The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

"Because I am you, Otto Apocalypse."

A very familiar voice suddenly rang in Otto's mind. It was his own voice, and also... the voice of the Herrscher of the End.

"It's you!?"

Otto's pupils constricted sharply, realizing he had just killed Kallen with his own hands. In an instant, he lost his composure. "No! Impossible! I clearly suppressed your personality, how could it suddenly take control of my body!?"

The voice, filled with laughter and sarcasm, said, "That's right, I was indeed suppressed by you before. I have to admit that your spirit, your madness and obsession even exceeded the expectations of 'God,' but what suppressed me was the incomparably calm, rational, and ruthless Otto Apocalypse, who was willing to destroy everything to achieve his goal, not you as you are now."

"You think you've won just by defeating me once? No, our battle has only just begun, and it will never end as long as you live! Otto was flawless before, but you became complacent after achieving your goal. Karen is your weakness; your mind is unsettled and full of flaws under her influence, so I easily broke free from your suppression, and with a gentle push fueled by jealousy... See, isn't this an interesting scene?"

Otto was startled, and then...

"I see."

His voice was steady; he had regained his composure once more.

The Herrscher of the End was speechless for a moment, then said with a mixture of surprise and disbelief, "You... you actually..."

"Do you think I'll break down here, revealing even bigger flaws, and then give you the opportunity to suppress my consciousness in return?"

Otto spoke coldly, carefully setting Karen down.

"you……"

"Foolish! Even if Kallen dies, she can just be resurrected, right? You think you can defeat me, Otto, with something like this? Just how much do you underestimate me?"

Having said that, she once again suppressed the Herrscher of the End's personality back to the bottom of her consciousness. Then, ignoring the Herrscher's final bark that said, "Don't be too happy yet, our battle is not over," she gently pulled out the mimicked Black Abyss White Flower, preparing to revive Kallen once more.

But then, a loud bang was heard, the hall shook, dust fell from the ceiling, and the entire underground foundation trembled.

Otto paused, then ignored her, staring at Kallen as he continued the resurrection process.

……

At the same time, in the fate of the higher levels of the base, the purple cocoon that nurtured the body of the First Herrscher also trembled and shook with the tremors of the base, and then suddenly exploded, revealing a tall figure.

"Fifty thousand years of imprisonment... Finally... Finally, I am free again!!"

Overjoyed at his newfound life, Moro roared to the heavens.

The next moment, a voice suddenly rang out behind him, "Hey buddy, you're naked in Antarctica, you're so sexy."

Chapter Seventy You are already dead

Who is it?!

Moro was startled and turned around abruptly, only to find that there was nothing behind him.

Just then, a voice rang out from above, "Where are you looking? I'm right above you."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a heavy weight pressing down on his head. If it weren't for the fact that his Herrscher body was much stronger than a human's, he would have been crushed to the ground due to the uneven force. However, Herrschers are not known for their physical strength, and being suddenly pressed down like that, he immediately felt a pain in his neck, lost his balance, and almost fell.

Su Qi stood atop Moro's head in a one-legged stance, arms crossed, as steady as a mountain. He occasionally dodged Moro's swaying attacks from below, yet remained firmly planted on his head. He casually remarked, "When I watched Dragon Ball, I always wanted to try it out, to see if I could add any special effects. Now it seems it really does give you a strong sense of superiority. And your head shape is quite nice; it feels good to step on."

"asshole……"

Moro felt like he was about to go crazy with anger. As the First Herrscher, even when he was sealed in the Divine Key, he still maintained the air of a behind-the-scenes boss. He had never been insulted like this before.

"I'm going to kill you!!"

Unable to escape the relentless trampling of his enemies above, he was furious and extremely nervous, even harboring a fear he didn't want to admit. So he immediately went all out, using his abilities to project a large number of simulated Heavenly Fire Judgments around him, aiming his gun at Su Qi above at an upward angle.

But before he could fire, a golden feather suddenly fell before his eyes.

For a moment, Moro's eyes glazed over, his consciousness momentarily blurred, and then...

"You are already dead."

As the words reached his ears, he saw a person suddenly appear in front of him. A young Asian man with black hair and black eyes, dressed in a black, futuristic, body-hugging combat suit. In his hand, the man held a blood-red, black, rhomboid gem, emanating a massive Honkai energy fluctuation that felt extremely familiar to him, along with a sense of resonance that felt as if they were connected by blood.

No, that's my... my Herrscher Core!?

Moro instantly realized something, his pupils contracted sharply, his face turned deathly pale, and he looked down to find a gaping hole in his chest that had somehow been ripped open. Because the movement was so fast, he hadn't even felt the pain at the time, until now…

when?

He collapsed to the ground in disbelief, his Honkai energy rapidly draining away at an alarming rate. His body, constructed entirely of Honkai energy, quickly disintegrated due to the loss of Honkai energy and the lack of cohesion from the Herrscher core.

Obviously, although a Herrscher's vitality is much stronger than that of an ordinary person, it is impossible to survive an injury of this magnitude, with a hole the size of a human head in the chest and the Herrscher's core being taken away.

No! How can I die here?! How can I die here?! I've been imprisoned for fifty thousand years, just gained my freedom, just regained my body, and I haven't even had a chance to do anything yet! How can I die here without knowing why?! I can't die! I can't die! I must live! I must live, ...

Moro lay on the ground, staring intently at Su Qi's feet, roaring furiously in his heart as he struggled to stop his body from disintegrating, to reclaim the Herrscher core, and to prolong the freedom and life he had just gained.

But now, without his Herrscher core, his abilities are ineffective, and his mind can no longer distort reality. Ultimately, he can only fall into the abyss of despair, his body gradually disintegrating. In the end, only his head remains, still staring at Su Qi with intense resentment, cursing him in the most vicious words in his heart, before facing his end with fear and venom.

Thus, the previous generation's first Herrscher, who had just regained his freedom, didn't even have a minute to enjoy the air of freedom before he collapsed on the spot.

Su Qi paid no attention to Moro's final struggle, not even glancing down at it. After issuing his death declaration, he briefly examined the new Herrscher core before casually storing it in his personal space. He then began to ponder the information he had stolen from Moro's mind using Feather of Dust.

"I eliminated the hidden dangers on the paramecium first, but Otto became the Herrscher of the End... miHoYo, this script is not right! In addition, does the Herrscher of the End really have the ability to resurrect someone who has been dead for five hundred years? There is no underworld or ghosts in this world. Although living beings have souls, they are closely connected to their bodies due to the rules of the world. Once the body is destroyed, the soul will basically vanish on the spot without special means of preservation... How can someone who has been dead for five hundred years be truly resurrected under such circumstances?"

Su Qi was, after all, a former Shaman King, so he was a professional. Not to mention, he also possessed targeted spiritual power. Even without specifically studying the rules of the soul in this world, he could get a general idea just by observing and perceiving them.

In his view, it would be very difficult for the dead to be resurrected in this world, let alone someone from 500 years ago. Even with the Herrscher of Death and the Black Abyss White Flower, the key of the gods, in both the Honkai Impact 3rd manga and game, the most they could do was repair damaged bodies; the true resurrection of the dead had never occurred.

As for the legend that the previous generation's Herrscher of Death had swapped the souls of others, that was just a soul swap, just a legend, and it was completely different from the difficulty of resurrecting someone after five hundred years.

"If the Herrscher of the End, or the Will of Honkai, can really revive Kallen and do something like time reversal, then we need to rethink their strategy level."

Su Qi frowned slightly, then put aside his worries for the time being. With a flash, he broke the sound barrier and rushed straight to the hall where Karen's body was kept, based on the information he had obtained from Moro.

……

On the other side, on the ground next to the crystal coffin, Otto held Karen and repeated the previous process, successfully resurrecting her once again.

"Otto?"

Karen, lying in his arms, slowly opened her eyes, regaining consciousness. At first, she was confused and puzzled, then subconsciously looked down at her chest and exclaimed in surprise, "You...resurrected me again?"

Otto said with a guilty and uneasy expression, "I'm sorry, I haven't been able to completely suppress the Herrscher consciousness within me. It was he who suddenly took control of my body and hurt you. If I hadn't been able to revive you again now... it seems I would have had to atone with my death."

Karen didn't speak, but just stared at him quietly for a while before sighing softly and standing up from his embrace.

"Karen, are you angry?"

Otto's heart tightened, and he immediately stood up to ask, his tone tinged with anxiety and panic. Whether it was true or false, only he knew.

Karen shook her head. "No, how could I be angry? I was able to be resurrected thanks to you, so even if you want to take this life back, I won't have any complaints."

"No! How could that be? If it weren't for that damned Herrscher, how could I possibly hurt you?"

"What about the others?" She stared into Otto's eyes and suddenly asked, "Now that you have the power of a Herrscher, it seems you could lose control at any moment. It doesn't matter if I am affected this time, but if it's others... even if you can revive them, they can't just pretend nothing happened, right?"

Otto's expression froze slightly, then he smiled wryly and said, "That's right, I didn't expect things to turn out this way either. Karen, what do you think I should do?"

"I don't know... You've always been the one who comes up with solutions between us, haven't you? So please use your wisdom, which you're so proud of, to come up with a solution that satisfies both sides."

"Why don't you kill me to eliminate future troubles for all of humanity?"

"I can not do it."

Will you run away from me?

"how is this possible?"

Karen looked at him with genuine sincerity and said earnestly, "Otto, don't overthink it. You are my most important friend. Even if you accidentally kill me many times, I will never abandon you."

They're just friends... It's okay, I still have a chance...

Savoring the bittersweet feelings in his heart, Otto tugged at the corners of his mouth and smiled, "Thank you. As long as the strongest Valkyrie is by my side to protect me, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Karen gave a wry smile. "Otto, shouldn't I be the one thanking you? Besides, compared to you now, I should be the one being protected."

“Then let’s protect each other. I hope someone can stop me in time if I lose control, and Karen, you are the most suitable person.”

"Yes, I will definitely do my best to help."

As the two spoke, it was as if they had returned to the days five hundred years ago when they formed a partnership to become phantom thieves, robbing the rich to help the poor. The slightly subtle atmosphere from before gradually softened.

Just then, a hoarse and cold voice suddenly rang out, "Why don't you let me join in and help? My way of helping might be a bit rough and physical, but I guarantee the effect will be excellent."

who!?

The two were startled and turned to look at the source of the sound. They saw a mysterious figure in a black cloak and pointed hood, with only his eyes showing, slowly walking out from the shadows at the entrance of the hall.

Who are you?

Looking at the strange attire of the newcomer, Otto frowned slightly, his eyes cold. As he asked the question, he already had a vague guess in his heart.

After all, this is his most secret and important underground base. Even Durandal or Fu Hua at their peak could not possibly break through the layers of barriers he set up in a short time and arrive at this place located in the deepest part. So there is basically only one answer...

"Duo Mo, I am Su Qidesu, the leader and chief executioner of the FFF group."

As the newcomer spoke, his cloak and hood swiftly transformed into a stylish black combat suit, revealing Su Qi's face.

Otto narrowed his eyes, showing no surprise. "Su Qi, it really is you."

Su Qi stopped a short distance away from the two men, puffed out his chest, and said, "That's right, it is indeed me, the handsome, dashing, and debonair Su."

At this point, his face darkened, and a strong killing intent appeared in his eyes. He said coldly, "Otto, as a veteran member of the group for five hundred years, you actually want to secretly leave the group behind everyone's back. Your crime is unforgivable! Today, I, Su, will act on behalf of Heaven and smash you to pieces!"

Karen, standing nearby, glanced at Su Qi, then at Otto, and asked, completely bewildered, "Otto, what is he talking about?"

"Don't mind him, he just likes to talk nonsense and say things that others can't understand."

After saying that, Otto stared coldly at Su Qi, "No need for nonsense. Your purpose in coming here is to get rid of me, right? However, Karen's affairs have nothing to do with us, so don't involve her."

"Karen..."

Su Qi's gaze fell on Kallen, and after examining her for a while, a slight smile appeared on his lips. "Otto, do you think this young lady is Kallen Kaslana, the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal who was active five hundred years ago?"

A sense of unease and slight doubt rose in his heart, and Otto frowned slightly and said, "Of course, my goal has been achieved. Standing before you is the former Holy Maiden of Destiny, the real Karen."

What does "that person" mean?

Feeling slightly confused and displeased by Su Qi's gaze and words, Kallen said seriously, "I am Kallen Kaslana. May I ask what advice you have for me?"

Su Qi didn't answer, but only sighed softly, "Otto, you really are pathetic, pathetic, and despicable..."

Otto's gaze grew even colder. "Su Qi, do you think it's interesting to show off your mystique in front of me?"

Su Qi smiled, "It is indeed very interesting, but since you have such strong opinions, I will mercifully give you a brief explanation... The lady standing in front of us now is not Karen Kaslana from five hundred years ago."

Otto's heart sank slightly, but given the other party's despicable character, it was possible that he was deliberately lying to tease him, so he did not easily believe him. He simply retorted coldly, "Do you think you can deceive me with just a few words? I have preserved Kallen's body for five hundred years, and I personally used my abilities to resurrect her. I know very well that the one standing next to me now is the real Kallen Kaslana."