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"Seventeen years later, we meet again, Will of Honkai."
"…"
What answered Otto was silence.
But that was only how it appeared to those watching from outside the screen.
The Will of Honkai did not require language as a medium of communication.
Or rather—
An abstract, dimensional will such as this could no longer be understood through ordinary logic or thought.
It seemed that a corresponding response had been delivered directly into Otto's mind.
Maintaining his elegant composure, Otto continued,
"Yes. Through certain channels, I've come to understand you more accurately."
"You cannot change the rules of the world. You cannot descend directly into the world where humans live. And your apostles—the so-called Herrschers—mostly fail to truly comprehend their own power."
"If the Imaginary Tree behind you is a vast, unfathomable ocean…"
"Then you yourself are, at best, a shallow strait."
Though Otto kept a respectful tone and address,
The implication of his words made it difficult to sense any genuine reverence.
This made everyone outside the screen instinctively break into a cold sweat for him.
Otto himself was a master manipulator of human nature—so why would he say something that sounded almost mocking?!
Did he truly feel no fear at all toward the Will of Honkai?
And very soon, the exchange between Otto and the Will of Honkai shattered everyone's expectations yet again.
"Of course, that said—no matter how shallow a strait may be, it's still more than enough to drown tens of thousands of Otto Apocalypse."
"…"
"Indeed. That is precisely what Otto Apocalypse plans to do. I am deeply grateful that you do not intend to interfere."
"Still… you don't even plan to stop that man named Kevin Kaslana? You might even be considered 'old acquaintances,' no?"
"…"
"Heh, I see."
"Then that will be something I have no chance to witness. Besides, I shouldn't be measuring your pursuits by human standards in the first place."
"A pleasure working with you, %%%%%%%."
With that—
Otto's consciousness returned to his body.
[Himeko (Honkai): That just now… was the Will of Honkai?!]
[Himeko (Honkai): But why does Otto look so calm about it???]
[Kafka: Seventeen years ago, during the Second Herrscher's incident in Sirin's mindscape, Otto already encountered the Will of Honkai once.]
[March 7th: But the most terrifying thing is—Otto doesn't seem afraid of it at all?!]
[Tesla: Wait… cooperation? What cooperation??]
[Herta: What exactly did the Will of Honkai say to Otto in his mind?]
[Himeko (Star Rail): Don't tell me Otto reached some kind of agreement with the Will of Honkai?!]
Yet no matter how curious they were,
All they could do was watch with a growing sense of dread as the timeline returned to after the most recent experiment.
The day after the experiment connecting the world bubble to the Imaginary Tree concluded.
"With everyone's full cooperation, yesterday's experiment can be considered a complete success."
"Next—believe me, it won't take long—Schicksal will take a decisive step forward in humanity's long history of resisting Honkai."
"Of course, you all know this well: every decisive advancement in human history inevitably harms a small number of people—sometimes even the majority."
"But we must also see that, for humanity as a whole, such losses are limited and temporary."
"Anti-Entropy may cause us trouble, and World Serpent likely won't provide material support—but as long as Schicksal, this solid fortress, still stands on the horizon, humanity will迎来 a brighter future because of the step we've taken today."
Seeing the urging look from Changguang beside him, Otto cleared his throat lightly.
"...Ahem. In that case, I'll keep it brief—"
"To ensure that the upcoming operation proceeds according to plan, as the Overseer, I will now formally declassify the identity of Schicksal's final S-rank Valkyrie!"
"In the next phase of the mission, she will work closely with all of you—until I myself retire in triumph."
[As Otto introduced her—]
[A completely unfamiliar face officially appeared at Schicksal Headquarters.]
[Together with the previous experiment, her appearance marked the moment when the Overseer's life-long plan entered its final stage of execution!]
[The die has been cast. The long-sealed wheels of fate have finally begun to turn in unison once more.]
At once!
Everyone watching the screen was stunned.
The final plan—formally underway?!
Schicksal's last S-rank Valkyrie???
Who was it?!
Durandal was already a known figure.
Could it be… the returned Fu Hua?!
But… how could Fu Hua possibly return to Schicksal's side?
Theresa was even less likely…
If it wasn't any of the known Valkyries—
Then what other trump card had Otto been hiding?!
[Ningguang: Schicksal's final S-rank Valkyrie?!]
[Durandal: That's impossible… Overseer?!]
[Theresa: But… Grandpa never mentioned anything like this to me!]
[Himeko (Honkai): An S-rank Valkyrie is no ordinary existence!]
[Herta: It seems Otto truly is initiating his final plan.]
[March 7th: And he's already prepared to stand against Anti-Entropy—and even World Serpent!]
[Fu Hua: Otto… what exactly are you planning?]
Inside a life-support pod.
"Don't be nervous. You were just having a nightmare."
Otto's voice reached the ears of the newly awakened girl.
She tried hard to open her eyes—but could see nothing at all.
"Ah, your vision hasn't recovered yet. That's perfectly normal during awakening from deep hibernation, so don't worry."
The mysterious voice gradually overlapped with her fading dream.
The girl realized that the man outside and the man in her dream were one and the same.
"In about an hour—ah, perhaps half an hour—your body will return to excellent condition."
"Before that, let me help you confirm some basic information about the era."
"Oh, right. Do you know who I am? If you do, try nodding."
She struggled to recall how to control her muscles. After a few seconds, her head slowly moved back and forth.
She wanted to stretch lazily—but her arms refused to obey.
"Very good. There's no need to rush your movements. Sensation will gradually return."
"Now then, to the point."
"Today is May, 2017… ah, sorry. That kind of phrasing would only confuse you more."
"Let me put it another way—this is the era five hundred and twenty years after you fell asleep."
Instantly!
With Otto's words, countless viewers were jolted in realization.
In a flash, they understood.
Five hundred and twenty years later!
Which meant—
This sleeping S-rank Valkyrie came from over five centuries ago!
In that very instant, a single figure appeared in everyone's mind—
A name ready to burst forth.
And as the girl reappeared on screen, countless Transcendents cried out at once:
"Li Sushang?!"
On screen, time jumped forward more than four months.
[October 13, 2017 — Friday]
"Ah, what a gloomy yet radiant day."
"In five hundred years, I've never seen a day quite like this."
"After all, to fool the world, you must live like the world—and most people don't bother searching for sunlight behind heavy clouds."
Otto gazed up at the overcast sky, sincerely admiring the rays of light piercing through the clouds.
"Go find my old friend. She might appreciate this kind of weather."
As he spoke, the figure of a young girl appeared in the distance.
"So you were here, Sushang."
"This place has such great scenery! Changguang told me about it—no way I could've found it myself, haha."
Li Sushang looked to be in a good mood, stretching lazily.
She turned back to Otto, a faint, unspoken joy flickering in her eyes.
"Looks like you've already gotten along with everyone. Impressive—just like you. You always manage to exceed expectations."
"Hey, wasn't it you, you Luocha, who insisted I become some S-rank Valkyrie? Are you trying to help me fit into my new identity—or not?"
Li Sushang planted her hands on her hips, scolding him out of habit.
"Ah, I was just being overly cautious, worried you might have trouble adapting to modern society."
"It's not bad. By standards of our Taixu Sect—aside from microwaves, showers, and flush toilets, life hasn't changed all that much."
"At most, ordinary people today can live more freely. Like the examples I just mentioned."
"There are so many convenient tools now that let people live independently, so there aren't as many annoying rules and formalities between people."
"But joking aside—if 'freedom' means disappearing without warning like you did a few days ago…"
Once Li Sushang got going, her words poured out endlessly.
Her temperament was exactly as everyone remembered—
Playful, naïve, and endearing.
Otto shook his head with a wry smile.
"Hahaha, that really is my weak spot. Considering Changguang and Amber took care of you during that time—please, go easy on me."
"Seriously. I wanted to meet Durandal and Rita sooner. I really want to spar with them!"
"Rita might be hard to convince—but Bianka probably wouldn't refuse a duel, right?"
At that, Li Sushang snorted.
"You mean while you vanished and everyone else was running around like headless chickens? I'm not that out of touch with reality!"
"Now you're back, but everyone else is constantly being sent on missions again."
"Honestly, is your so-called final plan really necessary to make things this complicated?"
Faced with Li Sushang's rapid-fire questions, Otto spread his hands.
"Hahaha. I suppose I'm only good at methods that satisfy myself the most."
"Does that really count as self-satisfaction? Didn't you say you'll probably die because of it?"
"Yes, I did. But you know—I've never really cared about my own life, have I?"
He spoke of his own life with startling casualness.
As if it meant nothing to him at all.
But the viewers were shaken to the core.
Otto had seemingly revealed his final plan to Li Sushang?!
And even more—
Li Sushang said Otto himself admitted he would likely die?!
What exactly was Otto's final plan?!
Why would it even cost Otto his own life?!
In an instant, everyone realized how grave the situation truly was.
When an Overseer as cautious as Otto Apocalypse was willing to trade away his life to push a plan forward—
Then it could only be his final plan.
[Hu Tao: That's… Li Sushang!! The Li Sushang brought back during the Shenzhou expedition!!]
[Kamisato Ayaka: I can't believe I forgot about her…]
[Yoimiya: It really is Miss Sushang!]
[Sushang: It's Miss Li Sushang, okay!]
[Silver Wolf: Has her injury healed?]
[Fu Hua: Otto… really awakened Sushang?!]
[Theresa: So she's the last S-rank Valkyrie Grandpa mentioned…]
[Tesla: Wait, "probably die"?? Otto's joking with her, right?]
[Tesla: Someone that obsessed with staying alive—how could he possibly…]
[Sparkle: Tsk tsk. Even the most cautious person becomes reckless when there's something they absolutely must accomplish, no?]
[Ruan Mei: Indeed. Which means this is Otto's ultimate—and most important—plan.]
With Ruan Mei's conclusion, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts.
Yes…
No matter how despicable or frivolous Otto might usually seem,
No matter how hypocritical he was when manipulating others—
When it came to his ultimate goal,
To the softest and most important place in his heart—
Otto Apocalypse would become stubborn, even foolish.
No matter the cost.
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