[1956. Otto dissolved the Council and fully seized decision-making authority over the Schicksal organization.]
[1959–1969. Schicksal and Anti-Entropy conducted investigations of the Moon, discovering ruins on its far side. The two factions reached an agreement to cease further exploration.]
[February 1, 2000. Inside a Schicksal laboratory in Siberia.]
[A total of 322 researchers disappeared overnight without warning.]
[Surveillance footage showed that, before vanishing into thin air, the researchers seemed to have seen something utterly terrifying.]
[However, aside from flashes of white light, the cameras captured nothing.]
[Following this, Overseer Otto ordered a thorough investigation into the mysterious incident!]
[Thus began the prelude to the Second Honkai Eruption!]
On the screen,
the timeline seemed to continue from after Walter's death,
moving toward the period just before the Second Honkai Eruption.
[Star Rail · Himeko]: This… is before the Second Honkai?
[March 7th]: Kiana's father, huh… such a high rating too! The perfect father!
[Furina]: "Every time the Heavenly Fire is drawn, it's for the one he loves." It seems Siegfried is someone who values emotions deeply…
[Silver Wolf]: A story of a hot-blooded youth growing into a warm, gentle father?
[Jean]: Looks like Anti-Entropy has fully developed by this point.
[Tesla]: After that incident, Dr. Einstein and the rest of us left Schicksal…
[Sparkle]: But come to think of it… when it comes to fighting Honkai, can you really do without Schicksal and Otto…?
As the discussion continued,
the scene shifted.
Appearing on the screen was a younger Siegfried.
[Do you know Heavy Armored Mecha Arahato?]
[In the 1980s, it was a robot anime broadcast on European television and was hugely popular among children.]
[The story followed a group of youths who piloted giant robots built by a secret society, fighting cosmic monsters from the void.]
[The protagonist was usually timid, but there was a switch in his heart—when facing powerful enemies, he would shout that iconic line and transform into a hero.]
[Shout it with me—Arahato!]
[Every time that happened, my chest would burn with heat!]
[That fiery feeling made me want to venture out into the wider world, to become a hero myself.]
[But the surname "Kaslana" meant I had no choice but to be bound by my family's mission.]
[Would I… be shackled by the hollow mission of "protecting the world"?]
[—Don't be ridiculous.]
Siegfried clenched his teeth as he gazed at the vast world beyond the window.
And those watching the screen already knew his choice.
Siegfried—the hot-blooded youth—ran away from home!
[At the age of fifteen, I secretly escaped from home.]
[In the entire history of the Kaslana family, the heir running away has happened only twice.]
[I heard that Overseer Otto was furious and wanted to mobilize all forces to bring me back.]
[It was only because my mother desperately pleaded with him that he let me go.]
[For the next four years, I traveled all over the world.]
[To confirm, with my own eyes, the meaning of my life.]
[1991. Danish border.]
A Schicksal transport vehicle appeared on a highway at night.
To everyone's surprise,
among the convoy—
there was actually an S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal:
the eldest daughter of the Schariac family—Cecilia!
The very next second,
the transport convoy was attacked by Anti-Entropy!
At the forefront stood Anti-Entropy's de facto leader—Welt Yang!
At his side was Dr. Einstein!
Battle broke out instantly!
But to everyone's astonishment—
under Anti-Entropy's assault,
the Valkyrie squad quickly collapsed and fled!
On the other side—
Cecilia, who had lost consciousness and fallen from the sky,
was caught steadily by Siegfried!
"Hey! Are you alright?!"
Looking at the unconscious Cecilia,
Siegfried's heart softened, and he carried her back to his dwelling.
"Judging from her uniform, she should be a Valkyrie of Schicksal."
"How unlucky… I'd already made up my mind not to get involved with Schicksal anymore…"
"But leaving an injured, unconscious girl out in the wilderness—
that wouldn't make me much of a man."
After waking up,
Cecilia was as innocent and worldly-naive as a young girl.
She trusted Siegfried greatly,
unlike other members of Schicksal.
This made it impossible for Siegfried to feel at ease letting a penniless Cecilia return to Schicksal alone.
So he proposed escorting her for a while
in this foreign land.
[Ningguang]: So this is where fate begins~
[Theresa]: Cecilia… qaq
[Silver Wolf]: A runaway hot-blooded youth and saving a damsel in distress—straight out of a novel!!
[Lisa]: Four years away from home… Siegfried really does have a wild streak.
[Klee]: Klee wants to go on an adventure too!!
[March 7th]: Uncle Yang, you're pretty strong! Taking down a whole squad by yourself!
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