The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

The battle against Kevin had ended in a mere fifteen minutes, but the injuries sustained were more severe than any previous deathmatch.

Except for Fu Hua, a MANTIS warrior with powerful regenerative abilities, the others couldn't even maintain consciousness, let alone stand. They lay scattered on the ground, near death, comatose.

But there was one exception—Otto.

His Soulium body was shattered, making him resemble a broken robot, yet he remained conscious.

The greatest advantage of his Soulium body was that, until it was completely destroyed, his consciousness would remain active, recording everything around him.

So he watched helplessly as Kevin, Might of An-Utu in hand, walked towards Lihua, who stood defiantly before them.

Familiar.

The scene was so painfully familiar that Otto trembled, even in his immobile, broken state.

How similar it was to that moment five hundred years ago! The same hopeless enemy, the same Lihua shielding him, the same burning flames of the Divine Key…

Was tragedy about to repeat itself? Would he once again watch his beloved die before his eyes?!

No… This can't happen! I finally saw her again! There's so much I want to tell her, so many stories to share—I won't let this happen!!

Move… I have to move!!!

Otto roared inwardly, desperately willing his heavy Soulium limbs to obey, but—

No miracle occurred.

He couldn't move a muscle. All he could do was watch the inevitable tragedy unfold, powerless to stop it.

Otto had always believed that human love could create miracles. He had nurtured Kiana and the others, believing that if all else failed, their love would create a miracle and allow him to save Lihua.

A miracle had happened once, but this time, it seemed to have abandoned him.

The power of love was great, but its miracles weren't granted to sinners who had committed heinous acts.

So Otto could only watch, just like five hundred years ago.

Agitation turned to rage. He cursed and threatened Kevin, vowing to destroy everything he held dear, no matter the cost, if he dared to harm Lihua.

Rage turned to pleading. He wept, begging Kevin to spare Lihua. He repented for his past actions, offering to leave immediately with Lihua, to help Kevin with anything he desired… The Stigma Project, the slaughter of humanity, anything, as long as he spared Lihua.

But neither his fury nor his despair reached Kevin.

He could only lie there, like the useless wretch he was, and watch.

Watch as those vile flames once again reduced his most beloved flower to ashes.

The red firelight illuminated his stunned face, the dancing shadows like a mocking demon.

And after the flames subsided, only white dust remained where Lihua had stood.

Unlike the high temperature caused by the Might of An-Utu's side effects, a direct hit from that attack left nothing behind, not even ashes.

"...Ah…"

Otto felt dizzy, the scene before him fragmenting. A vast emptiness consumed him, as if the past centuries, all his efforts, had become meaningless.

Along with this despairing emptiness, a different kind of power emerged.

An inexplicable power, yet strong enough to lift his broken body, allowing him to stand once more. That power was—hatred!

Miracles of love weren't granted to sinners, but hatred was.

Hatred loved everyone equally.

Even the weakest could draw their blade and point it at the heavens, fueled by its flames.

Otto's eyes locked onto Kevin, the near-molten Void Archives in his shattered hand glowing once more, transforming into a greatsword.

He regretted not taking Lihua and leaving, instead choosing to meddle in Blue Earth's affairs.

But regret couldn't change anything. There was only one thing left to do.

"KEVIN!!!"

Otto roared, his broken legs carrying him across the lunar surface!

It was a reckless charge, but he had lost everything. What meaning was there in rationality?

His eyes saw only Kevin. His sole purpose now was to cleave that head from its shoulders and shatter it into pieces!

His body was broken, but Otto reached Kevin, raising his greatsword high, then—

Crack!

A sharp snap. The upright figure was cut in half at the waist, the upper body collapsing into the dust.

But it wasn't Kevin.

Without even turning, Kevin had swung his sword backhand, bisecting Otto before he could react.

Only then did Kevin turn, looking indifferently at the fallen Otto.

Otto's lower body was gone, but his hate-filled eyes remained fixed on Kevin as he crawled on the ground, dragging himself closer.

Kevin was certain that even if he severed Otto's arms, leaving him writhing like a worm, he would still crawl towards him, trying to bite him with his teeth.

"Disgusting." Kevin said calmly.

So weak, yet still delusional to challenge him, resorting to such ugly, desperate measures for revenge… Such a person was both pathetic and laughable.

Just like himself.

In the eyes of those Honkai civilizations, he was probably just like Otto now.

Looking at the crawling Otto, Kevin silently raised his sword. Because they were so alike, he knew that any attempt to reason with Otto was pointless.

The only way to stop a man consumed by hatred was to—utterly destroy him.

For the march of vengeance wouldn't stop until he was reduced to dust.

"Kevin, stop!"

Former companions tried to intervene, perhaps Fu Hua, perhaps Elysia… but it didn't matter.

Kevin's indifferent gaze met Otto's hateful stare.

Both consumed by hatred, why do I triumph while you fail?

The reason was simple—because my pain, my hatred, surpasses yours!

Kevin acknowledged their similarities, but their endings would be different. He wouldn't suffer such a pathetic fate. His revenge would succeed!

His greatsword descended, aimed at Otto's head.

But the blade stopped mid-swing.

Not because Kevin had relented, but because another, identical greatsword blocked its path.