Otto, Long Time… No See

"It's truly something to be envied..." Kevin murmured after a long silence.

He crossed his arms, his eyes glued to the other person.

He was completely captivated by everything about them – what they said, how they acted, even their feelings from the moment they stepped into the Imaginary Space.

Kevin couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

But there was something else he felt even stronger than admiration – envy.

He envied the chance this person took, the decision they made to put everything on the line for the person they loved.

If no one had ever succeeded, even knowing the option existed, Kevin might have chosen to continue fulfilling Mei's request.

However, seeing this person standing before him, seeing what they were willing to do for love, ignited a spark of envy in Kevin's heart.

It wasn't about being stronger or having more authority, as they had talked about earlier.

No, this envy stemmed from a much deeper place.

Kevin envied that this person could do something he couldn't…

That's all.

"Kevin..." Su began, his voice slow and heavy with concern as he looked at his friend.

He knew what his comrade was thinking, what he cared about most.

In many ways, Kevin was incredibly similar to Otto.

They were both leaders thrust into the position of guiding humanity's remaining forces.

They were both deeply, fiercely devoted to the women they loved.

But that's where the similarities ended. Their paths, their choices had led them to completely different outcomes.

Kevin sighed and shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

Besides, even if he had that thought, it wouldn't be him going. He was just a SIM body, and going to that place would turn him into a stream of information in an instant.

"He succeeded..." Vill-V said with a hint of emotion, her fingers tapping lightly on the glass table in front of them.

"Yes, he did. A performance grander than any of your magic tricks."

Mobius spoke with a hint of sarcasm, but there was also a touch of envy in her tone.

It was the envy of someone who couldn't personally experience this shocking experiment, a feat that defied the world's norms. She too wished to complete such an astounding experiment.

"Heh— I'll come up with a grander performance sooner or later."

Vill-V said excitedly, not seeing this as an obstacle blocking her path.

…

"Otto... Grandpa? And Grandma?"

Theresa looked at the screen hesitantly, then shifted her gaze to her own grandma, whose face was streaked with tears.

By now, she understood that this world might not be a simple parallel world, but might have an unbreakable connection to this one.

But she couldn't yet grasp the deeper implications of their relationship.

But perhaps...

The truth was even more unexpected than she imagined.

She would call him "Grandpa" from now on.

Suddenly, the Herrscher of Sentience felt a chill run down her spine. In fact, she had been feeling it for a few minutes now.

It felt like she was being pulled, but not physically.

But that sense of urgency was getting closer, and her heart skipped a beat for a moment.

She looked around, a rare look of seriousness on her face, feeling a bit flustered.

"Hey... Old Antique, do you... feel like something's wrong?"

"Huh? It's almost over, you're not planning to sneak off again, are you?"

Fu Hua sighed, looking at her.

Sometimes, she acted like a child.

"No, I would never do that! It's real, something... is about to happen." The Herrscher of Sentience shook her head anxiously, but couldn't pinpoint the source of the problem.

Fu Hua and the others, including Kiana, looked at her in surprise. Something was about to happen?

"Uh..." Kallen mumbled, momentarily forgetting her grief as she, too, felt a strange tug at her awareness. She looked around, her brow furrowed in confusion and concern.

At that exact moment, everyone felt a chime, like a bell ringing deep inside their hearts.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in fiery colors. As it dipped below the horizon, the twilight mist slowly faded, leaving behind a warm, golden glow that bathed everything on earth.

The feeling of time warping at sunset disturbed everyone's thoughts.

But it was limited to this courtyard hall, its origin likely due to the special individuals Inside it.

But soon, everyone realized this wasn't some kind of illusion.

They were completely frozen in time, unable to move.

Their minds were still awake, but their bodies were stuck.

It was as if the entire world, like a spinning planet, had suddenly stopped. Time itself had frozen in this very moment.

Everyone except for two people.

Five hundred years passed. Then, as if waking from a long sleep, a gentle breeze seemed to stir the air. It created faint ripples, like whispers traveling across the very fabric of time.

Imagine two lush, green branches dipping into a vast ocean. That's what it was like – two worlds, both vibrant and alive, gently touching within the endless expanse of time.

This meeting, unseen and unexpected, caused ripples to spread outward, blurring the lines between time and space.

For a brief, breathtaking moment, these two worlds intersected. It was as if a doorway had opened, connecting them across the gulf of centuries.

In that tiny space, where past and present collided, everything froze.

Time itself seemed to hold its breath.

Everyone was frozen, except for Kallen and the Herrscher of Sentience...

"Huh? What's going on?"

Luo Mo tried his best to open his eyes wide, but his eyelids could only flutter slightly, unable to move.

[The world is next to a place called the Imaginary Space, and there are two special things inside... but they won't last more than ten minutes. Don't worry, Host. ]

"...Who are you?" Luo Mo's mind raced.

He couldn't move a muscle, but thankfully, his thoughts were still his own.

[Huh? Ah—?? I'm the System, how come you don't recognize me? ]

Good, it was still the voice of the idiotic System. Luo Mo felt a bit reassured.

"Can I break free from this situation? Frozen... why does Kallen seem to be able to move?"

[t costs 100 crystals per second to unfreeze... The other person is the key that connects them.]

"huh? Are you trying to rip me off?"

…

Beneath the waves of the world, an unknown god seemed to cast a compassionate gaze,

Opening a passage for the two who had never met again. It was a gap across time itself.

The rules of time were rewritten in this moment.

One end of another world unfolded slowly before them.

Inside the room, a device designed to stabilize the fabric of space crumbled into dust, overwhelmed by the sheer power of this temporal anomaly.

Space itself began to fracture, threatening to tear apart the fragile connection. But time, in its infinite wisdom, held everything together, preventing complete collapse.

For a fleeting instant, this impossible scene remained intact, a fragile bubble of reality suspended between worlds.

The scene before them seemed like a dream bubble. Before them lay a red desert, just like in the images.

"...Kallen?"

A golden-haired figure stood not far away, his clothes somewhat tattered, yet still exuding an air of nobility.

Further away stood the golden Tree of Imaginary Numbers, its dreamlike beauty veiled before everyone.

Even in his weakened state, Otto couldn't ignore such a commotion. Everything around him seemed to pause, the space thick and heavy.

He sensed the situation and turned his head in surprise.

Space froze, the attacks also suspended in mid-air, seemingly about to strike him in the next instant.

But even with the black, long-range attacks inches from his face, he didn't show a flicker of panic. It was as if the attacks weren't directed at him, and instead, his attention was focused on the illusory scene behind him, like a dream bubble.

He stared in astonishment, his eyes meeting a familiar face, seemingly standing there from yesterday.

A mix of longing and uncertainty washed over him.

He never imagined he would see the fruits of his plan at the very end.

He began to doubt, to fear, to dream...

Countless emotions collided within him, a chaotic storm threatening to consume him.

But slowly, gradually, a sense of calm settled over him.

She was Kallen, he was certain.

And yet, she wasn't Kallen, he was equally certain.

That wasn't the Kallen he knew.

But she look like she grow, perhaps through hardship.

He also saw familiar faces, the leader of the thirteen Flame-Chasers, Kevin Kaslana, and the thirteen Flame-Chasers beside him, each with their own expressions.

He saw his granddaughter, Theresa, he saw Kiana, he saw Cecilia, the one he felt guilty towards...

he saw the Herrscher of Sentience, who had disappeared after that event.

he saw the Old Friend, the Red kite immortal, who had regained her full strength.

he saw Durandal, who had once wanted to erect a nameless monument...

And then there were those few who were completely out of place in this world: Red-eyed Theresa, Wise Theresa, and the mysterious Witch Rita... Perhaps it was a world bubble, he thought casually.

But in the end, his eyes only saw her, Kallen.

 She was the one who had always been at the heart of his life, the reason he kept going.

Her pure blue eyes still held a certain innocent fantasy, even after all she had experienced, a touch of the world's wear and tear etched upon them.

Her white hair wasn't styled in the playful way it used to be when she was younger. Now, it was styled in a way that showed strength and wisdom.

Her face was beautiful. She was smiling, her eyebrows slightly raised, and her lips were thin. Her eyes looked a little tired, but it was just a tiny flicker of fatigue.

For a split second, he was right back in that moment when she jumped over the wall, her smile shining with sunshine.

The golden sunlight was shining on her, and it felt like everything was perfectly timed.

So much time had gone by, it felt like forever. Maybe it was five hundred years, who knew?

It seemed like there was no other way things could have happened.

The path ahead split into two, like the world was really starting to take shape in his hands.

Kallen sat with her hands folded in her lap, her mouth slightly open. She looked a little surprised and hesitant as she stared at Otto, who seemed a little messy. She took a deep breath and said,

"Well... Otto, long time... no see."

"Yes, long time no see."

Otto replied, offering the most genuine smile he had ever managed. He stared at her, a little dazed.

Even though he had just been in a fight, Otto still moved with a kind of natural grace as he turned around.

Time and space seemed to ripple around them, like waves spreading out in circles. Everyone was frozen, except for the Herrscher of Sentience, who was clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.

She was struggling against something invisible, something he couldn't see.

No one could speak. They were all just watching, but they were definitely still awake, because their eyelids were fluttering.

Kallen couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up and wiped the tears from her face. She walked towards Otto, reaching out to touch his body, which was covered in scars.

But as her palm passed through the black spikes, she couldn't help but flinch.

Yet, her hand continued forward without hesitation. Even though she had anticipated the scene, when she saw her hand pass through Otto's right arm as if it were nothing, she couldn't help but purse her lips.

Kallen's eyes widened as she looked through the blurry mist at the person standing behind it. She wanted to reach out, but she knew she couldn't touch them.

"Heh, you haven't changed a bit... Kallen," Otto said, not seeming bothered by the fact that she couldn't touch him.

He maintained his self-assured smile, his voice weak. He wanted to raise his hand, to touch her cheek again, to wipe away her tears.

Already injured, he found it even harder to move in this thick space.

His pale hand trembled as he lifted it, only to pass through her.

"What... Kallen, did someone bully you? Cough—"

Otto gave a small smile, but he had a way of making everything around him feel serious and important. It was like his power was just naturally coming out.

If it wasn't for the cough at the end, or the injuries on his body, Kallen would have been even more worried.

"You succeeded, Otto, my... great inventor."

Kallen's face, previously covered in tears, was gently wiped by her hands, leaving behind a trail of glistening water.

She looked at Otto before her, a familiar smile gracing her lips.

 "Succeeded...? The world formed?"

A sense of relief filled Otto's eyes.

"Yes, yes, you wouldn't believe it, Otto, I ran to that world~ "

The Herrscher of Sentience, resisting the pull in her heart, gritted her teeth and said, raising her chin at him.

"Heh, the Herrscher of Sentience, huh? I always thought we could be friends. It's been... a long time, hasn't it?"

Otto said, looking away for a moment, but he couldn't help but keep looking back at Kallen.

As soon as she appeared, she was all he could see, nothing else mattered.

"Hmph— Don't be ridiculous. But, don't fail, you know. After all, you're still my enemy."

The Herrscher of Sentience said, waving her hand dismissively as she looked at the countless spikes moving towards Otto.

"Heh, of course. Seems like your opinion of me has changed a bit, huh?" Otto said, studying her face.

He noticed that the deep hatred he'd felt from her before was gone. Instead, he felt a kind of struggle inside her, which made him curious.

"...In this world, I learned the full extent of your plan from the game. Your Kallen knows too. You two chat, I can feel it, this meeting won't last long."

The Herrscher of Sentience focused on her internal struggle.

She could feel that this was just a temporary thing. If she gave up and went back to her own world, everything here would disappear right away.

"Alright, Kallen... My body is frozen too, and... his mission will be completed soon."

Otto sighed softly, looking at the girl who was no longer a girl. She reached out with a touch of worry,

She and he... had both lived through five hundred years!

(modification there is a next chapter, Luo Mo will cry to pay for their 'date')