3 The Walking Catastrophe
[Aster POV]
Trudging forth with my newly earned gains, I continued to venture deeper into the space station. All while carrying the four doll bats on my back along with the unconscious grey-haired girl, like I was hauling lumber. I accomplished this by folding all of them together like some ball of limbs using my favorite knots, and I managed to secure them to my back. I looked like one of those dudes from 'The Forest'. I was armed and ready for whatever space had for me.
'My genius is truly impeccable. This bat bag is one of my greatest works.'
Occasionally, one of the bats would malfunction and try to break free from my new makeshift bat holder. They kept making weird noises about being a "genius society" member and how I shouldn't treat them like this. This was odd, considering I am a genius and have never heard of any genius society, so clearly, the bat needed more maintenance.
While I held August in my arms like a bat, I tried to perform maintenance on the bats on my back. The angle wasn't really working as August couldn't really operate as a bat since they are more of a primogem, so all it did was make the unruly bats louder.
So, using my intellect that would have assuredly landed me a spot in the so-called real "genius society," I decided to run backward, slamming my back with all its cargo into the metal wall of the spaceship. After a few maintenance sessions, the bats seemed to be repaired as they stopped responding.
This is good, as bats lacking any maintenance are subpar; now I wish I had my Crossbat with me… 'Man, this brings back memories…'
Like the Orphan Obliterator, the Crossbat was unique, as it also had its own special effects. Every time I swung it, it had these bright light trails that seemed extra cool as they left these cleansing particles everywhere. I never had to clean anything again as all I had to do was hit all the dirt away with the crossbat. It's no wonder the Vatican had it, as it worked excellently as an air purifier in the corner of my gacha ritual room. Maybe that's why Martha from FGO uses one…These things are so handy!
Anyway, the Crossbat seemed to have a class advantage, as those I deemed enemies would fade away into light particles, much like how these ranger dudes fade away.
While I miss my weapons at home, the grind never stops as I made sure to pick clean every hallway I came across along the way.
As I swung my normal black bat at another Void Ranger, a notification appeared in front of me, similar to those windows I see above people's heads. It said something about a mission or something, but I wasn't reading it. I mean, would you trust some random spam message in your face? It felt like one of those scam phone calls or spam emails. It said something about a tavern? Why would I need to go get a drink? I'm not thirsty; the grind never stops, after all.
So I did what any genius would…
'I hit the window.'
At first, it didn't work, so I switched to the Primogem Bat (Name Pending) as I swung it against the mission screen thing. 'Rock(PrimoGem) type beats flying type after all…'
This time, it worked as the window exploded into thousands of those shiny rainbow rocks I'd been picking up, which I immediately scooped into my knapsack.
Weirdly, I had heard some sort of laugh in the background after destroying that annoying window. It could just be the voices that talk to me when I do my gacha rituals…Although they have been silent since I ended up here, this could be a small relapse, which is like nothing.
It was around this time that the gray-haired girl I rescued started to wake up.
I took her out of my bat holder and placed her down. She started to get up, looking confused while holding her head like she had some kind of accident. This was odd, considering she should be fine because the bat bag is the safest place in the world!
It was then I realized why…
'She didn't have a bat of her own!' I thought while slamming my fist into my palm.
"UMU!"
I see you are also a comrade in arms." I say while taking two doll bats from my back and handing them to her. "Here you go, pal! Two of the finest blunt weapons I could find in this spaceship!" She looks at me, confused, as she hesitantly takes the bats from my hands.
"Ah, I believe I forgot to introduce myself…" I say while taking a familiar pose, pointing at the sky.
"I am…ASTER! Nemesis of the Vatican! Clubber of Pink Women! And Your Savior! You are very welcome, my friend," I say with a hand pointed at her and my head leaning back like I am Boa Hancock.
'I gotta make a good impression with this 5-star…'
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[Stelle POV]
'Ugg my head'… The last thing I remember after seeing Kafka was falling asleep and getting hit by what felt like a truck. The next thing I knew, I was being carried on the back of some blonde dude who was ranting about something called Primogems as he scooped the air near the floor.
'Is he seeing something I wasn't?'
I tried to slip away, but I think he noticed me. The moment I started moving, he chucked me on the metal floor before making some strange pose in which he handed me two life-sized…dolls?
They looked like a regular person, but I could tell they were artificial because of the joints. I could tell they used to wear some neat purplish outfit, but now it looked like it had gone through a hurricane.
He said these were blunt weapons, but I found it hard to believe since occasionally, I spotted movement in the doll's eyes as if it were watching me. They were kinda creepy and seemed upset for some reason.
Hesitantly, I picked them both up in each arm before the strange man started a pose. He was wearing some kind of ripped crop top with sweatpants and was covered in these dolls from head to toe. He looked like some cannibal you would see in a movie, with a bunch of doll parts wrapped around him like some kind of holder.
The oddest part of the outfit, though, was his "scarf," which appeared to be some girl with ice cream coloring still clearly unconscious and foaming at the mouth. He wrapped her around his neck like a fur some people would wear.
He called himself Aster and said he "saved" me somehow. I find it hard to believe it, but I am safe, so maybe he's telling the truth…
I tried to ask him what he saved me from, but he kept saying something about Twitter and something called Genshin?
I'm confused, but I think I'm alright?
I'll follow him for now because I have no idea what's happening, but he keeps saying weird things while he walks, all stiff and with his chest puffed out.
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We have been strolling for what felt like 10 system minutes as Aster proceeded to absolutely destroy any of those dark-bladed guys he came across with a single swipe.
'He is very strong…'
I asked him what that girl was doing around his neck, and all he said was that she was extra brave today and deserved a nap. Supposedly, she faced her greatest fears and fought bravely against them. Which I guess I understand?... But why did it look like her face got splatted against a wall?
He started going on tangents about the proper swinging angle for bats and how I was now his disciple. I found that odd because I don't think I ever agreed to be his disciple in the first place. Regardless of my inquiries about my new mentorship, he wouldn't stop trying to teach me the "Dao of the Bat" and how his body was made of bats.
While he went on a tangent about projecting his inner world as a graveyard of bats, the dolls strapped around him all started moving simultaneously. They all jumped off him in a burst of speed and sprinted away in different directions. I looked back at him, but rather than being shocked or angry, he just looked…sad.
[Aster POV]
'Did…Did my bats just run away from me?...' I slid down to my knees at this betrayal…
'My bats ran…away… Were they upset with me?' This has never happened before. Usually, they behave, and even the more unruly ones work after a few maintenance sessions.
Maybe I've gotten sloppy in my bat maintenance, or maybe it's because these bats were from space. I remember that one time I found a ball-type bat that held some spiky-haired dude in it. That was a fun bat to use, but it ran away into the sky after I started throwing it at this big monkey that came out of nowhere.
Space bats truly are built differently, clearly.
Next time, I will need to properly consider their origins before I use them.
September still hasn't woken up weirdly enough, I keep giving her small jabs to the head to get her to reboot, but it isn't working. Eventually, I gave up and handed her to my disciple; she would probably have better luck.
I truly am a wise master.
Good thing I still got the first bat I found earlier; at least this one hasn't run away from me…
Eventually, we reached the master control room, where a big metal door opened for us. Inside were a bunch of those lab coat guys running around, panicking. I heard they couldn't find this lead researcher person? They kept saying my name, but due to their thick accent, it sounded like Asta instead? Space is weird…
Anyway what really stood out to me was at the center of the room where a giant blue globe thing stood. My jaw absolutely dropped as I gazed at this gorgeous, red-haired, big Bahonga lady standing in front of me. The bar above her head said her name was "Himeko," and she was a 5-STAR!
'Oh my god!... Why haven't I played Honker Star Rail sooner???'
She was dressed in an interesting white dress with some kind of long coat hanging off her shoulders like an anime character. I thought that kind of design would be stupid in real life, but seeing is believing. I wish I had some kind of bouquet to give her…Maybe a bouquet of bats…
My disciple kept tugging my sleeve while Himeko started walking up to me, but I was stunned by her beauty.
'Oh…My…god'
[Meanwhile, Dan Heng POV]
Things were not good; there had been so much wrong these past 15 minutes. I left Aster with March because I figured they could handle themselves and get to safety at the master control room.
So I stepped away to help the head of the space station's security, Arlan. I knew he had been injured while assisting the other staff in evacuating, so I wanted to find him.
What surprised me was that along the way, I found the Lead researcher passed out face down on the ground.
She did not look good; she was foaming at the mouth, and it seemed like she got hit by some kind of truck as she was not responding. I tried to wake her, but she was completely out. With no other choice, I put her into a fireman's carry as I trudged through the hallways.
Considering her state, I noticed no signs of Antimatter Legion members in the hallway, which made things more confusing.
Eventually, I found Arlan, who looked pretty hurt but could still move. His eyes went wide when he saw Asta on my shoulders. It's like he forgot how injured he was because he immediately ran up to see if she was ok.
He was limping hard, but I could see the concern in his eyes as he ran to her despite his injuries. This wasn't good, as we needed to get to the master control room before more of those legions came for us.
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Arlan insisted on carrying the lead researcher as we ventured through the ruined space station. He held her very carefully despite the condition of her body, refusing my help at every query. Eventually, we made it to the elevator; if it could be called that…
The "elevator" was gone. It was as if the whole area got deleted as the shaft and the elevator mechanisms were blown away into pieces and embedded into the wall behind it. All that was visible was the floors above and a person-sized imprint at the top of the shaft.
This is strange… There might be something even more dangerous than the antimatter legion dwelling in the space station. 'What could cause this much damage to the station?'
*flashback to Aster destroying that door*
But would he destroy the elevator? He seems to have the strength to bring this kind of ruin. It might not have been him, but maybe he had a good reason?
At this moment, my instincts started to flair as a bad omen was coming as I felt the air change.
Behind me, I heard a series of thumps; turning around, I saw a trampler prance down towards us while walking in the air. Its every step caused the air to ripple as it descended like a guardian to the ruined elevator. It eventually landed as its steps dented the metal floor before roaring a loud battle cry.
I looked towards the other two; they were in no shape to fight, and It was only me…
I gripped my spear tightly as I got ready to fight.
The situation seemed to get more drastic by the second as my thoughts went crazy.
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'Do I really need to use "that"?'
