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

"Knowing morality yet not abiding by it, knowing ethics yet trampling on them... a rational villain... Otto..."

Kallen murmured, repeating his assessment of himself.

Even she could feel the tremor in Otto's heart.

His radical words undoubtedly revealed his dissatisfaction with humanity and the world.

Did he not understand? Of course he understood, and he was the one who understood the most over the past five hundred years, knowing a great deal about the philosophy of life and death, and his self-criticism never ceased.

But Otto wasn't happy with how things were.

He wanted her to be alive again.

He couldn't accept that she was gone.

He wanted to bring her back, even if it meant going against everything the world stood for.

He didn't care if it was impossible, or if everyone else thought he was crazy.

He didn't care if everyone in the world was against him.

It didn't matter.

He just wanted her back!

"...Whew, what a terrifying and somewhat... pitiful person. Durandal's ideals are completely in conflict with his, aren't they?"

Theresa frowned, watching the confrontation between the two in the game.

It has to be said, from the perspective of an outsider, the assessment of the other party was not at all pretentious, even a bit harsh, harsh enough to seem like he was actively giving his opponent a reason to attack.

If it wasn't Durandal, if it wasn't his student he had raised from childhood.

"Pitiful!? How could Otto be..."

The Herrscher of Sentience unconsciously raised her voice, but after a slight pause, looking at Otto's almost suicidal expression on the screen, she also nodded slowly.

Otto, at this moment, reminded her of the person she knew. The one who sat confidently on the Overseer's throne, so powerful and in control.

But now, he was different. He seemed more real, more human.

He was like a tragic hero, someone who had fallen from grace.

"Alright, he is a bit pitiful. He didn't achieve a good ending with Kallen, instead, he created her death with his own hands. He chased and waited for five hundred years, and in the end, Kallen definitely wouldn't accept him..."

"No wonder he said he and Kevin envied each other... One was willing to do anything for the other, and the other had a deep spiritual connection with the other," the Herrscher of Sentience muttered, scratching her cheek.

"Well... there are gains and losses?"

"It's impressive that you saw this so clearly this time, Little Senti."

Fu Hua said calmly. She wasn't surprised, after all, the one who had the most contact with both of them was the Herrscher of Sentience.

"Speaking of which, did Kallen really not have a spiritual connection with Otto?" The Herrscher of Sentience asked, her eyes darting towards Kallen.

She wanted a straight answer, and who better to ask than the person involved?

What if Otto's self-proclaimed fool and clown weren't actually the case?

Of course, Otto was definitely being a bit dramatic when he said that. But she was still curious.

"Unfortunately... we broke up in the end, but until the moment of my death, I knew clearly that he was the only one who supported me spiritually."

Kallen said calmly, but her hands trembled slightly, unable to hide it.

Obviously, she was also shocked by Otto's frank and unreserved villainous monologue.

"Oh, like that?" Little Senti said, a playful smile spreading across her face. "I remember someone named Yae Sakura. Do you know her?"

After thinking for a second, her eyes rolled as she dug up a memory. The original Far East Fox boss game was pretty fun, she had played it a few times after getting into a fight with Old timer.

The result? Humph, her account got banned for no reason. Probably because she was too good and the system thought she was cheating.

"Sakura?" Kallen frowned, looking at the Herrscher of Sentience.

Speaking of which, the game didn't have her shadow, so she didn't ask to Luo Mo.

But since she mentioned it, there must be something to it.

"Yeah, Yae Sakura, I think that's her name. Otto really didn't like her, and he even made her a bad guy in his game."

"But from a different point of view... he hates her so much, there must be some connection to you, right?" The Herrscher of Sentience chuckled, a soft, knowing sound.

She had a pretty good idea what Otto was thinking. For him, everything seemed to come back to Kallen. Everything else was just a side-show.

That person in the Far East who was rewritten as a Villain fox, compared to the ordinary records of the shrine maiden here, is a bit obvious.

"...After getting the Black Box, I went to China to find the immortals, but I didn't find them. Later, I went to the Far East, and I met her." Kallen's eyes moved slightly as she turned and got straight to the point.

"Then why does Otto hate her so much?" The Herrscher of Sentience asked, her voice full of curiosity.

It wasn't something she had ever thought about – the idea of two women being close was a little unusual, you know?

"Perhaps because I broke up with Otto at that time, and Sakura became a silent companion who supported me?"

"But I always knew that Sakura supported me, not necessarily because she understood my thoughts, but because she believed in me..."

(TL/C: Pffffft! Bull$#it 😒.)

Kallen said helplessly. She thought Otto was just being grumpy with her, but deep down, something felt off.

However, she didn't think much of it.

"Huh?" Luo Mo was a little stunned, looking at Kallen. It seemed that in her heart, Yae Sakura and Otto were in the same position as comrades in her heart.

(TL/C: na ah, they weren't. One was treated like a childhood friend, the other was treated as a Lover. F%@ you Mihoyo and ur lazy rules for fan, C players Yuri)

That meant… Otto hadn't been, well, you know, "cuckolded"?

Okay, that was just a joke some players made who really didn't like Otto.

If the "pure love warrior" failed because his love ran off with a "vixen," even though he hated Otto, it wouldn't feel good, you know?

"What's wrong? Is there something strange about my answer?" Kallen noticed Luo Mo staring at her and asked, curious.

(TL/C: Your relationship with Otto and Yae... is like those Male hero protagonist, who leaves his childhood sweetheart for a journey, then meets a woman on the way, just to fell in love for couple of years. Tsk, at least Yae was a female.)

She didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said.

(T/C: YOU KISSED HER!!!)

Luo Mo's brow twitched. He was lucky he hadn't finished the Yae Village side story or the Sakura Samsara quest. Otherwise, he might have spread some baseless rumors.

He was creative, so he put it in the game as "game elements are not real and not related to real people or events." but he still avoided slandering any important characters like... Kallen

You can't really know a person just from some text and pictures, which is why he sometimes did character interviews with real people to get a better understanding. Even then, it wasn't always accurate.

But for someone like Kallen, Luo Mo was a bit afraid to mess with her personal life. He was really careful when he made her character, asking Theresa and other students a lot of questions.

He definitely didn't want to be hung from a street lamp for slandering the overseer. After all, she was his biggest investor.

Still, he asked, "Overseer Kallen, do you really not have any special relationship with Sakura?"

"Please... add the two characters 'Yae', it feels weird if there's a name collision..."

SAKURA on the side had a slightly embarrassed expression, her usually cold face turning away, as if she didn't want anyone to see her.

Every time someone mentioned her name, she couldn't help but look towards the speaker.

"Uh... Yae Sakura, she's just a comrade to me. Besides, compared to Otto, there's less to worry about between the same gender. But there's no strange relationship, absolutely, none!"

Kallen looked at Luo Mo's strange gaze, and halfway through her sentence, she realized, her expression turned a bit black, with a feeling of gritting her teeth.

Did he think she was a lesbian?

She admitted that when she was seriously injured at the beginning, she did rely a bit on Yae Sakura, plus the situation of being an enemy of the world, and the rejection of the arranged marriage,

But as time went on, and as time went on even longer (500y), she only considered Yae as a friend, a very good friend.

Even if she added those ears, she sometimes wondered if Sakura had a bit of charm,

Of course, that was just a thought when she was bored.

At that time, Sakura was bound by the shrine and her hometown, like a puppet, and she felt guilty for the disaster she brought her, that's all.

But to be honest, it was the guilt and apology she felt towards Otto that overwhelmed her.

Otto didn't understand her thoughts, but how often did she consider Otto's feelings?

She was also at fault in this matter. If she had been willing to explain clearly, she could have helped Otto manage Schicksal better.

(TL/C: Tsk, lucky for you. Otto is not very angry as Me about your short relationship with Yae.)

(TL/N: the 1st TL told me that the reason why Mihoyo made Kallen and Yae yuri, is because to follow the same fate like in the previous game "Gun Girl Z". That's why there are some story events in alternative world were Kallen and Yae were lovers. But then I learned that when they started to focus on how to make Otto's back story impactful with Kallen, they decided to change Kallen and Otto fate, as a separation tragic. That's why there is no alt world were Otto and Kallen are together...ugh! What a lazy writing)

-----

"…Nice villain speech, Overseer——"

Durandal looked at him, her expression unwavering.

The Overseer's words seemed genuine, but Durandal knew better. He was a master at weaving lies with threads of truth. Even if his words sounded convincing, the truth was hidden in a fog of ambiguity, requiring careful judgment.

"Perhaps at this moment, I do have some things I'm withholding. But does it really matter?" Otto countered, a hint of amusement in his voice.

The path was laid out before them, leaving them with no choice but to move forward.

Durandal spoke with solemn gravity, "It matters. Overseer... these past few years, you've treated me well. So... I need to know your true intentions."

"But I believe all you need to know right now is that if you don't stop me..." Otto chuckled, a cold and cruel smile twisting his lips. His words, stripped of any pretense, carried a chilling weight.

"I will murder almost everyone in the world."

"Overseer!!"

As expected, Durandal engaged him in combat.

Her spear, swift as lightning and heavy as a thousand pounds, forced him onto the defensive.

Compared to the strongest Valkyrie, Otto could only manage a stalemate in battle. Even with the Void Archives simulating the power of a divine Key, he was quickly thrown to the ground.

It was a welcome sight for the players, who finally saw Otto's health bar after a long absence. They eagerly rubbed their hands together, patiently chipping away at his health until it finally hit zero.

But then, it stalled. It was clear that Otto wouldn't be truly defeated here.

"This ends here, Overseer."

"Tell me everything. Spill the beans..."

Otto, struggling to stay upright, half-crouched on the ground, his hands weakly resting on his knees for support. Durandal's spear pointed at him, her expression icy, her voice cold.

"...I told you, you should have aimed to kill me, not just hold back like this."

"That's a privilege reserved for Kiana or someone else. I'd rather you explain everything."

"Ah, is that so?"

"Alright, I do have some things I'm keeping from everyone."

"But unfortunately, I can't tell you at this point in time."

"And... Bianca, to be blunt, I was just stalling for time. And now... it's too late for you to do anything, Bianca 'Durandal' Atagaina."

Otto, kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head, a smug smile playing on his lips. Black energy emanated from him, swirling around his body.

He had completed his own ascension, unbeknownst to anyone.

Durandal looked around in panic, the pressure of the space dragging her towards an unknown location. She found herself unable to resist this force, clearly indicating that Otto had planned this.

Otto spoke softly but firmly:

"Gnius+, force coordinate shift!"

"The door to the Imaginary Space is now open. I, as a 'God,' command—"

"He wants the chess piece in front of him to be temporarily removed from the chessboard."

Durandal lacked the necessary faith and strength, so... she shouldn't be here right now.

So Otto chose to remove Durandal from the scene.

The Black Abyss Flowers fell from the sky, landing in the ground not far away. Its owner was now transported to an unknown location.

As for Otto, he would remain here, awaiting the arrival of his next guest.

[Durandal: I was careless, didn't dodge!]

[Otto even tricked the big goose, what a jerk!]

[Hmm... it seems like Otto doesn't see her as an enemy at all.]

[In the name of God? Did Otto become a Herrscher?]

-----

"Uh..." Durandal scratched her head sheepishly, looking around at the others. Their expressions were varied, all staring at her with a strange look.

"Ahem——, after all, Durandal is the student that Lord Otto has been with for decades. If she can easily attack the opponent without mercy...I am afraid, then she is not Lord Durandal."

Rita offered a Défense with a slight smile.

As always, Rita wore her maid outfit, the black and white colours highlighting her elegant figure. She stood beside Durandal, the valiant warrior, creating a surprisingly harmonious contrast.

While they were in a safe space for rest and discussion, she didn't wander around like Kiana and the others.

"That's true," Kallen nodded slightly, not paying much attention to the situation.

After all, Otto was a master of scheming and trickery, and few could escape his schemes unscathed. This was also why Kallen trusted him.

"Don't worry, Overseer, I won't make that mistake again."

Durandal tried to refute something,

"So... if I asked you to attack me, you..."

Kallen's eyes shifted, and she sighed,

The way she said that... it was just like Durandal, unchanged. If the same situation happened again, it seemed like she could only rely on herself.

Did that mean she should attack her directly and quickly?

While Kallen understood that Durandal didn't mean it that way, she probably meant being more cautious and careful. But in many situations, it was difficult to avoid being caught off guard, unless she did as Otto said and killed him without hesitation.

However, Kallen was just joking at this moment, wanting to see Durandal's reaction.

As expected, Durandal's face was filled with confusion, realizing she had misspoken again. Her eyes couldn't help but glance towards Rita, hoping she would help her out.

The others watched the scene in the game where Otto expelled Durandal, sighing slightly.

It wasn't that Durandal wasn't strong, but her mind was completely under Otto's control.

Otto's words might not have been false, but he must have already anticipated that Durandal wouldn't choose to attack. He had such a strong grasp of human nature, clearly a master of politics.

…

"Hiss... maybe I should try harder too?"

Mobius took a deep breath and slowly spoke.

"What are you trying to do? You wouldn't be thinking of learning from Otto and making such a dangerous plan, would you?"

Elysia immediately felt a chill run down her spine. Was she also thinking of making a plan that spanned five hundred years? Or was she trying to ascend to godhood?

Kevin also glanced at Mobius, his gaze lingering on her for a moment.

"... Sigh, I meant trying harder to lure you into the lab. You see, Otto could even trick Durandal completely. We've known each other for fifty thousand years, it's not impossible to charm you, right?"

Mobius realized she had let something slip. She glared at Elysia and said with a hint of annoyance.

As for her inner thoughts, she silently added the method of adding time to her agenda. It wasn't a real solution, but at least she had some ideas.

Elysia's words were a good reminder. She realized that if Elysia could accomplish something, she could too.

"Uh, hehe, how could that be? If you've charmed me, you've already done it~ Elbow, come into the house with me tonight."

Elysia chuckled, hoping that Mobius wouldn't go through with those strange plans. It seemed like a recipe for disaster.

"Hehe, if you were lying on the experimental table, I might consider it..."

Mobius said expressionlessly. This woman, she was twisting her words again.

-----

Then time returned to the present.

Kiana looked at Otto in front of her with suspicion. His dignified Overseer's robes accentuated his tall stature, and behind him stood an ancient, pure white church.

The Black Abyss White Flower lay on the floor before him, like the aftermath of a defeat of someone.

"The second guest arrives just in time."

Otto slowly shifted his gaze from the gun handle to the visitor, revealing an inscrutable smile.

"....Second?"

Kiana's alarm bells went off. Having just had a heart-to-heart with Durandal about life and goals,

Seeing the weapon in front of her and Otto's words, she instantly understood who the first guest was.

"Fufu, I don't want to fight anymore. For your safety, it's best if we keep this Black Abyss Flowers as a boundary,"

Otto advised, not paying attention to Kiana's actions or opinions.

He simply got up and walked towards the back.

A golden light curtain in the sky enveloped the entire church at a visible speed. The golden light curtain emanated an inhuman pressure, making Kiana feel like she was under a watchful eye.

He declared solemnly, his voice holy and majestic.

"I will take over the powers of 'God' one by one, until twelve hours later—"

"I will present you with a new world full of miracles."

Her inner instincts told her this was her last chance. The heat of Starfire surged within her. Two steps, one step... the enemy's back was within reach.

But when she tried to cross the light curtain to continue the pursuit,

She felt her hair stand on end, as if every cell in her body was preventing her.

Then... she watched in horror as the greatsword touched the light barrier.

The flame-forged greatsword, capable of cutting through anything, dissolved within the curtain. The dense, compressed Honkai energy dissipated directly.

One step forward, and she would die.

"That's right, that's good,"

"Come and stop me, Durandal, Kiana, and... Theresa."

Otto's voice echoed from the darkness as he stepped into the church, as if he longed to be defeated more than anyone.

His wild ambition and plans surged within him, he had bet everything on this, win or lose.

"Consider it your... farewell performance for me."

He looked towards the light that enveloped the outside of the church. It was so holy, like the steps to heaven in myths.

But it brought about a fatal death.

To fight with Honkai energy, how could one not be bound by it?

This is the Herrscher of Binding.

[This... this can't be... a Barrier?]

[So this is how he dealt with Durandal?]

[The big sword just broke, the energy just vanished, back to square one.]

[Tuna: My quad-core great-sword!]

In short, under the restraint of the light barrier, the Herrscher of Flamescion great-sword shattered.

----

And seeing this situation, the Flame-chasers who had participated in that battle all frowned in unison.

They hadn't expected the power of restraint to reappear here.

"This is... the Herrscher of Binding? Otto? His so-called ascension, his so-called becoming a god... is he becoming this Herrscher?"

Kallen said in a deep voice, her eyes filled with caution and coldness.

She had already learned about the tragedy of the Binding disaster through various materials, but to be honest, she didn't fully grasp it. The energy restraint was too terrifying, it could kill.

Valkyries also relied on Honkai energy... no, everything relied on energy. This opponent was difficult to deal with.

The best solution she could think of was... Herrschers. The Herrscher of Binding wouldn't instantly kill things of the same essence, especially if ten active Herrscher cores attacked at once.

But this was just a rough idea in her mind, it needed careful consideration.

Honkai energy Binding was simply too harsh. Maybe she could try other conventional weapons, silver bullets? Kallen felt a headache coming on, but she suppressed her thoughts for now.

"If it's binding, then it's definitely a problem. But true binding wouldn't just cover a single church..."

Mobius stared at the screen, seemingly trying to find a non-existent flaw.

She had to admit, the restraint manipulated by humans was significantly less harmful. It didn't even expand slightly, allowing Kiana to move away.

The best solution might be what Elysia and Luo Mo had been hoping for all along, turning all the Herrschers into forces for humanity.

Because compared to the Binding from the previous era, the difference was clear, the pros and cons were obvious.

This one seems much less threatening.

"Oh my, let's see how they deal with the binding, I'm curious. If it's the protagonist, there shouldn't be too many sacrifices, right? ... Anticipation?"

Vill-V chuckled, her fingers moving dexterously. The hat twirled around her fingertips before she placed it back on her head.

"Humph... Binding, we'll fight sooner or later!"

Kalpas snorted coldly, his anger flaring. Herrschers that could provoke his emotions were rare indeed.

The last few Herrschers had shown a significant improvement compared to the previous ones, their targeting of human civilization was too strong.

"Black Abyss White Flower..."

Durandal stared at the weapon stuck in the ground. She was a bit confused. She wouldn't have been so careless with her weapons, or was this something Otto intentionally left behind?

However, the Black Abyss White Flower wasn't very compatible with her. She could use it, but getting the Divine Key recognition wasn't easy.

But speaking of compatibility, she did feel that the holy sword named after her was better suited, combined with the power of the stars (World Bubble) Inside her.

However, she was sure she would soon be even more eager to experience the true power of the Kaslana Stigmata.

It could only be said that Durandal was too rich, she didn't lack power.

-----