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Kai stared at the blatant mockery of his three conditions.
It wasn't like Timeline's questions didn't interest him, but they weren't on his priority list for now.
The matter with Black and the reason behind his disappearance were just too personal and crucial for Kai. It promised not only solid answers but also clues to power beyond his reach.
However, it was Timeline's last question that offended him.
Why would he even ask such a question? Why would he even think of it? It wasn't overconfidence, but pure trust in his abilities.
No Contestant, who could teleport to the current timeline, was his match now.
So, the Timeline's small smile baffled him the most.
"Your first and second condition will be revealed to you, anyway," Darcie said from beyond the Mirror. "And you might as well forget about the third condition. It's impossible. Let me expound upon the questions you should have asked because they are of much relevance now."
Turning the Mirror of Erised into an Item is impossible?! Kai thought, catching onto the info.
"For beings like you, a Timeline Invasion means arriving at a timeline without a specific purpose," Darcie's reflection said, losing her smile. "In simple terms, arriving here without a… Mission."
Kai's eyes widened. How can it be?!
Even he, who possessed a Glitch, and frequented many Switched Worlds, had never jumped from one timeline to the other without having a Mission.
The very first condition for Kai to switch a timeline was to create a Side Mission related to it.
The only case Kai remembered where a Contestant jumped from one timeline to another without creating a Mission was his father's.
And that thought alone sufficed to make Kai frown heavily at the info.
"For our context," the Timeline continued, narrowing her eyes at Kai, "breaching the Great Old Contract means colluding with external entities, or elements, going against timelines; especially when you pair it with the lack of a Mission, i.e. the Tower's approval."
Kai stared at the Darcie in the Mirror listlessly.
This was the first time he heard the Timeline openly talking about the Tower.
Of course, DEATH had also shown great knowledge of it, but for even the Timeline to utter words about it meant the relationship between these Eldritch Entities was just too entangled, to begin with.
Yet, this wasn't the only reason for Kai to go silent at those words.
… going against timelines… without a Mission… isn't that… Kai dared not give a finishing touch to his thoughts.
Alas! The Timeline had already picked up on them.
"Yes," IT uttered gravely. "An Outer One's existence remains in a perpetual state of breaching the Great Old Contract. In such cases, the Tower would do anything to either discard the Outer One… or… you know what I mean."
Kai took a step back, the truth behind these words shaking the Ad Infinitum's processors.
Despite gaining all his memories, and despite the Storm Pirates relieving him of an impending doom, one doubt had always troubled Kai.
Why did the Primordial Tower, or the Systems per se, sided with an Outer One like the Soul King and plotted his resurrection within the Tower itself?!
So that's why… Kai thought, learning the deepest secret. One way was to discard the Outer One. The other way was to make it come back to the Tower. But… But… then why…
Kai's thoughts paused as his gaze landed on the girl in the Mirror.
Darcie's image, the Timeline, walked a stepped toward him, closing the gap between her and the Mirror. She leaned forward.
"Tell me," she said, smiling, "have you ever wondered why an Outer One is called an Outer One, a Deep One a Deep One, and an Old One… an Old One? Have you?"
Kai's breathing quickened.
"Hahaha!" the Timeline guffawed, stepping back.
With everything that he had already listened to, Kai took a deep breath, awaiting Timeline's next words. He knew he wouldn't like them even before the girl opened her mouth.
"The Bugs I am talking about are Timeline Invaders," Darcie's reflection told Kai, a fury dancing in her eyes now. "They have also breached the Great Old Contract… with the help of the Order of the Immortal Lotus."
"What?!" Kai blurted.
After listening to his father, Kai knew some Contestants knew about the Order of the Immortal Lotus' existence.
But was the Order also familiar with Contestants in the same way? Weren't those old asses storyline Characters…
Kai paused.
He paused like he had never before.
Yes. The six members of the Order of Immortal Lotus… weren't the main storyline Characters.
"You seemed to have realized it," Darcie's reflection said, sneering. "Well, that makes it easy. I generally tolerate the Order's interferences because, more often than not, they tend to maintain the status quo of the Random World. This time, they have gone too far.
"First, they let the Bugs in. Second, they knew it would impede my evolution. Third, they thought I wouldn't know if they sealed the Bugs' levels.
"Presumptuous!"
A grave premonition settled in Kai's heart, then.
"What do you mean?" Kai asked, clenching his fingers into fists. "What do you mean they sealed the Bugs' levels?"
"These Bugs belong to the 12th floor of the Tower."
"…?" It was such a shocking truth that Kai instantly scoffed. "Are you…"
The Timeline ignored him, though. "The Order sealed their levels, resonating their powers with the fluctuating Upper Limit, as I am evolving. Then they hid themselves under separate Bounded Fields, knowing you would go to look for them by yourself.
"Of course, after dealing with you they want to plunder me. The Order knows this, too, and thus it infuriates me even more."
"Wait. Wait…" Kai lifted his hand, the AI already going haywire. He still refused to believe it. But even if it was true, even if such monsters were hiding in this very timeline, even then… "Why would I go look for them?!"
Darcie narrowed her eyes at him.
"You have received much without giving anything,Nyarlathotep," the Timeline's voice boomed in Kai's ears. "It's high time you delivered a part of your end of the deal. In this, HE and I agree."
HE and I?! Kai could hardly believe it. DEATH and Timeline… working together?!
"HE came to me," the Timeline told Kai. "HE also warned your Item against the Mirror, knowing that doing this would actually push him toward it more.
"What happened wasn't predictable, even by us. And whether it was your fortune or misfortune, that is yet to be seen."
Suddenly, a greenish portal opened up to Kai's right.
"What do you want?" Kai asked, his voice gaining a chill.
Darcie's reflection smiled. "Go. Prove that it was worth investing in you. Go. Prove that it is worth investing in you. Go. Fulfill your duty, oh, Lucky One. Stand up to your name. Or…
"DEATH will reclaim what was bestowed upon you by HIM."
Kai's eyes narrowed. He knew what was at stake now. It didn't matter what happened to Black anymore; the Timeline had been right about it.
If he failed beyond the portal, then DEATH would reclaim… HIS creation.
And Kai abhorred nothing more but anyone stealing what was his.
"What does it lead to?" Kai asked, already knowing the answer. He stepped toward it, bones popping as he began transforming.
The girl in the Mirror saw his back and chuckled.
"The Cursed Vault of Ice — with one of those Bugs acting as its guard, waiting for your arrival. All you need to do — "
One of the 5 Cursed Vaults Kai needed to invade to destroy Herpo the Foul's Horcruxes.
"— is Survive. I heard you are good at it. Hehe!"
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