Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

"Arghhh! Damn insects! I'll crush your guts, smash your brains, and splatter your entrails across the battlefield!"

The Troll King's enraged roar echoed as he stomped the ground, sending out a shockwave that forced Stelle to retreat mid-attack.

His knees bent, and the muscles in his legs bulged grotesquely, the sinews stretching as his ankles jutted outward at unnatural angles. The crimson glow around his body darkened to a rusty, blood-like hue—a sign that his regenerative power was nearing its limit.

Such intense combat would have long killed another Demon General with inferior recovery abilities.

He had to end this fight decisively, and now.

Like a rocket blasting off, the Troll King leapt skyward, his massive frame hurtling toward the center of the three adventurers.

Without an effective way to counter aerial strikes, the team found themselves pressed for options. March 7th readied her ice arrows, hoping to freeze him mid-air, but the Troll King wasn't about to give her the time she needed to charge up.

Acting swiftly, Dan Heng barked a command:

"March, create floating ice platforms."

March 7th stuck out her tongue in playful frustration, redirecting her ice arrow's trajectory to target the area ahead of Dan Heng's intended path.

She fired at the scattered rubble in the temple, the arrow ricocheting between stones with precise control, rapidly forming floating ice platforms. Each one was sturdy enough to hold a person's weight.

This wasn't the first time she and Dan Heng had executed such a synchronized move. Their coordination had been honed through countless expeditions together.

Ah, what a sinful woman I am, March thought, sneaking a grin. To be so in sync with someone—so dangerous.

While March indulged in her whimsical musings, Dan Heng was already in motion.

Leaping onto the ice platforms, he launched himself upward in a fluid series of acrobatic maneuvers, his spear poised like the fangs of a diving dragon.

The Troll King, arms spread wide in preparation to smash his enemies from above, didn't expect Dan Heng to meet him mid-air.

Before he could react, Cloudpiercer struck his chest with the force of a thunderbolt.

The Troll King plummeted like a meteor, his massive frame smashing into the ground. But waiting for him below was Stelle, bat already poised for a clean hit.

With perfect timing and precision, Stelle swung her glowing bat upward.

"Universal Home Run!"

The black-and-red "meteor" that was the Troll King's head flew through the air, leaving his upper body shattered from the impact. His lower half crumpled lifelessly to the ground, exposing his jagged spine.

As Stelle landed, Dan Heng retreated to the ground with a graceful backflip, his spear flicking the filthy blood from its blade in one fluid motion.

"Woohoo! Teamwork for the win!"

March 7th cheered, bouncing over to her teammates with sparkling eyes. She stretched out both hands toward them, grinning mischievously.

"Come on, you guys know what time it is! High five!"

Dan Heng sighed but humored her, calmly raising his hand and placing it against hers in demonstration.

"Hehe~"

March grabbed Stelle's hand next and pulled it into the mix. The three of them clapped their hands together in unison, celebrating their hard-earned victory.

But behind them, the Troll King's severed torso began to move.

By transferring his consciousness to his spinal nerves just before impact, the Troll King retained a final chance to retaliate.

His grotesque legs raised like the blade of a guillotine, ready to cleave his unsuspecting enemies.

Before the strike could land, however, a massive figure moved in the shadows.

The wood dragon, coiled silently around the Hundred-Armed Demon statue, sprang into action. With devastating speed and force, it slammed into the Troll King's remains, reducing them to a gory pulp.

Blood and viscera seeped into the cracked temple floor, where they were swiftly absorbed by the dragon's roots. The wood dragon's already imposing frame swelled as it drew strength from the remains.

Only then did the team notice that the statue the wood dragon had been guarding was now shattered. The many souls imprisoned within it were released, their ghostly blue forms fluttering upward like butterflies into the night sky.

Some of the spirits turned to the adventurers, offering gestures of gratitude before dissolving into particles of light.

When the spectacle ended, the wood dragon returned to their side, lowering its massive head. Its branch-like whiskers brushed gently against their hands, as if mimicking a celebratory high five in place of Nahida.

At the same time, a soft, girlish voice came from the dragon's mouth.

"Good work, March, Dan Heng, Stelle. You did wonderfully."

"Hehe, all thanks to you, Nahida!" March 7th grinned, her spirits clearly lifted.

"How's everything going on your end?"

"Thanks to the help of a chivalrous knight, the main battlefield is nearly cleared. The rest can be left to the people inside the city."

"A chivalrous knight? We didn't see anyone like that before we left!"

"He's a guest Himeko brought back—calls himself the Knight of Purity, Silver Branch."

"What?!" March pouted dramatically. "Is that what Himeko was being all mysterious about earlier? She just went off to pick someone up?"

Her cheeks puffed in mock frustration. "I thought she was off handling something important, but nope, just escort duty!"

Dan Heng and Stelle exchanged glances, wisely choosing to stay silent.

They both understood March's close bond with Himeko. The pink-haired girl often wore outfits designed by Himeko, and their interactions resembled a mix of mother-daughter and sisterly affection.

It wasn't hard to see why March felt hurt at being "left behind."

Fortunately, someone else stepped in to console her before the task fell to Nahida.

A warm, melodic voice came through the dragon's connection.

"Oh my, Little March, I heard that~"

"Eep! H-Himeko?! You're listening in?!" March turned crimson, flustered and stammering.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"Relax, I know," Himeko said with a soft laugh. "You're just worried about me. That's all, isn't it?"

Himeko, ever the composed adult, didn't let March's earlier comments faze her. Instead, her voice carried a warm reassurance.

"You've all worked hard tonight. Let's talk more once you're back.

Oh, and I have some information about the Demon King to share as well. Until then—click."

With a soft click, Nahida's voice returned, gentle as always.

"Himeko has spoken, everyone. Now, dear passengers, please prepare to board."

The blooming flower seats on the wood dragon's back had a rollercoaster-like quality, the sensation of being both secure and precarious at once. Though for Stelle, the thrill remained fresh, a mix of exhilaration and mild unease. Dan Heng, however, glanced briefly at March 7th, who seemed a little out of sorts, before silently climbing aboard.

The wood dragon, under Nahida's control, slowed its pace just enough to give March some time to gather herself. With this thoughtful gesture, the trio officially departed the battlefield.

Meanwhile, chaos reigned among the Demon King's forces.

With their commanding general defeated, the once-organized monsters descended into infighting. Their tenuous alliance had only existed under the suffocating threat of the Demon General's power. Now, with that threat removed, they devolved into an unruly mob.

Under normal circumstances, human leaders might worry about the monsters scattering to raid nearby villages.

But here, the monsters were too terrified to even consider advancing. The enormous carnivorous plants that had emerged during the battle, or the mere memory of a red-haired knight effortlessly cutting down anything in his path, left them utterly demoralized.

They fled in disarray, unwilling to fight further or even support the other fronts.

Until the Demon King himself was fully revived, it was almost impossible for these broken forces to regroup into a coherent army.

The news of the trio's triumph over the Demon General and the Fairy Princess's victory in securing the Western Front was quickly relayed to the rear through magical devices.

While this news brought immense relief to the inland residents and the human king, who was already thinking of ways to properly thank the Fairy Princess, Stelles had no idea how significant their accomplishments had been.

When the trio returned to the base, Himeko—keenly aware of March 7th's lingering embarrassment—chose not to tease her.

Instead, she offered a simple suggestion:

"Take some time to rest. We'll regroup this afternoon to discuss our next steps."

Even the chivalrous Silver Branch seemed to understand the need for space. He remained behind, diligently sweeping up stray threats and driving away any remaining dangers with unwavering resolve.

His level of dedication made Nahida feel a touch self-conscious. After all, her role had mostly been support.

But the others didn't fault her for it, letting her slip away unnoticed, pretending a childlike excuse of needing sleep.

As the city's adventurers learned of the Western Front's liberation, dawn had already arrived.

After a long night of combat, the realization that the crisis was truly over left many in disbelief.

It's over?

Weren't we losing terribly just yesterday?

How did we go from barely holding the line to defeating not one, but two Demon Generals in a single night?

The extraordinary achievements of the Fairy Princess and her companions quickly became the talk of the town.

The city lord ordered the release of food and drink from the newly delivered supplies. Ale flowed freely, and the Adventurers' Guild reopened recruitment efforts to celebrate.

Drunken revelers heaped praise upon the members of the "Stelle Squad," or as they called them, "the Hero Party."

Only heroes, they insisted, could achieve such miraculous feats—rewriting the course of history itself.

And though the group's "hero" didn't wield the traditional holy sword, nor was she even human, she had undoubtedly saved everyone in the city.

Strangely, the adventurers found it remarkably easy to accept this childlike savior.

Those who had witnessed the Fairy Princess's radiant power firsthand harbored no doubts about her role.

Only fools, they argued, would question the motives or legitimacy of someone who had saved them simply because she wasn't human.

And any adventurer idiotic enough to suggest otherwise would find themselves facing the wrath of their own comrades.

As Stelles rested, the city erupted in jubilant celebration, hailing them as saviors.

Even Silver Branch, returning from his patrols, was swept up in the festivities. Thanks to Himeko's prior introduction, the city guards welcomed him as one of the Hero Party's own.

For the city's desperate populace, this newfound hope was a lifeline they refused to let go of.

However, Silver Branch himself seemed indifferent to the praise, urging the people to direct their gratitude toward his mysterious deity instead.

Though his words confused them, the people simply cheered louder, escorting him to the city hall with unwavering enthusiasm.

---

March 7th, still groggy from sleep, wandered out of her room.

The lively but orderly noise outside immediately caught her attention. Curious, she reached for the door, intending to step out.

But before she could, Dan Heng grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Hey! What's with the serious face all of a sudden?" she asked, blinking at him in confusion.

"Look over there."

Dan Heng gestured toward a nearby rock garden, where the faint, grayish-white remains of a Stelle could be seen.

"Ugh! What happened to them?!"

March recoiled, eyes wide in horror.

At the sound of her voice, the gray, ash-like figure raised its head weakly, trembling.

"The outside… it's… hell…"

With those ominous words, the figure's head slumped to the side, unmoving.

"Uh… what?" March asked, bewildered.

"She tried to go outside, just like you," Dan Heng explained calmly. "I didn't stop her. This is what she came back as."

Meanwhile, Nahida—having switched back to her Windborne Bard guise—appeared nearby, stretching contentedly after a restful sleep.

With a knowing smile, she added, "Ah, poor Stelle. It seems the pressure from the adoring crowd was too much for her to handle. She's probably just overwhelmed!"

"No way!" March protested, waving her arms. "This has nothing to do with that!"

---

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