"But what meaning does this have? We protect humanity—what we protect are living, breathing free wills! Not some hollow abstraction!"
"You're wrong, Durandal. What I seek to do is precisely to rescue individual, living free wills from that hollow abstraction called 'humanity.' You know her name."
"…So you finally brought her up, Overseer."
"Yes. After circling around for so long, we've finally returned to where everything began."
Now that the conversation had reached its core,
Otto no longer bothered to conceal anything and spoke bluntly.
"Kallen Kaslana should never have died the way she did. That wasn't just my mistake—it was a mistake belonging to all of humanity."
"…That is not a reason to attempt to murder every person in the world. Moreover, that era is long gone. You are the only one still alive."
"So, as a representative of 'normal humanity'—Durandal—I will give you a chance."
Otto inclined his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Kill me. And with that, my plan will vanish into smoke."
"…"
"The man standing before you is nothing more than a composite of sin and desire. He knows what virtue is, yet refuses to uphold it; he understands ethics, yet tramples them underfoot."
Otto's words sounded like provocation—yet also like a confession.
"He yearns for wisdom, but only to satisfy himself. He worships beauty, but merely to deny the existence of ugliness."
"He believes this world is filled with superfluous people, to the point that the value of life itself has been reduced to nothing by their existence."
"Only when his own life is finally brought to a full stop… will Otto Apocalypse look up at a pure sky and savor, for a fleeting moment, the tremor of holiness upon his soul."
[Tesla: Otto is way too arrogant!!]
[Tesla: He's asking to get beaten up!!]
[Einstein: Dr. Tesla… don't let anger cloud your judgment.]
[Einstein: I think Otto's objective is… rather strange.]
[Kiana: Huh? Is there something off about Otto…?]
[Himeko (Honkai): Otto… he's talking too much?]
[Ningguang: Don't you think… Otto's words feel… deliberate?]
[Durandal: The Overseer seems to be deliberately provoking a fight between us.]
[March 7th: Huh?! Why??]
[Einstein: Indeed. Given Otto's personality, this much theatrics is unnecessary.]
[Herta: It seems that beyond the plan already revealed, Otto has other intentions.]
As Otto continued speaking,
his words only made the already angered Durandal frown more deeply.
Otto didn't need to provoke her.
He could have proceeded with his plan in silence.
Yet it was as though he were deliberately feeding them information—deliberately saying those words to push Durandal into fighting him!
"That only confirms that you're still holding something back. You claim I have the right to know the truth, yet your explanations are filled with rhetoric."
Durandal confronted him directly.
"Five years ago, I saw a true world-destroyer in the Sea of Quanta. Your mental state is completely different from hers."
Seeing that he hadn't fooled Durandal,
Otto smiled faintly.
"Perhaps I am still concealing certain things—but does that truly matter right now?"
"It matters! Overseer… over the past few years, you truly treated me well. And precisely because of that, I must know your true purpose at this moment."
Durandal's tone was earnest and resolute.
She refused to lower her guard even slightly.
"Haha, is that so? Then I believe all you need to know right now is this—if you do not stop me, I will murder nearly every person in the world."
With those words—
Otto struck first!
"Come, Durandal."
The sudden change caught Durandal off guard for an instant.
But as an S-rank Valkyrie, her instincts took over, and she blocked Otto's attack without hesitation!
At once—
there was no time to think further!
She had to subdue the Overseer first!
And just as everyone believed Otto must be hiding some secret killing move or sinister trap—
Durandal quickly won the fight.
Even more strangely—
Otto hadn't even used the power of a Divine Key.
"That's enough, Overseer!"
"Lay out all your thoughts—now, while there's still time! Sit down and talk this through with Theresa!"
Durandal's weapon pointed straight at Otto.
Yet Otto, kneeling on one knee, lowered his head and spoke calmly, unhurried.
"I told you—you should have fought with the intent to kill, not stopped short like this."
"That right belongs to Kiana, or someone else. I want you to explain everything clearly!"
"Very well. I do still have things I've kept from everyone—but regrettably, I cannot tell you at this point in time."
Otto spoke quietly, his head still lowered.
But many viewers noticed it—
the faint upward curl at the corner of Otto's lips.
?!
[March 7th: Something's wrong!! It's a trap!!]
[Fu Hua: Did Otto deliberately lose?!]
[Tesla: You should've crushed him outright!!]
[Einstein: Given Miss Bianka's personality… she likely couldn't bring herself to do that.]
[Furina: After all… Otto really did treat Durandal well…]
[Tesla: "Treated her well" as in personally orchestrating her separation from her parents?!]
[Durandal: …]
[Keqing: What exactly is Otto still hiding?!]
Just as everyone in the chat was gripped by uncertainty—
Otto's next words confirmed many people's worst fears.
"And Bianka, thanks to our fierce exchange just now—"
Otto smiled faintly.
"I managed to advance my ascension in secret, beyond your notice."
?!
In an instant—
the terrifying aura erupting from Otto made Durandal's heart tighten!
"This power… Overseer, you—"
"Whatever you do now, it's already too late, Bianka Ataegina."
As Otto's flippant voice sounded out,
he slowly rose to his feet.
That overwhelming pressure made Durandal's heart sink completely.
"Genius, forcibly shift coordinates!"
"The gate of the Imaginary Space stands open! I command you in the name of a god—remove this chess piece from the board, temporarily!"
In an instant!!
Vast Honkai energy surged forth!
Durandal had no time to react—
Her vision went black, and her figure was swallowed by Imaginary Space!
This sudden, earth-shaking turn of events left all viewers utterly unprepared!
The chat fell into stunned silence.
No one had expected that Otto's earlier words—and that seemingly theatrical fight—
were merely to mask the elevation of his power!
Was this… what Otto meant—
the power granted through his pact with the Will of the Honkai?
The incomparably terrifying strength exchanged from that agreement?!
At this moment—
Otto likely possessed power beyond even a Herrscher!
If that were the case…
Who could possibly stop Otto from sacrificing the entire world?!
For a moment—
even through the screen, watching Otto's mad plan approach completion,
everyone felt their hearts tighten with dread.
[Keqing: This is bad.]
[Ningguang: Otto used words to buy time again!!]
[Tesla: That scheming bastard!!]
[Kiana: We fell for it!!]
[Himeko (Honkai): He really did make a deal with the Honkai?!]
[Durandal: I was this close… the Overseer is truly troublesome.]
[Nahida: Now… who can still stop Otto…]
[Bronya (Honkai): We can.]
[Raiden Mei: I'm sorry… at such a critical moment, I'm not by your side…]
[Kiana: Mei! Believe in us! We will stop Otto!]
Meanwhile, aboard the Hyperion—
Einstein frowned.
"…An experiment to counter the Authority of the Herrscher of Binding?"
After hearing Amber's report, Theresa brought her back to the Hyperion.
And Amber revealed information none of them had anticipated.
"That's right. While observing the Spartacus System, I realized its principle is essentially using two identical forces to cancel each other out."
"Yes—but why does that lead you to the Herrscher of Binding described in records of the Previous Era?"
"Actually, long ago, Lord Otto had a hypothesis."
Amber rested her chin on one hand, mimicking Otto's habitual pose.
"As Herrschers continue to evolve and their Authorities grow stronger, the nature of those Authorities also changes."
"From simple natural phenomena, they gradually become Authorities closer to force fields—is that what you mean?"
"Exactly. And although force fields can achieve far more than natural phenomena, they can theoretically be neutralized through wave dynamics."
"Then we return to the core question—what does this have to do with your proposal for an experiment targeting the Herrscher of Binding's Authority?"
Einstein asked, her gaze serious.
Amber fell silent for a moment.
"…Could it be that Otto has already obtained the Authority of the Herrscher of Binding? How could that even be possible?! Just what—"
"This… I…"
Amber stammered, clearly unable to speak freely.
"Ah, forgive me. I pressed you too hard."
Einstein turned to Theresa.
"Ms. Theresa, what do you think of Amber's proposal?"
Theresa fell into thought—
and her mannerisms were almost exactly the same as Otto's when he pondered.
"We know very little about Otto's current trump cards. Void Archives once mimicked the Oath of Judah—we truly do need countermeasures."
"In conclusion, I think it's necessary for everyone to seriously attempt the experiment Amber proposed—especially myself."
"But Lady Theresa, the Authority of the Herrscher of Binding will have severe side effects on your body. Shouldn't this experiment be conducted by someone else—"
"Don't worry, Amber. Since the Second Eruption, I've undergone extensive training specifically to control the Grace Field."
As the discussion continued,
they finalized the decision to begin the experiment Amber suggested.
Elsewhere—at the same time—
On-screen, Kiana's figure appeared before the church gates!
Otto was already standing there, having waited for quite some time.
"Oh my, the second guest arrived right on schedule as well."
"Otto?! And… that's… Black Abyss White Flower?"
Kiana stared at the Black Abyss White Flower embedded in the ground before Otto, her heart tightening.
"Yes. It's something the first guest left behind. She's currently resting in Imaginary Space—I hope that doesn't disappoint you."
"This church will soon become the anchor point of the world's transformation. For your personal safety, it would be best if we treated that Black Abyss White Flower as our boundary."
Otto looked at Kiana with calm elegance.
Kiana clenched her teeth.
"You think I'll just stand by and watch?!"
"Oh, how troublesome. I have no desire to continue fighting. After all—the gift granted to me by the Imaginary Tree has already begun to manifest."
As he spoke—
Kiana lunged forward, drawing her weapon!
But in that very instant—
limitless radiance erupted!
Kiana instinctively turned her gaze away, freezing in place!
The overwhelming Honkai energy alone was enough to halt her charge!
Before Otto—
the dilapidated church began to transform, becoming incomparably sacred!
Golden holy light poured forth from within the doors—
as if heaven itself were descending!
Otto stepped inside, his voice drifting back calmly.
"I will assume godly authority piece by piece. Twelve hours from now—I shall present you with a brand-new world, filled with miracles."
"…Don't think you can escape!!"
Kiana shouted.
Her Herrscher instincts screamed at her—
this might be the last chance to stop Otto Apocalypse!
The terrifying sense of impending world-collapse wrapped tightly around her heart, chilling her to the bone!
She had to stop Otto!
In an instant—
she charged forward!
Three steps! The enemy's back flickered within the light—yet she knew her target was still there!
Two steps! Otto's mocking smile had yet to fade, and her full-powered strike was ready!
One step!!
At that moment—
Kiana prepared to unleash everything she had!
But—
(Something's wrong!)
(This strange sensation—)
(—That light barrier… what is it?!)
In disbelief—
the moment Kiana passed through the light in pursuit of Otto—
she felt the energy in her grasp draining at a visible rate!
The greatsword of Flamescion in her hands vanished in the blink of an eye!
(Calm down, Kiana…)
(Focus. Re-form the Flamescion greatsword…)
For a split second, her mind went blank.
Within her body, her Herrscher Authority felt unchanged. The sense of power was exactly the same as always.
Yet her weapon had inexplicably disappeared into nothingness—no matter how she gathered energy, it refused to reform!
(I'm clearly not being affected by the Herrscher of Domination… so why can't my power recover?)
(What… did Otto do?!)
Kiana's confusion was only natural.
Because at this very moment—
she was only just beginning to experience another kind of Authority—
Binding.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.Part One is officially complete — and it's now available on Patreon!
Go check it out on Patreon and dive into the full experience.
We'll be taking a short break before we begin Part Two, so this is the perfect time to catch up and leave your thoughts.
Claim early access here: patreon.com/plotwired
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews unlock 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.