Otto developed a drug called Mind Shackles to help the survivors evade the Herrscher of Sentience's tracking and attacks.
But evasion was not a solution.
To fight the Herrscher of Sentience, Durandal went to Dr. Rita and then voluntarily allowed Otto to transform her into a MANTIS. Together with all the other psychic-type MANTISes, she entered the Herrscher of Sentience's dream, using herself as an anchor to reverse-locate the Herrscher's whereabouts.
The experiment to enter the dream was set for ten minutes. If this time was exceeded, the MANTISes would be trapped in the Herrscher of Sentience's illusion forever.
After bidding a final farewell to Durandal, Otto initiated the experiment. But at that moment, an assistant, who had been hiding and was controlled by the Herrscher of Sentience, ambushed Otto.
The severely injured Otto fought back against the Herrscher of Sentience, killing the individual it controlled, only to be pulled into the dream himself.
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"Otto, what are you thinking about?" Kallen looked at Otto, pouting. "Didn't you promise to spend the day with me and not think about work?"
"..."
Otto looked at the all-too-familiar Kallen before him and fell into deep thought. He seemed to have just zoned out and had a dream that his beloved Kallen was already dead?
"Sorry, I'm a bit dizzy... I think I had a dream..."
"It's alright, you're just too tired." Kallen reached out and stroked Otto's face, comforting him warmly. "Your work is important, but don't wear yourself out. Remember, I'll always be by your side."
Otto suddenly looked up at Kallen, studying her face carefully, wanting to etch everything about Kallen into his mind. Then, Otto slowly closed his eyes.
Otto closed his eyes, rested his forehead in his hand, and made his final decision.
"Bolong, come out."
Bolong, the bodyguard who had been crouching in the bushes nearby to protect Otto, shot up from the grass, startling Kallen.
"Bolton is with you today too."
"Yes, he is my personal bodyguard after all." Otto explained to Kallen with a smile. He then walked over to Bolong and put an arm around him.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Bolong, Otto took the gun that Bolong carried with him and blew his head off.
"Otto, what are you doing!?" Kallen watched this scene in terror and ran towards Otto in fear.
But Otto raised the gun at Kallen as well.
There was apology, love, and reluctance in Otto's eyes... but he still resolutely pulled the trigger.
Bang—
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"Ah—"
Otto suddenly woke up from his bed, panting heavily. The cold sweat soaking his back and the chilly sensation gradually calmed him down.
Kallen, who was awakened by Otto's movements: "What's wrong? Did you have another nightmare, Otto?"
"Yes, a very strange dream... In the dream, I actually shot and killed you..."
Theresa: "Dad, what's wrong?"
Theresa knocked on Otto's bedroom door, then came in and stood beside Otto with a worried expression.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
"My little treasure guessed it..." Otto happily ruffled Theresa's and Kallen's hair, speaking gently: "Be good, Daddy's fine. Go back to sleep, it's already very late."
...…
After sending Theresa off, Kallen and Otto soothed her to sleep together.
Once they were both asleep, Otto stood alone in the kitchen, splashing cold water on his face. The nightmare was too real, making it difficult for him to distinguish reality from the dream...
"Come have some milk to relax." Seeing the exhausted and tense Otto, Kallen poured him a glass of milk and handed it to him.
Kallen: "You haven't rested properly for the past few years while researching the Honkai Disease. Now that you've developed a cure, don't push yourself so hard anymore..."
"Honkai... Disease..."
Otto, while splashing his face with cold water, seemed to hear a keyword. The line between dream and reality suddenly became clear in his mind.
"I remember... you all seem to have contracted the Honkai Disease...?"
"How could that be? You must be imagining things after seeing too many patients!" Kallen smiled sweetly, not paying much mind to Otto's nonsensical words. "Look, aren't my daughters and I alive and well?"
"We will always be with you... forever..." Kallen hugged Otto from behind, conveying her feelings to him.
Otto held Kallen's hand, feeling her breath and her heartbeat against his back.
"This dream... is too beautiful... so beautiful that it makes me want to stay..."
"Honey, what are you talking about? This is your home, of course you can stay."
Schlick—
Kallen stumbled back a few steps in disbelief. A fruit knife was deeply embedded in her stomach.
Blood dripped onto the floor, and Otto's heart became resolute.
"But... you're not her...
When they were infected with the Honkai Disease, I couldn't develop a cure!
When they died, I refused to let go, holding them tightly.
If Dr. Rita hadn't cut off my hand that was infected with the Honkai Disease, I might have died along with them."
"Then why, in that case, shouldn't you immerse yourself even more in this dream!!" Kallen looked at Otto furiously. Having her dream world destroyed by Otto again and again, the Herrscher of Sentience decided to drop the act.
"Here, you can live with your loved ones forever!"
"No! You're wrong!"
Otto looked with disgust at the fake Kallen woven by the Herrscher of Sentience before him, and said through gritted teeth, filled with anger:
"If I continue to indulge in this false dream, that would be the greatest betrayal to them! I live for the sole purpose of taking revenge on the Honkai."
Otto: "This dream has gone on long enough. Goodbye."
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In the real world (pseudo) of Fire Moth.
Otto, having awakened, clutched the abdomen that had been pierced in the ambush.
The time spent in the dream had already exceeded ten minutes... exceeding the time limit set for the experiment.
Durandal was in danger...
"Hold on... Bianka..."
Otto's consciousness was beginning to fade; he had almost bled out.
But driven by his last shred of conviction, Otto used his single arm to crawl, inch by inch, to the control panel and pressed the button to pull Durandal's consciousness back to reality.