Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

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The sacred hall, a vision seemingly plucked from dreams, manifested here, radiating an ethereal light that enveloped all within its domain. Wherever the brilliance touched, life flourished anew.

For those within this field, the blessings they received far exceeded anything ordinary adventurers could imagine, to the extent that they regarded the little forest girl at the center of the barrier, radiating a warm glow, as nothing less than a deity descended to the mortal realm.

"What on earth is going on!?"

"No idea, but it seems to be that forest girl..."

"She's just a child! How could she master such a complex barrier formation...?"

The adventurers' discussions were fervent, but a passing forest-dwelling girl rolled her eyes and snapped, "A child? Even if your whole family combined their ages, you'd barely reach half of Her Highness's!"

"Uh... That... might be true?"

Though her tone was sharp, considering the longevity of the forest dwellers, it was entirely plausible that someone who appeared to be a child had actually lived for centuries, maybe longer.

Otherwise, how could she wield such overwhelming power, a force so monumental that it negated all human effort as though it were nothing?

Naturally, the adventurers wisely kept such thoughts to themselves. They were perceptive enough to flash ingratiating smiles despite their earlier skepticism. The forest girl gave them a dismissive glance, not bothering to maintain her haughty demeanor. Instead, she huffed lightly and hurried toward the glowing center.

The adventurers exchanged uncertain looks, unsure of what to do, until the forest girl halted, turned back, and yelled at them.

"What are you standing around for? The monsters are attacking the city! Stop loafing and go help!"

"Ah... Y-yes, ma'am!"

Normally, adventurers wouldn't hesitate to disregard the orders of even a city lord, but faced with this forest dweller, they found themselves unusually compliant. Perhaps it was because—

Having witnessed such a miracle, their hearts felt inexplicably calm.

The fatigue from prolonged battles, the anxiety, even the terror upon learning of the monsters' siege—all these feelings dissipated the moment they acknowledged the presence of that godlike girl.

"Anyway, let's do what we can, as she said!"

The adventurers scattered. Warriors bolstered the city's defenses, shield-bearers transported the wounded, and clerics cast minor healing spells. Though their efforts paled compared to the restorative power of the radiant palace, even lightening its burden slightly felt like fulfilling their purpose.

At the center of their attention, Nahida gently descended, maintaining the "Mock Palace of Maya." The effort wasn't taxing for her.

The mental strain paled in comparison to when she had dispersed the blizzards of Jarilo-VI, an act that had demanded splitting her consciousness into countless fragments, channeling them into the faint whispers carried by the winds.

To her, maintaining the palace now felt trivial. She could stand there and sustain it for days without issue.

If she were in the forest seas, the energy cost would be negligible—she could sustain it perpetually.

This was all thanks to the blessing she had received from the World Tree. The fairy queens of ages past were revered as demigods for this very reason.

Compared to that, the centuries-long lifespans of the forest dwellers seemed like an insignificant byproduct.

The World Tree's blessing endowed Nahida with the ancient techniques of the fairy lineage, alongside forbidden knowledge she chose not to touch. These arcane methods came to her as naturally as breathing.

She could even summon vast phenomena like the descent of the Tree Realm. But drawing such attention to herself would overshadow her companions, reducing them to mere bystanders in her story.

Thus, opting for this "partially unleashed" state felt more appropriate to her.

After all, using the blessings of the World Tree had no connection to her innate authority. It simply served to enhance her persona as the Fairy Princess. Since her stated purpose was to oppose the Demon King, she needed to embody the expectations mortals had of the forest people.

But before anything else, she needed to clear a path for her companions.

Nahida turned to the prepared trio of March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle and asked softly, "Are you ready?"

"No problem."

"Leave it to me!"

"Can I learn this too?"

The responses were unmistakably theirs. Meeting Stelle's eager gaze, Nahida nodded gently before clasping her hands before her chest, aligning them with her line of sight.

"When you return, I'll teach you."

Her voice was soft and kind, yet the reverberations beneath the earth—like the entire underground leyline was awakening—made it difficult to focus solely on her words.

Dry, brittle trees began to sprout new leaves, infusing the lifeless city with vibrant greenery. Red fruits bloomed on the branches, vivid and brilliant.

On the main battlefield, the tremors grew visible to the naked eye. Something beneath the earth was consuming the blood and flesh of the fallen, nourishing itself.

As it grew, the subterranean entity revealed its massive form—a "Wood Dragon" composed of intertwining roots.

Its sinuous body swept aside approaching giants who prided themselves on their regeneration, only for that very trait to become a curse, prolonging their torment. They were swallowed whole, their bodies repurposed to fuel the dragon's growth.

On its back, flower-like structures unfurled, forming platforms for riders.

Guiding the dragon to the city gates, Nahida startled the guards into retreat. She turned to her astonished companions with a faint smile.

"Express Wood Dragon. All aboard—"

"Whoa, are you serious? You can ride this thing?"

Despite her words of apprehension, March 7th was the first to leap aboard, her excitement making her resemble a child discovering a new toy.

The Trailblazer, worried she might actually fall, followed suit and landed firmly on the dragon's back.

Only Dan Heng hesitated, his expression thoughtful as if weighing his words.

Sensing his hesitation, Nahida said softly, "I remembered what you became before. I liked it, so I kept this part of the design."

"...Understood."

Though his eyes held a trace of complexity, Dan Heng made no further objections. With a graceful leap, he joined the others.

His movements were like a fleeting dragon, briefly surfacing under the moonlight to dance.

But it wasn't time yet—

Now, he wasn't ready yet.

So, she would lend her friend a hand.

"Art of the Wood Dragon!"

As the princess's voice rang out, the previously docile wood dragon, resting beneath the city wall, stirred to life. Though it lacked vocal cords, a thunderous, piercing dragon's roar reverberated across the battlefield.

From stillness to motion, the wood dragon carved through the battlefield like a tidal wave, leaving a deep trench in its wake. Any monsters that dared to obstruct its path or failed to flee in time were instantly crushed into a pulp.

"Whoooaaa—! So fast! So fast!"

March 7th, clinging tightly to Stelle beside her, let out an excited cheer. Her ample chest pressed against the gray-haired girl's face, squashing it into a comical shape.

Yet, Stelle remained composed, seemingly unperturbed by such trivialities.

"...She's really this unfazed by everything?"

Dan Heng couldn't help but wonder. While it was clear from their journey thus far that Stelle was calm and reliable when it mattered most, her occasional clumsiness or inclination toward odd humor made her somewhat concerning.

He had expected her to join March 7th in her antics, yet she was surprisingly quiet.

Just as the reserved young man felt a slight sense of reassurance about their mission, he noticed something strange—

Stelle's expression shifted in slow motion, her previously serene face morphing into wide-eyed shock and a slightly agape mouth.

"Mmph—!"

Before she could cry out, March 7th's enthusiastic movements sent her chest crashing directly into her companion's face, silencing her completely.

Lost in her excitement, March 7th didn't notice Stelle's struggle until Dan Heng grabbed her arm, signaling her to let go. Realizing she was suffocating her friend, March 7th released her with a guilty expression.

"Are you okay?" she asked, sounding like a child caught misbehaving.

"Wait for me when I get back," the gray-haired girl mumbled, still dazed from her ordeal.

"…?"

Before March 7th could make sense of the comment, Dan Heng stood up, bracing himself against the wood dragon's movements.

"Passengers, we're approaching our destination. Please prepare to disembark—"

Nahida's gentle, childlike voice called out from atop the wood dragon. Her words sent a shiver down their spines, but not from fear.

The reason for their alarm was the rapidly growing silhouette of a temple in their line of sight.

"Wait, wait! Are we seriously about to crash into it!?"

March 7th's fears were justified. The colossal wood dragon, which had traversed several kilometers in mere moments, showed no signs of slowing down. Instead, it barreled straight into the ancient temple.

BOOOOM—!

The temple, weathered by centuries of wind and rain, crumbled instantly like a house of cards. Dust filled the air, choking the surroundings, as debris scattered in all directions. March 7th coughed and waved her hand to clear the dust cloud, but a deep, guttural roar pierced through the haze.

"RRRRAAAAHHH!!!"

The sound carried anguish and fury.

All eyes turned to its source: a massive troll, pinned against the temple wall by the wood dragon's massive jaws, rubble raining down on its enormous frame.

This troll was far more intimidating than any Stelles had encountered before. Towering in size, with limbs as thick as pillars and deep green skin adorned with ominous four-beast patterns, it glared at them with glowing blue-purple eyes and bared fangs that jutted out like tusks.

"You... How dare you attack me again!"

It spoke in guttural, rage-filled human words, its glowing eyes boring into them with murderous intent. March 7th felt a fleeting vision—a memory of the troll crushing an entire decapitation squad that had tried and failed to ambush it.

But before its intimidating presence could fully paralyze her, the vision was cut short in the most direct manner.

Stelle, who had already jumped from the wood dragon, charged forward without hesitation. In her hands, the bat she had salvaged from the space station thrummed with an ethereal aura, exuding a blend of blue and gold energy.

Her steps cracked the ground beneath her, sending rubble flying as she leaped into the air. Swinging her bat with all her might, she brought it down onto the troll's head, which was immobilized by the dragon's grip.

CRACK!

The impact reverberated like a boulder shattering against steel. The recoil nearly wrenched the bat from her hands, but the result was undeniable.

The troll's grotesque head shattered like a watermelon, its body collapsing lifelessly to the ground as though its spine had been ripped out.

Did that... kill it?

The thought barely crossed her mind when the seemingly lifeless troll's massive right arm twitched.

With a burst of feral strength, it snapped off one of the wood dragon's fangs and swung it like a whip. Stelle didn't even have time to react before the blow struck her squarely, sending her flying through the temple wall.

Her impact left a person-shaped hole in the stone, blood trickling from the cracks.

"Stelle—!"

March 7th screamed in panic, her expression filled with dread. Dan Heng's eyes narrowed sharply.

The decapitated troll's body, still in the stance of its last attack, showed no signs of blood loss. Instead, its neck began to regenerate at an unnatural speed. Within moments, its head had completely regrown, with skin and muscle knitting themselves back together.

Flexing its regenerated neck, it reached out with its hand—mangled and broken from Stelle's earlier blow.

"My hand?"

Its voice carried a note of disbelief as it stared at its grotesquely twisted fingers, white bone jutting through green skin.

Enraged, it turned its blazing eyes toward the dust cloud where its opponent had fallen.

From the haze came a faint, emotionless cough.

"Ugh, cough—"

The gray-haired girl emerged, dragging her bat behind her. A faint crystalline barrier shimmered around her battered body.

"Is that... the Earth Mother's miracle?" the troll muttered, unable to believe its eyes.

How had she survived that attack, let alone summoned a divine barrier so quickly? He was certain he hadn't given any cleric the chance to pray or chant.

March 7th seemed equally surprised, her shock giving way to a smug grin.

"Hah! Bet you didn't see that coming! I can dodge bullets too, you know!"

The troll didn't understand what "bullets" were, but her triumphant pose and taunting tone were all too clear. His humiliation burned hotter.

"Twice! You dare humiliate me twice!"

Its dark green skin began to glow with faint red light, steam hissing from its mouth as its already massive frame swelled with muscle. Even the wood dragon's jaws struggled to hold it in place as it pushed back with sheer force.

"I'll tear you all to pieces and feed you to the pigs!"

"Oh yeah? Who's talking big after getting their head smashed in?" March 7th shot back without missing a beat.

"We'll pound you so hard the Demon King himself won't recognize you!"

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