I, The Aeon of Trailblaze, Trailblazing the Multiverse

Saeko Busujima's breathing quickened, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes were filled with anticipation as she gazed at the "divine being" before her. She seemed like a devout saint awaiting the holy words of the god she served.

At that moment, when she had seen the colossal form of the Aeon of Trailblaze, her innermost desires and her body's deepest cravings were completely laid bare—and recognized.

In that instant, she felt wholly redeemed.

For years, she had been suppressing herself, fearing that her bloodlust and penchant for killing would be exposed, fearing that everyone would see her as nothing more than a murderer, a monster.

But the divine being before her had affirmed her, telling her she was right and encouraging her to steadfastly pursue "Trailblaze."

Her long-repressed instincts surged forth.

She couldn't help but recall the first time she had indulged her true nature—breaking the limbs of a stalker when she was younger and experiencing the unrestrained pleasure of liberation.

"Saeko-senpai…" Saya Takagi, the pink-haired twin-tailed girl, swallowed nervously, her eyes brimming with envy as she looked at Saeko, who had been granted power by the supreme and magnificent Aeon of Trailblaze to become a Pathstrider.

Only those who were noticed by the Aeon, or who walked the path of "Trailblaze," could become Pathstriders.

Powerful Pathstriders, like the ones they had seen earlier, possessed abilities akin to those of gods.

As the daughter of the most prominent right-wing faction politician in Japan, Saya understood all too well that in the new order to come, those with godlike powers would be the true rulers of humanity.

To follow the Aeon? That was a privilege she wouldn't even dare to dream of.

After all, becoming a Nameless and boarding the Astral Express meant traveling to countless worlds and living a life more extraordinary than any protagonist in a novel.

Gulp. The students all swallowed hard in envy. As for jealousy? There was none.

Becoming a Pathstrider required the recognition of the supreme Aeon, which was beyond reproach. Besides, Saeko-senpai had already proven herself by cutting through countless Zombies on the way here. There was nothing to be jealous of.

Elias smiled as he looked at Saeko, her expression one of religious fervor.

"Do you wish to follow me?"

Elias found it particularly endearing how Japanese girls displayed such a strong sense of devotion

Thanks to Shinto culture, there was a tradition of shrine maidens dedicating themselves entirely—body and soul—to their gods. In essence, shrine maidens were concubines of the divine.

Thus, in Saeko's subconscious, becoming a Nameless and following him, the Trailblaze Aeon, was equivalent to offering herself entirely to him.

And this... this was something Elias found absolutely…

Delightful.

"Anyone who treads the Path of Trailblaze is my follower and may call themselves a Nameless," Elias said. "All Nameless are qualified to board the Astral Express."

"If you've decided to join, then follow March 7th."

"When the time comes, you'll board the train alongside the other Nameless."

As he spoke, Elias gently patted March 7th's silky pink shoulder-length hair.

Not bad at all. Her hair feels amazing.

As his hand lingered for a moment, his figure began to fade.

"Oh, by the way, little March," he added as he vanished, "make sure to bring some local specialties back to the train for Pam."

"Otherwise, he'll definitely be disappointed."

March 7th rubbed her head, pouting slightly. "Got it, Lord Elias."

"Why does Lord Elias always pat my head? It's like he thinks I'm a kid or something."

"It's definitely because I'm the youngest member of the train crew."

Muttering to herself, she turned to Saeko Busujima and, with a cheerful bounce in her step, walked over.

"Hehe… So you're the new companion Lord Aki—uh, I mean, Lord Elias mentioned before he came to this planet."

"Welcome to the Astral Express and to being one of us!" March 7th said enthusiastically, extending her hand with a big grin.

"Now I'm officially a senior member of the train crew!"

Saeko Busujima looked at the lively and familiar girl who acted as if they'd known each other for years. With a smile, she extended her hand to shake hers.

"My name is Saeko Busujima. Please take care of me, Senior March 7th."

March 7th, beaming with pride at her new role as a senior, responded enthusiastically, "Of course, Senior March 7th will definitely look after you, hehe!"

"Alright, let's get going~"

With this experience behind them, the students were filled with a fervent excitement and followed March 7th obediently, full of energy and determination.

Once they exited the school gates, there were no obstacles in their path.

With Dan Heng and Welt's immense power, the majority of the Zombies in Tokonosu City had already been cleared out.

Survivors who witnessed their godlike abilities couldn't believe their eyes.

To these survivors, the two weren't just powerful individuals—they were gods. How else could one explain such overwhelming strength?

March 7th led the growing group of survivors toward the city center for a gathering point.

The crowd swelled as more people joined the procession behind the students.

After witnessing divine power and learning the truth about the apocalypse, no one dared to stir trouble. Everyone followed instructions with disciplined obedience.

Initially, there were a few dissenters, but after Saeko Busujima decisively took down two troublemakers, the group was entirely subdued.

Rei Miyamoto, walking behind Saeko, couldn't help but express her envy. "I'm so jealous, Saeko-senpai, that you were acknowledged by a real god."

March 7th turned around, her expression serious.

"Anyone can walk the Path of Trailblaze. If you commit yourself to exploring the unknown, to pushing beyond what you don't yet understand about yourself, you'll definitely become a Pathstrider."

"That's exactly how I became one of the Nameless."

Saya Takagi hesitated before quietly asking, "Saeko-senpai, are you really going to leave Earth? Won't you miss your family?"

Saeko Busujima replied firmly, "Becoming a Nameless and spreading the name of Busujima-style swordsmanship to other worlds will make my father, mother, and grandfather proud."

Her expression turned resolute, and in her mind, she imagined countless scenarios in other worlds where she could explore and indulge in her instinctual nature for battle and slaughter.

Just thinking about cutting down monsters in different worlds made her knees press together slightly. Her breathing grew uneven, and her eyes shimmered with longing.

Saya Takagi blinked in surprise. "Well… I guess you've made up your mind."

No wonder she was able to become a Pathstrider with that level of conviction. Saya thought. But how am I supposed to become a Pathstrider myself?

March 7th chimed in, "It's not like she's saying goodbye forever or anything."

"The Astral Express isn't a one-way trip. If you miss your family, you can always warp back home—it only takes a few minutes, no matter the distance."

Saya's eyes widened. "It's that convenient?" Her desire to become a Nameless deepened even further.

Who wouldn't dream of a life as thrilling and grand as a protagonist in a novel?

Meanwhile, all the survivors of Tokonosu City were heading toward the city center. Though a small number of people refused to join, it didn't matter.

In under two hours, Welt and Dan Heng had efficiently eradicated all the Zombies in the city.

Welt began laying the groundwork for a new "order."

This "new order" would begin by reinstating roles from the existing structure, such as selecting police officers and politicians with a genuine sense of justice and responsibility.

With positions of authority restored, bolstered by the inspiring presence of the "heroes from beyond the stars" who had saved them, the new order was quickly established.

On the other side, Himeko had completed the antidote.

After all, creating a cure for a standard biochemical virus from a mundane world was no challenge for Himeko. As the scientist capable of repairing the Astral Express, it took her less than two hours to produce the antidote.

Elias appeared beside Himeko, watching her hold a test tube filled with a glowing blue liquid. With a smile of admiration, he said, "As expected of the trailblazer of this generation."

"Within two hours, you've accomplished the feat of saving an entire planet."