Of course, before launching the operation, Aaron had one more thing to do.
Having obtained the Hyper Zecter and the Gatack Zecter in the dungeon world this time, he theoretically possessed the power to [break the stalemate].
Although he had already begun operations targeting Otto, when it came down to it, that old bastard who had lived for hundreds of years wasn't so easy to target.
When his brain wasn't cramping up, Otto Apocalypse was the smartest person currently alive. He wasn't the kind of game NPC who would foolishly stand in place waiting for Aaron to smack him.
Even if Aaron calculated that there were no issues with his current plan, no one could guarantee that Otto wouldn't discover these plans while Aaron was executing them, and then take countermeasures based on the cards in his hand.
If Otto really discovered the loopholes in Aaron's plans and retaliated...
Leaving aside whether Otto could be successfully killed in the end, once Otto realized he was about to fall into danger, he definitely wouldn't mind dragging a few hundred million people down with him as a cushion.
Otto certainly wasn't the type who liked to slaughter the innocent.
But this man was a lunatic, and he happened to have the ability to flip the table.
If a lunatic capable of flipping the table was pushed into a corner, eventually leading to a pile of extra deaths...
"Sigh, so if possible, I really don't wish to be enemies with this kind of person."
After finding a wide-open area alone, Aaron released the two mechanical insects he had forcibly captured and wore the Rider Belt around his waist.
"Henshin! Hyper Cast Off!"
[Henshin! Hyper Cast Off! Change Hyper Stag Beetle!]
After transforming into Hyper Gatack via the Zecter, Aaron gently toggled the Hyper Zecter at his waist.
In the worldview of *Kamen Rider Kabuto*, only two Riders possessed the Hyper Mode capable of fully mastering Hyper Clock Up.
One was the power of Kabuto, which Aaron didn't take away for fear of causing instability in that world.
The other Rider power that could perfectly master Hyper Clock Up was the power of Gatack he was using now.
"Hyper Clock Up."
[Hyper Clock Up!]
As Aaron uttered these indifferent words, he instantly entered the world of Clock Up.
Only this time, Aaron, using this ability, failed to return to that day as he had in the dungeon world a few days ago.
To return to the day Kallen Kaslana died.
The moment he attempted to return to the past, Aaron felt a terrifying power descend upon him.
This power contained no subjective consciousness when it appeared.
Neither malice nor benevolence existed within this power.
Aaron could be certain that this power was absolutely not targeting the individual 'Aaron'. After all, if this power were targeting 'Aaron'...
"Guah...!"
The price he would have to pay right now wouldn't be as simple as just canceling the transformation.
The instant his transformation was forcibly canceled by the power, Aaron saw the two Zecters, covered in cracks, fall powerlessly to the ground.
Although the Gatack Zecter was still letting out some miserable cries, judging by the result... well, these two mechanical insects weren't completely broken yet.
"Interrupted, huh... Sure enough, trying to 'return to the past' is simply too difficult in this world."
"That strike just now, was it the yet-to-be-fully-awakened [Finality] activating its authority?"
"Or rather, it didn't need to activate its authority at all. Is this just a self-defense mechanism existing within the world?"
The authority of Finality represented samsara and time.
If one could not surpass the trial of Finality, then Finality would return everything to nothingness, forcing humanity to experience the cycle once again—the cycle that began fifty thousand years ago.
The Previous Era where Kevin and the others existed had broken away from the cycle due to some special reasons, allowing a portion of things that should have been annihilated to survive and be passed down to this new cycle fifty thousand years later.
But for Finality, these were probably just minor leaks.
As long as the Herrscher of Finality was not erased, this cycle could not be interfered with by others from the inside.
Aaron, who had already been forced into the game, was undoubtedly one of the participants within this cycle.
Even with Hyper Clock Up's ability to transcend time, he couldn't break this rule to save the Saint Kallen who died five hundred years ago.
In fact, just as he used this power, Aaron also incidentally used Hyper Gatack's ability to [know past and future events by perceiving the chaotic timeline].
And then he finally understood just how outrageous this world's restrictions on time flow were.
Under normal circumstances, leaving aside seeing far into the future, seeing a few dozen minutes ahead should be no problem.
But after Aaron activated this ability, he could clearly feel a force interfering with his glimpse into the future.
Seeing one minute ahead was the limit. If he looked any further...
Mn, the two wailing mechanical insects right now were explanation enough.
There was no other way.
He still had to fight Otto.
Although he truly, from the bottom of his heart, didn't want to struggle against this bastard, since Kallen couldn't be saved, there was no longer any possibility of reconciliation between him and that man.
I was ultimately still too weak.
Clearly, I should have known this, but after obtaining the relevant power, I still harbored weak thoughts like 'maybe I can resurrect Kallen and have a talk with that man'...
Hah, even if I could resurrect Kallen, would Otto cooperate with me?
He might thank me.
But what would that man, who trusts no one, do after thanking me?
I really shouldn't have.
From the day I left the orphanage, I should have known how foolish it is to place hope in strangers.
The future must be fought for with one's own hands.
Otto also acts continuously because he understands this... Heh, in this regard, he is indeed a senior.
He sees things much more clearly than I do.
......................
At the same time. Schicksal HQ.
Inside the Overseer's office at Schicksal HQ, Otto looked at the 'Game Over' screen on the monitor before him, and for some reason, suddenly felt he should be doing something.
Today, following his usual routine, he had prepared to play two rounds of *Kallen Fantasy* before deciding whether to handle work based on the situation.
But just a few minutes after opening the game, he suddenly felt...
He couldn't describe this feeling in words.
He only knew that this feeling was incredibly important to him.
"Lord Otto?"
Seeing Otto remaining in a daze, Amber, who had intended to urge Otto to process documents, waved her hand in front of him.
"What is wrong? Was the Soulium body not adjusted to perfection during the last maintenance?"
"...That is also a possibility."
After breathing out a soft sigh, Otto, having regained his self-awareness, felt that no matter what, he should have grasped that feeling.
That indescribable feeling... he actually felt it might be the key to saving Kallen?
Truly laughable.
But I just happen to have no other choice.
Although the plans regarding the Key of the Void and K423 are already on the schedule, if a new possibility appears before me... I naturally can't let it slip by.
It's just that this feeling is truly too difficult to capture.
"Amber, instruct the HQ Observation Team to investigate whether any unusual special fluctuations could be observed by HQ in the last five minutes."
"If observed, have the Observation Team analyze this special fluctuation with full force immediately. At all costs, I want to see the results caused by this fluctuation."
"Yes, I understand, I will right away..."
"Mn, wait."
As if remembering something, Otto suddenly spoke to Amber.
"I recall I instructed those 'compatriots' in the Oceania Branch to send the information they stole to the Intelligence Department, to be passed to you after collation."
"Why does it seem I haven't heard your report these past few days? Were the compatriots over there discovered by Aaron's group?"
Hearing this speculation from Otto, Amber's expression immediately became peculiar.
Subsequently, she shook her head and spoke helplessly to Otto.
"No. The staff over there did not send any distress signals, and they are providing some normal intelligence every day."
"It's just that both the Intelligence Department and I judged... there is no need to inform you of this intelligence."
"Because it is simply too much of a waste of time."
"Oh? Let's hear it?"
"The intelligence from that side is essentially an investigation into the movements of Aaron, Kiana Kaslana, Raiden Mei, Bronya Zaychik, and Seele Vollerei."
"In the few days since Miss Kiana entered the Oceania Branch, aside from going out to fight Honkai Beasts, she has only stayed in the base to accompany Miss Mei and Miss Seele in combat training."
"Miss Mei, aside from going out to hunt Honkai Beasts, also spends most of her remaining time training."
"Miss Seele goes without saying; training."
"Miss Bronya doesn't even have training. According to the investigation by intelligence personnel, she is... um, trading stocks?"
Listening to the actions of the four girls, Otto nodded slightly.
Mn, my subordinates are indeed reliable.
The actions of these four little girls indeed didn't need reporting.
"So, what about the most critical figure—Aaron? What is he doing?"
"Branch Director Aaron, uh, well..."
After hesitating for a few seconds, Amber stammered.
"Branch Director Aaron has been sleeping continuously for the three days since taking office."
???
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. We even pulled the surveillance footage to check. According to the surveillance, Mr. Aaron indeed never left his office."
"And during this period, our intelligence personnel went to find Mr. Aaron under the guise of 'work inquiries' and indeed saw him... sleeping like a dead pig."
...I'm convinced.
I previously thought that this brat named Aaron and I would be constantly testing each other over the coming years.
But now, I find myself wondering if I overthought it.
I thought that after knowing I planted people in the branch, he would think of a way to create some big news to give me a warning.
I thought that after discovering I withdrew those high-end technical personnel, he would make difficulties over that matter.
I even thought of steps to back down and compensation plans.
The result is that he thought nothing, did nothing, and after arriving at the Oceania Branch, he slept directly for three days????
Ah, no good.
I suddenly feel like I, having made so many plans, am just like an idiot.
Because I've encountered too many young prodigies and old foxes in the past, I assumed everyone was like them, liking to scheme against others.
Looking at it now, I might have overthought it.
This guy is just a young man with a bit of petty cleverness.
I laid out so many schemes, he probably hasn't even discovered them.
He definitely knows I harbor no good intentions, but if he can't even discover the first step, then the subsequent steps of engagement... he hasn't even found the entrance, so what engagement is there to talk about?
"...Continue observing Aaron's actions. Also, regarding the special fluctuation, treat that matter as the top priority."
"Yes, I understand."
Watching Amber's retreating figure, Otto suddenly hummed a tune for no reason.
In any case, since the young man named Aaron stepped onto the stage of the inner world, everything was indeed moving in a direction favorable to Otto.
The Herrscher of Thunder successfully overcame the desire for destruction and completed the merger with K423.
And the Key of the Void, of which Otto could never find specific traces, was now lying within Schicksal's Oceania Branch.
Although the Key of the Void currently had a master who could wield it, its appearance was far better than Otto not knowing where it was at all.
If Otto didn't know that he and Aaron were absolutely not on the same path, Otto would really thank Aaron from the bottom of his heart.
After all, everything here was due to that young man's actions.
Sigh, a pity this young man cannot be used by me... Hah, last time I communicated with him, I seemed to recall Joyce.
A pity, truly a pity. You people who cannot understand me are ultimately just fools even more foolish than I.
And people like you, in the end...
—Can only be pitiful puppets, dancing for me on the stage I have constructed.