Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

Time goes back to an hour ago…

In the small town, Durandal was indifferent to the task Otto had assigned her. A sense of unease lingered in her heart.

Could it be... that the Overseer was right? That his plan would result in the deaths of millions?

She decided to talk to Nagamitsu and Rita again.

"Precisely because of this, right now... there is something I must entrust to you."

"You mean...?"

A serene white light seemed to envelop everything.

In the next instant, a beautiful Bodhi tree appeared before the girls.

"This special world bubble that contains the Bodhi tree is called 'Sumeru Mustard Seed'. I intend to entrust it, along with the authority of the Holy Sword, to you."

"At this moment, you are far more suited to bear the responsibility of anchoring the world bubble than I am."

Durandal said seriously, her eyes filled with determination.

She had things to do, and there were always things that needed to be done.

"...So, you've prepared yourself to oppose the Overseer, haven't you?"

Rita sighed, having already anticipated Durandal's actions. But she couldn't stop her, nor could she take sides.

But she would do her best to protect Durandal.

"This is the worst-case scenario. I don't know why he arranged for Nagamitsu to research that plan that sounds like it shouldn't be executed under any circumstances."

"No matter what, I need to ask him personally what the bottom line of his plan is."

"Just like last year at the Schicksal airship... the impact of the Herrscher awakening on the world was much worse than his initial plan. But he didn't care at all."

Durandal snorted coldly. She was not satisfied with his actions. He had gone too far, and he showed no remorse.

"So, Durandal... have you considered that this could all be a ploy by the Overseer?" Rita tried to comfort her.

"A ploy? Why?"

"I don't know. It's just... you should be able to sense it too. Ever since that incident this afternoon, the Overseer has been acting very strange."

"He seems to be... constantly using lies to cover up a secret he can't reveal. Normally, he wouldn't stoop to using 'lies' to hide the truth of something."

"..."

"But... no matter what, Nagamitsu messages themselves make it impossible for me to stand by and do nothing. Please understand me, Rita—"

"I truly believe that at this moment, and for the foreseeable future, you are more suited to shoulder the responsibility of protecting that world than I am."

She began to think about how to gain her own independent space of action under the control of the Overseer.

Without her friends knowing... she had done everything she could to prepare.

Perhaps, all her previous accumulation was for this moment, for her to be able to luxuriously follow her heart's desire.

In any case, Rita, this time, did not stop Durandal from taking such a risk.

Although at this moment, she would be anxious deep down; although at this moment, she would still have doubts about the contingency plan she had quietly prepared.

But she understood even more clearly that after experiencing all the turmoil of today, recently, and even in recent years,

her friend now possessed a certain kind of determination.

The twin stars of the Unbreakable Blade said nothing more.

They silently walked to the place where they needed to say goodbye, and then silently waved farewell.

"I wonder how far the Overseer intends to go this time..."

"Let's hope he still remembers his original intention."

Rita sighed softly, but her heart was uncertain. She didn't know how far the Overseer would go.

…..

At this moment, Otto Apocalypse's consciousness was immersed in boundless void.

He was recalling that spring, that "distant afternoon" he planned to revisit one last time before the "Executioner."

"...You're doing something pointless again."

"Did you take your medicine? You're so sickly, yet you spend all day in that workshop that's dirtier than a basement..."

"Hey, don't pretend you can't hear me!"

"Glue, sawdust, dust, all of these will worsen your condition."

"Stop doing useless things, okay? You're so sickly, it's great that you can even live..."

"Airplane... my airplane..."

Young Otto cried his heart out. His airplane had crashed and he couldn't get it back. It flew into the wall.

It was the result of his hard work for a long time...

"Yours?"

"Wow! It flew so high!!"

A young girl suddenly appeared on the wall in a way no one could have imagined.

She had white hair and blue eyes, her face was pretty, and the warmth of the sun on her was something he would never forget.

"Y-yes, I made it."

"Wow... you're so amazing! You'll definitely become a great inventor someday!"

Her expression of amazement, and the light from the sun behind her, was like a saint casting down pure white light.

"Unfortunately, it's broken..."

"If you need it..."

"I can... make another one for you!"

"Really? Thank you!"

He, who felt abandoned by everyone, heard such positive encouragement for the first time.

This was the first time he knew that someone had such expectations for him.

That someone truly needed him.

"My name is Kallen! 'Kallen Kaslana'!"

"Otto... Otto Apocalypse!"

"Um... great inventor, I have a request. Would you agree to it?"

"Eh? A request?"

"Yes! When we grow up... come save the world with me!"

"But before that, you have to make yourself healthy and strong, okay?"

The girl smiled brightly and gently, her confidence and carefree spirit shone upon him for a lifetime, making him forever remember that smile.

From that spring, that afternoon, his life began to change. The girl who jumped over the wall was deeply engraved in Otto's heart.

And for five hundred years, it never faded.

[Otto persevered, throughout the long five hundred years, he remained the same]

[At that time, the young boy received the salvation of his life]

[So in some ways, Otto is truly admirable]

[After all, who could refuse a beautiful white-haired girl? And the girl's appearance stunned the boy for a lifetime]

[She supported the Bishop through the five hundred years of torment]

------

"The first meeting—the start of everything. Even though Otto's journey, spanning five hundred years, began for reasons beyond this moment, it's a memory he will always treasure deeply…"

"Forever."

Looking at the scene in the game where the two characters first met, Luo Mo felt a wave of emotion wash over him.

It was the first time Otto and Kallen had laid eyes on each other, and it was the light that forever shone in Otto's heart.

It was a light that shone in Otto's heart, piercing through the clouds, scaling the walls, and lighting up his world. It warmed him through countless days and nights.

Even as her face began to fade from memory, her smile remained etched in his heart.

"It was back then, huh? Otto at that time... I was always worried he'd get bullied. After all, he seemed so frail and awkward back then, always on the verge of tears... heh."

Kallen couldn't help but smile, a hint of amusement playing on her lips as she reminisced about that afternoon.

Comparing the scene in the game to her own memories, Kallen found herself overwhelmed by a flood of recollections. Moments she had long forgotten now flickered back to life, each one replaying vividly in her mind.

"Whoa, Otto was really like that?" Kiana couldn't help but comment, a pout forming on her lips.

"He was actually kinda cute when he was little. Why's he so mean now?"

What she didn't say was that she found little Otto to be clumsy and even had trouble speaking properly. How come he grew up to be so smart?

"Little Otto was always tinkering with inventions, always alone, fiddling with something or other," Kallen added, her eyes holding a wistful glow.

She smiled softly, resting a finger on the corner of her lips. "Back then, I preferred running around and playing."

"But later on, his growth was truly astounding. Even his older siblings were surprised by how much he changed, weren't they?"

Vill-V, who always seemed to focus on the oddest details, chimed in.

"How should I put it? Hmm, the scene feels a bit bland. It lacks that impactful feeling. Think about it—this is such a momentous historical event, but isn't it a bit underwhelming?"

Vill-V wasn't interested in the characters' dialogue or the progression of the story.

Instead, she focused on Kallen's entrance—or rather, the lack of a grand entrance.

She felt the scene didn't have the grandeur it deserved and came across as too mundane.

"Looking back, that moment was truly heart-warming. Walking under the spring sunshine, just in time to catch that plane. Both of them met the people who would change their lives... Isn't that romantic?"

Kallen simply shook her head at Vill-V's remarks. The other woman craved excitement and eccentricity, which was evident in the style of the Divine Keys she designed.

But when it came to the initial encounter itself, Kallen had no complaints. It was perfect in its simplicity.

What saddened her was the growing gap between her and Otto, a gap that had become irreparable by the time she realized it.

Their initial goals had always been fundamentally flawed.

From the very start, Kallen's aim was to save the world, a noble yet overwhelming mission.

Meanwhile, Otto, standing in the sunshine, saw only Kallen—a world where only she existed.

"Such a shame..."

Theresa pursed her lips, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. It had been such a beautiful start, and Otto had seemed so kind at first.

"Yeah, such a shame."

Kallen echoed her sentiment, gently ruffling Theresa's white hair.

The beginning of a story doesn't dictate its ending, and this wasn't a particularly happy tale.

-----

The happy memories Otto had cherished started to lose their vibrancy, like a photograph left out in the sun. Their once bright colours faded to a pale yellow, and with that fading came the stark reminder of the truth.

This peaceful scene, high above the world, felt almost heavenly.

Beneath their feet, fluffy white clouds stretched out like an endless ocean, piling up here and there to look like tiny cotton-candy mountains.

Above them, the sky was a brilliant, clear blue that seemed to go on forever. In this vast expanse, there were only two figures: a man with kind eyes and blond hair, and a mysterious golden cube floating beside him.

They strolled leisurely through the clouds, chatting like old friends sharing familiar tales.

"It's not often you take a trip down the memory lane like that,"

the golden cube, known as the Void Archives, observed.

"Thinking about your childhood... does it make you regret facing your death?"

Otto let out a hearty laugh. "You know me too well, Void Archives, always the trickster! Didn't I just explain everything to Theresa and the others?"

His voice grew serious as he continued, "I'm choosing to face my end, and I'm doing it willingly. Consider it the grand finale of a five-hundred-year performance... a finale full of a little bit of delightful madness, of course."

As he spoke, a flicker of something deeper, something profound, danced in the emerald green depths of Otto's eyes.

Death?

It was merely a destination he had chosen for himself.

He was ready to embark on that final journey, nothing more, nothing less.

He never saw death as a punishment or something to be dreaded.

In fact, he was determined to show the Saint in his life the true meaning of life and all its vibrant colours, even if it meant reaching the end of his own.

"...I can't help but think you're using this 'destination' talk to hide your true feelings. You're nervous, afraid..."

Otto chuckled softly. "Perhaps you're right. It's only natural to feel a bit of nerves and a touch of fear. I've lived quite a long life, after all."

"And when you've been running a race for as long as I have, it's normal to feel a rush of excitement as you approach the finish line."

He continued his stroll through the clouds, his pace relaxed and unhurried. He neither confirmed nor denied the Void Archive's observations.

The truth was, Otto was indeed nervous, and yes, a little afraid. But it wasn't the fear of death that gripped his heart, nor was it regret gnawing at his soul.

His only concern was whether he would achieve his goal, whether his five-hundred-year journey would culminate in a beautiful ending.

"...Didn't you ever hope for more?"

"Why not? If it's just 'hope'."

Otto smiled, but then sighed, reflecting on his journey and his regrets.

"You must understand, my dear Void Archives," Otto said, a hint of melancholy in his voice, "some things are impossible, truly impossible, right from the very start."

He paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air between them.

Then, as if extending an invitation to a hidden world, he continued, "If you're interested in that... then why not accompany me on a journey through the depths of memory, old friend?"

"Before others inevitably clash with us, we still have time."

Otto sighed softly, his words tinged with a sense of helplessness, a reflection on the events that had already transpired, and on the weaker version of himself from the past.

[Yeah, if it's just hope, if it's just a dream, who doesn't have one? But we live in... reality, after all]

[A person's character is their destiny]

[It feels like a last-minute sightseeing tour before death, doesn't it?]

[He never feared death, only a world without Kallen. In a world without light, the emptiness inside him would consume him completely]

[Such a sad story, and such an amazing journey...]

-----

"Where are those two even?"

Elysia stared at the screen, unable to make sense of it.

If it wasn't the Sea of Consciousness, then where was this place?

And if it's the Sea of Consciousness, how come there's a Void Archives? It's the first Divine Key, right?

"Void Archives has a power similar to a Divine Key, and since it's bound to Otto, it's not impossible... I'm more concerned about whether the Void Archives you designed is that intelligent."

Mobius said, somewhat perplexed.

She also cleared up Elysia's confusion, pointing out that she and Vill-V shouldn't have made such a mistake.

Void Archives already possessed a vast amount of knowledge, so it was normal to restrict its intelligence and design its core logic.

The fact that it needed to find someone who could use it was a clear indication, but how did it end up going off the rails later on?

Transforming into Otto's shape... Mobius sighed in exasperation.

"Of course not, but who can guarantee that time will always be on our side? Look, didn't Senti appear because of an accident?"

"And... Void Archives is just a core shell now. Who can tell what happened?"

Vill-V sighed in resignation.

She had seen the core of Herrscher of Domination that Kevin had given her, and all she could say was... well, good luck to him, and may he rest in peace...

"True, with the two of us around, we don't need it to cause any trouble."

Mobius nodded, turning the page on that chapter and dismissing the existence of Void Archives. One less nuisance was a good thing.

-----

The scene around them shifted abruptly, like turning a page in a history book.

Gone were the fluffy clouds and endless blue sky. In their place materialized a vision of Otto's past, a flashback rendered in the style of an ancient aesthetic.

Towering green mountains, dotted with crumbling ruins. The two figures standing on the outskirts of the scene were engaged in an anxious conversation.

The Otto and Kallen here were now adults, their figures no different from the ones behind them. The boy and girl had embarked on their own life paths.

But clearly, their minds were still shrouded in fog, as evidenced by their current predicament: the Eastern Expedition.

The scene taking place before them was a memory from just before that expedition.

Kallen, her brow furrowed with concern, hesitated as she looked at her friend.

"Otto," she began, her voice filled with worry, "You've never seen a real battlefield before... Are you sure about this?"

His health wasn't exactly the best, and what if something unexpected happened on the battlefield?

She couldn't help but worry for him.

Otto, however, maintained a calm smile and chose to persuade Kallen in her own way.

He was determined to join the Eastern Expedition, not as a warrior, but as a trainee medic.

If he couldn't fight alongside her, he could at least use his knowledge to help her and others in need.

Seeing the hesitation still lingering on Kallen's face, he spoke again, his words sincere and heartfelt.

"Remember? When we first met as kids, you told me—"

"That when we grew up, you'd take me with you to save the world."

Kallen still frowned, but not about Otto wanting to join the expedition. Compared to Otto's eagerness to follow in her footsteps, Kallen was more skeptical about the necessity of the Eastern Expedition...

She didn't believe that war was ultimately an effective means of saving the world.

"You know," Kallen said, "the threat of Honkai has been rising and falling for years. It's thanks to Schicksal's involvement in running different countries that disasters like the Black Death were stopped quickly."

She paused, her voice filled with uncertainty. "But... by getting involved in things they shouldn't be, Schicksal has become distracted. It's like they're losing focus."

"Your father used to be so concerned about people suffering. He used to personally check every year that the help sent to different places was the right kind."

Kallen grew more frustrated and confused with each word.

What she believed in and what she saw happening in the world didn't seem to match up. She struggled to understand.

She didn't understand many things...

why the Eastern Expedition, why they weren't helping people after disasters, why the kind man she knew had changed so much.

Why?

"But now? His desk is overflowing with palace secrets, and the time he spends meeting with spies every day has encroached on the time you two used to spend together."

"This is all wrong, abnormal, isn't it?"

Kallen looked hopefully at Otto, hoping for a confirming answer.

She was pondering the problems of society, from the perspective she could see, but she didn't know right from wrong, or rather... she needed her companion's affirmation at that time.

"..."

Kallen's eyes dimmed, and she pursed her lips. She felt even more lost.

"Otto... I don't have any guarantee of victory in this battle. I just want to bring you... and all the soldiers back safely."

"You can do it, Kallen, I believe in you."

Otto's encouraging voice rang out, but he misjudged her emotions.

He thought she was just pre-battle jitters, needing encouragement, but he glossed over the real issue.

(TL/C: ....sigh~, youth)

...

Uncharacteristically, Void Archives' voice held a hint of emotion, a mix of mockery, curiosity, and hope.

"She's looking for deep spiritual guidance from you," Void Archives said, "but you're avoiding the question."

The simple expression on her face was so clear that even it could accurately recognize it.

"Indeed. As expected of the Key of Revelation, your answer is quite accurate."

Otto offered a word of praise, a hint of resignation in his calm gaze.

"Treating someone like they're superhuman, even a perfect being... that kind of pressure can be really dangerous emotionally,"

"See, I'm not a qualified childhood sweetheart, am I?"

"I didn't expect you to be so objective in your self-assessment."

Void Archives replied in its emotionless, calm voice.

Its assessment was quite objective, and everyone who had watched this part of his journey thought the same. He had indeed missed out on so much back then.

"——If I can't even do that, how can I be sure that I can provide a second life for another person, for someone different from me?"

Otto smiled thoughtfully, not minding the seemingly mocking tone of the other.

He had regretted it countless times in his heart.

[Too bad, at the time he needed strength the most, he was at his weakest]

[Tsk, no wonder it turned into Otto's shape, it even talks just like him...]

[Otto would make a mistake like that?]

[Otto used to be such a good guy...]

[Damn, he reminds me of my past self. When I did something stupid. Even now, I call my past self idiot.]

-----

Honestly, everyone watching was surprised by Otto's story. It was something anyone could see, a question that couldn't be answered worse, but there he was, answering it just like that.

It just goes to show that when you care too much about someone, you tend to lose your composure.

"He really isn't a qualified childhood sweetheart, is he? He's so scheming when he's trying to screw someone over, but he's all timid when it comes to himself..." Theresa grumbled.

Her hatred for Otto stemmed from that initial "Grandpa" remark, followed by a string of devious plots. Sure, she was his granddaughter... but he didn't hold back a bit when executing his plans.

Honestly, she was a little scared of him.

But with Grandma by her side, he was just a regular guy, Theresa comforted herself.

"But he's the only childhood sweetheart I have, little Theresa. How can you compare who's more qualified?"

Kallen chuckled as she watched Theresa. This girl couldn't hide her expression at all.

"Hmph, he seems so unreliable."

Theresa shook her head, a complex mix of emotions swirling within her.

On the one hand, she acknowledged his feelings for her grandmother. On the other hand, she was terrified of his methods.

Though his performance in the game was subpar, it actually gave her a sense of relief. At least he wasn't ambitious from the start.

"But he's always stood by my side, even when facing the immortals of China. And that corrupt Schicksal, whether in prison or on death row, the only person I could trust was him."

(TL/C: ...but you ran away "abandoned him" and also rejected to try understand him "slapped him")

Kallen replied with a smile, feeling a bit mischievous.

Her feelings for Otto were even more complex. She wasn't sure if what she felt for him was love.

(TL/C: it's love. It's just not romantic, but pure.)

But he was undeniably important to her.

"Whew... yeah, no one cares about Grandma more than him. But did he really exist in history? Did you maybe erase his records, Grandma?"

Theresa looked at Kallen's smile, suspicion creeping into her voice.

"Maybe I did. I think little Theresa is missing a childhood sweetheart like that."

"Stop it, Grandma—"

Theresa and Kallen could still joke around, but compared to the truly carefree Theresa, Kallen couldn't help but sigh silently.

After seeing Otto's memories, Kallen understood how deeply he loved her. It was a powerful, intense feeling, like a burning fire that only burned for her.

How could she not be moved?

Their first meeting had changed everything. It was like they had rewritten their own destinies, setting everything in motion and making their story even more complicated.

They had been through so much together, facing countless challenges and obstacles. They had both vowed to save the world, but now they were drifting apart.

Each step they took, each moment they shared, seemed to bring them closer to a tragic end.

-----

"Let's continue watching. There are still plenty of opportunities for us to critique,"

"After all... in front of her, I'm often just a fool in every sense of the word."

Otto sighed softly and continued walking forward along the clouds.

The mist was thick, the path long.

There were no paths ahead, no other scenery. They were simply strolling, critiquing their memories.

Just like that.

The night air was cold, so they huddled around a small bonfire for warmth. The flames danced in the darkness, casting an orange glow across their faces.

Otto's emerald eyes and Kallen's blue eyes stared into the fire.

The fire was bright, but their hearts were cold.

They both stretched out their hands, seeking warmth from the flames.

Otto had gotten his coat soaked while crossing the river. The cold wind made him shiver, and he couldn't stop it.

They had lost the battle, and there wasn't much food or supplies left for their journey back.

And to make matters worse, there weren't any extra coats.

"You can't sleep with wet clothes in this weather, Otto!" Kallen said firmly. "You'll get frostbite!"

She told him to take off his wet coat and put on hers.

He looked worried and tried to say something, but Kallen wouldn't let him.

"The strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal wouldn't be defeated by a little cold!" she said, her voice stubborn.

As the words left her mouth, a gust of wind whipped around her. She opened her mouth wide, and her throat tickled. It was so cold!

"Ach... Achoo!" Kallen sneezed, covering her mouth with her hand. She hugged herself tightly, but didn't even look at Otto as he tried to give her his coat back.

She simply moved closer to the fire for warmth.

"But... aren't you sneezing too?" Otto asked, watching her from a distance. His voice sounded helpless.

Her cheeks were red from the cold, and she rubbed her hands together quickly, trying to get warm. But even though she was shivering, her eyes still held a determined glint.

Otto's heart felt warm as he watched her trying so hard to help him. He couldn't help but feel a little touched by her stubbornness.

They sat in silence, listening to the crackling of the fire.

The cool night wind blew around them, gently brushing their white hair and their flushed cheeks.

The worst part was that the army had lost a lot of soldiers during the retreat from the Eastern Expedition. They hadn't achieved their goals, and it wasn't a good situation for Schicksal.

The people at headquarters were probably not happy.

Coupled with the Immortal's words, Kallen's perspective on war had shifted.

She thought about it for a moment.

Kallen had been thinking about the Immortal's words, and it had changed how she saw war.

She took a moment to think before asking, "Otto…"

"We lost this battle… will your father lose a lot of money?"

Otto seemed a little confused by her question. He replied softly, "Probably. But I don't think we need to worry about that. Those rich guys always find a way to fix things, right?"

He poked the fire with a stick, making it burn brighter.

"Maybe you're right," Kallen said slowly. "But… I still think Schicksal is doing things wrong."

She quietly gathered some firewood and added it to the fire. The flames leaped higher, casting a warm glow across her face.

The firelight illuminated her face as she fell into deep thought.

Kallen fell into deep thought. She wished she had someone to talk to, someone who understood her, someone who could help her figure out how to save Schicksal.

But the only person there was Otto, the boy who had always followed her lead. He would do whatever she asked, but he wouldn't really talk to her about it.

Was it because of his father? Or did he actually agree with Schicksal? Kallen didn't know, and she didn't want to guess.

(1 TL/C: YOU HAVE TO!!)

(2 TL/C: so frustrating STUPID!!)

"Like the question I just asked without thinking," Kallen said softly, "should Schicksal really be so focused on money?"

She felt that Schicksal had lost its way, that it had forgotten its original purpose.

"Or maybe... maybe it shouldn't," she continued, thinking out loud. "But money is important. You can't do much without it."

Otto quickly changed the subject. "Alright, let's not talk about these big questions anymore. It's getting late... are you hungry?" He tried to sound concerned.

In his eyes, she had just randomly thought of those questions and asked them out loud. After all, they were too complex and complicated, what did they have to do with the two of them?

He didn't notice that Kallen looked even more confused. Her blue eyes, usually so clear, were clouded with doubt.

She clenched her fist, wanting to fight back against something, but she didn't know where to start.

…

Otto chuckled a little, his face flushed with a bit of embarrassment. "I was such a goofball back then," he admitted. "I thought I could solve all her problems with a little kindness and understanding. I was so naive."

He shook his head, remembering how lost he had been back then.

"She didn't need my help, not really," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "But I was blind to it."

"But generally speaking, that's actually quite important."

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourself back then," the Void Archive said in a flat voice. "You didn't understand her hero complex at all."

Otto sighed and looked into the distance. He felt a mix of emotions.

"Yeah..." he said quietly. "When she said 'save the world', she meant it. She never doubted it for a second."

People saw it as just a catchy phrase, a slogan on a banner. "Saving the world," they'd say, like it was just a fancy way of saying "let's make the world a better place."

But Kallen wasn't just playing around. She truly believed she was meant to save the world.

Otto had just brushed it off. He never imagined anyone could actually take the idea of saving the world seriously.

After all, the world was so big, how could one person possibly make a difference?

And from what, exactly? Who was she trying to save it from?

It seemed ridiculous, didn't it?

Like something out of a fantasy book, a hero fighting against a demon who wants to destroy the world. If that was real, maybe Otto wouldn't have thought it was all just childish nonsense.

Sure, there were Honkai, those strange and powerful forces.

But they had always been around, just like wild animals. They were a part of the world, a threat human had learned to deal with.

We all lived our lives, divided by our cultures, religions, and borders. We never really took the Honkai seriously. But Kallen, she was different. She always took it seriously.

"See, those fatal flaws were misaligned from the very beginning."

Otto chuckled wryly. It was too late to understand everything now.

He had only focused on her safety, ignoring her will.

In his heart... her safety was always the most important thing.

"The memories that follow... will simply show how Otto Apocalypse became increasingly pathetic and ridiculous."

[Otto at this point is immature, often avoiding answering key points]

[Their separation is actually a shared responsibility]

[Compared to the protagonist team who have countless companions to rely on, they only had each other during their five hundred years of ignorance]

[Sigh, pitiful and tragic... the Otto we saw before always seemed so spirited, but we never thought...]

[Don't you feel like Otto and Kallen's roles should be switched? Otto seems so weak, like the submissive one, it's reversed, isn't it?]

[Tsk, The present Otto knows exactly how I feel about his ignorance past.]

-----

"Uh... was Overseer Kallen already thinking about saving the world back then? Wow, she's so amazing."

"As expected of Overseer Kallen!"

Kiana scratched her cheek and sincerely praised her.

She was just thinking about becoming the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, and the slogan of fighting for a better world was established after Himeko's death in the game.

In that sense, Kallen, who had always chosen to save the world from the very beginning, was undeniably strong.

Her will was unwavering, it was just that the world at that time was beyond saving.

And now, all the Valkyries look up to Saint Kallen as an example.

"Heh, in the end, she didn't achieve anything, and she ended up sacrificing herself." Kallen said quietly

Kiana looked at Kallen and said softly. As a new generation Valkyrie and the main protagonist of the game, she had high hopes for her.

Kiana scratched the back of her head, leaned to the side, and smiled sheepishly.

"Back then, I was still young and naive. I didn't think things through, and society at the time didn't support what I was doing. Robbing the rich and helping the poor couldn't change the root cause of the disaster."

"So... sigh."

Kallen paused and finally sighed.

"Grandpa? Grandma?"

Theresa looked at Otto inside the scene, then at Kallen beside her, tilting her head.

She felt like the two by the bonfire were so close, the atmosphere was just right.

Too bad Otto didn't say anything to increase his favourability, he missed a step.

"Grandma… he should have shout 'Did you really choose to save the world from the very beginning? Savi..ugg" Kallen immediately covered Theresa's mouth.

"No, don't call that, Theresa..."

Kallen smiled and ruffled her white hair. It felt incredibly soft and smooth, she couldn't help but rub it again.

"Ugh..." Theresa shook her head, trying to escape from her grandmother's hand. After swaying several times, she finally dodged it and pouted,

"Grandma!"

"can I finish the line? 'Saving the world and all that, I also... pfft, sorry, I said the wrong thing."

Theresa's eyes widened as she curiously looked at Kallen.

And Raiden Mei, who normally didn't feel anything about the phrase "saving the world," had a few black lines appear on her forehead when she heard the principal almost say the full sentence.

She took a few deep breaths, pushing down the strange emotions in her heart, then gave Luo Mo a glare.

It was all the boss's fault, now the whole world remembered those lines!

Luo Mo chuckled sheepishly, feeling completely innocent. It was the fault of his other-world self!

It had to be said, Mei's lines were quite catchy and easy to remember, they also had a certain spiritual power. Although they were becoming a meme...

Thankfully, Griseo hadn't shouted out any of her weird lines like "Paintbrush, submit to me!" Luo Mo silently glanced at Griseo, thinking to himself.

"Schicksal back then did have a lot of problems. After interfering in the affairs of European countries, people's hearts had changed. It was no longer an organization that protected the people..."

Kallen explained.

"As for saving the world,"

She smiled.

"Maybe. But it was a process. At first, I just wanted to help others, but slowly, slowly, more and more people needed help, and Schicksal turned a blind eye..."

"So, saving the world was no longer just a childhood fantasy."

-----

The story then jumped to a time when a terrible plague, known as the Black Death, swept through the Europe land.

Otto, desperate to help, worked hard to create medicine that could fight the disease.

However, this powerful medicine came with a heavy price - many people who took it suffered terrible side effects.

Thankfully, Eleanor, who had been brought along by Kallen, was one of the few who were lucky enough to survive without any harmful effects.

Of course, Otto wouldn't tell her that the price of the side effects was equivalent to death.

This further highlighted Eleanor's extraordinary nature.

As a sign of his respect and admiration, Otto gave Eleanor a new last name - Schariac, which was the same as his own mother's family name.

Kallen's visit that evening was all about planning their heist - a daring mission to steal from the wealthy and give to the poor, right under the noses of the powerful old men who controlled the city.

Otto, worried for her safety, urged her to be cautious and avoid getting caught.

Kallen grasped the doorframe as she was about to leave, pausing and replying seriously,

"Otto, I'll be careful. I won't go out of my way to cause a stir... After all, it's still too early to guide everyone to resist the social order established by the old men."

"Kallen... the way society operates, it's not something that can be changed just because someone says so." Otto hesitated, trying to advise Kallen.

He didn't want her to do something so dangerous, she was bound to get into trouble... He could only try to showcase his own value and cover up her mistakes.

"Yeah. So we can only do what we can and wait for the opportunity."

"If we don't even try hard on the path we believe in... how can we convince others in the future?"

The girl who ventured out into the night flashed a confident smile before disappearing into the vast darkness.

...

"I just don't get how you could have been so clumsy back then."

If Void Archives had a body, it would have shaken its head vigorously, rejecting Otto's actions.

It was unbelievable that Otto had turned out this way.

"Why didn't you just tell her all your thoughts? Maybe the whole course of history would have changed."

"Maybe. But what exactly do you think I should have told her back then?"

Otto's smiling lips curled into a hint of mockery and self-deprecation. His voice even carried a note of sorrow as he asked a series of questions.

He really... had no idea what to do back then.

"Tell her that I'm researching new drugs using human experimentation?"

"Or maybe I should have quoted some fancy political and economic theories from centuries later and told her that 'robbing the rich and helping the poor isn't going to fix the Root problem'?"

"If it's not those... even if I told her straight up why I did all that, what good would it do?"

"Would she change because of it, or would I change because of it?"

"But the truth is," Void Archives stated, "neither of you changed the other."

"I know," Otto admitted, a hint of regret in his voice. "Back then, I foolishly thought that I, the way I was, could protect her better in secret."

"Hah! She's the strongest Valkyrie in Schicksal, and you were already thinking about protecting her with your own strength?" Void Archives teased him.

"I thought we were a good team," Otto explained. "I thought my abilities would be really helpful to her."

"It's strange," Void Archives said bluntly, "how a little kid like you could be so arrogant back then."

"History has proven that you couldn't do anything back then."

"You even accelerated her break from her original environment - and the price, ultimately, was her own life."

Otto didn't argue. The other's words were true.

"...Yeah. That day, she finally discovered the true darkness of Schicksal."

"Our life paths lost control from that point on."

He closed his eyes and sighed sadly.

Since that day, everything started to change  between them. It as the world was mocking their fate.

[As expected of the Key of Revelation! It has revealed the password to becoming stronger! - You can't do anything!]

[No Mei-bashing, Mei-bashing is prohibited]

[Wouldn't she be the first Schariac?]

[Otto was so arrogant back then, Kallen needed to protect him]

(TL/C: I finally remember who Otto and Kallen remind me of, it's K and B. But unlike those idiots, B was able to move on after K's death)

-----

"Schariac? Human experimentation?" Theresa asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

In fact, not just her, many familiar faces frowned as well.

Kallen was slightly surprised as she watched the scene in the game.

Human experimentation was a problem that had been solved. Although historical records had deviated, somehow becoming Kallen's solution, the outcome hadn't disappeared.

Due to the confusion in her memories, this was the first time she learned where the first Schariac came from.

The so-called side effects, perhaps, referred to the unique talent of Schariac? A miracle born from the Black Death and the medicine, impossible to replicate.

Back then, Otto couldn't see what Kallen truly needed, and he was too arrogant, even believing he could protect the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal with his own strength.

And the truth proved that he couldn't do anything.

"Eleanor? Is... that her?"

Kallen was stunned, hearing a familiar name again.

It was a name that brought back powerful memories. Eleanor was the first person to be cured of the Black Death, and hearing her name helped Kallen's own memories start to come back.

It wasn't just the memories from the game, but older memories, ones that had been blurry and confusing, were starting to become clearer.

"She inherited the name Schariac, a special Stigmata Awakener..."

Kallen couldn't help but look at Cecilia and Durandal, wondering if they were somehow connected to this Eleanor. She was starting to put pieces together, but she still had so many questions.

"Uh, Mom, wouldn't she be our ancestor?" Kiana asked, pointing at Cecilia with a curious expression.

"Maybe. You should ask Overseer Kallen about this. After all, she was from that era,"

Cecilia replied casually, glancing at Kiana before going back to playing with her little Sirin like doll.

Cecilia knew a lot about the history of the Schariac family, one of the three most important families in Schicksal. But she didn't know if their special powers, the abilities that came with their Stigmata, had always existed.

If she was playing the game, she would think this was all related to Otto somehow.

But Cecilia wasn't playing a game. This was real life, and things were getting complicated.

"Back then, Grandma's robbing the rich and helping the poor was a righteous act, wasn't it?" Theresa asked, thinking about what Kallen had told them.

"Maybe," Kallen said. "But from today's perspective, the basic idea is still the same. It's about taking from those who have too much and giving to those who need it."

"Besides, little Theresa... if I were to rob the rich and help the poor, you'd be the first one I'd rob!" Kallen chuckled, tapping Theresa's forehead with her finger.

Theresa gasped and closed her eyes, clearly surprised.

"You're always running a deficit. I don't know where all that money goes." Kallen teased, shaking her head. "You spend money faster than you earn it!"

"Uh, grandma, don't talk about the past!" Theresa said, looking a little embarrassed.

Then she remember something, "I've audited my academy account and it's now positive!" Theresa answered proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Theresa... almost all of it is from Luo Mo's MiHoYo Company." Kallen said, her voice calm, but a hint of a smile played on her lips.

" ...and I've read your financial statements, and there are some numbers that don't match... Can you explain that?" Kallen asked, her smile turning a little scarier.

"Haha... grandma... it's not what you imagine... eee eh oh, Luo Mo is taking care of this year's accounts!! Grandma, you should ask him about this!" Theresa said quickly, trying to avoid Kallen's gaze.

-----

As for that journey, regardless of the outcome, she did find redemption within her heart, even if it was fleeting and false.

Even though she later learned that her supposed robbing the rich and helping the poor, her nocturnal escapades, had already been exposed, Otto had used his achievements in saving the Black Death through human experimentation to cover it up, leaving the executives fuming but powerless.

The aftermath of this event was the exposure of Otto's hidden human experimentation, leading to the official split between their wills.

…

The story that followed unfolded into a tragedy cloaked in absurdity.

Otto... he ultimately made the most foolish decision of his life.

Night-time, a corner illuminated by candlelight, shadows reflected on the wall, two voices whispered in conversation.

"What's wrong, my dear brother? Shouldn't you be at the church, mourning our father?" a sharp voice asked, laced with sarcasm. It was Lisa, Otto's sister.

"...Then why are you here, Lisa?" Otto replied calmly, not bothered by her words.

"Well... because I hate that old geezer, I don't want to put on a show there – is that reason good enough?" Lisa said, her voice dripping with disdain.

Otto said calmly, "Father was poisoned. I know who the killer is."

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Lisa fell into thought, frowning at him. She didn't believe he had any evidence, and she knew he was hiding something.

Besides, why would he come to her instead of telling everyone?

It was a clear sign of what he was planning.

"...Oh? Who is it, I'm quite curious." she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Stop your feigned ignorance." Otto said coldly. He was in a difficult situation. He needed help, but he didn't want to trust anyone.

If he had the strength, he wouldn't have needed to bargain with someone like Lisa.

He just needed to offer Lisa something she wanted, and she would naturally choose what to do. He knew how to play the game.

Otto, a skilled doctor, had easily determined that his father had been poisoned. And his nephew, Marcel, was controlled by Lisa. The death of his older brother, Ferdinand, was also connected to her in some way.

As for why he would poison his father, it was easy to deduce.

— During the family meeting, he had personally stated that he would pass the position of Archbishop to Otto. That old fox wouldn't be so kind, it was just a deal.

It could only be said that Lisa didn't understand the true meaning of the situation.

The old man had actually planned to pass the position on to Marcel, his grandson. But he never expected to be "killed by his own family" before that could happen.

However, this had nothing to do with her, it only gave her more bargaining power.

"You need the seat of the Archbishop of Schicksal... and I need to complete a deal."

"Kallen Kaslana, right? You really are fond of her."

Lisa looked at him with an icy sarcasm, her gaze filled with a kind of disgust.

This brother, who she once thought was useless, was starting to make her nervous.

He had been playing his cards very carefully, especially during the Black Death.

She shook her head, looking at him with a playful sneer. "Too bad, she's going to be hanged tomorrow. Swinging from the rope, becoming a corpse that will never wake up."

"——And it's her own choice, isn't it?"

"...We forced her down this path. We're all guilty." Otto said, his voice cold and hard. He clenched his fists, his eyes locked on Lisa.

"Since our father could be murdered like this, I believe you must have a way to save Kallen." He continued, his tone now laced with desperation.

"After it's done, we guarantee we'll leave – we won't covet the Archbishop position you have your eyes on."

"Hmm... you make a good point," Lisa said thoughtfully.

"But the current situation, no one wants to save that Kallen..." Lisa chuckled slyly.

Whether Kallen lived or died didn't really matter to her.

What mattered was getting rid of Otto, and now... he was in need of her.

She held all the cards.

"You... won't help me?"

"Don't rush, Otto, my dear brother... As long as you're willing to get your hands dirty..."

The venomous woman gave her request. Her cold words made Otto's pupils constrict.

As long as you're willing to get your hands dirty... dirty... hands.

In the long silence, he nodded.

He knew what it meant, but he knew even more what Kallen meant to him.

Unbeknownst to him, he would regret this decision for the rest of his life.

…

"You know, Otto... sometimes I'm really jealous of your sister."

"Back then, I carefully crafted countless traps for you, big and small, and you never fell for them—"

"——But all she did was hand you a shovel, and you managed to dig yourself a grave?" Void Archives continued, its tone almost mocking.

"They say human emotions can make them lose their minds; but this is truly beyond comprehension." Void Archives admitted, still baffled. It couldn't understand how Otto could be so cunning and smart in some ways, but so foolish in others.

Otto, in front of it, was as cunning as a ghost. But handing everything over to Lisa was a series of blunders, a terrible mistake. It directly cut off his original inheritance rights and gave Lisa everything she wanted.

Otto sighed softly, a hint of longing and regret in his eyes. A sense of helplessness washed over his handsome, delicate face.

"Try to put yourself in my shoes, Void Archives. Besides blindly trusting her... what else could I have done back then?"

"Or, if you had been willing to let me use the full power of the Divine Key back then - to save her, I would have agreed to any other condition on the spot."

"Tsk. It's all my fault, is it? That's the real reason you've been binding me for five hundred years."

Void Archives clicked its tongue, a mix of resentment and regret, but it was all in the past, it was too late to regret it.

"Heh... who knows?" Otto chuckled and moved on. He wouldn't let the past hold him back.

"Anyway, neither of us have any regret pills to take, do we?" Otto said with a wry smile.

[Hahaha... Void Archives worked its whole life, and it wasn't as good as a casual bet someone made]

[If Void Archives had been willing to lend Otto its power back then, he would have been willing to pay any price, it's just a shame...]

[Handed him a shovel, he dug a grave, haha, quite vivid]

[He pre-emptively took out the old fox, wasn't he paving the way for her?]

[If Void Archives did make a deal with Otto at that time, I wonder what would their fate turn out. Will it change, or will Kallen still die.]

-----

"So... what are they talking about?" Kiana frowned, confused.

She really didn't know about this. Did she miss something in history class?

The political struggles within the Apocalypse family weren't as dramatic and tragic in the real world as they were in the game. But considering how biased historical records can be, it was understandable.

"Maybe it's a little-known secret of Schicksal," Bronya said seriously.

"Uh... is it real?"

"Maybe."

Bronya snorted. As for whether it was real or not, she knew, of course. It wasn't in the Schicksal archives anyway.

"Is it the Honkai Beast incident after the execution...?" Kallen guessed, already suspicious of that Honkai Beast. It didn't make sense.

No matter what, the place where Schicksal imprisoned people was still a distance from the execution ground. Unless it was released intentionally, the other circumstances were too coincidental, almost impossible.

And if it was a Honkai Beast, she thought of the giant sword in her dream, the golden flames falling down. In that moment, it wasn't just the Honkai Beast that was cut down, but also the invisible shackles on her.

She felt a sense of clarity, and from that point on, everything went smoothly.

It was like she had been set free.

(TL/C: yeah, free from her blindness and stupidity.)

Luo Mo heard her question.

In the game, Kallen eventually learned about Otto's actions. But clearly, Kallen in this world hadn't met Otto after that, and only remembered the giant sword falling from the sky. And Otto was incredibly lucky to miss the third slap...

Could it be said that... there were gains and losses?

No, no. Maybe Otto doesn't hate it?

As he thought about it, Luo Mo's gaze began to wander, starting to speculate in a strange way.

Even Kallen's scolding, Otto probably wants to see it again.

…..

"He's willing to make a deal with a villain just to save the one he loves?" Eden sighed and shook her head. She was fascinated by Otto's story.

His experience was enough to write a great play. The ups and downs, the love and hate, made this story destined to be extraordinary.

"It's just... not the protagonist who promotes truth, goodness, and beauty. Maybe it has a more dramatic effect," Eden said with a gentle smile.

She gracefully sipped her sweet drink, her eyes filled with amusement.

"Void Archives is quite talkative. I didn't expect it to have this ability - does it change its speaking style depending on its owner?"

"Hmm, maybe it really is in the shape of Otto, come to think of it, it feels weird."

Vill-V, bored, whistled and mumbled to herself.

Well, Void Archives does have her creative input, it's her work, after all. It's not good if it turns into something she doesn't recognize.

Doesn't that mean there's a problem with her technology!

"What does she mean by getting her hands dirty...? Hmm, I don't quite understand. Mobius, my dear Mobius~"

Elysia pondered for a moment, then decisively chose to ask for help.

As for who to ask, hmph, she knew who was interested in this. That Mobius always said she wanted to study Otto.

She must have collected information about him in this world. Even if she didn't, she could cross-reference it with Kallen's experiences in history and the game.

"Cut it out, why are you asking me? What if I said I don't know?"

"Mobius is so bad, she doesn't even know this. Fine, I'll go ask Vill-V."

Elysia pouted, her disdainful look made Mobius bristle. She couldn't stand being compared to Vill-V.

"You! ... Hmph, dirty things, they're definitely things that everyone would find unacceptable,"

"Schicksal back then, at least on the surface, was still an organization fighting Honkai. They wouldn't easily violate their principles or make it public. So... the dirty thing must be related to Honkai. At worst, Otto could collude with Honkai, lure out a Honkai Beast to attack civilians..."

Mobius said casually. She couldn't admit that she was bad.

"But... don't you usually call dear Eden, dear Eden? Why are you suddenly calling me like that?"

Mobius's expression turned suspicious. What was going on with her?

It made her... a little uncomfortable.

"Hmm! ?"

Elysia chuckled lightly. "Then I'll call you that more often, get you used to it."

"Guessing... it seems to make sense. And is Void Archives really that fun? It's pretty smooth to talk to."

Her eyes lit up, like she had seen some interesting toy.

Although she thought Void Archives was mediocre as a weapon and not very pretty,

She was curious, if she had a Void Archives, would it turn into a pink cube, transforming into a beautiful girl? That was what she was most looking forward to.

"Fun?! It's completely different from my original design, okay? Although it's still a library..."

Vill-V's voice rose slightly, her surprise growing. Her head was starting to spin.

-----

A gentle breeze rustled through the air, and flowers bloomed in vibrant hues.

The white mist dissipated, and sunlight poured down, illuminating a verdant stone monument before them. Ink-black inscriptions etched the passage of time,

Kallen Kaslana's name was etched upon it.

1453-1477.

Her brief, brilliant life ended at that moment, her life story completed in the form of a Saint. Along with her departure went all of Otto's heart and soul, leaving him unable to forget her for five hundred years.

Her passing was truly an apocalypse for Otto, the end of everything.

"..."

"Oh, she's dead. That was truly your apocalypse."

"Five hundred years have passed in a flash... now, you finally have the chance to change this moment."

Void Archives said slowly.

Even it could sense the turmoil in the man beside it. The most important person to him was resting here.

"Ah, or perhaps, for you, time has never truly passed?"

Void Archives asked. It still couldn't see through the man's true face.

He hid too deeply, wearing mask after mask, never taking them off, never truly revealing himself.

"Yeah... she's dead."

Otto seemed not to hear Void Archives' question. He lowered his eyes and repeated softly, his voice melancholic and low.

"Huh? Hey, are you even listening to me?" Void Archives asked, a little confused.

"In a lot of places, people try not to talk directly about death," Otto said, ignoring Void Archives' question. He kept talking to himself.

At that moment, Otto felt a mix of sadness and regret, like he was missing something important. But there was also a tiny bit of relief, like a weight had been lifted.

"Death, the permanent dissipation of subjective will, the concept of making existence itself nonexistent, is indeed a constant terror in the face of all wisdom."

"——But when we try to resolve this terror and become blind in the face of death... a self-righteous self-deception is born."

He smiled at the monument before him, not sure who he was talking to.

"We always subconsciously believe that those we love are immortal, eternally unchanging."

"Even though our reason tells us that they are just flesh and blood, our emotions refuse to accept it."

"...You're saying that humans are always afraid of death in some way,"

Void Archives asked with a hint of interest. The other's perspective was always refreshing.

"That's right. We fear death so much that the panic it brings... creates more unnecessary deaths."

"Discrimination, abuse, murder, war... who isn't controlled by the fear of death, casting that shadow on others prematurely?"

"But aren't you the same?" Void Archives asked. "You just don't seem afraid of your own death."

Otto sighed softly.

"Yeah. That's why I'm just a Overseer at best... while Kallen is a Saint in people's minds."

He didn't fear his own death, but he feared Kallen's death, to the point of panic and desperation.

It was his greatest fear.

Unfortunately, it had come true.

Fortunately, it was about to cease being true.

-----

Seeing her own grave felt weird, but Kallen pushed down the uncomfortable feelings. Her heart was full of so many emotions, it was hard to focus on anything else.

"Death... huh? But who in the world can truly escape the shadow of death?"

Kallen sighed, as if offering advice to Otto. He didn't have to do this, as long as he continued on her path to saving the world, it would be enough.

He didn't need to care about her own death.

But he was intelligent, how could he not know?

But understanding doesn't equal acceptance, it doesn't mean wanting it.

What the world acknowledges doesn't mean he has to acknowledge it.

He wouldn't accept Kallen's death, not for a single moment. Never!

…

"Death, ... I wouldn't accept MEI's death either," Kevin said, reading Otto's words on the screen. He felt a deep agreement inside.

Although he was completely different from Otto, in terms of era, ideology, experiences... everything,

He truly agreed with some of Otto's words from the bottom of his heart.

KEVIN wouldn't accept MEI's death, from the beginning to the end, never.

Even though reality had already shown him what would happen, and even though he could still remember the coldness of her touch and the fact that she wasn't breathing anymore, he never truly accepted MEI's death in his heart.

If it weren't for the constraints of the Elysian Realms, if it weren't for the so-called plan, if it weren't for MEI's advice,

He wouldn't mind making that choice.

After all, the Kaslana Oath, the promise to save the world that flows through every Kaslana warrior, was just his promise to her...

The promise that humanity would defeat the Honkai... it was just his love for her...

The original Kaslana was selfish after all.

…

Sirin watched silently too, thinking about Otto's explanation of death and what it meant.

She too was someone who was controlled by the fear of death, casting that shadow on others.

Before Otto had spoken those words, she never thought she and he would be on the same side, even though they were both wicked and had done terrible things.

But now, she felt confused. She was afraid of her own death, and she was afraid of the death of the person she protected.

It was clear that Otto's attachment was stronger, even though his actions might have been over the line for everyone else.

…

"A Saint? Too bad, Schicksal doesn't have a Saint anymore—"

Theresa couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

But the Saint in everyone's hearts... so amazing, truly enviable.

The Saint protected the majority of people. She never feared her own death, and she would rise up against the upper echelons for the people.

"You wouldn't be it, auntie~"

Kiana said casually, and even patted her shoulder.

It's worth mentioning that she had intended to pat her head, but at the moment of contact, she shifted to the side, a little afraid of her auntie's temper.

"Hmph—"

Theresa slapped her hand away, a little angry.

"I was talking about Cecilia, when did I ever say it was me?"

Damn it, when will I grow taller?! Theresa was a little furious.

-----

Silence fell between the two.

Void Archives might have been pondering Otto's words, while Otto... he stood before the tombstone, gazing at it with a different kind of expression, mourning.

Just then, the clouds above them parted, and a bright ray of sunshine broke through. It was like a promise of a brighter future, a clear sky after a storm.

Otto seized the opportunity to bring up another topic. "Do you remember the letter I wrote to that 'Welt'?"

"'We are too fragile, so we can only exchange temporary peace through mutual threats,'"

"'And we have to use such high-sounding words as order and morality to conceal those base, selfish motives.'"

"That statement still holds true today. After all, humans always repeat the same mistakes - they even turn a blind eye to this fact itself."

Void Archives turned to face Otto, his gaze fixed on the back of Otto's head.

"I think you should remember that those words could be used to criticize yourself, too."

"That's right, Void Archives."

"Whether it's K423, Durandal, Theresa, or Welt... you could say they all inherited Kallen's mantle from different perspectives."

Otto said with a hint of emotion. These people, past or future, would all stand against him.

But shouldn't those who inherited Kallen's righteousness be the ones to eliminate the evil he represented?

"Heaven and Earth don't play favourites," Otto said, his voice cold and detached. "They see everything as meaningless, like puppets on a string. The world doesn't need Kallen's brave spirit to come back from the dead."

Otto had realized long ago—

It's not me that humanity needs, but the world only sees the Saint as a sacrifice.

'It's as if she was a character in a story, where her role is to be sacrificed, so that her death can becomes a light that ignites the real main characters, who are walking the same path as her.'

But... Kallen Kaslana deserves to live.

She must live.

No matter what the cost.

"...Some people pretend to be ignorant while knowing the truth. And you, perhaps, should be called 'pretending to be ignorant while knowing the truth'."

"That's what you don't understand... Void Archives."

Otto narrowed his eyes and smiled coldly.

"So-called human emotions - they are originally a desire that would rather harm others and themselves, but still want to be released."

"It's just that... good people are good at using reason to control their emotions, while bad people are used to letting their emotions control their reason."

"As for so-called rational villains... they live their lives as machines that only calculate benefits, not even worthy of being called human."

"...Is that so? I think you're a prime example of such a rational villain right now."

"I haven't denied that I'm not worthy of being called 'human'. In fact, I'm very aware that I'm the epitome of such dross."

"Didn't I say... humans always emotionally believe that those we love are immortal, eternally unchanging."

"And I, I'm just a fool who lets my emotions control my reason, and constantly calculates benefits because of it."

Otto said with a hint of self-deprecation.

In front of Kallen, he was always a fool.

A fool... who made countless stupid mistakes.

[Fool? You call that being a fool?]

[The world doesn't need Kallen, but Otto needs Kallen!]

[Reminds me of - no matter the cost...]

[Rational villain... a very standard term, very fitting]

[Not a human? Sorry Otto, but you are still a human, even if you deny it.]

-----

"Mantle... successor?"

Kallen repeated, her voice soft and thoughtful.

She sighed, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the people Otto had mentioned.

Then she had to admit, each of them had something she admired, a spark of something she recognized.

That's why she was so close to Kiana, Theresa, and Durandal.

"But you're not one of them, are you? Otto..." Kallen said, her voice filled with a complex mix of emotions. Her eyes held a deep sadness, and her heart overflowed with a million unspoken questions.

Why...

Why, even though you were her closest comrade from the beginning to the end, did you refuse to include yourself among them?

Even though you knew the world didn't need Kallen's brave heart to beat again, you still chose to bet everything on her?

Was it all... worth it?

(TL/C: Because he doesn't deserve to walk on Kallen's path, like the others. He blame himself for your death, that's why.)

...

"Rational... villain?"

Vill-V stroked her chin with one hand, her lips curling around those two words. It felt... familiar?

"Doesn't that fit you perfectly? Stop looking, it's you, Vill-V~"

Mobius scoffed, her clothes were tight, emphasizing her beautiful figure. Although she and Vill-V were still in two different weight classes.

"Hiss... don't slander me, I'm not evil anymore."

Vill-V puffed out her cheeks, looking at her with dissatisfaction.

She didn't like that evaluation. She preferred to be called... a great inventor? Wait, never mind, she wasn't going to steal someone nickname.

She'd stick with her magician title, the other one wouldn't mind.

"Does it matter to you if you're evil or not? You didn't do those things alone. Before she ever came out, weren't you just a normal person?"

Mobius smiled, her words laced with malice.

Vill-V was annoyed and retorted, "What about you? Aren't you?"

"Rational? Do you think... I'm rational when I'm doing experiments? Infinity is my pursuit."

Mobius's eyes gleamed with madness, her dangerous snake eyes revealing a hint of insanity.

"Heh, what do you think?"

"..."

"You almost got me. But in the end, you're probably not as extreme as Otto. You still care about others."

Vill-V sighed in relief, looking at her with apprehension.

"Oh, your true self, so boring - tsk tsk,"

Mobius shook her head in disappointment, then left.

Vill-V hadn't reacted yet, she stared blankly at her, then jumped up.

"Ha? What do you mean?!"

"Explain yourself!"

-----

"——See, the first person who's coming to settle the score with me is already here."

Otto revealed an expression that might have been a smile, looking towards the blonde knight who had arrived.

The clouds dissipated completely, and he returned to reality. Memories were just memories, he had to face her rebirth.

Durandal glared at Otto, her eyes blazing with anger.

And Otto, as always, looked back at her, his last student.

"Welcome, my dear friend, the top-ranked S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal."

Otto shook off his reverie of the past and began to face the present, the future he had prepared for.

He spread his arms and smiled warmly, welcoming her.

Durandal was here, of course, to get answers. She needed to understand his motives, to understand the plan he had set in motion. She had so many questions about what he had done, why he had done it.

Specifically, she needed to understand what he meant by destroying the present and then choosing the past again...

What did that mean?

Otto explained that if you viewed history and the past as recordings on a tape, and reality as that special pointer,

What would happen if you kept that pointer of reality and forcibly moved it to the past...?

Durandal's expression shifted, her face turning pale, as if she had realized something.

"Exactly," Otto said, a gleam in his eye. "The past would become the present. We'd graft the knowledge and experience of today onto the history of yesterday."

He continued, his voice growing more animated. "Imagine a disaster like the Second Eruption being erased from history. Imagine us, with all our knowledge and experience, still being alive and able to make a difference."

"Of course, the Honkai won't just disappear," he conceded, "there will be challenges we can't predict. But the gains for humanity would far outweigh the losses."

Otto painted a vivid picture of his plan, but he couldn't help but notice the frown on Durandal's face.

It didn't bother him though. In fact, a hint of satisfaction played on his lips.

As expected of someone who inherited Kallen's mantle in his eyes. Her growth had already amazed him. He hoped... she would surprise him even more.

He explained that his plan was nearing completion.

He had collected chips from the Will of Honkai, negotiated a deal with it, and secured coordinates from World Serpent.

All the pieces were finally falling into place.

He paused, then mentioned the World Serpent's movements, a kind of warning.

"Their Stigmata plan is... concerning, to say the least. The best opportunity to stop them has passed, but I believe that... this plan of mine... offers a chance to reset everything."

"It also happens to want to see this play of inverting time,"

"The Will of Honkai has opened the door to the Imaginary Tree for me. And I will be the proxy of the Will of Honkai in this world."

"Lord Overseer, are you going to become a Herrscher?"

Durandal interrupted him, her hand tightening on her lance, asking.

Otto paused; his expression unreadable.

"From a power perspective, you could say that..." he began, his voice measured. "I'll be paying the price of losing a physical body, but the power will be enough to reshape the world…"

He paused again, letting his words sink in. "But for this world, for those who fight the Honkai, even for the Will of Honkai itself, this outcome is something they would welcome…"

"Everyone's happy, isn't that right?"

Otto smiled at her.

"But what about the world itself?"

"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs... How can you welcome a new world without destroying the old one?"

"...I'm not asking for that. From the beginning to now, you've never mentioned the true cost of your plan."

Durandal simply shook her head, squinting at him.

He used flowery and abstract language to embellish it, but he always avoided the real facts.

"Now."

Otto's answer was concise and direct.

"Huh?"

"The price is now,"

"I will erase the history of these five hundred years from the branches of time, returning the world to the state where Kallen Kaslana was still alive."

"The price to pay is precisely the current world itself."

With these words, he finally unveiled the true cost of his plan. No more vague descriptions, no more evasions. He had clearly and completely explained the potential outcome, the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make.

Because of this, they could achieve the outcome he desired.

As for lies?

If it wasn't completed, this plan wouldn't be a lie.

The conversation between the two was far from over.

They quickly switched gears to talk about the Stigmata Project. Otto made it clear he wasn't a fan of it.

But it was too late to turn back now. They had already put way too much effort into it. Maybe if they had stepped in 500 years ago, things would have been different.

Even though Otto knew the STIGMA Project was risky and could hurt the Saint in the long run, he chose the plan that had the best chance of success.

Durandal couldn't hold back her anger any longer, and she roared,

"You dislike the STIGMA Project, yet you're willing to make the entire world pay a price even heavier than the Stigmata Project itself?"

"You're practically murdering almost everyone in the world, Overseer!"

Her rebuke was powerful, but the person she was facing didn't care.

Otto looked at her rage, didn't deny her words, and calmly said,

"Well... that's correct. But, humanity will still be humanity."

"But what's the point of that?" Durandal shouted. "We protect real people, not just some abstract idea! We protect those who can make their own choices!" She couldn't understand how Otto could think this way.

"There won't be any real people left, just a word. How is that better than the Stigmata Project?" she asked, confused and angry.

"You're wrong, Durandal," Otto said. "I'm actually trying to save a real person, someone with free will, from this empty idea of 'humanity.'"

"You know her name," Otto said, looking at her.

Otto sighed and a rare softness appeared in his eyes when he spoke her name.

His voice softened, and he said each word carefully,

"...Kallen Kaslana."

"..." Durandal didn't say anything. She just stared at Otto. He didn't seem to be lying.

As if she were only getting to know him today, he destroyed the present, returned to the past, killed countless people, all for the sake of that former Saint?

But... it wasn't unexpected either?

Only, Durandal's eyes added a touch of anxiety and unease.

"You finally mentioned her, Overseer."

"Yes," Otto said, "We've come full circle. We're back to the very beginning of everything."

Otto rarely showed his feelings, but he was speaking from his heart now: "Kallen Kaslana shouldn't have died the way she did. It wasn't just my fault, it was the fault of all humanity."

But only he, not all of humanity, could resurrect her.

Sure enough, the world was full of absurdity and mistakes.

"...This isn't a reason to try to murder everyone in the world. Besides, that era is long gone, and you're the only one left who was there."

"Well, every normal human would think that."

Otto nodded in agreement. Of course, normal people wouldn't do this.

Over the past five hundred years, those heroes, those epic figures etched into the annals of history, haven't they lost loved ones? Of course they have, countless like stars in the sky.

But only he stands here now, and that says it all.

And, he's not exactly a normal person.

He's a madman, a dictator, a fanatic, a fool, but he's never been associated with the term "normal."

(TL/C: ... dud... every human is normal, even if they are crazy.)

"So, as a representative of normal humanity—"

Otto looked at the golden-haired knight. Her spear was gripped tightly, her lips were pressed together, refusing to relax, but she still hadn't chosen to attack immediately.

Perhaps it was out of past affection, perhaps out of reluctance and respect, but this wasn't what Otto wanted.

"Durandal, I'll give you a chance."

Otto said calmly, a smile curving his lips.

"——Kill me, and all my plans will vanish into thin air."

"The person standing before you is nothing more than a pile of sin and desire,"

"He knows morality, yet he doesn't abide by it. He knows ethics, yet he tramples on them."

"He craves wisdom, but only to achieve personal satisfaction. He worships beauty, but only to deny the existence of ugliness."

Facing Durandal's increasingly ugly expression, her eyes almost spitting fire,

Otto still smiled calmly, spreading his arms as if embracing something.

He spoke his heart, the words he had long wanted to reveal:

"He thinks the world is filled with superfluous people, so much so that the value of life is wasted by them."

"Only when his own life is marked with an end... will Otto Apocalypse look up at the pure sky and enjoy the moment of divine tremor that the soul receives."

Otto looked peacefully at the sky, where a few points of light were showing through the dark clouds.

He was enjoying this moment, letting down all his guards.

He almost gave Durandal a reason to attack.

[This passage is written so well, it portrays Otto perfectly!]

[Superfluous people, maybe in his eyes, those Schicksal higher-ups, Lisa, Marcel, even himself, are all superfluous people...]

[He doesn't care about being hated by Kallen, he just wants her alive, just alive!]

[How can someone who makes such a plan be normal! This guy is not normal at all! He is MADMAN]

[Brilliant analysis, Otto's life is a complete record of sins, but if he dies, his merits and demerits would cancel each other out]

[Otto is normal, he is not crazy or a fool, it just a natural reaction for some humans to be crazy, evil, or stupid.]

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