Cecilia repeated the name as if in a dream, her delicate body trembling.
"Siegfried Kaslana, you really are... you really are..."
A hand gently wrapped around her. Leaning against Otto, the woman spoke through tears, her eyes glistening at the corners:
"My last words to him... were to tell him to raise Kiana well... Ha, raise her well..."
Cecilia's eyes were red. She tilted her head up slightly, trying hard not to let the tears fall.
"So this is... his companionship... Hahaha..."
She spoke in broken fragments, resting her head against Otto's shoulder:
"I don't blame that child... How could I bear to blame her... But... but..."
"Kiana Kaslana... Ha, was that the only name she could have? I could understand if he had added even one word in the middle... Even one word..."
"Siegfried... What did you take her for... What did you take that child for..."
"She was a child too, a child who should have had a life of her own... You risked everything to take her away, then selfishly treated her as a replacement... How was she supposed to live after learning the truth... How am I supposed to accept this..."
Otto said nothing, merely patting her fragrant shoulder gently.
"At the very end, I even told you that he would never betray Schicksal..."
She looked at Otto, grief filling her exquisitely beautiful face.
"I... I really am..."
The woman could not continue. Her body swayed as she revealed a tragically beautiful, miserable smile.
I really am a joke.
"If you want to cry," Otto finally spoke, his voice soft, "then cry on my shoulder."
He stood and stretched out his arms, pulling Cecilia into his embrace.
"Don't be afraid, little sister," the man said gently. "I'm here. I saved Kiana, and she is living well. You will be able to meet her soon."
"You also have an academy, one said to have inherited your will. We can go see it afterward."
"You still have so much. You do not need to fear because you have lost a little."
"With me here, everything will get better. As long as I am here."
"Yes, Kiana is still alive... Bianca Durandal Atagina... That really is a good name..."
Cecilia murmured, the corners of her lips lifting. Yet the tears she had held back for so long finally surged out uncontrollably, soaking Otto's shoulder and sleeve.
"Thank goodness for you... Thank goodness for you..."
She repeated "thank goodness for you" over and over, her grip around Otto's arm growing tighter, as though she were embracing the only world she could rely on.
How strange. She could endure tears when she had lost vast amounts of blood in Siberia. She could endure them when amnesia brought on headaches.
Yet whenever she suffered a grievance in front of him, she simply could not hold them back.
PS1: The Fifth Divine Key, Abyss Flower Sleeps All Things, was apparently owned by Schicksal. That was also why Sushang could sleep for five hundred years.
Also, World Serpent was established by Gray Serpent himself. It could be said to have been an underground organization that already existed during the Previous Civilization, while Schicksal was founded by Kevin's son Adam and others. In a sense, Schicksal was the legitimate inheritor of the Previous Civilization.
The World Serpent established by Gray Serpent was dedicated to rescuing Kevin, who had gone into the sea, and making him their leader. It was somewhat like a scenario where the Herrscher of the Void was Sirin, but the little bug was not Sirin.
The little bug was Sirin's inheritor, while the Thousand Herrscher wanted to revere Sirin as their leader. Schicksal, World Serpent, and the Previous Civilization had a similar relationship.
So despite World Serpent seeming extremely impressive in the story, its main strength actually lay in Feather Rabbit, Kevin, and the Elysian Realm.
My current timeline was the end of 2013—I had calculated that very clearly from the beginning. At this point, Kevin was slurping noodles in the sea, Feather Rabbit was carrying out the Stigmata Project, and the Elysian Realm was providing every service except resources. So World Serpent itself was actually still rather fragile.
Changguang
"How is the research on the latest generation of Valkyrie armor going, Changguang?"
The blond man stepped into Schicksal's Holy 1504 Research Institute and asked.
"Lord Bishop Otto," a rose-haired woman looked up, her eyes full of helplessness, "you suddenly demanded that development be accelerated a few days ago, then proposed integrating the Key of Domination into the armor—aren't you just wonderful at ordering people around?!"
Her pristine lab coat fitted closely around her, partly concealing her curvaceous figure. Her pupils were the same rose color as her hair—perhaps slightly darker. A gold-rimmed monocle rested on her delicate nose, adding an intelligent yet mysterious charm to the woman.
"If you want, there is no need to rush too much," Otto shrugged. "That is, if we ignore the Third Honkai Outbreak that is very likely to occur in the next few months."
"After following you for so many years, this is the first time I have heard you mention something like that," Changguang gave him a rather astonished look. "The first time you have pushed research forward for Honkai."
Though she still showed no intention of stopping it, Changguang silently added that thought to herself.
"I admit that I have never regarded Honkai as my enemy—it is a tool for me to pursue my ideals." The blond man unhurriedly walked to her side. "That remains true now."
"However, this Honkai can push my plans a step further. And when there are sufficient benefits, an egoist like me does not mind putting on sheep's clothing and pretending to be merciful."
"You really do have an exceptionally clear understanding of yourself."
The woman mocked him, then activated the terminal before her. A virtual image projected onto the white screen.
"In a sense, Schicksal's fourth-generation Valkyrie armor can indeed be completed a year early. Research into Herrscher cores since the Second Honkai Outbreak has basically brought our technology to maturity."
"According to my simulation using the data preserved from Babel, if Miss Theresa Apocalypse had worn the armor we are currently envisioning back then, she could have defeated the Herrscher of the Void."
"Valkyrie Judgement nearly killed Sirin inside Babel back then," Otto said. "Comparing combat power like that... is rather strange."
"...Six."
Changguang gathered her thoughts and continued:
"Then let me put it another way—when using Divine Keys while wearing this armor, unless it is output like Black Abyss White Flower that requires consuming large amounts of God-Slaying Blood, the wearer can continuously use the other Divine Keys' Zeroth Power at least twice—without waiting for cooldowns or recharging—and it will not damage their potential or lifespan."
"That sounds more like it..."
Otto nodded. This sounded rather underwhelming, since according to the setting, the Zeroth Power of a Divine Key was merely a Herrscher-level strike.
However, looking at the Second Honkai Outbreak, Theresa nearly took down Sirin with Judgement, Siegfried completely dominated Sirin with Shamash, and Cecilia directly resolved Sirin's multi-core rampage before death with Black Abyss White Flower. That level of power could be compared to the Death Herrscher's pre-death rampage destroying a city in the Previous Civilization, or the Rock Herrscher's pre-death rampage sinking a continent. The ancient notion that Divine Keys were merely capable of one Herrscher-level strike was best taken with a grain of salt. Taking it seriously meant losing.
Sister Vill-V was modest and low-key, but did that really mean people thought the pinnacle of human intellect in the Previous Civilization had only created weapons barely capable of one Herrscher-level strike? Not to mention that they had limit-break forms.
In the end, it was still a matter of individual potential.
"Wait, Lord Bishop," Changguang suddenly said. "The situation may not be as good as you think."
"Mm?"
"Our technology has indeed matured—but only in terms of theoretical feasibility. There are still certain obstacles in practical application."
"Schicksal can fully support this research."
Otto licked his lips.
Valkyrie armor was the only technology of the Current Civilization besides God-Slaying Blood that could rival the achievements of the Previous Civilization. He had to seize it as early as possible.
Among the ideas he could currently access that could improve Schicksal's high-end combat power, Stigmata warriors and Herrscher warriors were both long-term projects. Fusion Warriors remained a technology built atop human lives even now. Only armor equipment and mastery of Divine Keys were the best means of quickly constructing Schicksal's defenses.
"I am glad that this time, Schicksal is actually giving its full support," Changguang's voice interrupted Otto's thoughts. "It almost makes me want to record it and play it for Schicksal's entire research department—or even, according to Shenzhou tradition, burn a recording for our ancestors."
"However, the problem we have encountered is not a lack of funding."
"Then what is it?"
"It is very simple. In one sentence—'the height of a spring cannot exceed its source.' Your requirement for the fourth-generation Valkyrie armor is that it must be 'capable of defeating Herrschers.' But no matter how much the armor improves its user, it can only assist its host in reaching the greatest heights she could attain. Beyond that, it would endanger the Valkyrie's potential and lifespan."
"At the same time, this brings a minor consequence—the fourth-generation Valkyrie armor must be custom-made for a specific user. Of course, that is not too serious a problem. Since the second generation, Schicksal has been making specialized armor for certain special Valkyries."
Mm, I know that. For example, Theresa. For example, Theresa. For example, Theresa.
Otto replied inwardly, a relaxed smile on his face. "So let me summarize. The current fourth-generation Valkyrie armor can only be equipped by S-rank Valkyries. Its wearer can use Zeroth Power up to three times with virtually no harm, and it improves the Valkyrie's combat capabilities in every respect, giving her the power to battle a Herrscher?"
"Not merely battle," Changguang clarified only the latter point. "Defeat. If the opponent is at the level of the Second Herrscher, I can guarantee that."
Tch, she was getting cocky.
Otto did not remind her that Honkai grew stronger as civilization advanced. The later the Herrschers appeared, the more absurdly powerful they became.
He was still worrying over how to eliminate Binding without cheating.
"This is already a good result. Though for now, only Cecilia and Durandal can use this generation of armor,"
Otto said,
"still, I do not mind lowering the standards somewhat afterward and producing armor that lets its wearer bring out her full potential. It does not matter if it has to be custom-made."
"You really brought Senior Cecilia back?"
Changguang adjusted her monocle and asked.
"Not brought back," Otto corrected. "Returned—you know, I would not casually bestow a name upon a clone."
"That makes sense." The woman nodded. "With your pride, if she were a clone, you would not give her the same name. Otherwise, Theresa should be called Kallen."
"How wonderful, my old friend. You actually want me to treat 'Kallen' as my granddaughter," Otto replied humorously. "If I did that, it would surely be to anger Kallen back to life from her coffin."
"That sounds like a method too?" Changguang laughed as well. "Why not give it a try?"
"I think that would be even more incredible than attempting resurrection with the Herrscher of Death."
An aged voice suddenly came from the entrance to the research institute, interrupting their conversation.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Otto narrowed his eyes and looked at the old man by the doorway.
"I thought you should have come to see me as well, Dr. Maki."
Gem of Serenity
The blond man and the white-haired elder faced each other. Otto did not speak again, recalling the events related to the man before him.
From a scientific perspective, this old man was extremely successful. It was he who extracted Schariac Blood—God-Slaying Blood—and made it possible to activate it outside the human body.
The God-Slaying Spears developed from it posed enough of a threat for even the Queen of the Herrscher of the Void to sense danger. This allowed Otto to force her back directly during Queen's Descent, when the Queen possessed both newbie protection and PV protection buffs.
Yet at the same time, he was a cold-blooded and exceedingly ordinary scholar. He and the original Otto had colluded together, using Valkyries for Death Gem fusion experiments and disregarding the sacrifices of others. Only after his own granddaughter died in an experiment did he begin to "discover his conscience."
—Then he took the Herrscher of Death core and defected to Cocolia, jumping from one fire pit into another.
He was simply poison to everyone around him.
If not for the little bug's adorable foolishness moving him to hand the core over to the first heroine of Honkai Impact 3rd, and if not for old Fu Shen's invincible divine fist and Heaven-Opening Force Strike forcibly suppressing the Queen of the Herrscher of the Void despite her possessing both the Herrscher of the Void and Herrscher of Death cores, Singapore would likely have been wiped out as well, earning the achievement of becoming a second Changkong City.
Of course, all of that was part of the future plot. It had not yet had time to happen.
Nor would it ever have the chance to happen.
People with double standards were best kept under control.
"Yes, Lord Otto," Maki nodded. "I should have come long ago—when you said a few days ago that you wanted to reclaim the Gem of Serenity."
"Then did you bring it?"
"I require a reason." The old man's eyes darkened. "I believe my achievement in developing the external use of God-Slaying Blood has not yet been forgotten."
"I have no intention of burning bridges, my respected old friend,"
Otto said leisurely.
"I am very pleased to have such an outstanding scientist as you dedicating yourself to Schicksal. But..." He deliberately dragged out the last word.
A bad feeling rose in Maki's heart. "But what?"
"Your granddaughter Marlene—she also signed up for the relevant volunteer experiments." The blond man smiled slyly. "If I do not stop this experiment, sooner or later, she will become one of the test subjects on your worktable."
The white-haired old man shuddered all over and hurriedly raised his hand, handing Otto the Honkai Energy Isolation Box containing the Gem of Serenity.
Better to believe it existed than not. Dr. Maki also understood his granddaughter's character. If she knew there was a better way to save the world, she would certainly join without hesitation.
What was more, Otto had said it.
He knew the disposition of the bishop before him very well. Even if this were false, even if he exposed the lie, this bishop without any moral bottom line would certainly find every possible way to guide his granddaughter into that experiment with its minuscule chance of success.
He had no need to gamble on Otto Apocalypse's conscience.
Because such a thing simply did not exist.
"Rest assured, Dr. Maki." Otto tossed the Honkai Energy Isolation Box in his hand, revealing a meaningful smile. "I was not lying."
The old man took a deep breath, seeming to consider something. After a while, he bowed slightly, his tone somewhat humble:
Before you continue