I, The Aeon of Trailblaze, Trailblazing the Multiverse

The Astral Express was moments away from leaving its current universe and heading to the Unknown Beyond. Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng, all visibly tense, quickly found their seats.

Even March 7th, who usually enjoyed playfully defying the turbulence of jumps by trying to stay standing, obediently sat beside Himeko, her hands neatly placed on her knees, her posture perfectly disciplined.

Pom-Pom's voice echoed over the intercom.

The crew had long been accustomed to Pom-Pom's announcements, but this time, every word felt weightier, tugging at their hearts.

[Please prepare yourselves!]

[Countdown starting!]

[5]

The immense power of the Path of Trailblaze enveloped the Astral Express.

[4]

The train trembled slightly, and the view of the galaxy outside began to blur as the train accelerated beyond the speed of light.

[3]

A resonant hum filled the cabin.

The Astral Express's speed continued to increase with Pom-Pom's countdown. The scenery outside became indistinct, then transformed into streaks of multicolored light.

The train had already broken free from the constraints of "universal constants."

[2]

In the next moment, the train itself became transparent, and everyone aboard experienced a sensation of weightlessness.

Himeko's amber eyes widened as her heart pounded. March 7th couldn't hold back her amazement and let out a shout.

"Wow! The train's jump is so fast—it's completely different from before!"

Elias glanced at March 7th, her pink-blue eyes wide as she stared out the window, her voice filled with excitement. He smiled.

Of course, a Trailblaze Aeon-powered Astral Express was leagues apart from its previous iterations.

[1]

Pom-Pom's countdown concluded.

The next instant, everything around them snapped into focus. What they saw was a fantastical scene: an endless expanse of enormous, multicolored bubbles, as if they were floating in a dreamlike ocean of fairy tales.

The colorful bubbles were so immense that their size defied measurement, creating an awe-inspiring, otherworldly vista.

Before anyone could fully take it in, the sensation of weightlessness began to fade, and the surreal surroundings disappeared.

They found themselves back in the void of a pitch-black cosmic expanse.

Outside the observation car's window, however, a new sight awaited—a water-blue planet now dominated the view.

All eyes turned to the window, captivated by the serene, azure world.

Himeko, Dan Heng, and March 7th examined the planet with curiosity. Such scenes—jumping to unknown planets—were not entirely new to them, having occurred dozens of times during their journeys.

But for Elias, this was a first. His gaze lingered on the blue planet, a mixture of familiarity and anticipation bubbling within him.

Earth. Without a doubt, this was Earth. Most of the anime worlds etched into his memory were anchored to Earth.

As the jump concluded, he could distinctly feel that the "universal constants" had completely shifted.

Nothing matched the "constants" in Akivili's memory. Not the boiling point of water, the lowest temperature, spatial density, or the speed of light—they were all fundamentally altered.

Himeko stepped closer to the window, her eyes reflecting the water-blue planet as she mused, "A water-blue planet. It's remarkably similar to the azure world where a certain genius was born."

March 7th, her palms pressed against the glass, chirped in her lively tone, "A water-blue planet means lots of water, which means tons of weird alien plants and animals. I bet there are loads of interesting things to discover!"

"And it's an alternate world outside the universe, I wonder if there are fluffy, pink, super-cute little animals here."

Welt stepped closer, adjusted his glasses, and froze. His pupils dilated as his expression shifted to one of disbelief. He hastily removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes as his voice trembled.

"Th-this is… Earth…"

"That's the Pacific Ocean… the Eurasian coastline… the Americas… the Australian continent…"

Welt's uncharacteristic reaction startled Himeko and March 7th.

"What's wrong, Uncle Yang?" March 7th asked curiously. "It's the first time I've seen you so emotional."

Himeko's golden eyes shimmered as realization dawned on her. "Earth… Welt mentioned that name when he first joined the train. If I recall, it's his homeworld."

March 7th's jaw dropped. "That water-blue planet is Uncle Yang's home? The unknown realm outside the universe… turns out to be his home?"

Her astonished gaze shifted to Elias, who stood calmly, his usual warm smile unwavering.

"Lord Akivili, does this mean we haven't arrived at our destination yet?"

Himeko and Welt turned to Elias as well, waiting for an answer.

Elias extended his senses across the new world, probing its essence to confirm which anime world they had entered.

In an instant, his concept of Path blanketed the entire "universe."

To call it a universe might be an overstatement—it was no more than the size of a galaxy. Still, it fit the definition of a world, as star systems in the Star Rail Universe often did.

The entire world was eerily silent, devoid of life except for the planet Earth.

Elias wasn't surprised by this peculiar result.

"We've arrived at our destination, little March," Elias said, gazing at the blue planet.

"This world has no Imaginary Energy, none of the forces that exist in our original universe, nor any power tied to the Paths or the Tree and Sea1."

"It is governed solely by the most basic physical laws—a rather fragile world."

"This planet is called 'Earth,' but it's not Welt's home. It's just another wave in a vast ocean, similar but not the same."

"Similar people, similar planets—these are things you've all encountered before. There's no need to be so surprised."

Welt's hopeful expression dimmed, and he let out a quiet sigh.

It was true. Since becoming a Nameless, he had encountered far too many similar individuals—people who shared faces, mannerisms, even personalities with those he'd once known.

When he first met Himeko aboard the train, he'd thought she was a figure from his past.

"Thank you for clarifying, Lord Akivili," Welt said, his tone subdued. "Just as people can look identical, so too can worlds."

"But… seeing something familiar still makes my heart race."

Elias's eyes glimmered faintly. "Then let's take a stroll through this world together."

"This world is in trouble—it's facing an apocalypse."

"My Nameless, it's time to step into the script of 'heroes from beyond the stars' once again, haha."

The moment his Path of Trailblaze enveloped the world, he knew precisely which one they had entered.

While this world lacked anything mystical, it held a special place in Elias's memories.

Welt frowned. "An apocalypse…" The words Earth and apocalypse stirred long-buried memories within him.

Himeko remained calm, her tone composed. "An apocalypse, is it?"

The train crew had encountered their fair share of apocalyptic worlds before.

March 7th scratched her head and let out an exaggerated sigh, her demeanor one of resigned acceptance. "An apocalypse, huh? Of course—it's always one big event after another. I'm already used to it."

Spreading her hands in mock frustration, she added, "No rest for us."

Elias chuckled and reached out to ruffle March 7th's hair. "Oh, little March, are you saying that the 'big event' is me?"

March 7th blinked her blue-pink eyes, innocent curiosity shining in them. "Lord Akivili returning isn't a big event?"

Her guileless expression left Elias momentarily at a loss for words.

"Well, enough complaining," Elias said, shifting his tone to one of authority. "Prepare yourselves, my Nameless. It's time to save the world."

"With your abilities, rescuing this ordinary planet will be effortless."

Though the crew was small in number, they were more than capable of handling this world's troubles with ease. Especially Welt and Dan Heng—compared to this world's standards, they were akin to mythological gods.

"And who knows," Elias added with a grin, "we might even pick up a few new passengers for the train."