I am, Flame-Chaser of Previous Era

Nagazora City, Chiba Academy.

A gentle spring breeze drifted in through the open window, stirring the white curtain like a silken veil. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the translucent fabric, casting dappled patterns across the desk.

The men's dormitory overlooked the athletic field; the faint sounds of cheers and exertion from a lively co-ed volleyball game drifted up. The vibrant energy of the club's youthful players was reflected in the grey-eyed young man's gaze, fixed on the scene outside his window.

The young man, with dark hair and delicate features, wore a crisp white shirt, flawlessly pressed. His hands rested on a notebook atop his laptop, his expression lost in contemplation of the bustling field, seemingly savoring the burgeoning life and vibrant promise of spring.

After a while, he adjusted his rimless glasses, his fingertips lightly tapping on the keyboard.

"Nineteen years in this world, and it remains stubbornly peaceful, a disconcerting unreality. The impending destruction I remember so vividly feels like a daytime dream."

"But the destruction is coming. In the maelstrom of civilization's collapse, those vibrant youths, those lovers clinging to each other, will vanish like grains of sand in a hurricane. But I know escape is futile…"

He finished writing these two paragraphs, his fingertips pausing. He felt the words were slightly self-righteous, yet after a moment of hesitation, he continued to stare out the window.

He vaguely recalled his own resurgence of will nineteen years ago, the ecstatic joy he felt upon witnessing the glorious birth chamber, a moment when he believed heaven had finally opened its eyes.

To think he'd not only been reborn, but as a rich second-generation heir! He'd secretly vowed to avoid arrogance, to eschew the stereotypical spoiled brat lifestyle.

But with age came realizations. The good news was his wealthy background was genuine. The bad news was…

"The Honkai world is doomed, and it's the Previous Era no less…"

The young man rubbed his temples, unsure what expression to wear. Even as a 'Skipper,' he knew just how messed up the world was.

A cataclysm called 'Honkai' ravaged the world, unleashing monsters and the terrifying Herrschers. While in the Current Era, one could watch Valkyries fight, and somehow survive, the Previous Era was a brutal hellscape, just as he'd written in his novel:

World destruction, civilization's end, scattered survivors. A rich second-generation heir was one million percent unlikely to live long enough to see any Valkyries fighting, a realization that had plagued him for years, though he'd eventually come to terms with it.

"If you don't want to die, find a way to live. Luckily, I arrived early, with time to prepare, and I found a glimmer of hope." The confusion in his eyes dissipated, replaced by unwavering determination.

The logic was simple: if you can't beat it, survive it. Fight tooth and nail to live.

Returning to the present, he was about to make minor edits to his manuscript when he heard the dormitory door lock turn. A breathless voice quickly appeared behind him.

"Ryan, writing novels again? Such a beautiful day, why aren't you at the club activities?" A young man with white hair rushed in. He wore basketball gear, sweat glistening on his handsome face, giving him a sunny, energetic aura.

"Because I'm too lazy to shower, and I don't want to be surrounded by a screaming mob of girls like you are." Ryan, shifting in his chair, pushed up his glasses, giving his friend a wry look. He muttered, "I specifically came to Nagazora City, thinking I'd find a thigh to cling to, but I only found a superficial title."

This resignation stemmed from a deep-seated feeling. Kevin, the sunny-natured boy, was, even to a jaded time-traveler like Ryan, a major figure from the 'Honkai' world. After two years of acquaintance, Ryan realized Kevin was nothing like he'd imagined.

Besides being a phenomenal basketball player, there was nothing crazy or powerful about him. He was perfectly cast as the protagonist of a typical coming-of-age manga, maybe even a Slam Dunk powerhouse, but certainly not a world-saving Flame-Chaser.

"Nonsense, my heart belongs only to Mei." Kevin chuckled lightly. Having been roommates with Ryan since high school, he knew the other wasn't being malicious and leaned over to look at the screen.

"Ugh, you're writing that weird stuff again? A civilization-destroying apostle? How on earth do you come up with this?"

Slap!

The notebook snapped shut. Ryan remained impassive, but like any writer, he felt a familiar blush creep up his neck at having his work examined.

He glanced at the curious Kevin, clearing his throat. "A blend of personal experience, a little fantasy, and creative liberties."

Personal experience?

Kevin, having absorbed the plot of reincarnation, apostles, and some New Tokyo-3 city, scratched his chin. "Ryan, you're such a weirdo. By the way, do you make a lot of money writing this stuff?"

"The results aren't bad, but you know I don't care about money."

"Then why spend so much time on it?"

"Partly it's a hobby." Ryan paused, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "And partly, it's about finding friends."

This ongoing novel was based on a certain work's setting, cleverly replacing the Herrscher of the Void with a second apostle. If there were others who'd time-traveled here, they might recognize it. The reason was simple:

He, a social outcast casually playing the Open Beta of Star Rail, somehow ended up in this dog-eat-dog Previous Era.

Kevin considered friends as pen pals and didn't dwell on it. Having wiped the sweat from his brow, he changed into a T-shirt, grabbed his motorbike keys from the drawer, and turned to his roommate, who was still staring out the window.

"Ahem, Mei's returning from the Mu Continent. Want to come pick her up with me?"

"That physics conference ended so soon?" Ryan turned, slowly wiping his glasses.

"Yeah, evening flight. Mei said you had a slot at the discussion, why didn't you go?" Kevin suddenly remembered something. Ryan was one of the academy's top students.

Whenever he heard him and Mei discussing quantum entanglement and imaginary number theorems, he felt as dumb as an amoeba.

"Waste of time, and I only provided some data for the 'Negentropy' paper. Besides, you two are sickeningly sweet, why not go find Su instead?"

"Medical school is brutal, and Su isn't as monstrous as you two, thinking everyone can complete all their coursework in their freshman year." Kevin snorted, glancing at his watch. "Besides, are you coming or not? If you are, let's get noodles later."

Another lecture?

Ryan felt a wave of nausea, prompting a moment of introspection.

Two years ago, after the Herrscher of the Void extinguished his last shred of hope, Ryan's motives in approaching Kevin and Mei weren't purely altruistic.

But these years of companionship had fostered genuine affection, or perhaps the constant contemplation of the Previous Era's fate had driven him mad.

Survival's outcome is crucial, but so is the journey. He didn't want to become a being driven solely by primal survival instincts.

Like the vibrant life outside his window, and the sunny young man before him, they weren't figments of his imagination.

"I'll go, I'll go with you…" Ryan started to rise, but his hand, mid-wipe, froze, his expression shifting subtly.

"Huh?" Kevin blinked, confused by his friend's sudden change.

"Forget it, I won't go. I suddenly remembered something I need to do." Ryan gazed out the window, his eyes slightly narrowed behind his glasses. He murmured, "It's appeared again. These persistent, meddling ghosts."

Kevin didn't understand, but he'd grown accustomed to Ryan's enigmatic personality. He shrugged on his jacket and left without looking back.

"I'm off then."

VROOM—

The roar of a motorcycle engine faded into the distance. Ryan, statue-like before the window, slightly lifted his head, watching Kevin's departing figure. He sighed softly, lifting his laptop from the desk.

"You guys are lucky, enjoying your mundane college life, while I'm stuck in another dimension. Oh well, what can I do? I know too much, I can't lie to myself."

Ryan muttered, showing neither sadness nor excitement. Since his first encounter with Honkai ten years ago, he'd grown accustomed to it.

He unlocked his wardrobe, revealing a sparse collection of clothes. After a search, he pulled out a heavy, black duffel bag from the back, hoisted it onto his shoulders, and left the dormitory.

The soccer game had ended; students carrying lunchboxes thronged the pathways. Ryan, always averse to crowds, passed unnoticed. A young man carrying a bag quickly disappeared into the throng.

As one of the few private schools in the country, Chiba Academy spanned from elementary to university, its sprawling grounds and buildings resembling a small town.

The university campus lay in the north, far from Nagazora City. Except for the southern commercial street, the surroundings were desolate, mostly dilapidated houses awaiting demolition. In a few years, this area would be redeveloped into a new campus zone.

Ryan stood on a pile of rubble, gazing at the scattered lights in the distant ramshackle buildings. Their original owners had long since accepted compensation and moved; now, the buildings were occupied by vagrants and delinquents.

The wall behind him served as a stark boundary, separating the rich from the chaotic poverty. Ryan, however, had no interest in class issues; he simply twitched his nose.

"The stench of Honkai. Does it really favor these desolate places?" Ryan sneered, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

Honkai cataclysms were unpredictable, yet they tended to appear in forgotten corners, allowing the Honkai-countering 'Fire Moth' to remain hidden, like the wall behind him, shielding humanity from the horror.

But since the appearance of the Herrscher of the Void, the frequency had increased significantly.

Ryan pulled out his phone, sent a message to a specific contact, and without waiting for a reply, he headed towards the dilapidated buildings, duffel bag in hand.

These buildings were four or five stories high, their walls covered in grime and moss. The spring breeze, feeble and listless, stirred loose wires, creating a crackling sound. Otherwise, there was no sign of life, an unnerving stillness.

A Chiba Academy student stood outside the ominous stone wall, no beggars, no thugs. The usual Nagazora City police headache seemed to have collectively vanished.

Thump

The black duffel bag landed on the ground, scattering dust. Ryan waited silently until a cacophony of footsteps reached his ears—a familiar sound, like hungry students rushing to the cafeteria after school.

Low-level Zombies.

Ryan's expression remained unchanged. He slowly unzipped the duffel bag, revealing a long, black cylindrical object. He pulled it out, hefted it, and raised it.

Click, click, click.

With the grinding of metal, a spear, approximately two meters long, was in his hands, its black metallic surface gleaming.

Ryan's gaze fell on the spearhead's sharp tip, and somehow, a line from his unfinished afternoon writing flashed into his mind:

"I know escape is futile. There are no thighs to cling to…"

Bang!

The spear thrust forward. The sharp spearhead was enveloped in an ominous red energy. Under its power, the wall was pierced as easily as tofu.

Splash

Through the hole, the size of a large basin, a grotesque, twisted head—a rotting watermelon—was visible. The gruesome sight was reflected in his glasses. Below, his grey eyes, devoid of emotion, remained fixed. His left hand tightened its grip on the shaft; he braced himself, his body tensed.

BOOM—

The red energy carved a circular path in the twilight, like a scythe, obliterating the wall and a dozen Zombies in its wake.

The ominous wall crumbled completely. Ryan stepped over the debris, his gaze sweeping the hallway and the shacks. Inside, were the humans twisted by Honkai energy, and strange creatures peeking from the roof.

"Only by slaughtering Honkai, understanding Honkai, can I find a path to survival, because—"

He removed his glasses, placing them in his breast pocket. A gleam, like the constellations themselves, flashed in his eyes. He raised the spear.

"I am a Pathstrider."