After a wave of provocation, Otto ordered the on-site S-rank Valkyries to report to Dawn Observation Deck to carry out their final mission—then hung up the communication.
Everyone immediately began heated discussion, all believing that Otto's deliberate provocation surely had an ulterior motive.
Yet if they ignored Otto's orders, it seemed they had no other course of action.
Thus, Durandal and Rita decided to comply, while the main cast gave them heartfelt farewells.
Unknowingly, through Otto's manipulations, those who once harbored grievances had now become united.
Finally—
Kiana looked at Durandal and smiled: "Good luck, strongest S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal."
Elysia saw Kiana's smile and was moved.
Ever since the Final Lesson, she hadn't seen Kiana smile like this.
It seemed that after Herrscher of Flamescion, the wound in Kiana's heart had truly healed.
She had stepped forward, looking toward the future.
Himeko, look—she'll become your pride!
Very soon—
Durandal and Rita headed to the designated location. On the way, they encountered Li Sushang.
Durandal asked Sushang her opinion on Otto, and she replied that she owed him a favor and would help him once—then they would be even.
As for how Li Sushang would help Otto, based on earlier PVs, it was undoubtedly a battle with Fu Hua.
A duel between grandmaster and disciple?
Hmm, was that giant sword in the video Taixuan Swordmaster?
Players began piecing together the story and grew more curious about what would happen next.
But their future expressions upon witnessing the "martial virtue-rich" battles of the Taixuan line remained to be seen.
After their talk, Durandal, Rita, and Sushang went to the observation deck to meet Otto.
When Durandal saw Otto, she couldn't help but ask:
"What price does your plan require?"
"Ah, the price."
Otto seemed slightly surprised she'd ask: "But first, I'd like to correct a subtle misunderstanding—yes, I intend to leave this world, but strictly speaking, I'm not heading to another world."
"My destination is the far shore of the world: it's the boundary between worlds, a place where we can redefine time."
Many players, upon reaching this world-building exposition, felt their heads begin to itch again.
Thankfully, after Sushang pressed him, Otto spoke the one term that may have appeared most in this chapter—
To everyone's great relief.
"Let me give an analogy…"
And that analogy really helped many people roughly get it.
[Otto means he's not going to some parallel world, but wants to make this world re-evolve starting from 500 years ago?]
[Yeah, which would theoretically create a new worldline where Kallen is still alive.]
[So, the question is: what's the price?]
...
Audience discussion was booming.
Elysia blinked. Though she didn't understand right now, she pushed through the plot thinking that once the ending came, she'd get it.
But then—
[Give it up. You'll just end up relying on others to summarize the info later anyway. Don't force it, hehe.]
"That… actually makes sense."
Elysia read that comment and, rather than getting mad, nodded in agreement: "Then I'll leave it to Mobius."
[??? I don't have time for such nonsense!]
Elysia ignored Mobius's bullet comment. She knew Miss Snake would never refuse a cute girl's request.
That confidence—very Elysia.
And so, Elysia continued the story lazily.
Otto finished his lecture and assigned everyone their tasks.
The mission was simple: just guard different areas and keep out unrelated personnel.
Meanwhile, the doctors researching the Herrscher of Domination Core had come to a conclusion.
They realized they'd been played.
Before handing the core to Theresa, Otto had already extracted the Herrscher's authority by some unknown means.
And what Kiana and Bronya thought was charging the core… was actually charging Otto's weapon.
As they realized the truth and rushed to alert the others—
It was too late.
Otto, now wielding Herrscher power, summoned a horde of Otto Soulsteel Puppets to surround the Hyperion.
[Thousand Otto Herrschers? This is borderline terrifying.]
["Hell Scroll"]
[Look on the bright side—now we get to beat up Otto over and over. (doge)]
[Can't wait to punch each Otto in his Soulsteel face!]
...
Chapter 26's main story ended here.
Of course, there were still side stories and documents, like Elysia's earlier "Squad Leader's Old Residence."
No need to elaborate here.
Elysia patiently finished the side quests and returned to the main story.
She reached Chapter 27. Dusk of the Fool.
The plot picked up right where it left off: Otto's Soulsteel Puppets surrounding the Hyperion.
At this moment, an unknown transmission connected to the Hyperion.
It was Otto's clone, requesting everyone to stand by where they were.
Theresa declared that Otto was obviously stalling for time, and she couldn't let his scheme succeed.
The real-world Theresa looked on with satisfaction—finally showing a tenth of her own caliber. She'd come a long way.
Otto's true body then appeared and praised Theresa's growth, before shamelessly revealing his plan.
He would reset the world to 500 years ago and begin a second round. All life in the past 500 years, outside Kolosten, would be erased.
"Time reversal? Do you realize how much energy that would require?" Tesla immediately challenged him.
Otto answered: "What if I've already made a deal with a being known as the Will of Honkai?"
Upon seeing this—
Elysia couldn't help but ask:
"Otto made a deal with the Will of Honkai? But… why would the Honkai help him?"
"Wouldn't sending everyone back 500 years just give humanity another 500 years to resist?"
[Yeah, is the Will of Honkai stupid?]
[Think about it. If you sent ten goons and four were scrubs, and six betrayed you… wouldn't you want to restart too?]
[...Too logical. I have no counterargument.]
"Uh…"
Elysia read that comment and murmured, "Now that I think about it, it actually makes sense."
"But… don't say Kiana and the others are turncoats. The Herrschers of this era… just chose humanity, right?"
"Though we still don't know why the Herrschers of this era can even make that choice."
She paused, then asked Hokuto: "Will there be an explanation later?"
Hokuto: "..."
Avoiding spoilers—for a better future.
Elysia saw Hokuto go silent. Since she was livestreaming, she couldn't act out too strangely.
So she held back her curiosity and focused on the story.
She would learn the reason behind the difference between current and past era Herrschers eventually.
In fact, she was probably the first person to know—besides Hokuto.
Though whether that knowledge would bring her joy… was another matter entirely.
Otto finished explaining his plan and told the main cast that he was giving them 12 final hours to challenge him.
If they failed, this 500-year world and everything they loved would be completely erased.
Otto's actions and words were absolutely outrageous—but the cast had no choice but to follow his script.
After all, they couldn't gamble the lives of the entire world.
Players outside the screen were also deep in thought. After putting themselves in the same situation, they too felt powerless.
Otto's plan this time—was a true, aboveboard strategy.
A master of war seeks advantage, not blame.
No matter what the main cast thought, they had to follow through.
A fitting move from Schicksal Overseer Otto Apocalypse—whose mind was his sharpest weapon.
...