Lin Wei had waited, anticipated, and prepared for this battle for a very long time...
From the beginning, he had no designs on the Second Divine Key.
But he knew that just as people flush the most disgusting things down the sewer, Otto, upon obtaining the Second Divine Key, would immediately think of using it to banish him—or rather, the Key of Corrosion—from the Eigenworld, tossing it into the depths of the Sea of Quanta to be "out of sight, out of mind."
He had realized this the moment he told Otto about the Second Divine Key. And so, even without knowing the crucial information that the final outcome would inevitably involve the Second Divine Key, he had almost instinctively begun to prepare.
Lin Wei's personality was one that "yielded to softness but not to force."
For instance, against girls like Anna, who were pure, kind, and passionate with no ulterior motives, or even devious characters like Elysia who had intentions but no ill will, he was completely helpless. But against potential malice, his senses were always sharp, and he never hesitated or sat idly by.
Moreover, he always liked to assume the worst of his enemies, digging out the deepest malice from his own heart.
For example, if he were in Otto's shoes, what would he do to ensure Lin Wei and the Key of Corrosion were banished to the Sea of Quanta without fail?
The answer was obvious: deploy all available forces in a single, devastating strike, giving the opponent no chance to resist!
In Lin Wei's "wargaming," the worst-case scenario was this: Otto, at the cost of destroying the Second Divine Key, would detonate all the Honkai reactors buried underground.
Simultaneously, Schicksal would unleash its entire stockpile of Honkai fission bombs on his head, reducing the entire Mediterranean region, and even most of Europe and half of Africa, to scorched earth.
On top of that, all of Schicksal's elite combat forces—Durandal, Rita, Fu Hua, even Theresa and the still-slumbering Li Sushang—would be deployed.
With their Divine Keys and Godsbane battlesuits, they would create an inescapable net, ensuring his complete annihilation along with the Key of Corrosion!
Of course, this was the most extreme scenario imagined by the ever-pessimistic Lin Wei, and it was highly unlikely to happen.
Firstly, while Otto might use the Second Divine Key as bait, he would never accept a "mutual destruction" with his enemy, as that would be tantamount to severing his hope of reviving Kallen.
Secondly, even if Otto were willing to pay such a horrific price, how many of his Valkyries would agree?
Setting aside the reactions of others, the ever-rebellious Theresa would probably rebel on the spot, wouldn't she?
Therefore, even though this extreme scenario was unlikely even under the most extreme circumstances, Lin Wei still activated his ultimate contingency plan...
---||---
"Speak, Successor. What do you want?"
Not long ago, Kevin, "summoned" by Lin Wei as he wished, had truly acted like a wish-granting dragon, asking Lin Wei to state his request, all because he had shown a unique value that had moved him.
"I need to enter the Elysian Realm again."
Lin Wei had already decided what he wanted and blurted it out immediately.
"In addition, I want to borrow something from you, and for you to lend me a hand when necessary!"
Returning to the Elysian Realm was for Yuno and Yae Sakura. But if he had to prioritize, it was to develop Yuno, his only asset besides Yae Sakura, as quickly as possible.
"I want to borrow that ELF, the one made in your image, to assist me in an upcoming battle."
Lin Wei's request was both direct and restrained.
"If, after this battle, I am forced to fall into the Sea of Quanta, I hope you can lend a hand to prevent me from getting lost in that unfamiliar domain."
The first condition was for victory, the second was for an escape route. This was classic Lin Wei—a plan within a plan, and beyond that, a backup plan to cover all bases, and even a backup for the backup plan...
"Very well."
Kevin gave Lin Wei a deep look and did not refuse his request, only adding one more condition.
"When that time comes, I will need you to prove your worth."
"...What worth?"
Lin Wei's heart skipped a beat. Is this guy going to pressure me too? Now? Here?
"Prove that you are worthy to stand before me."
Kevin spoke in his usual cryptic manner, his eyes fixed on Lin Wei, awaiting his reply.
Though Lin Wei didn't know what "worth" Kevin was talking about, even a simpleton would know it wouldn't be an easy test. But at this point, was there any turning back?
If he refused now, the conditions he had just agreed to would probably be voided on the spot.
Understanding this, Lin Wei steeled himself and nodded. Kevin, having received the desired answer, turned and left, leaving only a single sentence behind.
"Then, until we meet again, Successor..."
And so, though the future was uncertain, Lin Wei had finally gotten what he wanted...
---||---
Back to the present.
Though the plan to rescue Anna had failed, it had forced out Otto's hidden card—Fu Hua.
Why Theresa and Li Sushang were absent, Lin Wei didn't know.
But he guessed it was likely because the former was disobedient, and the latter's meeting with Fu Hua would be awkward.
If the three of them had appeared together, and Theresa saw her good student chatting cheerfully with Durandal while wearing the Shadow Knight: Moonbeam battlesuit, and then heard Li Sushang suddenly call out "Master Phoenix..."
All hell would break loose!
In fact, if the three of them had appeared together, Lin Wei was confident he could have made one of them switch sides on the spot and kept at least one neutral. This would have shifted the balance of power.
But Otto seemed to have foreseen this risk, so only Fu Hua appeared on the battlefield.
Or perhaps, he was just that confident in Durandal's strength...
But regardless, since he had traded one of his trump cards for Otto's hidden one, it was time to reveal his other trump card, the one he had been holding back!
"Kevin, what are you waiting for?!"
With a roar, the massive doors of the Second Divine Key burst open. The ELF, created by Kevin himself with 1% of his power to guard his friend's peace before he left, appeared before the world for the first time in a shocking display!
In the original timeline, it should have appeared in London and fought a fierce, evenly matched battle with Durandal. Though it ultimately lost after running out of power, it had managed to inflict significant injuries on her!
But now, due to Lin Wei's early request, the Kevin puppet had been held back, remaining hidden within the giant Divine Key.
Its Soulium composition, similar to the Divine Key itself, and its dormant state, which allowed the Divine Key to suppress its Herrscher core's power fluctuations, had allowed it to go undetected by Schicksal's repeated scans.
Now, it finally heard the long-overdue summons, and the eyes that had been closed in slumber since its creation opened for the first time in a thousand years.
The power it held was so immense that even the vast energy that could power a normal ELF for a thousand years could only sustain it at full power for a mere twenty minutes.
But even in that short time, it was enough for this small ELF to, on behalf of its creator, its master, make the name "Kevin," long forgotten by the world, resound once more!
BOOM!
The Kevin puppet swung its sword. The terrifying flames, which seemed to melt the very earth and sky, contained unparalleled power and surged toward Durandal with unstoppable momentum!
"Ugh..."
Durandal let out a pained grunt, caught off guard and suffering a minor injury. But she was, after all, the world's top warrior. In the next instant, she brandished Black Abyss White Flower and retaliated with the same unstoppable force!
"Ugh!!!"
Lance and sword crashed together. The clouds in the sky were blown away, and the thick sand on the ground was whipped into a giant wave, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing!
"Who are you?"
Durandal was shocked that this powerful enemy was just a small "child" and demanded to know. But the Kevin puppet, like its creator, remained silent, ignoring her curiosity and simply swinging its massive sword once more!
BOOM!!!
Another evenly matched clash. Durandal felt the immense pressure from the small, white-haired, blue-eyed figure before her, who at first glance looked like a Kaslana. This usually calm and collected girl was suddenly filled with excitement.
Invincibility is a lonely state.
Durandal had forgotten the last time she had used her full strength. It had been a long time since she had faced a worthy opponent, and she couldn't remember the last time she had felt the sensation of being "injured."
And now, the roaring flames that seemed like a heavenly fire, the tingling numbness in her hand and arm, the dull ache in her chest... all of it told her one obvious fact—this was a powerful enemy worthy of her full strength!
This is great!
Durandal felt her blood boil with excitement, her eyes shining as she shouted, "Again!"
Her only response was the Kevin puppet's continued silence and another peerless, flaming slash!
"What?"
The people from Schicksal were shocked by the earth-shattering battle. What? Someone can actually fight on par with Durandal?
"What?"
World Serpent, watching the drama unfold on their satellite feed from afar, was also shocked. What? Someone can fight so fiercely against a being with 1% of the Sovereign's power?
"Dammit... We've misjudged Schicksal's strength. Raise their threat level immediately!"
As if his "god" had been blasphemed by a mortal, Jackal jumped to her feet, shouting in frustration, "Especially that Durandal! Put her on the high-priority watch list!"
Until the Sovereign returns, if we see that woman, we run!
Jackal thought bitterly. She had originally planned to take advantage of the chaos to snatch back the Second Divine Key that their organization had lost. But after witnessing this world-shaking spectacle, how could she still harbor such thoughts?
---||---
"Kevin..."
Fu Hua whispered, the name making her feel a little dazed. He was her former comrade, the only other surviving "compatriot" in this world.
"Kevin..."
Otto repeated, his face grim. He recognized it was just an ELF, but that only made him realize one thing—the real Kevin was a massive threat that could not be eliminated by any means!
A sense of urgency gripped his heart like a claw, making it hard to breathe.
But before that, there was a more immediate threat to deal with...
"Fu Hua, go and stop him. Wait for Durandal to eliminate that ridiculous ELF," Otto said, rousing the dazed Fu Hua, "reminding" her in a gentle tone.
"Don't let old feelings cloud your judgment. Don't forget, our promise to protect Shenzhou is not yet fulfilled!"
"...Otto, how long are you going to keep up this charade?" Fu Hua turned back, giving him a deep look.
"I will continue to fulfill our promise. But I want to remind you, even my patience has its limits."
Whether it was because of Lin Wei's existence or Kevin's appearance, a sudden surge of courage rose in Fu Hua, who had long been accustomed to being at Otto's beck and call. The dissatisfaction that had been planted in her heart long ago suddenly sprouted.
"..."
Otto had never expected the ever-submissive Phoenix to use this opportunity to bargain with him. But the situation was urgent, so he had no choice but to say, "I promise you, the day the Second Herrscher experiment achieves its initial success will be the day our centuries-long promise is officially fulfilled."
In the past, the promise to "protect Shenzhou" had been a carrot dangling in front of Fu Hua, always visible but just out of reach. He had used it to drive her to do his bidding time and time again, even rummaging through her memories repeatedly.
The great warrior who had personally participated in the Final War, the Phoenix who had guarded Shenzhou for thousands of years, had been bullied by him like a dog.
But now, thanks to Lin Wei's unexpected reversal, Fu Hua had seized the opportunity, forcing him to set a clear end date for this "ambiguous promise" for the first time.
One could only say that after centuries of being influenced by him, the once-single-minded Phoenix had truly learned some bad habits...
"Mm."
Fu Hua nodded. The menacing black mask once again covered most of her face, and the Shadow Knight: Moonbeam battlesuit reactivated, its morning light glowing brightly as she flew toward Lin Wei.
As for Lin Wei—unfortunately, he had just been sent flying by the shockwave from Durandal and the Kevin puppet's battle. He had just regrouped with Yae Sakura, who had been separated from him, and hadn't had time to make his next move.
He couldn't help it. His plan was grand, but the fists in front of him were also very large...
"So what if you have big fists!" Lin Wei grumbled, ignoring Yae Sakura's strange look.
He activated his flying device to continue his journey and ran straight into Fu Hua.
"..."
"..."
Yae Sakura remained silent. Lin Wei and Fu Hua stared at each other for a moment. After a few seconds, Fu Hua deactivated her mask and shook her head helplessly.
"You really know how to cause trouble..."
Every time she heard news about this guy, he managed to cause some earth-shattering commotion. It was like that in Nagazora City, it was like that in Manila, and it was even more so now...
First, you challenge Schicksal. What's next, trying to ascend to heaven?
"Yeah, I wonder about that too. I don't really have any grand ambitions, so why do I always have to cause such a big fuss?" Lin Wei also smiled helplessly.
"I'd love to sit down and catch up with you, but now is probably not the time for that."
"Yes, I'd also like to know how you went from being so frail a year ago to what you are now. But as you said, now is not the time to reminisce." Fu Hua shook her head and said in a low voice.
"Although I'd like to persuade you to stop, which is impossible, I'm sorry, but I have to stop you here."
She knew that stalling for time with words was an effective strategy, but for some reason, she didn't want to use such a despicable method against this familiar yet strange young man, out of a hidden respect for him...
If you're really capable, then defeat me and achieve your goal!
Fu Hua thought silently. The battlesuit's power core roared to life once more, the mask covered her face again, and she extended a hand forward, saying in a low voice, "Please!"
"Hahahaha, good! I still prefer your straightforward nature, Fu Hua!" Lin Wei laughed heartily, leaping from the flying device. His arms were covered in black gauntlets, and he punched straight at Fu Hua's face without hesitation.
"Take this!"
Lin Wei's punch was unremarkable. Even without her battlesuit, Fu Hua could have easily dealt with it. Now, she caught it casually, but then she paused.
"This is..."
Though it wasn't masterful, she couldn't mistake that familiar inch-force technique.
"A year ago, after I entered the Elysian Realm, the you there personally taught me this."
Though his attack was so easily blocked, Lin Wei didn't feel awkward at all. He smiled.
"How's my form? Come on, give 'your own' teaching a grade."
"...Amateurish," Fu Hua said flatly. Then her brows furrowed, and she barked, "Inch-force!"
Their fists had been touching the whole time, but with Fu Hua's shout, Lin Wei grunted. The hand covered by the "Projection: Tenth Divine Key" gauntlet felt a sharp pain, as if his knuckles had been struck by a heavy hammer.
Inch-force, generating power on contact with an explosive burst. It was a small "return of favor" for Lin Wei's clumsy attempt just now.
If she had been serious, she could have crippled him with one punch!
"Tsk, careless. That Hua wasn't as devious as you!"
Lin Wei clutched his fist as Fu Hua kicked him away, landing him precisely on the flying device. Yae Sakura, who had somehow switched weapons with Lin Wei, now held the ominous crimson demon blade and charged forward, a faint smile on her lips.
"Miss Fu Hua, your opponent is me."
"You can't stop me," Fu Hua said flatly. She knew Yae Sakura was skilled, so she wasn't as restrained as she had been with Lin Wei.
After the initial probing attack, she had already figured out Lin Wei's capabilities—nothing special. So, she focused more of her attention on Yae Sakura.
But in just an instant, she suddenly became alert. No, he did it on purpose. I fell for it!
She punched Yae Sakura back and spun around. In just a second of carelessness, Lin Wei had completely transformed.
A black mist swirled around him, instantly solidifying into a strangely shaped black battlesuit. The Seven Thunders of Retribution appeared in his hand, and like an energy link, a bright light flowed through him, turning the black battlesuit a visible purple-black.
Fu Hua recognized it at a glance. It was the ability of a Zeroth Divine Key. For such a change to occur meant...
"Not good!" she cursed herself. She turned to stop Lin Wei, but was intercepted by Yae Sakura's downward slash.
"I said, your opponent is me!"
"Ugh!"
Fist and sword clashed, and Fu Hua's movement was hindered for another instant. And in that instant, it was too late for anything.
The Seven Thunders of Retribution and the "Projection: Key of Blankness" had successfully linked. The next second, a boundless peal of thunder exploded out of nowhere!
The flying device Lin Wei had been standing on had vanished. He now stood unsupported in the sky, purple wings of light faintly visible behind him, countless arcs of electricity crackling in his hair. Every breath he took was a clap of thunder!
At this moment, he seemed to have become an emissary of the sky, the incarnation of lightning, he had become...
The Herrscher of Thunder!
"A Herrscher's Honkai energy exists in imaginary space, and the Herrscher core is the key to opening that imaginary space." Based on this research, Dr. MEI from the Previous Era had developed another of her masterpieces.
By using a battlesuit as a conduit, a Herrscher core could be linked to a human body, giving them the power of a true Herrscher for a short time!
It was a genius concept that even Vill-V had to admit defeat to, and she had secretly made a copy. This non-Divine-Key Divine Key was brought by her into the Elysian Realm, and then obtained by Lin Wei along with the other "Divine Keys."
Although the replica projected by the Key of Corrosion couldn't match the quality of the original, it didn't stop Lin Wei from borrowing its power!
Lin Wei felt the power coursing through his body, so immense it was painful. He slowly opened his eyes, his once-black pupils now a deep purple.
He glanced at Fu Hua, then his body moved. Like a bolt of lightning, he shot past her, carrying a boundless storm of thunder and lightning, and charged toward the ground, toward the Second Divine Key, toward Otto!
"Otto, are you out of cards? Now, it's my turn!"
Lin Wei, having broken through all the defensive lines, laughed loudly. He held the dazzlingly bright Seven Thunders of Retribution horizontally and charged at Otto like a true bolt of lightning.
"Otto, prepare to die!"
------
WHEN TOMORROW COME!