Otto killed "Otto"
Compared to what others think of him, Otto's own self-assessment is far harsher, more ruthless, and perhaps more accurate.
He understands himself so well that he's fully aware of how irredeemable he is.
He possesses a dark abyss within him, so profound that even he can't fathom the extent of his own potential for darkness.
Since Kallen died, the world holds no meaning or beauty for him.
"Otto...is that truly how he feels? I assumed he was some final villain, pretending about this whole resurrection thing!" Kiana covered her mouth, surprised by this revelation.
"But, to think he'd overthrow the old Schicksal just to prevent Kallen's supporters from losing...that's still incredibly strange."
"Unfortunately, that's exactly how Otto thinks. Anything related to Kallen, he takes incredibly seriously."
"Especially after Kallen died, it reached an almost unhealthy obsession... Remember why he took Theresa in as his granddaughter? Simply because, for a moment, he thought she looked like Kallen..."
Luo Mo sighed softly and explained, "At least when it comes to his motives, Otto's actions aren't truly villainous."
"Huh? Eh—?" Theresa glanced at Kallen, then at Luna, silently comparing their appearances.
She realized there was indeed a slight resemblance. She always felt she resembled her grandmother, and it played a part in her accepting Kallen as family.
It seemed Kallen felt the same way too. (yeah yeah maybe it's because of something haha)
Looking to Luna... If there is no mirror, just use someone else's instead, it's the same anyway.
As for Kongming, she seriously suspected that the other person was not of the same species as herself, so she would not comment on it.
"Alas..." Kallen breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers gradually relaxed, and her feelings towards Otto became more complicated.
She glanced at Luo Mo, indicating that he didn't need to explain more.
-----
The group continued brainstorming countermeasures, trying to unravel the true purpose behind Otto's scheme.
Moving from place to place within the town, they were using the puppet strings attached to this "past Otto" as reference points, diligently trying to triangulate the position of the final core.
Having investigated all other locations, they were confident that after confirming the last church, they would finally pinpoint the core's location.
Just as Tesla confidently issued the order to advance, someone's communicator began to ring insistently with a series of ill-timed notifications. She couldn't shake off a growing sense of foreboding.
As she feared, Durandal's communicator indicated an incoming call from someone who had been missing until now.
Despite being the one who invited them, this person had yet to show their face. To make matters worse, it was the person Tesla despised above all else.
On the screen appeared a young woman with similar white hair, but sporting orange goggles. It was his secretary—Amber.
"The Overseer says he has pinpointed the Herrscher of Domination's core. He requests that you all head to St. 537 Church, and he will ensure the Hyperion obtains the core."
"Everyone"? Who exactly does he have in mind?' Theresa, wary of her grandfather's carefully chosen words, asked cautiously.
She had no intention of putting her students in danger again!
However, as if reading her mind, Otto had anticipated her concerns. Yet, the individuals he chose next still managed to catch her off guard...
"Lady Theresa, Lady Durandal, Miss Kiana, and—"
"—the other 'Mr. Otto' you've encountered."
"Me?" A confused voice came through the communicator. The blond man, the other Otto, sounded bewildered.
"Yes," Amber replied calmly, fulfilling her role as secretary and relaying Otto's decree. "The Overseer believes your presence is essential."
Amber calmly delivered this message, fulfilling her duty as Otto's secretary and mouthpiece.
This revelation clearly implied that Otto had been aware of the other Otto's presence all along, possibly even orchestrating his arrival as part of his grand scheme.
This made everyone frown even deeper.
Theresa, however, chose to address the issue head-on.
She didn't want Kiana involved.
Kiana always seemed to be a vital component in her grandfather's schemes, and that wasn't a reassuring thought.
Those who found themselves entangled in Otto's plans were often subjected to considerable risk.
To their surprise, however, Otto had anticipated this concern. Amber swiftly conveyed that the Herrscher of Flames' presence was not required.
This made several people even more fearful and confused about the other party's thinking.
-----
"So, no more persecuting Kiana then?" Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed Kiana wouldn't need to be present after all, "That's good."
Each time she saw her daughter embroiled in those convoluted plots and conspiracies, a mixture of pride and anxiety rose up inside her.
She was proud of Kiana's growth, yet she couldn't help but worry about the dangerous paths Kiana was forced to tread.
Frankly, none of their family had a favourable impression of Otto, his actions were far too extreme.
Cecilia felt incredibly grateful that the Overseer she had encountered was Kallen, not him.
"What do you mean, 'persecuting' Mom? " Kiana retorted with a touch of pride, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up.
"Haven't I always managed to foil his plans, preventing them from coming to fruition?"
Although she understood they had to stop Otto, the thought of her friends facing danger while she remained on the side-lines was unbearable.
"So... this so-called 'other Otto,' is he just a puppet?" Mobius suddenly interjected, her sharp mind cutting to the chase.
Her reptilian gaze bored into Luo Mo, hoping to collect some hint of confirmation or denial from his expression.
"Hmm?" Luo Mo responded, mimicking Elysia's playful tone and opting for ambiguity rather than a direct answer.
His evasiveness only solidified Mobius's belief that she was onto something.
Yes, the 'other Otto' being a puppet was practically a given...
But the real question was, why?
What was Otto's true motive in sending this puppet into play?
Resting her chin in her hand, Mobius sank deep into thought.
"Wow—so it's not really an Otto from another timeline?" Elysia struck in, surprised by this revelation.
"Tsk, Otto really loves his theatrics," the Herrscher of Sentience scoffed, clearly unimpressed.
"The disguise is pretty convincing; I'll give him that. He really had everyone fooled for a while."
"Well... I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'disguise'?"
Luo Mo interjected, hesitating slightly as he partially contradicted her statement.
-----
The old church, St. 537, held a statue of a saint. The statue was made of white stone, but time had left its mark.
You could see where the stone had worn away, like tiny scratches telling stories of the years gone by.
The statue looked very holy. She wore a white veil over her head and her face was calm and peaceful, like someone deeply devoted to prayer.
Her hands were held together in a prayerful position, reaching up towards the sky.
It was like she was praying for everyone in the world, she prayed for the deliverance of mankind from suffering.
The statue stood tall in the middle of the large open space in front of the church.
It felt like it belonged there a long time ago, fitting perfectly with the old buildings and history of the place.
But now, it looked a little strange in this Era.
People had forgotten what the saint really looked like and what she had done.
Her story was mostly lost, just a few words in some old books.
It was like she was a whisper from the past, a memory that was fading away.
"That's..."
Otto's voice was laced with a mix of astonishment and uncertainty.
The historical architecture here was remarkably well-preserved, Coupled with the fact that she was an eternal wound in his heart.
He recognized her immediately.
It was Kallen—the symbol embraced by the people, the Saint.
He remembered the day they won their victory.
The crowds were ecstatic, celebrating their success.
But it seemed like everyone had forgotten about Kallen, the very symbol that had brought them together in the first place.
Except for Otto, he hadn't forgotten.
"Hm. A statue in place of the gallows, huh?" Otto let out a dry laugh, a bitter smile twisting his lips.
History, as they say, is written by the victors, he shouldn't have been surprised.
And yet, a profound sadness washed over him, Flowing silently within his heart, a poignant melancholy.
"What a shame that the Saint herself won't be resurrected simply because people choose to remember her," he murmured, his voice thick with regret, remorse, and torment.
His gaze lingered on the time-worn statue as he spoke, his voice barely a whisper.
The past has passed, but he... can no longer escape the past.
It was a part of him, forever etched in his soul.
With a certain kind of grief and anger, and hatred towards those people, and annoyance at his own weakness, he vented the world's injustice towards her.
As if until this moment, he had only just revealed a part of his inner self and the layers of pretence on the surface.
Even though he had always been polite, his heart had always been like dead ashes, full of emptiness and despair.
"The saint betrayed by everyone once wished to enlighten the ignorant masses with her death."
"Before her execution, I saw her once, she was not a fool..."
she knew what she was doing
"It's just when a person truly wants to change the world, she will realize how small their power is."
When he wanted to protect and save her, he also felt small and sad, to the point where things slid towards a catastrophic end.
"In the following days, she became desperate, gave up the plan to escape prison, and was wholeheartedly seeking death... Even in the courtroom, she deliberately rebuked harshly to get herself sentenced to the harshest of all punishments..."
"Perhaps in her view, this was her final struggle against this unfair and unreasonable world."
Otto lowered his eyebrows and softly said.
He understood her; it was precisely because of this understanding that he was always deeply attracted to her light.
That light was so alluring that just looking at it filled him with joy and hope.
like moths drawn to the fire that burns them…
The saint was pure enough; her purity surpassed that era and did not belong to this era either.
This was undoubtedly a kind of sorrow.
She brought bright light but could not endure the darkness of the world itself.
She wanted to resist but only kept sinking.
So, she let go and peacefully fell asleep.
[Comment]
[The saint made her final struggle, even if it cost her life.]
[If Karen was willing to bow her head, she might... no, she definitely could have lived on. But then she wouldn't be Karen, not the saint.]
[The gallows were replaced by a sculpture, that's very thoughtful.]
[Powerless, huh... pathetic hero.]
[At that time, Otto surely didn't shout "I can't do anything™", right? If he did, maybe he would have had strength...]
[???]
At this moment, a familiar voice came from behind, but the tone was sarcastic and light-hearted, a stark contrast to the sorrowful and heavy tone of the person before.
"Perhaps so. But the reason a Saint is a Saint is because the spiritual power she represents is, in fact, far stronger than she herself can imagine."
Otto, dressed in formal attire, appeared gracefully.
The pure white Overseer's robe accentuated his solemnity, golden threads embroidered on the robe, further highlighting his elegance and that strong aristocratic air.
From the moment he appeared, he effortlessly took control of the conversation, naturally issuing commands.
"Alright, Theresa, I know you have a lot to say, but for now... let's take care of the most important matter at hand."
"I have already seized 99.9% of the Herrscher of Domination's core; the remaining 0.1%, the final piece of the puzzle, is about to fall into place."
He stood with his arms crossed, glancing at the few people present, pausing for a moment on another Otto.
Then said with interest, "Everyone, let's enter this church ruin and together, we shall welcome the arrival of this momentous occasion."
The moment they stepped inside the church, they were stunned by the sight above.
There, upon the dome not far away, countless dazzling 'stars' were arrayed, each core meticulously arranged.
Against the dark gray backdrop, they shimmered like stars, brilliantly illuminated.
999 Herrscher cores gathered in one place, creating a visually stunning spectacle.
So much so that for a moment... they let down their guard in the presence of this most dangerous man.
And Otto, he was adept at seizing such opportunities, never missing a beat.
Compared to the methods of Dr. Tesla and the others... when it came to Herrscher cores, he had a faster and more convenient route. He would deal with it his own way.
"Rita, recover our experimental subject," Otto said coldly, paying no mind to the thoughts of others present.
A cold scythe sliced through the darkness, a chilling light briefly illuminating a dark corner, followed by a muffled thud.
By the time the unprepared Valkyries reacted, the guest they had brought had already become a lifeless husk.
At that moment, Otto had Rita kill 'Otto'.
[What the...?!]
[Experimental subject?]
[What just happened? Did they just start fighting out of nowhere?]
[He's... dead just like that?]
[Comment]
The brutal act leaves everyone reeling.
Durandal, true to her personality, immediately demands an explanation for the senseless killing.
Otto answered her question calmly and unhurriedly.
He explained that after Kiana defeated the Herrscher of Domination, he used the Second Divine Key to enter the Theatre of Domination afterward.
Some cores of the Herrscher of Sentience had hidden themselves in the Imaginary Space, waiting for the opportunity to find the next hopeless victim and then possess them.
"But... what does that have to do with Mr. Otto just now?"
Durandal couldn't help but ask. In her opinion, the man was undoubtedly a good person, but he was killed just like that.
It makes no sense!
"Don't be impatient for a moment, Durandal."
"When I stepped into the ruins of the Domination Theater, I had collected 999 cores...but the remaining one was always cunningly wandering deep in the gap between dimensions, unable to locate its traces."
"So I decided to throw a bait to this last core, a host that it will definitely not be able to refuse."
Otto just smiled, seemingly not caring about the corpse on the ground, and said the shocking answer himself,
"...Yes, that is myself, "Otto Apocalypse" himself. "
"Wh-what!?" and the others looked horrified, their minds still spinning from his words.
No one understood him better than himself.
Even the Otto from 500 years ago understood part of him, so how could he not understand the Otto from 500 years ago?
"Five hundred years ago... that's who he was, a man filled with despair, willing to let the world fall to ruin, such a... fragile person." He merely smiled as he passed judgment on his past self.
No one could comprehend the emotions swirling within Otto as he uttered those words.
Just as he said, he was no longer fragile, no longer driven by despair.
He would leave no openings, show no mercy, to anyone, not even himself.
[Using himself as bait to lure in the Herrscher of Domination?]
[666 (internet slang for awesome), that move was really swift.]
[How could he be so sure that no one would be a more suitable host than himself back then?]
[Good knife skills! An accidental stab!]
[It had to be Otto, Tuna to finish him off again... Too bad, Otto is not on their side.]
-----
"...Tsk, that's a good idea indeed, and cruel."
Mobius glanced at the always-smiling Otto on the screen with some apprehension.
He can't be said to be related to normal people, only completely irrelevant!
Would a normal person offer their past self to become a Herrscher of Domination?
"Targeting Herrscher compatibility and waiting for the rabbit... hmm, that's an unexpected angle. Unfortunately... I don't have that kind of personality yet."
(The "rabbit" in that sentence is a reference to a famous Chinese idiom: 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) which literally translates to "waiting for a hare(rabbit) by holding onto a stump." Search that.
The idiom is used to describe someone who relies on luck and chance, rather than putting in actual effort, hoping for something good to happen again in the exact same way.)
Vill-V watched the screen with interest, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, producing a crisp sound.
From the looks of it, her main personality is the most suitable... But forget it, if it goes wrong, it'll be a real disaster.
However, her subconscious had already devised a seemingly feasible plan.
"The so-called Otto from 500 years ago... is just a puppet of his current self...? Just Otto's confidence in being chosen..." Kallen pursed her lips, feeling a sadness in her heart.
Whether it was the execution rack or Otto's understanding words about herself, they both made the image of his past self even more vivid in her mind.
After five hundred years, he was no longer in despair, but had become even crazier.