Chapter 296

Kiana felt like she'd punched cotton, which only fueled her anger.

Sue: "Bishop Otto, this is also a point that puzzles me. I wonder if you could answer it?"

Otto: "Oh? Since it's a question from a senior, then I'll answer it to the best of my knowledge."

If it were other Flame-Chasers, such as Kevin and his group, Otto would wait for him to ask before making a choice based on his own interests and values.

If it goes against his interests, Otto will make excuses.

But Sue was different. Sue had once conveyed the method to realize his long-cherished wish to him, which was a favor, and even more so a debt of gratitude to Otto.

A mere problem is nothing compared to the weight of that leaf.

Su: "In the answer I gave you, the power of the Herrscher of the Void is necessary for you to fulfill your long-cherished wish, so why did you become a complete Villain to Miss Kiana?"

Otto: "Hmm... I don't quite understand. At least so far, I haven't done anything too harsh to Kiana. On the contrary, I gave her life and brought her into this world."

Kiana: "But you'll awaken the Herrscher of the Void, you'll kill the class president! You'll have Durandal capture me and bring me back to Schicksal!"

Otto: "A possibility for the future?"

Otto frowned, closed his eyes, and thought for a while.

The Herrscher of the Void awakens; Theresa rebels against Schicksal for her students; the Immortal Crimson Bird Schicksal Headquarters ways with her; and she is forced to eliminate obstacles in her plans...

Everything connected, and Otto found the answer in his heart.

Otto: "If things develop that way, and you know you can no longer trust Schicksal, then the power born of love will also manifest as hatred born of love."

Fu Hua: "Otto, you!"

Otto: "What I need is the power of the Herrscher of the Void, not Kiana. Immortal Crimson Bird, you know me. To fulfill my five-hundred-year-old wish, I can pay any price."

Otto: "Since things have come to this point, I might as well extend an olive branch. If you can offer your terms, I can put Schicksal, even Otto Apocalypse's life, on the scales. But can you offer them?"

Bishop Otto's words were powerful and resonated deeply in their hearts.

For that so-called long-cherished wish, he was willing to give up everything, sacrifice everything, including himself.

Theresa: "Grandpa, what you want is the beacon of the Thousand Worlds, right?"

Otto narrowed his eyes, surprised that Theresa even knew about this.

However, the beacon of the Thousand Worlds... it might have been fine before, but now, after witnessing the Flame-Chasers, it can no longer satisfy his appetite.

Otto: "So what if it is or isn't? Can you still take something from Kevin? Or, my old friend, would you rather go to Kevin and ask him to do you a favor?"

Kevin: "..."

Fu Hua: "Sigh."

Previous Era and the Current Era, between the Flame-Chasers and their current allies, Fu Hua chose the latter, who needed help more, and already felt guilty about it.

Now they want to ask Kevin for the beacon of the Thousand Worlds, Immortal Crimson Bird really can't bring himself to do it.

Kiana: "Then where did you put the real Kiana, your stinky old man's biological daughter?!"

Otto: "Oh, I can vouch for that. Kiana is in better shape than ever before, better than anyone else. I have absolutely not mistreated her materially."

Kiana: "Really?!"

Kiana was overjoyed.

The real Kiana is still alive and hasn't been abused. If her stinky dad knew, he'd be so happy.

Theresa: "Grandpa, where exactly did you hide Kiana?"

Otto: "Calm down, Theresa. You have your own truths to know, and I have my own destination to reach."

Otto: "Now that I've answered your questions, can you answer mine? After all, it's only fair to exchange something for something else, an equal exchange, isn't it?"

[Q&A begins.]

[In the Project Ring, where was Bishop Otto murdered?]

[A: St. Freya Academy]

[B: Schicksal Headquarters.]

[C: The Base of the World Serpent.]

[D: Raven's Island.]

Before Otto could even ask his question, the system's voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention.

Amber: "Is this the system's Q&A? I understand, but the bishop was murdered, this..."

Such explosive news right off the bat, isn't that a bit too exciting?

Durandal: "Amber, calm down. The Project Ring is different from our world; we can probably treat it as a World Bubble. Don't worry."

Amber: "I see, that startled me."

Amber breathed a sigh of relief when she learned that Bishop Otto hadn't actually been assassinated.

If Otto were to truly disappear one day, the number of matters requiring her attention at Schicksal Headquarters would increase exponentially.

Otto: "Durandal, since you know, then explain to us what kind of world this 'Project Ring' World Bubble actually is."

When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it.

Otto has temporarily put aside his doubts and is prepared to figure out the system's functions before making any decisions.

The benefits of Durandal's long-standing presence in the Chat Group are now becoming apparent.

Durandal: "Ah, how should I put it?"

Pardofelis: "I know, I know! In a certain year of the Honkai, the former Bishop of Schicksal Otto of Schicksal announced his abdication, and since then, the world has been plunged into a devastating catastrophe!"

Amber: "The bishop abdicates?!"

Rita: "?!!"

Otto: "Oh? So there are World Bubble like this? I'm suddenly curious."

Otto believed that his importance to Schicksal was irreplaceable, but with the contingency plans he had left behind, even if he suddenly disappeared one day, it would not cause the order of Schicksal to collapse.

So the key question is, after his abdication, who succeeded him as archbishop?

Otto: "Durandal, do you know who the successor to the Bishop of Schicksal is in this World Bubble?"

Chapter 483 The Project Ring, Villa Island

Durandal: "I don't know, but based on various indications and my own careful consideration, I suspect it's..."

Amber: "Who is it?"

There are only three publicly known potential successors to the Bishop of Schicksal: Amber, Durandal, and Theresa.

All three people are in the Chat Group; no one can escape it.

Durandal: "I suspect it's Lady Theresa."

Theresa: "?!!"

The headmaster stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief, his head buzzing.

Theresa: "Slander! She's slandering me! Durandal, what makes you say it's me?"

Durandal: "Lady Theresa, because the theme of that world is Theresa destroying the world."

Theresa: "..."

The headmaster was speechless, feeling a tightness in his chest that nearly caused him internal injury.

Durandal, how come she never noticed before that you were so good at rubbing salt into people's wounds?!

Himeko Murata: "Bishop Otto, discussing who will inherit the bishopric is not very meaningful right now. It's more important that we analyze where you were assassinated."

Otto: "So, it also has a countdown function?"

If he's right, then we really need to make a decision quickly; there's no such thing as wasting a reward for no reason.

Otto knew nothing about the so-called "World Bubble" of the Project Ring, let alone where he would be assassinated.

Elysia: "How about we start by thinking about who would assassinate Otto?"

Amber: "Then we have to rule out Schicksal Headquarters first. Schicksal Headquarters is guarded by a Valkyrie. How could Bishop Otto have been murdered at headquarters?"

Herrscher of Reason: "A Valkyrie? Who are you talking about? Durandal, or that little girl who sparred with Raiden Mei? What kind of skill is it to bully Mei? If you're so capable, go and exchange a few blows with me!"

Can't we kill Otto at Schicksal Headquarters?

So, who was that piece of trash with the Soul Steel Face who caused all that chaos at Schicksal Headquarters back then?

Fu Hua: "Ahem!"

The Immortal Crimson Bird couldn't help but rub his forehead.

Even though the Herrscher of Reason and her memories are exactly the same, why didn't she inherit any of her gentleness, refinement, or scholarly air?

Amber: "Herrscher?! This group actually needs Herrscher?!"

Raiden Mei: "Um, actually I am the Herrscher of Thunder. Haven't we met before?"

Amber: "No, well, how should I put it?"

The main reason is that beings like the Herrscher often symbolize destruction and disaster, such as the Herrscher of the Void during the Second Honkai War.

When Raiden Mei, the Herrscher of Thunder, appeared at Schicksal Headquarters, she terrified Amber so much that she almost dragged Otto away.

Who knew she would perform so poorly, only managing to go toe-to-toe with Rita?

Otto: "Alright, Amber, we're running out of time if we keep talking. Of the four options, only the World Serpent's territory has a reason to kill me."

The World Serpent has two territories.

The World Serpent Base, and the Raven's Villa Island.

Raven: "Don't look at me like that. My island is for vacations, and I wouldn't invite the Bishop of Schicksal."

The World Serpent's executives invited the Bishop of Schicksal to vacation on their territory... Raven said he hadn't lived enough and couldn't make such a fatal decision.

Otto: "That's the World Serpent's base, so choose C."

[Incorrect answer.]

The correct answer is the Raven's Island.

Otto: "..."

Bishop Otto didn't quite understand why the system's answer was so different from what he had expected.

Dying in Raven's Island villa? That makes absolutely no sense!

Amber: "Island villa, locked-room murder? So, the Bishop was indeed assassinated by the World Serpent's people after all?"

In an instant, three sharp gazes swept directly at Raven, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Raven: "Wait, why are you all looking at me?! You can't possibly suspect that I killed Otto, can you?"

Durandal: "Besides that, I can't think of any other reason why Bishop Otto would have died on the villa island."

Raven: "Then how do you explain why Otto appeared on my villa island? Is he here for a vacation?"

Durandal: "It's not impossible."

Well, this Silly Goose is beyond saving.

The Raven crossed its arms, refusing to be forced to accept this high praise.

Where did she get the audacity to assassinate the Archbishop of Schicksal?

Even if it were an assassination mission issued from within the World Serpent, it wouldn't be her turn to do something so dangerous.

[Otto receives punishment: His Soulium Body dies instantly.]

With a loud thud, Bishop Otto collapsed, his Soulium body, harder than steel, cracking like a piece of parched earth.

Not long after, another Otto emerged from the underground of the Schicksal Headquarters.

Otto: "The forced punishment is really not to be underestimated. Fortunately, this time it was just a body. I guess I'll have to be more careful next time I answer questions. Losing a body does hurt me."

Raiden Mei: "No, I don't see anything about you being distressed at all."

Amber: "Your Excellency, for the sake of the funds for Schicksal, please be more cautious next time!"