The form of God underwent several transformations before finally settling on an appearance that Otto had anticipated all along.
"Kiana Kaslana..."
Some Ottops murmured this name, while others exploded and vanished amidst a flood of incoming data.
This time, the cost was heavier than the first question, primarily because killing Zeke had multiple possibilities. Consequently, the sheer volume of raw information overwhelmed nearly a hundred of Otto's consciousness avatars, proving unbearable for humans.
Additionally, each subsequent query posed to God pushed closer to overload, causing the actual price to rapidly escalate.
One Otto shook his head and sighed, "I knew it—given Zeke's strength and intellect, only his own vulnerability could truly threaten him..."
"I knew it; with Zeke's strength and intellect, only his own vulnerabilities could pose the greatest threat to him... Hmm?"
Otto suddenly froze as the image of God before him began flickering and distorting.
"Zzz... *@∞⊕¢∑∈⊙zss..." The deity emitted bizarre, indescribable sounds.
A massive influx of incomprehensible data surged into Otto's consciousness network, causing distortion, chaos, and tearing along the mental connections to each of his avatars.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Witnessing one avatar after another disintegrate, the remaining Otto avatars grimaced visibly.
'Hasn't this question already been answered? Why is such a sudden change occurring? Where did the issue arise—from Zeke or Kiana?'
One Otto glanced towards Theresa, noticing her still lying motionless at a distance, and swiftly made a decision.
'Enough! I can't afford to continue like this. First, let's get Little Theresa out safely—then we'll see what happens!'
"God, I've received the answer I sought for this question; there's no need to proceed further!" × N
Numerous Otto avatars spoke simultaneously, echoing the same plea.
In truth, he wasn't certain if God would refuse to stop answering questions just as It had refused to halt inquiries. Otto didn't know, but this was his only option; otherwise, there was no way to intervene with such an immense and abstract entity.
Fortunately, the enigmatic transformation of God finally ceased. In Otto's perception, it returned to its original form, identical to him, and the incomprehensible flood of information stopped pouring in.
The remaining Ottos paused momentarily, collectively sealing away those chaotic data deep within the consciousness network's voids. Only then did they regain their composure, their still-frightened emerald eyes silently gazing at God.
His prepared third question pertained to the Young Lady.
However, seeing that over half of his clones had perished, Otto suddenly hesitated to ask it.
Death itself did not frighten him, but before succumbing, he needed to find a way to extricate Theresa from danger, or else this endeavor would be futile.
'What should I do...?'
Otto wavered, locked in a standoff against God—or rather, merely enduring immense pressure while counting down time, for how could mere mortals like Otto truly confront a deity?
After a brief moment of stillness, as if emerging from its contemplative state, God slowly turned its gaze beyond the dense crowd—toward Theresa's location.
"Hm?!"
Otto's heart skipped a beat, and his remaining clones moved closer together, attempting to obstruct God's line of sight.
"Boom!"
The consequences were swift and clear: Any clone that blocked God's vision met only one fate—to shatter and vanish.
Otto rubbed his temples, feeling utterly overwhelmed by this predicament.
Then, God began advancing. With Theresa showing no initiative, It finally took steps toward Its apostle.
"Instilling the will of Honkai, imprinting the mark of being an enemy to civilization—a stage every Herrscher must undergo... But now, little Theresa truly cannot endure such torment anymore," Otto muttered to himself.
He understood well what Honkai likely sought—an apostle whose human heart had been worn away, leaving behind solely the purpose of destruction and chaos, an adversary to all civilization.
"God, I have a question." × N
The remaining Ottos resorted to their tried-and-true method.
Once again, it worked. God halted, turned its head, and emotionlessly gazed upon the still considerable number of Ottos.
Like a robot following preset commands.
As Otto pondered this blasphemous thought, all his clones felt an overwhelming pressure akin to their heads about to explode.
Was this God's anger or simply a prompt for him to continue questioning?
Maintaining clear rationality, Otto couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of this pressure, but he knew time was running out. He couldn't repeatedly exploit the glitch by asking questions followed by silence—attempting to hack a vast principle with some semblance of will spanning infinite worlds would undoubtedly have dire consequences.
"I ask: What must I do to ensure Little Theresa retains her original humanity and soul?"
Knowing that God wouldn't refuse a question, Otto decided to throw His most troubling dilemma back at Him for an answer.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Otto's expression darkened once more, not due to losing more clones this time, but because God's form slowly transformed into Theresa's likeness.
Otto received an answer, but it was utterly meaningless—only Theresa herself could maintain her humanity amidst the influence of Honkai. What kind of response was this? It held no value whatsoever!
Clenching his fists, Otto withstood another wave of information onslaught and swiftly continued pondering.
Of course, he knew that preserving a Herrscher's humanity relied solely on their own will. The K423 Project had been initiated based on this understanding. However, Theresa's current state was dire, and the God of Honkai's gaze was exceptionally potent. In her exhausted condition, she couldn't overcome this challenge alone!
They couldn't afford to stall; otherwise, the deity would advance further. Whether questioning Him again would halt His progress next time remained uncertain.
"God, what is one plus one?"
At first glance, it seemed like a simple math question, but its implications encompassed vast theories and knowledge. For now, Otto used this query to buy some precious time.
"Boom!"
'What should my next question be? Should I risk delving into the Young Lady's secrets or greet Zeke first, attempting to disrupt the process and free Theresa?'
"Boom!"
Fu Hua severed Sirin's connection to Honkai Energy once before, but the circumstances were different this time. The potential risks remain unpredictable.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The number of Destruction clones exceeded Otto's expectations. Upon reflection, it made sense. From an infinite universe perspective, defining "one," "addition," and proving "one plus one equals two" encompassed vast amounts of information, spanning fields like mathematics, philosophy, space, and time... Such consumption wasn't entirely surprising.
However, the primary issue lay with the God of Honkai's excessively forceful method of imparting knowledge, disregarding human cognitive limits.
Otto knew there was no point in protesting, and his brief moment for contemplation had run out.
With an emotionless gaze, God observed as Otto's presence continued dwindling, awaiting his next question.
Otto let out a long sigh.
"Well, who would've thought I'd hesitate over such a query? We've come this far already; the questions that need answers must be asked. At worst, stopping here might not be a bad choice either."
"O God, perhaps it's presumptuous for this sinner to ask, but please tell me: How can humanity defeat Honkai?"
"Zeke! Wait for my signal and take all the information I manage to gather with you. The rest is up to..."
Both Otto—the one within the Realm of Gods and his counterpart in the real world—spoke simultaneously, determined to obtain crucial intel at any cost and relay it to Zeke outside.
Then, behind him, he sensed a familiar yet distinct aura.
"Ecohali, shatter it!" Theresa's clear voice rang out loud and strong.
Caught off guard, Otto turned back just in time to see Theresa bathed in blinding white light as she rose to her feet. Above her, a massive pure-white angel spread its wings, hands gathering radiant energy.
A surge of unparalleled power coursed through the entire world.
The intense brightness seemed to sear Otto's eyes, causing temporary blindness. When his vision cleared, amidst cascading pure-white feathers, he watched Theresa trudge heavily toward him, step by laborious step.
"Grandpa, let's...go home..."
"Theresa..."
"Let's go back," Theresa said, grasping Otto's hand firmly as she looked up with a pale yet pure smile, like sunlight after rain. "We still have to save the world together!"
'Great inventor, join me in saving the world!' A voice so familiar resonated deep within Otto's mind, causing his pupils to contract.
"Kallen..." he murmured, momentarily stunned.
After a few breaths, a heartfelt smile spread across his face.
"Yes, let's return."
Roarrrr!
The white space began to tremble violently. Theresa, Otto, and the unscathed God all raised their heads simultaneously, gazing at the massive red sword descending from beyond the void.
"Taixuan Sword God!" echoed three voices in unison—Fu Hua, Kiana, and Li Sushang.
Accompanied by their resounding cries, the fiery crimson blade pierced through the sky, leaving an indelible impression on Otto and Theresa's minds amidst the awe-inspiring sight before the world's destruction.
Hand in hand, they lost consciousness together.