What if your Honkai Star Rail was like this?

Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Hoolay: Please Enter Text

Bang!

After who knows how many punches, Cirrus finally collapsed completely. A wisp of verdant green flame drifted out from Hoolay’s body, transforming into the form of a little boy.

”Damn it! Damn it! You all just wait!”

Cirrus was utterly enraged. This Borisin warlord’s flesh body was, in her long life as a Heliobus, absolutely top-tier. And now, to be beaten out of it by March 7th with raw violence—how could she not lose her mind?!

She was so close to escaping!

”You... a Heliobus?”

Stelle looked at Cirrus with a bizarre expression. She truly hadn’t anticipated this plot twist. No wonder the infamous Hoolay had acted like a street thug today—it turned out he’d been possessed by this guy.

Judging by the form and voice she took upon manifesting, this Heliobus must be Cirrus.

”Hmph, good that you know!” Cirrus glared viciously at the two of them: ”Since you’ve figured it out, I won’t keep up the act. I am Cirrus, one of the legendary fragments of the Great Heliobus conflagration. As everyone knows, I hold grudges!”

”You two ruined my plan today. When the day comes, I will return, and repay today’s humiliation twofold!”

”If I don’t avenge this, I, Cirrus, swear I am no longer a person!”

Stelle muttered under her breath: ”You weren’t one to begin with...”

”Shut your mouth!” Cirrus slowly rose into the air: ”Remember what I said. When the day comes...”

—”Hey, are you misunderstanding something?”

At that moment, March 7th suddenly interrupted Cirrus’s speech, saying coldly: ”When did I say you could leave?”

”You kidnapped Stelle, bullied Stelle, stirred up a huge mess on the Luofu Xianzhou, and now you’re threatening us... Most importantly, you dared to bite A-Xing right in front of me. And with all that, you still think you can just walk away?”

Cirrus said dismissively: ”So what else can you do about it? You don’t strike me as some fool—you should know that we Heliobi are formless beings under Enigmata. No matter how hard your fists are, you can’t inflict any real harm on me.”

”I could even swagger right out in front of you, and all you’d be able to do is watch. Hahaha!”

March 7th sneered. ”Really?”

Seeing March 7th’s smile, a bad premonition suddenly surfaced in Cirrus’s heart. Her instincts told her: of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best. She should leave immediately.

With that thought, Cirrus bolted straight out of the spaceship—

Whoosh—

March 7th suddenly inhaled deeply, creating an extremely powerful suction force. The surrounding airflow immediately wrapped around Cirrus and dragged her toward March 7th—!

Stelle: ???

What kind of freakish stats are these?! March 7th, don’t copy Himeko! That really messes with your image!

Cirrus struggled desperately: ”Hmph hmph, ahhh, aaaaaah—”

In this bizarre maneuver, the two ended up in some inexplicable standoff. After who knows how long, March 7th’s breath finally hit bottom. The terrifying suction faltered for a moment, giving Cirrus a chance to breathe.

”It’s my chance!”

Feeling brief freedom, Cirrus seized the opportunity and fled at full speed. In the blink of an eye, even her shadow was gone.

”Hmph, runs fast...”

March 7th snorted coldly. At that moment, Stelle suddenly knelt in front of her and hugged her waist, freezing her in place.

”March, promise me—don’t copy Himeko anymore, okay?” Stelle looked up, tears streaming down her face, full of helpless expression: ”That move doesn’t suit you. Please, next time pick something else.”

March 7th’s face softened instantly, and she smiled gently: ”Okay, I won’t, I won’t~”

”Ha—”

Just then, Hoolay’s body suddenly stirred. With Cirrus’s control gone, Hoolay’s consciousness awakened. He first glanced around, then instinctively started panting.

The years of torment had largely shattered Hoolay’s spirit, but when the breath of freedom hit him, the ferocity buried deep in his bloodline inevitably awakened.

Hoolay scanned his surroundings and realized he truly wasn’t in the Shackling Prison anymore. He immediately laughed. He didn’t know what had happened, but he’d actually escaped that hellhole!

He subconsciously patted his butt and found it intact, which made him even happier. Right then and there, he threw his head back and laughed maniacally: ”Hahahahaha! Who would’ve thought—who would’ve thought that I, Hoolay, would see the light of day again? I’m free!”

”...”

The air grew deathly quiet for a moment. The onlookers simply watched Hoolay laugh wildly—some munching on their melons, others snapping photos.

”Ha—! You bunch of stupid Xianzhou people, have you been scared dumb?” Seeing no reaction from them, Hoolay asked somewhat puzzled: ”I’m Hoolay, the Borisin warlord.”

The onlookers nodded: ”Oh, we know.”

They didn’t know what the plot was here, but the guy had just said that term a moment ago, right?

Hoolay: ???

These people aren’t afraid of him? Well, he’d been in hiding for nearly a millennium. Forget outside forces—even the locals had gone through generations. Normal if they hadn’t heard of him.

No matter—as long as he pulled off a kill-the-chicken-to-scare-the-monkeys move on-site.

With that in mind, his gaze swept the crowd, then pointed at a certain white-haired little loli: ”Come on, step out and duel me...”

A few minutes later.

Hoolay finally understood why no one feared him.

Just locked up for nearly a millennium, and the combat power in this galaxy had inflated to this extent?

Even the little girls among the short-lived species were this strong? Puppet tech had advanced this far? And that white-haired woman—why did she look so familiar? Like he’d seen her somewhere.

Whoosh—

Just as Hoolay planned to find an opening to slip away first, a whistling sound came from outside the spaceship. Looking over, a starskiff had caught up, with Qingque, Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Huaiyan, Dan Heng, Yanqing, Sunday... standing aboard.

Hoolay: Please enter text.

Don’t play like this! I’ve only been awake for five minutes!

”Hoolay! Cease resistance and surrender—we can consider letting you live!”

Qingque held a megaphone, shouting from afar at Hoolay.

Hoolay looked indignant: ”No! I’d rather die than live like that hell again! And I can’t die anyway!”

Qingque scratched her head—seemed like there was no flaw in that. Hoolay really couldn’t die.

She thought for a moment, then said: ”Hoolay, better a crappy life than a good death. As long as you’re alive, there’s still hope, right?”

Hoolay: ???

Are you here to talk me down or rescue me?

So if I go back, you’re gonna torture me more? If you think a crappy life beats a good death, why don’t you try those mental torment methods!

Huaiyan flexed his wrists: ”Sigh, words are useless. A sly Borisin won’t surrender nicely—let this old man handle it personally.”

Feixiao nodded: ”I agree. Let’s settle it Borisin-style: charge in and take it down!”

Qingque: ”Alright then.”

With that, a thunder spirit towering like the heavens and a sky-obscuring, world-devouring giant beast manifested. Huaiyan let out a great shout, his body expanding until he became a giant clad in silver armor.

Hoolay: Please enter text.