"Distortion and contradiction have always been synonymous with Otto Apocalypse. Please don't dwell on it too much. Though you and I are destined to be mortal enemies, that does not change my admiration, my respect… and my envy."
Otto gazed at Elias with deep emotion.
Standing at the pinnacle of humanity, Otto looked upon the dying Herrscher boy before him, his eyes filled with nothing but sincere envy.
Yes, how could he not be envious?
This young man had saved those he loved.
He led them out of hell, endured countless dangers, withstood every assault Otto threw at him, and changed the outcome of every tragedy, creating miracles time and time again.
Even though he was now destined to die here, he had protected every single one of his loved ones. How could Otto Apocalypse not be filled with jealousy?
This boy was a true hero.
Oh, how Otto wished that he too could have been a hero like Elias in the past! But that chance had slipped away from him five hundred years ago. And for the five hundred years that followed, all that remained was regret.
"Rest assured, Herrscher of the Void. I will not target Kiana any further. After all, my goal is already within reach. Once I take your core, there will be no reason to harm her."
"I've already told you—the Herrscher of Death cannot accomplish the feat of resurrection."
"…Herrscher of the Void, you who have protected everything you cherish, cannot possibly understand the obsession of a fool who has endured loss for over five hundred years."
"It's like a man who has fallen into the abyss. When he is completely hopeless, even the smallest thread of a spider's silk hanging before him will seem like a lifeline, and he will reach for it with everything he has."
"Perhaps you are right, and the Herrscher of Death cannot fulfill my wish. But… as long as there is even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I must try for myself, until I am completely out of hope."
Otto clenched his fists tightly, his voice filled with despair, obsession, and hysteria. He was the man who had fallen into the abyss of despair—
He had long since been consumed by madness.
"Haha… cough cough… that's true…"
Elias coughed, yet managed to let out a chuckle.
Otto wasn't wrong—Elias truly could not understand his pain, because he had managed to protect everything that was important to him. And at that thought, Elias couldn't help but smile with pride.
Even if this was how things ended—
Did Otto win? No.
Did Elias lose? Even less so!
In this world, there was rarely such a clear distinction between victory and defeat. In the end, it was only a matter of who had gained more. And from that perspective, Elias felt he had won overwhelmingly.
He had prevented all the tragedies that should have unfolded during the Second Eruption. He had taken all the pain and suffering and placed it upon himself—a person who did not originally exist in this timeline, whose death would not affect his original worldline.
And Otto?
He had lost all of his S-rank Valkyries.
He had lost countless elite Valkyries, Divine Keys, and had suffered an unprecedented blow to Schicksal itself.
Even if he had acquired four Herrscher Cores in the process—so what? Elias knew very well that Otto's dream would never come true.
In the end, Otto had not won. Not even a little.
"Cough cough! You say you won't harm Kiana anymore, but I doubt you'll return her to Cecilia either. If that's the case, then make a vow. Swear that you will never harm Kiana Kaslana."
"Does it even matter? My oath is nothing more than a liar's promise. Though it feels strange to say this myself, Otto Apocalypse is a thorough liar—completely unworthy of trust."
"Of course, I know what a bastard you are. Tch, I wasn't entirely sure before, but after experiencing it firsthand, I understand completely now. So… swear it using the name of the most important person in your heart."
Elias locked eyes with Otto as he spoke.
"Otherwise, I'll detonate the core right now, and you'll get nothing."
He had to force this man to swear. Otto Apocalypse was a hopeless liar, but there was one thing he would never dare to profane—
Kallen Kaslana's name.
She was the one sacred, untouchable place in Otto's heart, something he would never defile.
"Ah… fine then, Herrscher of the Void. I swear upon my saint, Kallen, that from now on, I will never harm Kiana Kaslana. If I break this vow…"
"You will never have another chance to resurrect her in this lifetime! Hahahaha, that's good enough."
"You—!!"
Before Otto could finish his oath, Elias had already completed the punishment for breaking it. Otto's lips twitched uncontrollably, and a surge of killing intent flared up from within him.
He had genuinely intended to let Kiana be. For once, he thought it wouldn't hurt to swear even in Kallen's name.
But the consequence Elias had forced upon him was simply too heavy to bear.
"Since when does someone else get to decide the price of another's oath? Herrscher of the Vo—wait, your time is almost up."
Just as Otto was about to vent his anger, he abruptly paused.
"Hm? Ah… it seems so."
Elias was momentarily stunned, then noticed that his body was beginning to fade into nothingness. The effect of [Battle Continuation EX] had less than thirty seconds left.
Seizing this final moment, Elias gently squeezed the cheeks of the white-haired girl in his arms one last time and spoke tenderly.
"Ich liebe dich. Consider that my message to you on behalf of your mother, Kiana."
Then, turning back to Otto, Elias' expression changed. With a brilliant smile, he declared,
"Otto Apocalypse, from this moment on, I am no longer speaking to you as a human, but as a Herrscher—a messenger of the divine. One day, you will resurrect your saint."
His words struck Otto like a thunderbolt.
The previously composed man instantly tensed. Just as he opened his mouth to demand an explanation, Elias pointed at Kiana and continued,
"You will have the chance to make amends for your regret from five hundred years ago and bring back the one you love. I know that this miracle does exist in the future you strive for. But… if you ever dare to harm Kiana, I guarantee that miracle will vanish from your future forever!"
"Wait—Herrscher of the Void! What do you mean? The future? Just how much do you know?!"
But this time, Otto received no answer.
Elias' body dissolved into shimmering particles of light, leaving behind nothing but four dim, cracked Herrscher Cores scattered upon the ground.
"..."
The fool stood in silent contemplation, staring at the remnants before him.
Then, after a long pause, Otto Apocalypse covered his face with one hand and let out a roaring laugh.
"Hmph… Hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA! Even in the very end, you still pull something like this! Fine, fine—I'll admit it."
His clenched fists trembled as he fixated on the space where Elias had vanished, as if the boy's soul still lingered there.
"You win, Herrscher of the Void!"
In the end, Otto picked up the Herrscher Cores from the ground and instructed Amber to take good care of the unconscious Kiana, emphasizing that nothing must happen to her.
"Who would have thought… truly, who would have thought that Otto Apocalypse would one day believe in the words of a god?"
Even though Elias' words had no proof—
Otto still couldn't stop himself from hoping.
He couldn't help but wonder: since the boy was a Herrscher, a so-called apostle of the Will of Honkai, could he truly possess some unknown power to glimpse into the distant future?
Moreover, when Elias had previously denied having the Herrscher of Death's powers, Otto had seen through his lie. But this time, he could find no trace of deception in Elias' words.
Which meant… Elias truly believed that Otto would one day resurrect Kallen. Otto had no idea how he knew this, but that was enough to plant the seed of hope within him.
And so—
Harming Kiana was no longer an option.
If keeping Kiana safe was a necessary condition for Kallen's resurrection, then Otto would never dare to overstep that boundary. In fact, he would go so far as to ensure her absolute protection.
Thus, in the end—
Elias had won.
Even in his final moments, even without the power to fight, he had still managed to protect the ones he cherished.