The Star Train's Journey Through the Heavens

Chapter 86 Star Core? Who isn't?
"Are you going to make a move too?" Yin Yue looked at Kafka with a serious expression.

"Hmm, we'll have to wait a little longer." Kafka checked the time.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Let's wait for the best ending." Kafka smiled.

"To whom?"

“For you, and of course for us as well,” Kafka said.

Yin Yue looked at the battlefield of the Silver Mane Iron Guards in the distance. Despite the fierce battle, the Silver Mane Iron Guards had suffered very few casualties.

Upon closer inspection, faint, almost imperceptible streaks of purple light, remarkably similar to Seele's flickering, occasionally flashed by!

This... is Silver Wolf?

While trapping herself, she was also secretly helping the Silvermane Iron Guards!

No wonder she didn't urge me even though I've been controlling Yin Yue for so long.

"I know why you're stopping me, but why are you helping the Silvermane Iron Guards?" Yin Yue asked, puzzled. The Star Core Hunters weren't nameless strangers; they shouldn't care about other people's lives.

"The reason is simple, because I don't want our Ah Xing to hate me," Kafka chuckled.

If their obstruction leads to tragic casualties, Xing will definitely hate them, but since they have no choice but to stop them, they can only try their best to avoid casualties.

As long as there are no casualties, and it's just a temporary obstruction, Xing won't care too much. At worst, she can just give Liu Ying to her as an apology. Kafka thought, squinting her eyes.

"Let's get one thing straight first, Ah Xing is now part of our family," Yin Yue said smugly.

Kafka's calm and composed expression faltered slightly; she was a little angry. What should she do?
"Why can't we just follow the script? Why do we have to go against our wishes? It won't take much longer, and we won't lose anything," Kafka asked, somewhat puzzled.

Xing spent too little time underground; it's unknown whether she grasped Belloberg's indomitable, resilient, persistent, and protective spirit. Her connection with the locals is also too weak; it's unknown whether she possessed the determination to protect and save them.

According to Elio, the probability of attracting a guardian's glance with star energy is now only forty percent. Well, it's better than having no probability at all before.

“Because we are nameless guests. Nameless guests don’t like to be bound. You want us to follow the script, but we want to try a different path,” Yin Yue said matter-of-factly.

Kafka paused for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Is this also pioneering?"

“I think so,” Yin Yue said.

“I understand. I will suggest that Elio make future script arrangements as subtle as possible so that you won’t notice. This time it was too rushed, so I had to do it myself,” Kafka said.

“I think the script is unnecessary. If you keep arranging it, your cat might go bald.”

……

On March 7th, Bronya and Seele ascended the high platform.

Beneath the towering restraint device, a figure stood silently.

“Mother!” Bronya exclaimed.

The figure slowly turned around to face the four people. It was Cocolia, who had traveled through the rift and arrived here even faster than the four of them.

"So, you're the old hag who ordered the withdrawal of all Iron Guards and cut off the passage between the upper and lower city districts. Take this!" Seele's temper flared, and she instantly teleported behind Cocolia, slashing at Cocolia's neck with her sword.

"Crack!"

A massive ice barrier appeared beside Cocolia, blocking Seele's attack, and at the same time, an ice ring was generated from the ice barrier.

Seele flashed back to her original position, dodging the icy attack.

"Wait, Seele, don't do it yet!" Bronya grabbed Seele's hand.

"Tch." Seele curled her lip, stopped attacking while carrying her scythe.

“Mother, I thought that once we dealt with the Star Core first, we wouldn’t have to stand on the opposite side anymore. I never expected you to appear here.” Bronya said sadly, “Take a step back, don’t be so stubborn. Let’s seal the Star Core together and save this world. I… I can pretend that nothing ever happened.”

“What are you talking about? We in the Lower City don’t recognize this old hag. We only believe you now,” Seele retorted.

“Bronya, my daughter. I know what you think. I was once like you, with an unwavering belief in survival, hoping one day to drive away the cold and allow this world to be reborn. But cruel reality has made me realize that this is simply impossible. We are just barely clinging to life, the only difference being a few more or fewer days.” Cocolia said.

"So you abandoned protection and joined this scourge?" Bronya asked, pointing to the star core.

“No, I didn’t give up on preservation; I simply chose a different path. Since we’ve reached a dead end, why can’t we try another way?” Cocolia countered.

“But Mother, look at the sky. With the help of such power, the future is no longer a dead end, but a visible hope. Why do you still choose to stand on the side of the Star Core?” Bronya made Cocolia look up at the sky.

"Their power is indeed formidable, but you must understand that even if the star core is sealed and the cold wave loses its source, it will take at least several hundred years for it to completely recede. Moreover, the antimatter legion frozen by the cold wave will slowly unseal itself. They can help us this time, but can they continue to help us indefinitely?"

“Bronya, do you know? The underground resources are almost exhausted. Even if the star core is sealed, we may not be able to hold out for long in the aftermath of the cold wave. Moreover, human nature is foolish and dark. Any wrong decision people make in the future could lead to the destruction of the Beloberg, which has stood for more than seven hundred years. Our struggle will be meaningless.”

"Do you know what the new world Star Core promised me? A world without poverty, cold, and suffering; a world where people no longer have to beg for survival like prisoners; a world we can protect forever." Cocolia's eyes revealed a bright expectation for the future.

Upon witnessing the power of the extraterrestrial beings, Cocolia still chose to stand on the side of the Star Core, clearly after careful consideration—well, careful consideration under the influence of the Star Core's brainwashing.

“As you said, the future is full of uncertainty, but it is ultimately shaped by our own hands. Whether you can truly create a new world, just like the future, is also full of variables, and these variables are entirely in the hands of this scourge!” Bronya retorted.

“It saved us once more than seven hundred years ago, and I believe it will save us a second time.” Cocolia was convinced of this.

“She’s been completely brainwashed by the Star Core, let’s not waste any more words on her,” March 7 said speechlessly.

“I am also a Star Core, and a higher-level Star Core Essence at that. Since you believe in Star Cores so much, once we seal it away, you can trust me completely. I can also promise you a new world, can’t I?” Star said to Cocolia.

Cocolia glanced at Xing indifferently, then ignored her, causing Xing a pang of heartache. They were all Star Cores, so why did she have so little prestige? "I'm sorry, Mother, I will knock you unconscious and take you back. This scourge must be sealed. The future of humanity must be in our own hands!" Bronya closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her expression was incredibly resolute.

"What narrow-mindedness! Choosing them is nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst. Beloberg's fate was already sealed..." Cocolia summoned a flame spear encased in ice, and the earth began to tremble.

The two in the sky are indeed powerful, perhaps even more so than the omnipotent Star Core. However, they are enemies, and Cocolia believes in the power of the Star Core when facing only these young people.

Beings stronger than a star core must be extremely rare in the universe. There are already two such beings, so it's highly unlikely that there are any stronger than a star core.

The Star Core didn't tell Cocolia the truth at all; it was afraid that its only ally would abandon it.

Fortunately, Cocolia is naive, slow-witted, and easily fooled.

"Enough with the nonsense, try this, and rest in peace with a home run!"

As the earth trembled, Xing moved as if walking on flat ground, his bat sweeping towards Cocolia.

The frozen pillar was shattered instantly, and Cocolia blocked the baseball bat with her flaming spear.

"boom!"

To Cocolia's disbelief, a tremendous force surged from the Flame Spear, which Cocolia could not hold onto. The Flame Spear flew out of her hand, spinning dozens of meters away before embedding itself in the snow.

"How could this be? So strong?" Blood flowed from Cocolia's tiger's mouth, then froze into blood-red ice crystals.

After the fire spear was knocked away, the tremors on the ground stopped.

"Just faint!"

Remembering Bronya's words, Xing struck Cocolia on the head with a club.

“Star Core! Lend me your… uh.”

Before Cocolia could finish speaking, her eyes rolled back and she was knocked unconscious. A clear red welt was visible on her forehead, which quickly swelled up into a large bump.

On the cliff, Kafka exclaimed in surprise, "Ah Xing's strength has improved so quickly."

"That's why I said we won't need your script guidance anymore," Yin Yue said again.

"My opinion doesn't count; it's Elio's that matters," Kafka said nonchalantly. As long as the future is good, whether it's scripted or not doesn't matter.

Below, Bronya, feeling somewhat distressed, helped the unconscious Cocolia to the side, her star wand pointing towards the star core.

“Next, it’s your turn,” Xing said confidently.

"As expected of a piece of trash! Did you think knocking her out would be enough? She has already been corrupted by my power!" Star Core's voice rang out.

Bronya looked down at the unconscious Cocolia with concern.

Signs of rift erosion appeared on Cocolia's body, with ice crystals spreading across her and rapidly transforming her into a rift creature!

"Mother!" Bronya was extremely anxious but helpless, not knowing how to suppress the changes in Cocolia.

“Bronya, let her go, give her to me,” March 7 said to Bronya, as the Six-Phase Ice appeared in her hand.

Bronya took a few steps back, looking at March 7 with hope.

"Absolute zero!"

The six-phase ice completely froze Cocolia, bringing the atomic motion within it to a near standstill.

“I have frozen her condition and it will not change. As long as the star core is sealed, she should be able to return to normal,” March 7 said.

"Thank you," Bronya said gratefully.

"You dare to play dirty tricks? Take this Star Ace!"

Xing activated his Destruction Heart, his entire body enveloped in golden destructive lightning. With a violent roar from his heart, he smashed the restraints with his bat, and Xing's core was sent flying like a baseball.

Seele teleported to the direction where the star core had been knocked away, her scythe brimming with the power of the hunter, and slammed it down hard on the star core.

As expected of the Star Core, which is known as the cancer of all worlds, it remained completely unharmed despite the attacks from Star and Seele, with only the energy it emitted diminishing slightly.

"hateful!"

The star core rose from the ground, its restraints shattered, and it could move on its own.

The immense energy accumulated over seven hundred years of cold waves caused the Star Core to tumble and bounce amidst the attacks of Star and Seele, its tiny size granting it unparalleled agility.

Bronya channeled the power of harmony, enveloping everyone and enhancing their strength.

Looking at the speed of the star core, March 7th secretly rejoiced. Luckily, he had mastered the spells of a Grand Magister. Otherwise, it would have been too difficult to hit the small and agile star core with an arrow!

"The Frozen Prison".

Countless icicles formed a fence-like structure, growing from all sides of the star's core, before suddenly contracting and trapping the core in the center.

Star Core had no choice but to unleash tremendous energy to smash open the ice prison, while also taking hits from Star One's baseball bat and Seele's scythe.

"Damn it." Star Core cursed. Cocolia was no longer a hope. The scattered rift creatures around it had all been cleared out. Without a carrier, it had powerful energy but no means of attack.

Kafka stretched lazily on the cliff and said languidly, "Alright, it's time for me to make my move."

If they don't act soon, the star core will be taken away by them after they've exhausted their energy and are powerless to resist.

(End of this chapter)