Chapter 1093: Chaos Is A Ladder
Black knew what Petyr was suggesting.
He didn’t agree with Littlefinger out loud, because, in a way, he had come to the same conclusion. And, no. It wasn’t just because of the matter of the Inquisition. He had been seeing the signs of the coming war for months — before he had visited the Fate timeline — around the time when Kai had a private conversation with Death and Timeline.
Ever since then, he had known that Death the Artificer’s designs for him didn’t stop at Herpo the Foul. He had known that Timeline’s designs for him didn’t stop at helping Her with Karmic Dissolution to become a Pillar. He had known that the matter of the Night of Truce hadn’t just disappeared, no matter how discreet he had been about it.
Also, Kai had known that his enemies, from the Six of the Order of Immortal Lotus to the Five Supremes of the 15th Floor, and to the countless people who secretly held a grudge against him and his father, would come for him sooner or later.
A war had indeed been lingering on the horizon.
It was just that... Kai had dearly wished that by the time he reached that horizon, he would already be done with the Harry Potter Main Mission.
And, to an extent, he hadn’t been wrong.
Kai’s meticulous plans had all but made sure that he would achieve all and everything he desired from the Main Mission well before that war could unleash itself upon him.
However, his not walking toward the horizon didn’t mean it wouldn’t walk toward him, either.
That’s where he erred.
Black nodded several times, realizing his inadvertent mistake.
Luck... he realized, continuing his nods of epiphany. It can conspire against Fate itself. It can conspire regarding unknown events and matters. But... only at its own pace. It’s slow. It likes to take its time. Which is good, but that puts Luck at a disadvantage against events that spring up spontaneously. Like Darth Kars’ epiphany related to the Force and the Ripple. Like the matter of the Inquisition.
Moreover, Kai had already established that his Luck, though insanely high, could be manipulated by the likes of even Half-Deep Ones.
They didn’t even have to target him directly.
As long as he fell into Their overarching schemes, it already meant that his Luck was being suppressed, that his Lucky Intuitions were either flawed or lacking.
And, whether he liked it or not, he was indeed powerless against it, Black knew.
But... if he pulled even more people into this... if he involved even more ridiculous figures in this... if he forced even more eldritch existences into this war, then...
Black suddenly remembered the time of the Side Mission into the Pirates of the Caribbean timeline, where he had forced hundreds of Contestants to be the shared protectors of Jack Sparrow.
"Chaos..." Petyr smiled.
Black returned that smile. "... is a ladder."
...
Purple Mist twisted her thumbs as she sat on her throne.
Shadow Origin blurred at the foot of the steps and kneeled.
"And?" she asked, the purple mist around her hiding her mysteries, along with her appearance and voice.
"Stark Blue is... alive," Shadow Origin confirmed. "... for now."
The King nodded to herself.
She had no reason to involve herself in a children’s squabble.
Stark Blue was a member of the White Serpent Pirates and had recently ascended to the 4th Set, becoming a Top-level 10th Floor Contestant outright.
That hadn’t come as a surprise, given the stunt she had pulled by utterly obliterating a rogue Claw, irritating the Temple of Amon-Gorloth’s Priests.
A Bounty of 700 million Berries was not only justified in her case, but it was also outstanding.
However, that wouldn’t have been enough for the King to command her Viceroy to look out for her.
Purple Mist had an instinct that both Stark Blue and Red Sun gaining new Bounties wasn’t a coincidence. There was a high probability that all the White Serpent Pirates were undergoing immense changes, as if preparing for something. It was only a matter of time before they began hearing about more of them.
Moreover, the fact that it was happening right after Red visited the Fate timeline also suggested something... something dark and foreboding.
Purple Mist wouldn’t have cared about any other 9th Floor Contestant, no matter if he held a speck of an Emperor’s bloodline.
But Red... was involved in just too much.
And, lo and behold, only days ago, her instinct had come true.
Out of nowhere, a Notification beeped in front of her eyes, making her brows shoot up.
It was Red — that... fucking... idiot — contacting her through the Primordial Tower Trade Market.
"Make sure she doesn’t die until she accepts a Mission," Purple Mist said. "Beyond that, don’t bother about her."
Shadow Origin nodded, still kneeling. "As you command, Your Majesty," he replied. "Should I try contacting him again..."
"No need," Purple Mist said with a dismissive tone.
Once the Viceroy was gone, she accepted the call, confirming that her brother had returned to the Harry Potter timeline.
[Forgive me for missing your calls, Your Majesty,] Red said, his voice lacking all emotional tremors. [And please extend my apologies to Viceroy Shadow Origin as well. I was... in a strange state and...]
"I will ask it one time and one time only," Purple Mist said, cutting off Red’s masked words. "Whether you decide to lie or not is up to you. Did you, or did you not, kill the Contestants during the Night of Truce?"
The answer arrived sooner than she had expected.
[No.]
Purple Mist’s eyes narrowed into needles.
"Did you, or did you not, order any of your underlings, in any way possible, to do the same in your stead?"
[No.]
"..." Purple Mist was astounded. Because... her brother had NOT lied. But, she couldn’t relax. Not yet. Not unless she asked one last question. "Did you, or did you not, use Faceless’ Concepts to make yourself forget about doing the same, in any manner possible?"
A pause.
Purple Mist’s fingers grabbed the throne’s arms.
[... Apologies, Your Majesty,] Red replied after a while, sounding utterly calm. [Just scoured my Mindscape. And, no. I did not use Faceless’ Concepts. I am not using them now, either.]
Purple Mist, after days — DAYS — let her shoulders relax, a moan escaping her lush lips.
"Alright," she said, letting out a breath. "Fill me in."
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