Philosophy of the Tourist
Last updated 2026-07-09
Philosophy of the Tourist is the first part of the Trailblaze Mission chapter So Laughed the Masses. It automatically begins after completing Real Holy Laughter!.
Steps
- Chat with your companions about the Phantasmoon in the sky
- Review the current state of Phantasmoon Games
Dialogue
Story Recap
- After defeating Sparxie at the Graphia Academy, I followed Himeko to the imagenesis room tucked away on the campus, where records of the Herald of Death incident were stored. There, we ran into Himeko's father, Ryusuke, and the two parted on bad terms after the conversation.
- During a tour of the Express, the two put aside their differences temporarily. Afterward, we received an invitation from Pearl. She wanted to discuss a partnership with me as a fellow Supplicant and invited me to visit her company, Pearluxe Corp.
- At Pearluxe Tower, we had a friendly spar with the superheroes, the Daybreak Squadron, and a tour of the mechatron production process. Pearl suggested that we join forces and host an Astral Express-themed convention, Star Rail FEST, to lure out the remaining Supplicants.
- Meanwhile, Pearl also ordered Detective Ashveil to look for leads on the New Herald of Death case. The detective's relentless pursuit eventually led him to his prime suspect, the charity organization known as the Research Society of Happy Smiles.
- Both Ashveil and Kuchiba witnessed the uncanny ability of Fulwish, president of the Smiles Society, to stir up a crowd. Realizing Fulwish was attempting to interfere in the Phantasmoon Games, the two paid a visit to Ashveil's old acquaintance, Cinderborne of the Daybreak Squadron.
- During the conversation with Cinderborne, Ashveil sensed a deep, dark secret behind the Happiness Surgery that the Society offered to its members to erase their pain.
- On the day of the Star Rail FEST, we were invited to the exhibition as special guests. During our visit, we ran into the mysterious Evanescia again. She also happened to be a hardcore fan of the comic series "The Fluffy," so we ended up exploring the festival dedicated to the Express, together.
- However, as we passed through the Xianzhou Luofu exhibition area, the Daybreak Warriors challenged us, as Supplicants. Their provocation was accompanied by a smear campaign against me from Fulwish TV.
- The Daybreak Warriors launched a massive attack with the reanimated mega-mechatron, Alloy King Pom-Pom. When all seemed lost, Ashveil unleashed his power and broke through the enemy's offensive. However, he also tore open a fissure in space during the process, which took everyone down into an unknown abandoned station.
- The being hiding deep within the abandoned station stirred restlessly, twisting and ripping at space. Thankfully, Pearl was able to rescue us with her timely intervention. Little did we know, things were about to get worse with Ashveil's terrible revelation: The Happiness Surgery was actually implanting the flesh of Abominations of Abundance into Smiles Society members.
Chat with your companions about the Phantasmoon in the sky
Mission DescriptionHuh? That winking moon up there in the sky... It just spoke! For real!
Those eyes, without a doubt...
Foretell something extraordinary!
- Sequence 01You discussed the Phantasmoon Games' new stakes with Himeko and March 7th, concluding that it would bring even greater chaos to the universe. As curious bystanders gathered around you, Himeko suggested returning to the Express to continue the discussion.
- (Talk to March 7th)
- Moon Gazers: Wait, did you hear that? The moon just spoke!
- Moon Gazers: I'm not hearing things, am I? The Master of Elation is here!
- Moon Gazers: Hurry, make a wish! It might actually come true...
- March 7th: Hang on... This isn't right... Is it?
- March 7th: Whew— That winking moon up there in the sky... It just spoke! For real!
- March 7th: (Trailblazer), it wasn't just me, was it? You heard that too, right!?
I heard it, loud and clear.- Everyone on the street heard it...
- The whole world heard it!
- Himeko: I heard it, too...
- Himeko: That's why I came straight back for you.
- Himeko: "...The winner of these Phantasmoon Games shall inherit all my authority, and become the true, permanent Aeon of Elation."
- Himeko: Which means...
- Aha changed the prize...
- The Aeon of Elation just raised the stakes?
- Himeko: Precisely. Aha has raised the stakes. The final winner will inherit the authority of Elation itself.
- March 7th: Are you serious? This is so wild... it doesn't even feel real anymore.
- Himeko: Every time a Path has vanished or been absorbed, the cosmic turmoil has lasted for dozens of Amber Eras.
- Himeko: The transfer of an Aeon's divine authority... how could that ever amount to a mere wager, lightly traded in a single world's game?
Why would Aha do something like this?
- Himeko: The most logical explanation is that Aha wants to steer this game toward utter... insanity. But then, who can possibly fathom the mind of an Aeon?
- Have the stakes ever been raised like this before?
- Himeko: Not every Phantasmoon Games's ending has been recorded. Many were lost to time, most likely a consequence of the winners exercising their newfound divine authority.
- Himeko: But as far as recorded history goes, this is unprecedented. After all, the chance to be an Aeon for just one minute is already an irresistible lure for many.
- Something about this feels... off.
- March 7th: Exactly, it's just too weird! Can you really just give up being an Aeon? What if this is just a big prank by those Masked Fools?
- Himeko: In the historical records, instances of the Phantasmoon speaking are few and far between, and the likelihood of it being influenced by an external force is exceedingly slim.
- What's the point of all this?
- Himeko: Basically, unless what the Phantasmoon said is some cruel joke or a play on words... once the Games are over, a new god will be born, one of unknown identity, unknown morality, and unknown purpose.
- Himeko: THEY won't be a guest with a one-minute pass to the "Elation" theme park. THEY will be its new owner.
- Himeko: THEY may spread good fortune and steer the great wheel of the cosmos toward hope... or THEY may be a god of utter malice, mocking all who stand against the Destruction, intent on dragging the universe into an abyss of despair.
- Maybe there's a silver lining here.
- March 7th: You mean "A pessimist sees a half-empty glass, but an optimist sees a half-full one"?
- March 7th: I knew you were an optimist, (Trailblazer)! Just like me. Besides, there's no way the Aeon of Elation would let their authority fall into unworthy hands! Right?
- March 7th: Right... Right!?
- The universe is headed for turmoil.
- March 7th: Hey, don't you worry, (Trailblazer)! I'm here. I'll protect you!
- Aha must have overheard my wish.
- Himeko: You wished that if you won the Phantasmoon Games, "Aha would become the new leader of the Anti-Destruction Alliance"...
- Himeko: Perhaps Aha heard your idea and decided to pack up and flee in the middle of the night...
- Excited Fan of "The Fluffy": No way... it's Baseball Raccoon, March Bunny, and Himekat, in the flesh! What are they doing here?
- Curious Passerby: I couldn't even get a ticket to "Star Rail FEST," and now I'm seeing them right here on the street!
- March 7th: Whoa... Where did all these people come from!?
- Curious Passerby: Hey, that declaration the Phantasmoon mentioned was about you, right? What are you gonna do? Got any kind of "moon landing" plans in the works?
- Excited Fan of "The Fluffy": You should just hit it with your bat! Send that thing spinning into a black hole at the edge of the cosmos!
- It's a bat, not a golf club.
- Why would I do that?
- Hopeful Passerby: You smash anyone who stands in your way with that bat!
- March 7th: The way they say it makes (Trailblazer) sound like a supervillain...
- March 7th: Uh-oh... You don't think that fight with the Daybreak Squadron made everyone turn on us, do you?
- Irritable Passerby: Come on, isn't that basically your trademark? You beat the Daybreak Warriors senseless!
- Belligerent Passerby: Ooh! All these big shots from across the cosmos, fighting to the death right in our backyard. It's gonna be epic!
- Concerned Passerby: Epic? Are you brain-dead? One wrong move from them and we're in serious trouble! Just like what happened with the Herald of Death years ago!
- Autograph Seeker: Sign this for me, future Aeon!
- Crowd of Onlookers: Yo, when you become an Aeon, can I be your Emanator?
- Himeko: We should get away from this mess. Let's head back to the Express and discuss matters there.
- A moment later, as you squeeze your way through the crowd...
Review the current state of Phantasmoon Games
- Step DescriptionAha's raising the stakes? Things just got a whole lot more complicated.
Anyway, better touch base with the crew and get everyone up to speed.
- Sequence 02Pearl contacted you to report that, with Fulwish fanning the unrest, discussion among the residents about the Astral Express grew increasingly heated. Pearl advised the crew to stay out of sight and hoped Phantasmoon's new stakes would not get in the way of your cooperation.
- Welt: You're back.
- Welt: Himeko messaged me. She filled me in on the Star Rail FEST and the Phantasmoon's declaration. Things really are changing fast.
- Our allies may start to have second thoughts...
- Welt: You're right. The fact that the Phantasmoon openly made a promise is anything but ordinary.
- Now, winning the Games is more important than ever.
- I believe our objectives remain the same.
- March 7th: Yeah, that's right. We came here to win. A bigger prize doesn't change that.
- Welt: Still, the mere fact that the Phantasmoon made a declaration is anything but ordinary...
- Himeko: To prevent the divine authority from falling into the wrong hands, the Supplicants may go to any lengths now with their tactics and actions.
- Himeko: After all, in most people's minds, they alone are the ones best suited to wield power. Right or wrong has little to do with it. Such is the nature of human will.
- Welt: Yeah, and that may be exactly what the Phantasmoon wishes to see: a spectacular head-on battle of ambitions.
- Communication Hint: Madam Pearl has sent a communication request to the Astral Express. Accept transmission?
- Pearl: It hasn't been long since we parted, and here I am disturbing you once more. My sincerest apologies.
- Himeko: Please, there's no need to apologize. Given the urgency of this transmission, Madam Pearl, I assume you wish to discuss the Phantasmoon's recent declaration?
- Pearl: Nothing manipulates people's emotions quite like that moon in the sky. A permanent handover of divine authority... it is unprecedented.
- Himeko: I can't help but wonder whether some malicious presence lurks behind the Phantasmoon. Still... who else but the Elation THEMSELF could wield such control over it?
- Pearl: In any case, the Phantasmoon's speech has made the public realize that the power to "create a god" is in their hands. Their emotions... and perhaps even their Wishpower... are swelling to historic levels. The Department of Aberration Defense even detected a surge of agitation and unrest among the imagenae.
- Pearl: When normal people believe power rests in their hands, their decisions tend to grow more radical and reckless. Please be careful, and make sure to protect yourselves.
- Protect ourselves?
- Pearl: Correct. It would be wise to keep a low profile and stay out of the public eye.
- We need protection?
- Pearl: It isn't required, but I advise you to limit your appearances in public spaces.
- Pearl: The Media and Public Relations Department has been monitoring public sentiment. At present, speculation and criticism regarding the Astral Express are surging.
- Welt: I've seen it online myself. Following the fight with the Daybreak Warriors, there's been no shortage of hostile commentary aimed at (Trailblazer).
- Welt: A commentary program on TV has been claiming the Express's adventures are nothing but stories fabricated by the IPC.
- Welt: Many believe the Astral Express is oppressing the local heroes, and some are even speculating that (Trailblazer) is the new Herald of Death.
- March 7th: What the—!? What's wrong with these people!?
- Pearl: These narratives are undoubtedly being amplified by media platforms steered by Fulwish.
- Pearl: I've received a report from the Security Bureau. They tell me that many fans of the Daybreak Squadron have been stirred up and are threatening retaliation against the Express...
- Pearl: I'll reinforce security in case agitators attempt to storm the station.
- You... can control public opinion, can't you?
- Pearl: I can. But you overestimate what "control" really means. In the arena of public opinion, those who look strong are often the ones at a disadvantage. And besides—
- Himeko: ...And besides, you'll be distancing yourself from us for a while, isn't that right?
- Pearl: That is accurate. We intend to scale back our public association for the time being. If it's confirmed that the Express is "colluding with the IPC," its public image would only deteriorate further.
- Why don't we disclose what really happened in that fight?
- Pearl: Regrettably, I cannot agree to this. Clarifying the facts amid a frenzy of public sentiment is like trying to quell boiling water by stirring it, it only fuels the flames.
- Pearl: "The Happiness Surgery causes recipients to undergo an Abundance Transformation." Disclosing such sensational information would probably be taken as a hoax, or trigger public panic.
- Pearl: I will instruct the Department of Aberration Defense to verify the true mechanism behind the Happiness Surgery as soon as possible and assess its potential impact.
- Pearl: I strongly advise you to exercise restraint in front of the media. Even the smallest statement can be selectively edited and misrepresented.
- This is all Fulwish's doing!
- Pearl: That much is certain. Still, given the current volatility of public sentiment, please exercise caution and self-control.
- Pearl: I sincerely hope that the Phantasmoon's declaration will not disrupt the goodwill between us. A greater danger still stands before us: After listening to the declaration, who knows what extremes Fulwish might be driven to?
- Himeko: ...
- Pearl: Affairs demand my attention, so I must excuse myself. Should there be further developments, I will keep you apprised.
- Sequence 03Himeko speculated that the Abundance power Fulwish used to carry out the "Happiness Surgery" might have come from a predecessor Herald of Death. She proposed going to the Graphia Academy to comb through the sealed student records for clues about Fulwish.
- Himeko: (Trailblazer), what do you make of the current situation?
- (Trailblazer): We need to take action and put a stop to Fulwish before things get even worse. Even if I'd never joined the Phantasmoon Games, I'd still make this decision.
- For everyone she has fooled...
- (Trailblazer): We cannot allow her to deceive and poison innocent people in the name of "happiness."
- For Skott...
- (Trailblazer): Whatever her excuse is, killing others as if it's just a game is beyond forgiveness.
- For Cinderborne...
- (Trailblazer): Cinderborne... and his friends only wished to become heroes, yet Fulwish toyed with them, trampled their dreams, and cast them aside as expendable pieces.
- (Trailblazer): As his idol. I have to protect him. I'll fight for him, and for everyone who believes in the Express.
- Welt: Agreed. Given the likelihood of Fulwish acting unpredictably, we should confront her with everything we have.
- Welt: That reminds me, I've been wondering. The "Happiness Surgery" taps into the power of Abundance, yet Fulwish seems perfectly normal. Just how did she get her hands on something so dangerous?
- Himeko: Perhaps... it's the lingering poison left behind by the previous Herald of Death.
- Herald of Death?
- Lingering poison?
- Himeko: Fifteen years ago, the monster who turned living flesh into his artwork would, in the heat of combat, slip into bouts of frenzied elation and delirium.
- Himeko: The murderous mark he left behind — the "Bloody Bloom" — was no mere delusion. According to his interrogation transcripts, he claimed to witness a brilliant golden tree promising him everlasting life.
- Golden tree...?
- ...Ambrosial Arbor?
- Himeko: I cannot say whether the vision this madman claimed to see corresponds to something real. But the possibility cannot be ruled out.
- The Phantasmoon Courtyard's sacred tree?
- Himeko: I cannot say whether the vision this madman claimed to see corresponds to something real. But the possibility cannot be ruled out.
- Himeko: He claimed that in his hallucinations, the golden tree's branches coiled around him, drowning him in frenzy and pleasure. He wanted its blossoms to bloom before all, and to bring about that "miracle," he was willing to slaughter without restraint.
- Himeko: In hindsight, it's clear that the Herald of Death was a Supplicant who bore the power of Abundance. The tragedy he orchestrated in Planarcadia ultimately forged another version of himself... Fulwish.
- Himeko: Right now, in Planarcadia, how many have undergone the Happiness Surgery and turned into potential Abominations of Abundance? It's a terrifying thought.
- Himeko: Fulwish... what has happened to you over the years? Hiding behind these innocent people... what are you really trying to accomplish?
- Himeko: I need more information about this junior of mine. I plan to head to Graphia Academy. Care to join me?
- Himeko: If we're to investigate Fulwish, we need to examine the traces left behind from the Herald of Death incident that took place during the last Phantasmoon Games... the recollections of teachers, and the student records sealed away by the school. We're bound to find a vital clue there.
- Let's find out everything about Fulwish!
- Himeko: If you're set, let's get moving.
I need a moment to prepare. I'll catch you at the academy.
- Himeko: Mm-hmm. Fulwish isn't an opponent to be taken lightly, we'll need to be thoroughly prepared. See you at the academy.
Trivia
- The name of this mission is a reference to Hiroki Azuma's novel Philosophy of the Tourist.
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Philosophy of the Tourist |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 观光客的哲学 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 觀光客的哲學 |
| Japanese | 観光客の哲学 |
| Korean | 관광객의 철학 |
| Spanish | La filosofía del turismo |
| French | Philosophie du touriste |
| Russian | Философия туриста |
| Thai | ปรัชญานักท่องเที่ยว |
| Vietnamese | Triết Học Của Khách Tham Quan |
| German | Philosophie des Touristen |
| Indonesian | Filosofi Wisatawan |
| Portuguese | Filosofia do Turista |
Change History
Released in Version 4.2
