Chapter 84: Otto – "A Herrscher Protecting Humanity… Is My Experiment Finally Succeeding?"

Chapter 84: Otto – "A Herrscher Protecting Humanity… Is My Experiment Finally Succeeding?"

["Mei, give me a little time. We have to get out of here first. Once we've resolved the crisis in this city… then we'll talk about everything else."]

Mei didn't argue with Kiana's proposal.

["I understand. It was Rita's message that led me to you. I've been filled in on everything. Kiana… I hope you understand, everyone on Hyperion will always be waiting for you."]

Kiana nodded and turned to face the incoming enemies.

As the game transitioned into gameplay mode, Quantum-type Honkai Beasts spawned in the level. These enemies had more varied attack patterns compared to regular Honkai Beasts and often moved unpredictably, making them a bit of a hassle. However, they were just basic enemies, and both Kiana and Mei quickly cleared them out.

After defeating the monsters in the lab, the two moved toward the exit. Along the way, they encountered another batch of enemies, led by an elite Quantum boss—Shadow of the Tempest.

This enemy had a ridiculous eight health bars, even more than the Shadow of the Sun from the previous lab battle. Fortunately, while its attack speed was fast, its moves were predictable, and both characters were able to wear it down.

After spending some time dealing with it, Shadow of the Tempest finally fell. As they reached the final exit, yet another batch of enemies, including another elite Shadow of the Tempest, spawned.

So, the same fight played out again.

After defeating the enemies, the level was finally cleared.

At the start of the next mission, the game's camera panned to the entrance of the laboratory.

Kiana appeared on-screen.

["Back in the lab, that dog-headed scientist let something slip about their plan..."]

["Besides modifying vaccines to activate latent Stigmata in humans, World Serpent also plans to create a large-scale Honkai disaster across the entire city—to completely trigger Stigmata activation."]

Hearing this, Mei immediately responded.

["Is there any specific time or location? Even if we destroy this facility, we won't be able to stop them completely."]

["I know where."]

Before they could continue, an all-too-familiar voice interrupted.

The camera zoomed out, revealing Rita sitting casually on a nearby wall, legs crossed, watching them. This time, she was clad in her Argent Knight: Artemis battlesuit. Compared to before, her aura was significantly stronger.

"Wow, it's Rita? I thought she was done after being rescued. But I didn't expect her to show up here at this moment…"

A pink-colored comment floated across the screen.

Clearly, Rita's appearance surprised Elysia, though she didn't find it entirely unreasonable. From the beginning, this Valkyrie's stance had never been entirely firm.

["Looks like Kiana is still doing well. That's a relief."]

Upon hearing Rita's words, Mei immediately unsheathed her blade, transforming into a full-fledged guardian mode.

["I won't let you take her!"]

["Mei, calm down. I already told you—in this city, we're on the same side. Kiana just mentioned World Serpent's planned Honkai disaster. I think I know the second half of their plan."]

Rita then revealed a shocking truth—Eos' reactor had been turned into a massive Honkai bomb.

"Wait, what? They can do that? That's… crude. But I can't deny it's a creative idea."

A green-colored comment floated across the screen.

The sender was Otto Apocalypse.

Clearly, as the overseer of Schicksal, Otto had never considered the idea of using his own transport ship reactors to create Honkai bombs. The concept was intriguing, but the risk was astronomical. If the reactor detonated prematurely, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Not to mention, if Schicksal-manufactured reactor parts were discovered in the aftermath, Schicksal's involvement would be impossible to deny.

["If investigators find the reactor remains in the city later… Schicksal will never be able to clear its name."]

Just as Otto typed out this comment, Rita voiced the same concern in the game.

Kiana immediately reacted.

["We can't waste any more time!"]

["Agreed… but it seems they won't let us leave so easily."]

At Rita's warning, a massive black shadow loomed overhead, casting its form against the ground.

["Wait… I already defeated that thing earlier…?"]

In the void, a strange, purple-colored Honkai Beast slowly emerged once again. It unfurled its crystal-like, semi-transparent shell, extending massive, eerie pincers into an aggressive stance.

["Kiana, remember what you told me?"]

["Stopping this disaster is more important than running away."]

As she finished speaking, Rita charged toward the monster, wielding her scythe.

Seeing her willingness to help, Kiana accepted her offer.

Before they parted ways, Rita left her with one final message.

["I'll hold this thing off. You focus on disabling the bomb."]

["Thank you… for saving me back then. Consider us even now."]

The game transitioned into combat mode, pitting the player as Rita against the Shadow of the Sun once more.

This time, however, Rita was equipped with Argent Knight: Artemis, making the battle far easier. With a mix of freezing attacks and ice-based crowd control, she completely locked down the enemy.

Eventually, the beast shattered into pieces, its body breaking apart in frozen fragments.

Panting slightly, Rita surveyed the battlefield. Though she had won, her body was still far from fully recovered.

Suddenly, a familiar voice crackled through her comms.

["Took you long enough to answer…"}

["…If Durandal catches you, it's not my problem anymore."]

With that, the mission was cleared.

In the next level, Kiana and Mei once again fought their way through Arc City, clearing their path toward the bomb site.

This time, however, an unexpected enemy awaited them—Raven.

As Kiana and Mei rushed forward, eager to reach their goal, Raven lurked in the shadows, waiting for her moment.

Perhaps out of urgency, Kiana spoke while running.

["We're almost there!"]

Then suddenly—the screen went dark.

A barrage of red lasers flashed across the screen.

["Agh—!"]

["Mei—!!"]

The sound of an explosion roared through the speakers.

As the smoke cleared, Raven stood atop the ruins, looking down at the two of them.

["We meet again."]

["This time… no one will interfere."]

["Mei!"]

["I'm fine… Kiana, don't worry about me."]

The girl carefully lowered her injured companion to the ground, then stood up and looked ahead.

A gray cloak flapped in the wind. From her elevated position, Raven looked down like a predator eyeing its prey.

["Step aside."]

Kiana's words were simple, but at this moment, they carried an undeniable force.

["It's not too late to stop now. Your plan isn't about saving people—it's a massacre."]

["Massacre…? You, the creator of the Second Eruption, the greatest killer in human history… A monster like you has no right to judge us."]

["Have you ever heard the voices of those who died because of you?"]

["The people who were infected with Honkai energy, moments away from death… The women mourning their husbands… The children torn away from their parents and brothers, trained as mercenaries… Their wails, their cries… You never could hear them!"]

For the first time, Raven's usually expressionless face revealed a trace of pain. But soon, her voice became calm again.

["Once the experiment is completed, humanity will never have to endure what you represent ever again."]

["I'll say it one more time—move!"]

With that, the game transitioned into combat mode.

The player now had to control Kiana and Mei to fight against Raven, one of World Serpent's key operatives.

Compared to before, Raven's attack patterns had become more advanced, and her health had been significantly increased. However, this time, there was no suffocating Honkai mist that weakened the player.

In a way, it was a fair fight—a two-on-one duel.

Thanks to Mei's enhanced Striker battlesuit, she became the primary attacker, and Raven's health bar was rapidly depleted.

Blood seeped into Raven's gray cloak, staining it black. Clutching her wounds, she staggered backward, unwilling to accept her looming defeat.

["Go ahead… kill me, Herrscher of the Void… Just like you always have…"]

Kiana stared deeply into her opponent's eyes.

In those eyes—so similar in age to her own—there had never been anything but death and terror.

Slowly, she holstered her guns.

["The experiment is about to begin. No matter what you do now, you can't change the outcome. I've stalled you long enough. This battle… is my victory."]

A cruel smile curled across Raven's lips. A thick white smoke suddenly engulfed her figure.

["Wait—!"]

Before Kiana could react, Raven's silhouette vanished into the darkness of Arc City's towering structures.

["We've come this far… but we're out of time!"]

Kiana had pushed her body beyond its limits, squeezing out every ounce of strength just to reach this point. She was now walking a thin line between persistence and collapse.

["There has to be another way to stop this! I won't be trapped here!"]

["Kiana, use all of your Herrscher of the Void's power."]

At that moment, Fu Hua appeared on-screen.

["Class President, what are you saying?"]

["Unleash all the power within your Herrscher Core. If you do, we might still be able to reach the explosion site before the reactor goes off."]

『Your Great Inventor:』"A Herrscher awakening their full power to protect humanity? That's… not something I expected to hear from her."

A green-colored comment floated across the screen.

The sender was none other than Otto Apocalypse.

If the Herrscher of the Void were to fully awaken in Arc City, the crisis would escalate far beyond a mere reactor explosion.

For Otto, this situation was the true experiment he had been waiting for.

Was this Fu Hua's way of seeking revenge against him?

However, Otto's suspicions were soon dismissed by Fu Hua's next words.

["I know what you're trying to do, and I know this is the only way. But you… are already so weak."]

["I will do everything in my power to restrain her personality. Just use the full force of your Herrscher Core."]

Kiana hesitated.

["You're right—when people reflect on the past, they can't always run away. The people who sacrificed their lives to Honkai… they're gone. They never had the chance to see the world improve because of you."]

["But you—you can show those who are still alive how much things have changed."]

She turned back to look at her companion.

Mei's lips trembled. In that instant, she already understood Kiana's decision.

Her gaze and silence told Kiana everything she needed to know.

And Kiana understood as well.

She knew that Mei would never stop her.

Kiana closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Fu Hua's smiling face appeared, feathers drifting around her.

["Do what you must."]

A single feather landed in Kiana's palm.

She clenched it tightly.

["Thank you… Class President."]

Finally, the camera panned up toward the full moon hanging in the dark sky.

"Fascinating… Does this mean a Herrscher's full power will be used to protect humanity?"

Otto had been watching the entire sequence unfold.

Now, at last—

He had seen exactly what he wanted to see.

The future.

End of Chapter 84