Distortion and contradiction are synonymous with Otto Apocalypse, please don't pay too much mind. Although you and I are locked in a deadly struggle, this does not affect my praise, admiration… and envy for you."
Otto looked at Byakuya with emotion.
This man, standing at the pinnacle of humanity, looked at the dying Herrscher youth before him, his eyes truly filled with sincere envy.
Yes, how could he not be envious?
This young man saved his beloved.
He led them out of hell, then crossed through countless dangers. He blocked all of his attacks, changed the outcome of every tragedy, and created Miracles again and again!
Even if he was ultimately going to die here, the people he loved were all protected… How could Otto Apocalypse not be envious and jealous?
The young man was a true hero!
How Otto wished he could have been a hero like Byakuya back then! But he had already lost that opportunity five hundred years ago, and in the five hundred years since, only regret remained.
"Please rest assured, Herrscher of the Void, I will no longer lay hands on Kiana. After all, my goal is about to be achieved, and once I have your herrscher core, there will be no reason to harm her."
"I have already said that the Herrscher of Death cannot accomplish the great feat of resurrecting someone."
"…Herrscher of the Void, you who have protected all that you cherish, cannot understand the obsession of a Fool who has lost an important person for over five hundred years."
"It's like someone who has fallen into an abyss; after he is completely desperate, even if a single spider silk dangles before his eyes, he will treat it as a lifeline and reach out to grab it regardless of anything."
"Perhaps it is as you say, the Herrscher of Death cannot fulfill my long-cherished wish, but… as long as there is a one in ten thousand possibility, then I must personally try until I am completely disheartened."
Otto clenched his hands tightly, his voice so desperate, paranoid, and hysterical. He was the one who had fallen into the abyss of despair, he was already obsessed!
"Haha~ cough, that's true too…
Byakuya coughed out a laugh.
Otto was right, he really couldn't understand his feelings, because he had protected everything important. Thinking of this, Byakuya couldn't help but show a proud smile.
Although this was the outcome.
Did Otto win? No.
Did Byakuya fail? Even less so!
There isn't much clear winning or losing in this world; ultimately, it's just about who gains more. From this perspective, Byakuya felt he had gained immensely.
He ended all the tragedies that should have occurred during the Second Honkai Eruption, concentrating all the wounds and pain onto his own body, which didn't exist in this timeline and whose death wouldn't affect the original timeline.
And Otto?
He lost all S-rank Valkyries.
He lost a large number of top-tier Valkyries and Divine Keys, and the Destiny Organization suffered an unprecedented blow.
Even if he obtained four herrscher cores, what then? Byakuya knew very well that his long-cherished wish could not be achieved, so he didn't win at all, not one bit.
"Cough! Cough cough! Although you said you won't harm Kiana again, I imagine you won't return her to Cecilia either. In that case, make an oath, say that you will never harm Kiana Kaslana."
"Does it matter? My oath, it's just a liar's promise. Although it's a bit subtle for me to say this myself, Otto Apocalypse is a complete liar, not to be trusted in the slightest."
"Of course I know what a scoundrel you are, tsk, I wasn't very clear before, but having personally experienced it this time, I completely understand. So… swear by the name of the most important person in your heart."
Byakuya said, looking directly into Otto's eyes.
"Otherwise, I'll make the herrscher core self-destruct right now, and you'll get nothing."
He wanted to force this man to swear. Even if Otto Apocalypse was an incorrigible liar, he would absolutely, absolutely not lie or deceive using Kallen Kaslana's name.
That was the only pure land in this man's heart; he would never defile it.
"Ah, alright, Herrscher of the Void, I swear by my Saint, Kallen, that I will not harm Kiana Kaslana in the future. If I violate it…"
"You will never have the chance to resurrect her in this lifetime! Hahahaha, that's good enough."
"You!!"
Before Otto could finish, Byakuya spoke out the price of breaking the oath for him, and his words made Otto's lips twitch wildly, the Fool's killing intent surging forth.
Because he truly had no intention of harming Kiana, Otto, for once, thought it wouldn't matter even if he swore by Kallen's name.
But the price Byakuya set for him was simply too heavy for Otto.
"Who sets the price for others, Herrscher of the Void… your time seems to be up."
Otto, who was about to get angry, suddenly paused.
"Hmm? Ah, it seems so."
Byakuya froze, then saw his body gradually dimming and dissipating. The effect of 'Battle Continuation EX' had only about thirty seconds left.
So Byakuya seized this last moment, rubbed the little face of the white-haired girl in his arms again, and said gently.
"Ich liebe dich, consider this me saying it on behalf of your mother, Kiana."
"Finally, Otto Apocalypse, from now on I will speak to you not as a human, but as a Herrscher/Apostle of God—you will eventually resurrect your Saint."
yakuya suddenly curled his lips, speaking words that shocked the Fool before him with an incomparably brilliant smile.
As soon as he said this, Otto, who had been calm just a moment ago, instantly couldn't sit still, but before he could ask anything, Byakuya pointed at Kiana in his arms and continued.
"You will have the opportunity to make up for your regrets from five hundred years ago and resurrect your loved one. I know that this Miracle truly exists in your future, but… if you dare to do any harm to Kiana, I promise that Miracle will completely disappear from your future!"
"Wait, Herrscher of the Void, what do you mean, future? What exactly do you know?!"
However, this time Otto did not get an answer. Byakuya's figure dissipated into particles of light, leaving only four dim, cracked Herrscher gems on the ground.
"..."
The Fool silently watched this scene. After a long while, Otto Apocalypse covered his face with one hand and burst out laughing.
"Hmph haha, haha, hahahaha! At the very end, you still pull a stunt like this on me. Alright, alright, I'll admit it—you win, Herrscher of the Void!"
Otto clenched his fists, staring at the spot where Byakuya disappeared, as if the boy's soul still lingered there.
Finally, he picked up the herrscher core from the ground, instructed Amber to take good care of the unconscious Kiana, and specifically warned her that nothing must happen to her.
"I never thought, truly never thought, that Otto Apocalypse would have a day when he believed in a god."
Even though Byakuya's words just now were without proof.
Otto still couldn't help but feel hope.
He couldn't help but wonder, since the boy was a Herrscher, an apostle of the Honkai god, was there really some unknown power that could observe the distant future?
Moreover, not long ago, when Byakuya denied having Herrscher of Death, Otto had seen through his lie, but just now he couldn't find any trace of Byakuya lying.
In other words, Byakuya saying that he could resurrect Kallen in the future was true. Although he didn't know how he knew it, this was enough to give Otto hope.
Therefore.
It was already impossible for him to harm Kiana.
If not harming Kiana was a necessary condition for him to resurrect Kallen, Otto would absolutely not commit any presumptuous acts, and would even actively protect her well.
Therefore, Byakuya won.
In the end, even without the power to fight, he still protected the person he wanted to protect.