Chapter 377

As expected of Shen Gonglin, he thought he could get rid of Kiana with just a bowl of tofu pudding; he wouldn't even treat her to something expensive.

"Kiana, taking the initiative? Shen Gonglin, what are you talking about?"

Bronya's little face turned cold and serious. Although Shen Gonglin's words were unclear, Bronya was no longer the Bronya she used to be. Now she had learned a lot of things, that is, things she learned from Mei's Book. She suddenly felt a little cuckolded. Although she was Herrscher, Bronya had no liking for cuckoldry at all.

"Huh? It's not Kiana... then it must be Ai. Well, this matter does have something to do with me, but it's because Ai said she would give me a little treat. She said she would give me a reward if I finished reading a book. I was just joking at the time, but who knew she would actually agree, so I... you know."

Shen Gonglin spilled everything out like beans from a bamboo tube. Bronya hadn't even used a basic attack before he unleashed his ultimate. Even Herrscher of Reason's super-powerful brain couldn't quite process what Shen Gonglin had just said.

Not just Kiana, even Einstein... That Chicken Coop Head usually seems so quiet, but I never expected her to dare to eat chicken so quietly. Bronya felt like she was being kept in the dark, the kind of person who's always been kept in the dark!

"... Shen Gonglin, don't move around here. Bronya is going to kill a few people. We'll talk about your business when she gets back."

After manifesting a row of Key of Reason, Bronya, now at full power, turned to vent her frustration. Shen Gonglin, however, quickly grabbed Bronya's arm. She realized she'd made a huge mistake. Bronya had clearly acted like she knew nothing; how could she have let the cat out of the bag? If she let Bronya go, things would get really messed up; everyone might find out.

"It's okay, Bronya, it's just an accident. Calm down, calm down."

Shen Gonglin quickly tried to soothe Bronya by stroking her fur. Look how angry this emotionless little girl was; she was practically about to cry. For Bronya to make such an expression... Shen Gonglin thought for a moment and then suppressed her urge to take a picture. After all, if she really dared to do that, Bronya might just start shooting at her. It was more important to calm her down now and not do anything reckless.

"Then promise me you won't do that with them again. Bronya can do it."

The aggrieved, emotionless girl looked up, and when Shen Gonglin heard Bronya say that, he froze. He changed the subject, saying that she could do it but he couldn't, and how could he agree to something like that so easily? Shen Gonglin wasn't stupid.

"Heh, as expected, Bronya is going to kill a few people today."

Seeing Shen Gonglin's reaction, the Ural Silver Wolf revealed a cold smile. Bronya wanted to return to her old profession as an assassin.

Chapter 118 Don't Walk at Night

"The Herrscher collision experiment platform has been set up, and Bronya and Kiana can begin to take their positions... Shen Gonglin, is it just my imagination? Why do I feel like Bronya has been staring at me since just now? That look... is a bit strange."

Under the overcast sky, Einstein and Tesla set up the equipment needed for the experiment. During a break in the debugging, Einstein whispered something to Shen Gonglin. She could still feel his gaze, as if she were being stared at by a wolf, which was quite eerie.

"Dr. Einstein, are you like this too? Me too! I always feel like Bronya is staring at my neck and chest, but when I look over, Bronya acts like nothing's happening. Shen Gonglin, do you know what's wrong with Bronya?"

Kiana also came over. After hearing that Einstein had the same feeling as her, she was very curious. Bronya had come with Shen Gonglin earlier, so he should know what had happened to Bronya.

"Don't ask me, I don't know anything... It's just that if you're free lately, Ai Yin, stay with me and try not to be alone. Don't ask me why, I'm doing this for your own good."

Can Shen Gonglin tell him what happened? Of course he can't. Although he has already calmed Bronya down, who knows if this girl will get angrier the more she thinks about it, or feel like she's losing out if she holds back? Split personality is now an essential skill for these girls. What if she actually stabs Einstein one day?

Kiana has the ability to protect herself, while Einstein is purely a researcher.

"Don't be alone?" Einstein was puzzled and was about to ask when Welt's communication came through. The Herrscher collision experiment needed the opinion of the former First Herrscher, and the experiment was about to begin.

[Kiana, Bronya. You need to confine your Honkai energy along a straight line as much as possible, making them collide like two laser beams. This experiment is a completely new challenge for you, so please follow instructions at every step. Shen Gonglin, please also be on standby. As someone who possesses all the Herrscher energies they do not have, you need to be prepared for any possible unforeseen events.]

Welt's voice announced the start of the experiment, and Kiana and Bronya transformed into their Herrscher forms, the Herrscher of Flamescion and the Herrscher of Reason, ready to take their positions.

Although she was still a little angry, Bronya would not hold anyone back when it came to serious matters.

"Yes, Alliance Leader."

"No problem, Mr. Welt."

The two girls stood facing each other, ready to go. Fu Hua also stood on Kiana's side. Bronya was being guided by Welt, while Fu Hua was in charge of Kiana. She had taught Kiana how to use the Great Void Sword Qi before, so now they only needed to guide the power out through the Great Void Sword Qi. For Bronya and Kiana now, this was no longer a difficult task.

"Kiana, use the Great Void Sword Qi to control your power. Start with the weakest Honkai energy and gradually strengthen it, letting the Honkai energy in your Herrscher Core seep out like water droplets, gathering into a trickle. Control the direction of this trickle, keeping you, Bronya, and the experimental core in a straight line... Now, cooperate with Bronya to increase the release of Honkai energy. Slowly, steadily, and in unison, increase your output power... Slightly a little uncoordinated, Shen Gonglin, it's time for you to make your move."

Since this was the first time they were testing their power in this way, the power levels between the two were slightly different. This was the moment when Shen Gonglin stepped in. Shen Gonglin placed her hand on Bronya's shoulder, and the Herrscher of Reason's Honkai energy was slightly amplified, making them the same.

"Herrscher Core, Targeted Liberation!"

The two girls spoke in unison, and the blue and gold powers struck the core of the Herrscher of Domination at the center. The two beams of Honkai energy with almost equal Honkai energy collided perfectly with the core of the Herrscher of Domination as the point of contact, without producing the slightest energy leakage. The core of the Herrscher of Domination, which had been silent in previous experiments, also emitted a unique and faint light.

"Very good, now all we need to do is record these energy changes."

Einstein and Tesla controlled the instruments to record everything, and now they just had to wait quietly for the experimental results to be analyzed.

After receiving the signal, Bronya and Kiana stopped releasing energy, and Durandal also stepped forward, surprised that things had gone so smoothly.

"Congratulations on the success of your experiment, Kiana."

"Thank you. This way of using power is a completely new experience for us. We are very fortunate to have been able to get it done on the first try. We owe it all to Shen Gonglin."

Kiana was also very happy. It was great that she was able to complete it smoothly. She had been worried that something might go wrong, but now it was all good, and she succeeded on the first try.

Bronya, standing nearby, also became more enthusiastic. "Yes, Bronya hopes that the experience and results of this experiment will provide some unique help to everyone in the future."

There are priorities, Bronya quickly adjusted her mood. Some things couldn't be blamed on others for not taking her along; if it were Bronya, she wouldn't have taken anyone else either. So, she could only blame herself. Putting those things aside for the time being, Bronya was also very satisfied with this experiment. Such a smooth thing was indeed rare these days.

"Yes, but even if we can't get what we want... exploration itself has its own meaning. The experience that Schicksal has gained in the past is all a method to fight against the Herrscher... At least for me, observing the Herrscher use their abilities in such a slow-motion manner has given me a lot of inspiration in terms of cooperative combat."

Durandal truly lived up to her Durandal. Observing the clash of their energies, she suddenly thought of many things. After all, they would be fighting side by side in the future, and thinking about such things now wasn't too far off.

"Are you referring to the tactics you and we will use when we fight together in the future?"

Kiana asked curiously, "To fight alongside Durandal? Is that really possible...? Durandal used to be Kiana's idol, or rather, she was the idol of all the Valkyrie. Is that really possible?"

"Of course, this is something I'm looking forward to. The Immortal Blade has cooperated with the Herrscher of Thunder before, but due to a lack of understanding between them, the actual results were not ideal. However, I think that situation will not happen this time."

Chapter 119 Defying Heaven, Earth, and Everything

"Cooperation with the Herrscher of Thunder... Oh, Durandal, you mean that time on Coral Island? Come to think of it, there does seem to be a problem. I remember Rita, you were frozen into a sand sculpture... uh, no, an ice sculpture."

Shen Gonglin chimed in, saying that he had also been involved in the matter. When he and Mei were on their mission, Durandal led the Immortal Blade squad and they were also involved. As a result, he saw Rita get her comeuppance, frozen into an ice sculpture by the Herrscher of Ice, which was quite a sight.

This Lady Rin... she really knows how to bring up the sore spot. Rita's expression turned a little ugly. For this maid who prides herself on being the perfect maid, it was a stain that couldn't be mentioned. Because of insufficient information and the fact that her strength was indeed not enough, Rita's team was almost dealt with by the berserk Anna. But you can't say it in front of so many people.

Doesn't he have any self-respect? Even though he's the master, Rita sometimes really wants to strangle him because of Shen Gonglin's behavior. That's part of Shen Gonglin's unique charm. You want to kill him but can't, you can't bear to but you hate him to the core. You're really being played by him.

Fortunately, Rita quite enjoyed being manipulated by him.

"That's right. To be honest, after the incident, we wrote a 30,000-word debriefing report, detailing the mistakes of that mission. Even the bishop thought that Durandal was reflecting too much... Hmm? Otto's communication? I'll switch to the public channel."

Rita tried to change the subject, thinking it best not to bring up her embarrassing past. Despite her calm and intelligent demeanor, Rita was actually the most prone to making mistakes among everyone present. She had already messed up at Shencheng Medicine, almost succumbing to the Jackal's neurotoxin if it weren't for Kiana. Then she messed up again on Coral Island, which was quite inconsistent with Rita's shrewd and capable image.

Just then, Rita received a call from someone. Without a second thought, Rita switched to the public channel. Since Shen Gonglin was about to take over as bishop, she no longer needed to hide it. She had wanted to be a double agent for a long time.

[Rita ... Oh? Is this a public channel? Well, my friends in the Hyperion, and my Valkyrie, good afternoon. How's the research on the Herrscher Core going?]

Otto's virtual avatar appeared before everyone, his attitude still so nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. However, no one could immediately shake off the impression that he had ordered the execution of his clone without hesitation. He was a ruthless man who showed no mercy even to himself, and no one knew what he was planning to do.

"Grandpa... didn't you say you were done and didn't need to contact us?"

After a long silence, Theresa spoke. Actually, she didn't want to talk to Otto right now. She had gained a new understanding of him today, but she couldn't ignore him. After all, she was the commander of the Hyperion, and now he had contacted her so blatantly. She couldn't just stay silent.

"Oh dear. Theresa's so cold today. Is she still angry with me for killing that clone? You all forgave Rita a long time ago, yet you still hold a grudge against me?"

As if deliberately stirring up trouble, Otto's words successfully raised the atmosphere among everyone present to another level. Shen Gonglin curled her lip in disdain. Rita was her personal maid. Could she be compared to him?

[Alright, enough joking. I don't actually have anything to discuss with the Hyperion right now; I just have a task to give to the S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal.]

Seeing everyone's reaction, Otto was satisfied and steered the conversation back on track, maintaining control of the topic—a habit of Otto. He looked at Durandal and Rita; he still needed them to stand guard until the very end. Although they had practically sided with Shen Gonglin, as long as they didn't clearly clash with him alone, they should still obey his orders.

After all, until tomorrow, he was still the Bishop of Schicksal, and had been their superior for many years. Otto had a fairly good understanding of the two Valkyrie's personalities.

Is it related to the trip you mentioned earlier?

Durandal immediately thought of this matter. If Otto wanted the two of them to carry out a mission, it must be related to this. Admittedly, refusing Otto's orders would allow them to stay here, but only by personally participating could they provide more help to Shen Gonglin. After all, this person was Otto.

Countless people cursed him, but without exception, everyone knew how complicated his thoughts were.

"Hmm, quick reaction, as expected of Durandal. I've got everything ready. You and Rita only need to lend a hand. By the way, the rest of the Immortal Blade team can stay and help my granddaughter and your new bishop. After all, they're about to take over as archbishops of Schicksal, so it's good for everyone to familiarize themselves with the duties beforehand."

Otto nodded approvingly. Durandal truly lived up to her reputation as his most outstanding student. Otto said that all he needed now was Durandal and Rita to come. As for the others from the Immortal Blade... they were not within Otto's consideration. For most of them, this should be the last conversation between him and them, since he would soon be setting off on his journey.

[By the way, is Mr. Welt also connecting with everyone? I'm so sorry I didn't let you have a happy Thanksgiving in New York back then. Over the years, I've wanted to express my apologies to you, and even imagined many ways, such as finding a monument to kneel down on the spot and putting on a tearful performance for you. But since so many years have passed, you probably don't really need such a pretentious ceremony anymore, do you?]

As if deliberately provoking, Otto's words stirred up the Anti-Entropy members. Before Welt could say anything, Tesla couldn't hold back any longer. The hot-tempered Godzilla was about to confront Otto on the spot, but Einstein quickly covered her mouth. Arguing here would certainly allow her to vent, but what was more important now was to figure out what Otto was trying to do.

What exactly is he planning to do by deliberately provoking them like this? It's hard to imagine what he's thinking.

Chapter 120

Kneeling down to apologize and then bursting into tears? That sounds like a good idea! Shen Gonglin's eyes lit up. Welt might not care, but Shen Gonglin did. She couldn't imagine what it would be like for Otto to kneel down and cry. Shen Gonglin was about to Shen Gonglin when Durandal and Kiana grabbed her from the left and right and covered her mouth.

Please, don't cause any more trouble at a time like this.

"... Is this what you wanted to say to me before you set off?"

After a moment of silence, Welt spoke these words. The leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance and the Bishop of Schicksal, these two leaders of huge organizations, began their conversation in this way. Welt responded calmly to Otto's obviously provocative remarks. He wanted to provoke him. If he was angry, then so be it.

[Hahaha... So what else should I say? To give another example, do you think K423, given the current situation, still needs me to apologize for what happened in the past? You are all perfect heroes; surely you wouldn't be so petty.]

The topic then shifted to Kiana. Otto's eyes were filled with admiration. Apart from Durandal, this clone was another of his greatest creations. She had not disappointed him. She had defeated the Herrscher with a human heart. Emotion was indeed humanity's greatest weapon. Now, she had grown to the level he needed.

"Bishop, regardless of whether what you said is correct or not... The Herrscher of the Void, no, the Herrscher of Flamescion, she has her own name. She is not K423, she is Kiana Kaslana."

For some reason, Kiana ignored Otto's remarks, but Durandal couldn't help herself. The female knights' eyes were filled with obvious anger. This person... this person seemed to have gone too far. Was he trying to provoke all of them? This behavior was a bit too deliberate.

[Alright, alright... Kiana Kaslana. There's really no problem with that, after all, the true owner of that name became like that ten years ago.]

Once again, his nonchalant words deeply wounded those present. Theresa's expression turned noticeably cold. This person was bringing up this matter now... As someone who had personally experienced it, this was a pain that Theresa could never undo, yet he treated it with this attitude. This person truly trampled people's hearts underfoot.

"What's wrong, Theresa? You seem to have something to say... It's okay, Theresa, you don't need to force yourself to say anything. Your grandfather has done many unreasonable things, and he knows that very well. Perhaps more earth-shattering things will happen to you both in the future, and then you might realize that you shouldn't have wasted even a single bit of your feelings on your grandfather. Whether it's positive or negative, it won't matter anymore."

Theresa was used to his ambiguous statements; it was impossible to hear anything clear and straightforward from him. He simply enjoyed this way of speaking, as if it was the only way he could feel self-satisfied. Otto must have found immense satisfaction in manipulating everyone and making them follow his plans. It must be said, his abilities were truly remarkable.

"What does this mean? What will your journey ultimately bring?"

Theresa is becoming increasingly concerned about what Otto is planning to do next. It's like he's preparing for a grand finale, with everyone as an actor in his plan. What exactly does he want to do? As his granddaughter, Theresa can't figure him out at all.

[You'll find out soon enough, so I don't need to explain further. Don't worry, those things pose absolutely no danger to you. Durandal, Rita, report to me at the Dawn Observation Deck on Kaslana Street. I need you to stand guard until the very end. The rest of you, farewell.]

In the end, Otto glanced at Shen Gonglin, who was being held up by Kiana and Durandal on either side. After so many years of planning, this was the last person to appear. If he had time, he could probably rebuild another plan around him... But he couldn't wait any longer. Otto Apocalypse didn't rely on anyone; only this method could achieve his ultimate satisfaction. The only pity was that he wouldn't be able to see Theresa truly grow up.

If nothing unexpected happens, Theresa's crush should be him too... Tsk, this is really messed up. No wonder I've always disliked Shen Gonglin. Who would like a pig who's eyeing their little cabbage, even if the cabbage makes the first move?

Otto abruptly ended the communication, while the people present exchanged bewildered glances. Shen Gonglin, finally freed from Durandal and Kiana's grasp, breathed heavily and complained to them in dissatisfaction.

"Why are you covering my mouth? Wouldn't it be better to make him kneel down and apologize? I really want to see that!"

"Ugh! Yeah, that wretched old man, did you even listen to what he was saying? Was he even speaking human language? If it weren't for the Chicken Coop Head covering my mouth, I would have smashed his head open!"

Shen Gonglin and Tesla reached a consensus: if these people hadn't stopped them, these two would have really gone head-to-head with Otto. That guy is just too infuriating.

[Calm down, Shen Gonglin, Tesla. He used those words to provoke us, but there's a question: if he really wanted to just leave like that... why would he provoke us?]

Welt raised this question, and everyone present except for Shen Gonglin and Tesla also thought of this question. Einstein stepped forward and gently stroked Shen Gonglin and Tesla to comfort them, while Fu Hua, who was standing next to him, also made her own conclusion.

"If that's the case, he might still have designs on us... If we consider it from that perspective, then all his appalling behavior today does explain it. But—what good does it do to anger us, or even the people around him? And how can we ensure he achieves his goal?"

Before Fu Hua's problem was resolved, Einstein raised a new one.

"Moreover, the purpose that person claimed to have is also philosophically questionable. If he just wanted to go to a parallel world to find another Kallen... then in a sense... forgive my bluntness, Ms. Lisa, the Kallen clone he successfully created can actually satisfy this need."

Chapter 121 People Who Once Lived

Theresa remained silent in the face of Einstein's words. She knew Einstein was right; this method even avoided her grandfather "leaving this world." So what was he doing all this for? This feeling was truly unsettling. She knew he was planning something far-reaching, but she couldn't interfere. It was a real headache.

"That's why I'm very concerned about what Changguang said before: the unchanging free will and the choice that only happens once. She seems to be implying a kind of relativity."

Einstein rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. Even though she was the kind of person who was good at thinking, she couldn't figure out what it meant. Perhaps it was just a guess by Changguang, but as researchers of Schicksal, even if Changguang was just a guess, it was enough to give them some inspiration.

"... Is that an implication? If Changguang were still here, we could continue to ask her for her opinion. After all, she participated in many of the Schicksal's spatial experiments as the actual executor."

Theresa sighed. There were still many things she wanted to ask Changguang, but unfortunately the researcher had been called back, and the information was still insufficient. Sometimes Einstein would speak in a lot of profound language, which Theresa had a hard time understanding, while Changguang could give a summary in plain language. She really didn't have the brain of a researcher.

Theresa glanced enviously at Shen Gonglin, who had given up on thinking. He was currently huddled next to Bronya, doing something. Theresa envied him for not having to worry about such things because they could solve them for him. It was a pity that she didn't have someone like herself by her side. Sigh, if Shen Gonglin didn't care about such things, then they would have to do the work.

"Changguang believes that the bishop really intends to use the Second Divine Key to leave this world, and also believes that, as Otto said, this matter itself will not affect us, but... this can only be taken as a reference and should not be taken as gospel."

Durandal reached a conclusion, and her conclusion was unanimously agreed upon by everyone present. After all, it was Otto, and the technicians might think he wasn't lying... However, for them, that might not be the case. The awakening of the Herrscher of the Void was a cautionary tale.

After a moment of silence, Kiana looked up at the two S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal. Although she hadn't explicitly said it, she already considered Durandal and Rita as teammates. Now, Kiana was a little uneasy about sending them to Otto's side.

"So, are you really still going to follow his instructions and report to him?"

Sensing the worry in Kiana's voice, Durandal smiled slightly at her, a smile radiating her strong confidence—the confidence of the strongest Valkyrie. Even if there were any problems, Durandal believed she could perfectly resolve them with her own power.

"Now we can only go and see what happens. Even if it's a trap, it's really hard to prevent potential risks if we don't go and find out for ourselves. This is really the bishop's style. He makes you jump into a trap even when you know it's ahead."

Durandal's words resonated deeply with everyone present. It was indeed Otto's style. Wasn't this exactly why they had been brought to Kolosten? They knew he had some kind of conspiracy, but they had no choice but to come here. Otto truly understood human nature.

"Please rest assured about one thing: the current bishop no longer represents the entire Schicksal. From the moment he announced his resignation, we must also take into account the positions of Lady Rin and Lady Theresa."

Rita's words reassured everyone. Putting aside the fact that the two of them were practically on Shen Gonglin's side anyway, just considering the Valkyrie of Schicksal, Shen Gonglin and Theresa, as the new bishops, had to take their positions into account. They could directly refuse any dangerous actions taken against the two of them, so there should be no danger.

"Yes, Rita is right. At least I can guarantee that the Immortal Blade will never regard you as enemies again."