Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players-Chapter 190: Otto Apocalypse’s Final Act

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At the end of the world, only exceptionally unique beings could reach this place—the origin of the Imaginary Tree. Otto had finally arrived here.

After leaving the church, without Ana's power masking him, he now appeared both disheveled and frail.

Indeed, their performance at the church was merely a staged act by Otto and Ana.

Of course, the roles they played were polar opposites.

Let me briefly explain Ana's situation as well.

Upon embracing the Cocoon and fully digesting its core, Ana gained insight into its essence and purpose.

The Cocoon, or rather, the entity behind it, sought a true deity capable of breaking established laws—an Aeon, in cosmic terms.

The Cocoon's existence aimed to identify individuals with potential to become Aeons, assisting them in their ascension. Naturally, even after ascending, reaching that ultimate level remained elusive; however, it significantly increased their chances.

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Beyond the solar system of the Honkai World lies a powerful narrative energy barrier, signifying that this unexplored star domain has yet to be influenced by any Aeon's will.

Only in such places is it possible for genuine transcenders to emerge.

What Ana chose to do was accept this power, complete her ascension, and metamorphose like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. To achieve this, she cultivated a Divine Self within the Cocoon. By separating the Divine Self, Ana could attain a freedom distinct from Sa's.

On one hand, she would possess a Divine Self surpassing ordinary gods, embodying Rationality and Laws. Additionally, her True Self, Ego, and Superego could coexist, continuing to form the original essence of Ana.

However, before emerging from the cocoon like a butterfly, all aspects of her self must make certain sacrifices - hence the origin of those chains.

Of course, these sacrifices are limited in nature and cannot be considered true constraints or bindings; they merely represent a state of mind.

The Ana avatars traversing various worlds function similarly to Sa's proxies, yet they are extensions of Ana's will, not mere fabricated tools.

Using Sa as an analogy, Ana's avatars serve as her "tentacles."

And due to the Cocoon of Finality, Ana's "tentacles" can reach further, exerting greater influence.

Naturally, this is just an analogy. In reality, Ana enjoys even more freedom, thanks to the Cocoon's proximity to Earth within the intrinsic world.

It might seem as though Ana, the Lord of Finality, falls short compared to Sa... Indeed, that is correct.

The Cocoon's power is indeed stronger and operates on a higher level than Sa, but accepting this power also entails greater constraints. The Cocoon truly seeks an Aeon, capable of existing as a concept within the galaxy.

Instead, it has become reliant upon itself, creating a self-imposed prison akin to drawing boundaries everywhere.

Within the unexplored Honkai solar system, dominance can be maintained, but if external forces were to infiltrate, this exceptional status might be shattered. To some extent, Sa has already slightly disrupted it.

Unfortunately, Sa is trapped within the solar system, unable to escape, leading to a hopeless deadlock. The disparity in positional hierarchy prevents Sa from overcoming the outer imaginary internal energy barrier, confining its influence solely within the solar system.

Inevitably, being annihilated by the End Insect seems like a foregone conclusion. It's akin to facing a boss right before you, with no means of fleeing; death is merely a matter of time, prolonging only delays the inevitable.

What Sa attempted was essentially self-rescue. However, due to certain circumstances, Sa missed the most feasible opportunity for salvation and instead descended into the Abyss.

Before the Imaginary Tree, Otto didn't have to wait long.

In fact, it could be said that he hardly waited at all, as there was no need for Ana's True Self to arrive separately. Her avatar had already descended here earlier.

The Cocoon of Finality was inherently connected to the Imaginary Tree by principles of existence. Under specific circumstances, the cocoon can be considered part of the tree itself.

Within moments, Ana's presence reached Otto's side.

However, she did not materialize.

It was quite simple; the Imaginary Tree had anticipated Otto's intentions and activated its self-defense mechanisms to obstruct him.

If Ana were to intervene directly now, her avatar would be perceived as an intrusion, leaving little room for argument.

After all, the Imaginary Tree occasionally performs self-purging, and affecting parallel worlds during this process is entirely normal.

"Don't worry, I'll step in at the crucial moment. Until then, you're on your own, Otto."

Ana's voice echoed in Otto's ears, but he did not respond. Instead, he gazed at the distant Imaginary Tree and began limping towards it.

As Otto trudged forward, he murmured to himself, reminiscing about his past and memories.

It's often said that when nearing death, one's life flashes before their eyes like a movie. Currently, Otto existed in a Schrödinger-like state, neither fully alive nor dead.

Undeniably, however, his journey was indeed approaching its end.

Ana's avatar remained hidden in the shadows, silently observing and listening as the Fool recounted his life story. Sadly, this grand and tumultuous existence had only one true audience here—her alone.

In the game, certain details were condensed for brevity, but in reality, Otto narrated his tale with greater depth and verbosity.

After all, this truly marked the end of his path.

Ana listened quietly, accompanying Otto on his final journey. He couldn't see her; only Ana could witness Otto's pilgrimage.

However, she would be unable to follow him further along this path.

The protective mechanisms of the Imaginary Tree were now coming into play. Overstepping boundaries as a single individual posed one level of difficulty, but attempting it with two people increased the challenge tenfold.

Ultimately, the magnitude of the Imaginary Tree far surpassed anything the Cocoon of Finality could contend with.

"I'm back, Kallen..."

As Otto's words echoed, he officially entered the domain of the Imaginary Tree, signifying the descent of its governing laws.

"Only when one truly seeks to change the world do they realize how...utterly insignificant their power is."

"The world is chaotic, neither fair nor reasonable. It persecutes heroes while nurturing villains, filled with ugliness and devoid of beauty..."

With each word from Otto, crimson figures emerged from the scarlet earth, transforming into shadows resembling his appearance.

Seeing them, Otto sneered and raised his hand.

The legendary Pure Love Greatsword - Phantom-Imitation: Judgment of Shamash appeared!

Silver light streamed forth amidst the shadows, enveloping the golden greatsword and causing it to transform - now becoming Phantom-Imitation: Might of An-Utu!

"Treasure this singular opportunity."

A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out; it was Kevin's voice. The assistance moments ago had indeed originated from him, albeit fundamentally driven by Ana's intervention.

Otto did not respond but silently lifted the Might of An-Utu.

At that moment, there was no way for him to repay the favor; all he could do was seize this chance and give it his all.

"Let the malevolent god sever the world's malice!"

As Otto uttered these words, Might of An-Utu ignited with raging flames in his hand.

In the original storyline, he would sprint forward, leap high, and deliver a powerful downward strike. However, now bolstered by Kevin's enhancement, the power within Might of An-Utu surpassed that of the Judgment of Shamash.

Otto swung Might of An-Utu forcefully, its sword aura carrying terrifying inferno-like energy as it sliced towards the distant shadows. Instantly, numerous figures disintegrated into ash.

Yet more shadows emerged from the ground, encircling Otto.

Undeterred, Otto repeatedly struck with Might of An-Utu, annihilating these monstrous entities one after another.

However, the granted strength had its limits. Soon, the flames on Might of An-Utu extinguished, reverting it back to the Cleaver of Shamash. Several shadows seized this opportunity to attack Otto.

Gritting his teeth, Otto transformed the Void Archives into Phantom-Imitation Abyss Flower White.

"Bishop Otto, consider this repayment for your mentorship!" Durandal's voice echoed, infusing new energy into the Phantom-Imitation Abyss Flower White. Holding the Abyss Flower, Otto let out a determined cry and met the charging shadows head-on.

With swift precision, the spear tip pierced through the shadows, impaling them onto its shaft.

"How about I add some flavor?" A playful voice chimed in as crimson energy infused the Abyss Flower, instantly extending the length of the spear. This maneuver resembled Cecilia's technique from Siberia, but this time, it was aided by Ana—the version who had just arrived from her own world.

The blood-red glow cut through the darkness, swiftly carving a path. However, the surrounding shadows did not falter despite their comrades' demise; instead, they surged forward relentlessly.

In response, Otto decisively abandoned the Abyss Flower and rapidly retreated. Then, a pair of Xuanyuan Swords materialized in his hands.

"Hey, Raksha, you better don't lose now," echoed a girl's voice as she channeled power into the Xuanyuan Swords. Without hesitation, Otto swung them, decimating the nearby shadows one after another.

From afar, more shadows continued to emerge incessantly, converging and ultimately fusing into a monstrous entity. To Otto, its appearance was all too familiar—his worst nightmare incarnate, the true culprit behind Kallen's tragic death!

With a furious roar, the behemoth swung its razor-sharp claws at Otto. Instead of evading, he chose to confront it head-on, but his strength ultimately proved insufficient against such an adversary.

In an instant, the Xuanyuan Sword shattered in Otto's hand, and he was sent flying backward, barely managing to halt his momentum with the broken blade upon hitting the ground.

The giant beast launched another attack amidst a cloud of dust.

However, this time, the monster's strike missed its target.

Otto slid beneath the behemoth, evading effortlessly. Simultaneously, the Void Archives transformed once more into Phantom-Imitation Judah. Golden chains emerged from all directions, ensnaring the creature and pinning it firmly in place.

"Grandpa..." Otto's lips curved upwards into a smile.

Golden light shimmered, securely binding the colossal beast. The Authority of Binding truly lived up to being one of the most potent abilities.

Taking advantage of the brief momentary immobilization, Otto leaped forward and forcefully slammed Judah onto the giant creature.

"Do you know how many ways there are to use Judah?"

The colossal beast's head was brutally crushed by Judah, causing it to collapse with a thunderous crash. Exhausted, Otto also fell to the ground, much like Raiden Mei once did, tumbling several times.

With this final effort, Otto now stood mere steps away from the Imaginary Tree.

Gazing at the tree so close within reach, Otto, ever cautious and vigilant throughout his life, experienced a moment of relaxation for the first time. Slowly standing up, he...reached out towards the Imaginary Tree.

Just as Otto was about to touch it, a sharp spike pierced through his heart.

This sudden turn of events caused Otto's pupils to contract sharply. Simultaneously, more spikes shot towards him, leaving no chance for evasion.

All these attacks originated from behind Otto, emanating from the colossal beast that had recently collapsed.

It eerily mirrored the scene from five hundred years ago.

"The last step, let me help you!"

In the midst of utter silence, an icy blue katana descended from the sky, severing several black spikes. With a crisp sound, all the spikes impaling Otto were shattered, and his wounds began to heal gradually.

However, Otto's health bar no longer changed.

"Go forth and do as you wish."

Otto did not respond to the voice but reached out towards the Imaginary Tree once more. This time, he finally made true contact with it.

As Otto touched the Imaginary Tree, its previously tranquil state shifted, giving birth to new branches.

Without a doubt, Otto...he succeeded.

He managed to create a new world line in the past, where Kallen could now survive.

The price for his actions was that Otto Apocalypse himself would vanish from the Imaginary Tree. Except for a select few, others would forget his existence entirely.

In essence, Otto had sacrificed himself to replace Kallen.

With the emergence of the new world line, Otto transformed into a streak of light and merged into the Imaginary Tree.

After an unknown period, only when everything returned to calm did Ana reappear before the Imaginary Tree, all traces of chaos having vanished.

Ana picked up her Divine Key from the ground and carefully stored it away.

Then, she turned to gaze upon the Imaginary Tree before her. From her perspective, every world line within the tree was clearly visible.

Soon, Ana located the world line Otto had created for Kallen. As she observed, she witnessed Otto's final moments.

As Otto completely dissolved, scattering like twilight hues across the world, it marked the end of everything associated with him.

Ana's eyes flickered, contemplating this new reality. Unbidden, fresh ideas emerged within her mind.