Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

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"March, Stelle—"

Dan Heng, who had been maintaining an observational stance, finally spoke up.

"Focus on his right arm."

When they had crashed in aboard the wood dragon, everyone's attention had been drawn to the troll king's massive size. Then, Stelle launched a ferocious assault while March 7th provided urgent support.

This left little time for the others to observe the finer details, but Dan Heng had noticed something.

After the troll king regenerated, the totem on his body—marked with the skulls of four beasts—dimmed slightly.

Previously, his left arm, right arm, and sides each bore symbols representing the tiger, leopard, lion, and elephant.

The totem for the leopard, symbolizing swiftness, had now faded, sinking into his skin and no longer emanating its oppressive aura.

This meant the earlier attack, which pushed the limits of human reaction time, couldn't be repeated so soon.

And from this clue, the conditions to kill him became increasingly evident.

As Dan Heng's gaze focused on the troll king's right arm, the creature snarled and glared at him with even greater malice.

"That's why I hate sharp little brats!"

But even though the troll king's weakness had been uncovered, he remained unfazed. While the vulnerability was real, defeating him would still require true skill and strength.

Otherwise, no amount of analysis would make a difference.

"Prepare yourselves! After enraging me, your bodies will be torn to shreds, your guts stuffed into jars, and your brains sucked dry!"

He inhaled deeply, the surrounding air seemingly drawn into his massive lungs. His muscles bulged grotesquely, veins pulsing beneath skin that glowed blood-red.

The "Four Beasts Qi" within him had fully awakened, unlocking his physical limits. The blood coursing through his body boiled and evaporated into a red mist that enveloped him in a terrifying aura.

His left arm had morphed entirely into a monstrous, razor-sharp claw. With a deafening roar, the troll king unleashed a sonic wave so powerful that it destroyed half the wood dragon's head, reducing nearby crumbling pillars to fine dust.

Dan Heng, standing within the attack's radius, remained still.

In the confined space, there wasn't enough room to accelerate to the speed needed to evade.

Instead, as the destructive soundwave approached, Dan Heng ran his fingertips along the spearhead of his lance. A resonant dragon's cry echoed as the weapon responded, its sound calm and majestic.

When the soundwave reached his field, it dissolved as though swallowed by tranquil waters, leaving not even a ripple.

"That's... a divine weapon?!"

The troll king's three eyes gleamed with avarice, his heartbeat pounding like a roaring locomotive.

With calculated precision, he moved his massive limbs. His right arm drew back to his abdomen while his left claw aimed at Dan Heng, his stance low and coiled like a poised predator.

"Hahaha! Celebrate, twig-boy! You'll be the first to die by my hand!"

His maniacal laughter echoed, and March 7th loosed arrows at his vital points—his eyes, ears, and throat. Yet each projectile was shredded by the turbulent aura surrounding him.

As the pink-haired girl clicked her tongue in frustration, the troll king ignored Dan Heng entirely. With explosive speed, he charged toward March 7th, his towering shadow engulfing her.

"But first, I'll get rid of the most annoying one!"

Raising his right leg high like a blade, he brought it down with devastating force. Even a small mountain placed beneath such an attack would be pulverized.

"Die, you little pest!"

BOOM!

Dust exploded into the air.

Yet the sensation beneath his foot wasn't soft and yielding like crushed flesh. It was hard and unyielding—so much so that the troll king's eye twitched in disbelief. The crystalline barrier beneath his strike remained unbroken.

The girl he had expected to cower in terror stood unmoved, her breath steady and her eyes unwavering. Gone was her playful, carefree demeanor; in its place was a sharp focus that radiated determination.

The frost-blue longbow in her hands glimmered with a cold, wintry light.

"Guess I'll get serious for once."

Her words were barely more than a muttered whisper, but they carried a strange, almost otherworldly weight. The longbow began to gather frost, its surface adorned with delicate, shimmering ice flowers.

They looked fragile, as though they could be crushed with a touch. Yet the troll king knew better now. The strength of these crystalline structures was formidable, even to him.

Could she really command such overwhelming ice power?

As the thought crossed his mind, March 7th's voice rang out.

"Time to see what I'm made of!"

Like a blizzard rising out of nowhere, a torrent of frost and biting cold surged toward the troll king, interspersed with shards of ice resembling hailstones.

His three eyes tracked the projectiles' trajectories. Moving fluidly, his body adjusted, and his fists shot out with the force of cannon fire.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

His ironclad fists, capable of shattering steel, smashed into the icy projectiles. For a moment, the air was filled with a cascade of shattering frost and relentless blows, the sheer number of impacts blurring the scene.

"Break, break, break, break!"

The crimson aura emanating from the troll grew fiercer, his monstrous face contorted in a manic euphoria as he unleashed his full strength.

"Mere parlor tricks! Compared to the might of my body—"

The troll's boast abruptly cut off as his body froze, his rapid strikes faltering ever so slightly.

Though nearly imperceptible, to a martial artist who refined the energy of the world to hone his physical form as a weapon, such a flaw was glaringly obvious.

My body... is trembling!?

The once-raging flow of Qi, as vast as an unending river, now felt as though a portion had been frozen at its source, restricting its movement.

At first, there were only faint ice shards, but soon larger patches of frost appeared, forming icy surfaces that interrupted the molten stream of his boiling blood.

How is this possible!?

The troll grit his teeth, the lion-shaped totem on his left arm blazing fiercely as he pushed his body to the brink. His punches, slowed by the frost, regained their furious speed. Yet, his knuckles could no longer regenerate fast enough to keep up with the damage. Bare white bone protruded from his fingers, and his warm blood evaporated on contact with the icy blossoms coating his arms.

It was self-destruction in every sense.

But his determination only heightened his aura, the condensed Qi in his left arm forming a massive glowing lion, its radiance illuminating the dim temple like daylight. The lion's roar echoed across the battlefield.

"Daylight Tiger!"

With all his remaining strength, the troll launched the colossal white lion at March 7th, its maw wide open, ready to devour the diminutive girl.

He forced himself to unleash everything before his body succumbed to the frost.

But just as the attack reached its apex, something shifted.

The shimmering tiger began to freeze mid-motion. Snowflake patterns spread across its head, limbs, and tail, consuming its entire body. The troll's lion totem and his left arm froze solid, covered in frost as cold and ancient as millennia-old glaciers.

Driven by desperation, the troll made a brutal decision.

With his remaining strength, his right arm formed a blade-hand and severed his frozen left arm clean at the shoulder.

The detached limb fell to the ground, shattering like fragile crystal. Yet the strange frost continued to spread, sealing the exposed wound at his shoulder. His flesh failed to regenerate as the ice forced the healing process into a "hibernation."

Not a single drop of blood spilled, but the pain was excruciating, far worse than when his skull had been shattered earlier.

The troll staggered back, his massive body collapsing to the ground. A sharp pain shot through his ankles as his tendons gave out, unable to support his weight. He fell with a resounding crash, raising a cloud of dust and debris.

Two shadows dashed forward in the aftermath.

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Meanwhile, Himeko strode calmly toward a dilapidated shrine at the eastern edge of the battlefield.

Her destination: the location of the so-called Radiant Wall Paladin who had betrayed his comrades.

Her steps exuded an unshakable confidence, the aura of someone who knew she would find a resolution.

But as she arrived, she noticed another figure was already there.

The man wore an exquisite suit of silver armor, its craftsmanship immaculate. Beneath it, he sported a rose-colored waistcoat, and a cape adorned with intricate branch-like patterns draped gracefully from his shoulders.

His fiery crimson hair, long and flowing, seemed almost otherworldly, embodying the romanticized ideals of a knight's passion.

Kneeling on one knee, this mysterious knight recited a eulogy for another fallen knight lying on the ground.

The deceased knight's armor was corroded by red-black decay, his helmet tilted to obscure his face, preserving what little dignity remained.

Behind them both stood a crumbling statue of a goddess with severed arms, bathed in soft moonlight.

Himeko's approach broke the solemn silence that hung in the air, her measured footsteps echoing faintly in the shrine.

The knight lifted his head, revealing a face as flawless as that of a prince. His gentle, honest gaze betrayed no carnal desire as he regarded Himeko, only a serene admiration for her beauty.

"Greetings, lady, whose beauty surpasses even that of roses."

His voice carried a warmth and sincerity that made it clear he wasn't flattering her for personal gain. His words were a genuine acknowledgment of her elegance and grace.

"I am the Knight of Purity—Silver Branch. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

"Oh my, I haven't heard such charming words in a long time," Himeko replied with a soft laugh, her poised demeanor radiating elegance that left even the Silver Branch Knight momentarily awestruck.

"Call me Himeko. I am the navigator of the Astral Express. Perhaps you're more familiar with our other name: the Nameless."

"Ah, of course. You are the ones most akin to us—a leaf from the same branch, as it were."

The Silver Branch Knight smiled, his expression warm and inviting. His admiration wasn't limited to shared beliefs; he marveled at Himeko's radiant and solitary soul, a beauty beyond comparison.

A beauty more dazzling than the stars, more steadfast than steel.

Such an extraordinary existence would earn the respect and awe of any knight of purity.

"Navigator Himeko, may I ask what brings you to this planet?"

"Nothing special—just the usual expansion efforts of the Nameless," Himeko replied, her tone light. "Although, if you want a formal explanation, we're here to recover the Stellaron that's fallen onto this world."

Himeko saw no reason to hide the Nameless' goal. The Knights of Purity, unlike the Stellaron Hunters, were not a faction that required excessive caution.

Though many galactic factions dismissed the knights as little more than idealistic wanderers, Himeko held a different view.

To her, their burning faith—so intense it seemed it might scorch those who approached—was anything but hollow.

"I see."

Hearing of the Stellaron's presence, Silver Branch's expression grew solemn.

"Recovering the Stellaron is crucial to preserving countless lives. Please, allow me to offer whatever aid I can."

"Having a knight of your caliber join us would certainly be a boon," Himeko said with a nod. "However, before we proceed, might I trouble you to clarify a few things for me?"

"Of course. Ask whatever you wish, and I will answer truthfully."

"In that case, let's start with this knight here," Himeko said, gesturing toward the fallen body.

"Ah, Sir Hans..." The Silver Branch Knight sighed deeply, a trace of regret flashing across his face.

"When I found him, he had already lost most of his reason. It seemed his mind had been severely corrupted by some unknown contaminant."

He glanced at the body lying motionless on the ground, his expression heavy with sorrow.

"Even in that state, his will was remarkably strong. The moment he saw me, he urged me to leave, warning that he could no longer hold back the curse consuming him. But alas..."

His words trailed off, leaving the tragic outcome unspoken.

"When he lost control and attacked me, I had no choice but to subdue him. His injuries were too severe, and even his soul was on the verge of collapse. In the end, I could only grant him a knight's death."

Silver Branch turned toward Himeko, offering her a tarnished gold insignia stained with dried blackish-red blood.

"This is his badge of office. It was through this that I learned his name."

"I see... To fall in battle against someone like you, I imagine his final moments must have felt like a release," Himeko said, taking the badge and examining it.

The design resembled the adventurer badges she had seen before but bore the distinct mark of his faction. Inscribed on the back were his name and the date he had been anointed by the Church of the Earth Mother.

While Hans' fate was tragic, it was clear he hadn't been a "traitor" as claimed, but rather—

Himeko's thoughts were interrupted by a fleeting shadow across the night sky, its size reminiscent of a raven.

Silver Branch, however, reacted instantly. He summoned an ornate cross-shaped lance, took a perfect throwing stance, and hurled the weapon with pinpoint precision.

"Reveal yourself, fiend!"

The whistling sound of the lance cutting through the air was followed by a piercing screech and the heavy thud of something crashing to the ground.

"Gaaaah!"

A monstrous one-eyed raven demon emerged, transforming as it fell. Its grotesque beak smashed through the temple's weakened roof, its blood-red eye filled with hatred as it locked onto Silver Branch.

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