"That was Schicksal's spoils of war, not compensation for your World Serpent—and now you still intend to steal it, to satisfy that strange sense of superiority you hide behind the scenes, looking down on humanity and treating theft as the preservation of humanity's historical progress, don't you?"
"..."
The man tilted his head, looking at Gray Serpent as though he had crashed, and raised an eyebrow.
That was how riddlers were. As long as you grasped the information they were proud of, you gained the initiative in the conversation. Their train of thought would be thrown into disarray once their "riddle" was solved.
At that point, they could only gradually fall into passivity and be completely suppressed psychologically.
A mere Gray Serpent could at most rely on the lingering prestige of the Previous Civilization to bully teenage girls like little bugs.
When it truly mattered, your daddy was still your daddy.
That was right, little green-haired snake. He was taking advantage of you.
"...Bishop Otto, Snake was indeed rude first this time."
It took Gray Serpent a long while to find his voice again.
"But in truth, the technological principles behind the Staff of the Underworld involve Imaginary Space..."
"You don't need to tell me that there is, to a certain extent, a positive correlation between technological advancement and the scale of Honkai," Otto interrupted him. "You think its existence is too far ahead of its time, so you had no choice but to act and forcibly take it back?"
"I think people like you are quite interesting," he said in a teasing tone. "Clearly, it is your Stigmata Project that needs the Staff of the Underworld, yet you put on an act of righteously considering humanity's interests. You pursue self-fulfillment while trying to drape yourselves in a sacred veil of doing it for all mankind."
"???!...How much do you know about our plan?!"
Shock seeped into Gray Serpent's mechanical synthesized voice.
Otto curled his lips. "That is not something you need to know."
Gray Serpent: ...
Why did that sentence sound so familiar?
"...Very well."
After thinking for a moment, he looked at the two greatest forces of Schicksal before him and suddenly sighed.
"I hope Mr. Otto will keep the Divine Keys and the Staff of the Underworld safely."
"Oh?" Otto raised an eyebrow. "Is this... Snake backing down?"
"There is an old saying in Shenzhou: those who understand the times are heroes," Gray Serpent admitted frankly. "At present, Snake does not, in fact, possess the ability to confront Schicksal head-on. Nor do I currently possess the ability to retrieve the materials from the two of you."
"It is good that you know."
Otto answered with a smiling gaze and waved his hand. Mechanical sounds echoed through the room.
Only then did Gray Serpent realize that countless heavy weapons had been concealed around the laboratory storing World Serpent's spoils.
—Clearly, the other side had anticipated that he might come.
"But please take note, Mr. Otto," an ominous thought arose within Gray Serpent's mechanical mind, though he continued nonetheless. "The technology involved in the Staff of the Underworld is extremely important. Please do not conduct excessive research into it, lest it spread too widely and be exploited by others."
Otto narrowed his eyes.
It seemed there was still much about the Staff of the Underworld that he did not know.
That made sense. How could something capable of turning a Herrscher into a Herrscher trial card be simple?
—Of course, this could also be Gray Serpent deliberately guiding him. After all, repeatedly telling him not to research it too deeply and even coming here to remind him—was it truly only because World Serpent cared about humanity?
But whether his intentions were malicious or sincere, Otto did not care.
Since he had stepped onto Otto's stage, what did it matter if he had plans of his own?
Gray Serpent's schemes could only affect the play, but Otto's scope was not limited to two or three acts upon the stage.
"Ha, I understand," the man replied with a smiling gaze. "The technology involved in the Staff of the Underworld is very tempting—I understand. Therefore, I will not research it. Rest assured, World Serpent executive who worries for the world."
He could not be bothered to waste time researching it—World Serpent had already done so, had they not? Since World Serpent knew, why did Schicksal need to retrace an old path humanity had already walked?
Scientists explored everything, while those in power used everything, did they not?
Gray Serpent froze. Once again unable to understand the meaning behind Otto's words, he crashed for a while before saying, "Very well, Bishop Otto, Snake—"
"Wait, wait." Otto interrupted Gray Serpent yet again. "Such a pathetic retreat, all bark and no bite—how does that fit Mr. Gray Serpent's original imposing manner? 'A weight Schicksal should not bear,' look at that. What magnificent grandeur!"
"I rather liked your original tone, and besides—"
The man smiled faintly, amusement in his eyes.
"Since you are already here, shouldn't you leave something behind?"
"If you require this damaged body of mine," Gray Serpent said, "I do not mind. I can sever its connection to the main consciousness at any time."
"No, what use is this body of yours to me?" Otto gave the shadow a disgusted glance. "I mean them—Jackal and Raven."
"What do you intend to use to ransom your senior executives?"
"..."
Gray Serpent fell silent once more. In these mere few minutes, he felt he had suffered unprecedented crushing defeat. Everything he took pride in had nowhere to hide before Schicksal; every scheme he had plotted was casually dissolved by Otto's understated handling. And now, the other party had begun to counterattack directly, demanding even greater benefits from World Serpent.
Perhaps he should not have come at all... Such a thought arose in Gray Serpent.
—But who could have known that after such enormous gains as Seven Thunders of Repose, Otto would still value the other spoils and even dispatch an S-rank Valkyrie to guard them?
His original plan had been to secretly reclaim the Staff of the Underworld while tossing out a few cryptic remarks. He had never expected the other side to have anticipated his arrival long ago, to understand his status within World Serpent so clearly, and to use it against him?
"Mr. Little Gray Serpent, so full of confidence," Otto's voice rang out with a seemingly condescending smile. "Do you dare say that you will abandon Jackal and Miss Raven? Do you dare leave immediately and refuse to answer this question?"
When the Tower Collapses
"If I remember correctly, World Serpent was originally a religion—a religion that believed in a god who would save the world."
Otto strode through the room, carrying the same leisurely confidence he had displayed before Jackal.
"For human believers, gods are the manifestation of the will to power, the manifestation of one's own joy, and the manifestation of one's hopes. They are the desire for victory and happiness through the extension of life's vitality; they are the belief that through action, their lord will grant them what they desire."
"Yes, that is correct. The self—the true subject of everything is the self. Even those with a savior complex must initially have desired to realize their own self-worth."
"To revere gods and worship power is, at the beginning, in truth to satisfy one's own needs."
He paused and sighed.
"Yes, to have faith is to have desire. Every believer begins with the needs of the self, then gradually 'evolves' into piety that loses the self."
Then Otto turned his gaze to Gray Serpent and smiled.
"Ha ha, then Mr. Gray Serpent, why not take a guess? Within World Serpent, how many believers have 'evolved'? And how many mortals are still in the process of 'evolving'?"
"You have climbed to the peak of power in your church, yet cannot even preserve your own life. Mr. Gray Serpent, why not guess again—how much disrespect will those 'mortals' develop toward World Serpent because of this?"
He slightly raised his chin, and a trace of arrogance entered his expression as he looked at the shadow.
"Furthermore, your salvation is not obvious. I know what you have done, but those hot-blooded saviors do not—nor would they necessarily understand even if they did. And clearly, Schicksal's salvation is more apparent and more righteous than World Serpent's."
"The doctrine you hold so firmly is vague and illusory, with no visible practical action. Your highest preacher has been captured in disgrace and receives no protection from his lord."
"—So will your believers cling to unrealistic beauty and survive in the world's dark corners, never seeing daylight? Or will they selfishly lie in wait, trading an organization that cannot protect its followers and cannot openly achieve its goal of saving the world for a decent price?"
"Survival or death? Faith or betrayal? No matter what, once you, unable to oppose Schicksal, choose to abandon your preachers, World Serpent as an organization will already be riddled with holes."
Otto stopped walking and placed his right hand over his chest. His voice rose and fell like he was reciting ancient verse.
"When the tower of faith collapses, O godservant of a thousand years, where will you hear humanity's prayers?"
He thought for a moment, then added with a smile.
"Of course, you can also choose to use World Serpent's advanced technology to rewrite everyone's cognition. I am very much looking forward to seeing you downgrade my opponents from humans into puppets in that manner."
"..."
Gray Serpent stepped back. His face was obscured by darkness, making his expression impossible to read, but an unmistakably cautious air—no longer mysterious—emanated from his entire body.
"What does Schicksal want?"
After a long time, a synthesized voice came from the shadow.
"What can World Serpent offer?"
Otto answered without the slightest hesitation—using a declarative sentence.
They stared at one another. The shadow spoke in fits and starts, as though thinking of something only to reject it, while Otto simply watched Gray Serpent with a smiling gaze, neither hurried nor impatient.
"...Snake will offer a price that satisfies Schicksal."
At last, Gray Serpent seemed unable to withstand Otto's gaze any longer. Leaving behind those hasty words, he fled through the door as though escaping.
Otto did not stop him. He watched the rapidly departing shadow, his eyes dark.
"Satisfies Schicksal? Satisfies me?"
His voice was very soft.
I am... the greediest person in this world.
Otto turned around. At that moment, he happened to reach the place where the Staff of the Underworld was stored.
The man put away the other two staffs, then said to Cecilia, who was still in a combat stance, "Relax, Cecilia—Gray Serpent will not humiliate himself again."
"Mm—" Cecilia withdrew her stance and stood upright, both hands resting on Black Abyss White Flower. "I think so too, Bishop."
"Hm?" Otto frowned. "Did you aggravate your wound?"
"Mm... It is actually fine." The woman shook her head. "My wound has basically healed. It is just... I am still a little unsteady on my feet."
"Then hold onto me." Otto stepped forward and let Cecilia take his arm. "We cannot have Schicksal's Saintess leaning on Black Abyss White Flower all the way from London to headquarters."
The fragrance of lilies drifted from beside him. Compared to her former innocent simplicity, Cecilia, having regained her memories, possessed an added mature charm. She was like aged wine after unsealing, making one unable to resist savoring the fragrance hidden within.
Otto's nostrils twitched slightly as he narrowed his eyes in contentment. He could certainly construct a wheelchair, but—yes, that was right, he was exhausted too. Divine Keys were not omnipotent.
"Thank you, Bishop."
Cecilia did not think much of it. More than a decade ago, after playing too wildly, Otto had also supported her like this when she was mentally exhausted. It was only later that the distance between them had gradually grown greater.
Of course, her respect and affection for him had never changed. That was why, in the end, even when his Honkai Energy Fission Bomb was about to take her life, all she felt was helplessness and a resigned, bitter smile. She could not muster even the slightest resentment toward him.
—And now, all that helplessness had transformed into reverence and delight. In the end, her elder brother Bishop still treated her differently. Even though she had stubbornly defied his will, the current Bishop had not regarded her as a useless chess piece like he did others.
She understood his methods, and thus she was overjoyed by this unfathomable favoritism.
Cecilia put away Black Abyss White Flower, stumbled slightly, and hugged Otto's arm. She had not intended to rely on him too much, but when Otto tilted his head and gave an inquisitive "Hm?", she smiled awkwardly and wrapped her other fair, lotus-root-like arm around him as well.
The two slowly walked through the corridor. Otto slowed his pace so that Cecilia would not have to walk with too much difficulty.
"Are you still planning to go somewhere to have fun? I asked Amber for a month's leave earlier."
"There is no need, Bishop." Cecilia stuck out her tongue. "Four years of traveling—Cecilia is already very satisfied."
"Hm? Little one." Otto raised his free hand and familiarly tapped Cecilia's forehead. "You have already started teasing me?"
"Cecilia would not dare." The woman smiled, her eyes lively.
"It is still as I told you when you had lost your memories," Otto said. "You have already walked the path you needed to walk. Where you wish to go is entirely your freedom."
"Freedom..."
Cecilia's eyes turned unfocused for a moment, then as though she had remembered something, a trace of sorrow suddenly appeared in them.
But she seemed unwilling to pass that emotion on to the person beside her, so she changed the subject.
"By the way, Bishop, why did you make things so clear with that intruder?"
Otto Was Never Bright
"Do you think it would have been better to induce Gray Serpent into abandoning Jackal and Raven, then proceed as I said?"
Otto's pupils widened slightly, as though he had suddenly remembered something. He turned to look at Cecilia.
"Wait, let us not discuss anything else yet—by Kallen, did I lead Schicksal's Saintess astray?"
The woman lowered her head, rolled her eyes upward toward Otto, and parted her pink lips in a slight smile. Her stunning face, where dignity and charm intertwined, gained a touch of girlish playfulness.
"Whatever elder brother thinks is right, is right."
A pleasant familiarity rose within her heart.
Back when they traveled together, she had always been this free and lively before Otto.
Before you continue