Chapter 397

"Good heavens, so this is Bride Otto? It really is... You stole my Shibao's words, did Buddha ask you if you ever received copyright fees? Do you have any shame?!"

With the pain in her hand subsiding, Shen Gonglin launched another attack. The power of the Herrscher of Thunder transformed into red lightning that surged towards Otto. However, Otto, in this state, simply waved his hand, causing the unparalleled lightning to vanish into thin air. At that moment, space violently distorted before Shen Gonglin and the others' eyes. If Shen Gonglin and Kiana hadn't possessed the power of the Herrscher of the Void, they might have been torn apart by this spatial turbulence. Shen Gonglin teleported back to Durandal's side. The power of the Herrscher of the Void protected the safety of the female knight riding the pony. What will happen next?

The empty church resonated with Otto's power, and the entire space disintegrated in a way that was incomprehensible to ordinary people. Then it recombined into a completely different form. When everything returned to calm, the place where Shen Gonglin and the others were had undergone a complete transformation.

What was once a solid battlefield has now been reduced to ruins drifting in this Imaginary Space. Only a small patch of ground remains beneath our feet, and the remains of the church are scattered everywhere. Otto, in his angelic form, is in the distance.

Chapter 200 Triggering Execution

"It seems that this is Otto's true Mental Landscape. To be honest, you should have seen it from our fight just now. He has indeed received something from the Imaginary Tree... and his current state should correspond to what Changguang called infinity."

Looking at Otto in the distance, Durandal had never seen him in this state before. It seemed that her previous connection with Otto was fake. She had thought he was not good at fighting and was more inclined to command, but now it seemed that Otto was even proficient in all kinds of martial arts. Well, after all, he had lived for more than 500 years. How could he allow himself to still have such a weakness?

But it doesn't matter. Durandal has never lacked confidence. No matter what form Otto takes, she can defeat him. This is Durandal's confidence as the strongest Valkyrie. Otto is nothing. This is the final battle!

"But how should we get there?"

The surrounding space was completely destroyed. Otto was far away, Kiana could sense that as long as he remained in this space for even a second longer, Otto's strength would increase by one point. This was a bit troublesome.

"It's alright, I can rely on Krishna. When we can't get through, I'll Kiana and Shen Gonglin for help... Hmm? Is there a problem?"

Durandal patted the Shadow Horse beside her. As she was explaining her strategy, she suddenly noticed the subtle glances between Kiana and Shen Gonglin. What was wrong? Was there something wrong with her strategic arrangements? Durandal wasn't bragging, but she believed her command experience was definitely superior to these two. After all, she had led the Immortal Blade for so long, and had even served as acting Bishop of Schicksal for a considerable period when Otto was missing. And what had those two ever commanded?

At most, Shen Gonglin could only instruct Kiana to turn over so she wouldn't be on top of him.

"And who is... Krishna?"

Shen Gonglin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Aren't there only three of them on this battlefield? Where did this name, Durandal, come from? If she's a comrade, I should greet her, but judging from Durandal's actions..."

"Krishna is my horse... Wait a minute, Shen Gonglin, what's with that look? Is there a problem with my horse being named Krishna!"

Durandal explained honestly, and after hearing her explanation, Shen Gonglin and Kiana exchanged a subtle glance. So Durandal was the type who liked to name her personal equipment and pets? It has to be said that her naming skills were indeed better than theirs. If it were Shen Gonglin, she would at most call them "Little Black".

"It doesn't mean anything... Hurry up and get on the horse, there's no time to explain... Kiana, help me up, I can't get on."

With a mysterious smile on his face, Shen Gonglin finally managed to climb onto the horse with Kiana's help. The horse was almost as tall as him. He really couldn't understand what Shen Gonglin's look meant. Kiana was also acting strangely. Durandal mounted her horse, and the three of them continued to ride forward. What's so strange about giving your little black horse a name?

Of course it's not surprising. Even Shen Gonglin might not remember that when he was a child, he named his incredibly straight wooden stick "Holy Sword Ecydias".

The warhorse carried Shen Gonglin other two forward. It easily crossed obstacles that were too close, while Kiana used her Herrscher of the Herrscher of the Void powers to teleport for longer distances. Otto was right in front of them. Durandal remembered what Changguang had said and felt that this kind of thing would be useful in the battle that was about to begin.

"The authority of imaginary numbers... Otto is currently in a state of having the Imaginary Authority, but if the structure of the void itself is destroyed, will the authority also become invalid?"

Durandal murmured to herself, but Kiana heard her voice. Destroying the structure of the void, that is, using the Herrscher of the Void to pull out Otto's infinite part? It sounds quite feasible. Changguang also said something like that. It is indeed tempting to try.

Shen Gonglin, on the other hand, felt something was off. It wasn't that there was a problem with the strategic deployment, but rather... he felt that things were going too smoothly. Although the battle was still arduous, he had this feeling that Otto was constantly emphasizing something, emphasizing the Herrscher of the Void, emphasizing infinity. It felt like a teacher was giving frantic hints in class. But he couldn't rule out that Otto was doing it on purpose. Really, couldn't these people be a little simpler?

"You've arrived. I am now infinite, having received the gift from the Imaginary Tree. How will you conquer infinity? Let's wait and see."

The light flashed, and the three of them were back in front of Otto. Needless to say, Kiana and Durandal had already launched a joint attack, their knight's lance and the Greatsword of the Burning Flames pressed against Otto's face, but they couldn't penetrate it at all. A golden longsword phantom condensed around Otto, blocking the Herrscher 'Valkyrie coordinated attack. Is this how they conquer the Infinite? Then we shouldn't underestimate the power of the False God!

That's not enough. Such power is insufficient to defeat oneself, who has received the gift from the Imaginary Tree.

"Bianca, and Kiana... Stigmata? Herrscher? Do you think you can surpass yourselves with these imaginary shadows? If you can, I'd be happy to play along... Shen Gonglin, aren't you going to make a move?"

Otto effortlessly parried Durandal and Kiana's attacks, and even took a moment to glance at Shen Gonglin, who was still sitting on horseback. Was he unable to get off the horse, or did he think that having Durandal and Kiana was enough?

"No rush. I'm thinking... Although you keep emphasizing that you are infinite, as an independent being, an individual, you should have a limit. Although I don't know where that limit is, as long as you reach that limit, you should have time to recover. So, when that limit is reached, you should be at your weakest."

Shen Gonglin, resting her chin on her hand, openly stated her conjecture. She had just tried to use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to convert Otto from Infinity to Finite, but it seemed to have no effect. In other words... she had to wait until he was in a weakened state to reverse it?

It's simple. Shen Gonglin often does this in the game. You have to weaken the boss to trigger the execution. It's a very normal thing.

Chapter 201 The Pregnancy Queen

"Durandal, Kiana, keep attacking with all your might! Don't feel cruel; our cause is righteous!"

Having openly stated his battle plan, Shen Gonglin joined the righteous attack. The three attacked one after another. Even Otto in his pseudo-god form could fight him to a standstill. After all, the three of them were among the strongest fighters in the world. Although he didn't know what Shen Gonglin was talking about, he just continued to intensify his offensive. That should be enough, right?

They all trusted Shen Gonglin Durandal and Kiana didn't ask any questions. Otto, however, chuckled silently upon hearing Shen Gonglin's words. Cruel? He understood the word "cruel" better than anyone else.

"Cruel? Do you think you're cruel, or do you think I'm cruel? Then let me teach you the principles of cruelty: when something falls down, you should give it another push!"

Several layers of metal barriers reappeared before everyone's eyes. Durandal took the lead, and the knight princess, wielding her knight's lance, shattered the metal barrier. The Stigmata of the Kaslana family made her invincible. The girl's spear pierced Otto's metal shell, forcing him back. The female knight then swung her knight's lance with heroic grace.

"You're really showing off your acting skills today."

Having adjusted his posture, Otto looked down at his best student and couldn't help but smile, "You've grown a lot, Bianca. But isn't that something you usually say after the performance?"

"That's because your performance is almost over!"

Kiana responded to Otto with her Greatsword of the Burning Flames, a greatsword wreathed in flames. The Herrscher of Flamescion slashed at Otto, the fiery strike slamming Otto into the ruins behind him. The blow was powerful, but it wasn't quite at the critical point. Otto couldn't recover; the attack had to be intensified.

"The final arrow, Apollon!"

At this moment, Shen Gonglin also switched to her angel form. To be fair, Shen Gonglin's angel form looked much more divine Otto's. Although she couldn't exert her maximum power in such a short time, with Kiana's attack just now, it shouldn't be difficult to remove Otto's current false god state.

The jet-black arrow struck Otto. This arrow, capable of destroying civilization, shattered Otto's armor, and the man transformed back into Otto in his bishop's robes—this was the state he was closest to being finite!

"Cough cough... It's not... it's not over yet!"

Otto struggled to his feet. Although he couldn't use the authority of the Imaginary Tree now, it was only a matter of time. Even in this state, they couldn't do anything to him. In the blink of an eye, Durandal and Kiana's attacks landed on Otto, but the wounds healed quickly in the next instant. Otto spread his hands and calmly accepted the attack.

"It's useless. As long as this space is still bathed in the blessings of the Imaginary Tree, my authority will continue to regenerate. You cannot kill me, and my power cannot be restored... It is absolutely infinite... You, with your Herrscher of the Void the Void, cannot do it!"

Goodness, it feels like he's practically typing the hint in the chat: Use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to turn him back from the infinite state, that's what he means, right? Shen Gonglin and Kiana exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's meaning. Durandal also did what she had to do, the female knight riding her little black horse towards the weakened Otto.

"Shen Gonglin, Kiana, get ready... Now!"

Durandal's knight's lance pinned Otto to the wall behind her. Before the female knight even landed, she reminded Shen Gonglin and Kiana to be prepared, so that that damned authority would be buried with Otto!

"Dad, Mom, Teacher Himeko, Class President, Theresa... This is what you owe to each and every one of them!"

Kiana and Shen Gonglin attacked simultaneously, and a golden Imaginary Space unfolded behind Otto. The combined attack of the two Herrscher of the Void was an attempt to pull Otto back from his infinite state, but the golden aura representing the Herrscher of the Void was shrinking at a visible speed. No, if this continues, Otto will revert to his previous state. We can't lose here!

"There's really no other way, let me help out, after all... you guys are just too weak."

An unexpected voice suddenly appeared. Kiana would never be unfamiliar with this voice. She turned around in astonishment and saw that Shen Gonglin was shining with golden light. A figure that she never expected appeared next to him. It was the evil side of Sirin, the Herrscher of the Void... Wasn't she supposed to have disappeared? How could she appear on Shen Gonglin?

Although she had been wanting to go underwater, the Queen felt that if she didn't show up now, everything would be for naught. It seemed that she still needed her own strength. Shen Gonglin was naturally not very good at directions, so her control over the core of the Herrscher of the Void was still somewhat flawed. But for the real Herrscher of the Void the Void, this was no problem at all. The Queen was helping Shen Gonglin, and it had nothing to do with Kiana.

"Where have you been all this time?"

Looking at the figure she thought had disappeared long ago, Kiana felt as if she had been in another world. The days she spent with her were definitely not pleasant, but for some reason, she would sometimes really miss her.

Having understood Sirin's past, I realize that I am an extension of her goodness, while the Herrscher of the Void is an extension of her evil. However, they are both Sirin's yearning for the future.

"Where did she run off to... Sigh, don't even mention it. After all, she needs to take care of the pregnancy. If she just wanders around aimlessly, it could affect the baby's development."

Faced with Kiana's question, a wicked glint flashed in the Herrscher of the Herrscher of the Void's eyes. She raised her hand and gently pressed it against her smooth abdomen. Her haughty face was filled with maternal radiance. Who told Kiana to always provoke her by saying that she had a good relationship with Shen Gonglin? Now it was finally time for her to get her revenge. She had never been a good person.

"Nurture... nurture... nurture the fetus? What's going on! You, how could you be nurturing the fetus? Whose child is it?!"

Kiana was taken aback by this explosive statement. What happened? She suddenly went into pregnancy? There was nothing like this when she last saw her. How could she suddenly go into pregnancy? Was she out of touch with the game or the times?

Chapter 202 Victory

"Yeah! Who are you taking care of during their pregnancy? Is it Kurumi's?"

Upon hearing the Herrscher of the Void's words, not only Kiana, but also Durandal and Shen Gonglin were taken aback. The three stared at the Herrscher of the Void in shock, while Shen Gonglin's incredulous expression made the Herrscher of the Void roll her eyes repeatedly. "Is this guy even speaking human language? How is his head even shaped?"

"It's yours! Kurumi even have that ability?! How can you not understand a word of reason? I just wanted to tease them a bit, you idiot!"

Herrscher of the Void Shen Gonglin angry she almost twisted her nose out of shape. She stuck out her finger and poked Rin's forehead hard. She only wanted to tease Durandal and Kiana for fun, but how did this guy believe it? And he even thought of Kurumi. What kind of image does Kurumi have in his mind? This guy is really good at making people angry.

Oh, so you were just teasing them. Then it's alright.

Upon hearing this, Kiana and Durandal breathed a sigh of relief. The two girls glanced at the Herrscher of the Void the Shen Gonglin's cheeks in frustration. In the end, Kiana spoke up. Although she didn't know why the Herrscher of the Void was residing in Shen Gonglin's body, it was indeed good news that she was there now.

"Alright, stop fooling around. Let's work together as a group to deal with Otto's situation first. If we want to reduce his power to a limited level, we can only do so now."

Hearing Kiana say this, the Herrscher of the Void released Shen Gonglin's cheek. Although she was reluctant to obey her orders, now was not the time to be willful. Turning Otto around was indeed the only option!

"You just wait and see, I'm going to seriously take care of myself during this pregnancy sooner or later... This is no joke!"

With the addition of the Herrscher of the Void, the power of the Void finally erupted. With the release of energy, the power of the false god completely disappeared, and everything around it quickly collapsed. This was Otto's Mental Landscape. After defeating him, this place would naturally dissipate quickly.

Before everyone's eyes, the Herrscher of the Void snorted and returned to Shen Gonglin's consciousness. She couldn't be bothered to talk to Kiana. The Queen was a person who cared about her reputation. It was already embarrassing enough that she hadn't been able to beat Kiana back then, so she didn't want to coexist peacefully with her.

When their vision returned, Shen Gonglin and the others were already back in the church. However, in the empty church, Otto's voice suddenly rang out. The three of them were startled, thinking that Otto had some other trick up his sleeve. But what greeted them was just this ethereal voice that seemed about to disappear.

[Well done, Bianca, Kiana, and... Shen Gonglin, don't be nervous. You powerful warriors, you reversed the rules above the false gods in an instant, turning my spirit into this wandering ghost. Soon, everything will settle according to your will... So before that, I congratulate you. Congratulations on overcoming domination and restraint. Congratulations on stopping me from destroying your history and your people.]

Otto's voice sounded ethereal, as if he had truly become a wandering ghost as he said. However, Shen Gonglin and the others still didn't feel anything real. Had Otto really been destroyed? Even though they had done it themselves, they still couldn't quite believe it.

The three remained silent, but Otto's voice continued; this was likely his final swan song to the world.

Of course, it's not just congratulations to you all... I also congratulate myself, that I can finally say goodbye to my life without any regrets...

"Wait a minute, isn't it time to tell us your true purpose?"

Durandal interrupted Otto's "mutterings," her voice pausing slightly before returning to its carefree tone.

"Ha... You're really quite persistent, Bianca. What, even now, you still don't want to treat me as an enemy?"

Durandal is indeed very persistent. He had clearly portrayed himself as... no, no need to portray him, he was already a thoroughly bad person, but Durandal still viewed him from her own perspective. She truly deserves to be his... most outstanding student.

"Of course I cannot forgive what you did to me, but I will not forget your guidance and nurturing of me. Moreover, even now, I still believe in some way that you taught us to believe in those things."

Durandal was incredibly calm. Within the Stigmata Space, she knew everything—her identity as a member of the Kaslana family, and that she was the real Kiana. If it weren't for this man, perhaps she would have lived happily with her father and sister, and one day, filled with happiness and shyness, brought a blond boy home to add a new member to the family. It was because of this man that her life had changed so much, but she would always remember his guidance and the things he taught her.

[Ha... what a stubborn child. To be honest, from the very beginning today, I hoped that all of you would stand against me and treat me as a heinous criminal... In the end, while the former succeeded, the latter indeed failed. Sometimes I really don't know whether I should feel annoyed or relieved?]

Otto's voice sounded somewhat helpless, but if you listened carefully, you could also hear relief and pride in it. Shen Gonglin pursed his lips and didn't say anything. He knew that this was not a whitewashing, Otto didn't need to be whitewashed. What he had done was real and could not be whitewashed, nor did it need to be.

Regardless... you did indeed defeat me, and in that instant, you even surpassed Him behind me. This is a remarkable achievement. Utilize those experiences, and you will ultimately defeat the Honkai, bringing lasting light to the world you cherish. And I, too, finally have the opportunity to do something similar for the world I cherish—to be precise, to return a lost torch to her hands.

Otto skipped the topic and lavished praise on Durandal, Shen Gonglin, and Kiana, saying that the three of them had just accomplished something unimaginable for humanity. He asserted that humanity would ultimately defeat the Honkai, a fact that Otto had never wavered in. However, he added that none of this mattered to him anymore.

Chapter 203 The End of the Road for a Villain

"Her? Could it be...?"

Durandal and Kiana keenly noticed the person Otto was talking about. Durandal suddenly realized, could it be that all Otto did was ultimately for that person?

[Haha, it seems you've all guessed the answer, haven't you? That's right. Before you shattered me, although I was infinitely close to godhood, I was ultimately just a slave to the Imaginary Tree. I was firmly bound to the Intrinsic World. Although I did possess the power to reshape it, I had no freedom whatsoever. Therefore, I made this bet from the very beginning.]

He was indeed a performer. At this moment, Otto finally wanted to tell everyone what he had done. A false god? He couldn't escape the word "false" after all, so this kind of thing was never what he was pursuing.

[I bet that human will can create a momentary miracle, that it can disrupt and subdue the laws of the Imaginary Tree for a fleeting instant. This is not impossible, Kiana Kaslana, the child I once called K423. In the past, the power of love allowed you to do this; now, I have proven that anger can do the same. I placed my final bet on resurrecting Kallen here... and indeed, I won. Only the Herrscher of the Void can create such a miracle, restoring everything that was originally infinite to a state of instantaneous stillness in the Imaginary Space ...]

Otto talked on and on, and the three of them listened quietly. Because of the power of love, they had done such a thing... Was he talking about his struggle against the Herrscher of the Void? Could it be that everything up to this point was part of Otto's plan? Was this the goal he wanted to achieve? Although he, Durandal, and Shen Gonglin had defeated Otto together, was defeating him the answer he truly wanted?

It allowed that wedge in that world, that origin I had carefully chosen, to take root and sprout in new soil. This was something I could never have done when I held power yet was a slave.

After listening to Otto's words, Durandal closed her eyes and sorted through her thoughts before finally speaking in a deep voice.

"In other words... in order to reshape the world of five hundred years ago, you must transcend reality, become a part of the Imaginary Space, and become a slave to the Imaginary Tree... And in order to change that world and change that person's fate, you must exile yourself from it? Even if the result of doing so is... you will die. Even your existence will come to a complete end."

Now that she finally understood what Otto wanted to do, Durandal was even more incredulous because she understood him so clearly. This guy was truly unfathomable.

Of course, don't you think this is a happy ending for everyone? It's like Prometheus stealing fire from the gods. In that miraculous moment, I was able to bring the power beyond reality from the Imaginary Tree to... the wedge of the world. In this way, it both created a divergence in history and freed me from having to destroy the world you loved, although the latter is not important to me. But... thank you for allowing me to witness the miracle that belonged only to her and me in the last moments of my life.

Otto's voice grew weaker and weaker. He knew he would eventually die carrying all his sins, but for those who still chose to move forward... the path to conquer the Honkai heavenly ladder had now revealed its first steps to them. The path was winding and treacherous, almost impossible to traverse... but at its end, there was indeed light. Farewell, heroes.

By the way, do me a favor... Tell Theresa that, unfortunately, her grandfather can't attend her coronation ceremony, and Shen Gonglin... I'm sure you wouldn't want me to attend either, would you?

Finally, the man's voice became almost inaudible. Under the gaze of the three, Otto's soul drifted into the distance, into nothingness, and into its final destiny.

The three fell silent for a moment. Although they had won, they had also gained something heavy. He was undoubtedly a villain, but this villain also had his heroic side, so now...

"Oh, right, one last favor for me, Shen Gonglin. This is the last thing I need you to do for me. Consider it my final request as a departing bishop to the new one."

However, at that moment, the voice that should have disappeared reappeared. Shen Gonglin was startled, and then he felt a pulling sensation. It wasn't very strong, but it seemed to contain someone's long-cherished wish. After hesitating for a moment, Shen Gonglin did not resist but followed the guidance of that power to explore the past. Finally, he glanced at Kiana and Durandal, who were worried.

"Wait for me to come back, I'll be right back."

"Here it is..."

Guided by that force, Shen Gonglin arrived in a strange space, with a crimson ground, a deep blue sky, and a massive, winding tree trunk in the distance. Shen Gonglin glanced at Otto beside him, hoping for an explanation.

"This place... is my mental image space, and also the last Imaginary Space I can access. Shen Gonglin, life, it really is a fragile thing, isn't it?"

Dragging his badly injured body, stripped of his authority, and having been attacked by Shen Gonglin and others, coupled with the Honkai energy on his body... Otto is no longer the false god he once was, and his resistance to Honkai energy is hardly strong. Yet, even so, Otto still struggles forward.

Shen Gonglin didn't speak; he simply followed Otto's side. Otto, in turn, didn't care about Shen Gonglin's reaction. On this final stretch of the road, he hoped someone could witness everything he had done, perhaps because of his own strong... desire to perform.

"When I was little, my sister died on the battlefield... They told me that her soul was immortal and that her spirit would ascend to heaven... Ah, generation after generation, people are always happy to deceive themselves with such lies, believing in the so-called afterlife, believing in the eternity of consciousness, and they pretend that death does not exist in the human world... until death suddenly invades their lives and comes upon their loved ones. Even... at such times, they will deceive themselves even more intensely... believing that love can transcend all things, and firmly believing that affection can be eternal."