Coreal

[D.S] Ch 31~35

Added 2025-09-29 00:32:21 +0000 UTC

31: Kevin Kaslana

— — — — — —

"Alright, everyone, follow me." Rimuru spread a pair of wings and took to the air, leading the way through the endless expanse of the Sea of Quanta.

The group moved as one, an intimidating crowd heading straight toward the depths.

"Seele, Bronya will bring you home," Bronya muttered under her breath, fists clenched tight.

"Don't worry." Himeko rested a comforting hand on Bronya's shoulder. "We'll bring her back. And after that, we're going to find that idiot Kiana. Then all of us—every single one—are going back to St. Freya together. No one gets left behind."

Her eyes were harder than steel. This was the one thing she wouldn't compromise on.

"Himeko…" Bronya didn't answer with words. She just held Himeko's hand. They didn't need to say more.

The road ahead was anything but quiet. Monsters attacked them in waves, only to be stylishly—and brutally—taken apart by the group.

"Naginata Rasetsu!"

"Storm Break!"

"Fireball!"

"Divine Departure!"

"One Thousand Years of Death!"

"Nihilistic Banish!"

…Wait a second. Something felt off.

Flying above, Rimuru nearly facepalmed. Really? One Thousand Years of Death? This move was bad enough, but did you really have to shout it out loud? Was it to make sure everyone heard how shameless you was?

"Seriously… have a little shame, will you, Veldora?" Rimuru muttered under his breath, glancing ahead.

"But it's a technique straight out of the sacred texts you gave me!" Veldora said with a smug grin.

"Speaking of which, when do I get to watch Naruto in the guild's cinema?"

Rimuru sighed, clearly annoyed. "When someone from that world joins the guild, we'll watch it together."

...

Finally after some time... there it was—the enormous sakura tree was now within reach.

"That's the place?" Bronya asked, voice tight.

"Yeah." Rimuru nodded. "Seele should be there… though there's someone else with her."

"Kevin?" Himeko narrowed her eyes.

"Relax," Rimuru said casually. "He's not a bad guy. He's like you—fighting against the Honkai. Not really our enemy."

"Enough talk. Let's just go. If that guy doesn't wanna listen to reason, I'll beat some into him," Whitebeard said with a grin.

"Works for me." Rimuru nodded. "Let's move."

They advanced toward the tree.

---

Meanwhile, beneath the massive sakura tree—

"On this burnt and ruined earth, I, Kevin Kaslana, swear this to everyone: no matter the cost, Humanity shall defeat the Honkai."

The tall man stood like a statue, his voice solemn, the promise hanging heavy in the still air.

"…Who are you?"

The quiet voice came from behind him—Seele.

"You already know the answer." Kevin turned slightly, his deep voice calm. "My name is Kevin. A warrior, one of the few who survived the previous era."

"The Previous Era…" Seele murmured, her expression dimming. The civilization that fell to the Honkai.

"In the end, we couldn't defeat the final Herrscher," Kevin said evenly, as though stating a trivial fact. "Our glorious civilization collapsed completely. Only a handful of us survived."

"…Hm?" Kevin's brows drew together. Someone was approaching. No—many someones.

"Seele, get away from him!"

Before Kevin could react, Bronya's voice rang out.

Her mech, Project Bunny, transformed into a bike mid-air and landed between Seele and Kevin, shielding the girl behind her.

"Bronya!" Seele cried in joy.

"Seele, I came to take you home." Bronya's voice softened, but her gaze stayed locked on Kevin, guarded and cold.

"You don't need to be afraid." Kevin's tone didn't change. "I am not your enemy."

"That's not for you to decide."

A deafening boom shook the ground as Whitebeard dropped from the sky, landing beside Kevin like a falling mountain. He loomed over the man with an intimidating grin.

"A giant?" Kevin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Body modification?"

"I'm no experiment," Whitebeard said, still smiling.

Kevin instinctively took a few steps back. The sheer presence of this man pressed on him like a tidal wave. He could feel the ocean of power hidden in that massive frame.

"Kevin Kaslana," Rimuru's voice floated down from above. "Strongest hero of Fire Moth, one of the last survivors of the Previous Era, true leader of World Serpent. Did I get anything wrong?"

"You know me well," Kevin said, his face as unreadable as ever.

"Pretty much." Rimuru shrugged, landing gracefully. One by one, the others joined him, forming a small army at Bronya's back.

"You're not from this world, are you?" Kevin asked, his calm gaze sweeping across the group. He didn't seem at all intimidated by being surrounded.

"Oh? And how did you figure that out?" Rimuru asked, genuinely curious.

"None of you carry even a trace of Honkai's influence, so you can't be from this world. And the Sea of Quanta links to more than one world. The most likely answer is that you're from somewhere else entirely."

Clap, clap, clap.

Rimuru gave him an amused little round of applause. "You're right—we're from another world. But not quite the way you think."

"...I see." Kevin's eyes narrowed slightly. Their appearance was strange—too sudden. To enter the Sea of Quanta normally, one must open its gate. Yet he hadn't seen any "Gate" open. It was as if they had just appeared out of thin air.

Rimuru grinned. "So, do you wanna know the truth? If you do, just ask—maybe I'll tell you. What do you think?"

Kevin: "…"

Whitebeard: "…"

Garp: "…"

Even Roger: "..."

32: Leaving the Sea Of Quanta

— — — — — —

After Rimuru's explanation...

"So, that's really a thing, huh…" Kevin sat on the ground, mulling over what Rimuru had just told him.

"What's wrong? Can't accept it, or just can't believe it?" Rimuru said, munching on a skewer of grilled meat as he spoke.

"No, I believe you," Kevin replied calmly. "Actually, it matches my own suspicions. After all, the Gate to the Sea of Quanta hasn't been opened."

"You're a smart one, huh? Chomp, chomp…" Rimuru praised with his mouth still half full.

"Barbecuing in the Sea of Quanta… what am I even supposed to say to that?" Kevin's expression darkened. Did these people even realize where they were? Who in their right mind thinks of setting up a barbecue here?

"Relax, don't sweat the small stuff," Rimuru said with a shrug. "It's not like there's a rule saying you can't barbecue in the Sea of Quanta."

Kevin: "…"

"Hey kid, want a skewer?" Garp strolled over at that moment, holding several dozen skewers in one hand, and offered one to Kevin.

"N— Ahem... Thanks." Kevin was about to refuse, but the smell of grilled meat hit him. He hadn't eaten in over 1,500 years. He swallowed hard and gave in, taking a skewer and eating happily.

"If the Gate to the Sea of Quanta closes, we'll be stuck here, right?" Himeko said, rubbing her forehead with a headache coming on.

"You've got plenty of time," Kevin replied calmly. "Besides, don't underestimate a certain someone here—he's more than capable of getting you out. Didn't you hear him before?" His gaze flicked toward Rimuru, who was still busy eating, before returning to his own food.

"Here, Seele. Eat." Bronya gently handed over a freshly grilled skewer.

"Thank you, Bronya-nee," Seele said gratefully, taking it and biting in.

But not everyone was enjoying themselves. Marco looked utterly miserable, his face practically screaming tragic martyrdom.

"Oi, Marco, what's with that look?" Whitebeard barked.

"Pops, how am I supposed to be happy about this?" Marco rarely ever talked back like this.

Turns out, they hadn't brought any firewood. So their brilliant solution? Have Marco lie under the grill in phoenix form and use his flames as the heat source.

"Sacrifice the few for the many!" Whitebeard said without a shred of guilt. After all, what's the point of having kids if you use them... uh no it's just messing with them a little?

"Alright, turn it down a bit. If you burn my food, I'll let you taste the Fist of Love I just learned from Garp," Whitebeard threatened, raising his fist menacingly.

Marco felt like his life had lost all meaning, but he still instinctively dialed the flames down—no way was he taking a Fist of Love to the face.

"You know I can't completely trust you yet," Kevin said seriously, standing up and facing Rimuru.

"I get it." Rimuru shook his head, not looking the least bit offended. "Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn't trust us either. But we'll prove ourselves with our actions."

"I hope you do." Kevin gave him a long look before continuing. "If you can really save this world, I'll give you everything I have. But if you bring harm to it—I will stop you."

With that, he pulled out the Gem of Desire, opened a passage to the outside world, and slowly faded from sight.

Rimuru stared at the spot where Kevin had vanished and gave a helpless smile.

"That one's cautious," Garp commented, grinning. "But those are the kinds of people worth trusting. He cares about his world."

"True enough," Rimuru nodded. "Not like I expected him to believe us right away anyway. Alright, let's grab a bit more to eat."

After everyone had eaten their fill—

"All done?" Rimuru asked. "Good. Then it's about time we leave."

"Anytime," Whitebeard replied.

"So we're heading back through the gate?" Himeko asked.

"Hehe! What do you take me for? I don't do boring exits," Rimuru said with a mischievous grin.

"…What are you planning?" Garp suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Watch closely. Today I'm going to show you all how to literally rip space apart." Rimuru shot into the sky.

A massive surge of energy erupted from his body, compressing and condensing until a towering giant slime—thousands of meters tall—took shape around him like a living mountain.

"What the hell is that?" Whitebeard's eyes went wide as he swallowed hard.

"This guy's out of control," Garp laughed, totally unbothered.

"Daaamn~" Roger looked entertained.

The gigantic form moved, and the entire Sea of Quanta trembled.

Rimuru extended two hands into the empty void ahead of him—as if grabbing something—and pulled with all his strength.

With a deafening rip, the fabric of space tore apart.

"So this is Rimuru's true power…" Himeko muttered, awe-struck. This was far beyond the strength Kiana had wielded when they fought. Even without intending to, Rimuru's presence radiated a crushing sense of power.

For the first time, Himeko felt a flicker of real hope. "If this is what he's capable of… maybe defeating Honkai isn't just a dream after all."

"I never imagined Miss Rimuru was this strong," Seele said softly, wide-eyed as she stood next to Bronya.

"Bronya is also… shocked," Bronya admitted, her voice calm but her eyes betraying her awe.

---

Meanwhile, in a City where the battle still raged, everyone suddenly froze mid-fight.

High above the city, a massive rift had appeared in the sky—like reality itself had been torn open—and the sea below began to pour into it like a waterfall.

"What in the world is that?" Cocolia frowned, staring up at the crack.

And then—a gigantic blue hand reached through the rift.

"Damn it! All units, retreat! Repeat, all units, retreat!" Cocolia barked, feeling the oppressive weight pressing down from above.

But before they could escape, the hand reached toward the City—

And just as it was about to crush everything, it faded away, revealing several figures standing within the rift.

"That's Bronya!" Far away, Theresa, who had been boarding an airship, froze. "Wait—Himeko?! Himeko's alive!"

"I'm not seeing things, right? That's Seele?" Rozaliya's voice trembled, tears welling in her eyes as she stared.

"Yeah… that's Seele. She's back—with Bronya-nee," Liliya whispered, tears streaming down her face as she stared in a daze.

33: Split Plan

— — — — — —

"Don't you think you're overdoing it a little?" Whitebeard grumbled from the ground, looking up at Rimuru.

"It's been a while since I stretched my muscles. Guess I got a bit carried away." Rimuru scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.

"Forget it. Actually… this method isn't bad. Maybe I'll try it myself next time. I need to focus more on Magic. Even Andros from Hermione world was able to create a gaint using Patronus Charm after all." Whitebeard stroked his chin thoughtfully.

While they were still chatting, a few Honkai beasts—apparently too stupid to realize they were outmatched—finally shook off their fear and charged straight at them.

"Tch. Can't we at least finish a conversation first?" Vista sighed. He casually swung his blade a few times, then sheathed it as though he was done.

The charging beasts didn't even slow down. But just as they were about to reach the group, their bodies shattered into countless fragments, scattering across the ground.

No one even looked their way. They all kept talking like nothing had happened.

"Seele, is that you?" Cocolia's voice broke the air as she approached, eyes fixed on the girl. Before Seele could answer, Cocolia rushed forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Mom!" Seele cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"Seele!" Rozaliya and Liliya came running and threw their arms around her too, crying as they clung to their sister.

"That's actually kind of touching," Rimuru said with a small smile, watching the emotional reunion.

"Himeko!" Theresa rushed forward next, staring at Himeko in disbelief. "You're alive? That's amazing! Everyone's going to be so happy—why did you have to do something so stupid?!" She hugged Himeko tightly, quietly sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm back, Theresa." Himeko gently stroked her hair and reassured her, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere again."

"Alright then. We'll handle the cleanup." Whitebeard, feeling like he didn't belong in such an emotional scene, volunteered for some work. He and his sons went off to finish clearing out the remaining Honkai beasts.

Rimuru stayed behind to keep the others company.

After a while, when emotions had settled, Cocolia turned to Rimuru. "I don't know who you are," she said sincerely, "but… thank you for bringing Seele back."

"No need to thank me. Seele's so cute—I couldn't just leave her stranded in the Sea of Quanta all by herself." Rimuru grinned.

"Bronya thanks you as well," Bronya said from the side, wearing a rare, faint smile.

"Anyway, can we find somewhere to sit down? This really isn't the best place to talk." Rimuru looked around.

By then, Whitebeard and his crew had finished mopping up the beasts and returned.

"If that's the case, let's head to the Hyperion," Theresa suggested. "We can rest there and talk everything through properly."

"Of course," Rimuru replied with a calm smile, though inside he was practically bouncing. 'The Hyperion! I've boarded it hundreds of times in the game, but this is the real thing! Should I take some pictures? Or maybe, when all this Honkai mess is over, I should just… keep the whole ship for myself? Oh, that would be amazing!'

No one else could hear Rimuru's inner fanboying. Together, the group headed for the massive battleship.

"This ship's incredible! Can you give me one?" Whitebeard asked, staring up at the Hyperion with a gleam in his eye. It would make a perfect spaceship for the Whitebeard Pirates.

"If you really want one, there are plenty more back at Schicksal HQ," Einstein—who had been quiet this whole time—spoke up at last.

"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed, thrilled. "Then it's settled! I'll buy one—no, as many as I can! Sengoku will lose his mind when he sees this."

"Hey! I'm standing right here!" Garp barked. "If you can buy one, I can too! The Navy's got more money than we know what to do with!"

"Like we Whitebeard Pirates are broke," Whitebeard shot back with a teasing grin.

"Alright, alright. You two can fight over your warships later," Rimuru said, trying to keep things on track.

The Hyperion was an impressive sight up close—278.5 meters long, with a 182-meter deck, powered by six nuclear fusion reactors, and armed with enough firepower to level cities. Originally an aircraft carrier, it had been converted into a battleship by Himeko herself.

The entire group gawked as they boarded, murmuring in awe.

"This is one hell of a warship," Roger said once they were seated in the lounge.

"The Hyperion is my pride and joy. Don't even think about laying a hand on it," Himeko warned him.

"Aw, seriously?" Rimuru slumped in disappointment.

"Wait, were you planning to steal my ship?" Himeko gave him an exasperated look.

"Anyway, I think everyone's caught up now, right?" Rimuru asked, shaking off the topic.

"I believe so." Cocolia glanced at Rimuru, still struggling to fully process everything. 'So they really are from another world… no wonder they're so powerful.'

"It's hard to believe," Theresa said, rubbing her forehead, "but it does make sense."

"So no objections?" Rimuru asked.

Einstein crossed her arms. "Just one question: why are you helping us? If you have no reason, I can't believe you'd risk yourselves just out of kindness."

"If you need a reason, let's just say helping you also benefits us. Good enough?" Rimuru replied.

"I don't care about the reasons," Veldora said lazily, not looking up from the game on his phone. "But at least now you know we can be trusted."

"In that case, we can work with you—for now," Einstein said with a nod.

"So, what's our next move?" Himeko asked.

"I think we should split up," Rimuru said. "One group contacts Otto. As much as I hate to admit it, that man's knowledge of Honkai could be invaluable. The other group will go find Kiana and the others and bring them back safely."

"If we're contacting my grandfather, leave that to me," Theresa volunteered. "And I'd like someone powerful to come with us. He's… not exactly easy to convince."

"Not me~ I can't just pause right now," Veldora said with surprising seriousness.

"No problem," Whitebeard agreed without hesitation. Roger and Garp also nodded.

"Then I'll go with Himeko and help find Kiana," Rimuru said, feeling a rush of determination. 'Kiana… this time, I'm going to save you myself.'

"Then it's settled. Let's move." Rimuru stood, rallying the group.

And just like that, the counterattack against the Honkai had begun.

Honkai… are you ready for us?

34: The Happy Reunion

— — — — — —

A few days later.... Arc City

Night blanketed the massive bridge as dozens of figures darted across it, bullets and sparks flashing in the darkness.

"Kiana, wouldn't it be easier if you just surrendered quietly?" Rita spun her scythe, effortlessly deflecting the incoming bullets.

"No way." Kiana sidestepped, both guns blazing as she drove back the enemies closing in.

"That's too bad, then." Rita smiled, but her scythe only moved faster, its sharp edge swinging toward Kiana.

And then—Kiana was gone.

"Hm. Vanished?" Rita narrowed her eyes at the empty space ahead.

"You won't catch me that easily." Kiana's voice came from behind her.

'So, she can already use the Herrscher of the Void's power?' Rita frowned, lowering her weapon. If that was true, she knew she wouldn't be able to capture Kiana tonight.

"Believe me or don't," Kiana said, tossing Rita a flash drive without looking back. "The Honkai attack on this city isn't my doing. There's something here you should know—Heliopolis Life Sciences is not what it seems."

She took off without waiting for a response.

"Heliopolis Life Sciences…?" Rita turned the flash drive over in her hand, lips curling into a small smile. "Well, things just got interesting."

---

Meanwhile, the Hyperion was approaching the city's outskirts.

"So, Kiana's here?" Himeko leaned over the rail, gazing down at the sprawling city below. The bright lights couldn't hide the sense of danger lurking beneath it all.

"According to the data, yes," Bronya replied, fingers flying across the console. "I'm also trying to contact Mei and get her to meet us here. She may have information on Kiana's whereabouts."

The screen flickered, and Mei's voice came through, worried. "Bronya? What happened? Why are you contacting me? Is there news about Kiana?"

"Please remain calm, Mei," Bronya said, her tone as level as ever. "We're back in Arc City. I'm sending you our coordinates. Meet us there—and one more thing: we have a way to find Kiana."

"What?!" Mei's voice lit up. "Alright, I'm on my way!"

"Rimuru," Himeko said, turning to him, "we'll leave finding Kiana to you."

"Leave it to me." Rimuru smiled, and in the next second, his body dissolved into countless motes of light, scattering into the night sky.

"I hope you find her soon," Himeko murmured, watching the trail of starlight vanish into the city. 'I didn't think I missed that idiot this much. How has she even been surviving out there?'

The lights converged high above the city, gathering together until Rimuru's form appeared once more.

"Presence Detection."

A wave of energy rippled out from him like an expanding sphere, scanning every corner of the city.

"Nope, not this one… not this one… that one kind of looks like—wait, that's a guy?! Why does a guy get to have a body like that— he is more girly than me... Whatever next."

"Hold on, this one's hers. Definitely her!"

A golden light flickered in Rimuru's eyes before his whole body shot forward, a streak of radiance heading straight for Kiana.

"Kiana, watch out—someone's coming!" Fu Hua's voice echoed in Kiana's mind, her tone sharp with warning.

Before Kiana could react, the streak of light landed in front of her and coalesced into Rimuru's figure.

"Who are you?" Kiana gripped her guns tight, feeling the oppressive aura radiating off him.

"Finally found you." Rimuru's chest tightened unexpectedly at the sight of her guarded expression.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Kiana didn't lower her guns, inching backward to put distance between them—ready to run at any moment.

"Relax. I'm not your enemy." Rimuru held his hands up in a disarming gesture. "Himeko sent me to find you."

"H-Himeko… Aunt Himeko?" Kiana froze, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "You're saying she's still alive? That she sent you here?"

"That's right." Rimuru nodded. "She's waiting for you on the Hyperion. Mei, Bronya, and the others are all there too. They're waiting for you—so come back with me."

"No… no, no, you must be lying." The excitement faded from Kiana's eyes, replaced by cold suspicion. "Prove it. Otherwise, I'm not going anywhere with you."

Rimuru tilted his head toward the sky. "Well, by now they should have caught up… Lemme help them..."

Just after he finished, several figures dropped from the air.

Kiana's eyes went wide, tears streaming down her face.

"Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?" Mei cried, rushing forward and wrapping Kiana in a fierce hug. "I swear, I'm never letting you out of my sight again—stupid girl!"

"Mei…" Kiana buried her face against Mei's shoulder, drinking in the warmth of her embrace. 'I could stay like this forever.'

"You idiot!" Himeko walked up and bonked Kiana on the head with her fist.

"Ow! Aunt Himeko—I missed you so much!" Kiana winced but laughed, throwing her arms around Himeko too.

"I want a hug too," Rimuru muttered, jealous. It had been days since anyone had hugged him, and he was starting to feel deprived.

"Bronya would also like a hug," Bronya said flatly.

"Bronya-nee!" Seele appeared out of nowhere, glomped onto her, and declared, "You can hug me anytime!" In her heart, another voice whispered possessively: 'Bronya belongs to me. No one can take her away.'

"Seriously? Can't any of you think about the poor single dog here?" Rimuru groaned inwardly, glaring at the happy reunion scene in front of him.

35: Preparations Before the Battle

— — — — — —

"So, you're saying… they're from another world?" Kiana's eyes went wide, her face a mix of shock and disbelief.

"And by that logic, you're a slime," she added, poking Rimuru's head with her finger. "You are genderless, right?

"That's really rude, you know!" Rimuru batted her hand away, exasperated. She had started off sounding cool and serious, but ever since running into Himeko and the others, it was like her IQ had dropped by half — back to being the same old ditzy airhead as before.

"Kiana, stop bullying Rimuru already!" Himeko scolded when she saw Kiana reaching out to squeeze Rimuru again. "You don't even thank him for helping you, and now you're picking on him? Are you itching for a beating?" Himeko raised a fist with a look that clearly said 'try me.'

"Mmm, Aunt Himeko…" Kiana clung to Himeko's arm, whining, "Stop hitting me all the time! What if you knock me stupid?"

"Heh. Honestly, I don't think you have any IQ left to lose," Rimuru said dryly from the side.

"At least I'm not genderless, small slime!"

"What did you just call me?!" Rimuru's face flushed red. Nobody had ever dared call him small!

In an instant, Rimuru manifested a huge spectral arm, grabbed Kiana, and smacked her butt hard.

Then another arm for more smacking.

"Ah—nooo!" Kiana let out a dramatic wail. "It hurts! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Aunt Himeko, save me!"

"Sorry, can't help you," Himeko said cheerfully, sipping her drink and watching with a smile. Yep, she thought, 'sometimes the only way to get through to Kiana is a good spanking.'

"Come on, let her off the hook," Mei finally said, helplessly stepping in.

"No way. If I don't tan her butt today, I'll spell my name backward," Rimuru declared, smacking away with single-minded focus. Nobody mocked his height — it was a matter of pride!

"Honestly, you're just like a little kid," Mei muttered, watching Rimuru's pouty, determined face.

By the time Rimuru was satisfied, Kiana was sprawled across the sofa, clutching her butt and sniffling. Her big watery eyes glared daggers at Rimuru, who just looked back at her with a perfectly smug, refreshed expression. Kiana looked like she wanted to curse him out but didn't dare.

Yep. Someone like Rimuru was either a pure, innocent angel — or a black-bellied schemer who'd happily play the villain when provoked.

---

Meanwhile, at Schicksal HQ—

"Things are getting more and more interesting," Otto mused, sitting in the main seat, his expression calm but unreadable as he looked over at Whitebeard, Garp, Roger, and the others.

"This is quite the surprise, my dear Theresa." Otto rose from his seat and walked toward her with a resigned smile.

To Otto, Theresa was unique — the one person he could never bring himself to harm, no matter what.

"So what's it going to be?" Theresa didn't bother with niceties. "Are you going to ally with us or not? Will you fight against Honkai with us or sit this out?" Her gaze was steady, firm.

"You're giving me a real headache," Otto admitted, rubbing his temple. This development was completely outside of his calculations, and he struggled to decide.

"We can bring Kallen back." Whitebeard suddenly spoke up, repeating what Rimuru had told him: that this single offer would guarantee Otto's cooperation.

At those words, Otto froze. Then, with barely contained excitement, he asked, "Are you certain? You can really resurrect her?"

"Not us," Whitebeard clarified, "but Rimuru can. He told me himself — and Rimuru doesn't lie."

Otto drew in a deep breath, then said decisively, "Very well. Schicksal will ally with you. But you must fulfill your promise and bring Kallen back. As for Honkai — do what you like." His golden eyes locked onto Whitebeard's. Otto could ignore the fate of the entire world if he had to, but he would never throw away a chance to see Kallen again.

"Relax," Whitebeard said with absolute confidence. "If Rimuru says it can be done, it can be done."

"Then let's work well together."

Otto extended a hand. Whitebeard shook it, sealing Schicksal's formal alliance with them.

This world's three major forces — Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent — were now almost united. Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had fully joined forces, and though Kevin of World Serpent wasn't fully convinced yet, even he was preparing to stand with them against Honkai.

All that was left was preparation. Once everything was ready, they would launch a full-scale counterattack.

---

In Arc City—

"This is Rita Rossweisse. What are your orders, Overseer?"

On top of a tall tower, Rita and the members of Immortal Blades waited quietly for Otto's instructions.

"Cease pursuit of Kiana," Otto's voice came through. "Schicksal is now allied with Anti-Entropy. Join Durandal and return to HQ immediately." With that, he cut the line without waiting for acknowledgment.

"..." Rita stood there for a long moment, speechless.

"This is… unexpected," she finally said with a long sigh. If she didn't know Otto better, she would have thought he'd lost his mind.

"So we just… head back now?" one of the Immortal Blades asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Let's go." Rita turned toward the airship. "We're returning to base."

Though clearly confused, the Immortal Blades followed her orders without question and departed.

...

At the same time, in a hidden meeting room, World Serpent's executives gathered for Kevin's first briefing since his return.

"How's the original plan progressing?" Kevin asked from the head of the table.

"Everything is on track. We'll soon be ready for the final stage," Grey Serpent replied loyally.

"Cancel it," Kevin said coldly.

"What?" Several executives were stunned. This plan had been in motion for hundreds of years — and now he wanted to drop it?

"There's been a change. From now on, put all efforts into preparing for the final battle with Honkai," Kevin ordered. "I'll explain later."