The only person worthy of my devotion

Kallen remained silent.

After seeing the real him and his indifferent methods, even towards herself, she took a deep breath, her mind racing.

-----

He trusted his past self so much.

But this trust stemmed from the unparalleled despair and deep wounds of his past self.

A huge black hole in his heart dragged him into its depths.

Having once lived in the past, he naturally understood better than anyone when he was at his most desperate.

—It wasn't the moment when Kallen died.

At that time, although his heart felt like ashes and grief washed over him like a tidal wave, it wasn't his most desperate moment, not at all.

It was after the victory of that civil war, after he was swept up and placed upon the Overseer's throne of Schicksal, he looked around, but there was no sign of her.

Those connected to Kallen passed away one by one, traces of her existence buried one after another, her name forever confined to books... Everyone gradually began to forget the departed Saint.

Only then did he realize with a reminder—that the light of his life was slowly fading away from the world.

He had won, but it was as if he was the one who had lost.

The people cheered and celebrated, raising his name high, but he, only he, remembered that they had initially marched under the banner of the Saint.

Desolation and confusion gripped his heart, dragging him deeper into despair. Ironically, less than a year after her death, he obtained the power that could have helped her withstand and fight against the world.

This power came too late, a step behind, leaving him with lifelong regret, making him yearn for the past with every fiber of his being.

When was the most desperate moment? It was when he finally possessed the ability to save her, yet she was already beyond his reach.

He looked at the cheers in front of the execution rack, at the joyful expressions of the people, at the blood-stained church square... and at the gloomy gray sky.

He was the victor, yet he couldn't feel his own heartbeat.

Only an abyss-like despair washed over him, calm... his heart as still as death.

------

"Hiss... what a swift move, a bit outrageous, but then again, considering it's Otto, it makes a twisted kind of sense," Little Senti commented.

"To be so ruthless, even to himself, fits perfectly with my impression of Otto."

Little Senti felt a jolt in her heart as she witnessed this scene.

The memory of that unexpected gunshot flashed in her mind, a haunting nightmare she couldn't shake off. But this time, Otto killed himself.

Though Rita was the one who swung the scythe, she did it with such practiced ease... could it be that she'd been harboring resentment all along?

Why do I suddenly feel a sense of wilful satisfaction?

"Otto... seems like he's changed a lot, especially when you see him from two different eras side by side."

Kallen sighed softly and said, slowly closing her eyes and then opening them again, clearing away any lingering emotions to reveal a serene blue eye.

She wasn't the same person she used to be either.

"That scene just now scared me, he just got rid of him without any warning. Xiao Shi, is Otto really that kind of person?" Elysia patted her chest, seemingly startled.

But to the Herrscher of Sentience, those jiggling mounds just looked like they were showing off.

It's not like she didn't know her, why was she putting on such a show?!

"All I can say is... that's a pretty accurate portrayal. Otto is like that." Annoyed as she was, Little Senti still replied politely.

She didn't want to give Elysia any excuse to latch onto her; that was more Mobius' style!

…

"No wonder I hated him in the game... he really has no boundaries when it comes to getting things done." Tesla, as if inheriting the resentment of her other self from the game, had been chattering non-stop since hearing about Otto's deeds.

She said with a mix of regret and anxiety, "Ugh... this guy, with a mind that sharp, if only he'd used it to fight the Honkai... things would be so much better."

"Tsk, I thought you hated this Otto, Dr. Tesla?" Einstein paused in her work, glancing thoughtfully at her red-haired, twin-tailed comrade.

"I still hate him!" Tesla quickly retorted, her face etched with visible disgust, but then she continued, hesitant and reluctant,

"It's just that... regardless of anything else, the guy is still skilled. His thinking, his innovations, his ideas... damn! You can't see a hint of old age or decay in him for someone who's lived for five hundred years."

"Oh? So, are you implying that the Overseer Kallen has outdated ideas? Then... should I report this?" Einstein said with a touch of amusement, watching Tesla's face turn dark.

"Cut it out! Even if I had to choose between those two leaders, I'd definitely choose Kallen. It's just that... how does his brain work? Though it's a bit inhumane, the method isn't bad, actually. It's highly feasible."

"But we wouldn't choose that either. Give it up, Dr. Tesla... Besides, was there ever a time in your life when you were that desperate?"

"A time when you were desperate enough to become the Herrscher of Domination Puppet?" Einstein was always good at conversation.

Even during Tesla's low points, she always managed to engage in witty banter and help her friend out of those times, though it seemed like Tesla got even more agitated every time...

"Or maybe... when you were being persecuted and made to look like a fool, did you ever think of destroying..." She tried to list examples, thoughtfully placing her finger by her lips, but there seemed to be too many instances.

So, before she could say anything, Tesla, blushing with shame, covered her mouth with her hand.

"St-stop it! I don't want to become some kind of puppet!"

-----

Otto revealed in his audacity, explaining himself to the group, almost like he was leading them to a certain understanding.

"Everything you've seen and collected has been recreated in our own world."

These past events are just fragments of information, not the real thing.

As for the Honkai Steel Puppet on the ground, Otto confessed—he's simply a simulation program, based on real, complete historical information that traversed time and space, that is, him.

That's why the puppet firmly believes he is Otto Apocalypse from 1491.

His memory tells him that's the truth, and he believes it wholeheartedly.

"Would you like a reminder of what truly happened?" Otto smiled sweetly, but the smile was cold, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light, and he spoke in a theatrical tone.

Fearing they might confuse reality with history, he "kindly" set the record straight for them,

"—A leader of "New Schicksal" who rose to power through an uprising, in order to mend the unspeakable wounds in his heart, betrayed all his comrades over the long five hundred years—"

"—And ended up as a prime example of evil in the eyes of Anti-Entropy. Even his most loyal followers only chose to serve him out of a need to maintain order."

"...And the 'other him' you saw is at the very beginning of this long and dark journey."

It was as if he wasn't talking about himself, as he calmly and objectively described and dissected another person's life experience from a detached, third-party perspective.

Quite objective and accurate.

"He's like Macbeth after meeting the witches—driven by his own delusions, he arrogantly decided the fate of everyone."

(reference to the famous play "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare.)1

He bowed slightly, as if taking a bow at the end of his performance, his face remained impassive, his smile revealing no emotion.

"But... in terms of the outcome..."

"It was you who artificially created that consciousness, and then... for your own purpose, you personally killed it."

Durandal looked at him with uncertainty, asking.

"Yes. But is this the first time you've heard me say I would do such a thing?"

Otto shook his head and asked, seemingly disappointed that she still held such a naive view.

"For example... I once saved someone's life five hundred years ago, but five hundred years later, I still drew my gun on her. That's what Otto Apocalypse would do."

Otto smiled as he spoke, stirring up the emotions of the group, watching their expressions fluctuate and shift, he continued to push their boundaries.

"For instance... to study the power of the Herrscher, I once snatched the Second Herrscher from Anti-Entropy. At the time, Mr. Welt almost wiped her out on behalf of humanity."

"After that, I killed her, resurrected her, and tormented almost everyone on the Hyperion for her power. Those were all things Otto Apocalypse did."

"Durandal, you know the whole story behind these events, more or less."

"—Yet now, you're concerned about a mechanical consciousness that only existed for a few hours?"

[Only Otto himself could dissect his own actions from a third-party perspective, even offering a slightly derogatory assessment... ]

[Argh! This guy! Fu Hua, Sirin, Kiana... ]

[I'd call him a master at manipulating other people's emotions.]

[Pointing a gun at: Red Kite Immortal, I'm not lying! ]

[Is he mocking the other side?]

[comment]

-----

Fu Hua took a deep breath, the Herrscher of Sentience was furious, clenching her teeth.

Sirin's face darkened as well, Kiana clenched her fists.

Watching Otto on the screen spouting his venomous words, they were all directly involved in his discussion.

Naturally, their expressions didn't look good.

"Ugh! This guy, this guy, this guy..." The Herrscher of Sentience repeated the phrase, unable to find a word vicious enough to describe Otto, her anger only growing.

Finally, she took a breath, spat "ptui!" and said with a fierce expression, "...How despicable!"

Kalpas couldn't help but look at her twice.

He thought her insults needed improvement, but he didn't want to argue with a child, so he just glanced at her and didn't comment.

Elysia and Eden covered their mouths and snickered, while Luo-Muo couldn't help but smile, finding it amusing.

Sirin also spat, "What's with this repeated killing and resurrecting? I don't do sit-ups!" However, she did find him rather despicable, her eyes revealing disgust.

"He shouldn't be so impatient as to provoke the principal and her group on the eve of victory, should he?" Mei was a little puzzled, not understanding his actions.

"Obviously, his plans still involve Theresa and her group, and it's quite a deep connection... But, I'm not sure about the provocation part, it would require him to actually lower their goodwill."

Vill-V shook her head, clicking her tongue, but her lips still held a knowing smile.

-----

Otto, as if oblivious to the shared expressions of anger on their faces, continued to speak as if to himself.

He spoke to Durandal as a senior, as a teacher, and to Theresa as an adult, offering advice, keeping fanning the flames, talking to them as if they were children.

"Alright, alright, stop being so grumpy, my dear children. Theresa too, why are you staring at me like that, like I'm a murderer?"

"Your grandfather isn't a devil, after all. He wouldn't just go around killing people." Otto spoke with sincerity, his emerald eyes fixed on them.

But maybe his words would have had more impact if they could have ignored the bleeding puppet at his feet.

"—But my child, haven't you realized that all those troublesome things are in the past now?"

"My resignation is sincere. My departure from Schicksal is also sincere. You have to understand that after five hundred years, I've traveled far and wide to finally find my ultimate destination—"

"—It's a priceless treasure that can't be exchanged for anything else, worth sacrificing everything I have."

"What exactly did you find?" Theresa asked, her brows furrowed.

"I've found a time, I've found a sacred soul that hasn't passed away yet. You know—many people die too late, while others die too soon."

"She thought she had found her death, but everyone knows that wasn't the right time. On the contrary, if I could decide my own death—"

He paused for a moment, as if a certain image had appeared in his mind, his voice filled with excitement.

He had no fear of death, it was simply a necessary journey, and besides... he was the one who should have died long ago.

"I will use my death to prove to her what a magnificent ending, a truly voluntary death, a death embraced with free will, can be for life."

"By then... she will realize the brilliance of human spirit her life can unleash in that future, once stagnant." He exclaimed this with hope in his eyes, he would prove this, he absolutely would!

Then, he merged all the gathered cores of the Herrscher of Domination, transforming them into a stream of light that floated directly into Theresa's hand.

Otto continued to smile and bid farewell to Theresa.

"You needn't be too angry with me, Theresa. The power transfer ceremony will proceed as planned. I guarantee you will become the 'Schicksal Overseer' with full authority."

"As for me..."

"I will soon embark on my final journey, to the edge of the world, to find that one being—a hero known to each and every one of you."

He abruptly turned around and walked out of the church door, his pristine white Overseer's robes billowing in the gloomy sky, his departure a little hasty.

"...Kallen Kaslana." "The only one worthy of my everything."

It was then that everyone realized Otto's resignation was not a joke or a lie.

Like a devoted believer, he had found his faith.

However, as they guessed about his journey, none of them could have imagined the price he was willing to pay... it would be so insane!

[He knows... but this obsession can't be stopped.]

[Who is he referring to when he says "many people die too late; while others die too soon"?]

[Otto is a real pure love warrior! ]

[He wants to prove the value of life, to prove to Kallen—what a single, insignificant person can achieve.]

[Comment]

-----

A low wind blew in gusts, making the landscape painting hanging in the living room sway slightly.

There were many people in the living room, some of them quite boisterous, but at this moment, they were all silent.

They held their breath, watching Otto's final words, his eyes shining with a certain light, filled with hope and happiness.

"The only one... worthy... of everything... ?" Kallen murmured to herself, silent for a moment, then bowed her head and sighed.

She didn't believe she was that kind of person.

But since Otto saw her that way, she felt a mix of emotions, unsure whether to feel happy or anxious.

He understood her own cowardice and retreat at that time, he knew that she had given up hope of survival, that those struggles had been met with powerless resistance.

Yet, he still chose to chase after the light called Kallen, even though it had faded, even though it wasn't bright at all.

All for that one sunny spring day, when the scenery was just right, for that cry over the wall...

"Great Inventor".