-Continuing on from Chapter 3-

Opening his eyes, Y/n notices March 7th sprawled out on the floor a few feet away from him due to the jump of the Astral Express and her refusal to sit down. Letting out a loose chuckle, Y/n turns to the large window panel next to him, eyes widening in response to seeing a giant, frozen ball of a planet.

"Why... does it look so familiar...?" Y/n mutters to himself, unbeknownst to March 7th sneaking up on him.

March 7th: "Boo!-" She yells out, only to be cut off by Y/n looking down at her with his usual piercing gaze, unfazed by the attempted jumpscare. Choking on her spit, March 7th nervously smiles at Y/n and turns around, walking away.

March 7th: "Note to self: Never attempt to jumpscare Y/n..." She whispers to herself, walking away from Y/n and towards Himeko and Stelle, both of which are gazing out of the large window panel across from Y/n. Overhearing the three's conversation, Y/n's eyes widen even more than before.

Himeko: "After all those millennia... is this what Jarilo-VI has become?" She asks herself, witnessing the completely frozen planet with Stelle and March 7th standing next to her.

'That name... Even the name sounds familiar somehow... I'm trying to jog my memory but I can't remember anything besides the planet and its name looking and sounding familiar...' Y/n thinks to himself, closing his eyes and attempting to concentrate his thoughts.

'None of this makes any sense at all. I'm confident I don't have any correlation to this planet, yet it feels as though...-' Y/n continues to think, only for his thoughts to be cut off by March 7th.

March 7th: "Huh? So that snowy planet is our destination this time?" She turns to Himeko.

Himeko: "Yep. Looks like this trailblazing expedition won't be easy..." Himeko responds, sighing. Her gaze turning to Y/n from across the Express, Himeko notices the Kaslana deep in thought and interrupts his thinking.

Himeko: "Hey, Y/n. You alright? Is something bothering you?" She asks him, Y/n shaking his head in response and switching his gaze to her in response.

"Thanks for worrying, Miss Himeko, but I'm fine. I'm just thinking about a few things." Y/n replies.

Himeko: "Is it about leaving the Space Station behind?" She asks Y/n. Seeing the excuse as an easy way to avoid explaining his thoughts, Y/n silently nods, causing Himeko to smile at him.

Himeko: "Don't worry. The others back on the Space Station won't forget all you did to protect them. If you ever feel like you need to talk to someone, I'm always here." Himeko replies to the silent nod, causing a pang of guilt to cross Y/n's heart. Holding himself back from telling her and the other Nameless, Y/n nods again.

"Thank you, Miss Himeko." Y/n thanks, earning another small smile from Himeko, which would have ignited a blush on Y/n's face if he didn't have a below-zero body temperature. Interrupting the conversation, Pom-Pom walks into the carriage, a distraught look on their face.

Pom-Pom: "Spatial readout anomaly! Star rail stability is down to 12%! Schedule alteration: Seven-day stopover time extended indefinitely!" The conductor explains.

Stelle: "Anomaly? What anomaly?" Stelle interrupts.

Himeko: "Hmm... The complex locality of this world has been... affected somehow. The star rail has been blocked off by something. Take an ordinary train as an example: It's like the tracks up ahead have suddenly snapped, and the way forward leads straight into a collapsing abyss... The only sensible thing to do would be to brake hard, right?" Himeko explains, putting her hand on her chin.

Stelle: "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Stelle replies.

Pom-Pom: "If we try to force our way ahead, there could be a hefty price to pay!" Pom-Pom interrupts, causing March 7th to put her hand on her head as if she had just gotten a headache.

March 7th: "This again... Don't tell me, it's gotta be..." She trails off, being interrupted by the man from before, or more commonly known by the Nameless as Welt.

Welt: "The results of the preliminary analysis are here. The anomaly stems from a Stellaron, as always." Welt explains, gaining Stelle's attention.

Stelle: "Stellaron..."

Welt: "Yes, Stelle, just like the one that's been placed into your body." Welt adds, turning to Stelle.

Stelle: "What exactly is a Stellaron?" She asks.

Himeko: "Stellarons are clouded in mystery, even Herta isn't able to fully understand them..." Himeko trails off, just as a person walks up to them, arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"Stellarons are cancers to all worlds. If they end up remaining active on planets for an extended period of time, then those planets will take a turn for the worst and become uninhabitable before you know it. Though, the one in your body is one of very few exceptions." Y/n explains, walking up to the group.

Stelle: "Wait, there are other... 'exceptions'?" She questions, gaining the rest of the crew's attention.

"Yeah. That's for another time though." Y/n replies, slightly disappointing Stelle and the rest.

"Himeko. Do we have any need for concern during the expedition?" Y/n asks Himeko, turning towards her.

Himeko: "Hm... There shouldn't be any need to worry. This isn't the first time our route has been obstructed by a Stellaron. Even if we don't know much about them, at least we know how to neutralize their influences." She responds, clearing any cause for concern.

Welt: "The only thing we can say for sure is that their arrival causes massive changes to civilizations and ecosystems, like Y/n mentioned. They also generate distortions in space such as Fragmentums. There must be an inextricable connection between the Stellaron we're dealing with here, and Jarilo-VI becoming a frozen planet." Welt interrupts.

Himeko: "Our current theory is that Stellarons are seeds of disaster planted by a certain Aeon throughout the universe. We can't continue to trailblaze without removing the source of the disaster." She adds.

Stelle: "So you're saying..."

March 7th: "That we've gotta get busy!" March 7th interrupts Stelle.

Himeko: "Stelle, I'd like to entrust this trailblazing expedition to March, Dan Heng, Y/n, and you. The objective is clear: Find the Stellaron responsible for the disaster and the spatial distortions, and bring it back to the Express. We'll deal with the rest." Himeko explains, turning to Stelle. Meanwhile, Y/n looks down at the palm of his gloved hands, deeply absorbed in his thoughts, only for said thoughts to be interrupted by March 7th.

March 7th: "Awesome! We get to work as a team again, you two!" She cheerfully states, making Stelle put her hand on her head.

Stelle: "I'm feeling a little sleepy..." She says, causing March 7th to frown.

March 7th: "Hey! That's not the spirit! How about you, Y/n? How excited are you?"

"Absolutely thrilled..." Y/n responds half-heartedly and full of sarcasm.

Welt: "So it's still not our turn..." Welt dejectedly tells himself, prompting Himeko to give him a reassuring smile.

Himeko: "I know you really want to go, but we should give the youngsters a chance to get out there on their own. It'll be a good opportunity for them to bond. Plus, Y/n might even open up, even if it's only a slight bit more." Himeko tells Welt, whispering the last part to him.

Himeko: "Stelle, March, Y/n, if you three are ready, why not go and find Dan Heng? He's probably already started collating the ecological data and survey results for Jarilo-VI. It's always good to know more about the destination before you start a journey."

-Small Timeskip-

Stepping onto Jarilo-VI's desolate snow plains, the squad of four look forward, looks of determination on their faces, save for Y/n and Dan Heng who are both dreading having to deal with March 7th the entire expedition.

Dan Heng: "Jarilo-VI, here we come."

March 7th: "Brrr. It really is one big snowball." March 7th interrupts the moment, slightly shivering.

"You were frozen in a block of ice when Miss Himeko and Mr. Welt found you, weren't you?" Y/n questions her, causing her to go silent for a few short moments of bliss for Y/n and Dan Heng.

March 7th: "...That's besides the point." She responds.

Stelle: "It really is one big snowball." Stelle interrupts, mocking March 7th.

March 7th: "Hey, get your own metaphor!" She tells Stelle. Looking around, March 7th sighs.

March 7th: "Snow as far as the eye can see... Which direction should we take?" March 7th questions.

Dan Heng: "Based on the coordinates, the target should be up ahead." Dan Heng answers, looking ahead from the four's current location.

Stelle: "I didn't know we'd be hiking..."

March 7th: "Me neither, if only we had a snowmobile... We never get to bring anything cool from the Express." She responds.

Dan Heng: "Do you remember what you did to our last snowmobile?" Dan Heng questions her.

March 7th: "...Anyway, moving on." March 7th, avoiding the question, earning a sigh from Dan Heng.

Dan Heng: "Remember, we should stay vigilant. We know very little about this world." He explains.

"Dan Heng's right. One wrong move and this entire expedition could be a complete failure." Y/n adds.

March 7th: "Calm down. Between the four of us, nothing will stand in our way. I mean c'mon, Stelle, you've got a Stellaron in your body, I have my special Six-Phased Ice powers, Y/n has his pistols and combat abilities, and Dan Heng... Uhh, he's got that mysterious past thing going for him... So, if people start creating trouble for us, they're gonna regret it!" She attempts to reassure them, flashing a cheerful smile.

Stelle: "Yeah! They're gonna regret it!" Stelle joins in.

March 7th: "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, hehe..."

"I swear... It's like taking care of children..." Y/n sighs.

Dan Heng: "Agreed..."

March 7th: "Let's go! Braving the unknown... that's the real spirit of trailblazing!" She yells out, completely ignoring Y/n and Dan Heng's short interaction.

Beginning their long hike, the four tread across the snow, Y/n leading the crew with the other three following shortly behind. After losing track of how long they've been walking for, March 7th yawns, going to complain, only for Y/n to hold his arm out in front of the crew facing away from them, causing them to stop abruptly.

March 7th: "Huh? Y/n? Did you find anything-?"

"Keep quiet. I heard some noise nearby. It might be an enemy." Y/n interrupts her, eyes darting around trying to find the source of said noise.

March 7th: "Not this again!" She exclaims, remembering the ambush by the Voidrangers back on the Space Station. Meanwhile, Y/n locates the source of the noises, walking over to a pile of snow.

"Get out of there, unless you want me to drag you out forcefully." Y/n tells the pile of snow, hearing the breathing coming from it completely cease. "Holding your breath will only lower your chances of survival." Y/n reminds the snow pile. Hearing no response from the person buried in the snow, Y/n sighs.

"Fine then, don't blame me if this hurts, and it DEFINITELY will." Reeling his hand back, Y/n suddenly jabs his hand into the snow.

???: "Yeowch!" The person exclaims, jumping out of the snow pile and leaving it destroyed. Holding his hands out, the now revealed man looks at Y/n.

???: "My fine fellow, was that really necessary? Is crawling around in the snow a crime these days? I mean, c'mon, surely it doesn't warrant a cold-to-the-touch jabbing?" The man asks. Gaze switching to Dan Heng, then March 7th, then Stelle, and then finally stopping on Y/n, the man gives a sly smile to the four.

???: "...But then again how can I blame you? I mean, I caught you off guard. It had to happen, you could even say I deserved it, huh? Besides, I've made a gallant group of new friends as a result, haha..."

"...I can already tell this is going to be a headache." Y/n tells himself, putting his hand on his head and sighing.

???: "Don't be like that, my fine fellow! Say... Is Captain Gepard around? H-He's an old buddy of mine..." The man asks, seeming nervous.

March 7th: "Who?" She asks, making the man's eyes widen slightly.

Sampo: "Wait, you're not Silvermane Guards? Well, why didn't you say so? Turns out we're on the same side after all! Pleasure to meet you four, the name's Sampo Koski." Sampo says, revealing his name.

Stelle: "I'm Stelle." Stelle introduces herself.

Sampo: "Excellent, I'll remember the name. I never thought I'd run into friends from the same line of work out here in this frozen wasteland." Sampo sighs. "Business is bad these days, but fear not, Sampo Koski isn't interested in hoarding. There's more than enough treasure to go around, so let's get rich together! Haha. Say, why don't we join forces? I have reliable intel the main strength of the Silvermane Guards is being deployed to the front lines. This is a golden opportunity..." Sampo tells the four.

Stelle: "What business are you talking about?" She questions.

Sampo: "...Come now, friends. I can understand the mistrust, but there's no need for the charade. Then again, I know the rules, vigilance is the name of the game in our profession. It's my fault for letting my enthusiasm and sincerity get the better of me..." He says, attempting to gain sympathy from the crew, much to Y/n's annoyance.

Sampo: "Anyway, a meeting like this has to have been written in the stars. Ask me anything you like, I won't skimp on the details. Still, make it snappy, you're never more than ten feet from a Silvermane Guard."

"Who are these Silvermane Guards you speak of?" Y/n interrupts.

Sampo: "You... You really don't know? The Silvermane Guards are Belobog's soldiers, enforcers, and police. Let's just say they're not the most flexible of people... and they like paying visits to folks in our line of work." Sampo explains.

Discussing between the four of them with Sampo looking on, the crew turn to Sampo, awaiting a further explanation.

Sampo: "Seems like you guys really are new to the business. To be young and naïve again... How about this. As a senior in the field, which I'm sure neither of you mind me saying, I'll give you some free guidance. There are ways of doing things in this profession, and you'd better get familiar with them. Moving in the shadows, finding the goods, pricing your stock, hiding from the Guards... there's an art to all of it." He explains to the four.

March 7th: "No need, why don't you just take us to the city? We don't really know the way." March 7th interrupts him, earning nods from the other three.

Sampo: "The city? Already? I haven't even started trading yet. Showing you the way is easy enough, missy, but it would cost-" Sampo explains, only to be cut off by glares from both Y/n and Dan Heng, both of which immediately install fear into Sampo.

Sampo: "...B-But it would be my pleasure! 'Kindness' is Sampo Koski's middle name. Follow me, friends, and keep quiet. We don't want to be spotted by the Guards." Sampo says, letting out a nervous laugh.

Following shortly behind Sampo, the crew keep their wits about them, save for March 7th who's conversing with Sampo while they run behind him.

March 7th: "So why were you hiding from the Silvermane Guards?" She questions, keeping up with Sampo's pace.

Sampo: "Uhh, I was just storing a few relics away from prying eyes, nothing serious. If it weren't for the uncompromising nature of our civil service, there'd be no need for secrecy." Sampo answers.

Continuing to follow Sampo, the crew soon find themselves walking behind him, approaching their destination as Sampo coaches them.

Sampo: "...Rule number seven: Never leave a footprint. I have my own special technique called "invisible snow-walking." Helps me throw off pursuers in no... time..." A look of concern makes itself known on Sampo's face as he gets into a stance, though not a combat stance and more akin to a "I'm about to run for my life" stance. Looking forward, the crew notice a person in uniform standing a distance away from them.

Dan Heng: "...Who are they?" He questions.

Sampo: "So, you remember the Silvermane Guards I mentioned earlier? Yeah, that's them..." He says, ready to bolt away at a moments notice as two more Silvermane Guards step up behind the first one, all three holding halberds.

Sampo: "Help me, old friends! I don't wanna be caught!" He begs.

Silvermane Soldier: "It's the suspect and his accomplices! Arrest them!" The Silvermane Guard at the front interrupts Sampo, getting ready for combat.

Charging at the crew and Sampo, the first Silvermane Soldier attempts to hit Sampo with the blunt end of his halberd, only for Y/n to intercept it with a kick, shattering the halberd to pieces and knocking the Soldier out in an instant.

Sampo: "Holy..! This friend of yours sure is strong!" Sampo tells the other three.

March 7th: "That's just Y/n doing Y/n things..."

Dan Heng: "He's definitely the most combat proficient out of all of us, there's no doubt about that."

Stelle: "Mhm." She silently agrees.

Sampo: "Well, I'll leave this in your capable hands, friends!" He says, immediately using the art of nigerundayo and leaving the four by themselves as he disappears into the snowstorm.

March 7th: "Hey! Where do you think you're-!" March 7th yells out, being stopped by Dan Heng who shakes his head.

Dan Heng: "He's already gone. You'll just get lost if you attempt to catch him." Dan Heng explains, making March 7th let out an annoyed sigh.

Dan Heng: "Let's just watch Y/n at work and help him if he needs it. You know he prefers going at it solo, even if he were to be up against an army." He adds.

Catching the next Silvermane Soldier's halberd with his left hand, Y/n balls his right hand into a fist and strikes the Soldier's chest, sending him flying back a large distance from the impact. Getting bored, March 7th decides to join in. Summoning her bow, March 7th shoots a flurry of arrows towards the remaining Silvermane Guard, only for a hand to reach out and destroy all the arrows with a barrier. Silently walking forward, the blonde man who stopped the arrows eventually comes to a stop, slamming a giant case onto the snow covered grounds beneath him as he stares the Nameless down, preparing for battle.

__________________________________________________________

Chapter 4: Finished.

Apologies for the late chapter. School completely swamped me with work, so I had to complete all of that before finishing this chapter. Chapter 5 shouldn't be as late since next week is relatively chill compared to this week. I just got Welt and his Light Cone so I got a bit distracted with grinding in Star Rail. That's my bad, readers. With that out of the way, I bid you all adieu, and have a good rest of your days/nights.

Final word count: 3177