A/N: A major change to the story coming up, if everyone hasn't noticed by now, I'm still experimenting and trying to find the correct way to write what I want to write since this is my first project on a large story with a long plot progression, It hasn't been smooth sailing, Like what was stated in chapter 4 notes, I still am pushing to slow down the pace of my writing as the plot feels like it's speedrunning. One of the things I've noticed is how often I change perspective, It really takes away the importance of Otto as a character and put the plot before the protagonist and not the protagonist before the plot. Ironically, as a reader, this was one of the criticisms I once used to advise another writer, only to now end up in the same hole myself.

Another thing is the lack of appealingness towards the character Otto Apocalypse, due to the story exploring more of his inner turmoil, I hope that this chapter will turn that around as the story starts to focus more on him instead of everything else. And with that in mind, starts chapter 5.

Chapter 5: A Villain's Dignity

"Erase my memories," Otto ordered with a soft sigh as he gazed blankly at the night sky.

"I could, but that's going to result in a whole lot of problems." The childish voice replied.

"Problem? Is there anything else more problematic than this?" Otto asked in annoyance as the wind breezed past them.

Never once was he forced to think so hard, these last few weeks have been brutal... for someone as apathetic as himself, it was surprising to find he'd be troubled so much to the point where he'd have to remove his memories.

"Have you ever questioned why Void Archives cannot read your past memory or sense my presence?"

"...What are you implying?" Otto questioned.

"Point is, the memory you've had is considered "not of this world." I can only remove the memories you've had up until now, but not the memories you gained before your arrival here three weeks ago. The memories you have before arriving in this world cannot be altered no matter what."

"How does that even work?" Otto asked as he furrowed his brows.

"It's complicated, just imagine yourself as an RPG character with a preset backstory. I can erase the data, but not the things you start out with."

"...So I have to keep going on like this?" Otto sighed as he slowly sat up and crawled over to a nearby wall and leaned against it, his gaze betrayed a sense of annoyance to the point of boredom.

"What even is the problem of going on like this?" The kid asked.

"...I risk not being able to save Kallen if I keep going out of lin-." Otto retorted before he was cut off in the middle of his reply.

"That's not right is it?"

"If you remember your past memory, you should already know well how you got here."

"...I don't," Otto replied as he clutched his head and tried to recall.

He saw the blurry yet vivid visions of himself, walking to the Imaginary Tree, fighting against the Imaginary monsters and finally...

"It's not important how you got here, but what you did before you got here."

"..." Otto hesitated as he froze, before his gaze dropped to the ground, thinking it over again.

He didn't want to confront this idea again. Perhaps this was the thing that was the root cause of the problem on his mind. The reluctance to accept that he no longer had a goal to strive towards.

"You're afraid of the future." The kid said with an accusing tone, driving a stake into his black heart.

"..." Otto didn't have a reply, he was already more aware of this than anyone else and was more stubborn about it than anyone else. But what could he do even if he confronted it? It was a blurry, dark road that he didn't know how to trek. Unlike his past where he continued to chase after the shadow of a once bright and glorious light. This was the only path he had left.

"So you're saying I should just give up on her?" Otto questioned.

"I just wanted you to admit it." The kid replied.

"Otto Apocalypse, do you love Kallen Kaslana?"

"Of course I do," Otto replied without hesitation.

"Then would you still chase after her, even if it was meaningless?" The kid questioned.

"..." Otto passed for a moment as he began to understand what the voice was saying to him.

"Yes.. yes I would," Otto replied with a determined tone.

"Then why do you fear the future?"

"..." Otto paused, he wasn't sure... why was he fearing it? Was it because he was unaware of how futile his goal was?

"You're afraid to play the hero aren't you?"

"I.." Otto hesitated as he looked up from the ground and gave a troubled look to no one, the words left stuck in his throat.

"You're more comfortable with being the monster... You want everyone to hate you. But you also wish the best for others."

"...You're overestimating me." Otto retorted with a scoff, he could never begin to fathom the thought that he would care for others... but was it true?

"Otto Apocalypse, recall your wish... What was it that started this second life?" The kid asked.

Otto began to think back, he couldn't help but be enthralled by whatever the voice was telling him. It was like he was asking himself, or rather, being reassured by himself, This being seemed to know everything about him, things even he thought he wasn't capable of.

"Let us recall that hymn of at the miraculous moment. The minute you wished for humanity to be blessed." The kid then suggested as a memory suddenly came to Otto's mind.

He was standing before the Imaginary tree, the Cleaver of Shamash held in one hand, and the figure of a battered and bleeding blonde-haired man stood underneath the tree of god, bringing the flame of life to a world once lost... He had no regret, He had done what he always was meant to, what he always wanted to... But he would be lying if he said he didn't have any other wish.

At that moment, a soft and weak voice questioned.

"Could I have done it better?"

With that, he travelled to the distant world and set out to fulfill his final destiny... His wish travelled far and wide, past worlds and across time.

Eventually, the confused and perplexed pair of green eyes opened to the familiar surrounding, yet foreign world.

"Otto Apocalypse... this isn't a second life where you repeat everything all over for the sake of Kallen Kaslana."

"This is a second life, where you're going to fight to change everything, for the sake of Kallen Kaslana."

Otto began to understand what the voice was suggesting. You don't have to give up on Kallen Kaslana, but you can give up on being a monster.

"...Fine." Otto sighed and nodded in affirmation, a star flew by in the sky as the wind breezed past his hair, signalling the end of a persona, prepared to be reborn.

"For the record, I still don't intend to act any less of an asshole." Otto then added.

"So... what the hell are you? and what is "Influence over probability? I need this so I can prepare for the future." Otto asked.

"Well like I told you a few weeks back, I chose to be called Firstborn, We otherworldly beings don't have complicated names... but if you want to give me one, that'll be nice too!" Firstborn replied in a cheerful voice.

"A name...?" Otto questioned as he began to ponder. "Hmm... Otto Alter." Otto then concluded.

"Terrible naming sense, I'll go with Firstborn," Firstborn replied in a teasing tone.
"You little sh-" Otto retorted before he sighed, too tired to be angry.

"So? What is Influence over probability?" Otto asked.

"The amount of things I can do before I am no longer allowed to do what I can do," Firstborn replied.

"So you're saying something is stopping you from doing too much?" Otto questioned with a tone of curiosity.

"That's correct. It's what keeps balance so the beings beyond reality don't wreck everything." Firstborn replied.

"You're saying there are more of your kind?" Otto asked.

"So far there's only me and the Cocoon of Finality, but who knows, there might be more," Firstborn replied.

"Wait wait wait... you're saying you're something equal to the Cocoon of Finality?" Otto asked in surprise.

"That'd be about right literally speaking."

"...That's... shocking to hear..." Otto admitted as he rubbed his chin.

"Well, the thing with me is that I am a powerful yet powerless being," Firstborn explained.

"Why?" Otto asked.

"I need proxies, just like how the Cocoon uses Herrschers, I use you."

"...So you mean I am kind of like a Herrscher?" Otto asked.

"The Final Herrscher to be precise, but not yet, you're too weak, unskilled with your powers and I don't have that much influence yet to give you," Firstborn replied.

"...So how would you increase this 'influence?'" Otto questioned.

"No need to be concerned over it, you can't do anything to it, but when a threat beyond you arrives, the bar will just suddenly increase," Firstborn replied.

"To put it simply. You're still using Honkai energy, think of yourself like an appliance and me as the battery, I have an abundance of power to lend to you, but it takes time to recharge or otherwise, you'll 'overheat'. So don't go around using your powers like it'll never run out, and the amount you can hold at a time depends on how much Influence I can give you. And then there are the 'miracles' which are a special kind of energy that allows me to directly interfere such as healing others or opening up pathways to otherwise impossible places to reach like the one during the Schicksal HQ battle... You ended up wasting a bunch of influence teleporting from the headquarters over to Arc City just because you were worried about the girl, arguably a good call since she was attacked on the same day."

"That being said, why does healing someone cost so much 'influence?" Otto questioned.

"They were destined to die but suddenly were saved by an otherworldly being? Of course, it takes a lot. On the contrary, Honkai energy is a natural energy to this world and therefore doesn't violate the probability law of the world and can easily be used to heal people." Firstborn explained.

"This power feels, heavily restrained."

"But in return, you have the potential to become a Herrscher no less than the Final Herrscher... 'potential' is the key takeaway, and it's resource management, use the Imaginary power you have as an Ace card," Firstborn added.

"You're still a growing powerhouse, at this moment... I'd say you're roughly the strength of one of your S-Rank Valkyries?"

"That much?" Otto asked.

"Well, you did beat what seemed like a low-ranking Emperor with relative ease by yourself," Firstborn replied.

"Was that the same one I fought back at the HQ?" Otto questioned as he lifted his arms and looked at the mark on his back palm as he clenched his fist multiple times to get a feel for his strength.

"Yes even with that battered body," Firstborn replied.

"...I see, what do you suggest I do?" Otto asked.

"Go beat up more stuff and learn how to conserve your Honkai energy, you wouldn't want to end up being forced to choose between one or the other again would you?" Firstborn retorted.

"...Understood... So. Otto Alt- I mean, Firstborn.. to clarify, you don't exist in reality?"

"Nope, I'm in the Imaginary Space, connected to you," Firstborn replied.

"What exactly is your connection with me?" Otto asked.

"A sponsor who likes his proxy," Firstborn replied as Otto started to become skeptical.

"...You know you're being very vague. Firstborn, what do you get from helping me? what even are you? what do you... want?" Otto asked as he started to question the entity claiming to be his ally.

"I already told you, I'm your ally... as for what I am and who I am, you're not ready to know yet... I'm not saying this just to tease you. I am truly constrained and have too many secrets to keep... so please just trust me for now, I've supported you well ever since you woke up haven't I?" Firstborn asked.

"Well, go back to your people. They'll be looking for their benefactor soon." He then diverted the topic as the voice disappeared.

"Wait-" Otto called out for Firstborn but received no reply.

With an exhausted sigh, Otto put away his skepticism for now as he stood up and dusted himself off as he headed back towards Nameless Street.

For this brief moment, Otto finally felt spared from his inner self as he reflected upon the earlier words he received from the otherworldly god that claims to be on his side. "That's right... this is my second life." Otto said with determination. "Then... I'll do it properly this time." He vowed as he entered the wrecked state of the camp and a figure walked up to him.

He gave her a small smile to show his friendliness, but the white-haired girl didn't seem to buy it as she glared at him with her blue eyes. "You took long, what did you do?" Kiana asked with a skeptical tone as she interrogated Otto.

"Nothing, I was just feeling the effects of your assault." Otto retorted in a dismissive and joking manner.

"You still think this is a time to joke around? Look around you." Kiana scoffed angrily.

"I just don't want to scare you off." Otto shrugged.

"...So you're going to go with me?" Kiana asked again.

"If you want to live, I am necessary." Otto nodded in affirmation.

"That said, what are you going to do now?" He asked.

Kiana paused for a brief moment as she glanced around before snapping back, not wanting to lose sight of Otto or show any weakness.

"Why should I tell you?" Kiana asked. "Mind your own business."

"My bad, allow me to rephrase the question. Are you going to stay here?" Otto asked as if seeing through Kiana's insecurities.

"I..." Kiana hesitated.

"I don't know." She admitted, unable to keep up her act any longer as her gaze dropped to the ground in shame.

"These people were hurt because of me... do I have any rights to even console them?" Kiana questioned as she looked up at Otto for an answer.

"But you are their friend, no?" Otto asked.

"...that's what makes it hard." Kiana retorted.

"Then let's ask this Instead if you leave them now in the state they are, would they be able to fend off another assault?" Otto then suggested as Kiana looked at him in concern, full of indecisiveness.

"...So we should stay? what if this happens again?" Kiana questioned as she bit her lips and furrowed her brows in sorrow.

"I'll be here, and you need to become stronger too," Otto answered and crossed his arms.

"Stronger... but how?" Kiana asked.

"Ask Fu Hua for the directions, then you can ask me for advice. Any other questions?" Otto asked.

Kiana took a moment to consider, she felt iffy and strange about listening to Otto, but for some reason, also a sense of peace, being guided instead of having to make choices all on her own... she can only hope this isn't a mistake... even if it is, she doesn't see any other choice. She is the vessel of a monster that can reawaken at any moment... that makes her afraid to reach out and find her loved ones... and if she doesn't want to seek her loved one's help.. whose help would she even have?

"Okay.." Kiana nodded solemnly.

"Also, I need a false identity to go by around here since my name is not that inconspicuous and could easily get the both of us spotted," Otto added.

"A false identity?" Kiana asked.

"Yes... I see, we are in China, then this one will be perfect, from now on, refer to me as Raksha." Otto then instructed.

"Rasha? What does that mean?" Kiana asked as she titled her head.

"Seems like some sort of devil in China folklore, it'll be a good alias around here." Otto then replied.

"Okay... Raksha... Raksha." Kiana repeated to get a feel for the new name.

"Alright, Raksha, let's go see the others... they must be mourning right now." Kiana then suggested as she led Otto back towards the main camp.

The two walked past the aftermath of the battle, blood was still smeared across the ground of the camp, the monster however had dissipated into the air.

"Where did the corpse of the monster go?" Kiana asked.

"It's like a psychic-type Honkai beast, it disappears after it dies," Otto replied as the two find their way back into the tent where they tended to Johann and Raiden.

They then saw He Yun tending to Johann with a distracted look as the young blonde-haired boy still seemed to be asleep, Seto didn't seem to be around.

"He Yun? Where is Seto?" Kiana asked as she walked up to the young girl.

"Oh, Kiana... he's gone out to comfort the others and reorganize the camp." He Yun replied with a soft and sorrowful tone, she masked the pain well and spoke in a dignified voice but it was clear there was pain in her eye, still traceable from the loss of their former leader.

"How is Johann?" Kiana asked as she glanced over to the young kid.

"He's recovered thanks to the outsider, but it will take a while for him to wake up..." He Yun replied.

"I see... I'm sorry about Raiden... I couldn't do anything at that time but watched everyone..." Kiana said in sorrow.

"It's fine... it's none of our faults... this world is just... unpredictable." He Yun reassured in a comforting voice.

"By the way... can I ask you both to not tell Johann that we chose to save him over Raiden..?" He Yun asked with a pleading tone.

"Why is that?" Kiana asked.

"It would put a burden on his mind," Otto replied in He Yun's place.

"Doesn't he deserve to know...?" Kiana asked with a conflicted tone.

"I would say when he is ready," Otto suggested as He Yun nodded.

"So I'd like to ask for the two of you to keep silent about Raiden's decision... I and Seto will one day tell Johann once we think he is ready." He Yun explained.

"I understand." Kiana nodded. "We swear to not utter a single word about this to anyone." She said with determination as she turned her glance to Otto.

"No objection?" She asked.

"None," Otto replied casually.

"By the way... you two seem like you know each other?" He Yun asked with a slight sense of curiosity.

"Oh-" Kiana paused in surprise as she tried to come up with an answer.

"Yes, I am her guardian. She got lost quite far after the eruption." Otto replied.

"I see... um. Sir..?" He Yun asked as she paused and looked at Otto expectantly.

"Raksha, I go by Raksha around here as my foreign name is hard on the tongue of the people of Shenzhou," Otto replied as he extended his hand for a handshake.

He Yun took it carefully as she shook it. "Nice to meet you, Raksha, I'm He Yun, the medic of Nameless Street." He Yun introduced.

"And you don't have to worry about us mispronouncing your name, Johann is a fairly English-based name as well, the people of Arc City are multicultural and most of us are bilingual or know many languages." He Yun explained.

"I see, what a rich culture Arc City is," Otto commented but began to trail off as he remembered that they were now outside of the one grand metropolis.

Otto then coughed to cover up his negligent comment. "I am thankful for your time, He Yun. Kiana, why don't we go out and help the others? Surely we have the energy to spare. Besides, we shouldn't be bothering these two any longer should we?" Otto suggested as he turned around and quickly left the tent.

Kiana watched him leave for a moment as she turned back to He Yun. "He's slightly irritable at times, but please deal with it, I'll see you later, mkay?" Kiana then waived He Yun goodbye as she hurried out after Otto.

The two walked around the camp and helped the survivors cope with their losses, as well as take account of casualties and reorganized and rebuilt bits of the camp.

"Thank you for your hard work, both of you." a black-haired man spoke as he walked up behind Kiana and Otto.

"Seto! How are you?" Kiana asked in concern as she spotted the young man.

"I'm fine, Raiden's gone now... but someone has to take over." He explained.

"I didn't get the chance to thank you for what you did." He said as he turned his attention to Otto and spoke in a grateful tone.

"Thank you very much for protecting this camp, slaying that beast and saving Johann... we were able to reduce our losses all thanks to you," Seto said as he bowed in respect towards Otto.

"It's fine, no need to mind it. I only did what was right of me, you should thank her instead." Otto then replied as he pointed his thumb to Kiana.

Seto then glanced up and then towards Kiana as she held her hands up and shook them in return, not wanting to accept his gratitude.

"I see you are a very humble person... we haven't had the proper time to introduce ourselves yet, have we? I'm Masuru Seto, currently the acting representative of Nameless Street." Seto then introduced himself as he extended a hand for Otto to shake.

Otto then shook it gladly before withdrawing. "Do you need any help around here? we plan to stay around and help you recover," Otto explained.

"I'm very thankful," Seto replied as he glanced around and pondered. "Let's see... could you check our food supply and see if it's not destroyed? We keep them by the carts and boxes around those buildings over there." Seto explained as he pointed to a ruined building.

"By the way, why don't you use the ruined buildings?" Otto asked.

"We were cleaning them out, but as you can see... disaster struck too fast for this small encampment," Seto explained.

"I got it, we will go see it to the food stock." Kiana then replied in an understanding tone as she walked in the direction Seto pointed.

Otto then bowed toward the new representative of the camp before he turned and followed Kiana.

"I hope it's not too damaged... these people have little means of procuring food." Kiana then commented as Otto caught up to her.

"Hey, Ott- I mean. Raksha. Can you not send some funds to help these people?" Kiana asked with a pleading tone as she glanced over at the blonde-haired man beside her.

"I could, but it'll expose our locations... perhaps we can do it once we leave." Otto then suggested.

"You promise?" Kiana asked hopefully.

"I promise." Otto nodded in affirmation.

"...You better not break that." Kiana then added skeptically as she leaned and tilted her head to the side, looking at Otto with a doubtful expression.

"I won't," Otto replied curtly.

"I'll trust your words." Kiana then nodded.

"Did you need that much reaffirmation?" Otto questioned.

"Do you even need an answer?" Kiana scoffed as the two reached the carts surrounded by boxes, a few of them were broken by the flying fragments and debris caused by the earlier attack.

"...Dammit," Kiana muttered in a frustrated tone.

Otto kneeled and looked over the food supply, most of them were cheap ingredients, grain like rice and bread, some fruits like apples, and some bag of salt and sugar.

"I wonder if they have a chef, these seem more like cooking ingredients," Otto commented as he counted over the food and took note of them.

"Thankfully it seems only a bit of it was damaged, the rest should be fine." Otto then stood up as Kiana seemed to brighten up.

"Well, it's better that it was a little bit." Kiana then stated as she walked around and looked at the different ingredients, some of them brought up memories of the past when she saw Mei preparing them for the six of them.

"Mei. I wonder what she's doing right now..." Kiana then muttered weakly as she looked up at the sky.

"I hurt her terribly that day..." Kiana then said with a sorrowful and regretful tone, the thought of that day brought her pain and anger again as she felt like turning to the guy beside her now and sucker-punching him across the camp, but she had to hold back for now.

"Alright, I've got the numbers, let's go back to Seto." Otto then ordered as he turned around and led Kiana back towards the center of the camp where they met up with Seto again.

"I see, it's good we will still be fed for some time." Seto then nodded with a smile of relief.

"That should be all, it's been a long day for everyone.. we've already done as much as we could to repair the camp and mourn the passed, why don't the two of you seek out a place to stay?" Seto suggested.

"It's still fairly disorganized right now, so Kiana, if you would please lead Raksha back to your tent for the time being," Seto added.

"Huh?" Kiana paused with a look of shock as she blinked several times.

"Uhm, I said, please lead Raksha back to your tent for the time being," Seto repeated.

"Yea-yeah... I uh... I heard..." Kiana replied with a confused and hesitant tone as she turned around. "Uh... this way, Raksha." She then said with a sense of anxiety and led him away.

"You could've just told him that you weren't comfortable with that arrangement," Otto said as he walked behind Kiana.

"But, he's already got too much to be worrying about..." Kiana retorted. From losing his friend to taking over as the camp leader to managing everything... it was reasonable to be disorganized at this time.

"Oh, I know! I'll chain you up and then we'll be fine!" Kiana suggested.

"All fine until someone walks in," Otto replied as Kiana's face flushed pink in embarrassment.

"I mean, I meant!" she tried to fix her mistake before covering her face in shame at the utter idiocy she just said to him.

"Shut up!" She yelled.

"Fu Hua is there, isn't she? You'll be fine." Otto then reassured.

",,,Okay.." Kiana then replied weakly as she led Otto inside her temporary living space, it was a small tent with barely enough space for two people. She swore if she laid down on the sleeping mat, she would practically have his face up inches before her.

"Shit shit shit shit." Kiana cursed repeatedly as she sat down on her sleeping mat and fidgeted nervously.

"Just sleep, I'm going back out to keep watch anyways.. if we both sleep, no one will protect the camp if another thing attacks." Otto then stated as he stood back up and walked back outside.

He strolled around the camp and greeted the people, reassuring them and comforting them as he explored Nameless Street before stopping by a lonely and desolate part of the camp, he walked into a ruined building and looked out the window at the moonlight when he suddenly felt a presence beside him, a feather slowly descended his vision as he turned his gaze to the side to meet the familiar figure of a person he once called "friend".

She took on a form more akin to the first time he met her five centuries ago with long white hair and scarlet red eyes. The famed 'Empyreal Phoenix' of China, she was once an enemy he couldn't overcome, then an ally that he supported, and a friend that he betrayed. She didn't look at him but leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, looking out at the same moon with its light shining in between them through the window.

"Long time no see, Phoenix." Otto was then greeted with a casual and nonchalant tone.

"After what you did, that's how you'll greet me?" Fu Hua asked with a sigh of exasperation.

"Should I grovel on the ground and beg for your forgiveness?" Otto suggested with a lighthearted chuckle.

"Does it feel good to be joking about putting a barrel to your ally's head?" Fu Hua asked with a sense of disgust and hostility as she scoffed at him.

"You know you got in my way." Otto then replied.

"I thought you were fighting for humanity." Fu Hua replied.

"The issue was that you thought." Otto retorted with a shrug.

"Yet you knew what I was fighting for, but tricked me anyways and used me." Fu Hua then retorted coldly.

"Well, that I won't deny." Otto then replied with a tone of defeat as he lost the argument.

Fu Hua stared at him for a second, a bit of her was mad at him, a bit of her understood him, and a bit of her was curious about him.

While his way of doing things was arguably the same, he seemed easier to approach now rather than his past self, which made her curious... she could not deny that after he had betrayed her, she could also understand why he did it, it was because he trusted her to listen to him, of which she didn't, that's why he put her out of the fight.

"I'm not going to ask you for much, please keep my loved ones out of whatever sick and twisted plan you're planning." Fu Hua then said in a pleading tone.

"This is on the basis that we are still friends." She then added it as a bargaining chip.

"No need to use relationships as a bargaining chip, Phoenix. I don't quite care for them." Otto replied.

"But you seem to mistake me for an unreasonable man who tries to make everything for everyone as horrible as possible, While I do admit that the things I do are beyond redemption, I do them for my cause, not because I enjoy tormenting you." Otto then explained.

Fu Hua took a moment to take in his words before she sighed and turned towards the window.

"It's still about her, isn't it? It has been for five centuries." Fu Hua then questioned.

"It's always about her," Otto replied.

"...I always knew how much you valued her, but I never thought that she was the only thing on your mind." Fu Hua replied.

"You overestimate my humanity," Otto replied in return as he lightly chuckled.

Fu Hua looked over at the man for a moment.

"You're not even trying to be human." Fu Hua commented.

"Is it that enjoyable to you? Is it fulfilling?" Fu Hua asked.

"I am not doing it because it is fulfilling, I am doing it because nothing else is." Otto then retorted as he crossed his arms.

"No need to get into the specific details, I'm a martyr for Kallen Kaslana and that will never change regardless of what I have to do." Otto then reaffirmed with conviction.

Fu Hua sighed in exasperation, with a slight sense of sorrow as she spoke. "I'm sorry I couldn't help the two of you back then. If only I understood the situation of Europa at that time, perhaps you wouldn't have fallen so low." Fu Hua then said with a hint of regret and sorrow.

"No, Otto Apocalypse was always born a monster. It is arguable that only after Kallen Kaslana was thrown to the fires of hell did he realize his shortcomings and for a transient moment, became something humanity needed him to be." Otto then said in a reassuring tone.

"...That mentality is burrowed so deep, not even I after all my years know how to uproot it." Fu Hua sighed as she muttered weakly to herself.

"That aside.. please take care of Kiana from now on, I hate to ask of you, but you're our only chance to help her live." Fu Hua then said in a desperate tone as she realized her powerlessness.

"Sirin is still constant torment to her, but despite so, we've resisted her all this time... but those things this day, they're beyond me." Fu Hua then lamented.

"No need to say more, Phoenix. I will do this for both you and me." Otto then replied.

"...Thank you, truly." Fu Hua then replied as she bowed to Otto and softly smiled at him, feeling more reassured now.

"Well, she's gone to bed now, so I will go lecture her in the dreamscape." Fu Hua then said as she waved Otto goodbye and faded away.

Otto then stayed and looked over the night for a bit longer before he too turned and left the building and began to head back towards Kiana's tent.

As he came closer to Kiana's tent, he saw a figure standing around, scanning his surroundings before his eyes locked onto Otto and he walked over slowly.

"What's up, Seto? Why are you still up at this time?" Otto asked.

"Raksha... I know this is very impudent and sudden of me.. but." Seto said as he then bowed deeply.

"Could you please, train me as a warrior?"


Elsewhere, a pair of green eyes observing the cosmos suddenly felt a strange feeling. He wasn't very familiar with it but he was able to tell what it was instantly.

"My space to intervene... suddenly widened.?" The voice asked.

"Did the Honkai step up another notch..?"

"Or.. is it you? Second-born."

At the same time, hidden from the radars of both Anti-Entropy and Schicksal, the third faction of mankind slowly prepared to make its move.

"Raven, you understand your work well. Correct?" A feminine voice asked in an authoritative tone.

"No need to repeat it, Jackal, buy time until it blows up, a boring job." The grey-haired woman retorted, her red eyes gazing upon the mask in the dark, only visible are the lights of its eye.

"Our sire will return very soon. We must have reached the next stage of the Project by then." Jackal replied as Raven nodded in return.

The Serpent was unaware of the new darkness that loomed over the stage. A threat separate from the Honkai yet was the Honkai.

In a certain large city of China, standing on the spire of a tall temple, beneath the sea of Lanterns flying in the sky. The city celebrated the Lunar New Year. A figure, clad in dark, eastern-style clothing, held a blade at the ready and watched over the ignorant masses.

A voice called out behind them.

"Qin, we have sightings of the Herrscher of the Void." The voice spoke as another figure, dressed in a similar fashion walked up behind them.

"Perfect." A masculine voice replied, belonging to an individual named 'Qin'.

"Prepare to move soon, we will follow the gospel gifted to us by gods, and form the New World Order. We will intercept them at the decisive minute." Qin then ordered with a nod as his assistant nodded and slowly backed away, he then turned his back towards the sight once more.

"Hou hui you qi, Zhongguo." The man then said solemnly as he too disappeared from the beautiful scenery, leaving behind only a dark-like energy before it too dissipated into the air.


A/N: To further clarify what Firstborn means when he says he has 'an abundance of Honkai energy' to give to Otto. It is essentially false god Otto's situation where he is constantly supplied Honkai energy by the Imaginary tree, but cannot use all of it at the same time. The only difference is False God Otto does not 'overheat' when fed too much Honkai Energy, rather, False God Otto's energy is infinite and does not renormalize, whereas this Otto does otherwise he'll 'overheat' if he is given too much and only after a set period of time can he be given more Honkai energy.

Also, I am by no means Chinese, I just added the last words for flair. (It means Farewell China I'm pretty sure). That is also true for the character names such as He Yun/Masaru Seto and Johann. I legit went on reedsy name generator and took them off there.

Alright, see everyone next chapter. I think I'll slow down updates as the grind is starting to destroy my health, On Several occasions now I have gone way past bedtime, as a secondary student, four hours of sleep is nowhere enough. I've decided to make the commitment to slow down from arguably daily releases to perhaps weekly release or two releases per week now.