"To make it brief. I want to borrow the Cosmic Juggernaut."
"Borrow? For what purpose? Also, can you even use it?" Otto asked with a calculative face as even him couldn't truly harness the ability of the Second Divine Key.
"No need to sweat the minor details. Also, if you are interested. I am willing to exchange my entire corporation and the T-Doll technology for the Blank Key in your possession." Adam said, exchanging precious artifacts from the previous era so casually like he is buying cabbage at the market.
"The matter of borrowing the Cosmic Juggernaut is simple. As long as you can teach me how to use it. I will lend it to you. But the Blank Key…" Otto paused in the manner that shows he is interested with the deal. But the price is just not tempting enough.
"Hmn…" Otto continues to hum while thinking. Occasionally glancing at Adam as if hinting for something.
"Fine. I help swap Kallen into the Soulium body… for free." Adam said reluctantly as Blank Key was worth more than Schicksal Mech and Weapon blueprints.
"Wonderful. It is a pleasure to do business with you." Otto immediately offers Adam a handshake and then pour a glass of wine for each of them to commemorate their deal.
With the deal in place. Adam gains Blank Key for his research and borrows Cosmic Juggernaut to travel to another branch of the Imaginary Tree, basically moving to another alternate timeline because he isn't going to wait years to complete his Contract Mission.
———
When Adam had done his business in Schicksal and was ready to leave with Angie to the secret Schicksal research lab in Africa, the Vimur Lab. Adam encountered and stopped by Siegfried.
Between Siegfried and Adam, there is no bad blood unlike Adam with the majority of the Kaslana family especially when he openly murdered one of his uncles. However, Siegfried felt that Adam's 'hate' for the Kaslana family was justified. After all, he was abandoned as an infant. Discarded because of his disabilities and disowned because he lacked the talent to be a Knight as all members of Kaslana should.
Thus, Siegfried wanted to apologize to Adam. To apologize for the treatment done to him. Not knowing that Adam actually harbored no ill will and hatred for Kaslana's family. After all, why should he be bothered by what other ants do and think? Only when they become a nuisance will he dispose of them.
With that in mind, when Siegfried stopped Adam. He didn't even wait for Siegfried to say what he wanted to say and instead said, "I had spared you and your family from the machinations of fate. Treasure them and remember that between your duty and family. Your family is more important than whatever your duty dictates you to do, Siegfried Kaslana. Don't do something you will definitely regret and leave my cute nieces without parents." Adam said and tapped Siegfried's shoulder before he walked away without stopping for the VTOL heli.
As for who the nieces he talks about, it's Bianka or original Kiana, Kiana which is fated to exist in this timeline as twin of Bianka and Sirin who is fated to be adopted by Cecilia during a mission in Siberia.
Siegfried realized this too late and felt odd that Adam knew about his child and even stated his child will be a girl when he just learned a few days ago that Cecilia has been a few weeks pregnant. How could a technically stranger know about it when they are keeping it a secret?
———
A day later, in Vimur Lab. Adam did as he promised and taught Otto how to properly use this Divine Key based on the memories he viewed from Vill-V, the creator of this Divine Key herself.
It took a few days since there was restoration work and modification needed to be done on the Divine Key to open up a path into an alternate, or in this case, the canon timeline.
Present during the departure are the few people who Adam knew like Kallen, Siegfried and Cecilia. Adam admitted that he isn't someone that should exist in this timeline at all and bid them all farewell before the Cosmic Juggernaut departed with Otto acting as the conductor.
Guiding the Cosmic Juggernaut using The Almighty, Adam mobilized his Reiryoku and used his Zanpakuto to slash open a path into the Sea of Quanta. Due to the forceful nature of the entry, he of course attracted the curiosity of the beings that wander this plane. One of them being the certain hero of old that was sealed in the Sea of Quanta, biding his time for his eventual release and return to the world.
"Adam-kun. Should I stop?" Otto asked while fully aware of the identity of the person knocking outside the Cosmic Juggernaut through Void Archive.
"No. Just ignore him and keep going." Adam acts as if he can't see Kevin banging at the wall impatiently, trying to board the Cosmic Juggernaut to escape his prison early.
As Adam ordered, Otto ignored Kevin and continued but the old gramps is too stubborn for his age. Why can't he just wait patiently and bide for his time?
When it's clear they won't be opening the door, Kevin tries to freeze the Cosmic Juggernaut with his power that causes the Cosmic Juggernaut to immediately experience failure and stop moving. Then a vision abruptly flashes through his eyes.
"I guess it's impossible to avoid this fight." He sighed before exiting the Cosmic Juggernaut with an irritated but determined face to eliminate the obstacle in his path.
———
Standing above Cosmic Juggernaut, Adam is having a stand-off with Kevin who stares at his hair and eyes.
"You. A Kaslana?" Kevin looks confused as Adam looks like a Kaslana but he cannot feel it, the blood of his bloodline that flows through each Kaslana. "No. It didn't matter. Hand over the Void Archive or die by my hand. Your choice."
Hearing this, Adam smirked.
Hand over the Void Archive or his life? If he was still on Earth, he might. But he is now in the Sea of Quanta, the sea filled with nigh infinite energy. Energy that is ripe for the harvest.
"Sklaverei" His voice echoes through the fabric of space despite speaking it in a low mumble.
A gigantic blue five-pointed cross of the Wandenreich appeared and hovered in the sky with him at the center while particles of energy rose up from the Sea of Quanta like snow but rising instead of falling, floating up and absorbed by the gigantic five-pointed cross.
Immediately, Adam can feel the boundless energy filling his very being. No longer constrained to the limited amount of Reishi, he felt the exhilarating feeling of freedom to exercise his power.
"So, what did you say just now? Me dying in your hand?" Adam asked with a confident and cocky look which he rarely did so expressively. "You are fucking delusional, old fossil. You should be honored to be my punching bag today." Adam said before his body suddenly dissolved like it was an after image.
Kevin sensed his instinct screaming and quickly twisted his body in response but he was too late.
Crush! Snap!
He felt the punch turn his right ribs into dust as he was thrown like a rag doll and violently coughing out blood.
While falling from the sky, Kevin saw the figure of Adam. Transformed into a figure in black, white and purple robe with six metallic white wings. Most importantly is his chest where a hole is and an object is inside spinning faster and faster as he drains more energy from the Sea of Quanta. Those wings then split open to reveal six eyes on each wing with cross-shaped white pupil. But when looked closer, it's an eye with four irises that dart around, looking and observing everything as if it was eyes that can see through all secrets.
"Since that would wouldn't need you anymore, you can die." Adam summon a pitch black katana into his hand and vanished again.
Kevin can sense the danger incoming and regret not having his weapon in hand. But with his power, he create a sword from ice and slashed by following his instinct that is honed through numerous battles and wars.
"Blut Arterie"
The ice sword in Kevin's hand instance cracked from the impact before it exploded into numerous fragments. But not giving up, Kevil unleashed all his power and caused his apperance to turn demonic as he was forced to utilise his MANTIS power, turning into the apperance of an abyssal demon with a wing and two pointed horns.
Adam who is nearby immediately gain a layer of frost on his body which prompted him to backed away out from it's range.
"Hmn. So what? I don't need to enter into range to kill you." Adam said which caused Kevin to frown and immediately chase after Adam with a flap of his abyssal wing.
Adam summon a white Spirit Weapon pistol into his right hand along with thousands of Spirit Weapon cannons floating behind him that fires extremely destructive concentrated Reishi beam that itself is a self made Kido spell that make the Reishi more destructive.
Pulling the trigger of his pistol, the Spirit Weapon Cannons fired beams that look like pillars descending from the sky, buffeting Kevin with numerous pillar of beams. No matter how he tried to dodge, the beam will chase after him stubbornly and persistently until they eventually hit him which made Kevin realize it's impossible to outrun the beams and he could only block them.
Meanwhile Adam continues to shoot more beams while enjoying the sight of Kevin, one of the strongest characters of Honkai verse, dancing to his tune helplessly and futilely as he block one beam after another, looking increasingly battered after each passing one. He is forced to cauterized his own wound with extreme frost and eventually his body is almost fully encased in ice like a sculpted statue.
Kevin knew that winning is impossible as he is kept suppressed like this effortlessly by Adam while he is doing everything just to keep blocking another beam which he can fire endlessly without sign of exhaustion.
"It's either do or die." Kevin whisper before he grit his teeth. "I refuse to surrender." An explosion of frost energy immediately surround Kevin as the frost domain expand rapidly around him while he rush toward Adam in his last ditch effort knowing that even if he survives right now, he had jeopardized the future as he is severely injured that even if he survives, he will be on his death door with one foot in the grave already.
Adam dismissed the cannons that is no longer effective due to the frost domain. He then summon a familiar green hilted katana.
"Shatter"
Kevin halted abruptly before turned still and lifeless as he stood within Adam's reach.
*Slash*
Adam give Kevin a swift and painless death as his head slid off his neck before they all combust into blue flame.
Enemy Kevin may be. Kevin is still a great hero worthy of respect. Adam do not resent Kevin as he is driven only by his goal to save humanity. A heavy burden and shackle on his self. Adam simply give him the rest he deserves after 50 thousand years of tortuous life toiling day after day for a goal that no longer need him.
Adam gave the Sea of Quanta a look. "I might have drained a little too much." He said while noted a visible drop in water level on the sea before he shrugs and returned to the Cosmic Juggernaut. Not knowing the disaster he created just to top off his Reiryoku reserve and have a little fun bullying an old grandpa.
—————
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