Combining the intelligence records gathered by Schicksal's information department with the clues Otto had now discovered, he easily deduced that Ren Amamiya had possessed mature consciousness and wisdom from the very beginning.
The dead cannot be resurrected; this is an objective law of the world's operation.
However, under the power of divine authority, Ren Amamiya's reincarnation with preserved memories undoubtedly broke the rules of the world.
In Otto's view, Ren Amamiya was highly likely a warrior who had survived from a civilization before the Previous Era, or perhaps even an older, more distant one.
Considering the time limit for preserving complete consciousness, the possibility of Ren being a survivor from the civilization before the Previous Era was greater.
Perhaps for some reason, Ren failed to awaken during the Previous Era.
Or perhaps he had actually awakened and revived once before, but due to some coincidence, perished in some incident, leaving no trace in the records of the Previous Era.
Civilizations had various ways of dealing with the Honkai. The Previous Era ultimately chose to fight the Honkai by creating MANTISes.
In the current civilization, Schicksal, relying on the excavated Blank Divine Keys from the Previous Era, developed Valkyrie battlesuits and the technology of artificial Stigmata, resisting the Honkai with Valkyries.
Anti-Entropy, on the other hand, relied on vast numbers of automated robots to counter Honkai Beasts and Herrschers.
The civilization before the Previous Era, more ancient and distant, should also have had its own unique methods of resisting the Honkai.
And the power system established in that civilization was most likely the Persona system Ren Amamiya currently used.
Although Ren's Personas and Stigmata powers were quite similar, one might even say only their methods of use differed, there were only so many ways to utilize Honkai energy. Similarities were perfectly normal and understandable.
Now, only one question remained to trouble Otto.
"That strongest human who wished upon God to reset the world's cycle—did he ultimately defeat God, or completely destroy God?"
Otto rested his chin on his clasped hands, his voice deep as he questioned Ren.
This was the final question.
If that strongest human who faced God had truly led civilization through the Honkai's trial, then the Previous Era and the current civilization should not have been born.
However, the reality this world faced was the near-total annihilation of the Previous Era, leaving less than a handful of pioneers to struggle on into the current era, running around for the cause of resisting the Honkai.
Under the gaze of the God of Honkai, even with the warnings and legacy of the Previous Era as aid, the current civilization was still in a precarious situation.
"...Of course, God was only defeated. Completely destroying God would not only prevent the world from being restored to its original state but might also cause the world to lose its inherent order, leading to some irretrievable, dangerous phenomena."
Ren paused for a moment, then answered the False God truthfully.
"I see. I completely understand now..."
After receiving Ren's answer, Otto pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded, speaking thoughtfully.
Completely destroying the God of Honkai indeed carried the risk of causing irreversible negative changes to the world.
The strongest human from the civilization before the Previous Era was entirely correct to have reservations.
However, merely defeating or repelling the God of Honkai once clearly didn't count as completely passing the civilization's trial.
The pioneers of the Previous Era fell before the Herrscher of the Finality, but perhaps even the Herrscher of the Finality was not the final enemy.
Behind the Herrscher of the Finality was the God of Honkai. And even after defeating the God of Honkai, new, stronger enemies might still emerge from the Imaginary Tree.
Perhaps the strongest human from the civilization before the Previous Era was defeated by a resurgent God of Honkai, or by some Imaginary entity even stronger than the God of Honkai.
Drawing experience from past failures, Otto silently made his decision.
—Indeed, I still must seize divine authority!
Only by becoming a god himself could Kallen be perfectly resurrected in this world.
If possible, Otto wanted to clear all obstacles for the revived Kallen, completely banish the Honkai from the world, and present all the world's beauty before her.
To ensure the resurrected Kallen lived in a beautiful and safe world, Otto felt he had to redouble his efforts!
"I've answered your questions. Now it's your turn to fulfill my wishes, isn't it?... Speaking of which, has Hare delivered the Will Seeds and Treasure yet?"
Gazing at the False God, who had stopped questioning him and was now sitting at the desk in a contemplative state, Ren spoke.
Then, Ren's gaze shifted to Justine in front of the Velvet Room cell, questioning the blue-haired loli holding the folder.
"...Hare?"
Due to Otto being lost in thought, Justine, a dream-derived manifestation, reacted reasonably to Ren's question on her own.
Justine frowned slightly, a hint of bewilderment in her golden eye, the one not covered by the black eyepatch.
"I mean Misteln. Misteln Schariac. Hasn't she come yet?"
After habitually blurting out Hare's codename, Ren noticed the bewildered expression on Justine's delicate face. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself, saying Hare's real name.
Misteln... Schariac?
Otto had now returned from his contemplation. Hearing the name Ren mentioned, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
As one of the three great families of Schicksal, Otto had long since memorized the list of outstanding individuals from the Schariac family.
He even had impressions of ordinary Schariac clan members.
However, in these five hundred years, Otto had never heard of a Schariac clan member named Misteln.
This piqued Otto's interest.
I'll check it out after uploading my consciousness back to Schicksal headquarters...
While making this decision internally, Otto manipulated the power of the Mimic Fenghuang Down, guiding Justine to answer Ren.
"Of course. We have already received them."
Justine nodded lightly, her golden eyes silently glancing towards a corner of the Velvet Room.
The Sloth crystal and the Gem of Conquest, mimicked by the Fenghuang Down according to Ren's cognitive impression, lay quietly there.
The Gem of Conquest...
After projecting the Will Seed and Treasure Ren spoke of using the Mimic Fenghuang Down, Otto's eyes flashed with surprise upon seeing that Ren's so-called "Treasure" actually referred to the Gem of Conquest.
The Gem of Conquest was the Herrscher Core of the Herrscher of Thunder. It should have been buried deep within Raiden Mei's body long ago. Due to the passage of time, it should have been impossible to surgically separate it from her body.
Even with Schicksal's medical standards, without using the authority of the Key of Creation, Abyss Flower, it would be very difficult to guarantee the survival rate of Raiden Mei, the surgical recipient.
But Ren had somehow, unknowingly, separated the Gem of Conquest from Raiden Mei's body?
And according to Rita's previous report, not only was Mei not in a weakened, dying state from the forced separation of the Gem of Conquest, but she was in excellent spirits, looking incredibly healthy?
Ren's unknown means of effortlessly stealing a Herrscher Core from a slowly awakening Herrscher instantly shrouded him in another layer of mystery in Otto's eyes.
"Then please help me craft accessories from these materials. Hare should have already told you the specific requirements."
Ren withdrew his gaze from the distant Sloth crystal and the blue-purple gem, turning instead to Justine and Caroline standing before his cell, making his request.
Although the False God Yaldabaoth's authority was powerful, it lacked the ability to assist humans in their rehabilitation.
To upgrade and evolve Personas in the Velvet Room, he still needed the twin lolis, Caroline and Justine.
"One more thing, I want to perform Persona fusion here..."
Just as Ren was about to commission the loli twins before his cell, asking them to bring out the guillotine and fuse his Personas Huodou and Boreas...
Igor, impersonated by Otto, suddenly waved his hand, interrupting Ren's words.
Otto lacked the ability to fulfill Ren's request. This wasn't the so-called "Velvet Room"; it was merely an illusion created by Otto using the power of the Mimic Fenghuang Down.
A "Velvet Room" that was purely an illusion couldn't bring the effects Ren desired back into the real world.
To prevent the illusion of the Mimic Fenghuang Down from being seen through, Otto had no intention of letting Ren use the Velvet Room's functions as he wished.
"The visiting time is over. As a token of gratitude for answering my questions, take this little gift... It should be helpful to you in your current state."
With a wave of Otto's hand, a feather glowing with golden radiance descended from the sky, eventually hovering gently before Ren in his cell.
Golden feathers... So you're not even trying to hide it anymore, are you? You False God!
The true form of the False God Yaldabaoth was a resplendent Holy Grail. It was only natural that the power it used would emit a golden light.
Ren grumbled inwardly while reaching out to catch the exquisite and beautiful golden feather.
"This is a cultivation technique from a certain immortal of the East. With your abilities, you should be able to master it and utilize its power almost perfectly."