Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 463: Let's Go Save the World Together
The god's form began to shift, undergoing a series of changes before finally settling into a shape Otto had anticipated.
"Kiana Kaslana…"
Some Ottos murmured the name, while others exploded and vanished as an overwhelming influx of data poured into them.
This time, the cost was far heavier than the first question.
The reason was simple: the possibility of killing Sigurd was not singular. The corresponding answers manifested as pure data far beyond human tolerance, annihilating nearly a hundred of Otto's consciousness fragments.
Moreover, each additional question posed to the god pushed him further past his limits—the cost rising exponentially.
One Otto shook his head and sighed.
"I knew it. Given Sigurd's strength and intellect, the only thing in this world that could truly threaten him… is his own weakness… hmm?"
Otto suddenly froze, as the god's form before him began to flicker and distort.
"Zzzt… *@∞⊕￠∑∈⊙ zzz…"
The god emitted an indescribable, alien sound.
A massive torrent of incomprehensible data surged into Otto's consciousness network. Distortion, chaos, and tearing propagated through the links, affecting every one of his bodies.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As one clone after another was destroyed, the remaining Ottos' expressions turned grim.
Wasn't this question already answered? Why is there a mutation? Where is the problem—Sigurd, or Kiana?
One Otto glanced toward Theresa. Seeing her still lying motionless in the distance, he quickly made a decision.
Enough! If this continues, I might not be able to endure it. I have to get Little Theresa out first!
"God, I have already obtained the answer I wanted to this question. There is no need to continue!" ×N Countless Ottos spoke in unison.
In truth, he had no certainty this would work. The god did not refuse questions—but would it refuse to stop answering? Otto didn't know. Still, he had to try. There was no other way to interfere with an existence of such overwhelming conceptual scale.
Fortunately, the god—whose form had been undergoing strange distortions—finally stopped.
In Otto's eyes, it returned to its original appearance, identical to his own. The incomprehensible flood of information ceased.
The remaining Ottos paused in unison, working together to seal the chaotic data deep within the blank recesses of their consciousness network. Only then did they regain their composure, their emerald eyes still lingering with fear as they looked toward the god in silence.
The third question he had prepared… concerned the young lady.
But now, with more than half of his bodies destroyed, Otto found himself suddenly hesitant to ask it.
Death did not frighten him.
But before that, he had to ensure Theresa escaped danger. Otherwise, everything would have been for nothing.
What should I do…
Otto hesitated, locked in a standoff with the god—or rather, merely enduring immense pressure and counting down time. After all, how could someone like Otto truly stand in opposition to a god?
After a brief moment of stillness, the god seemed to exit its answering state. It slowly turned its head, looking beyond the countless figures—toward Theresa.
"Hmm!?"
Otto's heart skipped. His bodies quickly converged, attempting to block the god's line of sight.
Bang!
The consequences came swiftly and clearly.
Any body that obstructed the god's vision met only one fate—complete annihilation.
One Otto rubbed his temples, a genuine headache setting in.
Then the god began to move.
At last, while Theresa remained motionless, it started approaching its Apostle.
"To instill the will of the Honkai, to engrave the mark of opposition to civilization—this is a stage every Herrscher must pass through… But the current Theresa truly cannot endure such torment." Otto muttered to himself.
And he understood well—this was likely exactly what the Honkai desired in its Apostles: beings whose human hearts had been worn away, leaving only destruction and annihilation as their purpose—enemies of civilization itself.
"God, I have a question." ×N The remaining Ottos resorted to the same tactic.
Once again, it worked.
The god halted, turned its head, and looked expressionlessly at the still considerable number of Ottos.
Like a machine following fixed instructions.
Otto entertained this blasphemous thought—and instantly, all his bodies felt a pressure as if their minds were about to explode.
Was this the god's anger? Or simply a prompt urging him to continue asking?
Otto remained clear-headed. He couldn't determine the exact source of the pressure, but he understood one thing—his time was running out. He couldn't keep exploiting loopholes by asking a question and then stalling in silence. Trying to "bug" a vast law that spans infinite worlds and possesses a certain will… the consequences would certainly be disastrous.
"I have a question. What must I do to ensure that Little Theresa retains her original humanity and soul?"
Since it was an existence that would not refuse questions, Otto chose to throw his most pressing problem directly at it.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Otto's expression darkened again—but this time not because of the loss of his bodies.
It was because the god's form slowly transformed… into Theresa.
Otto received the answer—but it was meaningless.
If one wished to preserve humanity under the influence of the Honkai, it could only be done by Theresa herself.
What kind of answer was that? It had no value at all.
Otto clenched his fists, enduring another surge of information as his thoughts raced.
Of course he knew that a Herrscher retaining humanity depended on the Herrscher's own will. The K423 project had once been built upon that very understanding. But Theresa's current state was dire, and the god's gaze was overwhelmingly powerful. In her exhausted condition, she simply couldn't overcome this trial.
He couldn't hesitate.
If he did, the god would continue advancing—and whether he could stop it again through questioning was uncertain.
"God, what is one plus one?"
At first glance, it was a simple mathematical question. But when expanded, it encompassed vast layers of theory and knowledge. For now, Otto used it to buy himself a little more time.
Bang!
What should I ask next? Should I risk probing the young lady's secret, or contact Sigurd directly and try to interrupt the process, freeing Theresa?
Bang!
Fu Hua once severed Sirin's connection to Honkai energy, but the circumstances were different. The risks are unpredictable.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
More bodies were destroyed than Otto had expected.
It made sense. From the perspective of infinite worlds, the definition of "one," of "addition," and of "one plus one," along with all their proofs, could expand into an immeasurable amount of information—across mathematics, philosophy, space, time, and more.
The main issue was the god's method of imparting knowledge—it was far too crude, completely disregarding human limits.
Otto knew there was no point in protesting.
And now, the brief time he had bought for thinking was gone.
The god gazed at him coldly, without emotion, as Otto's numbers dwindled further—waiting for his next question.
Otto exhaled slowly.
"Well now… to think I'd hesitate over something like this. But since I've come this far, the questions that need answers must be asked. At worst… ending things here isn't such a bad choice."
"O God, I ask this as a sinner—perhaps it is too presumptuous—but please tell me: how can humanity defeat the Honkai?"
"Sigurd! Wait for my signal—at least take whatever information I can extract out of here. Everything that follows… I leave to you!"
Otto spoke simultaneously within the god's domain and in the real world, prepared to pay any price to obtain the most valuable knowledge and pass it on to Sigurd outside.
And then, a familiar yet different, clear presence came from behind him.
"Eikohari—shatter it!!!"
Theresa's bright voice rang in Otto's ears.
Startled, Otto turned back—only to see Theresa standing, bathed in radiant white light. Above her, a massive pure-white angel spread its wings, gathering light in its hands.
Then an incomparable surge of energy pierced through the entire world.
The blinding brilliance seemed to scorch Otto's eyes, leaving him briefly unable to see. When his vision returned, under a sky filled with drifting white feathers, Theresa walked toward him—step by heavy step.
"Grandpa… let's go back…"
"Theresa…"
"Let's go back. We still have to save the world together."
As she spoke, Theresa took Otto's hand, looking up at him. Though her smile was pale, it was as pure as sunlight after the rain.
'Great inventor… come save the world with me!'
A voice so familiar it could not be mistaken echoed deep within his soul. Otto's pupils shrank.
"Kallen…"
he murmured, frozen for several breaths.
A moment later, he smiled—from the bottom of his heart.
"Alright… let's go back."
Rumble—!!!
The white space began to tremble violently. Theresa, Otto, and the unscathed god all looked up at the same time—toward the crimson greatsword descending from beyond the void.
"Edge of Taixuan!!!" ×3
The shout of Fu Hua, Kiana, and Li Sushang rang out together as the blazing red sword tore through the heavens and came crashing down.
It was a scene like the end of the world itself—one that etched deeply into the hearts of Otto and Theresa.
Hand in hand, the two of them lost consciousness together.