Chapter 86: Otto's Crossdressing? Madam Green Lily! The Most Socially Dead Episode!
Seeing Otto's reaction, Yae Sakura remained unruffled. She knew that if Otto wasn't genuinely flustered, he wouldn't have snapped like that.
"Anyway, I am getting Kallen's battlesuit to SSS-rank immediately."
Otto manipulated the controller and clicked the 10x Supply button. While getting a Valkyrie to SSS-rank required a substantial amount of money, who was Otto? To a man of his stature, money was merely a series of digits. However, Otto soon discovered that his luck this time was abysmally bad; he hit near-pity at ninety-plus pulls before getting the first [Sixth Serenade].
As his expression darkened, a certain someone's rhythmic chanting drifted into his ears from beside him...
"Otto's supplies are all pity-guaranteed... Otto's stages have zero drops..."
Otto turned toward Yae Sakura with a strained smile. "Miss Yae, may I ask what you are doing?"
Yae Sakura returned the smile. "I am performing a ritual."
"A ritual?"
"Mhm. I noticed a darkness between your brows, suggesting a risk of possession by malevolent spirits. Thus, I am attempting to perform an exorcism using the methods of a shrine maiden."
"Then I truly thank you for your kind intentions. I feel fine now—better than ever, in fact—so could you please stop?"
"I cannot. As the President of the Schicksal Consortium, Lord Otto deals with a myriad of affairs every day. If you were truly possessed by monsters, the entire consortium would fall into chaos."
Both wore smiles and spoke at a measured pace, appearing perfectly polite. In reality, they were drowning each other in passive-aggressive sarcasm.
"Otto, let me pull for you!"
Kallen, acting as if she hadn't noticed the tension at all, grabbed the mouse and started pulling for him. "Hehe! I'm actually quite lucky! Last time Sakura and I went to the mall, I won a seven-day trip for two to the Maldives!"
Seeing Kallen's smug look, Otto smiled at Yae Sakura. "You bribed the lottery staff beforehand, didn't you?"
Yae Sakura smiled back at Otto. "I don't know what you're talking about. Isn't it normal for Kiana to be lucky?"
Otto: "Haha." Yae Sakura: "Haha."
Don't ask how Otto knew. It was because he used the exact same tricks. The person who understands you best is often your rival, your enemy...
The contest between the two continued. In an atmosphere that would make any outsider want to flee, Kallen continued pulling. Her luck was indeed good—not quite the legendary level of a certain Kaslana "European King," but definitely on the lucky side. In the end, without requiring Otto to top up further, she secured the SSS-rank [Sixth Serenade], along with the A-rank awakening materials, even resulting in a surplus of fragments.
"Otto, there are quite a few Crystals left. Why don't we pull for Memento? I think that Dimensional Slash looks really cool."
Though he smiled, Otto wished he could fly to miHoYo's headquarters right now and demand to invest another 100 million just to have them delete Yae Sakura and her banners from the game. To have a Yae Sakura appear in the Valkyrie roster... oh god, was there anything more headache-inducing? He didn't want to log in every day only to see a "fox spirit" among his Valkyries! It was pure psychological torture!
But since Kallen asked, he could not refuse! "...Mhm, whatever Kallen decides is fine."
Otto answered through gritted teeth. Ultimately, after draining the last of Otto's Crystals, Kallen successfully pulled the SS-rank [Goushinnso Memento], complete with her signature weapon [Ice Epiphyllum]and the [Nohime]Stigma set.
Watching Kallen enthusiastically test Memento in the game, exclaiming how cool the Dimensional Slash was, Otto felt the smug gaze of a certain fox.
Guh!! Simply too loathsome! Because he didn't have a playable character in the game, Kallen couldn't play as him! Though he was unwilling to admit it, Otto knew he had lost this round completely.
"Oh my, what a pity. It would be so nice if Mr. Otto had a playable character too! Oh, I'm sorry, I almost forgot—this game only features Valkyries~"
Seeing the fox's disdainful smirk, Otto's mouth twitched. He was furious inside, but he had to remain elegant... stay elegant!
If Su Mu were here, he would be astonished. In the plot of Honkai Impact 3rd, Yae Sakura's personality wasn't particularly striking; she was a fairly standard character. But once she became a playable character on the Hyperion, players discovered... this girl was a total "Hara-guro" (black-bellied)! That line, "Captain's supplies are all pity-guaranteed, Captain's stages have zero drops," perfectly captured the pink fox's mischievous side!
Later, when Yae Sakura reincarnated in Teyvat as Yae Miko, this trait was dialed up to eleven. The Yae Sakura currently clashing with Otto was undoubtedly exposing her black-bellied nature! An invisible war had begun between them.
After Kallen finished her playtest, she handed the controller back to Otto. "Since you're fine, Sakura and I will head back to shopping."
Yae Sakura glanced at Otto with a teasing look, which clearly said: I'm going back to my date with Kallen, what are you going to do about it?
"Kallen, don't leave just yet. Don't you want to see your story in Honkai Impact 3rd?" Otto grabbed Kallen's hand and sat her back down.
"My story?"
"Yes, the Chronicles have updated a chapter related to you. Aren't you curious?"
"Of course I am!" Kallen's eyes lit up. Although she didn't play games often, her previous experience with Honkai 3rd had convinced her it was an exceptional game. She had it downloaded on her phone, but hadn't pushed the plot very far.
"Then let's start quickly."
Otto watched Kallen click into the Chronicles and open the [Holy Maiden Kallen]chapter, returning Yae Sakura's gaze with equal intensity. Kallen is staying with me, how about that?
Yae Sakura's expression didn't change, but her smirk faltered for a fraction of a second. Otto knew that when the fox wasn't smiling, she was actually a bit annoyed. One for one—a draw.
Though neither spoke, they both silently recorded the score of this exchange. Their synergy was so high they could understand each other's thoughts without words. This was a level even Kallen couldn't reach... not because of a lack of affection, but simply because Kallen Kaslana was... an idiot. An idiot cannot understand the subtle warfare between two "black-bellied" schemers. But the idiot can sit atop both schemers—the classic case of the fool trumping the master.
Under the gazes of the scheming Sakura and Otto, Kallen began the Chronicle story. In the [Holy Maiden Kallen]arc, it told the story of Otto and Kallen's first meeting as children.
In 1465, Otto had spent all night building a small airplane that finally flew, only for it to be shot down by his older brother. "Making those useless things again." Otto tried to climb the wall, but after a struggle, he fell back down. Amidst his brother's mockery, Otto looked at his battered hands and remained silent.
But at that moment—a white-haired girl suddenly appeared on the wall. She climbed over and handed Otto his broken airplane, telling him he would definitely become a great inventor. This was the first time Otto had ever been recognized. When Otto said he could build another one for her, Kallen made a request: "Come and help me save the world!!"
It was that smile that Otto Apocalypse remembered for the rest of his life. From that moment on, Otto's fate was changed by that white-haired girl.
Yae Sakura looked at the screen. "Oh my, that must be a young Mr. Otto. He's quite cute."
Kallen nodded in agreement. "Yes, Otto was indeed cute when he was little, though he was a bit of a crybaby. I remember accidentally breaking one of his toys and making him cry."
Otto added, "That was because you gave me that toy."
[In the game, young Otto and young Kallen meet and learn each other's names. In their conversation, young Kallen expresses her dream of saving the world. This was the beginning of Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie.]
Yae Sakura sighed with apparent regret. "I truly didn't expect such an innocent young Mr. Otto would later become a terrifying demon king."
Because she heard Otto was the villain in Honkai 3rd, Yae Sakura had been aggressively catching up on the lore, even searching through forums for fan theories. Her goal was clear: to find any opportunity to poke at Otto! The war between love rivals was quite simple... but both were putting everything they had into fighting each other!
"Yeah, I didn't expect Otto to become so malicious later," Kallen said unhappily. "Killing Cecilia, leaving Kiana without a mother at such a young age, doing so many cruel things... I hate the Otto in the game!"
Otto knew Kallen's role in the game, but honestly, hearing this made him feel uneasy.
"But, thinking about how Otto did all that just to resurrect me... while I think he was far too extreme, ultimately, it was because of me." Kallen sighed, her expression turning sorrowful. "The reason Otto became so radical later... it must have something to do with me too..."
[As the story progresses, Otto and Kallen grow up together. Their bond deepens through their time together, and feelings begin to develop. For Kallen's wish to save the world, Otto gives his all to help her. However, fate is fickle.
Kallen's father dies in battle. Seeing the heartbroken Kallen, Otto risks danger to unseal the Void Archives. He intends to sacrifice his soul to that demon, offering his life to resurrect Kallen's father. Upon learning of Otto's plan, an emotional Kallen slaps him, telling him her father didn't protect him just for him to do such a thing. Later, she apologizes and asks Otto to help her become stronger, so she can live up to the Kaslana name.
Later, in 1470, the Black Death breaks out in Europe. To avoid being 'left behind' by Kallen and to become a 'great inventor,' Otto conducts human experiments to develop a cure. After Eleanor voluntarily receives the treatment, the experiment succeeds for the first time, curing her. The success of the cure not only saves Eleanor and many others but also brings redemption to Otto, who had been struggling to live up to Kallen's expectations. After her recovery, to repay Otto for saving her life, Eleanor joins Schicksal as a Valkyrie. Otto grants her the surname 'Shariac,' and Eleanor becomes his adoptive sister.]
Although Otto conducted inhumane experiments, his cure did save many who would have died from the plague.
"I don't approve of Otto's methods..." This scene made Kallen sigh. Her sense of justice made her abhor human experimentation.
Yae Sakura commented: "Sacrificing a few to save the many—making such a decision requires no small amount of courage. Otto's methods were indeed inhumane, but credit where it's due, he did save those infected with the Black Death."
Otto was surprised. Was the fox spirit actually speaking well of me?
Yae Sakura continued: "Of course, one does not cancel out the other. From a subjective standpoint, Otto didn't actually want to save the world, did he? He did it solely for his own selfish desires."
Hah, there it is. But she wasn't wrong. Developing the cure and treating the patients... while there was some goodwill involved, the root cause was his pursuit of Kallen's footsteps. Otto didn't refute Sakura's words. It was strange; he could understand and even agree with the actions in the game. It was incredible, like living a new life in a game world.
[Later, in 1475, Schicksal used the power of the Honkai in their decisive battle against the Ming Empire, drawing out an Immortal. No one knew the name or true identity of this Immortal, only that the soldiers called her 'The Immortal' and respected her immensely.]
The appearance of this Immortal left Otto stunned. "I didn't expect this old friend... it seems her identity in the game is quite significant."
Fu Hua and Otto had a deep history; otherwise, Otto wouldn't have asked Fu Hua to oversee the security for Theresa's tour. He trusted Fu Hua, believing her to be an upright, brave person with a strong sense of integrity. That was what he admired most about her.
[In the face of the Immortal, even the power of the Honkai was helpless. Schicksal sent their strongest Valkyrie, Kallen, into battle. Kallen herself did not want to participate, as Schicksal had unknowingly changed. It was no longer an organization that fought the Honkai and protected peace. Full of ambition and mired in a vortex of power and money, Schicksal had become repulsive to Kallen.
Despite her reluctance, under pressure from the high-ranking officials, Kallen was forced to join the eastern expedition. But even Kallen was no match for the Immortal.
"The weapon you use exists to protect humanity. Someone without the resolve to 'protect' cannot unleash its true power."
The Immortal spoke for the first time, her words piercing Kallen's heart like thorns. After Kallen's defeat, Otto arrived. He stood before her, declaring he would protect her even at the cost of his life. The Immortal did not strike them down, choosing to let them leave. Before they left, the Immortal said to Kallen:
"Wielder of the Key... think carefully about what it is you truly wish to protect."
It was these words that woke Kallen up, making her realize the current Schicksal was no longer worth her life. Upon returning to Europe, following the failed expedition, Schicksal issued 'Indulgences' to compensate for war losses, causing great suffering to the populace.]
"That war was unjust! It was only started because the rulers of Schicksal craved power and status!" Kallen clenched her fists in anger. "Those greed-blinded fools! They turned an organization meant to protect the world into this!"
Kallen felt terrible for the version of herself in the game. Was fighting for such an organization truly worth it?
[Kallen and Otto witnessed the strife caused by the Indulgences and the corruption within Schicksal. The people were struggling in misery. Seeing all this, the Immortal's words echoed in Kallen's mind—what should she protect?
Soon, the moment of awakening arrived. In the square, Kallen and Otto witnessed a play performed by Shakespeare, who denounced Schicksal's evils and called for the people to resist. She was surrounded by Schicksal guards, and her mask fell off during the struggle. Kallen donned the mask and rescued Shakespeare, who then gave the mask to Kallen.
That night, Kallen came up with the idea of becoming a phantom thief—she wanted to make the high-ranking official Victor 'cough up some gold' for the people! With Otto's help, Kallen began selecting a thief outfit. She eventually settled on a purple, crow-feather-themed set. This was the attire for [Sixth Serenade].
"But, come to think of it, why do you have so many clothes that fit me so perfectly?" Faced with Kallen's question, Otto replied: "It's a secret."]
Secret? Yae Sakura looked at Otto with a half-smile. She knew exactly what that secret was. In the real world, Otto had a specialized clothing company whose sole purpose was making clothes for Kallen and Theresa. As for why the in-game Otto had so many perfectly-fitting clothes... that was just classic Otto.
"A phantom thief? How interesting! I didn't expect [Sixth Serenade]to have such a backstory! That's so cool!" Kallen didn't mind the small details; her eyes were shining at the sight of herself in the thief outfit! "Is it really me? It's so stylish!"
[The next day, Kallen and Otto sent a calling card to Victor, stating they would come to steal his ill-gotten gains. As for the calling card, it was a trope that a master thief sends a notice before taking their prize. Victor didn't take it seriously until he saw the thief correctly identify the location of his underground treasure. Panicking, Victor ordered the guards to tighten security.
On the night of the heist, Kallen and Otto took action. Before Victor's mansion, a 'beautiful woman' in an elegant green gown and a matching feathered hat, her face hidden behind a black veil, appeared. While passing the mansion, 'she' accidentally fell.
Facing the guards, 'she' reached out. "Could you help me? My leg seems to have... (delivered in a beautiful female voice)." The appearance of this noble lady naturally drew the attention of all the guards, who rushed over. One guard supported 'her,' asking concernedly: "Hurry, someone help this lady!"
This Madam Green Lily... her true identity was... Otto. While Otto distracted the guards, a purple phantom scaled the wall and entered Victor's mansion with ease.]
"O-Otto?!"
Looking at the elegant and charming Madam Green Lily in the game, Kallen's eyes went wide with disbelief! "I didn't expect Otto to make such a huge sacrifice to help me... But Otto looks quite good like that..."
At that moment, Yae Sakura spoke up. "Truly a beautiful and elegant Madam Green Lily, wouldn't you agree, Mr. Otto?"
Yae Sakura's mocking gaze landed on Otto, making his whole body flush with heat!
"I...!?" Otto's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He had never heard that there would be such a scene in the plot!!
END OF CHAPTER
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