Otto: It's decided, old friend. You and Su Qing'an are going to be all over the forums.

Schicksal Headquarters, Third Airport.

It floats above Europe year-round, looking down upon the world from its high vantage point.

It's like the hundred-eyed giant Argos in Greek mythology, whose hundred eyes never completely close even when he falls into a long slumber.

The same is true of the Schicksal Headquarters; it never stops operating, encompassing all aspects of human life.

The ravages of Honkai are constantly spreading to every corner of the world, and any corresponding countermeasures can only be effectively coordinated and deployed under their watchful eye.

Therefore, this behemoth cannot stop its advance; if it pauses even for a moment, one tragedy after another will be born and intensified.

Valkyrie, meaning the Valkyrie.

This symbolizes the gods in Germanic mythology, as well as a female warrior clad in shining armor, riding a steed and flying through the sky.

The meaning behind the name "Schicksal" naturally leans more towards the latter, as most Honkai Energy users are female, and very few men possess the qualities to combat Honkai Energy.

This is a world where young girls are forced to take up arms and go to the battlefield, and the consistent name Valkyrie is proof of this fact.

At that moment, a maid standing among the Valkyrie' most elite members gently knocked on the door.

The door opened automatically before she could knock on it for the third time.

The interior is well-lit, with expensive handmade carpets covering the entire room. The luxurious yet understated wooden furniture follows ancient Western European styles, symbolizing the owner's preferences and taste.

This place was originally a floating island in the sky, but standing in front of the window here, you can see most of the entire view of the Third Airport of Schicksal.

It is located in a higher place, above the high places.

This is natural, because this is the power center of the third airport.

Power symbolizes arrogance and aloofness. The headquarters of Schicksal overlooks the world, while he looks down upon the Schicksal Headquarters, like a chess player holding a chess piece looking at a huge chessboard.

When the power of Schicksal is held in the hands of one person, he can control the fate of the entire world and the destiny of countless people.

Five hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the person who holds this power still lives in this world, like an immortal ghost.

The Archbishop of Schicksal.

Otto Apocalypse.

This man, surrounded by countless legends and stories, is revered by the world.

Countless people hate him, while countless others are deeply grateful to him.

This man cannot be defined by conventional notions of good and evil. He has conducted human experiments that are as cruel and inhumane as those of a demon, and he also has a habit of using Valkyrie as tools of war.

He seemed to believe in the principle of using anything that could be used, regardless of whether it involved other people's lives, dignity, feelings, or even their personalities.

Some people think he's a madman with no moral compass, but these inhumane human experiments have yielded real results.

Anti-Honkai Vaccine and Artificial Stigmata.

These two things, which were enough to change the course of the war, came from the Babylon Tower of Babylon in Siberia.

Even though the Herrscher was born as a result of this experiment, the changes brought about by these two things cannot be erased.

Otto's supporters believe that his actions were a necessary sacrifice and price that humanity had to pay in order to defeat the Honkai.

They considered the idea of ending a war without bloodshed to be an absurd joke.

Modern anatomy has evolved from animal dissection to human dissection. This process, from experimentation to practice, may have involved bloodshed, but the final results have been positive, and the experience and achievements gained have saved countless lives.

In their eyes, the events that occurred in the Tower of Babylon Tower were also like that.

But the blood and bones accumulated within, and the resulting chain of hatred, are undeniably real.

Few people have the courage to use life as a bargaining chip, because regardless of which side is more important, the person who makes the choice must bear the corresponding sin and hatred.

Otto wasn't bold enough, or rather, his reasons for doing so had nothing to do with these things. He didn't take these sacrifices for granted, nor did he intend to justify his actions.

He had long since passed the stage of caring about these things; this man was indifferent to the insults and accusations of others.

He was like an avenger wielding a butcher's knife to cut down the Honkai state, or a martyr who would pay any price to pursue something.

Otto Apocalypse steadfastly marched forward in a certain direction, regardless of whether his own integrity, his bottom line, or the countless wronged souls he trod upon.

He would do anything to glimpse even a tiny ray of light, even if it meant trampling on all the laws and principles of the world.

No one can imagine that all the actions of this man who has been able to control everything are solely for the sake of that light in his heart.

Kallen Kaslana.

He wanted to drag this woman to the brink of life and death.

If there truly is such a thing as hell or heaven in this world, then Schicksal will be the sword that shatters the gates of heaven and hell.

Didn't she prefer a world where no one would get hurt by Honkai?

So now, Schicksal has been born. Even though he has committed a crime that would cause the Saintess pain and sorrow, the consequences are undeniable. Otto has indeed protected most of the good things in the world.

He chose to bear all of this, so it's understandable that he wouldn't be understood or forgiven by that person.

After finding a way to revive her.

A man named Otto Apocalypse will personally end the Honkai.

For that vague and unrealistic long-cherished wish.

Otto tirelessly sought the existence of truth. He studied science and became a true expert in various fields. Five hundred years of life and his innate intelligence allowed him to accumulate a foundation that ordinary humans could not reach.

He even studied theology. In his early years, this arrogant and aloof man was like a pitiful wretch grasping at straws when he was sick. He tried his best to seize every possibility, so even though he had never believed in any deity after that, he still immersed himself deeply in the ocean of knowledge in this field.

Even though he ultimately chose to discard it, his efforts were not in vain; he successfully gained some inspiration from it.

Sometimes, if you want to get something, you have to let go of some stubborn prejudices. This is the lesson Otto learned from this experience.

Therefore, Otto rarely underestimates anyone.

For example, Su Qing'an.

After silently putting down the controller and refusing to look at the game screen of Kallen Fantasy, the man browsed the report presented by the maid with great interest. After a few brief moments, he looked up and asked:

"Rita, what kind of person do you think Su Qing'an is?"

Rita considered for a moment and replied:

"Your Lord Bishop, what kind of personality do you think an ordinary 17-year-old male should have?"

A competent subordinate wouldn't respond to their superior's question with a question, so Rita naturally continued:

"This is a very general question, but it is ultimately determined by a few factors. Once we know about that family background and Su Qing'an's life trajectory, it is not difficult to draw a conclusion."

"Moreover, Su Qing'an used to have some social anxiety and autism tendencies. His social circle was practically no more than five people. If things had continued along a normal logical path, it wouldn't have been hard to imagine that his future and personality would have remained the same."

The maid raised her voice:

But a turning point occurred.

The man's lips curled into a faint smile, softening his handsome features, but his emerald eyes still held an unyielding chill, inspiring awe in those who looked upon them.

"Oh? A turning point?" Otto found the topic interesting and said.

Rita nodded and said:

"His journey to Changkong City, Japan, alone after the death of Su Qing'an parents was a turning point."

"If it weren't for coming to Changkong City, Su Qing'an would still be safely in Canghai City in Shenzhou, continuing to live her life according to her original plan."

"But arriving in Changkong City meant that his future was destined to be anything but bright."

Otto clapped his hands, his interest fully piqued, and his smile grew even wider.

The man said:

"If this were placed in the opening of some epic, it would be as if the hero's fate began to deviate, and from then on, the hero would embark on a path of no return."

"He will encounter a princess from a fallen kingdom, a wandering knight, a magician in a tavern who squanders his days with acrobatic performances, a great sage from the elven kingdom who comes to test him, and finally, the hero will face off against the Demon King."

"And all of this fate began with that very opening ceremony. Isn't that interesting, Rita?"

The maid said with a hint of helplessness:

"Your Lord Bishop, although you're describing it as some third-rate RPG setting, in a sense it is."

"But perhaps it's slightly different from what you said. Su Qing'an is not a hero. If I had to say, according to your analogy, he was just a lowly soldier who died at the very beginning."

Otto seemed thoughtful, and he nodded, saying:

"That's true. Even in their weakest state, a hero is qualified to draw a holy sword. But in reality, the most Su Qing'an can wield is just an iron sword from the village entrance."

If the qualification to draw the Holy Sword refers to adaptability and resistance to Honkai Energy, then Otto's analogy couldn't be more apt.

Rita continued:

"If we follow your story, then perhaps that girl is the one who deserves to be the hero."

Upon hearing this, Otto laughed and said:

"K423? Perhaps. I'm also curious whether she'll end up as a hero or a demon king."

"Isn't the trope of the protagonist being the ultimate boss quite popular, Rita?"

Rita smiled and said:

"As you say, Your Lord Bishop."

"I have no intention of questioning your taste, but please allow me to continue discussing Su Qing'an."

Otto gave an apologetic smile and nodded, saying:

"Oh, of course, please continue, Rita."

The maid said:

"What I mentioned earlier was the first turning point. The future of unrest is now certain. And the prerequisite for surviving in Changkong City during the Third Honkai Outbreak, based on the medical report that Su Qing'an previously submitted to the Schicksal Database, is a death sentence."

Otto continued:

"But he didn't die, and he's still alive and well."

Rita nodded and said:

"This is the second turning point. At 1:43 PM on November 9, 2013, Su Qing'an transmitted a cultivation technique called Void Sword Qi to his personal mobile device."

"Just as you thought, Your Lord Bishop."

"This ultimately comes from Lord Fu Hua, but now that her extremely demanding requirements have been confirmed, this cultivation technique, with its extremely low cost-effectiveness, is no secret to a Schicksal member of Su Jinyan's level. It's only natural for him, as a member of the Shenzhou, to collect an ancient immortal book."

"This should be the reason why Su Qing'an possesses the Void Sword Qi. Of course, out of caution, I still compared the Void Sword Qi in the Schicksal Database with the one in Su Qing'an's possession, and the result was exactly the same as expected."

"And it was this perfectly consistent result that amazed me about what happened next."

"Although the exact time is unknown, before the Honkai occurred, Su Qing'an undoubtedly mastered the Sword Heart technique through his own efforts."

"At the age of 17."

Rita softly uttered Su Qing'an's age, and anyone who knew even a little about the Void Sword Qi would understand the significance and incredible nature of this number.

Otto pondered:

"He mastered Kenshin at the age of 17? And with such low-level Honkai Energy, he's a genius in some way."

"This feeling is like a game character that has broken free from the NPC framework, full of unknown fun."

Rita said:

"Compared to this, what happened next doesn't seem so strange. According to your description, Su Qing'an maxed out the proficiency of all the skills he could learn in less than a month. He had transformed from a novice warrior who had just left the village into a weapons master."

The man picked up the report he had set aside and said:

"Just as you said in the report, is this his incredible learning ability?"

"Oh? You learned your martial arts techniques in less than three minutes of fighting with me? Although I've never personally practiced martial arts, I can understand that this isn't something that can be achieved simply through intellectual learning."

"His control over his body must be completely different from that of a normal person. This should be the true nature of the so-called learning ability, and the reason why he can achieve this level."

"That's really interesting. If this is an innate ability, then his introverted personality since childhood, besides being influenced by his family's busyness with matters of Schicksal, must also be related to this."

"Geniuses always have a vision that differs from ordinary people; Rita, you probably share that sentiment."

Rita shook her head and said:

"It's nothing but a trivial talent, completely insignificant compared to Durandal."

Otto didn't dwell on the question. Compared to Bianka, how many people in this world could honestly say their talents weren't insignificant?

That's like the difference between dragons and humans—a fundamental difference in the nature of life.

The man continued reading the report, muttering to himself:

"Later, during his escape from Changkong City, he encountered Ganesha. He used a motorcycle to outrun this Emperor-class Honkai Beast, almost circling the city, and finally used the weight of a building to crush it?"

Otto couldn't help but smile.

"Hahaha, what a fantastical yet logical and entertaining battle! Is this something a boy who has never experienced the trials of war could accomplish?"

"Decisiveness, courage, composure, and most importantly—correct judgment."

Rita added:

"And a tiny bit of luck, Your Lord Bishop."

"In the end, Su Qing'an lost his ability to move. Just as Ganesha awoke and was about to kill him, Lady Fu Hua appeared."

Otto joked:

"What perfect timing! A beauty saves the hero. If he's the protagonist, then my old friend must be an important NPC, and maybe even become the female lead."

It was a scathing critique, as precise as a surgical scalpel.

The maid chuckled and said:

"In fact, Fu Hua and Su Qing'an do have a good relationship."

"Rumors circulate within the St. Freya Academy that the two of them would meet at dusk to watch the tides rise and fall and the sun sink into the sea, and every morning they would practice their martial arts under a giant banyan tree."

"Putting aside these rumors, on the day Su Qing'an fell into a coma, Lady Fu Hua completed the mission in less than three minutes, almost simply repeating the actions of walking in and then walking out before boarding the plane back to the St. Freya Academy."

"While the entire St. Freya Academy was helpless in dealing with Su Qing'an's coma, Su Qing'an coincidentally Awakened naturally shortly after Lady Fu Hua returned to the academy."

Otto fell silent; he understood Rita's implication.

Based on his understanding of that immortal, such behavior was actually contrary to common sense, so for a moment he thought Rita was bragging. But then he realized that Rita would not deceive him in this regard, and a strange feeling made him feel happy and intensely curious.

He chuckled and muttered to himself:

"My old friend, the one you're willing to use Udu-dust twice in a short period of time to save, I really can't help but be curious."

The man skipped over the trivial details in the report, even overlooking the core of the mission, the report on K423, in a short period of time.

Compared to reports that can be viewed anytime, satisfying one's own perverse tastes and curiosity is clearly more important.

When he was about halfway through, Otto opened a video file.

That was a video recording of Su Qing'an's virtual training.

The entire hour-long progress bar was filled with incredibly gory scenes of death.

The boy gritted his teeth, suppressing his pain. His body was being eroded into crystals by Honkai Energy, bit by bit, until it was finally annihilated into nothingness.

This scene was repeated dozens of times.

They might die from bleeding profusely, from organ failure, from their bones Honkai Energy, or, like the scene just now, simply be annihilated into dust-like particles.

[Thousand Stars].

This is part of the process of cultivating [Thousand Stars].

Otto studied the boy's determined eyes, which were staring straight ahead, then turned off the video and said with a smile:

"Rita, perhaps we still don't understand this person."

"He has a kind of unwavering will that feels familiar to me, which is very interesting."

The man snapped his fingers lightly and said with a smile:

"It's decided. Let's have our old friend and Su Qing'an go on a mission together in a while."

"I believe that will be very interesting."