Did Otto steal Black Abyss White Flower back again? Or… is the one in her hand fake?
No—
That pressure… that aura… it was real.
But if it's real, then—
What the hell is going on?
Siegfried stared at the woman before him, his emotions tangled into a knot.
Finally, he asked cautiously:
"Otto sent you to take Shamash, didn't he…? You… Cecilia's clone…"
Cecilia didn't answer the question.
Instead, she returned another:
"Siegfried, do you really think the Overseer has the spare energy to worry about you right now?"
The Fourth Herrscher…
Hearing that, Siegfried instantly recalled the reports he'd received from Anti-Entropy.
The Fourth Herrscher was stronger than even the six-core Sirin.
The God's Gift field did nothing to her.
She had broken into Schicksal HQ and stolen two Herrscher cores.
And she had single-handedly overrun teams who would have stalled a Herrscher for hours.
She was unstoppable.
A real… looming catastrophe.
In that case, Otto indeed would have no time to deal with him.
But if Otto's goal was Judgment of Shamash, that was another matter entirely—
Breathe… just breathe.
No matter what this "Cecilia" was…
He only needed to defeat her.
Then everything would make sense.
Siegfried clenched the burning greatsword.
"Let's see how much you've grown over the years, Siegfried," Cecilia said calmly, raising Black Abyss White Flower toward him. "This is also—for Kiana."
"K—Kiana… she… you… That's what Otto told you, isn't it…? That bastard… But—no, it's my fault. I was too weak… Unable to protect my wife, unable to protect my daughter…"
Even if he kept telling himself she wasn't real, her voice—her words—stabbed into his chest.
The memory of their escape from Schicksal.
The last time he saw Cecilia in the Siberian snowfall.
If he had been stronger…
She wouldn't have—
If he had been stronger…
Kiana wouldn't have—
Useless. I'm useless—
His body trembled.
His heart burned.
And then—
"I know I'm a useless man… a terrible father… but even so, I won't—"
"So you toss Kiana aside, call yourself a failure, and pretend that's an excuse?"
Her voice sank like a knife.
"This is your self-pity, isn't it, Siegfried?"
"…!!"
His words froze.
A bucket of ice-cold water dumped straight over him.
Cecilia…
If you were really alive…
Is this what you would say to me too?
Siegfried lowered his eyes.
He didn't dare meet her gaze.
He had failed Kiana.
He had no right to argue.
"Is the Kaslana bloodline truly this disappointing?"
Cecilia extended her hand.
"Hand over Shamash. You are unworthy of it."
"You… fake… If you want it—then beat me first!"
Her insults had finally lit the fire in him.
Even so—
looking directly at her face still made his heart twist.
She was too real.
Too familiar.
If… if he could defeat her…
Then he'd know the truth.
"Let's hope your strength lives up to hers," she murmured.
Siegfried charged.
CLANG—!
CLANG—!
Their weapons clashed again and again in the wide metal chamber.
Sparks flew, shadows crossed, steel roared.
And then—
Black fog.
A suffocating cloud—
Black Abyss.
Siegfried's expression hardened.
He retreated rapidly.
That fog was unmistakable.
Black Abyss White Flower was real.
If so…
Has Otto really regained it?
Or—
Could it be…
Did the Fourth Herrscher revive Cecilia?!
His pulse spiked.
His breath shook.
"Siegfried. What are you thinking?"
BOOM—!
Cecilia appeared before him in an instant and punched him straight across the room.
"White Flower. Restrain him."
Vines burst from the metal floor, wrapping his limbs, binding him completely.
Damn…
This weapon… still such a nightmare…
And worse—
the Honkai infection in his body surged violently.
He was losing control.
If this continues—
No. Cecilia… I have to know the truth—
Shamash—lend me strength!
BOOM—!!
Flames exploded from his body, burning away the vines.
He stepped forward, wreathed in fire.
And yet—
Cecilia had been waiting.
Black Abyss and White Flower split apart—
Left hand, Black Abyss.
Right hand, White Flower.
Black Abyss White Flower — Second Rated Power
"Sacred Spear: Reverse Flow."
From within the fog she struck—
"Get back—!!"
Siegfried cleaved the fog apart with flaming steel, mind slipping further into Honkai instinct.
Cecilia shot forward—
SHUNK—!
The white spear pierced straight through Siegfried's right hand.
His strength dissolved at once.
His body weakened like collapsing sand.
"This is the last punch," she said quietly. "Take it properly."
BOOM—!
Her fist struck his chest like a hammer.
Siegfried flew across the room and slammed against the wall.
Judgment of Shamash clattered from his grip.
Cecilia picked it up, glanced once at his unconscious body—
—and turned away.
Goodbye, Siegfried.
A few minutes later.
"Cecilia…!
Cecilia!!"
Siegfried jolted awake, gasping.
"Agh—my head… Wait—my body…!"
He looked down at himself.
The infection—
It was gone.
His body was nearly restored to normal.
That was no illusion.
"…It hurts like hell though. Tch… she really said 'one last punch' and then knocked me senseless. Honestly… she couldn't have just pulled the damn spear out gently…?"
He froze.
Whether she was real or not—
She had done exactly what Cecilia would have done.
"…It definitely wasn't Otto. That bastard doesn't have that kind of kindness."
Siegfried exhaled shakily.
"Forget it… I'll ask Tesla and Einstein. They'll know something."
He opened a channel.
"This is Siegfried. Where are you two? I need to talk."
"We're currently under attack by the Fourth Herrscher, we might—"
"Send me your coordinates.
I have something important."
"…Alright. I'm sending it now."
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