Chapter 63: The Flame Chasers - "What Exactly Is This Man Called Otto Trying to Do?"

Chapter 63: The Flame Chasers- "What Exactly Is This Man Called Otto Trying to Do?"

 [Heh… Since Theresa is my adorable granddaughter, I suppose I'll let her go.]

 [But that little girl… she interests me. Bring her to headquarters immediately, Durandal.]

 [Understood.]

 The screen remained black, but the subtitles clearly showed that Durandal was speaking to the mastermind behind the scenes.

 And once the term 'Bishop' was mentioned, a pink message appeared in the chat.

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "So this 'Bishop' person is very interested in Kiana-chan? I believe his name is Otto… the leader of Schicksal? Oh my, it seems he's a man. If only he were a charming, mature big sister instead~ (〃'▽'〃)"

 The playful remark lightened the tense atmosphere.

 However…

 Elysia didn't realize that the very person she was talking about… was right there in the chat.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "?"

 Otto simply responded with a question mark.

 Excuse me?

 Did I just hear that correctly?

 Someone actually wishes that I were a woman?!

 In all my years, no one has ever entertained such a ridiculous idea!

 And yet, here I am, hearing it in this livestream?

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Hmm~? Don't you think it would be interesting? A graceful and commanding big sister leading Schicksal, while her cheerful little granddaughter runs a school? Fufu~ Just imagine it~"

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "No. I do not find it amusing."

 Otto dismissed the idea outright and fell silent.

 Meanwhile, Elysia simply moved on, focusing back on the game.

—

 On-screen, the scene transitioned to Theresa lying on the ground, clutching her injured arm.

 [Ai-chan… Inform Himeko to prepare for immediate deployment. Target: Schicksal Headquarters.]

 [Also, get Bronya onto the Hyperion. Start the operation immediately—we're running out of time.]

 [Damn it! Kiana, I will come save you!]

 With Theresa's determined declaration, Chapter 6 officially ended.

 The results screen appeared, and without hesitation, Hokuto moved on to Chapter 7.

—

 Compared to Chapter 6, Chapter 7 was more straightforward.

 It mainly focused on Theresa's assault on Schicksal Headquarters aboard the Helios.

 As soon as the level began, another CG cutscene played.

 A floating island, surrounded by an energy barrier, came into view.

 A subtitle appeared at the bottom of the screen:

 [22 hours after Kiana's capture. Schicksal Headquarters.]

 The camera zoomed in, and Otto's voice rang out—

 [Keep injecting Honkai energy into the chamber. This level of concentration isn't nearly enough to wake her up.]

 The scene transitioned, showing Otto standing before an experiment chamber.

 As the camera zoomed in further, Otto's face finally came into full view.

 Blond hair, green eyes, neatly tied-up 'wife hairstyle'—and a devilish smirk.

 [Heh… It's been a while. Welcome home, K423.]

 With Otto casually revealing Kiana's true identity, the scene shifted again.

 A swirling black void appeared at the center of the screen—

 Its eerie, purple glow radiating a sense of dread.

 The darkness faded.

 Kiana's golden eyes snapped open.

 [Return to my side, my kin.]

 The screen cut to a frozen wasteland—

 A massive block of ice entombing a slumbering dragon.

 [Siberia. The ruins of the Second Eruption battlefield.]

 The subtitles barely had time to fade before the dragon's eyes began glowing.

 It shattered the ice with a deafening roar.

 The screen froze, then zoomed out—

 Revealing Otto, standing in front of a monitor, watching everything unfold.

 [Oh? Come to protect your queen, have you?]

 [Deploy the Full-Domain Defense Satellites. All Valkyrie units, prepare for Level 1 combat operations.]

 [Brace yourselves… for the world's transformation.]

 With Otto's ominous words, the screen was engulfed in white.

 When the light faded…

 A massive warship soared through the skies.

 [Approx. 300 km from Schicksal Headquarters. The Helios Transport Ship.]

 With the CG cutscene concluded, the gameplay segment began.

—

 However, instead of seeing a Valkyrie in combat…

 The players were now piloting the Helios itself.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "Oh? Isn't this just the aircraft minigame from the last chapter? They just swapped the model and reused it for this mission?"

 『Hokuto:』 "Exactly. It's a cost-saving measure."

 Hokuto skillfully maneuvered the ship, dodging enemy attacks.

 『Your Great Inventor:』 "Hoh… A clever way to cut development costs. I should take note of this."

 [Due to your interaction, "Your Great Inventor" is delighted! You have received 560 Crystals!]

 !?

 Wait a minute… Otto actually learned the art of budget cuts from miHoYo?!

 Is he planning to apply this knowledge to his own game, "Kallen Fantasy"?!

 Hokuto couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.

—

 Just then, a pink message floated by…

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Injecting Honkai energy into a Herrscher and taking her to headquarters… What exactly is this 'Otto' trying to achieve? Does he intend to control a Herrscher?"

 After watching the cutscene, Elysia quickly pieced together what Otto's actions could lead to.

 Yet, she couldn't quite understand why he was doing it.

 『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "I believe he has his own motives, but I can't determine what they are."

 『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "It's not complicated."

 Shortly after the two MANTIS warriors voiced their doubts, their leader, Kevin, provided an answer.

 『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "To understand the Herrscher is to study them, and in turn, acquire greater power. That man likely seeks to use that power to defeat Honkai."

 Hokuto chuckled dryly.

 Well… that's not exactly wrong.

 But it's also not entirely right.

 Clearly, Kevin has yet to meet Otto in person…

Having read the script, Hokuto knew one thing for certain—

 Reviving Kallen was Otto's lifelong obsession.

 For this goal, he seized the position of Schicksal's Bishop, traveled to Shenzhou seeking Immortal Chiyuan's aid, and even orchestrated the Herrscher of the Void's descent.

 In the very end… he even chose to become a False God, only to be struck down by those around him.

 To the MANTIS warriors, Otto's actions were incomprehensible.

 While future Kevin might have understood Otto's methods and their consequences, he could never have made the same choice himself.

 And now… the topic of Otto was up for discussion in the chat.

—

 With the defeat of the final enemy, the next cutscene played.

 On-screen, Theresa faced a communication screen displaying Otto—

 His head resting on his hand, eyes half-lidded in amusement.

 [What do you plan to do with that toy, Theresa? Go home. Everyone has a rebellious phase—I won't hold your childish tantrum against you.]

 Despite Theresa literally storming Schicksal Headquarters, Otto remained utterly unbothered.

 Facing the ever-calm Bishop, Theresa clenched her fists, eyes shut tight.

 [You're just as gentle as ever, Grandpa… But—]

 As soon as she finished speaking, the Helios' cannons fired.

 A massive energy beam blasted through the defense barrier, creating a massive hole.

 [This is my answer! This time, I will not yield to you!]

 With Theresa's resolute declaration, the screen faded to black.

 The results screen appeared, and without hesitation, Hokuto proceeded to the next stage.

—

 Chapter 7-3 began with another cutscene.

 Honkai Beasts flooded through the gaps in the breached barrier, invading the ship.

 [Damn it! The Helios is running out of energy—we can't maintain the shield any longer!]

 Just moments ago, Theresa had been confidently rebelling against her grandfather.

 Now? She was panicking.

 But before the situation could spiral further, a bright blue arc of energy flashed across the deck.

 A Honkai Beast was instantly sliced apart.

 The camera panned—revealing a red-haired woman in combat gear, stepping onto the ship's deck.

 [Don't worry, Theresa. It's time for the Ace of the Far East Branch to take the stage!]

 Himeko had arrived.

—

 With the cutscene over, the gameplay resumed.

 Unlike 7-1 and 7-2, players could finally control a Valkyrie in battle.

 However… they were locked into using trial character 'Vermillion Knight: Eclipse.'

 This was one of Himeko's battlesuits—allowing her to wield electromagnetic energy in combat.

 Though Hokuto hadn't used a Greatsword character in a while, he quickly cleared out the enemies on deck.

 But as the final wave approached…

 A massive shadow loomed over the ship.

 Moments later, bolts of lightning began raining down from the sky.

 [Theresa: This reaction… it's a Judgment-Class Honkai Beast…]

 With that, the stage was cleared.

—

 『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "A Judgment-Class Honkai Beast? They can't handle it?"

 A bright white message appeared.

 Kevin had spoken.

 Though his question sounded normal, for some reason, it carried an undeniable hint of… condescension.

 Well, considering this is Kevin we're talking about—

 A man who has slain multiple Herrschers with his own hands—

 It's no surprise that he'd find this situation… underwhelming.

 Such is the arrogance of the Supreme MANTIS.

 Hokuto moved on to the next mission.

—

 As the battle began, a massive Honkai Beast descended—

 Benares, the Dragon.

 She was, by far, the largest Honkai Beast to appear in the story thus far.

 The moment she landed, a shockwave rippled across the entire battlefield.

 Hokuto swiftly dodged the attack and launched his counteroffensive.

 Normally, the larger the enemy, the slower they moved.

 But that logic did not apply to Benares.

 She was fast, aggressive, and highly mobile—

 Even incorporating backstep dodges into her attack patterns.

 After an intense battle, Hokuto finally depleted her health bar.

 With Benares retreating into the sky, the results screen popped up.

 Hokuto immediately moved on.

—

 The next cutscene played.

 Himeko stood on the deck, sword in hand, facing off against Benares.

 [Tch!]

 Benares roared, shaking the very air.

 [Not bad… but this alone won't be enough to take me down.]

 As Himeko spoke, a streak of light flashed across the sky.

 The camera panned up—revealing Fu Hua, hovering above the battlefield.

 [This won't work. The Helios is no match for a Judgment-Class Honkai Beast.]

 As Fu Hua's armor gleamed, Benares turned toward her, letting out an earth-shaking roar.

 […I'll lure it away.]

 With that, the screen faded to black.

—

 The next mission objective was simple—survive.

 Since there was no need to attack, Hokuto focused purely on dodging.

 As a result…

 Despite the intense narrative stakes—

 Himeko simply rolled, dodged, and avoided every single attack.

 Making the whole situation look like… casual warm-up exercises.

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Ah~ If I'm not mistaken, that was Fu Hua just now, right?"

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Why did she come back to help Theresa's team? Did she change sides?"

 『Hokuto:』 "Uh… maybe because she was never on Otto's side to begin with?"

 Elysia seemed even more confused.

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Oh~? Then does that mean she and Otto are actually… partners?"

 『Hokuto:』 "Yeah, yeah. Just collaborators."

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Fufu~ Looks like I guessed correctly! The Fairy Miss is quite sharp, isn't she?"

 [Due to your interaction, "Pink Fairy Miss" is delighted! You have received 560 Crystals!]

 But before Hokuto could react to his new earnings, a white message popped up.

 『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "Then what was her reason for cooperating with this 'Otto'?"

 "Good question, dear viewer."

 Seeing the bright white message float across the screen, Hokuto couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.

 Even without making a cold joke, this guy can chill the entire room just by asking a question…

 Classic Kevin.

 Alright, best to dodge this one.

 "Ahem. Honestly, I'm also quite curious about why Class President Fu Hua chose to cooperate with Archbishop Otto. I'm sure the main story will reveal the truth in due time."

 『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "That's right~ No need to rush, dear viewer! If you really can't hold it in, feel free to confide in the Fairy Miss instead~"

 With Hokuto expertly deflecting, a pink message soon followed.

 Of course, the sender was none other than one of Kevin's most unforgettable people—Elysia.

 『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "That won't be necessary. I was merely… curious. That's all."

 Against Elysia's playful advance, Kevin quickly retreated and dropped the subject.

 He couldn't afford to be recognized.

 His feelings toward Elysia were too complicated to put into words.

 Until he figured out how to face her, he would rather avoid her recognition altogether.

 However…

 What Kevin didn't know was…

—

 At the MOTHs' headquarters, in the previous civilization…

 "Oh my, I never expected our dear Kevin to get shy! Fufu~ What do you think, Hua? Didn't we put on a good performance?"

 Elysia flashed a mischievous smile at Hua, who sat calmly on the other side of the sofa.

 Hua simply closed her eyes and shook her head.

 "Elysia, I don't understand why you're so certain that man is Kevin."

 The viewer never revealed his identity.

 So how could she be so sure that the cold, socially awkward guy, whose mere text messages could send shivers down one's spine, was actually Kevin?

 Wasn't that a bit too reckless of a conclusion?

 Elysia simply folded her arms and grinned.

 "Never doubt a maiden's intuition~ Hua, I know each and every one of you inside and out~"

 "…"

 "Your judgment is still far too hasty."

Hua stared at Elysia, unable to find the words to refute her confidence.

 But before she could press further, Elysia dropped another bombshell.

 "Not only that~ I'm also certain that the 'Fu Hua' in the game… is you! Hua, aren't you excited to see another version of yourself in a virtual world?"

 "What? Elysia, you… why would you even think that?! That's impossible!"

 Hua instantly panicked.

 Not because she found the idea embarrassing—

 But because… she simply didn't believe she could ever be that good at deception.

 How could someone like her, who struggled to fit in, ever integrate so well into a group, becoming someone so respected?

 But as Hua began spiraling into self-doubt…

 Elysia had already stood up.

 "Come on now, Hua. Believe in yourself—you can do it!~"

 Then, she gave Hua a playful wave.

 "Well then~ I'm off to have a nice little chat with Kevin!~"

 With that, she cheerfully left the lounge.

—

 Elysia wandered the halls of MOTHs, humming softly.

 The base was as vast as ever, as cold as ever.

 But as long as she knew that her friends were here, it never felt lonely.

 "Now then, where could he be hiding? Where, oh where, is our dear Kevin?"

 The further she walked, the deeper she ventured—

 Into the darkness untouched by light.

 "You shouldn't have come here."

 A deep voice echoed from within the shadows.

 Found him.

 Elysia smiled.

 "Oh, Kevin~ Don't be so distant. We may have lost so much… but we still long for victory, don't we? That's why we can't afford to give up, right?"

 "Elysia…"

 Kevin slowly stepped out from the darkness, his frost-covered expression as cold as ever.

 His heavy footsteps echoed with each step—

 Until he finally stopped before her.

 "You're right. Which is why I need to understand… why you came here."

 "Hmm~? Is that really so important?"

 Elysia giggled, tilting her head playfully.

 "Fufu~ I never expected this from you, Kevin~"

 "What?"

 "I never thought you'd do something like this behind my back."

 Elysia's teasing tone only deepened Kevin's frown.

 What was she even talking about?

 Unbeknownst to both of them, their conversation had completely different interpretations.

 Elysia thought she was referring to Kevin secretly joining the livestream.

 But Kevin thought she was talking about how he didn't object to Mei imprisoning Suzu.

 "…Elysia. As you said, we still seek victory. Which is why we must never let go of any possibility."

 Elysia's smile grew wider.

 "Oh~ I see now, Kevin…"

 "Fufu~ You're much smarter than I thought!"

 Kevin: ???

 Why does this feel like an insult?

 "Alright, alright. We're the last remaining MANTIS warriors, after all~"

 "If you keep that cold face all the time, what if one day you forget how to smile?"

 "That would be such a shame~ Kevin, you're so handsome, after all."

 Elysia reached out, intending to pinch his cheeks into a smile—

 Only to be stopped by an icy chill before her fingers could even touch him.

 "...So cold~"

 She playfully retracted her hand.

 "Alright then, if you ever decide to let me see that handsome smile of yours, make sure to let me know, okay?"

 "Well then—let's both do our best!~"

 With that, she waved and walked away.

 Kevin stood still, watching her silhouette fade into the distance.

 Her final words lingered in his mind.

 "Let's both do our best…"

—

 In the present era, within World Serpent's headquarters—

 Kevin sat on his throne, lost in thought.

 Recalling every memory he had of Elysia…

 He finally understood something.

 "So back then… she wasn't there for Suzu… she was there for me."

 A 50,000-year-old misunderstanding…

 Finally unraveled.

 The five-millennia-old misunderstanding had finally been resolved at this moment. 

And this long-overdue answer made Kevin certain of one thing— The viewers in this livestream were not from the same timeline. 

How interesting. 

Then, could he take this assumption even further…? 

Could it be that every viewer in this livestream was, in some way, a key figure in this world? 

The misunderstanding of fifty thousand years was finally resolved at this moment. 

And this belated answer also confirmed to Kevin that the viewers in the livestream were not from the same timeline. 

How interesting.

Then, could he further assume... 

That the viewers in this livestream were, to some extent, all pivotal figures in this world?

End of Chapter 63