Knowledge of the events of the "captainverse" is not necessarily needed for this, though it is highly recommended, all you really need is the knowledge of canon events in Honkai 3rd, and ofc knowledge of Star Rail

The First Prelude

No one really knew Elio. His face, his height, his usual attire, his goals, his motives. It's entirely possible that the voice that the Stellaron Hunters hear isn't even his own. They wouldn't be surprised if he had the technology to change it.

Well, that would only matter if Elio used his voice in the first place. He communicates through writings, texts, signs, messages. For as long as a few Hunters have worked for Elio, they have all only heard his voice at least once.

And the one who's been by his side the longest has only heard his voice three times in total.

In some regard, you could call Kafka the "First Hunter."

It was through her that the Hunters have become the force that they are. Elio has the skills of a leader, but it was Kafka that brought them all together in the first place. She isn't doing this for something as cliche as love or adoration either. Her reasons for obeying him are simple.

It was he who promised her change, so it will be her who fulfills his goals.

It was she who knew him the longest, or so she thought.

The "day" right after Silver Wolf's little debacle with Screwllum, something rare happened. Standing on the rooftop of a large building, she stared at the lights of the city. The lights that seeped through the windows, the bright colors that covered the roads.

A star created by mortals.

Her thoughts were broken by a rumbling in her pocket, a tune echoed to hear ears. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, peeking at the contact name.

The name "Elio" stared right back at her.

With a raised eyebrow, she quickly accepted the call, moving the phone to her ear.

The last time Elio had actually physically spoken to the Hunters was when he gave her and Silver Wolf's mission to board the Herta Space station for the Stellaron.

"Kafka." His voice echoed through the phone. Kafka still couldn't get over the fact that his voice has not changed once. It's still been the same from the very first day they met.

"Well, isn't this a treat?" Kafka spoke, her voice held a hint of seduction. Completely unprofessional, but this is Kafka. It's just in her nature to try to tease the people she's closest to.

Compared to most others, Kafka had more of a grasp on the type of person that Elio is. She knew his goals, unlike everyone else. She knew his face, unlike everyone else.

Yet even then, she didn't know anything about his past. She would love to pry into his past, getting him to tell her about his upbringing, but this was the person she respected most, therefore she would never pry (no matter how tempting it is sometimes).

Kafka turned back around, facing away from the bright city and placing her back against the fence on the rooftop.

"Didn't think that you'd use your voice again so soon." She spoke with a smile. "You really need to socialize more, y'know? Get more people to listen to that adorable voice of yours."

"There's a change in the script." He did not respond to her teases ("Killjoy." Kafka muttered to herself), instead he got right into the topic.

"Already? But the story just started." It isn't as though this hasn't happened before. There has only been a change of script one single time before, but she doesn't know what it was about and Elio has never mentioned it again.

"Do you have Blade or Silver Wolf on standby?" He asked.

"Silver Wolf has gone to get her accounts back, and Blade stayed at the Luofu, something about 'meeting an old acquaintance.'"

Elio did not respond for a few seconds, seemingly thinking of something.

Finally, he responded. "Apologies, you'll have to complete this alone."

"I have no issues with whatever you give me Elio, but…" She paused, having remembered another member of the Hunters that can help them. "What about the newbie? Couldn't she also help?"

"I would not need the help of a traitor." He spoke simply.

That one sentence made Kafka freeze. Her eyes widened for a second before she returned to normal.

"A traitor… I never would have expected that. Rosemary seemed so nice, I thought we truly bonded over that little tea date."

"It was inevitable, she joined us for her own personal goal afterall. However," He paused, Kafka didn't know if that was for dramatic effect or if he truly stopped to think about something. "She still unintentionally helped us, no rather, she helped me."

Kafka leaned forward slightly, curiosity filling her eyes. "In what way?" She asked.

"She found something that I have been looking for. Something that I've been expecting to appear again for a long while."

The dots began to slightly connect in Kafka's mind, but there were still a lot of things she didn't understand or know. "And that thing is on Terra?"

"There's someone on Terra that I need you to kill."

All words and pretenses stopped here. Kafka physically and mentally did a double take. It wasn't anything new for the Stellaron Hunters– killing, that is. Sacrifices must be made for Elio's goal, and they were technically criminals after all.

But it was something in Elio's tone that caught Kafka off guard.

Kafka believed that she had more of a grasp on the type of person that Elio is. He didn't speak to many, but when he did it was always in an apathetic tone.

But here and now, in his command there was something that Kafka noticed right away, something different.

Emotion.

She couldn't put a finger into what emotion it was, it felt like a mix of sadness, relief, and rage.

Her phone rumbled in her hand, and she looked at her screen. A message sent from Elio, a photo of a young man.

He looked average, dark brown hair and black eyes. He did not look like anyone noteworthy, someone who wouldn't have any importance.

"Who is this?"

"He changes names wherever he goes, but he cannot change his face. This is the person I need gone, for the sake of our– my, dream."

She took a second to gather her thoughts. Yes, some sacrifices are made for the sake of their goal, but never before has Elio outright given the Hunters an assassination target, especially not on a person.

They were Stellaron Hunters.

The silence between the two was broken when she finally centered her thoughts (which only took a few seconds).

"If I asked, would you tell me the reason why?" She felt as though she already knew the answer, but she still had to ask.

"I'm sorry." He responded, his answer clear, and he gave no explanation.

Kafka sighed with a shrug, perhaps another day she will learn who he was. "It's no problem, we all have our secrets."

"A vessel will be coming your way, once you get in, it will send you straight to Terra. Also, I decided to hand you it, just to help with dealing with him."

Elio hung up right after. Maybe she has a grasp on his personality, maybe she knows more about him compared to everyone else.

But there was still so much that he hid from everyone and everything.

He hung up the call. Elio placed the device on the table next to him. Getting up from his seat he moved to the large window behind him. Through this window he saw the universe. The galaxies in the distance. The meteors that sped past the large planets. The stars that filled the dark void.

For true peace in this galaxy, things must go a certain way.

For Elio's goal to be accomplished, he has to make these sacrifices. He's made his choice and he doesn't regret it.

For both their dream and for the Finality, that man must be culled. From this universe, from the great Sea, and from the Imaginary Tree.

That man is an enigma that should not exist. The climax of this story cannot reach as long as he is alive.

"Sacrifices must be made for everyone to smile in the end," He whispered, memories of a time long since passed flowed through his mind, "You were the one who taught me that, Captain."

All for the happy ending that they both dreamed of.