Chapter 69: The Flame Chaser Trio Explode—"OTTO! YOU DARE TO DO THIS TO OUR BELOVED HUA?!"

Chapter 69: The Flame Chaser Trio Explode—"OTTO! YOU DARE TO DO THIS TO OUR BELOVED HUA?!"

After Pink Fairy Miss's signature pink comment floated by, the screen displayed a narrator's text.

[The Queen did not choose to engage in battle this time.]

[She sensed the same aura from that man, one similar to her own.]

[—And, a deep, unfathomable obsession that was different from her own.]

Once the text in the dialogue box disappeared, Otto, having gotten the answers he sought, spoke.

[As expected of the Herrscher of the Void, who caused the greatest disaster in human history, the Second Eruption. Not only does she possess strength rivaling that of gods, but her far-reaching foresight is truly remarkable.]

Otto, as usual, spoke flattering words.

Even though he had the upper hand in their conversation earlier, he did not act arrogantly. Instead, he maintained a humble demeanor.

Such false modesty naturally piqued the curiosity of the livestream viewers.

"This is a surprise. I thought this Bishop Otto would be very stern and fierce, but he seems to know how to charm girls?"

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Hehe, looks like Otto's not just all business. He knows how to make the ladies smile."

"I have to admit, when it comes to words...

this bishop's speech is quite lethal..."

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "He does have a way with words, I'll give him that. But it's still odd..."

A blue comment from Hua appeared. Before seeing Otto, she, like Elysia, believed him to be a very stern and harsh bishop.

However, after witnessing his interaction with the Herrscher, Hua had to admit she had been too hasty.

[Boring compliments.]

Despite the Queen's usual dismissive reply, her attitude towards Otto was far more polite than it was with Theresa and others.

This couldn't be ignored, and while her caution towards Schicksal remained, she undeniably enjoyed the "fool's" flattery.

[I'm not interested in you. It's those young girls who are my target.]

The Queen said, followed by a jab at Otto.

[...But someone like you could become a king? Humanity is truly pathetic.]

The Herrscher disdainfully dropped the hostage and disappeared into the void.

The screen showed the aftermath of the Herrscher's departure.

[Otto walked over to Fu Hua and looked down at her.]

Then, Otto spoke.

[Ah... what a mess. The last time I saw you injured this badly was 500 years ago at Tianqiong Peak, right?]

With Otto's admission, a shocking fact was revealed to the livestream viewers.

"500... 500 years? So Fu Hua is a 500-year-old beautiful girl?"

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Wait, 500 years old?! Wow, she looks so young for her age!"

A pink comment from Elysia appeared, showing her surprise at Fu Hua's age.

"Maybe she's even older than 500. And can we really call someone who's 500 years old a 'beautiful girl'? No, but the real question is... someone can live for 500 years???"

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "500 years?! That's insane... I don't even know what to say about that."

Hua's comment followed closely behind. As the person involved, she couldn't even believe that Fu Hua was herself.

The idea that someone could live to be 500 years old was enough to leave her in shock.

As the two heroes were left astonished, another comment arrived.

"..."

In the livestream chat, a certain person who had lived for over 50,000 years silently typed a string of ellipses...

After their comments passed, Otto spoke again in the game.

[In any case, I'll treat you first. Consider it a celebration for the successful completion of Phase One of the experiment.]

His reaction was cold and indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about everything.

Even though he had just unleashed a terrifying Herrscher, he wasn't in a rush.

Facing this cold-hearted "partner," Fu Hua responded.

[...Why...?]

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "She's still got questions? What's going on here...?"

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "This situation is seriously messing with my head."

Hmm, still able to speak?

[Why... let her go... don't you know... her goal is...?]

Fu Hua questioned Otto on why he let the Herrscher go, showing no intention of yielding.

Otto, however, was just as unyielding.

[It's Theresa. I know. They'll probably be caught soon. This time, no one will interfere. —Their battle will continue to the end.]

[...What did you say...?]

Hearing Otto's plan, Fu Hua couldn't believe it. The idea that someone would use her granddaughter as a test subject to fight the Herrscher was inconceivable.

[Oh, by the way, I haven't told you yet. Don't worry, this is good news for you. K423 isn't dead, and I need her alive.]

[Right now, in that body, there are two consciousnesses. The consciousness of K423, whom you call 'Kiana,' and the consciousness of the Herrscher of the Void, Sirin. After absorbing the Serenity Gem and high concentrations of Honkai energy... Sirin's consciousness began to activate in that body.]

[And successfully took over the body, eventually leading to the reawakening of the Herrscher of the Void. Heh, but this isn't the outcome I wanted. This is still considered Phase One. The real experiment starts now. K423's consciousness fell asleep because of the Herrscher's awakening, but she hasn't disappeared...]

As Fu Hua started to show signs of resistance, Otto revealed his plan, shocking the livestream audience.

The golden-haired, green-eyed man on screen was no mere eccentric—he was a madman.

"This... suddenly, I feel like one of my friends would get along with him. Wanting to capture beautiful girls and experiment on how to control them... probably only someone like that one scientist who loves turning people into guinea pigs."

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "This guy is absolutely insane..."

『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "I can't believe what I'm hearing. This is crazy!"

The livestream heroes were all shocked by Otto's plan.

From the comments, Elysia immediately thought of Dr. Mobius...

Hokuto thought for a moment and found it reasonable.

After all, aside from Elysia, no Herrscher from the previous civilization was easy to deal with. Getting them on humanity's side was akin to forcing the End to choose death.

But because the "Origin" had interfered with fate, the Herrschers of the current civilization possessed more humanity, which gave Otto the chance to carry out his insane plan.

[My friend, I'm asking you seriously now.]

After Fu Hua learned the truth and laughed, Otto's tone became more serious.

[Your actions have exceeded my control, so I choose to tell you everything.]

[Even so, will you still oppose me?]

[—So, you're still trying to stop me?]

When Otto spoke those final words, his killing intent was almost uncontrollable.

His tone was incredibly serious, embodying the authority of a bishop.

Just the sound of his voice created an invisible pressure that could be felt.

Under such pressure, Fu Hua gave her response.

[Hmph, friend? Your words hold no conscience—only bottomless selfishness and lies... You trample on others' feelings, toy with their fate...]

[...You haven't once considered that you are a villain.]

[Otto, Apocalypse... you make me feel deep sorrow and hatred from the bottom of my heart...]

With her words, a thunderclap rang out!

The screen once again turned to black.

Then, a narrative text appeared in the dialogue box.

[Thunder rumbled across the sky, and the darkness covered the heavens. —At the same time, it shrouded Otto Apocalypse's face.]

When the screen lit up again, an unexpected scene appeared before everyone.

Otto was holding a golden handgun, aimed directly at the fallen Fu Hua.

"What is he trying to do?"

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "What is this? Is he really going to shoot her?!"

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "Wait, what?! Is he seriously going to kill her?!"

『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "What's happening? Why is he pointing the gun at her?!"

Seeing this, Elysia became anxious.

"Probably trying to threaten her?"

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "I thought it was a threat, but now I'm not so sure..."

Hua also shared her guess.

"But... I never thought Otto would be this decisive..."

『Your Great Inventor:』 "Looks like he's done playing around. No hesitation at all..."

[A golden glow gathered in his right hand, slowly taking the form of a musket.]

The narrative text in the dialogue box continued.

[Imitating the Heavenly Fire Saint's judgment, he slowly pointed the gun at the person lying on the ground. The process was long. The five-hundred-year memory, like a fleeting dream, dissipated before his eyes, turning into nothingness.]

[It was also a very short process. So short that when he regained his senses, he had already made his choice.]

The narrative text flickered, further intriguing the viewers in the livestream.

[...]

[...]

After a long silence, Otto spoke.

[I did not lied...Master Jingwei...]

"Bang—!"

The sound of a gunshot echoed, and the screen went black.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "!!! No... no way... what just happened?! Was that a gunshot?!"

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "Wait, did Otto just shoot her?!"

『my favorite sister Bronya:』 "No... no... not like this... Did he really kill Fu Hua?"

The livestream chat exploded with shock.

『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "What?! Did he just... kill her?!"

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "I... I can't believe this. This is insane..."

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "I'm in shock. Fu Hua can't be dead... right?!"

[Because of your livestream content, Pink Fairy Miss is shocked. You've received 1140 crystals!]

[Because of your livestream content, Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect is shocked. You've received 1140 crystals!]

[Because of your livestream content, No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai is enraged. You've received 1140 crystals!]

The three comments appeared almost simultaneously, flooding the chat with reactions of disbelief and anger. Hokuto had anticipated this, though he was still surprised by the "enraged" reaction from Kevin.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "No way... I didn't expect Otto to do something like this..."

Elysia's pink comment expressed her shock, and it was clear she was deeply shaken.

"I... I didn't think Otto would actually do this!"

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "He shot her... I can't even... why would they write this?!"

After the shock, Hokuto chuckled to himself. It was a tough scene to digest, and naturally, the audience wasn't ready for it.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "I feel like I'm in a horror movie. What kind of crazy plot is this?!"

『Your Great Inventor:』 "This game is taking things too far... this is not just a twist anymore."

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "I have a bad feeling about Otto now. He's even worse than I thought..."

The chat grew colder as the tension thickened. Hokuto knew Kevin's reaction would be intense, and it was clear that outside the stream, something serious was being planned.

『No Matter the Cost, Humanity Will Prevail Against Honkai:』 "I think this bishop really needs to be dealt with... if needed, we should take care of him."

A comment that gave everyone chills floated across the screen, and Hokuto understood the seriousness of the situation.

Hokuto quickly intervened, knowing the situation was escalating.

"Alright, let's not get too carried away. This is just part of the game. Otto is just a character!"

『Your Great Inventor:』 "Exactly. It's just the plot, we can't let it get personal."

As Hokuto helped ease the situation, the tension began to subside.

[Is it you... Fu Hua?]

Himeko looked to the side and indeed saw Fu Hua standing outside the cell, watching her.

However, Fu Hua had inexplicably changed into a red-and-white special operations suit, a design that wasn't standard Schicksal attire but rather resembled a qipao from the Shenzhou region.

[...You've really changed quite a bit...]

Upon hearing Himeko's remark, Fu Hua didn't respond.

[So, what brings you here to see this prisoner?]

[...The serum in your hand is a Honkai energy neutralizing serum, it can alleviate the corrosion of Honkai energy on the body.]

Fu Hua spoke without acknowledging Himeko's question, but her actions had already made her intentions clear.

[...Find a safe place to use it. Once the serum neutralizes the Honkai energy in your body, you will lose your strength as a Valkyrie.]

"Eh? Fu Hua really... isn't dead?"

When Elysia saw Fu Hua, not only alive but standing in front of Himeko to offer assistance, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew~ That really scared me. Why did they design such a morbid plot? People will get upset about this, you know!"

"Is she really okay... No, wait, something doesn't add up. If she's really alive, why isn't she stopping the Herrscher?"

Hua, upon seeing 'herself' again, was pleased, but quickly realized the situation wasn't as simple as it seemed...

It had to be said, she was right.

At this very moment, Fu Hua was in a strange state between life and death... and the reason she appeared here was to fulfill one final wish.

[Heh, a gift? Well, thank you.]

[...The Herrscher has awakened. After leaving here, run north and you'll find a watchtower. It's safe there, you can hide there. There will be some guards on the way, but I believe you can handle them.]

In response to Fu Hua's advice, Himeko cut in.

"I don't need to know that. Tell me, where are Theresa and the others?"

[...If you choose to rescue your companions, then pass through the watchtower and keep going. I'll be waiting for you at the laboratory on the other side of the tower.]

[...?! Hey, don't leave—!]

As Fu Hua's advice was given, the screen showed another narrative text.

[No response came, and the other side of the door was eerily silent. Himeko propped herself up and pushed the door hard—then, the unexpected happened.]

[Huh? The door is open? When did it open... No time to worry about that now!]

Himeko muttered to herself as she stuffed the serum into her pocket and hurriedly ran out of the seventh holding chamber.

With the conversation finished, the screen transitioned back to the gameplay.

This time, players controlled the character Himeko , but without a weapon. Outside, drones were patrolling, and the lights had to be avoided. Weapons had to be found before proceeding to the next part.

Fortunately, the mission wasn't too difficult, and Himeko soon found a basic greatsword to continue on her way.

After some fights across a bridge, she successfully followed the path to the watchtower that Fu Hua mentioned.

At the watchtower, Himeko discovered that one of her temporary allies was also imprisoned there...

[Mmm—Mmm—]

"What is that sound?"

"Mmmmmmmmmm!"

"Tesla?!"

From afar, Himeko spotted a familiar figure. Tesla was tightly bound to a chair, unable to move at all. Her mouth was gagged with a delicate black cloth, which for some reason gave off a humorous vibe.

"Calm down! I'll take the cloth off!"

After Himeko removed the cloth, Tesla was finally able to speak instead of just making muffled sounds.

"That maid! Don't let me see her again!!"

"..."

A purple ellipsis comment floated across the screen.

Honestly, if it weren't for seeing the comment sender as Rita, Hokuto almost forgot this character was even in the livestream.

It had to be said, as a maid, Rita truly maintained high professionalism—she never commented unless it directly involved her.

And now... well, it seemed like she couldn't play dead anymore, could she?

[What did she do to you?]

"—She actually dared to humiliate me!"

"???"

When Tesla explained her thoughts about Rita, another purple question mark flooded the screen.

It was clear that Rita hadn't expected her polite behavior to be seen as humiliation by Tesla.

Not long after, the dialogue box showed another narrative text.

[Tesla, bound to the chair, angrily shook her body. Himeko then noticed the ropes behind her, tied in a perfect knot... The craftsmanship was so flawless it looked like it came from a master artisan.]

After observing Tesla's "plight," Himeko was a little confused.

[...Huh?]

"When she tied me up, she kept apologizing... saying things like, 'Sorry, it might be uncomfortable, I'm sorry for the trouble.' Then why didn't she just release me?! The worst part was, she even sprayed perfume on both sides of the scarf... Was she messing with me on purpose?!"

[Because of your livestream content, Maintaining Elegance Is a Maid's Duty feels shy. You've received 560 crystals!]

As Tesla recounted Rita's "offenses," the livestream fell silent.

This time, the silence wasn't due to anger or sadness—it was purely the feeling of "I don't understand, but I'm completely stunned."

"Hehe, didn't expect that the maid named Rita had this side to her? Now I'm really curious to learn more about her~"

After a brief silence, a pink comment floated across the screen, breaking the awkwardness.

It was clear that Elysia had added another name to her list of girls she was interested in...

"Er... Anyway, let me untie you first."

After untying Tesla, Himeko shared the details of her own experiences.

Upon hearing her explanation, Tesla expressed concern about Chicken Nest Head (Einstein) but quickly shifted the topic back to herself with a hint of arrogance.

"Looks like we'll have to go to that laboratory she mentioned. We might find a way to contact the Hyperion too."

Afterward, the two tried to use the elevator but failed. Tesla said she could hack it, and then found a suitable weapon for Himeko .

Prepared, they made their way to the watchtower's computer terminal to begin the hack.

During this time, the experimental subjects held in the watchtower surged out. Himeko hurriedly told Tesla to wait by the elevator while she held the line.

Just as she was dealing with the Death Knight-class enemies with her Bamolug, a new threat appeared—an enhanced mech holding a heavy sword.

And its name was—Aesir, Heimdall.

"This mech? It has this level of detail?"

With the appearance of the bulky mech, a white comment floated across the screen.

End of Chapter 69