Goddammit, Otto!
When Mikoto was 15 years old,
This is only my third time traveling through the Imaginary Tree, yet why does it have to be this place? It doesn't make any sense.
I dodge to the left, narrowly evading the heavy sword as it passes just inches from where I stood moments ago. Panic grips me; I'm in a dire situation. The power of the Herrscher of Reason, which I've copied from Bronya, and the Herrscher of Thunder, borrowed from Mei, can't save me from this formidable opponent.
"Stay right there, heathen!" the rose-haired knight grits her teeth in anger.
"Fuck you!" I shout back, though it's probably not the wisest choice of words given my current disadvantage. Oh crap! I channel the Herrscher of Thunder's power to accelerate my movements, narrowly avoiding another lethal slash from the knight's heavy sword.
"Moonlight Throne, fire!" I created Moonlight Throne with the Herrscher of Reason's ability and proceed to fire at her.
"Such weakness!" She slashes away the laser blast from the Moonlight Throne.
A trace of fear flashes in my eyes as I stare at her strength. Man, even Goddess Tuna was stopped for a while with Moonlight Throne yet this knight is still going strong without an injury.
"Er, guys? A little help here?" I call out to my comrades for help with my dire situation.
"Can't!" a girl nearby responds, locked in her own intense battle against a white-haired girl clad in black armor.
"Mei, here!" I shout and quickly create a Plasma Kagehide using the Herrscher of Reason's power as soon as I see her sword break from the pressure of her opponent. This katana is Raiden Ryoma's magnum opus, and it has the ability to freeze Honkai Herrschers.
Mei somersaults to catch the weapon I threw into the air. "You have my thanks, Mikoto," she says as she leaps onto a building.
I'm in no mood for thanks; I'm literally fighting for my life. My opponent can hold her own against multiple Herrschers, not on KEVIN's level but definitely ranking high among the Flame Chasers.
"Stay still!" she shouts, swinging her heavy sword toward me, straight at my face. Mei's Herrscher of Thunder powers continue to save me by jolting my muscles, making me move faster and faster. But I doubt I can maintain this pace; my muscles are already aching.
"In a minute, Mikoto!" the blonde bastard responds to my earlier question. Wait, where is his voice coming from? A church? What's that bastard doing there? Is Kallen heading there?
Don't tell me they're planning to kill Inklessin? No, no, no, no, no! If they eliminate her, that abomination will descend upon this world. I tried to warn them, but my current opponent isn't giving me any openings.
"Don't you dare take your eyes off me!" she shouts in anger. For her, I am part of the rebels, disturbing the peaceful lives in this city... at least, that's what I would think if I didn't know anything about her real self. The true her is just someone who always follows orders.
Goddammit! I'm not even a resident of this world, yet am I bound to suffer the influence of that thing? Should I bail out of this place, return to my Imaginary Branch without doing anything? But there is a risk of that thing following me back. I can't take that chance.
The best course of action might be to let Kallen consume her soul. I've known her for nearly half a year, but it might be the best solution. I can't think of any alternatives.
"Crap," I mutter, looking at the giant statue resembling Inklessin that has appeared in the town. It descended sooner than I expected.
"Will of the Abyss," my voice trembles.
"You!" my opponent grabs my collar and demands to know, "What do you know about that thing?"
"Quick! I don't have time to fight with you, Zofia!" I shout, slapping her hand away from my collar before placing my hands on her shoulders. "You need to evacuate the city's civilians! I believe Kallen City is the safest place right now!" I raise my voice, trying to reach through to her.
"Why should I listen to you?" she growls, her stubbornness making me furious.
"There's no time!" I argue, pointing at the white statues emerging from the deceased. "The more people we let die, the more of those things we'll have to deal with!" The sight of those eerie white statues gives me chills, and I want to keep them as far away from me as possible.
I think my words finally break through Zofia's resistance. "I'll get it done right away," she responds before leaving with her Army of War. This is the first time I have questioned my luck. Zofia was… persuade very easily. Has my protagonist aura finally started working?
(Zofia's Picture)
Now, I finally have a moment to catch my breath. Zofia's attacks were relentless, and I had to give everything I had to survive them. Now, I inspect my injuries: a few cuts on my hands and face, and a gaping wound on the side of my stomach. It's a miracle I'm still alive.
How much of a monster is Zofia? I couldn't beat her even when using the powers of both the Herrscher of Reason and the Herrscher of Thunder. Are all Knights of Apokalypse this strong? But that's a question for another time; right now, I have to face an enemy that can attack across multiple parallel worlds.
"Fuck," I hiss, feeling the pain. "I should've warned them not to kill Inklessin," I grumble in pain. But then again, Inklessin would find other ways to provoke us into killing her. And for the coup d'état to succeed, we have to kill her for her preaching of Saint.
Inklessin, the worshiper of Houkai, is not someone I want to deal with, not in the past, not now, and not in the future. But first, I need to survive this ordeal.
"Any good ideas to survive this?" I ask the two individuals standing to my left.
"Ahaha," the man laughs nervously. "I don't think I do," he replies.
"We must prevent it from fully descending into our world," the woman from the other pair to my right responds.
"So?" I hiss as Mei begins bandaging my stomach wound. "How should we deal with it, Fu Hua?" I turn to one of the most powerful warriors in this world.
"I will find a way in the meantime," she answers. Well, I hope so, because I can't tell her to do what her canon-self did without feeling guilty. I can't ask her to sacrifice everything so that I can survive, can I?
But before I can respond to her, I feel a strange sensation, as if I'm being hypnotized. It's the Will of the Abyss.
I won't share the details of my nightmare, but I can say this much: on that day, before my bastard friend Number 2 Otto and Fu Hua managed to get me out of the hypnosis, I, Rekka Mikoto, had reincarnated and died over 700 times.
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On this day, we lost a lot. A dear friend is gone, and another lies in a coma. The city, once a vibrant haven, now lies in ruins. Kolosten's beauty is a distant memory, replaced by the devastation wrought by the battle that tore through its streets. The flames dance uncontrollably, and an eerie silence blankets the once-thriving metropolis. Our rebel group, a mere handful of survivors, stands amidst the desolation. Three souls endure, while one remains trapped in the depths of unconsciousness.
Questions plague my thoughts. Could this tragedy have been averted if I had warned Otto and Kallen against confronting Inklessin? Am I not strong enough to protect those I care about? The weight of these questions presses down on me as I hold the body of Fu Hua, humanity's once-mightiest weapon against the Houkai. No, she wasn't just a weapon; she was a friend. My gaze shifts from the desolate cityscape to her peaceful form.
The legendary Jingwei now rests in a deep slumber. I believe she'll be like this for another 500 years. Perhaps she deserves this respite after the trials we faced today. The battle against the Will of the Abyss revealed how insignificant I am against these otherworldly forces. Even against Zofia, the Knight of War, I struggled. It's clear I need more training.
"Thank you, Mikoto," Otto's voice breaks through, teeth gritted as he surveys the wreckage of our hometown. "Without you, the casualties would have been far greater."
"There's no one left in the city, Otto," I reply solemnly. "Almost all have been turned into statues. There may be survivors outside, but within the city, it's a graveyard."
"All four of the Knights of Apocalypse are dead," I sigh heavily. While their demise is a relief, it also means a significant loss in battle power for us. Zofia, in particular, was a formidable force, rivaling the strength of a MANTIS. Losing such a potent ally is undoubtedly a setback.
However, there is little mourning for Iron Maiden. She was not only powerful but also manipulative and ruthless. Her attempt to leverage the lives of Kallen and us against Otto revealed her true colors. A power-hungry manipulator, she harbored delusions of claiming Schicksal for herself, disregarding the well-being of others in her ruthless pursuit. Good riddance to a turbulent presence in our struggle against the Houkai.
"I'm not talking about the civilians and I care little about the Knights," Otto clarifies. ""I'm talking about us. Thanks to your support, only one of us died."
"But Kallen..." Mei starts, the words lingering in the air.
"That was her choice," Otto interjects, teeth clenched. "And I am willing to respect that."
Turning to Mei, the ronin who stands against a broken wall, Otto asks, "What will you do now?"
"With Kallen and Jingwei gone, I'll go back to my home country," Mei replies.
"Well," I scratch the back of my head, "I'll come for you in the future. When the time comes, will you go on a journey with me?"
"If I'm still alive," Mei replies with a smile. "What about you, Otto?"
"I'll..." Otto begins, but my body suddenly glows red, interrupting the conversation. Panic sets in as he exclaims, "Mikoto, what happened to you?!"
"Ahaha," I laugh weakly. "I guess this is the time for me to say goodbye." I share a brief smile with my friends, grateful for the time we spent together.
"We will see again, right?" Otto's hopeful inquiry hangs in the air.
"That's for sure," I assure him. "Who would knock some sense into you if I don't?"
"May your future be bright, Mikoto," Mei blesses me.
"I hope so, Mei. I hope so," I reply, my body becoming transparent.
"Mikoto," Otto's voice catches my attention.
"Yes, Otto?"
"Do you think I'll shine brighter than Kallen if I manage to defeat the Houkai?" he asks, revealing an ambition that sends a shiver down my spine.
This is what I feared – Otto viewing Kallen not as a person to follow but as a goal to surpass. "Otto–," I begin, but before I can say more, I am transported out of this world. Yet, before leaving, Otto's words sending a chill up my spine.
"No matter the cost, I shall purge the Houkai."
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"Welcome back," a man's voice greets me beside my bed.
"I'm back, Siegfried," I respond. "It's good to be back."
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Omake (Maybe canon or maybe not)
In a distant galaxy, a man floats amidst the stars, his countenance etched with a deep, permanent frown that reveals profound displeasure. It is evident that something has deeply unsettled him.
"You dared use my own power against me, A̸k̸i̵v̸i̴l̸i̸?" His finger traces the left side of his body, following the deep cut inflicted by his opponent months ago.
Golden blood drips from his body, yet, despite the severe wound, the man exhibits no signs of pain.
Closing his eyes, he lets out a sigh, a clear desire to destroy something palpable in his demeanor. "Hmm?" In the vast expanse of the universe, many have trodden the path of destruction. But...
"What are you planning now?" The one who attempted to traverse the path of destruction senses the annoying man's intentions from the girl. Casting his gaze at the girl with silver hair, she vanished.
"Mark my words, red-haired fool. Next time we meet, I shall destr—"
[Pain will come with the blade.
Pain will wake up the despondent crowd]
*Beep*
"Hello?"
"No, I don't have time to drink with you."
"Wait… you are coming with who?!"
"Dammit, A̸k̸i̵v̸i̴l̸i̸! Don't bring that clown to my domain!"
*Beep*
"This bastard," the man grits his teeth and scans his domain. "Yeah, I should clean this up before they arrive," he declares, gazing at the dust from the broken planets.
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Author's Note;
It took months, but I'm back... for a while. The storyline I planned has changed a lot since I started writing this story.
This chapter revolves around Mikoto's clash against the powerhouses from Houkai Gakuen. And surprise, surprise. Mikoto got his ass handed to him.
Not to undermine him, but Mikoto, at that time, was weak without his ability to copy others' abilities.
So... see you in a month or two?
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