Chapter 18: Chang Yuan Gives Otto a Big Surprise—Otto, Forever Young.

Chang Yuan waved his phone, finally having something to boast about in front of his student.

After all, the only other thing he could show off was his strength, and he'd already done that countless times. It had lost its novelty.

"Yes, yes, Teacher, you're the best. You're amazing."

Otto rolled his eyes but still flattered his teacher.

After all, he needed Chang Yuan's help, so a few compliments wouldn't hurt.

"But the Honkai beast you mentioned is actually the one fused with the Sage who saved your ancestors.

So, in a way, you're quite connected."

"The Honkai beast fused with the Sage? Hearing you say that, it does feel like fate."

Otto nodded, not denying Chang Yuan's words.

Over the next few days, Otto taught some of his trusted subordinates how to perform the MANTIS surgery.

A week later, Vill-V's medium-sized drone arrived, delivering a copy of the entire Honkai beast gene bank.

Thus, Otto began his own MANTIS surgery.

The Void Archives monitored the entire process to prevent any mishaps.

But from the moment he entered the incubation pod, everything went smoothly.

Or rather, it was supposed to. Otto wouldn't allow any accidents to happen beforehand.

After half a month, Otto finally reappeared before everyone.

"Otto, Otto, did you really get stronger? But I can't tell!"

Kallen circled Otto, tilting her head as she examined him.

She couldn't see any difference in him.

"Heh, how about we shake hands, Kallen?"

Otto extended his right hand with a smile.

Understanding his meaning, Kallen immediately grabbed his hand.

Although Otto's MANTIS abilities were mental-based, his physical body had still undergone a complete transformation, far surpassing that of a normal human.

Kallen used all her strength, but Otto's hand didn't budge.

"So strong! Otto, you've become so powerful. It looks like you'll have to protect me from now on."

Letting go, Kallen's eyes sparkled with joy.

"No, the MANTIS surgery didn't enhance my combat abilities. It boosted my mental capabilities, allowing me to solve more complex problems.

So, Kallen, you'll still have to protect me. After all, you're from the Kaslana family, the Shield of the People, Schicksal's strongest family, and my fiancée."

"Hehe, is that so? Then I'll keep protecting you."

Flattered by Otto's praise, Kallen grinned foolishly.

"Kallen, the MANTIS technology is now mature. Do you want to undergo the surgery?"

To ensure Kallen's safety, Otto felt it was necessary for her to undergo the MANTIS surgery.

But then Chang Yuan interjected with a hint of amusement, "Ahem, Otto, there's something I forgot to tell you. After becoming a MANTIS, your body's growth will slow down significantly. You might remain the same for decades."

"...?"

Otto slowly formed a question mark in his mind.

Then, in disbelief, he widened his eyes, "Hey, hey, Teacher, you're joking, right? You must be joking, right?"

But Chang Yuan remained unfazed.

Otto felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.

Damn it, this teacher really is unreliable. His earlier premonition was right—this teacher had just dropped a bombshell on him!

Damn it, if he didn't grow for decades, wouldn't that mean Kallen would be an adult while he remained a teenager?

What would they do then? Drive a big car? What the hell!

Otto's good upbringing kept him from cursing his teacher outright, but the resentment in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Ahem, I thought you knew. It should be written in the MANTIS data."

"...Void Archives, don't you have anything to say?"

Hearing this, Otto remembered the Void Archives' earlier hesitation and felt a sense of foreboding.

"I tried to tell you several times, but you were so focused on your research that you didn't respond. What could I do? I thought you had already seen it."

"...No!"

Otto's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees.

This moment called for a fitting song.

Chang Yuan took out his phone and played "Forever Young".

"Snowflakes flutter, the north wind howls~?"

"So Otto won't grow up anymore? Yay! Does that mean I can call him 'little brother' from now on?"

Kallen, unaware of the gravity of the situation, was still just a young girl who didn't understand how this would affect her future happiness.

"Kallen, that's not the point. The point is—ah! Void Archives, you're dead!"

Otto couldn't explain it to Kallen, so he grabbed the Void Archives and slammed it into the wall.

The Void Archives, made of soul steel, was unharmed.

"I told you it was your fault for not listening to me! You're so ungrateful!"

"Sigh, Kallen, don't undergo the MANTIS surgery until you're an adult. I'll help others first and research a way to remove this side effect."

Otto wasn't sure if he could find a solution, so he didn't dare let Kallen undergo the surgery.

If he could turn back time, he would have waited until adulthood to become a MANTIS.

If he hadn't been so impatient, so eager to grow stronger, this wouldn't have happened.

Rubbing his temples, Otto decided he would always think things through carefully from now on.

"Alright, but you'll have to call me 'big sister' from now on, since I'll be older than you. Hehe."

Kallen naively thought that as long as she was taller than Otto, he would have to call her "big sister."

Otto was speechless. Was the Kaslana family's education really this lacking?

Didn't they teach basic knowledge?

Actually, the Kaslana family did teach these things. After all, while they had Kevin's bloodline, they also had Mei's.

There were plenty of intelligent Kaslanas. But Kallen leaned more toward Kevin, who needed an external brain.

So, they taught her, but whether she learned was another matter.