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475 Negotiations with Otto
🕑 Added 2025-07-18 15:00:15 +0000 UTCInside the bridge of the Hyperion, red lights flickered rapidly as piercing alarms rang through the air.
“All Valkyries, move to combat positions! Activate Valkyrie gear and stand by at your designated deployment points!”
“Air defense and anti-ship weapons on high alert! We don’t know where the enemy might strike from—no intel slips past our net, understood?”
Himeko issued commands with practiced precision, quickly organizing the crew against the sudden threat.
The fleet from Schicksal clearly had no interest in diplomacy—every one of their weapons was now locked onto the Hyperion.
“What’s the status on Anti-Entropy?” Even while commanding, Himeko didn’t forget to check on their allies behind them. “Has Anti-Entropy come under attack too?”
“Captain, our communication link with Anti-Entropy has been cut off! We’ve lost contact—there’s no way to know what’s happening on their end!”
“Tch… You really went all-in this time, Otto.”
Himeko narrowed her eyes at the floating Schicksal warships ahead. “So it’s come to this already, huh? A direct confrontation with Schicksal… Well, fine by me. Saves us the trouble of dragging you out of your headquarters ourselves!”
‘BEEP—BEEP—!’
Suddenly, a comms alert lit up on the bridge.
“Captain, we’re receiving a transmission from the Schicksal fleet!”
“Oh?”
A sharp glint flashed through Himeko’s golden eyes. “Patch it through.”
“Connection established.”
BEEP—!
A moment later, Otto Apocalypse’s image appeared on the main screen.
Golden hair, emerald eyes, and a delicate frame—yet there was an unmistakable depth and power behind his every gesture.
“Well, well. It’s been a while, Major Himeko. I must say, I’m surprised to see you still alive and well.”
“Hmph. Sorry to disappoint, Otto.”
Himeko’s voice was laced with hostility. “So? Spare me the pleasantries. What does the mighty overseer of Schicksal want, bringing an entire fleet here? Surely not just for a chat.”
“Hm… Straight to the point. I like that,” Otto replied with a faint smile. “Very well, I’ll do the same.”
“Relax—no need to be so tense. I didn’t come here to kill anyone.”
“My goal is quite simple, really. I’m here to retrieve my rebellious granddaughter—and recover the valuable specimen K-423, which Schicksal lost in this region. That’s all.”
He spoke with complete calm, as though everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
“In other words, Miss Himeko, if you cooperate peacefully, I have no reason to harm you.”
“After all, even if St. Freya Academy has betrayed Schicksal, you are still Valkyries. As Schicksal’s overseer, I see no need to stain my hands with your blood.”
“Tch… what a noble-sounding excuse,” Himeko scoffed. “You really think I’ll just hand over Theresa and Kiana that easily? Keep dreaming.”
“Hahaha, ever the naïve one, Himeko.”
Otto chuckled softly. “You should know by now—some things are simply beyond your control.”
‘BZZZZZT—!’
Suddenly, the Honkai energy detectors aboard the Hyperion began to scream, triggering the highest level of alert.
The sky ahead gradually turned crimson. Scarlet feathers rained down like a torrential storm.
A wave of overwhelming Honkai energy surged across the skies, rolling like a tsunami and chilling everyone aboard the Hyperion to the bone.
Himeko’s eyes widened—she immediately realized what Otto was planning.
“This sensation… A Herrscher?!”
“Hahahaha, as sharp as ever, Miss Himeko,” Otto said, his tone almost admiring. “You’ve always had a keen sense for Herrscher energy.”
“That’s right. If you refuse to cooperate—then I’ll simply let a new Herrscher reduce the Hyperion to ashes!”
“And this Herrscher… will be someone you cannot defeat.”
With supreme confidence, Otto raised his hand as if holding the world in his palm.
“So, Miss Himeko, take your time and consider: which is more important—the lives of everyone aboard your ship… or defying me?”
“Hmm… purely by numbers, of course an entire ship’s crew outweighs the lives of just two people. Handing over Theresa and Kiana would seem like the most logical choice.”
A calm, slightly teasing voice cut in—Kagura had hacked directly into Otto’s communications.
“However, Mr. Otto…”
At some point, the silver-haired girl had already stepped onto the deck of the Hyperion.
She looked out calmly at the flames of Honkai burning ahead, the crimson feathers raining down, the entire Schicksal fleet looming in the distance—yet she showed no fear.
“But only children make choices like that. We will never trade lives for lives. Every person’s life is precious!”
“Overseer Otto—give up on your childish fantasies!”
“As long as I’m here, you won’t take anyone from the Hyperion!”
“Oh? Interesting…”
Otto didn’t seem too surprised by Kagura’s sudden appearance.
“So, you’re the one Rita mentioned in her reports… The traveler between worlds, aren’t you?”
“So then, Miss Kagura… what will you do?”
Otto’s smile remained calm and composed.
“Are you planning to crush me like you did World Serpent? That won’t do, you know. After all, Theresa is my granddaughter, and Schicksal still needs me at the helm. You can’t just kill the savior of the world that easily, can you?”
“Savior? Please.”
Kagura scoffed at his words, full of disdain.
“A scumbag like you calling yourself a savior? Don’t make me laugh.”
“Aren’t you just a pathetic fool willing to destroy the whole world to bring your dead wife back? And worse still—if what I’ve heard is true—she ran off with someone else! You’re nothing but a crown-wearing joke, the king of the cuckolds!”
“...”
Otto’s smile faltered ever so slightly.
“Miss Kagura, reckless words often come at a price.”
Kagura gave him a mocking glance.
“A price? Then tell me, Otto—what price should you pay for betraying everyone who fights against the Honkai? For casting aside the world just to fulfill your selfish dream?”
“No matter the cost,” Otto replied firmly, “I will achieve my goal. That is the meaning of my existence—the obsession I’ve carried for five hundred years. No one can change that.”
“Then I’ll stand against you, Otto.” Kagura’s voice was unwavering. “I’ll defeat you—and bury your foolish, delusional dream along with you.”
Otto gave a low chuckle.
“Try it, if you think you can.”
With that, the communication link was severed. And moments later, a shadow appeared in the skies ahead.
There, in front of dozens of Schicksal warships, a blond-haired man walked calmly through the air—it was Otto himself.
At his side, golden cubes shimmered, radiating a mysterious energy that seemed capable of creating anything from nothing.
Kagura recognized the construct immediately.
She had once replicated it using the Reality Gem—it was no stranger to her. In fact, she understood exactly how it worked.
The First Divine Key: Void Archives.
It contained the abilities of the Herrscher of Reason from the previous era.
Void Archives could manifest any construct or device as long as the underlying principle was understood.
Be it aircraft or battleship, armor or blade—it could all be created from nothing.
And even if the key was deactivated, the created items remained real.
Now approaching the Hyperion, Otto stood high in the sky, looking down at the silver-haired girl standing boldly on the deck.
The golden light of Void Archives expanded outward. One by one, countless weapons and tools materialized around him—guided entirely by his will.
Among them were even multiple Divine Keys—the most powerful weapons in this world.
And Otto, still wearing that smug and insufferable smile, said:
“Miss Kagura, I’ll give you one last chance. Step aside. Let Himeko hand over Theresa and K-423 peacefully.”
His eyes narrowed as he raised every weapon at his disposal and pointed them directly at her.
“Otherwise, I can’t promise I’ll be able to… restrain myself. And if I defeat you, I won’t necessarily be able to keep you alive in one piece.”
“Heh.” Kagura let out a cold laugh. “Don’t flatter yourself, Overseer Otto.”
An infinite surge of power burst forth from her body, warping the space around her in shimmering waves.
“I’ve met plenty of arrogant fools in my time—but someone who got this drunk on just a little power? You’re only the second.”
“Oh?” Otto raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued. “Then, before we begin, let me ask—who was the first?”
Kagura smiled.
“Isn’t it obvious? Sirin, of course.”
———————————————————————
“Achoo!”
Back inside the Hyperion, deep within the ship’s interior, a tiny purple-haired girl suddenly sneezed.
