The Overseer charged onward, leaving a trail of dust.
Owl grit his teeth as he prepared for his end.
But the dreaded blow didn't come. He opened his eyes to see what saved him.
Otto's fist was trapped in an ice pillar emerging from the ground.
Ana!
Owl exclaimed, as he turned to face the Herrscher.
She'd saved him yet again.
She screeched as razor sharp spears of ice shot towards the imprisoned Overseer.
"and I thought you'd lost all cognitive abilities."
He intoned sarcastically as a ceaseless barrage of ice rained down on him, covering the area in smoke.
Once the attack subsided, however, Owl realised Otto wasn't there. He'd managed to evade a surefire attack. Hearing clashes beside him, Owl turned to see The Herrscher trying to hold the Overseer at bay by repeatedly firing shards of ice, which he kept smashing with his bare fists.
He's….Too fast. Faster than the footage from Arc City..
This was not good. Owl could tell he wasn't serious.
Deciding to intervene, Owl charged the third divine key and fired a round at the Overseer.
This threw him off balance.
Seeing an opportunity, the Herrscher screeched as violent gusts of frosty wind blew the Overseer several buildings away.
I underestimated her.
Otto pulled himself up from the rubble.
It is harder to predict moves without Void Archives. But well I suppose, I ought to get a little more serious.
LIMITER - 25%
The imaginary circuits began glowing brightly.
A silver article in Otto's peripheral view caught his attention. He smirked.
.
.
.
"Ah.. He's gone.. For now.."
Owl breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ti.. An… wu.."
The Herrscher grumbled.
That's… my… name…
Owl couldn't believe it. She was starting to remember. He smiled.
"Yes. That's me."
He held her by her shoulders.
She tilted her head to study his expression and the corners of her lip twitched, as if she too was trying to smile like him.
Owl chuckled.
"We need to move. Can't have him catch up to us."
She didn't understand. She stretched her hand out slowly to prod at Owl's cheek, as if trying to study the person before her.
He held the hand stretched out to him. He sighed.
"Come on."
He clasped her hand tightly, as he resumed walking.
All of a sudden, Owl felt a shift in the wind behind him. Before he could turn to react, Ana tried to push him away. Sadly, it was pointless.
CLANG!
The blunt, sonorous sound of a metallic object striking armor was heard, as Owl spat out blood and was sent flying into the building on the other end of the road.
"Didn't expect such a dent."
Otto was examining the metal bat he'd just put to use.
"I did bring a gun and a few knives, but I'd like to keep things more… preserved. Nevertheless, let's resume our little act."
The Overseer pointed the bat at the Herrscher. Surprisingly, she seemed infuriated.
She charged in deftly, holding a blade of ice. Her swings seemed to almost connect.
Is this muscle memory? Or is she actually beginning to return?
The Overseer thought as he swerved away from the slashes. Otto needed to find his answer.
Owl coughed up blood as he tried to stand up. His head was ringing and his vision was blurred.
"Ana…"
He was doing this for her. Even though his body no longer supported him, he forced himself up.
He could only take a few steps before he crashed down onto the floor again.
Otto was progressively increasing his speed, using his metal bat to shatter every column, Spear or blade of ice being sent his way. Ana hadn't landed a single scratch on him.
"Overseer… please… don't.."
Owl tried to plead.
Otto spared him a glance, before returning his focus on the agitated Herrscher.
Several spears were shot at him. He spun the bat in circles, smashing them all down. He then dashed forward, having successfully predicted a giant spike of Ice emerging from the ground.
"Aaargh!"
The Herrscher materialised two blades. Four spears held themselves suspended midair behind her.
"Chen… Run!"
She commanded Owl as she charged forward towards Otto. Now her strikes were like those of an actual trained Valkyrie. Moreover, those four spears were coordinating with her slashes, creating an interlaced web of slashes.
She…spoke!
Her consciousness was intact!
Otto at his current power limit was beginning to have trouble. He'd been scratched in a few places, but the wounds healed instantly, courtesy of soulium.
Ana crossed both of her blades and clashed them with the metal bat. Her blades were so cold that the uneven contraction of the metal caused the bat to crack.
She's pushing him back! We… We can do this!
Owl was now beginning to feel hopeful. He scrambled for the third divine key.
The Overseer, however, let go of the brittle bat, as he positioned his fist over its base.
He smirked as he slammed the base, causing the bat to shatter and the sheer force of the attack sent the Herrscher across the length of the road.
"It's time to draw the curtains on this play."
He said. He had just retrieved a knife from his coat, colored pure black.
"ANA!"
Owl desperately fired a shot at Otto, but the round only hit an afterimage.
Chen Tianwu turned towards Ana and his eyes were filled with despair as Otto towered over the Herrscher who was coughing as she tried to lift herself from the rubble.
"I didn't want to make things grisly, but it seems you're a bit too insistent on resisting."
The Overseer held the knife in reverse grip, and raised it.
"Otto Apocalypse! Please! I beg you… don't… do this… Can't you see she isn't trying to kill anyone? We just… want to be at peace…"
"If it's peace that you seek, then feel free to join her in her fate."
Otto tightened the grip on his knife.
"YOU CANNOT DO THIS!"
He screamed helplessly, as tears streamed from his blue eyes.
.
.
.
.
.
.
He had lost his hometown, where he had spent all his childhood.
He had lost his family, who'd cared for him and nurtured him.
He had lost his little sister, whom he cherished more than anything else in this world.
He had lost his own body, with which he was able to perform miraculous feats, earning himself a name in the mercenary world.
He had lost it all.
Now he was going to lose the one person, who had given him something when he had nothing more to lose.
He was going to lose the one he loved.
He was going to lose his reason to live.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
She had to live. He couldn't let her die. She was too kind. She didn't deserve death.
He had no choice left.
He gave in to the voices at the back of his head.
He felt chains pull at him. It was the honkai. But he couldn't care less.
All kinds of forbidden knowledge was poured onto him by the Honkai. He began learning things no human was supposed to know.
He now understood why Ana felt fear. This man.. wasn't human. Nor was he a herrscher.
He was an abomination. Created for the sole purpose of hunting down his kind.
He opened his eyes. They were now maroon.
The Herrscher of Stars had descended.
.
.
.
.
Otto brought the knife down, but the blade stopped.
He couldn't move.
He had been lifted off the ground and suspended mid-air.
He's awoken.
Otto was then flung with incredible speed into a building. He coughed. But the assault wasn't over. He'd been lifted again and flung into another building. Over and over and over.
Once the tossing subsided, Otto struggled to pull himself up.
Owl, no, The Herrscher of Stars walked towards him with booming footsteps. He looked down on the Overseer.
"I now know what you are. You're just a selfish bastard. You don't even care about the lives you trample over just for your mission. How many of us have died thanks to you lot? Ana and I… we just wanted to be together. Will you deny us such a simple wish… just for the sake of some obscure, sadistic laws?"
Otto couldn't raise his head to look at him. The sheer force of gravity had him pinned down.
"I… don't… intend…to-"
He tried to reply.
"Just die."
Otto was lifted into the air yet again, as his eyes widened at what was to come.
Owl had prepared countless beams of iron, poised to impale Otto endlessly.
He grit his teeth.
LIMITER - 35%
AUTHORITY OF IMAGINARY - NIHILUS SEED
Black and Gold armor materialised on Otto's body, who then rolled mid-air to land safely on the ground.
"What?!"
He was surprised.
Otto took a good look at him. He indeed had absolute control over Gravity. So much so, it appeared light around him had bent.
If it hadn't been for the Imaginary Authority, he'd probably have been crushed.
He might pose a bigger problem than Ana if left unaddressed. I ought to weaken him.
In a trail of golden afterimages, Otto appeared right before Owl, landing five simultaneous blows, knocking the air out of him, with audible cracks of breaking bones.
Drat… I overdid it..
"How… are you… this strong?"
Owl, on his knees, asked with bated breaths. Even as a herrscher he wasn't able to fight the Overseer head on.
"You said you knew what I was. Wouldn't you already have your answer?"
"The voices… they said I'd be able to fight… so why…"
Otto retrieved the single pistol holstered on his thigh. Its design was similar to an old flintlock, but this was a Pantheon class gun. A weapon set aside for the best Valkyries of Schicksal.
He aimed the pistol at Owl's head.
"If you're so hell bent on killing Herrschers, why did you let the Herrscher of the void live?"
Owl asked again.
"You two are slaves to the Honkai. Kiana isn't. She's fighting for this world, not against it. I cannot deny such a life."
Otto declared briskly. He didn't want to waste time with an explanation.
"...This world? What good is a world that has no heart? Ana.. She gave her life for the people… yet she is repaid with… merciless weapons being pointed at her."
Hearing Owl's words only further made him sympathise with his plight. Only Otto could truly understand what this boy was going through. After all, The Overseer had once been in Owl's shoes.
Yet, he couldn't show his true feelings on this matter. Both of them had to break free from the Honkai.
"The Honkai is lying to you. I've only met one other Enforcer aside from myself. While I agree he's abhorrent, the fact remains that both of us don't like killing herrschers. It is something we only resort to if nothing else works."
Otto sighed.
"Nevertheless, you're free to choose the truth you wish to believe in, Chen Tianwu."
Otto positioned the pistol on Owl's forehead.
"Farewell."
.
.
.
.
.
.
It's cold…
A girl thought.
Who.. is that?
Ana watched the scene in front of her with confusion.
Chen.. Tianwu?... Such a familiar name..
But.. Why.. Can't I remember?
What… am I?
Why did this person.. Try to help me?
She noticed a pendant hanging on his neck.
Ah…
A distant memory. Yet, it clung close to her heart.
I remember now…
A promise…
If both of us survived.. We would…
That's right..
We must survive.
The colour in her eyes returned. She got back up on her feet.
She'd fight the Honkai within her, all for the sake of her resolve and for him.
"Leave.. Tianwu… ALONE!"
"Huh?"
Otto jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding a lethal volley of ice shards.
A column of ice erupted, separating Owl and Otto.
Ana Schariac hovered above them both. She was holding Schicksal issue swords in both of her hands.
Incredible.. She's regained control? No… she hasn't. She's still fighting it off.. All for..
Hahaha…
This girl…
Otto was impressed.
"Ana! You've.. Come back…"
Owl was elated.
She smiled.
"Thank you.. Tianwu.. looks like you've won the bet… "
She was referring to what she'd told him when he had received one half of her pendant.
A date. They'd go on a date, if destiny chose to have mercy on them. That was their promise. That was their bet.
"Hahah… I suppose I have… I've.. Got a good place in mind too.."
He stretched his hand out, returning to her the half which belonged to her.
She held it near her chest and clutched it.
"The Honkai was too strong.. I thought I.. Would lose myself forever.. But.. I couldn't.. Let you get hurt.."
She cried.
"It's okay, we will get out of here alive. But first…"
The column of ice cracked, as Otto broke through.
"We've got to deal with this Clown."
Owl said.
Ana and Owl assumed stances.
"I do not wish to fight you, Lord Overseer."
Ana warned Otto.
"Lord Overseer? Ana, that man tried to murder you!"
Owl interjected.
Otto noticed the two halves of the same pendant hanging from their necks.
The corner of his lip twitched.
An anger brought about by love has the same power as love itself.
His plan was working.
"Nor do I, Ana. You're Bianka's friend. But.. You pose too big of a threat. You can cause an Eruption, even if you don't want to."
The Overseer replied.
Her lips drew into a thin line.
"You might be right. I might be a threat to humanity. But I will fight as long as I can ensure Tianwu's survival."
She pointed one of the blades at him.
"What are you saying, Ana? You're no threat. You've killed no one! This man is just trying to guilt trip us both! I'm sure he's after our cores."
"You don't have to lie to me, Tianwu. I know he's… an Enforcer. This… is his job. To be true.. From humanity's perspective.. We are the bad guys."
She sighed.
"I'm sorry, Lord Otto."
She charged onwards.
"Whatever."
Owl replied and supported her from behind, hurling debris towards Otto from all directions.
Otto clashed his knife with Ana's blades all the while jumping from rock to rock which were being hurled at him. He tried to jump onto one of the rocks to gain leverage, but Owl crushed it into tiny pieces, causing Otto to fall freely.
.
.
.
That was a rough fall.
He looked up as he got back on his feet.
Oh.
Ana had prepared almost a hundred spears of ice, ready to rain down on Otto.
There was nowhere to run. The attack would cover the entire area.
Otto sighed.
LIMITER - 40%
Otto swiftly began evading and smashing every ice Spear which fell, trying to fight the downpour of death.
Spears which Otto had managed to evade, would redirect towards him, thanks to Owl's powers.
Their powers… when used in tandem.. Are really formidable..
He wasn't keen on using any more of his authority. For now, atleast.
Ana looked at this scene. The longer she looked, the more she felt confused. Something was bothering her.
"Tianwu.. Are we really going to kill him?"
She voiced her thoughts.
"Of Course. We have to. He won't let us escape."
"... I don't think he's trying to kill us."
Ana suggested.
"Really, now? He had a gun trained on my head minutes ago!"
"He…neutralised the Dragon from the Fourth Eruption in a matter of seconds. There's also footage of him annihilating an entire crowd of beasts in the blink of an eye. If he wanted to he'd..have killed us both by now."
Ana contemplated.
No. It seemed like she was trying to convince him to stop.
Owl didn't reply. He had seen the footage too. He'd also heard that his Sire had gone to personally propose the current alliance.
Otto Apocalypse was certainly strong.
"He's got blood on his hands. He's just a killer. I'll take whatever chances I get to rid the world of someone like him."
Owl tried to justify himself.
"... aren't we the same too?"
"... Ana? Hey.. The Eruption wasn't your fault."
She bit her lip.
"I need to confirm something."
Ana said, before charging towards the Overseer, who was still trying to survive the icy torrent.
Owl was confused.
Was she hiding something from him?
.
.
.
.
MEANWHILE
Void Archives walked through a lane, stepping over corpses of Honkai Zombies. His white armor now had spots of red all over. The blood wasn't his, of course.
"You've.. Made quite a mess."
Raven voiced her opinion.
"Does it even matter? It's not like I'm going to keep this body for long. I've only borrowed this avatar for the current operation."
He replied.
"Mhm."
Bianka affirmed. She had been informed of this beforehand.
They were clearing up Honkai Beasts and Zombies alike near the perimeter, as Otto dealt with the Herrschers.
"But how did you find out about the Second Herrscher? I thought only Jackal had the Imaginary Singularity analyser…"
"Wait, you knew there'd be a second Herrscher too?"
Bianka asked Raven.
"A guaranteed honkai Eruption with a 35% possibility of a secondary Eruption. That's what the reports said."
Raven replied.
"37%. Just so you know, I am capable of Imaginary Singularity observation myself."
Void Archives cut her off.
"Otto didn't feel the need to notify the possibility of a second herrscher, as he'd be dealing with it himself anyway, should it appear."
Bianka's eyes widened with realisation.
So that's why he had us all stationed at Hellheim back when… Kiana became a herrscher…
He wanted to deal with Kiana himself…
That's…reckless.
But that's also how he does things.
Void Archives noticed that both of them had slowed down from exhaustion. They still hadn't recovered from the Honkai Suppressants.
"Let's rest here for a while. Both of you need it."
"Mimicry of Shamash."
He set a pile of rubble ablaze for warmth.
"...what? We've run out of heaters."
The girls sighed.
Void Archives didn't really bother about collateral damage or respecting property.
Raven sat close to the fire, while Bianka was seated at a distance.
The mercenary's eyes fluttered. The warmth was indeed comforting in this frigid cold.
"You can take a short nap if you wish. I assure you you'll be fine."
Archives suggested.
"You've got blood splattered across your face. Doesn't make you sound very convincing."
"Oh please, if it were me, I'd have your very existence wiped clean. I only stopped Otto back at Arc City because killing someone like you would only leave a bitter taste in my mouth."
"..so it was because of you I made it out alive… huh?"
"No. I got lucky. He usually doesn't listen, even if I resort to illusions. I once tried convincing him to do something in the past and it didn't end well."
"What did you do?"
She was curious.
"I'd rather not talk about it. But to keep it simple, what went down that afternoon caused the birth of Anti-Entropy."
"...huh"
Raven wasn't surprised. How could something historic take place and not involve Otto in it?
"You know what? I'm… just gonna sleep. Wake me up when we move again."
She laid her back on a wall and closed her eyes.
Void Archives then walked towards Bianka.
"You're not cold?"
"Mhm, I am fine."
"I…wanted to talk."
Void Archives said.
"What?"
She was taken aback. What would a divine key have to say to her?
"It's about that idiot."
He was referring to Otto.
"Do you really think you can call him that?"
"You'd know if you spent 500 years with him."
Durandal rolled her eyes.
"Nevertheless. I'm sure you know that there's a lot he has kept from you."
Bianka nodded.
"I don't have any intention of knowing, either. I have my duty to carry out. That is what matters most. I'd rather you not snitch on his private matters."
"Oh, I don't wish to. You will find the truth with your own two hands someday or the other. But there are some things he does.. Which get on my nerves. Things which aren't even meant to be secrets."
The Valkyrie raised her eyebrow.
"You receive books every New Year, do you not? They never have any sender details. I'm sure you know."
"... Yes."
"They're all sent by him."
Her eyes widened with genuine surprise.
"When Miss Rossweisse isn't available, the dorm meals provided to you aren't made by the mess, they are in fact, handmade by him."
Bianka smiled. This had to be a joke.
The Overseer was a very busy man. He wouldn't waste his time like this.
But…
She remembered. Every once in a while she'd have mess food sent for her dorm. It'd taste.. Like something you'd get in a first class restaurant.
Durandal had just assumed it was Schicksal's way of maintaining morale in a high ranking squad like the Immortal Blades.
"Furthermore, he has set aside a bank account in your name and you receive monthly pay as Schicksal's top ranking Valkyrie. You.. Have enough to buy out a whole bunch of islands and run them for decades."
".. Stop. Why are you telling me all this?"
She needed a moment to come to terms with this revelation.
"You ought to know how much you matter to him. The only other person to receive such treatment from him would be Theresa Apocalypse."
"He doesn't tell anyone how he truly feels, unless the other person forces it out of him. That's what bothers me most. He's been like this from the very day I've met him."
Archives continued.
"To put it simply… he's very proud of you. Not as the Overseer, nor as your teacher. But as the person who has raised you these past ten years."
Bianka was experiencing indescribable emotions. She felt genuinely happy, but also felt a sort of bittersweet sadness.
Did she want to hear all these things from the Overseer himself?
Moreover, if that is how he truly sees things, then why is he hiding it?
She sighed.
"... Why do you care so much about the Overseer?"
Bianka had to change the topic. She didn't wish to get anxious.
"Me? He's… My friend? Yes, I suppose that is right. The one who created me.. Didn't even wish for me to exist.. I've been sealed most of the time in this era. That boy is the only company I've had for the past 500 years. Knowing an idiot like him for this long… would only make you want for him to find some solace. So I've taken it upon myself to fix some of his blunders."
Bianka blinked.
"Those books he gave you, they've all got happy endings, haven't they?"
".. Mhm. They're all beautifully written."
Void Archives laughed.
"He sure loves happy ends. Tried to stab himself with Abyss Flower when he was just 13 to bring back a girl's dad from the afterlife."
"How's that-"
"He's not concerned about his ending. He spent centuries trying to create the ideal ending for not just the one he loved, but also for everyone else in his life. The best way to do so?..."
He sighed.
"... What was it?"
She knew what was coming, yet she asked.
"That fool thought it'd be a brilliant idea to become the villain. He'd get to pull the strings, he'd get to choose the struggles people have to overcome, he'd be the one who'd die, while they'd be the ones who cheered and went off riding into the sunset. That was his way of creating the happy ending."
Void Archives trailed off.
"He's gotten stronger now. He doesn't have to do any of that anymore."
Bianka said.
"... Thank you, Void Archives. My initial judgement of you was wrong. You're.. A good friend to the Overseer. Rest assured. I will not let him go back to his old self."
"Tch. You are reading too deep into this. He's the only one capable of being my host. It's only natural to watch out for his well-being. That is all…"
Bianka laughed.
She's… becoming more free-spirited. Is it because of her sister, or because of Otto? Perhaps… both?
Archives thought.
"...anyway. So, about the target. Ana Schariac… she's your friend?"
"Yes. We write to each other often. I had actually written her a letter a few days ago."
"Huh? What was it about?"
"I was telling her about Kiana's training and how I often spar with Overseer Otto. Other than that, it was the usual. About Rita, Stan and the Immortal Blades.."
"You've told her about Kiana?"
"I… shouldn't have?"
"No. You've.. Actually helped out. If she's able to remember anything, then it might make Otto's job easier."
Durandal felt relieved.
"How much longer do you think it will take?"
"A little while."
"Let's just hope for the best then."
"Mhm."
.
.
.
.
Otto took a deep breath as the ice shards stopped raining.
However, Ana immediately rushed in wielding two swords, clashing them with Otto's knife.
"... is it true? The Herrscher of the Void.. She's working with Schicksal?"
She asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.
"Yes, she's being trained by Durandal. Why ask?"
Otto swung under one of the blades.
"but..how? How is she able to hold off against the Honkai like this?"
"I helped her regain control. She's not entirely free, as she's got multiple Herrscher gems."
"Can you make it stop for us too? The voices? If not me.. Then atleast… help him…"
They were speaking in between strikes.
"Looks like I won't be needing Archives for Fenghuang Down."
The Overseer was smiling.
"... What?"
"You've already regained a portion of your humanity, since you're able to say things like that. You can gain full control if you so wish. All you need is a little push."
"What about Tianwu?"
"Lover-boy there will follow you no matter wherever you go. It's in his nature."
The Herrscher of Ice blushed furiously.
"Though.. The success of it all… depends solely on you, Ana. ….Do you trust me?"
Otto launched a flurry of attacks with his knife. Ana managed to parry them all.
"If Bianka trusts you… then.. I..too.."
She inhaled sharply.
"I am willing to trust you."
"Then I leave the rest to you."
"Huh?"
Otto straightened his free hand and thrust it forward with great speed.
Ana put up her hand in defence, as the blow sent her flying into a building.
Once she snapped back into her senses, however, she noticed golden lines spreading from the place where he'd hit her.
She clutched at her head in pain.
Otto had done his job.
It was time for her to decide.
.
.
.
.
"ANA!"
Owl shouted, as he saw the former valkyrie get flung into a building.
He gritted his teeth with rage.
The ground beneath Otto cracked, as large rocks began rising into the air.
"Disappear."
The rocks were then hurled with great speed towards Otto.
He can control gravity yet wastes such a formidable power. Did he not realise I can fly? Moreover.. To hurl objects without second thought…
He's.. Surprisingly an airhead.
Otto flew past the projectiles, dashing for Owl.
Owl flew higher into the air, as he raised countless beams of iron and cement.
"You're going to use the same strategy, even though you've seen it fail again and again?"
"Damn right I am."
Otto sighed. But before he could close in the distance, he realised something was approaching him from behind.
He turned around to see a heavily armored transport vehicle which had been hurled at him. Owl had caught Otto by surprise.
Oh. So he does have a brain.
Otto was rammed into the ground by a truck almost twenty times his size.
The beams were now positioned directly above the trapped Otto.
"About time we end this."
Tianwu said.
Before the iron could plunge into the Overseer's body, the herrscher was stopped.
"Tianwu, wait!"
".. Ana? What now?"
"Bianka… Bianka was right! The Overseer.. He's trying to help us!"
Tears streamed down her face, as she looked at her hands. She seemed greatly relieved.
".. Ana… what are you.. saying?"
Owl asked with genuine confusion and worry.
But then, his eyes widened.
No.. This..is…
The girl was no longer under the influence of the Honkai. Her aura now was similar to the one the Overseer had.
Tianwu immediately turned towards Otto.
"You..What have you done to her?!"
He asked, as the beams impaled Otto ceaselessly.
.
.
.
.
.
Ana stood there, unable to blink. Her voice was stuck in her throat.
The boy she thought she knew had just brutally murdered someone in front of her. Someone who was trying to help them both.
"Tianwu… why? He.. He was trying to save us.."
"Ana.. I'm the one who should be asking YOU what you've done. Do you not realise that we're enemies now? You've.. Become an affiliate to an Enforcer! Why couldn't you just stay with me?!"
"Overseer Otto would've… helped you too.."
She tried to reason with him.
To Owl, this was nothing short of betrayal.
He hadn't expected Ana to turn against him. Why did she do it? Just why?
The Honkai gave him his answer.
.
.
.
Tianwu's eyes turned a pure black.
".. I see now. This is why.. You didn't stay with me.. How could you stand beside me? You.. Let my sister die, after all.."
Immense amounts of G-Force slammed Ana into the ground. She was going to get crushed. She wasn't able to move a single finger.
"Tianwu.. I'm.. Sorry…"
"Your apology can't bring her back! You were a valkyrie… you were meant to protect people! Yet you.. Ran away.. Like a coward.."
Ana coughed. She couldn't breathe.
"I.. Loved you.. But now.. I'm beginning to.. Loathe you.."
"Damn it all. Everyone's a fucking hypocrite."
Owl held his hand out, as rocks began circulating around it, as if they were being sucked in. A small, dark point could be seen in his palm, which grew in size.
This man was creating a black hole.
Buildings began falling apart, as it all got pulled in.
"Ti..an…wu..dont…"
The Herrscher of Ice pleaded him to stop.
A little while longer.
He would then consume this planet whole.
INNATE OBSESSION: NIRVANA
A single golden line appeared along Owl's forearm.
What?
With a splatter of blood, the hand cleaved off cleanly, causing all of the lifted rocks to fall to the ground.
Tianwu then realized all of his cybernetic implants had such lines etched on them.
All of them fell apart the next moment.
This is… IMPOSSIBLE!
To his surprise, Owl was still alive. Even though most of his body had been cut into pieces.
Owl growled as he struggled to get up, only to see a greatsword made of gold pointed at him.
.. The Imaginary.. Authority..
"You're the real hypocrite here, Chen Tianwu."
It was Otto Apocalypse.
"... How.. Are you.. Still alive?"
Owl was sure an attack like that would've destroyed the soulium avatar beyond repair..
"You're going to have to try much harder than that to even land a scratch on me."
All of Otto's injuries healed instantaneously.
He was simply pretending to have been hurt.
The sword turned to dust.
The Overseer pulled out a file.
"Do you really think you have the right to judge that girl? Her fear for her own life was why she couldn't save your sister, it's true. But it's also because of her own resolve that you are here, throwing a herrscher-grade tantrum. Otherwise, you'd have been long dead."
"She's saved more lives in the past two years than you could even think. You, on the other hand…"
Otto slammed the file into his face.
"A body count going into the hundreds. Ever thought about the fact that these people had families?"
"Those were con-"
Owl stopped himself. He'd realised what he was going to say.
"Contracts. Nothing more, nothing less. Right? With a personality like that, do you really think you can assert your supposed moral high ground?"
Owl had nothing to say.
"That girl over there.. She didn't care if she died. This whole time she's been asking me to let you walk out of here freely and she's ready to pay with her life."
Otto's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me. Are you really worth that much?"
Reality had indeed dawned upon Chen Tianwu.
"Overseer, can you please stop?"
Ana asked.
"Would you look at that? She's trying to save your sense of self respect."
Owl clasped his head with his human hand, which was intact.
"Shut… up… I've lost…and..he's.. He's right.."
Tianwu inhaled sharply and looked at Ana. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Tianwu.. Please.. Just come with me. You said you had a place in mind, didn't you?"
Ana spoke before he could.
Owl was beyond shocked.
"Why?.. I just.. Tried to kill you.."
"That wasn't you..It was the honkai.. Besides.. Your sister.. She was your family. I don't blame you…for wanting to hurt me. I too.. hate myself for it."
Otto sighed.
"You owe a lot to this girl, Owl. So, it's about time you get off the high horse and go along with her."
He stretched his arm forward to the mercenary.
"First off, I promise to keep the two of you together and safe. You and I both know she's out of your league. But, you've got a promise to keep. Which is why I'll make a fine knight out of you. You can count on me for that."
He spoke in a low voice, so that Ana wouldn't hear.
"An offer like that and the look on your face.. you planned this all out didn't you? "
Owl sighed.
Otto smirked.
"You bastard."
Owl grasped the hand extended to him, as golden lines spread across.
Tianwu growled in pain, as the remnants of the Honkai corrupting his mind left his being.
"Ah, at last."
Otto stretched, as he relaxed his body.
"Welcome to Schicksal, Chen Tianwu. You're no longer Owl. Oh and, welcome back, Ana. I'm sure Bianka would love to talk to you again."
Ana nodded hastily. She had a lot to tell Durandal.
"About that… What are you going to do when our Sire finds out?"
"Kevin Kaslana is no longer your sire. You need not worry about him. I'm.. Going to negotiate. Should he not agree, well, I suppose I can hold him off long enough for you two to make your merry escape."
"Heh..fair enough."
Otto retrieved a flare gun and shot it skywards.
A few minutes later, Bianka and Void Archives reached the scene alongisde several VTOLs.
They were the cleanup crew.
Tianwu's eyes widened at seeing the doppelganger. He tried to push himself up, but Ana held onto him, pushing his head back down onto her lap.
"You're hurt! Don't overexert yourself!"
"Sorry, Ana.."
He turned back to Otto.
"There were two of you?!"
"Oh no, that is my good friend. Void Archives."
The doppelganger had blood all over him. His hair was now unkempt. He bowed down, as he said.
"It is my pleasure to meet the Herrscher of Stars, and with him, the Herrscher of Ice. I am the first divine key, Void Archives."
"...mhm.."
Ana nodded. While Archives tried to copy Otto's formal mannerisms, they seemed strangely unnatural.
Ana then smiled as she saw the figure behind Otto's doppelganger.
"Bianka!"
"... I am truly relieved to see you're all right, Ana."
Bianka was smiling.
"You… you were right.. If you hadn't written that letter, then I don't think I'd be here right now.."
"You'd have still found a way. I know you don't give up easily. Besides.. The Overseer had several contingencies for different scenarios. He too was dead set on saving both of you."
"Uhh, Miss Durandal. I.. I'd like to apologise.."
It was Tianwu.
"Accepted. Your intentions were good at heart. Nor I or your former comrade were harmed."
That was easy. The strongest valkyrie was certainly forgiving.
"However, I shall oversee your training regimen as you're now a Schicksal Knight."
Perhaps not.
"... How do I train with a body like this?"
"Blueprints of soulium based parts have been prepared. You shall receive them once you heal."
Archives clarified.
A VTOL landed as Alvitr rushed out of it.
"Master Durandal! Perimeter Check complete! All Honkai Beasts have been eliminated! The Eruption has been successfully suppressed!"
"What of the World Serpent staff?"
"They've left the Scene, Ma'am!"
"Roger. Prepare to leave."
"Yes Miss!"
Alvitr then realised she'd forgotten to address the Overseer who was standing behind Durandal.
"Eek! Glory to the Overseer!"
She saluted, before turning around and dashing back to the VTOL.
Otto chuckled.
"Ah. Where's Kiana?"
He remembered.
"The Gem of Conquest… it's troubling her again. Rita took her back to HQ for medical attention."
Otto's brows furrowed.
What should I do? I'm.. Running out of options…
He was genuinely worried for her wellbeing.
"She will be fine, Overseer. Let her rest."
Bianka tried to reassure him.
"Mhm.."
Otto hummed.
He then turned towards the couple.
"Come on, now. Let's get going."
Valkyries arrived with a stretcher on which they laid Tianwu down.
"Hey, Overseer.."
Tianwu called.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Owl and Ana spoke in Unison, before they were led into the VTOL.
"You're welcome."
He turned around, as he walked to his ship.
"Ah, Rita. You've been injured? It's okay, you can take the day off.."
Bianka spoke to Rita over a phone call.
"No, No, it's fine. I'll have dorm food. Don't worry. You should rest."
She reassured the maid before disconnecting the call.
Void Archives smirked.
"What are you smiling at?"
Otto asked.
"Oh, nothing."
Otto stretched his arm towards the doppelganger.
"I'd been waiting for that. There's something I want to ask."
The doppelganger's eyes went colourless as a golden cube appeared in front of Otto. Otto then grasped it.
"Ah. I'm back home."
That's.. A terrifying analogy.
"Heh."
What did you wish to ask?
"You saw yourself in that boy, didn't you?"
Mhhm. I'm glad things turned out like this.
"A happy ending, huh?"
Ending? No. Their story has just begun. I can only look forward to seeing their journey from here on out.
Anyway, I've got to make Bianka's dinner. Let's get going.
"Bianka!"
Otto called out to the Valkyrie.
"Coming!"
She entered the VTOL after him.
"I'm amazed.. The plan worked.. We've got 3 herrschers on our side.."
"Excluding the Herrscher of Reason, that is."
"Mhhm.."
"You did well today, Bianka."
"You did better than I, Overseer."
"I razed the city to the ground, Bianka."
Otto laughed.
"But Ana's safe now. We've also got Owl. Our battle against the Honkai has become much easier.. "
"You've gotten more people to compete with if you want to keep your rank, though."
"I am certain I will continue to deliver as long as I have your guidance, Overseer."
Otto opened his mouth to protest but chose not to. He smiled softly. Bianka, however, seemed to have something she wanted to say.
A while later, she mustered herself up.
"Thank you, Mister Otto. For always having been there for me, ever since I was little. Even if I ever were to remember my past, I would never forget everything you've shown me these past ten years. I am grateful for everythi-"
"Save that for when I retire, Bianka."
Otto cut her off, as he stared out of the window. He tried to look away from her.
But Bianka had seen it. His eyes were glistening.
"... Will do, Overseer."
She smiled and looked out of the window too.
The rest of the ride was spent in silence.
This was a memory they'd both cherish.
CHAPTER 12 END
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Author's Note:
I felt it would be for the best to keep all these events in one chapter, as breaking them up can ruin the immersion.
This took me longer than it should've, as I've not exactly been in the best of spirits.
Nevertheless, I genuinely enjoyed writing this chapter and I look forward to writing what I have planned for next.
I also have an idea for a one shot story not related to Beyond Will.
Otto centric, ofcourse.
A single chapter, but long enough to pass as a story.
Though I'll see if I can write it.
Take care!
Do let me know your thoughts!
