will burn your body until no trace of it remains and I will drag your soul to the pits of hell!

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To be ontinued....

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A/N:As always, opinions and criticisms about the story are welcome and I hope you are enjoying the story. Thank you also for the support for those who are enjoying it.