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"P-please… please help me! My right arm—it's cracked, and it hurts so much!"
A-310's voice trembled with fear.
That fragile little face made everyone watching outside the screen ache with sympathy.
Her helpless cry made countless viewers erupt in furious condemnation of Otto!
[Kiana: QAQ Theresa!! Otto is way too cruel!!]
[Honkai · Himeko: Damn it… is this guy really that cold-blooded?!]
[Hu Tao: That looks so painful…]
[March 7th: Poor little Theresa!! qaq my heart hurts so much—ah!]
[Furina: Hiss… just looking at it makes it hurt!]
[Keqing: Her arm is… cracked open…]
[Ganyu: Doesn't Otto's heart soften at all?!]
[Silver Wolf: Theresa probably wasn't even the first clone, was she…]
On screen,
Otto showed not the slightest trace of pity. As if already accustomed to it, he calmly recorded the data.
"Pain sensation cannot be fully blocked. Looks like further optimization is required."
"However, A-310, isn't your arm already recovering?"
"Recovering? Eh? My right arm really is… and it's slowly starting to move again! But… why?"
"Because a high-tier Honkai beast's cells were fused into your body. That Honkai beast's extraordinary regenerative ability has been inherited by you."
"So… does that mean I'm like those monsters too? A monster?"
"No, no, no, no! You've inherited the genes of the greatest Valkyrie, and the power of the highest-tier Honkai beast—
a new generation of humanity!"
Although she didn't fully understand Otto's explanation,
A-310's face showed a half-understanding expression.
But clearly, she let out a huge sigh of relief.
She wasn't a monster.
She was a new generation of humanity!
And she carried the genes of the greatest Valkyrie, as that person had said!
Subconsciously,
A-310 even felt a little happy.
On screen,
A-310's first appearance and test had come to an end.
Otto rubbed his forehead, thinking briefly, then typed into the screen before him.
[Confidential Record A3-1]
[In previous A1 and A2 models]
[Only Kallen's DNA was used]
[All test subjects dissolved and died within five minutes of birth]
[In this experiment, cells from the fusion-type Honkai beast "Vishnu" were added]
[A3-type individuals are unable to grow further after reaching a physical age of twelve]
[However, all successfully survived after leaving the cultivation tank]
[Otto, 1972.03.28]
Outside the screen,
everyone was shocked.
They had thought Otto merely wanted to create a clone of Kallen—
a spiritual pillar to support his exhausted mind.
But they hadn't expected—
Otto… was conducting human experiments?!
[Star Rail · Himeko: Otto… this is way too much…]
[Ruan Mei: Human experimentation?]
[Xianyun: Only able to grow to twelve years old? That means… little Theresa will always be this short…]
[Theresa: I'm not short!!]
[March 7th: And Honkai beast genes were added too?! Why?!]
[Durandal: In order to combat Honkai, the Archbishop's research has always focused on Valkyries as its core direction.]
[Durandal: From artificial stigmata to genetic research, he's made major breakthroughs.]
[Tesla: That's true. In biological research and artificial stigmata, Otto's achievements are unmatched.]
[Tesla: But this kind of technology also shortens Valkyries' lifespans…]
[Theresa: I understand Grandpa… his own body is made of soulium too…]
A-310's experimental records continued.
No one knew how many days passed.
"My body feels more and more flexible now. Even when facing those monsters, I don't feel scared anymore."
A-310 spoke happily through the internal comms.
"Excellent! That combat posture, that fearless courage!"
Even Otto's tone carried a hint of excitement and encouragement.
This left countless viewers outside the screen stunned.
Otto… could actually speak like this?
He sounded proud—genuinely pleased with A-310's performance.
"Ah, this truly moves me! It lets me see Kallen's shadow once more!"
"Kallen?"
"Kallen Kaslana. The source of your genes."
Sure enough,
the source of Otto's excitement was—
the name Kallen, which everyone had heard so many times their ears were numb.
"Kallen was the greatest Valkyrie in this world."
Through the internal channel,
Otto, as expected, lavished praise upon Kallen,
not sparing a single word of admiration.
But A-310 asked, confused,
"I don't really understand what you mean. But when you say the name Kallen… your tone sounds very gentle. And it makes me feel warm too."
After a brief silence—
"A-310, you're a very strange individual. Other test subjects either fear or hate me, their creator."
"Only you… used the word 'gentle.'"
"Once again… once again, you remind me of Kallen."
Otto seemed to sink into memory, letting out a bitter chuckle.
"Haha… perhaps her soul truly attached itself to you, after all!"
"Soul? What does a soul mean? Do I have a soul too?"
"Mm-hm, yes! A-310, I sincerely hope that even as a synthetic being, you can possess a soul."
"Come now. The final trial lies ahead. Move forward, my lovely test subject."
Otto's voice was calm, tinged with anticipation.
And perhaps—
after being lonely for far too long,
he wanted someone to confide in.
For a mere experimental subject,
he never needed to say so much.
There was no need to speak of souls, nor of Kallen.
This scene
reminded the audience of Otto's correspondence with the First Herrscher.
Otto… truly seemed so lonely that he needed someone—
a friend, or family—who could listen to his heart.
He had been alone for far, far too long.
His spirit was utterly exhausted.
[Beidou: Kallen, Kallen… always Kallen…]
[Furina: There's no helping it. For Otto, this is his last remaining thought.]
[Clara: But later on, Theresa seemed to be treated very well, didn't she?]
[Keqing: So… it's also because he saw Kallen's shadow in Theresa…]
[Xianyun: Indeed, little Theresa might gradually melt Otto's heart without even realizing it!]
[Theresa: ]
[Honkai · Himeko: Hahaha, everyone loves Deli-Silly the moment they meet her!]
As A-310 continued forward on screen,
defeating one Honkai beast after another,
she eventually stood within a massive library-like coliseum.
Otto's voice rang out once more.
"A-310, this is the final trial."
"But… the person on the other side… why do they… look like me…?"
A-310 froze in place, stammering.
Just as she said—
on the opposite side of the enormous hall,
stood a figure identical to her!
Or rather… another experimental subject.
"Of course. That is experimental subject A-303. She shares the same genes as you."
"In this batch, only the two of you remain."
"As long as you kill her, you will complete all trials."
"Then, you will receive your name."
Otto stated the rules flatly,
as though the lives of the test subjects meant nothing.
But that very indifference terrified A-310!
"But—that's a person! Killing someone—I… I can't do that!"
Her voice trembled,
and her delicate face was filled with fear.
Yet Otto remained unmoved.
"There can only be one final victor. If you don't kill her, she will kill you."
"Though I would prefer you to survive—because you resemble Kallen more."
"That's enough. Hesitation at this moment will only cost you your life."
With that, Otto cut off the communication.
"Wait! I—I won't kill anyone!"
A-310 stubbornly declared.
As if she had made up her mind—
even her gaze grew firmer.
And in the next instant!
A-303 charged first, launching an attack!
The battle between the two erupted instantly!
Clearly,
A-310's combat ability was significantly higher.
The fight was almost completely one-sided.
But to everyone's surprise—
when A-303 fell to the ground,
A-310 did not continue the attack!
Instead, she clung to her principles!
She would never kill another person!
Faced with this outcome,
even Otto, watching from beyond the screen, seemed shaken.
[March 7th: Making them kill each other?!]
[Candace: In Otto's eyes, perhaps these clones were never considered real lives?]
[Xingqiu: That's very likely…]
[Chongyun: But… they clearly have self-awareness!]
[Honkai · Himeko: See?! I knew Theresa would never do that~]
[Lisa: Theresa is so kind…]
[Jean: Indeed. To hold onto one's convictions right after birth—only someone like this would be seen by Otto as possessing a soul like Kallen's.]
[Silver Wolf: But… will Otto really soften his heart?]
[Hanabi: The fact that he hasn't terminated the experiment already shows his inclination, doesn't it?]
[Kafka: Then… what happened to A-303?]
Outside the screen,
Amber's body trembled slightly.
She seemed to recall a moment from decades ago—
the moment Theresa spared her.
That was the first time Amber ever felt something stir within her heart.
And even toward Otto—
the one who would eventually destroy her—
Amber believed he must have had his reasons.
After all, he was her creator.
She bore no resentment.
[Confidential Record A3-2]
[A-310 spared A-303]
[This strength and gentleness—
for a moment, I truly thought A-310 was Kallen reincarnated]
[However, reincarnation cannot be explained by scientific principles]
[No evidence proves that A-310 has any connection to Kallen]
[But A-310 is special]
[I have decided to adopt her as my granddaughter]
[Her name shall be—]
[Theresa]
[—Otto, 1972.03.28]
Within this record,
Otto's voice seemed to briefly speculate whether A-310 might be Kallen's reincarnation.
But quickly—
a lucid Otto mocked and dismissed the notion.
Even he found the idea absurd.
Let alone the viewers watching from the chat group.
Otto's mind… truly had been worn down too much.
And at that moment,
Otto himself understood this clearly.
Thus, Theresa's existence came into being.
By granting A-310 a name,
Otto also acknowledged Theresa as part of his own spiritual anchor—
a form of emotional solace.
Humans cannot remain lonely forever.
Especially not someone like Otto,
a pitiful man burdened by five hundred years of obsession.
[Some time later]
Having seemingly grown accustomed to being a member of Schicksal,
Theresa officially began taking on external missions!
"Directly under the Archbishop, this is B-rank Valkyrie Theresa. Approaching the battlefield!"
"This is Squad One of the Far East Branch, Commander A-rank Valkyrie Kira. Ten hours ago, we observed a previously unseen massive Honkai beast nearby, provisional codename [Pavarti]."
A crisp, capable female Valkyrie replied over the internal comms.
"My squad is currently advancing toward the target area to carry out an extermination operation."
"Roger! Please send me the coordinates so I can provide support!"
Theresa's voice was as energetic as ever.
After she cleared a wave of Honkai beasts,
Otto's warm voice sounded.
"Theresa, how does your first battle feel~?"
"Mm! I was a bit nervous at first, but once I thought about fighting alongside other Valkyries, I wasn't so scared anymore! And the commander is really nice too!"
"You could have lived happily as a descendant of the Apocalypse family. Yet you insist on going to the battlefield… sometimes I really don't understand what you're thinking."
Otto shook his head helplessly,
his sigh filled with indulgence and concern.
Such unmistakable emotion
left many superhuman viewers stunned.
This warm, private side of Otto…
did it really exist???
Five hundred years ago, perhaps.
But this was five hundred years later!!
From that tone…
Had Otto truly come to regard Theresa as his real granddaughter?!
"It's fine, Grandpa! I'll be okay!"
"And this feeling of protecting others—it makes me really happy!"
"Protecting others… that does sound like something she would say."
"Very well. This time, I'll indulge you."
Otto chuckled softly.
Then—
"Don't worry. Grandpa will protect you too."
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