Is it Wrong to Trailblaze in the Dungeon?

DISCLAIMER: Honkai Star Rail belongs miHoYo and Danmachi belongs to Fujino Omori. I do not claim credit for either of their works.


Chapter 1: Recollection and Departure


From the moment Caelus first opened his eyes, he was greeted by two Stellaron Hunters—Kafka and Silver Wolf. Their figures were etched into his memory, despite the haze that clouded his recollection.

Kafka was the sole embodiment of beauty and charm in his eyes from the first moments of his awakening—a young woman with red wine-colored hair tied in a messy ponytail with two loose bangs hanging on either side of her face. Her eyes were of a similar, lighter color.

Silver Wolf, on the other hand, was a young woman with long gray hair and matching gray eyes, donning a short black coat along with a crop-top that covered the upper part of her body, exposing her navel.

Despite their remarkable appearances, the fact that he was familiar with these two women while also not completely remembering them left him confused. It was as though something had tampered with his mind, leaving behind unsettling gaps.

Amidst this confusion, Caelus noted that the faces of these two women remained his sole anchor to the past.

Yet, amidst his struggle to hold onto these fragments of memory, an unfamiliar force seemed intent on erasing them, particularly 'her' from his mind.

Caelus understood he didn't belong here, nor did he come from elsewhere. He simply existed, adrift without a sense of purpose or belonging.

It was all so perplexing.

Then, a faint voice whispered in his ear, Kafka's sorrowful yet persuasive words filled with deceptive encouragement.

"When you have a chance to make a choice, make one that you know you won't regret." Her final message lingered, imprinted deeply within his consciousness. "Always remember and don't forget," a voice within him seemed to scream.

Before he could ponder further, darkness enveloped him, and his mind fell into unconsciousness.

Upon regaining consciousness once more, Caelus found himself face-to-face with March 7th and Dan Heng, who introduced themselves as members of the Astral Express.

Trying to recall what had happened moments prior, it seemed that the Stellaron Hunters had departed, leaving behind a void filled by these new arrivals.

It was not an unwelcome one, however. In the ensuing moments, he introduced himself and was initially mistaken for being a member of the Space Station. When he asked what was going on, Caelus couldn't help but be surprised by what could be called a crash course on the current state of the Space Station.

The Anti-Matter Legion.

The Space Station.

The Lord Ravager.

The Astral Express.

Despite the deluge of information, Caelus marveled at how he managed to absorb it all without succumbing to a headache—an achievement, if you were to ask him back then.

In the company of the Astral Express members, he joined the fight against the Anti-Matter Legion, aiding in the rescue of researchers and residents alike.

As the battles continued, March 7th questioned his combat proficiency, a skill seemingly at odds with his presumed role as a researcher. His response was simple—it was instinct, an innate ability that transcended his fragmented memories.

The duo of the Astral Express simply acknowledged his answer and didn't question him further. After all, questioning an ally who could help them fight amidst their current predicament would only be detrimental.

Fight first, questions later.

With the looming threat of the Anti-Matter Legion, Caelus found himself embracing this unexpected journey, forging bonds amidst the chaos.

He met and rescued the injured Arlan, a notable figure in charge of defending the researchers on the Space Station and met the leader of the researchers and de facto captain of the Herta Space Station in the absence of the Genius Society member who is named after it, Asta.

Last but not least, there was Himeko, a woman whose beauty rivaled Kafka's in his opinion. She had a fair complexion, waist-length wavy red hair partially tied into a bun with golden rose ornaments, and golden eyes.

But just as things seemed to be progressing smoothly, disaster struck.

"Wait, March!" Dan Heng's voice rang out, his grip tightening on his spear.

"The Doomsday Beast..." Himeko's voice held a tinge of disbelief. "It's here."

The first thing one could say when they encountered this beast was that it was a colossal behemoth, its presence alone exuding dread and destruction. Himeko, March 7th, and Dan Heng prepared for battle, but the creature's roar signaled imminent danger.

They fought the beast with all they had. First, they crippled its main source of offense—its left and right arms. The size of their opponent was intimidating, yet it did not hinder them from achieving their goal.

Victory and survival.

The battle ensued for quite a while. One by one, Caelus and the Trailblazers managed to deal enough damage to bring the Doomsday Beast down to its last stand.

Or so they thought.

In a blur of motion, it unleashed a deadly beam, catching them off guard. Caelus realized he could have evaded the attack, but he also realized that wouldn't be the case for the members of the Astral Express. March 7th in particular, whose position the attack was directed at, would have no choice but to accept her fate.

'When you have a chance to make a choice, make one that you know you won't regret...'

"March!"

Those words echoed loudly in his mind.

If he did nothing, he would regret it from the bottom of his heart.

So, in a moment of desperation, he threw himself in harm's way, shielding her from the brunt of the assault.

Did he have any countermeasures against the approaching attack?

None.

Did he possess an ability that could block or make them escape from their impending doom?

None.

Yet, he knew he would regret it if he did nothing to save the girl before him.

"ARGHHHH—!"

Miraculously, he somehow withstood the onslaught, his body pulsating with an unknown power that defied logic. But as he grappled with this newfound ability, his consciousness slipped into an unknown space.

And if anything, he felt that fainting time and time again would be one of the common things that would happen in his life.

Trapped within this ethereal space, Caelus was drawn towards an unknown presence. An unknown voice kept calling out to him repeatedly.

It was incomprehensible before, but now he could understand it clearly.

'Sorry, I must leave now.'

"What happened...?" Caelus muttered, his head experiencing an unknown pain.

'You must see the end of your story.'

It only echoed louder this time.

"Who is that?" Caelus asked.

But, alas, his question went unanswered.

'Reach the end of the story in your own way.'

Ah. Caelus realized it sooner. His story—in short, his life. He must see through the end of it, but why did this unknown voice keep telling him that?

'See?'

In the following seconds, visions flooded his mind—familiar faces intertwined with strangers, a tapestry of events yet to unfold or perhaps already written in the annals of time.

'THEY have already noticed you.'

With a jolt, his eyes snapped back open as his consciousness returned to reality, only to be confronted by a sight that defied comprehension—a scar ablaze with molten gold, a colossal Titan whose gaze bore into his soul. A being that embodied the end—the destruction of all things.

This Titan was the Ruin Incarnate.

Caelus instinctively felt an odd connection between him and this being before him. In the next second, his mind blanked once again, and before he even knew it, he came back from his trance. He realized that his body was currently being filled with an unknown power.

In that exact moment, an inexplicable surge of energy emanated from within him, obliterating the Doomsday Beast in a cataclysmic display of power.

This foreign power within him soon began to take over and grew stronger with each passing second. It was charging up power that would be even stronger compared to the one he used to obliterate the Doomsday Beast.

Like a ticking bomb, Caelus felt the impending doom that was about to happen.

'Somebody—!'

In his mind, he tried to reach out for help. Someone should stop him—end him—before he takes everyone's lives in this place.

Oh, how peculiar. For the first time, he felt really hateful toward none other than himself, for he was losing his consciousness again, as if somebody had intentionally made it a cosmic joke! And for worse, the duration of it seemed eternal if nothing else was done.

But thankfully, his internal plight before he lost consciousness was answered.

In the form of an old man with his dusty old cane.

-o-

Stellaron: The Cancer of All Worlds

An object presumed to be spread throughout the vast universe by the Aeon of Destruction, Nanook.

It was the cause of numerous worlds' demise. Seeds of disaster, fittingly called the Cancer of All Worlds by the Interastral Peace Corporation.

These Stellerons could also be considered lifeforms that cause massive changes in a world's civilization and ecosystem, followed by the creation of corrosive mud, also known as fragmentum. This fragmentum's sole purpose was to give birth to corrupted matter and entities to ensure the world they resided in led to destruction.

Such a destructive object was being hosted inside his body.

Caelus' reaction was surprisingly underwhelming. He remained calm as far as he could remember, as if this was just a mundane problem that he had to address.

Herta, a member of the Genius Society and the owner of the Space Station, regarded his reaction as intriguing. He also found her quite interesting and would have tried to know more if she had the answers to the questions plaguing his mind.

Well, if not for her insisting that he become a specimen and be locked up in the Space Station, he would have considered staying there.

There was also Welt, who managed to "calm" him down in his berserk state caused by the Stellaron. He found the old man quite cool, if anything else. While subtle, Caelus knew that Welt might have been the strongest person he had ever met—if he disregarded the existence of that Aeon.

Last but not least, Pompom.

A small, rabbit-like creature with large ears. The conductor and presumably the oldest member of the Astral Express. He was an enigma through and through. But there was something in the conductor—something that felt out of place as he looked at the enigmatic creature.

But there was no way Caelus knew what it was—for now.

After staying at the Space Station for quite some time doing miscellaneous tasks, Caelus decided to accept the invitation offered to him by Himeko a while ago.

That was to become a crew member of the famed Astral Express.


(X-x-X-x-X)


"A dream...from the past."

The boy muttered as he woke up from his sleep. Rubbing his eyes, his vision was then subtly cleared.

He got up from bed and stretched his arms in the air, dispelling the remaining grogginess from his sleep.

Scanning the room, he decided to fetch some clothes from the wardrobe and groom himself a bit to be at least presentable for the morning.

A habit that was instilled in him by Kafka when he temporarily joined the Stellaron Hunters after being separated from the Astral Express Crew during a mission.

Once again, as Kafka always reminded him during his time with them, always look presentable, no matter what the situation is.

Caelus could imagine Firefly nodding happily at the thought.

This made him chuckle a bit.

After adjusting his clothes, he looked at the nearby mirror.

Silver-grayish, lustrous hair. Eyes resembling molten gold. Features that were really familiar to him.

Caelus still couldn't believe he was here right now, alive and well, after the last battle he had fought in.

Yes, a fight that almost seemed impossible to win despite all the preparations and accumulated strengths they had gained.

A battle against the Nanook of Destruction.

A battle that ended in a pyrrhic victory.

A battle where almost his everything was lost, including some of his precious memories. That is why he needed to remember. These blanks in his memories needed to be filled. He had already lost too much after all, and he couldn't stand to lose more if he could help it.

Questions.

Mysteries.

Truths.

"Ngnh..."

A sharp phantom pain assaulted his head, making him put his hand on his temple, a common occurrence each time he tried to remember his past.

Grunting, he shook his head to dispel the lingering thoughts.

"I need to get ready," Caelus reminded himself, removing his hand from his face. "I need to make breakfast before the old hag gets up."

With those words, he left the room.

-o-

Caelus couldn't exactly remember too many details about how he met his demise; what he remembered to the finest detail was that the Aeon of Elation, Aha, had a hand in his new life...in an entirely different world.

Technically, he shouldn't have been surprised about being in an entirely different world. It was a common occurrence as a Trailblazer. After all, world-hopping was just like a trip for the crew members of the Astral Express.

Yet Caelus' gut instincts were telling him that this world he was in was out of reach for his companions.

How could he tell? To repeat, it was just a hunch—a gut instinct—at best, but he knew that trusting it never failed him when it mattered.

Just like now.

As for why Aha sent him here, based on what he knew, it was for the Aeon's 'entertainment.'

Such a convenient excuse for the one who was the embodiment of the concept of elation.

Mortals within the cosmos tried to understand the truths and nature of Aeons. So far, it could be said that they had made progress, but only a small part of it.

Still, progress is progress.

The paths these Aeons tread, the complexities that arise when trying to understand them drove many mortals mad. Some, however, achieved enlightenment in their own ways.

Shaking his head, Caelus turned the mana-infused stove off.

...

Moving the pan away as he finished cooking breakfast, he glanced out the window and saw a person dropping a letter in their mailbox.

The mailman noticed him staring, waved his hand, and smiled at him. The mailman then went on his way, maintaining that familiar look on his face. A look that resembled that of his peculiar thief friend in Belobog. Also, the aura that surrounded the man was anything but that of a human.

It was that of a god.

Narrowing his eyes, Caelus proceeded to get the mail after cleaning up the kitchen and preparing the table for breakfast. There was a lingering feeling of curiosity that remained, however. It wasn't just like any other day that you would see a god do jobs like being a mailman or such.

"It's been a long time since somebody passed by here." Caelus couldn't help but wonder. After all, the house he was currently occupying was located far deep in the forest near the village. "He looks familiar..."

Except for having that similar look to Sampo, Caelus couldn't help but think that he had already met that person before. He just couldn't pin down where and when, though.

"Maybe I should ask him next time he drops by," he said before going back into the house.

The moment he opened the door, he saw a figure coming down the stairs.

Long, cascading ebony hair with the figure of a mature lady in her prime. Though, as many would say, her beauty belies her age, which is already more than a thousand lifetimes a normal mortal would have. She exuded elegance with each step she took. Her purple eyes landed on his figure, giving him a scrutinizing look.

A daily occurrence, if he might say.

The woman's lips then twitched ever so slightly before she spoke.

"Have you finished preparing breakfast?"

Caelus simply nodded before answering, "Already finished."

The woman—nay, the goddess—only stared at him before turning her head away to the dining room. "I see. Let's go eat then. I am expecting that the dish this time will be better than before."

"Understood."

Her blunt words, indifferent looks, and commanding tone would have made some individuals raise a brow in annoyance at her, but Caelus didn't even bother thinking about it.

He was already used to it, after all. Living with her for the past years as his guardian—or grandmother, which she really doesn't like to be called for several unknown reasons—made him adapt to her overbearing attitude to live in stability with her.

Besides, she was a goddess who once held the highest status here in the lower world when her Familia was still active.

Goddess Hera, patron goddess of the Hera Familia. One of the two strongest familias to ever exist before their fall and exile in the Labyrinth City of Orario. They are majorly famous around the world, alongside the Zeus Familia for being the undisputed top Familias in Orario for several centuries and vanquishing two out of the three Grand Quests in the mortal world.

They fell the Tyrant of the Lands, the Behemoth.

They eliminated the Overlord of the Seas, the Leviathan.

And last but not the least of the Grand Quests, the bane and cause of the fall of the once greatest Familias in existence for around a thousand years, the Black Apocalypse, the One-eyed Black Dragon.

Caelus couldn't help but remember the stories that he was told when he was a mere toddler by that perverted god. A pervert he may be, the amount and quality of the stories he tells, however, were as great as his Familia had once been; in short, grand.

After that short interaction, they proceeded to eat their meal.

It was a silent one to note. Nobody bothered to start any conversation as they ate. Only the brief clattering of utensils while eating was heard.

That's how it has been for the past few years. They only talked when necessary, and Caelus had no problems with that, to be honest.

The majority of people would say that silence prolonged for a very long time could be suffocating. However, for some particular set of people, silence was golden.

Only several individuals came to Caelus' mind that fit the description.

"Lady Hera, just this morning, a mailman dropped by," Caelus addressed as he took out the letter. "It seems that this is addressed to you."

Hera glanced at him and gestured for him to hand over the letter, which he immediately did. Opening it, Caelus noticed the goddess raise a brow and express a sign of surprise as she began to read it in silence. This in turn made him give a look of surprise as well. Hera wasn't the type to show any reaction unless it was something of importance, after all.

'Must be a big deal,' Caelus thought as he continued eating his breakfast.

Remember, hunger is the enemy.

There were many things to be done today after breakfast. Living a second life granted by the Elation was like walking on thin ice, never knowing when it might break. Based on what intelligent beings in the cosmos knew about the Aeon, Aha was the embodiment of unpredictability, if not elation.

So, if Aha decided to take back what THEY had given, just as THEY did to a certain space worm whom THEY chose as THEIR emanator by granting it nearly fathomless intelligence, then that would mean Caelus' true death this time, since his rebirth was thanks to THEM.

Although he knew that Aha would not do it, as it would betray the entire purpose of Caelus being alive once more.

And he knew Aha was watching him in this new life.

'Sadistic prick...'

If cursing this Aeon would make you suffer some divine punishment like a thunderbolt in the head out of nowhere, then he would've been struck more than a thousand times already. Besides, it seemed like the Aeon of Elation even enjoyed being insulted for some reason.

He could never mistake that twisted laughter echoing in his dreams every time he fell asleep, as if asking for more.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as Hera called out to him.

"Lad."

"Yes?"

The second the Trailblazer observed the features of the goddess, he couldn't help but be curious due to the look she was giving him right now.

"Pack your things and get ready to leave after finishing your tasks for this morning. Your stay here is long overdue," Hera stated as she threw the letter into the nearby fireplace and sighed. "Take only what's necessary."

At that moment, Caelus saw a mix of emotions flicker in the goddess' eyes: melancholy, relief, and anxiety.

That was soon replaced by an indifferent expression as she closed her eyes before turning to him.

Despite calling herself one of the most transparent goddesses, she sure had many masks to hide her good side.

How ironic.

"Can I ask why?"

"I don't remember you having any hearing disability in the years you've lived here, or did I make a mistake in raising you?" Hera said questioningly, raising a brow. "Don't make me repeat myself. The ones picking you up will arrive in less than an hour or two. Remember, this is for your own good."

"That doesn't explain much, though..." Caelus voice trailed off as he said those words.

"There's no need to explain further," Hera huffed.

Caelus couldn't help but feel somewhat annoyed.

It was always like this, always telling him things out of the blue and expecting him to follow without further explanation.

Though it might be his fault for always indulging this goddess' whims without much resistance.

But at this moment, Caelus couldn't help but voice his thoughts.

"Have you perhaps gone senile?"

That offhand comment drew a reaction from the goddess.

In a second, her apathetic expression contorted to that of a dragon ready to roar but was quickly suppressed, much to his shock.

'Maybe this neurotic old hag has gone senile...'

The goddess named Hera was known for her fiery temper! Yet, here she was, doing her best to suppress herself despite his rude comment.

Maybe hell had frozen over!

"I'll ignore that rude comment of yours. Now finish your remaining tasks for this morning before you pack up, Caelus." She glared slightly as she held her temple. "Your stay has been long overdue."

Hera sighed as she walked upstairs to her room.

Caelus stayed still, digesting her words. He couldn't help but stare at the back of the departing goddess with mixed feelings.

She called him by his given name, showing how serious she was.

As far as Caelus could remember, there were only a few occasions when she called him by his name. They were always involved in something big or serious.

An example was that day when she sternly warned him not to leave the house no matter what. That was the second time she called him by his name, the first being when they met when he was a toddler.

And, as usual, she didn't explain the reason. Hera simply said so, and it should be followed.

Her house, her rules.

However, rules are meant to be broken.

That's how it would've normally ended with him doing the unexpected, but at that time, Caelus simply obliged and stayed home.

After all, the way she sounded made it seem like something bad would happen.

The majority of that day was usual. Except, when the sun fell and darkness took over, sounds of battle could be heard in the distance.

Taking a peek from his room's window, he saw men in armor and weapons battling hordes of monsters rampaging in the distance. They were either adventurers or mercenaries; he couldn't know unless he asked.

That was also the first time he saw those infamous 'monsters' in person.

Things birthed by the Dungeon. The enemy of all mortal kind. Harbingers of destruction.

Quite a grand collection of titles, if you ask the Trailblazer.

Besides, what could he do at that time? He was less than seven years old, with still-jumbled memories of his past.

While he could still feel the connection and powers bestowed by the Aeons, it was faint at best and would probably do the bare minimum of help if he joined the skirmish.

That day ended with Hera going out of their home and giving a pouch to one of the men, who bowed to her as they bid their farewells. Hera simply huffed, stared at the window where he was peeking, and said something he immediately understood.

'Sleep, brat.'

He dispelled his thoughts about the past, seeing that enough reminiscing had been done. The remaining tasks before his departure were still waiting for him to accomplish them.

"Hmm. I guess this is it, huh?" Caelus sighed, clutching his temples. "Time to finish this up..."

The sad undertone behind his words was known only to him.

It took several minutes to finish everything before he went back to his room, packing the essentials he would need. Walking down, he saw a pouch containing a hefty sum of credits—or valis, as they call it here—placed on the nearby table.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the person who left it there. 'Couldn't she have just given this to me personally?'

Caelus then got out the door and saw a coachman waving at him. The carriage was expected, but he didn't expect it to be so...well-equipped.

"Am I going to be sent to the front lines or something...?" Caelus asked, but no answer came as expected.

Compared to the technology and equipment in the worlds he previously visited, this carriage paled in comparison. Based on some documents and books he had read; this type of carriage would cost a hefty amount of valis.

While he didn't think their life in this isolated house was poor, he also didn't think they were quite rich considering the history of what happened to Hera Familia a few years ago.

In the end, he just made peace with his confusion and focused on what he needed to do next.

He then looked back at the door and then the window on the second floor. It seemed that Hera didn't bother to send him off personally.

"That's a bit cold, really," he muttered as he trotted away, carrying his baggage.

When he finally reached the carriage, the coachman asked.

"Uh, young sir?"

"Yes?"

"What is...exactly that thing you're bringing with you?"

The coachman looked at him weirdly. Caelus, confused, tilted his head and replied.

"It's a trashcan. Never heard of it?"

"I-Is that so?" The coachman genuinely looked surprised. "Ah, no, I mean, I know what it is, sir, it's just that... why are you bringing it with you?"

"Are there any problems in doing so?"

"That..." His voice trailed off to a silent mutter before continuing. "No. There aren't..." In the end, the coachman still looked reluctant.

Caelus stared blankly at the coachman before sighing. "That means everything is good to go then, right?"

The coachman could only nod in surrender as Caelus entered the carriage.

Hmph.

Uncultured people not appreciating the supremacy of trashcans. As a self-proclaimed Trash Panda/Raccoon, he could understand why people detested trashcans, but people often forgot and placed less importance on their actual purpose and nature! Moreover, some would simply label him as weird or a madman for liking such things.

Besides, it's not like he liked them for no reason. If anything, there was a theory or speculation on his part that they had a deep connection to his past. His past that was still plagued by mystery.

'Maybe I was found in a dumpster or something?'

He pondered about this several times in both lifetimes.

Or maybe it was just a running gag or meme about him being spread by unknown entities in the cosmos.

"If only some of them were here, this journey would be a little less lonely," the Trailblazer said in a low voice as he stared at the passing trees through the carriage window.

His words—or wishes—were left as they were, never expecting anyone to hear or grant them. Well, Aha could, literally. If the occasional twisted laughter of the Aeon in his mind meant something, he wasn't expecting much, however.

What he didn't notice was the slight twitch of the object he brought with him.

Thus, another chapter met its end in the Trailblazer's journey, signaling another to begin.


AN: I'm gonna try working on the next chapters of my other fics as fast as possible.

Next Update: TBA