[BONUS CHAPTER] Chapter 93 - Nagami Turns to Outside Help

Otto!

He's practically the source of every tragedy in the Honkai universe. If there's a scapegoat for this world's woes, no cleaner would dare dispute Otto's title.

Whether friend or foe, everyone thinks of him as cunning, calculating, and devious. Yet there's no denying Otto is an absolute genius.

Founding Schicksal to combat the Honkai was nothing more than a means to his own ends.

This vast organization, arguably the most powerful in this fractured world, was simply a tool for reviving Kallen.

One thing is certain: without Otto, this world would have already crumbled.

But that doesn't stop the cleaners from wanting to knock Otto's health bar down to zero.

If Otto ever showed up as a boss in the Memory Battlefield.

I think every Hyperion cleaner would gladly offer him a special kind of comfort—delivered courtesy of their Valkyries.

Honestly, Nagami hadn't planned on crossing paths with Otto so soon.

This love-obsessed madman might be predictable, but his willingness to do anything for his goal is terrifying.

Nagami had no intention of facing Otto head-on until he'd acquired some power over life and death.

Originally, he hoped to freeload in his friends' worlds for some resurrection-related abilities—or at least snag a handy item for that purpose—then confront Otto.

Thanks to the "Fated One" ability that let him use power from any world, Nagami didn't have to worry about differences between universes.

If he had the ability, he could use it.

At that point, with the power to literally bring people back to life, he'd be able to toy with Otto however he wanted.

Otto wouldn't dare resist!

No one would argue with that outcome.

It was the simplest, most direct way to deal with Otto.

But Nagami hadn't expected things to unfold like this.

Otto actually dared to send the real Kiana right to him!

What was Otto thinking?

Was he just going to abandon the Sirin plan?

Wasn't he worried that this might tip off Herrscher Kiana, considering how much she looked like the real deal?

C.C. narrowed her golden eyes, lifting her head to meet the heiress Kiana's confused gaze.

Well… given the intelligence of the "Tuna" when she's comfy and cozy… yeah, that name suits her perfectly.

"What do you think Otto's trying to pull?"

The heiress's long lashes quivered, her eyes brimming with confusion.

"You wouldn't understand~"

C.C. put on an all-knowing air, extending a slender finger to lightly press against the heiress's dewy, cherry lips.

With a graceful smile, she uttered words that almost made the heiress lose her cool.

"Actually… I don't really understand either~"

Who could possibly figure out this guy's mind.jpg

C.C. liked to think she was pretty clever, but even she wouldn't claim to fully grasp Otto's schemes.

Probably no one in the whole world could count on one hand the people who could.

Still, even if she didn't know…

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[Nagami]: @Blank, you two bigshots—can you help me out?

[Shiraori]: ???

[Itsuka Kotori]: That's rare. Nagami's actually asking for help?

[Shiraori]: What's up, Nagami? You in trouble?

[Nagami]: Well, not exactly trouble…

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At his darkened desk, Empty held a mouse in each hand, both skittering across the tabletop at lightning speed.

Even the sudden group chat message didn't slow him down a bit.

Empty exchanged a knowing look with White, who was watching him closely. He nodded.

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[Blank @Sora]: If I had to guess, I'd say Otto pulled some unexpected move, right?

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During the break after a game event, Empty had already reviewed all the world data for everyone in the group and skimmed through the previous chat logs.

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[Nagami]: You're as sharp as ever, Empty!

[Akemi Homura]: That's what it means to be a pro!

[Lumine]: Wow, you guessed it just from that?

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Even though Nagami had only asked for help, Empty still managed to guess the situation so precisely!

In the expanded time barrier, a black-haired girl clutched a Gatling gun she'd pulled from the armory, pouring a torrent of mana-infused bullets.

Though she knew the witch was just a magic girl whose soul had been completely devoured, Homura couldn't just stand by.

So she continued her daily work as a magical girl, even here.

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[Kal'tsit]: Impressive

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No wonder these siblings could even challenge the gods themselves.

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[Nagami]: So, you've read the detailed lore for Honkai Impact 3rd, right? Otto released the real Kiana. What do you think his angle is?

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The heiress Kiana looked at C.C., who was now closing her eyes and seeking outside help, her expression turning a little pensive.

Her feelings grew more complicated as she realized that the new group members—this so-called "ordinary" brother-sister pair—really were something else.

It was the classic awe of a newbie gazing up at the pros.

In their eyes… these two had to be unbeatable!

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[Blank @Sora]: It's kind of thrilling to be seen as a "pro," but unfortunately, Nagami, you already know the core of our so-called invincibility.

[Blank @Shiro]: Reality… isn't a game.

[Blank @Sora]: Shiro's right. From a purely psychological angle, I can sort of piece together Otto's motives.

[Blank @Sora]: His real goal is control.

[Blank @Sora]: If you think of it like a game, there are only two possible approaches.

[Blank @Shiro]: Tactical action, or counteraction.

[Blank @Sora]: And in either case, control is everything.

[Blank @Sora]: The fact that you're already overanalyzing the reason behind Otto's move means you're playing right into his hands.

[Blank @Sora]: Take back the initiative!

[Blank @Sora]: We can't give you more help. Your world isn't a game, and in the ruleless chaos of reality, even we can't handle it.

[Nagami]: Got it. Thanks a lot!

[Kiana Kaslana]: ??? Wait—got what exactly?!

The heiress blinked blankly, her face clearly saying I don't understand any of this!

She was just about to ask when Mei's voice called out from the kitchen:

"Breakfast is ready!"

"Alright, let's eat first~" C.C. gently took the heiress's delicate hand in hers and tugged her out of the room.

"W-wait! Do you actually know how to deal with Otto?"

"Not yet—there's no quick fix for something like that. But it's breakfast time! We can figure it out after we eat."

…

After lunch, the girls—now students once more—headed to class.

Everyone went, even C.C.

Except for Nagami and a certain maid who, while she appeared to be just a servant, was in fact one of Schicksal's only three S-rank Valkyries: Rita.

Nagami sat comfortably on the plush sofa, deep in thought about how to wrest control back from Otto.

With his eyes shut tight in concentration, he sensed a shift in the air—a faint hint that the maid was approaching. But he didn't pay it much mind.

Not until he felt a pair of soft, delicate hands cradle his head and gently guide it down onto something… impossibly soft.

A subtle fragrance of roses drifted into his nose.

He slowly opened his eyes, his vision filled by something round and… generous.

His expression turned complicated.

What was this maid playing at?

Wasn't she supposed to be C.C.'s personal maid?

Why was she giving him a lap pillow right now?

"Nagami-sama seems to be deep in thought~" Rita murmured, her slight forward lean accentuating the elegant curve of her waist as she smiled, eyes half-lidded.

"This should help you think more clearly, right~?"

The silky warmth of her lap was oddly comforting, though the weight of those two "mountains" above him was… hard to ignore.

Nagami felt the sudden urge to support her himself—too bad he was absolutely out of strength right now.

So he lay there, eyes fixed on the white ceiling overhead, while the maid's pale, slender hands pressed gently on his forehead and temples in a soothing rhythm.

The maid had apparently decided to deploy her massage technique.

Nagami closed his eyes with a faint sigh, savoring the delicate rose fragrance that clung to her.

"Nagami-sama, how does Rita's touch compare to the maids in your own establishment?"

Her voice was soft and sweet, but it didn't change the fact that she was fishing for information.

The power of beauty—always so effective!

Under normal circumstances, Nagami wouldn't mind chatting and bantering with a pretty girl like this. He might have let slip a few details without even realizing.

Even now, with his mind weary and his body relaxed, he found himself slipping into a sort of lazy, unfocused mood.

"Speaking of which, Rita… what do you think our dear Overseer is plotting?"

He shifted his head away from the warm lap pillow and sat cross-legged, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Under the sudden flash of surprise in those wine-red eyes, the black-haired young man spoke the words that left the maid utterly stunned.

"Tell me… why do you think he brought the real Kiana here?"

Regaining control—yes, that's where he'd start.