Chapter 259 – Truly Worthy of Being Called a God
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"Breaking news: satellites from NASA have detected several meteors on a collision course with Earth.
Predicted impact zones include the following cities…
Residents are urged to follow evacuation orders issued by local authorities and proceed to shelters in an orderly fashion…"
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Such an announcement instantly shook the world—it was headline-grabbing news. And when the broadcast named specific cities, panic spread like wildfire.
The internet erupted, trolls and self-proclaimed experts spewing venom online, while opportunists took to the streets, trying to stir up chaos under the guise of protests.
But in the end, all of them complied with the evacuation protocols enforced by the rescue forces.
Anyone with half a brain knew the news sounded suspicious, but once the government rolled out nationwide emergency measures, no one dared gamble their lives on whether the report was real or fake.
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Babylon Laboratory.
To outsiders, "Otto Apocalypse" was the picture of elegance—an impeccably dressed man in a tailored suit, swirling a glass of red wine in hand, every gesture exuding refinement.
But now, appearing in Babylon Laboratory in his brand-new Soulium body, that image was nowhere to be found.
He didn't even have the mood to sneer at Welt.
If anything, to mock the First Herrscher under these circumstances would only make him look like a complete clown.
Frowning slightly, Otto stared at Welt—who stood as calm as though nothing had happened, while recalling the emergency transmission he had just received from S-rank Valkyrie Cecilia.
If he still couldn't guess that some unseen mastermind was pulling the strings behind this new wave of Honkai, then he might as well give up and go play house with Theresa at St. Freya.
Of course, Otto didn't stop Cecilia or Anti-Entropy from acting.
He wanted to see this for himself—the elusive puppet master who had left not a single trace, even after all the power of Schicksal had been mobilized to investigate.
"Show me," Otto muttered, his voice like steel, eyes glinting with a blade's edge as he fixed them on the broadcast playing across the screen. "Show me what you're after."
Being obliterated in a nuclear blast was painless, yes—but that didn't change the fact this was the worst humiliation he had suffered in five hundred years.
And even now, he hadn't so much as glimpsed his opponent's shadow.
But sadly for him, all of his effort was destined to be in vain.
Because the mastermind was someone who didn't belong to this era.
A fool. No—just a boy.
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Nagami stood within a world of blinding white, an endless mental landscape where nothing existed but purity.
It was like stepping into the most immaculate place in existence, unmarred by even the faintest trace of color.
"This isn't a Code-Geass world…" His six-pointed star-shaped pupils turned slowly as he strolled casually across the blank expanse. "Its structure also very different from the Honkai consciousness I've seen before. It's almost like—"
He stopped mid-sentence, eyes narrowing.
Far ahead, a blurred figure began to take shape.
It had no hair, no face, no clothing—nothing but the rough outline of a human body, like a stick figure sketched lazily by some child's hand.
And yet, for some reason, it gave off a disturbingly familiar presence.
Nagami froze, staring in silence for a long while, before stepping forward stiffly.
No way…
Could the Honkai consciousness really have—?
As he drew closer, the figure sharpened into something unmistakable: long, flowing locks of soft green hair spilled down a smooth, porcelain back, outlining curves that seemed sculpted by divine hands.
The silken strands cascaded like a stream, spreading outward like blossoms in full bloom.
Two strands swayed as the figure stirred, slipping over her shoulders and tumbling across the swell of her chest.
Flawless, alabaster skin gleamed against the void, paired with delicate arms so perfect they seemed to embody the pinnacle of human beauty.
And her eyes—those radiant golden eyes—seemed to hold the vastness of all creation.
"Mmm, it's been such a long time since anyone's managed to reach this place. Heh… saying it like that does give me a touch of class, doesn't it?"
The voice was like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley—clear, melodic, and achingly familiar.
Nagami wasn't shocked to see the Honkai consciousness wearing the appearance of C.C.
He knew this much: when the true Honkai Will manifested, it always appeared in the form most meaningful to the person facing it.
But there was one problem—right now, his soul wasn't even in the form of C.C.!
Nagami's spirit form was a blend of male and female traits, reminiscent of Enkidu in a way—but still, there was a big difference between Enkidu and C.C.
Surely the Honkai Will should've recognized that.
Even if one looked like an anime character, there was still a clear distinction between male and female!
"Well," 'C.C.' said with a playful twirl, her smile both mischievous and alluring as she winked at him, "I just figured you'd appreciate this form the most. And besides… isn't this exactly what you wanted to see?"
Nagami had seen C.C. naked plenty of times before—when he was the one controlling that peerless body.
But seeing her from an entirely external perspective, as if he were only a bystander… it was definitely a little overwhelming.
Not that he was some immature kid suffering from a "nosebleed syndrome"—that had long since been cured.
What really startled him was something else entirely: with his soul as strong as it was now, equipped with countless defenses against psychic intrusions, the Honkai Will had still managed to directly read his innermost thoughts.
"That's not it. With the strength of this fragment of my consciousness, I can't break through your defenses. It's just… your expression was so easy to read that I could practically see what you were thinking."
Nagami gave her a long, skeptical stare, his eyes flattening into dead-fish mode as he studied the smiling girl in front of him.
As ridiculous as it sounded, he found himself believing her explanation.
After all, the feather nestled in his soul hadn't reacted at all—and Nagami had absolute confidence in the power he now wielded after merging with it.
Still… to think he'd live to see the day where someone could actually read his face like an open book—he honestly hadn't seen that coming.
"…But I'll admit, this form is… easy on the eyes."
An LSP (lustful, straightforward pervert) was nothing if not honest and unashamed.
"Right? Right?!"
With a quick, fluid motion, 'C.C.' slid to his side and draped an arm over his shoulder in a strangely friendly manner.
There was even a flicker of respect in her expression. Patting him, she grinned and said:
"As a god, I've watched civilizations rise and fall more times than I can count, like stars scattered across the universe.
But you—someone who actually turns that ruthlessness onto yourself—you're the first I've ever seen."
She even raised a thumb in approval.
"…No. Before we talk about that, can you explain to me why your entire 'divine persona' just collapsed in front of me?"
Nagami felt like Cecilia not long ago—his sanity was crumbling like a dam bursting open. His expression was already beyond saving.
"Oh come on, do I really have to spell it out? Didn't you already figure it out shortly after stepping into this place?"
Arms folded across her chest, 'C.C.' didn't care in the slightest that this pose—on that body—was driving Nagami dangerously close to mental collapse.
"But I've gotta say, those eyes of yours are something else. Truly fitting for an outsider.
If you can draw out their full potential, you might even get a glimpse of my boss someday."
She leaned in close, golden eyes staring intently into his six-pointed pupils as they whirred, analyzing her.
The sudden closeness, paired with that all-too-familiar face, nearly made Nagami kiss her by reflex.
Luckily, he caught himself just in time.
"Of course I know that. But enough about me." Nagami took half a step back, regaining his composure. "What really shocks me is your stunt just now. Care to explain why?"
"Hm?" 'C.C.' scratched at her cheek, her golden eyes reflecting genuine confusion. "Do I really need to repeat it?"
Her tone suddenly rose, frustration leaking into her voice.
"Do you have any idea how many worlds my boss oversees? Using your kind of analogy—think of me as an examiner. There are countless worlds out there, each with countless civilizations waiting for me to test!"
She looked exactly like a salaryman from Nagami's past life—crushed under the weight of her boss's unreasonable workload.
"If that was all, fine. But these test questions—I don't get to choose them! The boss sets the bar so damn high.
Fail the test, and the civilization gets erased. Do you know what my performance rating looks like right now?!"
Her voice cracked into a near wail. "If I could, I'd jump in myself and smack down the Herrschers just to make things easier! But of course, that's impossible.
Hardly any civilizations pass anyway, so… fine. I just carry out the assignments the boss gives me. That's how the 'Honkai God' came to be."
If one wanted to put it in simple terms…
Miss Honkai was basically Raiden Ei.
Every fragment of Honkai Will Nagami had encountered so far—the so-called god who handed out trials to every civilization was none other than Raiden Shogun.
And in this moment, Nagami had only one thought:
'Truly worthy of being called a god—there isn't a single one that doesn't slack off.'