Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

Perhaps awakened by Kiana's actions, Zeke's vacant gaze flickered slightly.

He walked over, picked up Kiana, and brought her beside Vera's bed.

Kiana trembled as she held Vera's hand, tears streaming uncontrollably upon seeing her pallid skin.

"It's all...all my fault... If only I had gone back to report earlier..."

Zeke wrapped his arms around Kiana, resting his chin on her head and taking a deep breath.

"I was thinking it might be better to end her suffering now," Zeke murmured softly.

He didn't outright blame Kiana for this outcome... In a sense, the emergence of these Honkai Beasts could indeed be traced back to her actions.

However, the immediate cause of Kiana releasing Honkai Energy within the snow-capped mountains was due to Zeke's intervention.

Thus, it was their shared responsibility; neither could escape the blame.

Kiana startled abruptly.

"What do you mean by 'end her suffering'?"

"Exactly as I said. She is enduring the agony of being corrupted by Honkai Energy. If she wakes up, there's a chance she might instantly collapse, right? Perhaps, perhaps ending everything while she sleeps would bring her some relief." Zeke spoke calmly and dispassionately.

Unseen beneath the shadows, his hands had clenched so tightly they turned white.

"No!" Kiana screamed.

Holding Kiana, Zeke felt her body trembling uncontrollably.

Kiana lifted her tear-streaked face towards Zeke and pleaded, "If even we give up, who else can save Vera?! Please, Zeke, I'm begging you, help her. I'll do anything, just please save her..."

In response to Kiana's pleading, Zeke remained silent for a long moment before his lips curved upward.

"I think this is a trial."

"Huh?"

"This is a trial, one bestowed upon me by fate itself. Only by overcoming my weak and immature self can I truly grow. Now, I understand that running away is futile. Here I am, breathing this air, bound to these people, facing Honkai, Schicksal, and Otto right alongside them. No matter what the future holds, I must confront it head-on instead of hoping against hope to escape this terrifying reality."

"Zeke..."

Kiana sniffled as more unease washed over her.

What should she do? Has Zeke's mind been damaged from too much trauma? Why would he suddenly start talking like this?

"I've made a risky decision—one so perilous that our destinies may temporarily slip out of our control for a while. But there's still a glimmer of hope. Will you join me?" Zeke asked earnestly.

Kiana opened her mouth, then nodded resolutely.

"As long as we can save Vera, I'll do anything!"

Above the Mediterranean Sea, beneath the starry night sky, the magnificent Schicksal airborne base hovered majestically.

Otto Apocalypse was leisurely enjoying his afternoon tea, unperturbed by the evening hour. Having transcended human limitations long ago, Otto could indulge in tea and treats at any time he desired, all considered "afternoon tea" if he so wished.

"Amber, have you found that overly energetic little imp yet?"

"My lord, following the trail around the manor, our frontline Valkyries traced it into the woods. However, the clues abruptly ended there. They're still conducting a thorough search, but no results as of yet."

"Continue the search. I'm confident they haven't gotten far. Using a fission bomb and appearing alongside K-423—just where do you hail from? Anti-Entropy, or perhaps that enigmatic Serpent?"

"Zzz... Zzzz... Zzz..."

Suddenly, the massive digital screen before him flickered. One by one, intricate data windows and images vanished, giving way to a clear communication feed.

Holding his teacup, Otto gazed intently at the window, meeting the weary yet indifferent eyes of the youth within it as if engaging in a spatially transcending stare.

"Good evening, young man."

"Good evening, Mr. Otto."

Otto raised an eyebrow, noticing both K-423 cradled in the boy's arms and the clearly Honkai-corrupted girl beside them.

"It seems you're in quite some trouble. Is there anything I can assist with?"

"I deployed the fission bomb."

"...Young man, your candor is commendable. So, where did you obtain it from?"

"I made it myself."

The bishop narrowed his eyes slightly. While he found it hard to believe, considering the ease with which this individual infiltrated Schicksal's systems, creating a fission bomb didn't seem entirely implausible.

In this world, there exists a stark distinction between geniuses and ordinary individuals.

Geniuses who single-handedly revolutionize their era are rare, but Otto had encountered several such prodigies himself, even being one among them.

Perhaps this was yet another undiscovered, long-awaited extraordinary genius?

Naturally, at this point, Otto still leaned towards his initial suspicion that Zeke was a spy from another organization.

"K-423 is with me as well," Zeke suddenly added, emphasizing Kiana nestled in his arms.

Otto's expression remained unchanged, but he smiled wryly and said, "It seems you know quite a lot! But how much does she herself understand?"

K-423 had not yet developed a stable personality or sufficient emotional bonds. Revealing the truth to her now could potentially shatter her fragile identity, posing a severe threat to Otto's plans.

Despite appearing calm, a subtle hint of murderous intent began stirring within him.

"Don't worry; I agree it's not the right time yet." Zeke's response reassured Otto slightly but also raised new suspicions. His plans were deeply concealed—just how much did Zeke know, and where did he obtain such information?

"Cough! Let's get back on topic then, Mr. Zeke. What brings you here?" Otto subtly revealed some of his own intelligence-gathering efforts.

Zeke's identity as the fission bomb's deployer remained unknown to Otto, and he underestimated Zeke's hidden research capabilities. However, since Zeke had appeared alongside K-423, his name, appearance, even his family history, were all already stored within Otto's central archive.

But it seemed Otto's intelligence-gathering efforts fell short. The Zeke before him bore little resemblance to the vagrant orphan depicted in the files; they might as well have been two different people. Moreover, infiltrating Schicksal's system to initiate this conversation was no small feat.

Two complex minds stared at each other through their screens for a moment before tacitly deciding to cease further probing.

"As you can see, Vera is critically ill due to Honkai Energy corruption. I've suppressed the energy's activity, but it merely prolongs her suffering futilely. Unless I find a way to save her before her heart stops completely, there's no hope. Yet, if anyone in this world could rescue her life, it would undoubtedly be Mr. Otto Apocalypse."

"Ah... A wise deduction indeed. But what stakes do you bring? Why should I expend significant resources to save a worthless young girl on your behalf?"

Leisurely, Otto crossed his legs, waiting for Zeke's offer.

Zeke said, "I don't have much to spare, but fortunately, there is one thing I believe you won't refuse."

"Please continue."

"A possibility."

"Of what?"

"Regarding resurrection."

After witnessing the mushroom cloud rise, Otto shattered his teacup for the second time. Then, with a cold response, he asked, "If you possess the ability to resurrect, why not simply bring this girl back to life instead of asking me to save her?"

"Firstly, as I mentioned, it's just a possibility. Secondly, considering the person on your mind, would you choose timely intervention to save her or let her die and then resurrect her afterward?"

The dynamics of their conversation shifted slightly. Although it didn't completely reverse their positions, at least Zeke regained some initiative.

Otto fell silent for a moment before responding meaningfully, "It seems you understand me far more deeply than I anticipated... By the way, have you considered avenging your parents who perished during the Second Honkai Eruption, Garth Federonski?"

This remark stirred memories from Zeke's original body.

Yes, his parents had perished during the Second Honkai Eruption due to the Herrscher of the Void, leaving him as a pitiful orphan when he arrived in this world through transmigration.

By all conventional logic, it was an irreconcilable grudge.

Zeke didn't personally feel much resentment over it, but he couldn't deny the established fact.

By bringing this up now, Otto likely suspected Zeke's identity and also aimed to gauge his thoughts on Kiana.

Gently stroking Kiana's hair, Zeke replied slowly, "I'm still observing—both your vessel and the demon dormant within. Once I have a clearer understanding, my decision will naturally follow. Additionally, it's Garth Fedorovski."

That was Zeke's true original name.

"Federonski" and "Fedorov" differed by just a subtle syllabic change.

If Zeke hadn't possessed the memories of his predecessor, or if he were indeed a spy planted by another organization, such a minor discrepancy might easily go unnoticed—a slip that could be overlooked unintentionally.

This was a vulnerability. Whether used to deduce his identity or for verbal sparring, Otto could potentially regain an advantage with this revelation.