"Void Archives, ultimate library of the Previous Era, said to hold the infinite paths of knowledge. Oh, all-knowing one, tell me how to revive the dead."
"There is no way."
"But… you possess the knowledge of an entire civilization!"
"The flow of life is an immutable truth. No amount of knowledge can reverse the laws of life. Even the Previous Era couldn't achieve this."
"Impossible! There must be a way! There has to be!"
"Otto, even with your intellect, you are but a madman defying the laws of the universe. I am merely a Divine Key, a tool created by the Previous Era. You cannot alter reality through me."
"Then who should I seek?"
"Who knows? Perhaps only a god could provide an answer. I…"
Before Void Archives could finish, Otto clutched it tightly, his emerald eyes blazing with madness.
"I must remind you, gods do not exist."
"No, they do! Humanity might not have gods, but the Honkai does. A god is omnipotent, omniscient. There must be a way to bring Kallen back."
…
"Rita and her squad are approaching Coral Island. Shall we commence rescue operations?"
"Overseer?" Amber's voice broke through Otto's memories. He looked away from the screen, the madness in his eyes masked by a veneer of composure.
"Amber, have the Immortal Blades stand by. Dispatch ten additional Valkyrie squads for rescue operations. But remember, no one sets foot on the island until I give the order."
"Yes, sir." Though puzzled, Amber didn't question him. An unsettling chill emanated from Otto, as if he were being watched by something terrifying.
After Amber left, the office fell silent. Otto exhaled, closing his eyes, his consciousness connecting with Void Archives thousands of kilometers away.
For five hundred years, Otto had searched for a way to revive Kallen. He'd believed the all-knowing Void Archives held the answer, only to discover even a Divine Key was but a human creation.
He'd abandoned his reverence, using his intellect to conquer the Divine Key, turning it into another tool in his quest.
Perhaps Void Archives was right. Only a god could reverse the flow of life.
Gods were ethereal, elusive. Otto's search had been fruitless. But during the Second Eruption, using a simulated Feather of Deliverance, he'd infiltrated Sirin's consciousness, finally encountering a god.
But the divine knowledge was too complex, incomprehensible. Though he received its inheritance, Otto couldn't grasp its meaning. He lost the chance for further dialogue, his obsession with reviving Kallen intensifying, driving him to the cloning project.
He thought he'd never again commune with a god, until the Honkai Will controlled Chen Tianwu, and Void Archives transmitted a crucial message.
The Will of Honkai, or a fragment of it, had descended upon Coral Island.
And in controlling the Herrscher, it had, for some unknown reason, been defeated.
"Even a god can fail? Or is there someone even more mad, someone who dares to scheme against a god?"
The image of a gray-haired youth surfaced in Otto's mind. Though appearing frail, Otto knew the Herrscher was as dangerous as himself.
Records showed that even as an ordinary human, Ren had fallen into the Imaginary Space and survived, even gaining control of the Gem of Haste.
Recognizing a kindred spirit, Otto had proposed a deal, aiding Ren in his goals. But Ren, who should have died in the Pacific battle, had returned. And the girl he protected, Kiana, was growing stronger at an alarming rate.
If anyone could scheme against a god, Otto suspected it was Ren.
But it didn't matter. Even a god was merely a tool in his quest to revive Kallen.
The defeated Honkai God would soon return. Otto wouldn't miss this opportunity for dialogue.
"Madness, schemes, madmen attract each other."
"Perhaps I should thank you, Ren."
…
On Coral Island, Chen Tianwu and Anna, having become shooting stars, finally embraced their deaths without regret. As they faded, their Herrscher cores materialized.
Ren watched the two cores descend like shimmering lights, instantly opening a portal to his Dominance Theatre. Countless threads extended, weaving a net to intercept them.
His trip to Coral Island had three objectives: probe the Honkai Will, aid Kiana's growth, and bolster his own power. Allowing the Herrschers to die peacefully was Dominance's mercy. He wouldn't let their cores go to waste.
But as his threads neared the cores, a golden streak flashed through the sky, colliding with them.
The cores' trajectories shifted. Ren narrowed his eyes, redirecting his threads, while simultaneously flying towards them.
Before he could reach them, the golden streak transformed into a cross, its chains clashing with Ren's threads.
Void Archives, having intercepted him, unleashed its stored Honkai energy, buying time for Otto.
"You again." Ren recognized Otto's handiwork. He clenched his fist, and the threads sharpened, slicing through the simulated Judah within seconds.
But Otto's control over Void Archives was absolute. Even disintegrating, it immediately reformed, blocking Ren's advance.
The golden cube, its surface cracking, held back Ren's threads. Though just a Divine Key, it couldn't withstand a Herrscher's assault.
Within seconds, its defenses crumbled.
Ren, now close, reached out, grasping the cube, his fingers tightening. A cracking sound echoed.
"Void Archives, enough."
Relieved, the cube liquefied, escaping Ren's grasp.
Looking up, Ren saw a golden-haired man, his body forged from Honkai-resistant Soulium, his expression grim.