Honkai Star Rail: How to Complete “To Rot or To Burn”

During your mission on Jarilo-VI in Honkai: Star Impact, you’ll eventually reach a mission called “To Rot or to Burn,” where you need to try to negotiate with Svarog, the robot lord of the Underground. However, you won’t be able to walk in to see him. You’ll need to prove your worth at both combat and quizzes. We’ll provide everything you need to know about completing it here.

How to Complete “To Rot or to Burn” in Honkai: Star Rail

Soon after arriving in the Robot Settlement, you’ll need to pass through a locked gate requiring three security levels. There are three certifications in the alleyway to the right of the entrance to the settlement, where three robots wait. The first two will ask you to answer a question; the third will fight you.

You can ask the villagers for the answer, and they will give it to you in a roundabout way, or you could simply give the correct answer up front. Here are the answers to the To Rot or To Burn robot questions:

Screenshot by GameSkinny

• First robot question: Who is the reigning champion of the Internal Combustion Engine Rap Tournament?
  • Answer: 88 Degrees Bedrock

Screenshot by GameSkinny

• Second robot question: A microcrystalline unit must be connected to which component?
  • Answer: Logic control hub

With both questions answered and the final robot defeated, return to the gate, go through, and enjoy running into a second, larger, and more fortified gate. You need to convince Clara to help you at this point, and she’s back at Rivet Town.

Note that the enemies in Rivet Town are level 26 and above, so be sure you’re equipped to handle the challenge.

Keep left as you move through the town, and you’ll eventually reach Clara, being hounded by a boss mob. This fire-wielding enemy takes two turns at a time, with its first turn attacking a single party member and all subsequent attacks striking a random selection of them about ten times. Stunning the monster reverts it to its single-target attacks for one turn, then continues its multi-target ones.

Screenshot by GameSkinny

Defeating this enemy, speak to Clara, and she’ll return to the village. Follow her past the first gate and down the now-active lift. Head to the right, defeat the two smaller robots then speak to the little girl again. Fix the broken machine nearby, and she’ll finally agree to let you negotiate with Svarog.

Communicating with Svarog is something of a losing battle, as he’s convinced of his plan to his core. It also seems there’s no way to change his mind, as whatever we chose in our playthrough ended with our party fighting Svarog in a two-stage boss fight.

Here’s a complete guide to beating the Svarog boss fight.

Screenshot by GameSkinny

With Svarog defeated, he’ll provide the answers your party has been seeking, and once you speak with Natasha about your plans, you’ll complete To Rot or To Burn. For more help with the many aspects of Honkai: Star Rail, check out our guides to the all achievements reward list, how to receive Twitch Drops, and all ages and birthdays explained. Our HSR guides hub has even more.

Featured screenshot by GameSkinny