LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 3: Arc Apocalypse. Part 1 (3/3)
Research on the Herrscher of Domination's core wasn't progressing smoothly. Einstein and Tesla had hit a wall. The core possessed activity, yet it proved difficult to manifest.
The observed activity patterns deviated from their theoretical models.
This brought to light a crucial difference between the Herrscher cores of the Previous Era and the Current Era: activity.
Cores of the Current Era maintained a flexible link with the Imaginary Space, allowing even those seemingly unrelated [Yang, Bronya, Mei(?), Wendy(?), Kiana] to become Herrschers.
Cores of the Previous Era lacked this capability. It wasn't due to the absence of Divine Keys Structure, but rather an inherent limitation.
At their core, they were fundamentally different: one dynamic, the other static.
Then, they finally pinpointed the problem. They couldn't find the Imaginary singularity within the Herrscher of Domination's core—a feature every Herrscher core should possess.
Nagamitsu opinion on this is that the observation level of the Thousand Herrscher core has been weakened a lot due to the dominance of the theatre, and other methods may be needed.
After thinking for a moment, they called Bronya and Kiana, and prepared to use the Herrscher's power to bombard the Herrscher's core at the same time.
Of course, the current situation is not just about this core. They also have another purpose...to determine as soon as possible whether this core has been tampered with by Otto.
The most troublesome thing about Otto is that they can't just believe each other's words, nor can they just sit idly by and ignore his behaviour.
There was no predicting his next move.
If he genuinely intended to embark on his journey alone, he wouldn't have felt the need to stage this elaborate performance for their benefit. But if that wasn't his true intention... then they had even more reason to be concerned.
…
While preparing for that verification experiment, the blond knight approached the girl who refused to admit defeat.
She seeking to finally settle their unfinished duel from five months ago.
She also had words she wanted to say.
On the battlefield in North Africa, the conflict started when the two met for the first time.
Back then, the young adventurer had yet to fully comprehend the path of a hero, while the knight was accustomed to the constraints of her duty.
Despite this, they both felt a strange, inexplicable certainty – that the opponent before them was perhaps the most similar soul to their own in the world.
Now, here, in the last town where Kallen had lived, they met again. This time, they stood on the same path, sharing the same ideals.
Standing at the edge of the moss-covered stone steps, gazing at the distant statue of the saint, Kiana's eyes held a distant look, perhaps recalling the happy times she had spent with her dad.
"Saint Kallen... my dad used to say she was the role model for all the Kaslanas."
"She, like you, chose to betray Schicksal," Durandal said softly.
They both betrayed Schicksal, but they did it for a better destiny. Betraying Schicksal doesn't mean betraying the people. Just like how Overseer Otto always preached Kallen's spirit.
Although, he wasn't perfect in certain aspects.
"I still don't understand... why you serve Otto?"
"Heh, I remember my answer at the time was... without Schicksal, who would protect the billions of people on this planet from Honkai?"
Kiana looked at her, their azure eyes meeting. She slowly uttered the rest of Durandal's words from back then:
"There's no absolute good or evil, only duty."
"But even now, I still don't understand what your duty is. Why do you have to obey Otto's every command?"
Durandal felt a pang of bitterness. She looked towards the distant, grayish-blue sky and said quietly,
"Let me put it this way: Overseer Otto is to me, perhaps like how Theresa Senpai is to you."
"You can't deny that he shaped me into who I am today. And you can't deny that his understanding of Honkai surpasses all of us."
There was a moment of silence. Kiana looked at her, and she looked back.
"More answers... at least after we settle our duel?"
She shook her lance, twirling it with a flourish, her fighting spirit ablaze. Kiana was not to be outdone, drawing her twin pistols to meet her challenge.
It was just a sparring match, but it deepened their understanding of each other and resolved past grievances.
After their duel, Durandal revealed another reason:
It had to do with stabilizing the world bubble within her.
She needed Otto's technology and resources for that.
The world she had carried on her shoulders since she was twelve...
She spoke slowly, her eyes still solid, "From your perspective, I'm clearly a fool who aids the wicked. But for me, Schicksal, both publicly and privately, has irreplaceable value."
She had never changed her mind, nor had she been swayed by Otto.
She always knew right from wrong.
Meanwhile, on another battlefield, the maid had found Bronya. Perhaps it was because they had both lived in the darkness, the two assassins began to share their experiences.
But Luo Mo preferred to call it a final showdown between two "losers."
One was the Maid who was 50/50, never winning a single match since her appearance, ending in a stalemate before sadly leaving the stage.
The other was the Ghostfire Motorcyclist, who after obtaining the supposedly ominous core, was either eating dirt or on her way to eating dirt.
Now, they were exchanging assassination techniques, exploring the power of not eating dirt together.
The maid and the rumoured Silver Wolf were also sparring here, vying for the title of "weaker."
It was truly... a sight to behold!!
[Red and blue are the colors of love! Kiana and Durandal are both dressed in white with some blue or red, so friendly]
[jealous-Mei- jealous]
[They actually feel like sisters, is it just me?]
[Preaching Kallen's spirit? - Otto: Who doesn't believe in Kallen? Step forward, you! You've betrayed Schicksal!]
[Mei: How many women have you messed with while I was gone?! (Slowly takes out her cooking knife)]
[Compete! Who is the biggest loser!!]
[Shhh... If the opponent was anyone else, we wouldn't even need to open the betting market. But these two undefeated legends together... it's tricky]
_____
"You want to fight Big Sister?"
Kiana pointed at herself, then glanced at the screen, opening her mouth, not knowing what to say.
She's not a masochist, you know.
Although her Herrscher of Flamescion in the game seems incredibly powerful, thinking about Big Sister who saved the world at 12… she sighed with a sense of melancholy, feeling like she couldn't reach that level.
Her Big Sis is just ridiculously strong!
"If it were Little Doc… I'd be happy to accept, since her battle record is pretty mediocre..."
Kiana rubbed her temples in a troubled manner, uttering words that made Bronya's fur stand on end, earning a glare from the duck that could melt steel.
If looks could kill, Kiana would probably have two glaring holes in her head by now.
"Just a silly fool… Bronya will win soon. This isn't like facing some unbeatable enemy, Bronya will win!"
She held Seele's soft little hand, feeling the warmth in her palm and the slight dampness from Seele's nervousness, and flashed a victorious smile at Kiana.
Although that smile looked a bit strange on her face, especially with Seele shyly looking down,
It looked more like a bully harassing an innocent woman, but Kiana had to admit, she was seriously envious.
Bronya might always be losing, but her quality of life was steadily improving, while Kiana couldn't even sleep with Mei, and even ran away from home in the game!
On the other hand, Bronya seemed to be building a harem, with two Seeles alone making Kiana jealous.
But… come to think of it, Mei with glasses and Mei with horns could also be considered two people, right?
Kiana couldn't help but swallow her saliva, deciding to work harder in the future.
Compared to the ambiguous atmosphere on this side, the other side was leaning towards a scientific discussion.
"Obviously, their argument is inaccurate."
Vill-V tapped the table, trying to attract the attention of those present, but there were only a few responses.
"What do you mean the Herrscher cores from the previous era are no good? It's clearly their cores that are no good. They can't even make a proper Divine Key, and they constantly turn themselves into Herrschers..."
"Uh… I thought you were going to do some kind of scientific explanation, Vill-V."
Elysia scratched her cheek, saying a bit awkwardly.
"Just talking nonsense."
Mobius also had a dark expression. What was she interrupting her train of thought for?
"Hey, I'm not trying to prove that the Herrscher cores from the previous era are bad, and… wouldn't you guys want to hear about the secrets of how those cores are connected to and produced by the Imaginary Tree?"
Vill-V put her hands on her hips, frowning at everyone,
Strange… she was defending the dignity of the previous era!
"Don't want to, who cares about that stuff anyway?" Mobius roared.
"Yeah, I don't understand it either." Elysia nodded in agreement, looking adorable.
"...You don't understand, and you're proud of it?"
Mobius took a deep breath, turning her head to look at Elysia.
"You don't understand their explanation, but you understand the videos, right? Don't you think maybe it's your own problem?"
Elysia curiously poked Mobius' chest, unable to make it bounce, but it was very resilient.
"...Get away from me!"
-----
Time passed quickly.
The experiment targeting the Herrscher core began in the hands of two Herrschers, Kiana and Bronya. They started to try and use their Herrscher powers to impact the core.
On the side were Welt and Fu Hua guiding them.
Welt , as a former veteran Herrscher, had a deep understanding of the core.
Fu Hua, on the other hand, was familiar with the precise flow of every bit of energy, judging the strength and size of the energy.
They were responsible for observing the flow and fluctuations of the core's energy.
Just then, the group conducting the experiment received a communication call from Otto. The communicator projected a shadowy figure of a blond man. He was uninvited, as usual.
He ignored the murderous glares directed at him,
And stated that he had a mission for Schicksal's S-rank Valkyries, and needed their… help.
But looking at Otto's expression, both Theresa and Kiana could tell this was more than just a little favor. It felt like another trap.
Otto sighed with emotion, acting as if they were a group of old friends getting together, and said with a smile,
"So… for most of you, this should be my last conversation with you. After all, I'm about to "Journey" very soon."
"Is Mr. Welt on the line with everyone too? I'm truly sorry, I didn't let you have a pleasant Thanksgiving in New York back then."
"For all these years, I've wanted to express my apology to you, and I've even thought of many ways: like finding a monument and kneeling down right there, performing a tearful apology for you."
"But since so many years have passed… you probably don't need that kind of contrived ceremony anymore, right?"
"...Is this what you want to say to me before you go on your "Journey"? "
Welt Yang pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light, as he said coldly,
The other party didn't seem to be apologizing at all, instead, he was provoking and reminding him of his most angry moment.
Otto raised an eyebrow, changing the example and listing,
"What else should I say? To use another example, do you think K423 needs my apology for the past at this point?"
"You're all perfect heroes, you wouldn't be so petty, would you?"
"Overseer, regardless of whether your words have merit… the Herrscher of the Void—no, the Herrscher of the Flamescion —she has her own name."
Durandal couldn't help but retort, her expression serious, not finding this worthy of being laughed at.
She was very dissatisfied with Otto's words, because she recognized Kiana's will,
And her heart told her, vaguely, that she was someone she could trust.
"She's not some K423, she's "Kiana Kaslana"!"
"Alright… "Kiana Kaslana"."
Otto's eyes flickered with an unknown color, and he slightly nodded at Durandal, acknowledging her statement, but his words still couldn't help but stir up old wounds,
"Indeed, there's no problem with that, after all, the true owner of that name became like that ten years ago."
Even though it was something that had already passed, Otto kept rubbing salt on the wounds in front of everyone today, which was… perplexing.
"..." Everyone frowned at him, some with disgust, some with hatred, and some with confusion.
They didn't understand what was going on with Otto today.
"...You," Theresa hesitated, completely confused as to why her grandpa was so eager to attract hatred.
[Huh? Kneeling down and crying in front of Welt, I think that's a good proposal]
[Is Otto not right in the head? Did he eat gunpowder? Why is he constantly forcing himself to be stupid?]
[Is he trying to dance in front of his enemies before he dies?]
[I have a feeling that Otto's line about Kiana is strange...]
[This is obviously a provocation to lure everyone to his plan. But it's too hard to not get lured in because of the hate.]
"It's alright, Theresa. You don't have to force yourself to say anything. Your grandpa has done many unreasonable things, and he's quite aware of that himself."
"For you, events will likely unfold one after another—"
"By then, you might feel that you shouldn't have wasted even a shred of emotion on your grandpa. Whether it's positive or negative, it won't matter anymore."
"—What does that mean? What will your "journey" bring?"
Theresa had a bad feeling about this, and she hurriedly asked, staring intently at him, trying to see something on his face.
"You'll know soon enough, so I don't need to explain it here. Don't worry, those things won't pose any danger to you whatsoever."
Otto smiled slightly, a calm smile always on his face, revealing no emotion.
He assigned Durandal and Rita to go to a certain place,
According to him… to stand their last watch.
"Then, the rest of you… let's part ways harmoniously, and farewell."
Otto bid farewell politely, then cut off the communication link.
Leaving everyone staring at each other, but soon, they realized they couldn't laugh.
"..." Theresa hadn't said anything to follow up, and her grandpa quickly disappeared from the communication.
"Tsk. That damn old geezer. Was that even human speech? If Mop-Head hadn't covered my mouth, I'd have smashed his head into a pumpkin!"
Tesla grumbled, her fists clenched tightly, her face flushed with anger.
What was he talking about?
Wasn't that all his dirty deeds? And he had the audacity to act like that in front of Anti-Entropy! What was the meaning of that?!
And everyone was also curious about the meaning behind Otto's actions. It was clear that he had some need for certain people present, otherwise, he wouldn't have provoked them so much.
"Rather than that, I'm more curious about that person's purpose… If it's really just another Kallen from a parallel world, with all due respect, the Kallen clones he successfully created have already fulfilled that need."
Einstein closed her eyes and sighed helplessly. She couldn't guess his purpose, there was just too little information.
After discussing with Rita, Durandal could only decide to go to the destination Otto mentioned first, hoping to discern his true purpose.
"Heh, but no matter what, the moment Overseer Otto announced his resignation, he could no longer represent the entirety of Schicksal. We must consider Miss Theresa's position."
Seemingly aware of the change in the situation, Rita stood aside and said softly,
Her eyebrows curved, like a crescent moon.
…
On the other side, the two met up with Li Sushang. With that, Schicksal's three S-rank Valkyries were all in one place.
Regarding the two's suspicions of Otto, Li Sushang was quite carefree.
She wasn't good at thinking about too many complex things.
The three chatted, discussing the purpose of Otto's actions.
Perhaps it was because Otto was doing more and more now, with details and inconsistencies popping up everywhere, his abdication, his provocations, his plans, his "standing last watch",
All these signs indicated that he was truly leaving, and his purpose… was it really just to resurrect Kallen?
As of today, that was the very thing that had raised questions in their minds.
"Miss Li Sushang… are you saying that the fact that you were recently awakened by the Overseer means that in his eyes—"
"He's already quite confident that he can "revive" the Saint from five hundred years ago?"
Rita stood beside Durandal, her wine-red eyes fixed on Li Sushang.
Li Sushang puffed out her chest and nodded very straightforwardly, acknowledging her statement.
"...Is it his way of expressing himself that makes you think he's joking? He's always been very serious."
As someone with a simple mind, she was the most likely to believe that Otto's purpose was to revive Kallen.
After all, the experience back then wasn't fake. Sitting alone in the desert for a night to relieve her longing, and the promise he made at the end, that when he awakened her, it would be the moment he fulfilled his wish.
Li Sushang couldn't help but believe it.
Rita and Durandal exchanged glances, quickly communicating their thoughts.
"But… he also said it would involve a lot of people, and maybe I'll have to clean up his mess!"
Li Sushang put her hand on her hip and smiled brightly, a hint of helplessness in her straightforwardness.
Sigh, there was no way around it, who told her to promise him something?
"So… you're not going to stop him? Absolute neutrality?" Durandal hesitated for a moment, asking seriously.
"Well… not exactly. One fight, just one fight. After I finish the fight I promised him, we'll be even."
She blinked, without any hesitation or hidden thoughts, her heart clear as glass.
Durandal looked at her, as an important piece in the plan, and the biggest variable, she needed to confirm her thoughts twice.
"In short, if I decide to get to the bottom of the Overseer plan, you won't stop me, right?"
"That's right, although I won't intervene in your disputes, and there's no reason for me to… but there's one thing I need to remind you—"
Li Sushang paused, looking at the serious and powerful Valkyrie in front of her, and said word for word,
"No matter what details his plan includes—it represents all his obsessions for five hundred years."
[What? The one from Mount Tai Xu? That's impossible!]
[I actually like Sushang's style of a chivalrous woman, repaying kindness with kindness, and repaying hatred with hatred]
[Otto too, he would actually keep his promises like that?]
[Five hundred years of obsession… that's true]
-----
"Uh… speaking of which, our Li Sushang here didn't live to this day, right?"
The Herrscher of Sentience pondered for a moment, curiously asking.
There were too many similarities in this world, and while it didn't make sense for her to be alive, what if?
"Never."
Kallen shook her head, indicating that she hadn't seen her.
"Then it seems there's still a bit of a mistake. That's right… with the biggest butterfly already here, it wouldn't matter if there was a smaller one."
The Herrscher of Sentience shook her head regretfully, then glanced at Kallen with a hint of emotion.
"Heh—, luckily, it's not Siegfried taking care of the child here. If he was, it would be hard to be at ease."
Cecilia smiled, but a flicker of dimness flashed in her eyes.
"Speaking of which, one life for another, I think it's not a bad deal. After all, in Old Timer's memories, Siegfried always says that if it was him who died…"
The Herrscher of Sentience said pointedly,
However, it was clear that she had also 'inherited' some of Fu Hua's emotional intelligence, making Cecilia sigh again and remain silent.
Luo Mo fell into thought. Li Sushang not being here didn't mean anything, did it? It was a shame about the big pillow, though.
She was clear about her love and hate, and she was a good chivalrous woman.
As for why only one of them could live, maybe it was because Honkai didn't support heterosexual relationships?
If Man and Woman in this world love each other one of them will Died.
Hiss—, he suddenly felt worried about his future.
(TL/C: what are you talking about? There is Welt and Tesla)
Would he be persecuted too?
This Honkai… only ships yuri couples?
The whispers about Otto's plan in the hall were still limited to a select few, and even fewer knew the specifics of each step.
Luo Mo wouldn't divulge information without authorization, and Vill-V and Mobius weren't keen on broadcasting their knowledge to others.
As a result, the shadow of doubt surrounding Otto's plan continued to linger in everyone's minds.
From an outsider's perspective, Otto's actions practically screamed "I'm about to do something evil," leaving little room for doubt.
The plot, however, was steadily plunging into a deeper, more bizarre abyss. His true plan was gradually surfacing, though still shrouded in mystery, it was no longer a mere whisper in the wind.
-----
The three Valkyries soon arrived at the location designated by Otto, ready to receive their assignment.
Otto, a mere ethereal projection on the comm screen, maintained his signature smirk, utterly at ease. The three Valkyries, however, remained silent, their gazes cold and wary.
He didn't seem to mind their silence, instead, he continued to lay out his plans.
But as Rita had pointed out, the situation was in flux. Durandal couldn't simply ignore his orders. She couldn't help but question him, her voice laced with a hint of defiance.
She had a reason, a right to question him. After all, her priority had always been the people.
"But what about the cost?"
Durandal's blue eyes were unwavering, fixed on the figure who had once been her mentor, but now stood on the opposite side of a chasm. She repeated her question, her voice firm.
"Since you're truly going to 'another world', what's the cost of achieving all this?"
"Ah, the cost. Indeed, everything comes with a price. But I'd like to correct a subtle point first."
Otto paused, then chuckled.
He looked at his last student, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
He understood, of course, her intentions and her next move.
But wasn't that exactly what he wanted?
Besides... he didn't dislike her kindness. It reminded him of Kallen.
Those who inherited Kallen's spirit, as long as they didn't interfere with his plans, he held no ill will towards them.
"——I am indeed leaving 'this world'; but strictly speaking, I'm not going to 'another world'."
"My destination is the 'other side of the world': it's the boundary between worlds, a place where we can redefine 'time'."
Otto smiled as he explained to the three Valkyries. Seeing their confusion, he elaborated further.
Time, in this world, was naturally fixed and immutable, moving forward in a linear fashion. The Imaginary Tree, however, connected to multiple dimensions...
"If we can find a way to walk on the Imaginary Tree... then time could flow backwards before our eyes."
Durandal stared at him, her expression grave. Could time truly flow backwards?
This was a concept that countless philosophers had pondered, a promise whispered by countless truths. Yet, in Otto's words, there was a glimmer of possibility.
It should be impossible, a mere delusion of a madman.
But it was clearly a difficult feat. He sighed, admitting frankly,
"I can't make time flow backwards. No one can."
"But from another perspective, time is simply the direction of the Imaginary Tree's growth, nothing more."
"Therefore, as long as we can manipulate the Imaginary Tree itself, it wouldn't be difficult to choose a new point for the world to 'grow' from."
"What... you're not manipulating time, but the world itself?"
Durandal's face was a picture of disbelief. She had never heard of such a thing.
Otto chuckled, but a chill ran through his words, sending a shiver down everyone's spines.
"If we can rewind the Imaginary Tree's 'growth point' back to five hundred years ago..."
"The world of five hundred years ago can discard our present, discard this future that has already become history—"
Discard... the present world? Return to the past?
The Valkyries were stunned, staring at the smiling man.
They didn't fully understand, but it was easy to grasp the devastating impact such an action would have on the world they knew.
If they went back five hundred years, and Kallen was still alive... what about now?
[A cold sweat broke out. It... it might actually be possible?]
[Time is irreversible in this dimension, but what if we ascend to a higher one?]
[No, it can't be!]
[Damn, how is that even possible? According to this world's lore, it seems like it might actually be feasible!]
[That's a universal IQ plan! If he can't go back to the past, then why not start by changing the world itself move back.]
-----
Even in the comment section, the discussion about Otto's plan had begun, and the calls for his blood had dwindled. Of course, they didn't know they were in the same world, or they'd be worried about becoming sacrifices themselves.
"Is this really possible?"
Elysia furrowed her brow. This wasn't her area of expertise. As a dropout from the nine-year compulsory education system, she couldn't fully grasp what Otto was saying.
"In terms of feasibility, yes; but in reality, there are many more problems to solve. Even if Otto doesn't care about this world, it's almost impossible for an individual to achieve this."
Mobius pursed her lips, a hint of surprise in her serpentine eyes.
She had guessed it, but she still couldn't believe he would take this approach. It could very well lead to the extinction of civilization.
And the energy, consciousness, resistance required... would be immeasurable.
In other words, with that kind of energy, wiping out any Herrscher wouldn't be a problem. This was a thankless task.
"But that still doesn't make sense. If this is his plan, Kiana and the others shouldn't be involved. Or, the previous performance was meaningless..."
"Wait, the Herrscher of the Void, haha, no wonder he always emphasized the Herrscher of the Void is necessary!"
Vill-V rested her chin on her hand, pondering. Suddenly, she had an epiphany, slapping the table excitedly.
"But will the Herrscher of the Void help him?" Mobius questioned with a moment of doubt.
"Whoever wants to help him can help. I won't." Sirin had somehow joined them, eavesdropping on their conversation. She puffed out her cheeks and declared.
She thought her own life was miserable enough, but seeing her in-game self made her realize that her current NEET life was actually quite comfortable. And she didn't have that old geezer constantly pestering her.
But she still felt a deep unease, a mixture of anger and fear, towards that man called Otto.
"If even the Herrscher of the Void won't help... Kiana in the game wouldn't help either."
Elysia twisted her head, though her tone wasn't forceful, she was certain Kiana wouldn't be so kind as to help her enemy.
"No need to help... or rather, let's see what Otto does. I'm curious too. If he can actually rewind five hundred years, that would be a significant advancement."
Vill-V scratched her head. She didn't actually believe in this plan. After all, even Theresa could see through Otto's act. Who would believe this was his complete plan?
But she had to admit, the word "time" caught her attention.
If they could truly rewind the pre-civilization era by five hundred years... no, even fifty years, they might be able to defeat Honkai.
"But... I remember Kevin was there too, would he agree?"
Elysia glanced at the stoic figure in the distance, asking Vill-V.
"Kevin... speaking of which, the tenth Herrscher is supposedly taken care of, right?" Vill-V smiled, throwing out an unrelated topic.
"Huh...?" Elysia tilted her head, a questioning sound escaping her nostrils.
"Kevin, he doesn't like the Finality, he doesn't like that plan."
Vill-V said with a playful smirk, locking eyes with Elysia.
...
______
The results of the final experiment were in, and the energy intensity of the internal Imaginary Core didn't match up at all.
As expected... someone had gotten there first.
There was only one person who fit the criteria and had the ability. It wasn't hard to guess, it was Otto's doing!
Tesla couldn't help but stomp her feet in anger, letting out a string of curses.
Meanwhile, in the ancient, gray town outside, countless golden-haired men in conspicuous attire stood or sat, their gazes varying as they looked towards the distant Hyperion, the silver battleship.
As expected, a battle was about to erupt.
The power of the Herrscher of Dominance, the Thousand-Man Herrscher, had truly fallen into Otto's hands. Thinking back, his promise to give the Herrscher core to Theresa was nothing but empty words.
The true core, the Imaginary Singularity, was already in his grasp.
Within mere hours, the alarm bells on the ship blared.
Over a hundred beings, each resembling Otto, the Overseer of Schicksal, approached the Hyperion. The few people in the cabin exchanged glances, already guessing what power he had used.
The ship's communication was then connected, and Otto's figure reappeared.
After all these events, no one believed his lies about having no ulterior motives. His plan had already unfolded, waiting for them to fall into his trap.
"Goodnight, everyone, please celebrate for the future of humanity—"
Otto maintained the elegance of the Schicksal Overseer, greeting everyone present with a courteous tone, ignoring their angry stares.
He smiled, slowly unfolding his topic,
Using his usual tone, he claimed the moral high ground,
As if everything was for their benefit, even though they were enemies, making it a blatant provocation.
"In terms of results, I will sacrifice myself, gaining an extra five hundred years for humanity from the Imaginary Tree, giving you ample time to fight Honkai."
"Five hundred years..." Theresa's expression changed dramatically, her eyes fixed on him.
She wasn't sure what he meant by "gaining an extra", but this number coincided with Kallen's incident...
Meaning, he was going to cause trouble in this world?
"Fufufu... it seems little Theresa has grown quite a bit, she's already realized something."
Otto glanced at Theresa, nodding slightly.
His granddaughter had indeed grown rapidly during the numerous battles. Good, very good. That gave him some peace of mind.
"I recall mentioning not long ago, 'I will soon embark on my final journey, to the other side of the world to find that one and only existence'."
"——I will erase this five hundred years of history from the 'branches of time', returning the world itself to a state where Kallen Kaslana is still alive."
"Of course, you all needn't worry about your existence being erased by this process:"
"Everyone who has come to Kolosten today, regardless of your stance—Otto Apocalypse will protect you from the flow of time."
He made a worthless promise. He never intended to destroy everything here.
"...And you, returning to the past, will surely be able to help the Saint achieve her ideals."
"Rewind time? That Schicksal guy, have you lost your mind? Do you think we don't know how much energy that requires?"
Tesla scoffed, not taking him seriously.
That energy level, even with all twelve Herrschers combined, might not be enough. A mere Otto...
"...What if I've reached an agreement with an entity known as the 'Will of Honkai'?"
"What if the price I pay is the flow of time on the Imaginary Tree, or 'now' itself?"
Otto didn't mind their words. After all, they were no less advanced in the pursuit of science than he was.
But that also meant... things beyond their imagination, things they believed couldn't exist in reality, would never come to pass.
It undoubtedly restricted their imagination.
Therefore... they never guessed the thoughts of a madman.
Tesla's eyes widened, speechless.
"....Besides, what does it matter if you don't believe me? Just wait twelve hours, and you'll see."
"It sounds like you're deliberately giving us a twelve-hour challenge."
Einstein remained calm, pondering the meaning of Otto's presence here.
Strange, very strange. If this was his lifelong ambition, he wouldn't tolerate any interference. Even the slightest impact on his plans in the past would have led him to strike mercilessly from behind his allies.
Therefore, she didn't believe his claims of caring for them for a second.
Otto maintained his smile, looking at his old friend. Einstein, in turn, stared back at him coldly.
Otto muttered "not good, not good" under his breath, then sighed, indicating that he was simply willing to give them this chance.
"All you need to know is, if I succeed, the world will grant humanity an extra five hundred years to fight Honkai—"
"And the price for it, is simply that all mortals, except those present today, will 'return to an unborn state' for those five hundred years."
"And this communication... can be understood as giving everyone present a fair chance to compete."
As his voice faded, the final image gradually dissipated.
Destroying time and history, an agreement with the Will of Honkai, the final twelve hours...
Every word Otto uttered during this visit struck a heavy blow against everyone's defenses.
[Fu Hua needs to call upon her Little Senti! She has experience! Fighting Otto, she's the expert!]
[What? Help from the Will of Honkai? How could the Will of Honkai agree to that?]
[Will of Honkai: I look around, everyone's just slacking off and rebelling. Can't I shuffle the deck?]
[Honkai: I'm so done! Reset!]
[Did the Will of Honkai really agreed to Otto's deal, or did it also got tricked by him?]
-----
"Hiss... it's actually the Will of Honkai? This... I can't be certain."
Tesla said in frustration, looking at her own constantly being berated. She couldn't help but scratch her red hair.
"Don't be discouraged, Doctor Tesla, you still have hope."
Einstein quietly added a critical blow, causing Tesla to bristle.
"Huh? What do you mean I still have hope? Am I about to die?"
"Well... that's something a doctor can tell you. I don't know."
"Tch, what they said inside is right. Yang fighting for humanity is a good thing, but we've also lost the opportunity to research Honkai. I'm just annoyed about that."
"Oh? I thought Doctor Tesla was realizing the risk of future baldness and taking preventative measures."
Einstein said calmly, but if you looked closely, she had taken a step back.
Check, daily teasing of Tesla, complete.
"Ha?!?"
…
"You know, why would the Will of Honkai help that guy? Even if they've met before, it's not like they'd just help out of the blue, especially when it costs their own energy."
Kiana asked with some confusion, tugging on Luo Mo's sleeve.
"Uh... Kiana, what would you do if you got a bad hand while playing cards?"
Luo Mo thought for a moment, asking a seemingly unrelated question.
"I'd message Mei to cook! That way, I can get out of the situation and get a good meal!"
Kiana said proudly, her intelligent eyes sparkling.
"...Shouldn't you just discard it and start a new game?"
"Eh? But then... Bronya wouldn't play cards with me."
"No... Bronya won't play cards with you now, in the future, or ever!"
A voice, filled with anger yet cold and distinct, rang out.
________
[Flash Back 1: War/ Authority]
Beyond the main plot, in this town from five hundred years ago,
As mentioned in the previous chapter, the consciousness of five hundred years ago exists as a projection. All sorts of fantastical scenes appear within it. The town, being an open-world exploration map,
Naturally allows players to uncover countless hidden side stories. Although... Kiana and the others were surprised by the frequent appearance of Susanna, who often messed up and caused trouble, and they cast her curious glances...
She really had a lot of tasks,
She did so poorly and still wasn't fired. She must have a rich family... definitely...
Meanwhile, Susanna in the real world was covering her face with her hands, blushing furiously. It seemed she was trying to emulate an ostrich, burying her head in the sand.
She felt so embarrassed!
She hadn't made that many mistakes! It must be an exaggeration, definitely!
Raven was noncommittal, glancing at her across the table without speaking. From an embarrassing perspective, she seemed to be the senior...
After clicking on the clip, a part of the flashback was triggered.
A memory called War.
In the pre-dawn light, two tents were set up, and a conversation between a man and a woman could be heard. Based on the content, it was clear that this was a moment before the end of the civil war.
There was no romantic atmosphere in the air, only the chilling presence of death and the howling wind.
"Octavia. The weapons we arranged to be transported a week ago. Have they arrived today?"
A refined voice spoke, the air thick with the scent of blood, a testament to the brutality of the war.
Now, the war was nearing its end.
"We had all the logistics personnel arranged..."
"...It's time to launch the final attack..."
The man's voice was muffled by the wind, but his repeated instructions clearly indicated that the next moment was crucial.
If they won this battle, more people would join their cause, until they tore through the darkness above.
If they won this battle...
"Octavia, don't rush to answer me... You and the students from the monastery must also be prepared. You are all Stigma Awakened, and if the enemy uses Honkai energy weapons..."
"...Once you reach the front lines, any one of you could face the risk of sacrificing your life."
"So, as the squad leader, you must repeatedly remind everyone—"
"Don't get excited on the battlefield, don't panic, everything must be handled rationally as in the drills."
"Only by doing so, will you be able to maximize your chances of survival on the battlefield, where flesh and blood fly."
The voice was soft, with a warm undertone of concern. He truly didn't want anything to happen to her. She was someone he and Kallen both had a connection with, and he didn't want to see her perish on the eve of victory.
But unfortunately... this battle was crucial, and he needed to focus on command. And Octavia... needed to be on the battlefield as a backup.
The wind rustled, and the girl didn't speak, but her eyes must have been filled with conviction.
She understood what she was fighting for.
She needed to do this.
Even though she understood the dangers, understood how insignificant life would be at that moment,
She had already put her life on the line when she made this choice.
"...As the commander of the army, in necessary situations, I would still choose to push you into danger without hesitation."
The man sighed, feeling powerless.
"Because this is a righteous war."
"The sacrifice of any one of us is a reward for the vast majority of people."
His voice held a hint of weariness and helplessness. He still encouraged everyone, but compared to his later speeches, his words now carried a genuine sincerity.
At this time, he couldn't achieve the coldness he would later possess, nor could he be indifferent to life.
Perhaps a tiny hope for Kallen's resurrection still lingered? Or maybe the years of shaping had left him with a warmth for emotions?
"Teacher... since we joined this war with you, every classmate has already put their life on the line."
The girl lowered her head, her voice a faint sob in the wind. But when she looked up, her eyes shone like brilliant gems.
She was a warrior,
She would protect everything about the people. Her teacher and the Saint had taught her that.
Therefore... this couldn't be wrong.
"..."
"Octavia—I know..."
"But... you are all the Saint's children,"
"You... not a single one of you can be lost."
His voice was firm and resolute. He wouldn't let anyone leave again, especially not the traces left by Kallen.
Never!
[Memories of a medieval battlefield?]
[But... we all know, Octavia is already dead. After her death, Otto lost the last bit of restraint he had]
[Otto couldn't even protect a single child, even one connected to Kallen]
[Octavia... seems familiar, like she appeared in the history of rebelling against Schicksal]
-----
"But reality didn't go as planned. Octavia, even if she hadn't perished in Schicksal's final counterattack, still couldn't escape the constraints of her lifespan,"
"She was a prominent figure in the tide of war, but she didn't make a single ripple. Time eventually froze her there, denying her flower-like life a longer future."
"Octavia... she's dead."
Kallen sighed softly, watching the scene in the flashback, her eyes filled with sadness.
That battle, even though she was the victor, the price she paid was already small enough, yet she still lost many familiar faces, making her inevitably feel a pang of grief.
Perhaps it was the will of heaven, fate had shown a glimpse,
Octavia didn't live as long as she did. Instead, she passed away peacefully in her sleep that winter, as her most loyal guardian. Miracles don't happen without reason, but she was considered fortunate in that era. She experienced the turmoil of war throughout her life and finally died peacefully in her old age.
So Kallen only sighed. She just hadn't expected Otto to put his name before hers.
But here, in this world, she could only represent Octavia, and she was only Octavia. Perhaps her slightly cloudy eyes had finally remembered something, but she couldn't speak.
"Otto... Octavia..."
-----
Another flashback, this time after the battle.
Otto Apocalypse stood alone in the grand hall of the Schicksal Cathedral.
Outside the church, the people sang and danced, celebrating their victory.
With the support of the people, he had defeated Lisa Schariac and her puppet Archbishop, Marcel Apocalypse.
He had ended the chaos and unified Schicksal.
Everyone now praised his great achievements.
They lauded him for inheriting Kallen's legacy, purging a century of decay,
Remaking the world, reshaping Schicksal.
In everyone's eyes, he was a victor, a great man, a hero.
—No one thought of him as a weakling anymore, no one thought of him as a clown.
...Except for himself.
He knew he was merely following in the Saint's footsteps.
He knew he just wanted to transform this imperfect world
Into the way she wished it to be.
But... was that enough?
Was this enough for Otto Apocalypse's entire life—
To be worthy of the deceased Kallen Kaslana?
Silent words pounded against his heart. The guilt and reflection within him made it hard to breathe. He had imagined changing any point in the past, praying to alter the Saint's inevitable fate.
But it was only now, after her death, that he had grasped the power to truly change everything.
Truly... ironic.
[If he had chosen to follow the Saint's path back then, followed that black box... perhaps the world now would be the Father's Otto timeline]
[Clown? That mask?]
[Though you're not a clown, at least not now... you might be later]
[I understand Otto's psychology a little better... When someone important dies, it's not something you can just understand. At least Otto has the will to resurrect her...]
[Otto cannot accept a future without Kallen. Guilt and sadness will only grow with despair]
[...Poor guy]
He remembered that day fourteen years ago.
He remembered that forlorn figure.
She was a hero.
A tragic, weak, ill-fated hero.
She had once transformed into a thief, robbing the rich and aiding the poor.
But she could only fight against the ugliness of the powerful alone.
She had fought to seize Pandora's Box,
But unknowingly spread disaster to every corner of the world.
Finally, her resolute gaze, determined to die for her cause,
Tore a gaping hole in his heart.
And on the other side of time, fate seemed to play a cruel joke on her.
By chance, her final figure on the execution platform,
Became a spiritual totem that would be remembered for generations.
Her wish was fulfilled, the god she served finally seemed to answer her plea after her death...
He witnessed firsthand, in the decade after her death,
Those who tried to change the world,
Without exception, all used her banner,
At least verbally, claiming they were inspired by her to fight bravely.
These people ultimately received their reward.
They truly achieved a better tomorrow—
But their "Saint", could only die in despair for the world;
The malice of fate, and his own hateful cowardice at the time...
Had robbed her of the chance to see the dawn after darkness.
That day, she turned and walked away resolutely,
And from then on, she was never truly herself again.
The malice of the world deeply persecuted her,
Forcing her to flee to a foreign land,
Forcing her to give up her life.
And it was precisely in this most tragic part of her fate—
That he, a man struck by the arrow of longing,
Played the role he should never have played, the clown.
[If so-called help doesn't bring happiness to the one being helped, is it truly help?]
[Otto's obsession was simply too strong. He only cared about what he saw, ignoring Kallen's feelings]
[As he said, they were both too young and inexperienced back then, both in heart and in strength...]
[It's like what he said before. He understands Kallen and himself a lot, that he even knew he would become a clown. ]
"Yes, the original plan wasn't what it ended up being;"
"Yes, he was flustered and confused, manipulated by his own sister;"
"But that doesn't change the cold, hard fact—"
"It was the Honkai beast he unleashed that killed her."
"It was his own self-righteousness over the years that slowly killed her."
The man's weak voice dissected himself, cold and unforgiving, in the hall where he was alone.
His heart was bleeding, but he couldn't feel the pain.
The overwhelming despair that came with the relaxation after victory almost crushed him completely.
"No matter how he turned the Saint into his faith after that—"
"That human named Kallen Kaslana..."
"Will never wake up from her cold coffin."
"The passion he loved, the stubbornness, those lips, thin and perfect..."
"Everything, will never wake up from that cold coffin."
"Unless time could flow backwards,"
"Unless the dead could be resurrected..."
Otto Apocalypse stood alone in the grand hall of the Schicksal Cathedral.
Outside the church, the people sang and danced, celebrating their victory.
He closed his eyes, letting tears stream down his cheeks.
He knew, at this moment, he was the only loser among them.
"A failure, unworthy of anyone's sympathy, destined for hell..."
His final words were barely audible, his lowered eyes dull, his fists clenched tightly. A crazy idea had begun to take root in his mind.
Time... flowing backwards... the dead... resurrected...
Thus, Otto's long and vast journey of five hundred years had begun. He understood that no one had ever walked this path, there was no record of it in any book.
But he had no other choice.
-----
"So, was it at that moment that fate began to turn?"
"Was it at that moment that he confirmed his goal?"
Mobius said with a touch of emotion, her questioning tone filled with certainty. This was already an accepted fact.
He truly was a madman, for a dead person, he was solely focused on resurrection, walking a path never before heard of.
Kallen's mouth opened slightly, but she had no words. A sigh escaped her lips.
She perhaps owed Otto too much.
She didn't feel much anger. Otto had merely done what he wanted to do, even if he had gone a bit overboard, and she couldn't see the full picture.
But she also knew how difficult his journey had been. Even though she had never asked, she didn't want to see him harm so many people for her sake...
But a complex expression did appear on her face,
She knew that he had no interest in power, yet he was willing to march forward simply to prevent the Saint's name from being tarnished.
But after his true victory, after ascending to the Archbishop's seat, his heart was filled with despair. As he said, he was at the beginning of a long and dark journey.
It was a complete victory, yet he felt only sorrow and sadness.
This moved Kallen.
After her victory, she hadn't grieved for anyone excessively. Though she had felt a pang of sadness looking at the blood-soaked battlefield and the comrades she had lost along the way, she hadn't been heartbroken.
She was only concerned with how to change Schicksal's direction.
But Otto... after his victory, he only cared about himself. Kallen pursed her lips, her fingers trembling slightly.
"I... didn't do that well either. Back then, I was cowardly and gave up..."
"Though I ultimately succeeded in changing Schicksal, if it weren't for you, Otto, it might have been a question mark..."
Her lips twitched, the words unspoken in her heart. As she looked into Otto's heart, she couldn't help but be lost in thought.
She had blamed Otto for releasing the Honkai beast, blamed him for his black death human experiments, blamed him for his compromises and manipulations behind the scenes.
But she had never doubted Otto's heart. If anyone could help her unconditionally, assist her in fulfilling her wishes, Otto was the only one she could think of.
She just... thought her comrade was easily led astray.
But perhaps she had forgotten that he had always followed the path she had walked. Everything he did was ultimately for her.
For Kallen, he would do anything, even if it went against her wishes.
He just wanted Kallen to be alive, but that one thing, he could never achieve.