Chapter 372

I really don't understand. It seems this new bishop is a bit difficult to get along with. I hope I won't suffer any terrible treatment after Lord Otto leaves. He said he would bully me badly... I hope I'll be alright then.

The straightforward girl took Shen Gonglin's words seriously. Perhaps she should investigate what he meant by "bullying." Putting the matter aside for now, the white-haired girl stood at the church entrance, carrying out the task Otto had given her: vigilance...

Although she didn't know what she was guarding against.

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Otto Killed Otto

"What... is this?"

Following Theresa and the others, they ran into the church. Once inside, Shen Gonglin looked up at the sky in surprise. What should have been just a roof was now a scene that resembled a brilliant starry sky. Hmm... is this the Starry Sky Dome?

"999 distributed Herrscher Core. I used the spatial manipulation technology of the Second Divine Key to disassemble their aggregate into their current form... The purpose, of course, is to lock the position of the last piece of the puzzle."

As if showcasing his masterpiece to the world, Otto stood under the stars. Perhaps it was truly because of his performative personality that this bishop needed an audience, someone to witness everything that happened and ended.

"Dr. Tesla of Anti-Entropy said that she will soon be able to deduce the location of the Herrscher Core using her test data."

The honest Durandal spoke up, and he seemed quite capable, but Tesla could do something like that too.

"Hahaha... I believe she can do it. However... I, Otto Apocalypse, have a much easier way. And it won't needlessly dirty her hands... It's time, Rita. Let's retrieve our experimental equipment."

Otto smiled and shook his head. His plan didn't need to rely on others, and it was better to do it himself. The last core was already in front of him, and all he needed to do now was retrieve it. Otto looked at the face behind the group that looked exactly like his own. It seemed like the face wanted to say something, but Otto didn't need to listen.

Rita? Shen Gonglin and Durandal frowned. Then, as Otto's voice fell, a cold scythe slashed through the shadows, leaving a sound that was neither muffled nor crisp. It didn't sound like a blade cutting through a human body. The guest they had brought earlier had been turned into a lifeless, alien shell.

"Rita, what have you done!"

Stunned by what she was seeing, Durandal stared in shock at Rita, who stood silently beside her holding a scythe. What had just happened was indeed beyond Durandal's expectations. How could Rita suddenly appear and... so decisively and cleanly take down Otto?

"Calm down, Durandal. It's just another Soul Steel body of the Bishop. If you don't believe me, look, this isn't blood."

Rita smiled at Shen Gonglin first. She knew that Shen Gonglin probably wanted to do the same thing, but it was just that she was hesitant to do it for some reason. After all, this was not the real bishop from five hundred years ago. So Rita readily accepted the order after hearing it. The maid pointed to the viscous purple liquid on the scythe.

The Soul Steel Body needs these things as blood and support; otherwise, it would just be a lifeless model.

"That's right, this is the easier way. Look, I've collected the last piece of the puzzle for you."

Crouching down, Otto expressionlessly rummaged through the Soul Steel body that was exactly like his own. Finally, he pulled out a golden core. Without a doubt, the last Herrscher of Domination core was complete.

"What exactly did you do?!"

The scene before her eyes was something Theresa couldn't accept. What was going on? Why would her grandfather do this, killing people so recklessly? Even though it was Soul Steel body, and even though it was him, this was still beyond Theresa's tolerance.

"This is a long story, so... before we get to that, you don't mind if I wipe my hands clean first, right? Let's start from the beginning."

Standing up, Otto gracefully took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his hands clean. Then, the bishop began his impromptu performance, revealing a little bit of his plan to them.

"Several months ago, the experimental subject K423, a person known as Kiana Kaslana, defeated the Herrscher of Domination and saved her companions. However, although the Herrscher of Domination perished, its Herrscher Core was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, with the power of the Second Divine Key, I managed to enter the ruins of the Domination Theater, where I discovered a crucial clue. Due to its special structure, the Herrscher of Domination's core is partially hidden in the Imaginary Space, searching for a new object to possess, a new opportunity to exploit."

Even when people around him looked at him with hostility and suspicion, Otto still spoke eloquently in front of them. If he were to let the opinions of others affect what he wanted to do, he wouldn't be Otto.

"As everyone knows, the Herrscher of Domination are most interested in those who are filled with despair and willing to let the world fall into defeat. And that is where my complete recovery plan begins."

At this point, Durandal interrupted Otto's performance, saying that after all he had said, he still hadn't reached the end.

"I don't understand. What does this have to do with Mr. Otto, who was just assassinated by Rita?"

Durandal questioned, which was also the answer Theresa and the others wanted to know. She had a good impression of Otto, at least much better than the person in front of her, whose thoughts no one knew.

"Calm down, Durandal. Consider my situation this way: when we entered the ruins of the Domination Theater together, I had already collected 999 Herrscher Core that had returned to their distributed state; but the last one, it has always been cunningly lurking in the depths of the dimensional rift, making it difficult for me to locate it. So I decided to throw a bait at this last core, a host that it will definitely not be able to refuse."

At this point, Shen Gonglin could probably guess what Otto was going to say next: who else could be an irresistible host but the lifeless Mr. Otto on the ground?

"That's right, that's me, Otto Apocalypse himself."

As expected, Otto revealed the truth, but Theresa was still puzzled as to why he would choose to do such a thing.

"Didn't Otto already tell you? His saint died because of him, which made him live like a walking corpse afterward. Perhaps I am no longer so fragile now... but I know that no one's heart was darker than Otto Apocalypse five hundred years ago."

Otto took a deep breath, and his words left everyone speechless. To choose this method for such a reason... This guy is ruthless.

Chapter Ninety-Nine: This isn't the first time I've done something like this.

"In conclusion, I have decided to use this as a basis to build an incoherent stage and a brilliant trap for the escape core of the Herrscher of Domination. First, I will use myself as my Second Divine Key to project the observation results of a specific spacetime on the Imaginary Tree into the Domination Theater that I have already controlled. Then, I will drive the 999 cores that I have already mastered to present the information that has been transcribed into the Domination Theater in the real environment."

Having accomplished the feat of "killing himself," Otto spoke eloquently about his plan. So far, the plan has been very successful. In this way, Otto neither caused a distortion in spacetime itself, but he did indeed leak information from another time to us. And now, all that is needed is to prepare a real Otto Apocalypse from five hundred years ago, and this Herrscher of Domination of Domination will be ready.

"You mean, what we just saw about the past was really just fragments of information? Pure copies?"

Theresa stared in disbelief at the blond man before her. She suddenly felt as if she had never known him at all. He was truly ruthless in his pursuit of his plans, willing to use anything and scheme against anything. This man was truly terrifying.

"That's right, it's all just a replica created to lure the snake out of its hole; nothing more will infiltrate except information. Everything you see and collect is regenerated in our own world. You can think of it as me using cheating to simulate a result that couldn't be achieved even if the entire world's energy were exhausted."

Otto showcased his achievements, and in the end, he had indeed deceived the escaped core of the Herrscher of Domination.

"Then this Soul Steel life form lying on the ground..."

Durandal frowned and pointed to the lifeless corpse on the ground. Calling it a corpse might not be quite accurate; it was Soul Steel body... Otto had many such spare bodies, the kind that Little Herrscher of Consciousness had once crushed.

"Oh, Bianca, this is of course just a simulation program. Of course, the simulated object is collected from real, complete historical information that has traveled through time and space... That is why that individual firmly believes that he is Otto Apocalypse in 1491."

Otto shook his head with a smile on his face. Otto firmly believed that he had just led the rebellion to overthrow the old Schicksal, and that everything he had done was for the saint in his heart... and that was why he could preserve the deadly darkness in the deepest part of your disgusting heart exactly as it was.

No one understands the darkness in that person's heart better than yourself, because you are that person, because you are someone who has lived through that time and is still immersed in it.

Shen Gonglin and the others fell silent. They didn't know what to say. Although this person was terrible, the obsession in his heart was truly terrifying.

"Do I need to remind you of the real history? A new leader of Schicksal who rose to power through an uprising, in order to heal the unspeakable wounds in his heart, betrayed all his comrades over the long five hundred years, and in the end lived as the epitome of evil in the eyes of Anti-Entropy. Even his confidants only chose to serve him for the purpose of maintaining order... Yes, I'm talking about you, Durandal, Rita, don't look at anyone else."

With a faint smile still on his face, Otto continued to joke, making the two Valkyrie, who were under everyone's attention, feel somewhat embarrassed. Although it was something they both knew in advance, the words he said were still incredibly awkward.

"The Otto you just saw is at the beginning of this long and dark journey. He is like Macbeth after seeing the witches, who, because of his own delusions, arbitrarily decided the fate of everyone. The result is as you saw: the only escaped Herrscher Core has parasitized his body without any doubt. The ingenuity of the fusion almost escaped the eyes of those genius scientists at Anti-Entropy."

At this point, Durandal couldn't hold back any longer. The girl shook off her earlier embarrassment. Since she had already done it, Durandal wasn't afraid of what people would say. After all, Schicksal was full of traitors, and she was just following its Schicksal... It sounded quite natural, didn't it? She roughly understood Otto's plan, but she still couldn't accept it.

"But... in terms of the result... you created such a consciousness, and then... you personally stifled it for your own purposes."

This behavior was unacceptable not only to Durandal but also to Theresa. Although it was Rita who did the harm, she acted like a knife. All of this was done by Otto himself.

"Yes. But Durandal, is this the first time you've heard of me doing something like this? For example... I saved someone's life five hundred years ago, but five hundred years later I still turn my gun on her. That's more like something Otto Apocalypse would do."

He spoke of these things openly and honestly, but Shen Gonglin's anger was clearly provoked by this guy. He was talking about the Class President was shot dead by this guy back then, and now he dared to say it. This guy really shouldn't be alive.

"For example... in order to study the power of the Herrscher, I once took the Second Herrscher from Anti-Entropy. At that time, Mr. Welt almost destroyed her in the name of humanity. After that, I killed her, resurrected her, and tortured almost everyone on the Hyperion for her power. These are all things that Otto Apocalypse did. Durandal, you clearly know more or less about the causes and consequences of these things, but now, do you care about the death of a mechanical consciousness that only exists for a few hours?"

As Otto recounted all the evil deeds he had committed over the years, it was as if he were announcing his exit. Such words successfully enraged everyone, and the hostility in front of them seemed to be about to seep in. It was time to stop while they were ahead, because if they continued to provoke them, it would be difficult to control the situation. If it weren't for Theresa's feelings, Shen Gonglin would probably have pounced on them by now.

Durandal fell silent for a moment. Indeed, these were things Otto had done before, yet he had successfully fulfilled his wish. Durandal truly had no way to judge this person.

"Oh dear, Durandal, are you angry because of what I just said? Well, I can apologize, because in my opinion, being cautious is not a shameful thing to do. I know you're not a child anymore, Bianca."

Chapter 100 The Best Student

As if that wasn't enough, Otto continued to fan the flames, knowing exactly what Durandal had been enduring all these years.

"Bianca, you are no longer a child. Over the years, you have upheld your mission, chosen to tolerate the darkness of this world, and tolerated the necessary evils I have committed... I must say, there is no shame in this. In this matter, you have shown a maturity and fortitude beyond your years. I will tell the whole world without hesitation that you, Durandal, are my best student in five hundred years."

Otto's proud declaration showed his satisfaction with Durandal's maturity. This pride was genuine; Durandal was indeed his most outstanding student... It's just that her personal feelings might have gone a little astray. How could she have fallen for such a guy? And the same goes for others. This might be her only flaw.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing, my good children. Theresa, why are you staring at me like that, like I'm a murderer? Your grandfather isn't a devil, he wouldn't just kill people randomly."

Otto's words gave Shen Gonglin a very strange feeling. He didn't kill people indiscriminately, which meant that he would kill people as long as there was profit to be made.

"Indeed, in the past, I did some things that were too much for you and your subordinates because of some unavoidable reasons. But my child, haven't you noticed that all those terrible things are now in the past? My resignation is serious, and my departure from Schicksal is also serious. You should know that the final destination I have found after traversing thousands of mountains and rivers over the past five hundred years is a priceless treasure that cannot be exchanged for anything, and it is worth sacrificing everything for."

It's getting more and more like it. Shen Gonglin frowned and pondered. She had a feeling that Otto was provoking her, and she wondered if this performance was also part of his plan. What exactly did he want to do...? This kind of enigmatic man was giving Shen Gonglin a headache.

"What did you find?"

Theresa's voice turned cold. Did he really mean it was all over just because he said it was all over? Kiana, Mei, Fu Hua ... everyone suffered unimaginable hardships because of him. Could it really be all over just because he said it was all over? Impossible!!

"I found a time, I found a sacred soul that was not yet dead. You know, many people die too late, and some die too early. She thought she had found her own death, but everyone knows that was by no means the right time. On the contrary, if I could decide my own death—I would use my own death to prove to her what a magnificent end to life it is to truly die voluntarily, to die voluntarily."

He started speaking in a language that no one else could understand, but Otto was quite content, immersed in his own world. Just a little longer, just a little longer, and he would succeed.

When that time comes, she will realize how brilliant the light of humanity her life can still radiate in that previously stagnant future.

Suppressing his thoughts for the moment, Otto looked at Theresa and handed her the Herrscher of Domination core, which he had already wiped clean.

"Come on, in order for our relationship to continue in the future, please accept this gift... my dear Theresa."

The Herrscher Core fragments, like stars scattered throughout the church, converged on the Herrscher Core in Otto's hand, marking the beginning of a tragedy... If only he could return to the seven o'clock that marked its birth, everything would be alright.

Like a sky full of Stars, the Herrscher Core was now fused together in the blond man's hand. He flicked his sleeve slightly, tossing the gem into Theresa's palm as if tossing it to a child. This was perfect for Theresa.

"Here, try to use its power for your own purposes, Theresa. It might become a rather perfect weapon."

It was like a gift casually given to her granddaughter, and Theresa gripped the core tightly in her hand. After all, this was their original purpose for coming here, but Theresa was very unhappy with his previous behavior and attitude.

"... Thank you for the reminder. Scientists at Anti-Entropy will study this."

We need to be careful whether Otto left any hidden pieces on this core. We should check this core carefully when we get back.

"Well, I'm not worried about that. After all, they always do excellent research. They'll definitely help you solve the most difficult intellectual problems. And you don't need to be too angry with me, Theresa. The ceremony of the transfer of power will take place as scheduled. I assure you that you will become Archbishop of Schicksal with full authority. As for me, I will soon embark on my final journey to the other side of the world to find that one and only being, a hero that you all know by heart."

Looking at Shen Gonglin and Theresa, the successors he had personally chosen, Shen Gonglin might have some personality issues, but he possessed a charismatic personality that brought everyone together—an indispensable quality for a leader. Theresa, on the other hand, after so many years of his training, was fully capable of standing on her own. Moreover, there were the scientists from Anti-Entropy providing intellectual support, Durandal and the Herrscher of Flamescion providing combat strength, and others...

These are the treasures I leave for this world. Just wait, Kallen Kaslana ... the only one I'd give everything for.

After saying that, Otto tossed his cloak and turned to leave. Theresa wanted to ask him something, but when she chased after him out of the church, he was nowhere to be seen. Only Amber remained.

"Amber, where has your bishop gone?"

There were still many things Theresa wanted to ask Otto, such as why he had disappeared. She asked Amber, but the secretary shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Lady Theresa ... The bishop asked me to protect his privacy. But now that you have obtained the core of the Herrscher of Domination, why not send it back to the Hyperion for research?"

Amber bowed politely to Theresa. Theresa looked at the secretary in front of her, who seemed like a tough nut to crack. Having dealt with her before, Theresa knew that asking her would be pointless, so she gave up.

"I was planning to do the same thing anyway, you didn't need to remind me... Durandal, would you like to come with us?"

Ignoring Amber, Theresa looked at Durandal. She now had a very good impression of this Valkyrie; she was definitely not one of her grandfather's people.

Chapter 101 Resurrecting the Dead

"Of course we will return to Hyperion with you, Lady Theresa."

Before Durandal could speak, Rita took the initiative to speak. The maid smiled sweetly at Theresa, and before she knew it, she was standing next to Shen Gonglin. Her self-righteous manner, as if she was supposed to be standing there all along, made Theresa's lips twitch. What was with this personal maid acting like? This betrayal was too quick.

"Rita, are you coming back with us too?"

Theresa asked in a deep voice. Unlike the straightforward Durandal, Rita had always been associated with the Vixen in Theresa's mind. Who knew what she was thinking? Before, she had so decisively killed Otto's Soul Steel Body... Theresa felt that she herself could not do such a thing, but her grandfather trusted her very much. Theresa really did not know what to do with this maid.

"Of course. After all, I am a maid. Although I was unable to serve my master before due to certain circumstances, now... you can consider our service period for Lord Otto to be over. In the foreseeable future, we will switch to serving Lady Rin and Lady Theresa, since the two of them are the new bishops of Schicksal."

The maid smiled at Theresa. This statement was so impeccable that even Theresa couldn't find any way to refute it. Indeed, Durandal and Rita served Schicksal, and now she and Shen Gonglin were the new bishops of Schicksal. It was only natural that the two of them would become their subordinates. But why... did it just feel so strange?

"Rita ...you came back from the World Serpent without saying a word, and..."

Not only Theresa, but even Durandal was puzzled by Rita's current behavior. After they arrived in Kolosten together, the two separated. Durandal was responsible for welcoming the Hyperion's people, while she only knew that the bishop had other arrangements for Rita's whereabouts. And now... no wonder Theresa didn't trust Rita.

"Ah, I'm so sorry Durandal. The bishop had asked me to keep this strictly confidential, so I couldn't contact you immediately. I could only report to Lady Rin... Actually, he talked to me about some unexpected things. Can we talk about it as we walk?"

Rita winked at Shen Gonglin, her gesture somewhat ingratiating. After all, they would be reporting to each other soon, and their distrust of her wouldn't do. So, the innocent maid could only hope that Shen Gonglin would put in a good word for her. As long as he spoke up, neither Lady Theresa nor Lady Durandal should make things difficult for her.

Fortunately, he was smart enough to have informed Shen Gonglin about his plans beforehand; otherwise, Shen Gonglin would have known better than to attack Otto's Soul Steel body.

"...good."

Seeing Shen Gonglin nod, Theresa nodded hesitantly. Although she still had doubts about Rita's behavior, Shen Gonglin's reaction suggested that she probably wouldn't do anything strange. Theresa couldn't figure out what Rita was thinking, but the only thing she was sure of was that this maid wouldn't harm Shen Gonglin. Since she wouldn't harm him, she wouldn't harm the Hyperion either. Taking her back to the Hyperion shouldn't be a problem.

So the group prepared to return to the Hyperion. To be honest, they never expected that retrieving the Herrscher Core would be so easy. Otto really handed the core over to them so easily. The ease of it made everyone a little suspicious. After all, it was Otto. How could this be possible?

"Lady Theresa, Lady Durandal... I'm so sorry that what happened just now startled you."

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit dull, Rita took the initiative to start a conversation. She knew that they must have some questions for her. Shen Gonglin didn't ask because he wasn't interested. That guy was self-centered and would say whatever was on his mind. But the others were different. So, in order to get along well in the future, it was best to be upfront now.

"You were just following orders, we understand... Rita, you only set off for the World Serpent headquarters yesterday to carry out a regular communication mission... Did the bishop forcibly recall you en route?"

Durandal had no other opinion about her adjutant; she was simply curious about Rita's whereabouts. First, they came to Kolosten together, then Otto assigned her to do this "unimportant" work, and then he recalled her. This bishop was really quite capricious.

"That's right. The bishop said that this task can be left to the civilian staff in the same department."

Rita stated the truth, but this made Durandal frown; something felt off.

"Strange. If it's just to recall you and make you destroy his Soul Steel body, isn't that a bit too much of a fuss? With his intelligence, he could easily set up a trap and many people would be happy to do it. Why make you... I can't understand."

Durandal couldn't understand what Otto wanted to do, Theresa was equally troubled. She had never figured out what her grandfather wanted to do. He was a maverick, so what was he trying to do?

"Rita, is there anything else you know? Tell me everything you know."