◇ Unlock early-access chapters on Patreon and enjoy an exclusive limited-time offer just released.Join us now: @patreon.com/plotwired
At once!
With Otto's words, his true objective was finally laid bare!
He intended to use the remnants left behind by the Herrscher of Domination to establish direct communication with the Imaginary Tree?!
And yet… no one could deny it—
Otto's insight was razor-sharp, his thinking audacious beyond belief!
Perhaps only someone like Otto—
Someone who was perpetually prepared, who accounted for every variable—
Could seize such a fleeting opportunity with absolute precision!
[Ningguang: Is… is this really feasible?!]
[Silver Wolf: Sometimes you really have to admire Otto's ability to seize opportunities!]
[Furina: Indeed…]
[Sushang: Otto always seems to consider every possible variable, then makes his choice without hesitation!]
[Jean: This… is what you call resolve, isn't it?]
[Tesla: That bastard… as detestable as he is, I have to admit—his ideas can be incredibly bold!]
[Tesla: But he always keeps that smug look on his face—makes me want to punch him!]
[Otto: Thank you all, but please refrain from unnecessary praise.]
[Otto: And Dr. Tesla, venting emotions through violence is one of humanity's animalistic flaws.]
Within the pure white space.
Seeing Otto's infuriating remarks, Kallen couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
Yet beneath that smile lay unmistakable worry.
Otto… was clearly drawing closer and closer to the Imaginary Tree.
Which meant—
He was initiating his final plan.
The goal was to resurrect her.
But…
That also meant Otto was approaching danger—
Approaching an existence beyond comprehension.
The launch of this ultimate plan might well bring Otto irredeemable consequences.
If she could speak in the chat group, Kallen would surely do everything in her power to stop Otto in the real world—
Not only for Otto's sake,
But also for all those who had been—or would yet be—hurt by him.
On the screen.
Otto continued calmly,
"If that truly is the case, then humanity could achieve victory in its long struggle against Honkai without even fighting."
"But as you said, that's only the most optimistic scenario."
"Correct. From a scientific perspective, groundbreaking experiments rarely succeed on the first try—and the future is inherently unpredictable."
Compared to Durandal's composure, Otto seemed perpetually imbued with an ineffable confidence.
And on second thought—
After more than five hundred years of pursuit,
Otto seemed to have grown accustomed to failure itself.
No matter how many times he failed, he would simply persist—again and again—until success was achieved.
"But as long as we gain something positive from such a risk," Otto continued,
"I believe that the next time you face Kevin, you'll have far more leverage."
"You mean… World Serpent's ultimate objective—the Stigmata Project?"
"Exactly. The terrifying thing about the Stigmata Project is that it truly can redefine how the world operates.
If they can create their ideal world—and we cannot—then eventually, the world will become what they desire."
Otto looked at Durandal, his expression turning solemn.
"Since neither of us wants a cruel future imposed by the Previous Era, then we must seize a method of creating an ideal world ourselves."
"In other words…" Durandal said slowly, deep in thought,
"If the world bubble inside me can be safely linked to the Imaginary Tree through today's experiment… then in the future, we may have the capital to reject the Stigmata Project?"
Otto's words undeniably stirred something within her.
This was Otto's charisma.
This was why Durandal had always maintained absolute loyalty to him.
Even though many of his plans harmed countless people.
Even though Otto was cold by nature, skilled at manipulating hearts.
Even though in the eyes of many, he was a villain beyond redemption—someone who had to be eliminated.
And yet…
Otto was undeniably someone who placed each step firmly on the path of resisting Honkai, opposing World Serpent, and protecting humanity—a true practitioner.
Even if 90% of his heart belonged to reviving the Saint.
As long as even 10% of his focus remained on the people of this planet—
Schicksal would continue to protect and build humanity with Otto's ideology at its core.
Outside the screen.
The Transcendents all wore expressions of realization.
So this was it.
Otto had been stringing Kevin along from the very beginning.
From start to finish, he never truly intended to cooperate with Kevin.
All those deals were nothing more than products of Otto's self-interest.
He had to complete his own plan.
Or rather—
For Schicksal's future plans to advance, obtaining the beacon of the Second Divine Key was absolutely necessary.
Everything was for the sake of more effectively opposing the Stigmata Project later on.
This was Otto's selfishness.
And also his hypocrisy.
Yet this time—
No one could truly condemn him.
If Otto was a madman obsessed with reviving Kallen—
Then Kevin was a madman intent on destroying the world.
By comparison…
Even Otto's smug expression started to look darkly handsome.
Soon after, the experiment progressed smoothly.
After a series of trials and battles, Durandal encountered Shigure Kira and her group, successfully reconnecting a scattered world bubble.
And while Durandal explored the world bubble—
The screen revealed Otto's actions from several days earlier.
[Several Days Earlier]
[The blond man unfurled several soulium threads from deep within his wrist, like a spider spinning silk.]
[Using these threads, he controlled a puppet—just as it had once controlled its metallic minions.]
[He injected his electronic neurons into the puppet like a Trojan program, calmly observing the Herrscher's every move from afar.]
[The Tenth Herrscher—the Herrscher of Domination.]
[Composed of thousands of fragmented consciousnesses and supported by countless ornate puppets—this made it an ideal target for a man who himself possessed a distributed consciousness.]
The moment this scene appeared—
The chat group exploded.
Wasn't this the Herrscher of Domination, the Thousand Herrscher, just defeated by Kiana?!
So it was true!!
Otto's fake death earlier had really been to accomplish something behind the scenes!
Did the Thousand Herrscher incident also bear Otto's shadow?!
Though filled with doubt, everyone could only keep watching.
[The man leisurely watched as it provoked Herrscher after Herrscher, watched as Anti-Entropy nearly destroyed it, watched as it forced K-423 into a duel with the other half of Sirin's consciousness.]
[He was confident. He knew the children raised by Theresa would become the final victors.]
[What truly interested him was not this inevitable coming-of-age drama.]
[He wanted to claim the Herrscher core capable of creating special spaces—before anyone else could!]
[And the opportunity lay right before him.]
[When the Tenth Herrscher focused all its attention on battling K-423, it could not possibly notice the "traitor" hidden among its puppets.]
[Thus, at the very moment the newly born Herrscher of Flames swung her Sword of Judgment—]
[The man smoothly took the Tenth Herrscher's core into his possession.]
"In war, deception is the way."
[The man felt no shame in seizing the prize through cunning. While the core's connection to the Imaginary still remained, he swiftly examined this spatial authority—distinct from that of the Herrscher of the Void.]
[However, in that very instant—an invisible force dragged him without explanation into the pure white space of nothingness.]
Instantly!
When the audience saw this—
An uproar erupted!
That despicable Otto!
While Kiana and her companions were fighting the Herrscher of Domination to near mutual destruction—
He had been leisurely watching from the sidelines?!
And at the final, critical moment—
He stole the Core of Domination?!
He stole the fruits of Kiana's and Anti-Entropy's hard-fought battle?!
And not only did he feel no shame—he was proud of it?!
Yet before anyone could fully vent their outrage—
They saw Otto appear within that familiar pure white space.
That was—
The Will of Honkai?!
[Kiana: Otto is so despicable!!]
[Himeko (Honkai): Indeed! Stealing things while Kiana was risking her life!]
[Himeko (Honkai): Though… the Herrscher of Domination really was careless.]
[Tesla: Otto actually stole the Herrscher core?!]
[Hu Tao: Wait… what is that?!]
[Himeko (Star Rail): This space… the Honkai Will?!]
[March 7th: The same Honkai Will Otto encountered during the Second Herrscher's eruption?!]
[Tesla: Because of the Core of Domination, he got dragged in?!]
Unlike the audience—
Otto himself remained perfectly calm.
[The situation was unexpected, but the man did not panic.]
[Seventeen years ago, ignorant and unprepared, he had arrived here once before—unable to adapt to any form of thinking beyond the human.]
[He vaguely remembered preparing a question in haste.]
[Before it could even take shape as language, the answer had already flooded his mind.]
[So profound, so unfathomable, so encyclopedic—no human brain could ever retain a correct memory of it.]
[In that moment, the man was convinced that what stood before him was an "omniscient, omnipotent" god.]
[God does not care for human thoughts, just as humans do not care for the thoughts of ants.]
[—But that was merely a conclusion under limited assumptions.]
[Not a premise. And certainly not the truth.]
[Now, seventeen years later, armed with precious data from the Hengsha Plan, the man understood clearly:]
[This formless existence dwelling in the space of nothingness was, in essence, merely something that possessed more knowledge than humanity.]
[Knowledge, of course, is the source of power.]
[A tick may seem as insignificant as an ant—but unlike ants—]
[This parasite, carrying countless viruses, could leave a self-proclaimed apex predator of creation begging for death under the torment of hemorrhagic fever.]
[Thus, when this consciousness encountered him once more—]
[The man was finally able to face it with calm composure.]
Watching Otto stand calmly before the Will of Honkai—
The Transcendents were left utterly speechless.
For someone like Otto—
This existence could only be described as divine.
And yet Otto…
Stood there unshaken.
Utterly calm.
Did he intend to become the "tick" of his own metaphor—
The parasite that would leave humanity's so-called god begging for death?
The confrontation had begun.
◇ Leave a review and help unlock bonus chapters!For every 10 reviews, I'll drop one extra chapter as a thank-you.
◇ Power Stones = More Content!Every 100 Power Stones will trigger a bonus chapter release. Keep the support coming!
◇ Want early access?Get 60+ chapters ahead on P@treon—plus a limited 6% discount on all tiers.👉 patreon.com/plotwired