Honkai: Star Rail – From the Moment Tom The Cat Became My Passenger

As she sprinted, Himeko rapidly sent a message to Welt, urging him to back up Yevenko and the others as soon as possible.

At the same time, Asta was transmitting the Doomsday Beast's movement data directly to her.

When she saw the red marker heading not for the Astral Express but toward the support module, toward Yevenko's group specifically, a grave look appeared on Himeko's face.

"…Worst-case scenario."

So the Doomsday Beast really is after Stelle.

If its target had been the Express, they'd have had time—its defenses could at least hold for a while.

But that wasn't what was happening.

And of all people, Yevenko's group had the weakest combat strength. According to Dan Heng's earlier assessment, Tom's abilities were certainly bizarre—but had only shown effectiveness against Fragmentum foot soldiers.

But this wasn't a foot soldier.

This was the Doomsday Beast.

And if the Emanator of Destruction also arrived at the space station…

The consequences would be catastrophic.

Even the aftershock of a single attack could be lethal to Yevenko.

That thought silenced both Himeko and Dan Heng as they ran—only their footsteps growing faster and faster.

---

Support Module Sector.

"Yaaawn…"

Tom yawned loudly, rubbed his bloodshot eyes, and looked utterly exhausted.

Yevenko instinctively reached out and ruffled Tom's head.

Tom had moved into the Astral Express from… who knows where, then jumped across the galaxy with him to the space station. All the chaos had probably worn him out.

Then again, given how bizarre Tom's biology was, maybe it didn't matter whether he was tired—if Tom felt tired, then he was tired.

In that case, better to let him head back to the Express for some rest.

"Tom," Yevenko said, "if you're tired, go ahead and return to the train. I'll catch up soon."

Honestly, if it weren't for sticking with March and Stelle, Yevenko would've teleported back already.

Tom nodded his little head.

With his stubby legs kicking into motion, he bolted away in a blur—vanishing into the horizon in a flash.

March 7th watched him disappear, then stretched her arms high overhead, showing off the elegant, youthful curves of her figure.

"Wow, that was a pretty chill crisis."

"A few arrows from me and it's done. If only every Trailblazing mission were this easy."

Hearing that, Yevenko glanced back at her.

"March, could you not jinx it?"

"Keep those thoughts in your head, not out loud."

Since Yevenko had brought his gacha powers—er, his "talent"—into this world, he placed a lot of faith in cosmic superstition. And March's line? That was textbook bad-luck flag, right up there with "I'll be back home by Christmas."

Right now, all he wanted was to get back to the train and hold a ritual or two to help him draw a strong character or powerful weapon.

And here March was, buffing his misfortune rate.

March pouted slightly. "I know I can be a bit of a jinx sometimes, but come on—if it were that accurate, I'd already have ascended to become the Aeon of Jinxing."

"Right, Stelle?"

Stelle nodded faintly. Her mind was still hazy, filled with questions and uncertainty about the future.

"Ugh—"

Suddenly, she clutched her chest, a wave of heat radiating through it. She furrowed her brows and instinctively turned to glance at the sky behind them.

Her amber eyes widened.

Not knowing if it was friend or foe—maybe some other force from the space station—she pointed and asked hesitantly:

"What… is that?"

Hearing her, Yevenko and March 7th turned around.

And then their expressions froze.

A massive, grotesque monstrosity loomed in the sky.

"THE DOOMSDAY BEAST?!"

They cried out in unison.

FWOOSH————!!

It had still been far away when they spotted it. But the instant it spread its wings, a whirlwind erupted—and in a blink, the beast had closed the distance, looming directly overhead.

Up close, the sheer pressure was suffocating.

March immediately summoned her crystalline ice bow.

"Stelle! Take Yevenko and run—I'll cover you!"

Yevenko hadn't expected this.

He'd hoped his appearance might butterfly-effect the Doomsday Beast right out of existence.

Turns out all he did was delay it.

Still, hearing March's words, he quickly protested.

"No—there's no way you can handle it alone. We should—"

"LOOK OUT!!"

While March was focused on helping them retreat, she let her guard down for just a moment.

That was all it took.

The Doomsday Beast swooped like a hunting falcon, wings folding tight as its body plummeted like a meteor straight at them.

Its enormous claws stretched forth, aiming squarely for March—the biggest threat among them.

The overwhelming pressure felt like it could crush the air itself.

March heard Yevenko shout—but it was already too late.

The only thing in her view now was the shadow cast by the monster's claws, blotting out everything in a wide radius.

Terror clutched her heart without warning. Her radiant irises began to fade.

CRACK—

A single footstep echoed.

Brilliant, blinding white light filled her vision.

And then—

BOOOOOOM———————!!!

The world shook with a thunderclap. A wave of force crashed outward in all directions like a hurricane.

But instead of silence and death—

March heard breathing. Labored, shaky—but alive.

"Haah… haah…"

"Seriously—after all this time… I finally get to look cool."

Through March's shimmering rainbow pupils, she saw—

Yevenko.

Sword in hand.

Both arms raised, holding back the Doomsday Beast's mountainous claw with nothing but sheer will and trembling strength.

Her eyes widened. The colors in her gaze grew even more brilliant.

Not far away, just arriving at the support module, Himeko took in the scene and calmly pointed toward Yevenko and the Doomsday Beast.

"Dan Heng."

"You still think he has no combat ability?"