"Uh… what are you eating?"
"Belobog Sausage™—you're worth it," Stelle mumbled through a mouthful, tearing off half and handing it to March 7th. "Try it?"
March numbly accepted the sausage. Why are we snacking on Belobog delicacies in a freezing, Fragmentum-infested hellscape?!
And Anming even had time for a date in this mess!
She angrily chomped the sausage as if biting Anming's neck. How dare he drown in romance while we're out here saving the world! Today, March would vehemently condemn such behavior!
But speaking of love… Sometimes, while stargazing, March wondered: What life had she lived before the Astral Express?
Maybe in those forgotten memories, there was someone important.
Stars hadn't always existed. Nor had she been eternally frozen in six-phase ice. Yet across the cosmos, no one recognized her.
"March 7th" marked her awakening—a fresh start.
Perhaps her old self was already dead.
She envied Anming, who could dream of his past. She had nothing to miss. Just blankness, like fresh snow.
So she took photos, preserving memories so they'd never fade again.
Even without memories, something remained—etched into her soul. March smiled faintly.
Maybe she should try that beer Stelle kept pushing.
"March, is it your turn to lose a spouse?" Stelle pinched March's cheek. "Cheer up! There's still a chance. How 'bout I snag Firefly, and you take Anming?"
"Wh-what nonsense! I'd never!" March retaliated by squishing Stelle's face, the two tumbling into a snowball fight.
Qingque sighed, chin in hand. How's Master's date going? By the time we return, will their kids already be running errands?
Absentmindedly, she swung her sword. A cyan arc shimmered—its pattern mirroring the Divine Jade Tiles.
Basic Skill [Jade Gambit Slash]:
Qingque channels tile energy, drawing four random jade tokens. Each draw increases her next "winning hand" chance. Matching suits trigger enhanced skills.
Enhanced Skill [Not the Sword Champion]:
Consume tokens to unleash a peerless strike, gaining one Sword Intent stack.
Ultimate [Profound Clarity]:
1 Stack: See through all flaws, dealing massive weakness-ignoring damage.
2 Stacks: Pierce all defenses with Jade Sword Heart, dealing true damage.
3 Stacks: Merge fate and blade. Deal AoE true damage. If all tokens match, execute enemies via Sword Heart Judgement.
After Qingque casually vaporized another Fragmentum spawn, Stelle finally caved. "Teach me your ways, Gambit Queen!"
Turns out, Qingque had been using basic attacks this whole time.
"Bad tile luck affects sword flow~ Can't be helped!" Qingque twirled her blade. "Like knowing you'll work overtime—it saps your will."
Anming hadn't taught her this, but her "master" once said: "Find your Sword Heart." And she had—the Loafing Sword Heart!
Proudly, Qingque declared, "Slacking Qingque is peak Qingque!"
With her help, the group soon reached the Underworld passage. Sampo grinned—his guide duties nearly done.
Stelle eyed Qingque's sword enviously. Maybe I'll pester Anming to teach me. Bat's cool, but swords are flashier.
As the miner's cable car descended, March marveled, "Belobog's engineering's amazing! This thing still works in the Fragmentum?"
"Wait—" Stelle tensed. Mentioning functionality in horror scenarios always backfires.
Clang.
The cable snapped.
"Look out!" Qingque's blade cleaved through falling debris—but the car plunged into darkness.
March clung to a rail, wailing, "Why does this ALWAYS HAPPEN?!"
Before Dan Heng could speak, the car crashed into the abyss.
Sampo smirked. Ah, the "joy" of Underworld tourism.
Then—a flash of emerald.
A silver iron steed swooped in, catching the car with roaring thrusters.
"Halt here. No casualties."
The mechanized voice froze March. STELLARON HUNTER SAM?!
But as the armor dissolved into flames, out stepped—
Anming?
March 7th: "???"