A Deal with Otto

North African Research Base. Once a bustling metropolis connecting Europe and Africa, a vibrant city on the Mediterranean coast, it was now a deserted tomb, buried under sand.

"Overseer, are you certain he'll cooperate?" Durandal leaned on her lance, surveying the desolate cityscape.

A single Honkai eruption had erased its former glory. Schicksal had transformed it into a secret research base, a testing ground for the Second Divine Key.

"Do you have doubts, Durandal?"

"He's a Herrscher. I fought him in ARC City. His combat skills and experience… they weren't what I'd expect from a seventeen-year-old." Bianka's intuition was sharp. She hadn't noticed anything amiss during Ren's confrontation with Otto, but now, preparing for another battle, her doubts surfaced.

A hot, dry wind stirred the sand, deflected by Bianka's aura. Otto chuckled, answering her question. "Of course he won't cooperate. His compliance is an act. Did you notice where he was looking while trying to provoke me?"

"Where?"

"The liquid nitrogen vents. He knew about our countermeasures. His apparent weakness to the HSN serum was deliberate. Do you really think a Herrscher capable of destroying a city would be so easily subdued?"

"That's true." Durandal nodded. "Then why not simply control him? Why threaten him with the Herrscher of the Void?"

Otto sighed, a wide smile on his face. "He's more intelligent than I anticipated. He knew he was being monitored. Any analysis would reveal his deception. It was a test of my observation skills."

"And by playing along, I gave him my answer. He wasn't lying about caring for the Herrscher of the Void. His anger, his reluctant cooperation, it's all to ensure her safety. That's the basis of our deal."

"A deal? When did you…"

"From the beginning. From the moment he spoke to you." Otto's smile widened, seeing Durandal's thoughtful expression. "His questions about the Great Eruption weren't directed at you, but at me. You're a warrior, not a politician. You shouldn't have answered. And if I denied responsibility, he would have written me off."

"But he awakened during the Great Eruption. His hatred for Schicksal is understandable."

"That's why you're a warrior, Durandal. A leader must consider the consequences of their actions. And our goal is to achieve our objectives. Killing me won't bring back the dead, but I can help him achieve his goal."

"His words were a test of my resolve. I played my part, and he showed his sincerity. Otherwise, he would have escaped, even from that underground prison."

Durandal was still confused. "His goal? A Herrscher's goal is to destroy humanity. What's the deal?"

"..." Otto's smile vanished, replaced by a somber expression. His voice was low, almost a whisper. "Bianka, do you think *my* goal is to save humanity?"

Bianka, his most trusted subordinate, knew his true objective: to revive Kallen.

Saving humanity was merely a means to an end. Schicksal's protection of billions was noble, but that was Schicksal's purpose, not Otto's.

Understanding dawned on her.

"Yes, my goal isn't to save humanity, but to revive Kallen. His goal isn't to destroy the world, but to protect Kiana. We're the same, pursuing impossible dreams."

"You've seen his medical report. He has less than two years to live. I don't know if that's the price of awakening as a Herrscher. Did you notice the black and white mark on his chest?"

Durandal nodded. "A natural Stigmata. An incredibly rare male carrier."

"We still don't understand Stigmata. World Serpent is right; our artificial Stigmata are crude imitations."

"Stigmata connect to the Imaginary space, granting access to Honkai power. His mature, natural Stigmata likely allowed him to retrieve the Gem of Haste. Perhaps it's the Herrscher's corruption, or the price of his Stigmata, but he's dying. That's why he agreed to cooperate, to use Schicksal to protect Kiana."

"I shield Kiana from World Serpent (and myself), he helps me find a way to revive Kallen. A perfect arrangement."

…

Bianka was stunned. So much information, such a complex deal, struck in a few sentences.

This was a deal with a Herrscher. If the others, or the Council of 13, found out, it would be a scandal.

But Otto could justify it. He'd "coerced" a Herrscher into cooperating with Schicksal. They would praise his cunning, not question his methods.

Bianka was curious about what kind of group Obsidian Concord was, since it attracted such talented people, even rivals to Otto's intelligence.

But that wasn't her concern. Alarms blared through the deserted city.

「Attention all personnel. The forty-second experiment with the Second Divine Key will commence in five minutes.」

This was the experiment Ren had participated in, the one that consumed vast resources, attempting to pierce the Sea of Quanta and observe the Imaginary Tree.

The countdown ended. A muffled blast echoed, a bright beam of light illuminating the city.

The sand trembled. The sky cracked like a mirror, shards falling to the earth.

Behind the shattered sky, a chaotic space appeared, dark stars swirling above the city.

「Divine Key activation complete. Quantum immersion initiated. Quantum Shadow incursion detected.」

Hundreds of shadows emerged from the chaos, distorting time and space.

「We'll leave the rest to you, Durandal.」

"Understood." She kicked her lance into the air, catching it gracefully. Her thoughts of Ren vanished. She leaped skyward, a comet streaking towards the battlefield.