Honkai Star Rail - Isekai'd With A Stellaron Within

*yeah, shorter one now, motivation is kinda gone for writing (I'll try to find it for the time being, but yeah)... Peace out and Deus vult*

Reca was taken aback for a moment, but soon he broke out into a fit of laughter, shaking his head in a dramatic manner. 

"Mark, it seems that you're not the type of character I expected. Your answers show that much, and yet you keep prying. By all means, ask away." 

Mark nodded, taking a deep breath before speaking his mind, tracing his memories back to the silly message seen on a piece of paper about a memetic virus. The thing about it that rang the bells was the mention of bananas. Mixed with his knowledge of Reca's true nature, he drew a rational conclusion that followed the ideas of the game: new characters are part of the new plot. Thus, his hint was right there, broadly in the open. 

"Well, do tell me, Mister Reca... just one question... is it the monkey that's behind this? I just need confirmation, and the rest is going to become a good movie, so make sure to watch." 

Reca shook his head slightly, putting a hand to his forehead. 

"Well, I certainly didn't expect one of the actors to catch on so soon to the plot, but it seems that you're far more attentive to foreshadowing than I thought," said Reca, keeping his calm demeanor all the way through. 

"Indeed I have, Mister Reca. Now, please do answer my question, since it's my last impediment to this ordeal." 

With a nod, Reca spoke calmly. 

"That was supposed to be set aside for the final act, alas... yes, that is the answer to your question. No one likes a rushed ending, but perhaps it will do for an interesting plot twist packed with action." 

Mark nodded, turning around to walk towards the exit. The way he moved, his poise, something just stirred Reca, gnawing at his memetic form from all sides. There was something strangely familiar about the man before him, almost like an image of the past coming by just to taunt him. 

"Wait, Mark, there's something I need to know as well," said Reca, crossing his arms. 

"And that is?" asked Mark as he looked over his shoulder. 

Reca rubbed his chin slightly, eyeing him up and down before letting the question flow. 

"Are you perhaps the Saviour of the Dream?" 

Mark shrugged, finding that his lips curled up without his permission. 

"I think they did call me that, even if some people didn't seem to think me the real deal thanks to my outfit being a complete revamp... or more like a return to my ways of old. Anyway, that's beside the point. I'll just go handle that idiotic monkey and see how things go." 

With a frown, Mark spoke again. 

"Just keep watch over it, if you can. I think that Memokeepers can find out information in multiple ways. In case it escapes, keep track of it. We have a specific ninja here who might be able to end it, memetic virus and all." 

With that, Mark casually made his way out, sending the others a quick message about how the exam was, but he told them to be ready for stuff to happen. With that, he went ahead to the dean's office, all alone. 

His gaze was dead set on the goal this time, cutting through the bullshit. No more waiting, no more needless dialogue, and no more walking around for no purpose. Everyone can have their fun once the villain is taken out, but until then, it was time to work. 

With every muscle fiber in his body ready, Mark opened the door to the office, looking around at the attentively arranged interior. Bookshelves stacked to the ceiling gazed down upon them both like ancient beings witnessing those who came for their knowledge. One large portrait of an owl sat on the wall above the desk. It was Glaux, former head of the Nightingale Family in Penacony. 

That was a figure of knowledge, the animal used in most representations of wisdom, but the one at the desk was a meager monkey with a pair of silly glasses. 

"Well, what a surprise," it said calmly, looking at Mark intently. Despite the eyes hidden behind the one-sided glass, he could feel the quick analysis being run on him. "One of my dear students. Hmm, no appointment or a polite knock on the door... but I welcome you banantheless." 

Mark stared blankly at it, crossing his arms. His sharp gaze stared right into the monkey's soul. The 'Profnana' fiddled with some things on the desk, dropping a piece of paper, which it did pick up rather quickly. 

"Cut the crap, monkey," said Mark, his voice lacking any hint of enthusiasm. Sure, his head was hurting, but it didn't bother him much. That was nothing unusual or on a level that could actually threaten him. "I know what you are, so you better give it up now." 

The dean stared at him, speaking calmly, but its tone was wavering ever so slightly. 

"What exactly are you insinuating, my dear student? I'm afraid you have the wrong idea about whatever it is you're thinking." 

Mark spent no time beating around the bush, summoning the Sword of Will by his side, the room glowing an ominous red. 

"I said what I said," he spoke once more, his words emanating one emotion: hatred. "I won't ask again. Give up, stop your crap, and cough up where that monkey is, or else I will cut you down." 

Profnana stared at the blade, a bit tense despite its usually cool demeanor. Beads of sweat rolled down its brow. With each second, the room itself seemed to be shrinking around them both. 

"I see... that sword, you must be the Saviour of the Dream. I did take into account that you could possibly show up, and yet I expected that you wouldn't be in a state to do battle after your other fights. It seems to me that I was wrong..." 

It stopped halfway through the sentence, as if nearly slipping up and revealing more. 

"You meant to say something. Go on before I take the words out of you myself." 

Mark brought the blade up, pointing it straight at his target, making sure that everything said by him was backed up by the blade. 

"Do you not even care as to why Doctor Primitive is doing all that?" 

Mark stared at it deadpan, his face expressionless. 

"Do I look like I give a fuck? Cough it up before I beat you up... those words you wanted to add." 

Silence, and with each beat of his heart, Mark's blade moved forward, followed by tiny, careful steps. 

"Fine... you wish to hear the senseless mumbling I was about to say a few moments ago?" 

Another breath spent in silence, and Mark was about to swing the blade, bringing it up in the air, right over his shoulder. 

The entire wall shattered into thousands of fragments, birthing a cloud of dust as a large, machine-like fist flew at him, tossing him through the other side of the window. 

"Next time you should take action first when the goal is right in front of you. Farewell..." 

The Profnana dashed out through the broken wall, making a run for it. 

From the rubble, Mark stood up, his right arm turned to mush from taking the brunt of the impact. He found himself outside the university, staring up to find a large mechanical amalgamation looking his way. It was... 

"What the fucking giant monkey...? This must be some safety measure taken by that other damned monkey... a mix of those banana assistants. Dreamjolt Troupe turned giant mecha..." 

Mark's arm morphed and shifted, rearranging itself into its usual form. With a sigh, he stared at the giant being, which was focused on him as it jumped high into the air, fists curled together above its head. 

"Huh, so you want to do this kind of stuff?" 

Mark's body sprung to life, energy flowing through his every crevice like water bursting forth through a dam. He wasn't about to waste more time and instantly grew out large pillars of ice, their tips sharpened. All of them dashed ahead, with Mark following behind, flames sending him skyward. 

The large monstrosity was soon upon him, staring at the spikes before latching on to them with insane dexterity, moving down along their length before sending a large fist his way. 

In the blink of an eye, the sky was all a sea of red, one large cloud of burning flames and determination. 

Below, in the university, chaos had erupted with the apparition of the giant monkey mecha. Students scattered in every direction, with some staring at the sky, taking notice of the obvious battle going on. 

"Is Mark again doing things without telling us everything?" asked March, pouting slightly as she looked up, watching the flames dissipate. 

"He did warn us, so most probably he had a good lead and a chance to handle it," replied Stelle, while Dan Heng watched the sky clear up. 

From behind the birth of hell, large chunks of ice the size of buildings peeked out, pieces of wire and steel enclosed in all of them. Mark stood alone on top of them, his sword holstered on his shoulder, the glowing red a single dot in the sky. 

"What the...? Did he get himself in more trouble this time?" asked March, scratching the side of her head while trying to piece everything together from the little info she had. 

"Just one way to find out," replied Dan Heng, watching the man himself slide their way on a path of ice, hands in his pocket.