Welt accepted the tea that March 7th handed him. His fingers pinched the warm rim of the cup, but he did not drink it immediately. His gaze first fell upon March 7th, Stelle, and Dan Heng: "If you meet that man again in the future, you must remain on guard at all times."
He paused, his eyes sharpening, every word clear as possible: "You can only believe half of what he says. If you must make a move, don't give him even a moment to breathe. Kill him in one strike, leave no room."
"Uh… is it that serious?" March 7th was stunned by the killing intent in his tone. She scratched the back of her head and, when she met Welt's gaze, could only force an awkward laugh: "Haha... Got it, Uncle Yang."
Stelle quickly added from the side, very seriously: "Uncle Yang, March 7th said she understands."
Welt's gaze swept over both of them before finally landing on Dan Heng. He reached out and gave Dan Heng's shoulder a firm pat, his tone full of trust: "...Dan Heng, I know you will take it seriously. These two girls are too carefree. Look after them, don't let them fall into that guy's trap."
Only then did he take a sip of tea. Yet even the warmth didn't ease the heaviness between his brows.
Dan Heng held the shoulder that had been patted, answering calmly: "Don't worry. I'll keep them safe."
At that moment, Fu Lin frowned and showed a troubled expression as he slowly spoke:
"Never thought 'Otto' would show up in this universe. Too bad we can't stay long… Welt, this time you'll have to be the one to stop his scheme. But-"
His tone suddenly shifted. He took out a gem from his clothes, a gem shimmering with deep blue light. He placed it gently on the table and pushed it toward Welt, his voice solemn: "This will definitely help you right now. Take it, and stop 'Otto', Old Yang!"
As the second Herrscher of Reason, Welt recognized it instantly, the Herrscher of Reason's Core!
His pupils shrank, shock showing clearly in his eyes. His gaze snapped to Kiana☆, disbelief in his voice: "This is the Herrscher of Reason's Core?!"
Welt's fingers hovered in the air, unable to touch it, he had never imagined that the power carrying so much of his past, long-silent and gone, would return to him like this.
Kiana☆ met his eyes and smiled gently, nodding: "Welt, just take it. In this unfamiliar universe, you can't move around without proper means to protect yourself."
Fu Lin immediately leaned over with a grin, tone teasing and unserious: "Yeah, Welt. You don't want Dr. Tesla to become a widow, right..."
The very next second, a cane precisely struck the top of his head.
"Ow, ow, OW!!!" Fu Lin clutched his head, glaring at Welt. "Welt, you hit way too hard!"
Welt ignored him, his fingers finally touching the Herrscher Core.
A cold sensation spread along his nerves. Familiar energy pulsed beneath his palm, responding to the long-dormant will within him.
The next moment, the Herrscher Core fused into Welt's body. A surge of power rushed into his limbs and bones , that sense of analysis, reconstruction, and control instantly returned.
Even the parts of that power he couldn't fully grasp in the past now flooded into his mind, clear as if he were born with them.
Welt slowly closed his eyes and let out a long breath. When he opened them again, there was clarity and emotion in his gaze. His tone was calm, yet one could hear the relief of regained power:
"The strength is back... a lot of it. Extremely useful."
??
In the Shackling Prison, the damp air reeked of rust and decay. On the dim stone walls, torches flickered, stretching two blurred silhouettes long and thin.
"It's all that group of outsiders' fault!"
A voice shattered the silence of the prison, full of frustration.
"We didn't even need to act! We could've just watched the Astral Express finish the preset script. But now everything's messed up, and we're even forced to work overtime. What horrible luck!"
"Alright～" Another voice, gentle yet carrying a cool tone, echoed: "Have they left?"
"Mm, just now." The childish voice sounded impatient. "Can we start? I still need to go back and play games with Blade."
The other person was quiet for a moment. A fingertip tapped lightly against their own arm before they finally said: "Mm... let's begin."
"Been waiting for you to say that!" The first voice brightened immediately, excited: "All systems operational, start, start, start! And this one too!"
Before the voice finished, faint mechanical sounds echoed. The heavy iron doors that imprisoned the Borisin slowly opened, as if pulled by an invisible force.
After finishing, the first voice reminded: "They're coming out. Let's leave quickly. Elio's script doesn't include us. We can't let the Cloud Cavalry notice."
"Mm." The gentle voice responded again, with a faint admonition. "Remember to open the main gate deep in the prison too. Don't forget."
"I knooow!"The childish voice held a trace of dissatisfaction, like complaining about needless nagging. "I'm not a kid. I won't forget something that simple!"
As their figures vanished into the darkness, the silence of the Shackling prison abruptly ruptured.
Countless Borisin staggered out of the opened cells. Their dry throats squeezed out hoarse roars, like beasts breaking free from cages, echoing through the entire prison.
Two agile Borisin lunged toward the deepest, heavy gate, only to be thrown back moments later, crashing hard to the floor.
Then, a massive claw with broken shackles gripped the door frame.
The metal hinges screeched as something far larger than the others stepped out, radiating suffocating pressure.
"Long time no see, War Chief."
Mok Tok strode forward quickly, eyes burning with fanatic devotion. He knelt on one knee, reverence overflowing in his posture:
"We have come to welcome your return!"
?
The news of the deep prison's breach reached the Divination Commission with shocking speed, and also reached the nameless, shattering the brief peace.
Welt's hand tightened around the teacup. His knuckles turned white, tea rippling faintly inside the cup, yet he didn't notice, his voice low and firm: "It must be Otto's doing."
Dan Heng's brows knitted, his tone steady: "There are many Borisin in that prison, and with the Borisin from outside among them, if they escape, the dangers to the Xianzhou Luofu will be severe. We should help."
Stelle summoned her bat and declared grandly: "Heheh! Mom and Dad are gone, now it's finally time for the Galactic Baseball Hero to shine."
"Then let's hurry and find General Jing Yuan. Time's running out!"
The playful look on March 7th's face vanished, replaced by seriousness.
Welt stood, adjusting his glasses. His aura sharpened instantly: "Otto's goal is never just the mara-struck. If he dares show himself on Luofu, he must be plotting something bigger. We split into two groups, you go aid General Jing Yuan and stop the mara-struck. As for Otto... I'll deal with him myself. I will not let his plan succeed."
Fu Lin's little prank before leaving would soon create a ripple that spread through the universe, giving birth to a notorious name:
Otto Apocalypse.
And the reason this legend spread... was Welt Yang.
Because Welt never managed to catch the "Otto" lurking in the shadows. That lingering obsession became a knot he could never untie.
Thus, on every planet he visited, he sketched Otto's face and warned the locals again and again:
This man is cunning and dangerous. If you see him, be on guard.
The Astral Express crew were known for honesty and reliability. Their reputation spread across the stars, so people believed Welt.
And so, little by little, Otto's name spread throughout the cosmos, becoming a widely-feared "dangerous individual," even rivalling the notoriety of the Stellaron Hunters and the Lord Ravagers themselves.