Chapter 205: Long live the world snake
"Such strength in this era? Fascinating! A shame I couldn't capture her for study last time." Mobius licked her lips, her snake-like eyes gleaming with predatory interest.
As for Durandal, Kevin's opponent, she was very curious about the source of her power.
"She was formidable before, but to stand against Kevin like this..." Mobius mused.
Defeat Kevin? Certainly not. But that aside, this level of power mirrored the achievements of the previous civilization.
There was also Durandal's age. Youth held such potential – a potential for growing even stronger. Mobius's mind buzzed with possibilities.
"Durandal, huh? Well, I'll be...Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie really does pack a punch," Kalpas muttered, watching the fight unfold with a restless energy.
Seriously, he hasn't had a fight in a while.
Seeing two powerful opponents fighting, he felt a little itchy for a while.
Seeing two powerhouses go at it made his blood sing. Unfortunately, he wasn't back to full strength yet. Picking a fight now would be a Deathwish, not a warmup, and Kalpas knew his limits.
After thinking about it, he gestured towards Kevin and said, "Kevin, want one?"
If they all have the same energy intensity, it seems that they can only pick other Flame-Chasers, who is present.
Kevin looked at the other party coldly, shook his head, and made no sound.
"Tsk, that's really disappointing," Kalpas said in disappointment.
---
In the Cage of the Void, in the place of the Little Garden, two men sat facing each other.
two titans of power sat face-to-face. They were the supreme leaders of rival forces, masters of their own domains. Yet, those who dared speak to each other as equals stood at the absolute pinnacle of humanity.
Golden light danced and shimmered, reflecting a constantly shifting dreamscape. This pocket dimension, molded by the power of the Void Archives God Key, sealed them off entirely from the outside world.
Otto studied Kevin.
Those eyes...cold and empty. They held no flicker of emotion, memory, or the warmth that should inhabit human eyes.
Oddly enough, it stirred a sense of nostalgia within Otto, It had been ages since anyone had looked at him with such pure disdain.
But Otto still welcomed his arrival.
"Long live the World Serpent!" The blond man's voice dripped with playful sarcasm that couldn't quite mask the underlying tension.
His eyes searched Kevin's face for a reaction, but found nothing but icy indifference.
"Just a little joke to lighten the mood. Now, let's get down to business. Welcome, leader of the World Serpent. It was only a matter of time before our paths crossed," Otto continued.
"Your reputation precedes you. I know your name, your history, and your accomplishments."
"You are the ancestor of Kaslana's blood, the hero who led previous civilized mankind to fight to the end; but at the same time, you are also the "Lord" of the World Serpent and the executor of the Stigma Project."
He paused, his mask of playful charm slipping away. His voice turned icy, each word a challenge. "Kevin Kaslana, are you here to declare war on me?"
The air crackled with barely contained power, Otto's authority as the Archbishop of Schicksal surging to the forefront.
...
['Long live the World Serpent?' LOL, Kevin's probably so confused right now.]
[Rhetoric or not, Otto's got serious clowning skills. Seriously, why is he always tormenting Tuna like this?]
[I was expecting Otto to be completely outmatched by Kevin. Gotta give it to the guy though, as a leader, he's holding his own. Polite on the surface, but absolutely dripping with malice underneath. Kevin's directness feels refreshing compared to Otto's flowery words.]
"'Long live the World Serpent?'" Kallen couldn't help but grin, her eyes glued to the screen.
Otto was laying it on thick – first, acknowledging Kevin's power and reputation, then subtly twisting the knife without losing his composure.
And that wasn't even counting how he'd used Durandal as bait earlier on.
The final threat wasn't just for show, she was sure of it. Otto was getting better at this manipulation game, and that was something to keep a very close eye on.
...
"Just from this paragraph alone just now, it proves that those people from the former civilization were really losers,"
Mobius gave her assessment, unflinchingly criticizing the previous assholes who ruined humanity, and for the Otto in front of her, she still felt that the other party might be her 'kind'.
"Kevin was their subordinate back then, and look – they didn't even have the guts to face him directly. All they could do was scheme against him behind his back. How pathetic," she scoffed.
"Compared to them, I'm starting to see the appeal of this guy. At least he's crazy enough to be interesting."
"Honestly...things might've turned out better if Mei had been in charge sooner," Elysia chimed in, her voice sweetly innocent.
She did her best to hide any trace of the genuine dislike she held for Otto.
n her heart, Elysia longed for a leader who possessed a kind of pure, beautiful innocence. Otto, on the other hand... he was detached from human feeling, chaotic and driven mad by his own ambition.
Still, she had to concede that he had the strength to stand even before someone like Kevin.
"Hmph. MEI always been the sort that only takes power when she's got no other choice. She'd never scramble up the ladder at any cost... but what's the point in all these 'what-ifs'?"
Mobius glanced at Elysia and held back the rest of her thought. In her opinion, MEI just didn't have the ruthlessness needed for leadership, especially at the very start of that power struggle.
As Elysia said, Mei, she was still kind enough.
Unless...she meant the MEI that came later. That final version of their friend, the one hardened by loss...she might have been a true leader.
But, sadly, time had run out for that MEI to change their fate.
...
"Ugh, how did these two losers end up together? I mean, they're both total villains, so I guess that's something they have in common." Kiana scrunched up her face in distaste.
The faces on the screen were all too familiar, and she wasn't a fan of either. One was more twisted than the other, making it hard to choose the lesser evil.
If forced to pick, she supposed there was still something to be said for the whole Kaslana ancestor thing. At least Kevin wasn't scheming and manipulating all the time.
"Yes, when two powerful leaders come together, it feels like the world is about to change." Mei watched the negotiation with a thoughtful expression.
Putting her initial dislike aside, she couldn't deny Kevin and Kiana shared a certain intensity.
Maybe it really was something in the Kaslana blood...
"Ugh, I just hope Bishop Kallen wouldn't make the same deals with him in real life," she sighed. "Think about it – Kallen in our world basically ended up doing exactly what that blond clown puppet-master did in the game!"
Ever since the Second Impact, Kiana had taken to calling Otto "the clown mask" – a pretty accurate reflection of her feelings about the man who'd hurt her so deeply.
Kiana was never one to hide her dislike.
"Nah, I doubt that shady boss would pull something like that. Mihoyo seems to have some kind of deal with Schicksal, anyway." Kiana shrugged.
Honestly, she didn't have a clear picture of how those two organizations worked together these days, but since she and the others were still technically Valkyries on retainer, things couldn't be too bad, right?
Even though she loved complaining about her boss, she was really grateful to him. The best way she knew how to pay him back was to work hard on her projects and put her all into her voice acting.
Hmm. Why don't you say more nice things about him in front of your aunt?
She instinctively felt that this could be considered a way to repay the other party; It's not like she's making things up, right? Plus, bonus points if it helps Aunt Theresa ditch her single status! Two birds, one very enthusiastic niece...
Okay, this is totally happening. Consider this Operation: Get Auntie Hitched officially launched! Kiana pumped her fist with a mischievous grin.
...
"Ah, sneeze!" Luo Mo sneezed. He wiped his nose with paper and couldn't help but say angrily, "Damn it, who is planning to harm me?"
Then he turned to the screenwriter standing aside, his most trusted planner, and asked:
"Is it you? Su Lu??"
Facing Luo Mo's questioning gaze, she just wanted to say that if someone really cursed you and made you sneeze, then you probably wouldn't be able to stop every day and would have to sneeze every moment.
When the boss asked his question, her only option was to play innocent. "Of course not! How could I ever think such a thing?"
Luo Mo nodded, apparently taking her at her word, completely oblivious to the barely concealed defiance simmering beneath Su Lu's carefully controlled expression.
"So, Boss, why do you think Otto pulled a stunt like that?" Su Lu smoothly changed the subject, hoping to distract him with the intriguing plot twist.
It was also the perfect cover for her earlier rebellious thoughts.
---
"You are wrong; the world snake has no intention of being an enemy of Schicksal."
"I am here for one reason alone: I require your assistance with the Stigma Project." Kevin, the World Serpent's Lord, didn't mince words.
A flicker of relief crossed Otto's face. As long as all-out war wasn't on the table, there was room to negotiate. Keeping his voice measured, he asked, "Every request comes with a price. What are you prepared to offer in return?"
"..."
"You have no need for my promises. Submit or be destroyed. The choice is yours." Kevin's voice was icy, leaving no room for ambiguity.
Otto scoffed at the suggestion.
"That's a decision that would benefit no one. A war between Schicksal and World Serpent would leave us both weakened, and the only true victor would be time - something neither of us can afford to lose."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
Kevin needed time to prepare the Stigma Plan, and Otto was no different.
"The Honkai surges ever closer," Otto continued, his voice taking on a grim edge. "Irregular outbreaks worldwide are only a taste of the devastation to come. If the Final Herrscher arrives, nothing else will matter. Your schemes, my ambitions...all reduced to ashes."
With each word, Otto upped the stakes of the negotiation. This was more than a simple exchange – this was a battle for the very survival of humanity… and his wish.
Every move had been calculated, risks weighed against potential rewards.
Otto was a gambler, but a shrewd one who stacked the odds firmly in his favor.
Finally, the moment had arrived. He held the piece that would seal the game in his hands.
"I need something – something you possess, yet something that holds no value to you. With it, I can finally see my centuries-long ambition realized." His voice had a strange mix of fervor and cold calculation.
"In return, Otto Apocalypse will vanish from your sight forever."
"What do you want?"
"The the Second Divine key, the Key of Infinity, the "Beacon" of Cosmic Juggernaut. "
"And only by acquiring its beacon can its zeroth power rating be activated."
Kevin stared at the blond man, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. It was a rare madness he saw reflected in Otto, a madness that resonated with a chilling familiarity.
"You want to go to the Tree of Imaginary Numbers?""
"Yes. The Second Divine Key has a purpose beyond mere observation. It was designed to replicate the Herrscher's of void power...to unlock a gateway into the realm of the imaginary number."
"On the other side of the door is the eternal moment, the origin of the end, the birthplace of all truths and laws... It is the destination that I must reach."
Despite the poetic beauty of the scene Otto described, they both knew the true cost of such a journey. Still, perhaps it was exactly that knowledge that made this conversation possible.
Otto had laid out his offer – peace, resources, and the most precious thing of all: time. Now, he waited in silence for Kevin's reply.
Kevin looked at him and asked, "So, what's the price in exchange?""
Otto smiled, his heart quickening with anticipation. That question was the opening he'd been waiting for.
"Power, wealth, the trappings of this world...I know those hold no appeal for you. No, the only thing worthy of a man like yourself is this – the key to the first god, the Void Archives."
Essentially, he was gifting Kevin complete, unfettered control over Schicksal, the perfect puppet organization.
With that, the negotiation was all but sealed.
...
Kallen's jaw clenched so tightly her teeth might chip. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, her ears refusing to accept what she was seeing. The pen in her hand snapped in two under the sudden pressure.
How could Otto agree to this? To just stand aside and let the World Serpent prepare their insane plan? And then, to top it all off, he was basically handing the entire organization of Schicksal over as a puppet-state.
Are you kidding me?
Isn't he Archbishop Schicksal?
Was this all some sick joke to him? Did the lives of his Valkyries, of countless people, mean nothing to him? Were they all just pawns in whatever twisted game he was playing?
Kallen's vision blurred, the world tilting on its axis. The agreement she'd witnessed...it felt like a blow to the heart, a betrayal that left her reeling.
What did this say about Otto's view of Schicksal?
All this time, she'd imagined that if he returned, he could lead them into a brighter future.
This weight she'd carried on her shoulders for countless nights, this endless struggle against bureaucracy... she'd secretly hoped he might share the burden. Her abilities were limited and finding a suitable successor had proven impossible.
She had great expectations for Otto, and she also had a lot of regrets about his disappearance.
If only he were here, perhaps her dream of a better world could become a reality. For five hundred years, she'd believed in him, believed in his strength and wisdom. Now, that belief felt shattered.
"hehe--"
Kallen smiled. Propping her chin up with one hand, she studied Otto, the man who felt like a stranger now.
Why gamble the entire future of Schicksal, the lives of countless innocents, on a twisted, impossible plan like 'Kallen Kaslana' resurrection?
She wasn't some grand figure to be respected or get admiration, she wasn't worth sacrificing everything for.
she... just-- a woman who doesn't know how the world works, an idealist who tries to change the world with her little power.
Kallen pressed her hands to the table, lowering her head to rest on her forearms. With a deep breath, she tried to clear the storm swirling in her mind.
Otto was Otto, a man she no longer understood.
And she, Kallen Kaslana, would never strike a deal like that.
There was a fight left in her, and she would lead Schicksal down a different path.
...
"Kevin is still not good at communication as always, well, he's certainly outdone himself this time." Elysia watched the scene unfold with a touch of amusement. "Handing over Schicksal on a silver platter to Kevin? Risky move, even if he does have some grand plan."
She turned to Mobius, a playfully challenging glint in her eye. "So, do you still think Otto could be a decent leader?"
"..." Mobius frowned and looked at the scene. She didn't expect the conversation to be like this.
She hadn't anticipated this twist at all. Otto had been playing a strong hand, but this sudden surrender... it didn't fit with his usual style.
Is the plan the other party wants to complete more important than defeating Honkai?
"Well, what do you know! Mr. Grand Schemer is a man of hidden depths." Mobius shook her head with a smirk. "Turns out some of those 'jokes' of his were actually dead serious. What a twist."
"So, maybe he can beat the Honkai..." She let the thought hang in the air. "Too bad he doesn't actually care about doing that. What a waste."
Mobius shook her head, expressing a hint of disappointment.
Her gaze settled on Vill-V. "Hey, Vill-V, does the Second Divine Key really work like that?"
"Of course, it does. You think they built a glorified paperweight?" Vill-V quipped, her tone dry. Despite her usual snark, she shared a sliver of Mobius's disappointment.
Vill-V expressed her understanding of Mobius's disappointment.
"Oddly enough," she added, "he's a scientist with at least some semblance of a moral compass. Not a high bar, I know, but hey, it's something."
And she, I'm sorry, maybe she has a dominant personality, but I can't say anything else, especially after the extreme evil was released.
"So...how spectacular do you think Otto's finale will be?"
"Let's just sit back and enjoy the show." Vill-V's eyes glinted with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Whatever plans Otto had cooked up, it was bound to be a wild ride.
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