Schicksal Headquarters, Overseer's Office—
The burgundy liquid swayed gently in the exquisite crystal glass, refracting the cold light falling from the dome.
Otto held the base of the glass elegantly, scrutinizing the phantom before him with a faint smile. "According to you, Senior, the parallel space-times closely connected to the Proper World are disappearing at some unusual rate?"
"Yes."
Above the Thames, the figure of the Enlightened One rippled slightly like a reflection in water.
On the small island in the center of the lake, Su leaned against the massive root system of the Sala trees, his posture peaceful. "The Cosmic Juggernaut I possess grants me the vision to observe countless parallel space-times. Everything I just told you is what I have observed in recent years relying on the Divine Key."
"The world is inherently a fragile tower of blocks; touching it anywhere could trigger a chain collapse." Taking a light sip of red wine, Otto remained unmoved. "But I must still thank you for providing the coordinates of the Key of Infinity, great Flame-Chaser."
"Please stop mobilizing the Valkyrie units stationed near London, Mr. Overseer," Su responded gently. "Mount Sumeru is a special bubble world constructed with my own power. In a situation where you, the holder of the Void Archives, do not personally arrive, even someone as strong as an S-Rank Valkyrie should not dream of breaking the barrier between reality and illusion to descend here."
"But that is only one reason, correct?"
Otto's gaze landed precisely beside the man, on the orange tabby cat lazily bathing in the illusory sunlight.
Its fur was sleek, its tail curled contentedly. At first glance, it looked harmless.
"Cath Palug," Otto slowly pronounced the name. "The cat demon of legend that followed the Sage Merlin, the guardian deity of the Thames."
"And a Grand Sequence-Rank," Su pointed out the aspect the other party cared about most. "Since I, a wielder of a Divine Key, dare to appear before you, who holds one-third of the world's power, I am naturally certain that the mutual destruction of both our sides is guaranteed."
"Just based on a single Grand Sequence-Ran?"
"Based on the fact that she is the companion of the Herrscher of Finality."
"Meow..."
Hearing the shovel-officer mention her, Pardo-cat rolled over, her fluffy tail sweeping across Su's thigh as she sprawled out to continue sunbathing.
Otto's smile receded slightly. He fell silent for a moment, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the smooth tabletop, making a crisp clack-clack sound.
"My friend, let us return to the topic at hand." He shifted the conversation smoothly, as if the earlier tension had never occurred. "You are saying that in your observations, the parallel space-times of the Proper World are accelerating toward extinction?"
Su did not feel that this man was being respectful after being haughty. If he hadn't revealed his trump card of mutual destruction, Schicksal's massive fleet would likely have plowed through the Thames thirty or fifty times by now.
Furthermore, being able to discard his previous demeanor the moment he realized their strengths were roughly equal was a manifestation of his cunning and calculation.
"Just as you said, Mr. Overseer, the annihilation of parallel space-times is not strange in itself," he spoke slowly, carrying the heaviness of having glimpsed part of the truth. "However, the reason I actively brought this up is—"
"There is a so-called mastermind behind the scenes, correct?"
"Precisely."
"That is interesting." Otto leaned back slightly, resting against the towering Overseer's chair. "Since taking charge of Schicksal five hundred years ago, the title of 'mastermind' has been placed on my head by countless mediocrities. I never thought that one day, I myself would become a pawn covered by an invisible hand."
"Pioneer." He raised his glass, his gaze burning. "Let us dispense with baseless nonsense. Since you were willing to contact me proactively, please reveal everything you know."
"Please look at this first."
As soon as his voice fell, Su's figure faded like ripples.
The next moment, a clear holographic image unfolded in the center of Otto's office.
It was a desolate, decaying world. The planet's core erupted with endless flames, dyeing the remaining atmosphere a desperate blood-red. Tides of Imaginary and Quantum energy swept through the solar system; it was on the verge of total Finality.
And in the center of that apocalyptic scene, a solitary figure leaned quietly against a black rock covered in cracks.
Wings of light formed from Imaginary energy spread behind him, every tremor tearing open spiderweb-like space-time rifts.
Armor of pure white interwoven with crimson-purple flowed with patterns of light like molten gold, as if the embers of the galaxy had been forged into a battle suit.
Waist-length hair cascaded like a waterfall woven from stardust, the ends dyed with the profound dark blue of annihilation.
As the hair tips floated, they scattered fragmented radiance, resembling both the spark of creation and the lingering echo of the end.
In contrast to his magnificent attire, he hung his head in silence. A pale silver Holy Lance had pierced through him, as if anchoring the boy's destiny.
Even with a life spanning five centuries, the scene before him, blending ultimate destruction with poignant silence, still captivated Otto.
Only when Su's voice rang in his ears did he snap back to reality and continue listening.
"This is a parallel space-time based on our world," the Enlightened One narrated in a low voice. "When I observed it, it was already in this state. It was only 1.207 picoseconds away from its structure completely collapsing and turning into quantum foam."
"I tried to use that fleeting moment to capture clues, but the entire planet had already been swallowed by magma erupting from the core. Human civilization's creations were nearly wiped out."
"Since you say 'nearly,' that proves you found something in the end, didn't you?"
At the appropriate moment, the Overseer didn't mind playing the straight man.
"Yes."
Particles of light gathered in the Enlightened One's palm, solidifying, and finally turning into a piece of charred, tattered paper debris. "I did my utmost and finally captured this remnant of a calendar recording the time in the final instant before total annihilation. The date displayed on it is July 8, 2014."
"That day..."
Otto's expression became solemn, clearly realizing the special meaning of this date.
Su continued on his own: "On that day, the members of the Hyperion and my companion (Hua) infiltrated the Bubble World Mausoleum that Shuhu created for Genghis Khan, engaging in a great battle with the Longevity Heaven that stole Temujin's remains within. In the end, Mr. Fuli and Miss Kiana combined into one using a move called the Metamoran Fusion Dance, and under the name Fuli Kaslana, completely slew the revived God-King."
"I originally had no objections to such a development, until I saw that parallel space-time stepping into destruction."
The Enlightened One gazed at the divine figure on the screen whose heart was pierced by the Holy Lance, pouring out the words in his heart. "Is the development of our world really just like this? Or perhaps, is there some unknown Great Existence exerting force in the dark, forcibly evading the trajectory of fate where the Proper World should have gone toward destruction?"
"For example, at the moment the world is about to step into total destruction, that existence precisely fishes out a safe and sound world line from the vast parallel space-times—one that did not embark on this road to ruin—and overlays it onto our world teetering on the brink of collapse, guaranteeing it can continue to linger on."
Otto narrowed his eyes. "This is the truth you spoke of, regarding the continuous disappearance of parallel worlds? They are being used as consumables to patch up our world?"
"It is merely an immature conjecture." Su sighed, carrying the humility of a wise man and awe for the unknown. "However, regardless of the truth, the core figures in this event seem to be only those few who were present at the time, or perhaps—"
He did not continue. His gaze, along with Otto's, focused once again on the holographic image of the figure whose chest was pierced by the Holy Lance, sleeping eternally amidst destruction.
The image flickered and distorted violently due to strong Honkai energy interference. Within that remaining 1.207 picoseconds, the boy's face appeared for only a split second, like a fleeting glimpse of a swan.
But that was enough for the two of them to see that young and familiar face clearly.
regarding this, Otto felt a sense of irony.
Brother, oh Brother. I knew your potential was shocking when you had a Honkai adaptability of 6500HW at age eight, but I didn't expect you to reach such a level.
If only I hadn't used you as bait to lure Siegfried back when you were young and released you to Shenzhou, but instead kept you by my side and poured Schicksal's resources into cultivating you with care...
In eight years, could I have forged an unprecedented Star Creator?
And with Bianka...
Bianka?
The image of his disciple flashed through the man's mind instantly.
He waved his hand, and a new light screen unfolded in the office, clearly displaying the scene of Little Dudu and Fuli meeting and chatting casually on the Luofu.
"Mr. Pioneer, you said just now that once the world shows signs of destruction, that unknown existence will take action, using parallel worlds as patches to overwrite and trim."
Otto stared intently at the image of the two chatting leisurely, his voice carrying the calmness of someone who has seen through the truth. "But I think the critical node that triggers the reset button might not be the destruction of the Proper World, but something else."
"Your view is?"
Su's phantom leaned forward slightly, clearly attracted by this new line of thought.
"Ella."
"I am here."
Golden data streams converged, and the other Otto Apocalypse, who had been listening silently, materialized.
"Just now, when you arranged for Bianka—the real Kiana Kaslana—to use the Soulium puppet, did you specifically adjust her facial features to distinguish her from Kiana's appearance in her childhood?"
"I did, but I just wanted to play it safe and avoid the two recognizing each other too early, causing unnecessary trouble!"
Ella also reacted. "So that's it. Was my behavior already influenced by that person? Or rather, had the world already undergone a reset at that moment?"
"As expected of you, though," she couldn't help but quip. "To actually focus your attention on such an inconspicuous detail."
"After all, in this world, no one believes in the power of love more than I do."
Otto spoke a line that sounded incredibly cringeworthy to others in a tone bordering on an aria.
He continued, "Since I can guess this point, it shows that even She has limits to her power."
Ella pouted. "It's also possible that Her gaze is entirely focused on our brother, and she can't be bothered with a guy like you. Or perhaps you didn't voice the conjecture in your heart directly, thus luckily evading Her glance."
Otto snapped his fingers. "Or perhaps, the total number of parallel space-times is already stretched thin, insufficient to support Her in dealing with these trivial details... But regardless, this is ultimately a good thing."
His face was full of teasing, clearly joking.
If this were true, how many times would the so-called parallel world overwriting have to repeat?
Ganges River sands? Asankhya? Nayuta? Inconceivable? Or perhaps, Immeasurable?
The key was, it wasn't necessary.
Just to prevent the truth of K423 from being exposed, surely it wouldn't need that many tries.
Casting the boring thoughts aside, Otto looked back at the bewildered Su, the elegant and mysterious smile returning to his face. "In short, that is the situation. I believe that with your wisdom and experience, even if you cannot react immediately, you will soon understand the meaning behind these words."
"I must say, your appearance is a pleasant surprise for me. It allowed me to glimpse the shadows behind the scenes and added quite a few variables to my original plan."
He stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the floating city that looked like a miniature model below. "It seems my 'Thus Spoke Apocalypse' requires some planned changes. Since you can observe parallel worlds, you must also know my ultimate goal in doing this."
"Shall we do it together?" Otto slowly extended his hand, his posture carrying a strange sincerity and invitation. "No matter how it develops, it will be an opportunity to face the Imaginary Tree directly."
"At that time, I will fulfill my long-cherished wish, and you can also use a higher-dimensional perspective to decipher the many confusions deep in your heart."
---||---
With the professionals of the Cloud Knights taking over, the mess in the bar was quickly cleaned up. Even the heavy smell of rust in the air was neutralized by a special fragrance, leaving only a faint scent of lavender.
Fuli was squatting on the steps not far outside the bar, shooting the breeze with that young Cloud Knight Lieutenant. Before long, the topic unsurprisingly slid toward "XP" (fetishes).
On this, the two were surprisingly consistent. Both preferred the tall type with proud curves—in common parlance, they were staunch Onee-san lovers. The bottom line had to be at least a graceful young maiden.
The Loli faction was verbally condemned by them, agreeing that those who liked that type were "Gentlemen among Gentlemen" (Perverts). What do you mean 'Lolita hunting in the minister's garden'? Vulgar! Simply too vulgar!
Until a petite figure walked quietly up to Fuli and gently tugged at the hem of his clothes.
"Who is it?"
The boy, currently high on the conversation, glanced over casually.
Golden hair tied in a side ponytail flew like a waterfall, and the azure eyes under the goggles were innocent and naive.
The blue and white battlesuit outlined agile lines. The whole person was like a blade ready to strike; the futuristic tech feel and the sharp edge of cold weapons blended naturally on her.
He was silent for a split second, then suddenly picked up the Little Goose with a face full of excitement, rubbing his cheek against her soft face while saying, "Sister, sister!"
Little Dudu: ?
The Cloud Knight Lieutenant, a fellow beast, immediately saw through this guy's sinister intentions. He pointed at Fuli with heartache, shouting as if hating iron for not becoming steel, "If you make yourself smaller than her, does the other party automatically upgrade to an Onee-san? Did you grow up reading Relativity?!"
Fuli would never betray the Onee-san class!
But his image of an Onee-san could be redefined because of Durandal's existence!
"Wu! Q-Quick, let go!"
Under the gaze of the public, the cheeks of the girl held in his arms turned slightly red, but her body didn't make a single struggle or resistance. She didn't even push him away symbolically, just letting Fuli kiss, hug, and lift her high.
Who asked someone to whisper "Bianka is here" in his ear right from the start?
Clearly, even though the Soulium puppet's appearance had been meticulously adjusted by Ella, Fuli still recognized the true identity of this little one at a glance.
This made Little Dudu incredibly happy, a warm current and a little smugness that was hard to describe surging in her heart.
Can Bronya do this?
Can Senior Theresa do this?
They can't, you know!
After saying goodbye to the Cloud Knight Lieutenant who had witnessed the collapse of his compatriot's Onee-san faith, Fuli carried the girl in his arms away from this place of trouble.
Walking to a relatively quiet alley corner, he stopped and looked carefully at the little blonde beauty in front of him again.
"Full marks! Marry me!"
He gave a thumbs up.
"Um, thank you."
Little Dudu turned her face away slightly, seeming a bit shy, but her small chest puffed up unconsciously.
Hmph, proud!
"On a secret mission?"
Fuli lowered his voice and asked. He had deliberately not called out Bianka's name earlier for fear of interfering with her execution of Schicksal's secret mission.
Little Goose shook her head. "It's already over, thanks to that Galaxy Ranger."
She actively took the boy's warm hand, her eyes curving into beautiful crescents. "Does Little Li want to walk around together? This Wardance Ceremony seems quite lively."
What? Who said earlier they had no interest in wandering around the Wardance Ceremony?
Oh my, I was just joking earlier.
As everyone knows, I, Bianka, hate the rat race (internal involution) the most in my life!
Moreover, Hyperion is ambitious, planning to abduct Schicksal's strongest S-Rank Valkyrie, Durandal, after promoting to a super-large organization! How does this not count as being an anti-Schicksal element?
I am feeding the tiger with my body, going deep into the enemy camp, and monitoring their boss closely to prevent him from doing anything harmful to Schicksal's interests!
This is clearly being conscientious and loyal!
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together and people are divided by poverty. After being with Prisoner Fuli for too long, Bianka's skin was getting thicker and thicker.
Or perhaps, this is called the husband sings and the wife follows?