"Have you decided?" The Greater Grail asked. "What is it you want, oh outsider?"
Black looked at Justeaze and let the Ad Infinitum forcefully bring out Calm, soothing his nerves.
The Many-faced God had discussed two choices with him.
Perhaps He had some ill intentions behind suggesting the choice that Black wasn't planning to wish for.
Perhaps He had casually done him a favor, thinking of the bug that he was at this moment.
An interesting bug — from His personal collection.
Black did not know, and, for quite some time, he wouldn't. Even AI and Lucky Intuitions couldn't fathom the Deep Ones, Old Ones, and Timelines yet. Much less needed to be said about Their intentions.
Black did know one thing, though.
This was it.
It wasn't like Kai could keep coming to the Fate Bubble and win Holy Grail Wars.
Kai's stupendous actions had ended up involving Luck, Fate, Deep One, Storyline Characters who surpass their timelines, Divine Servants, and many unknowable and inexplicable concepts. Now, the Greater Grail of this Key timeline was already equivalent to the Greater Grail of a Mirror one.
With Zelretch now knowing what kind of existences Kai could access through The Tales of Beedle the Bard, He would never let him come back to the Fate Bubble and be a participant of another Holy Grail War. It also made going to a Pillar timeline a foregone conclusion.
After elevating to the status of Nyarlathotep, the book had not only become a Grimoire, but a mystery as well.
That's why the Deep One had failed to see it in Kai's Stats.
It wasn't like the times when Kai had opened the book to let the 18th-floor Contestant Aphrodite read its contents during the second stage of Tournament of Worth.
Even if Zelretch could read Ancient Magical Script, He wouldn't be able to read the Grimoire's contents. That would only make Him warier of Kai—fearing what hell he could bring in a Pillar timeline, ruining the delicate balance between the Deep Ones of the Fate Bubble.
So, yeah.
This was the best he could hope for, Black knew.
And if he needed to wish for something anyway, then he wouldn't shy away from wishing as per an Old One's suggestions, especially if those wishes would benefit him the most.
But before going for those wishes, Black had to convince Timeline.
If She disagreed, then he would go for his initial wish, anyway.
"… Can the Deep Ones sense me here?" Black asked.
Justeaze shook her head. "You are in 'Outside of the World', where time does not exist," she replied.
Black nodded, bringing out his mysteries.
"Please connect me to the Key Timeline," Nyarlathotep requested.
"Generally, the Grail cannot grant wishes in parts," Justeaze said, staring at the Outer One with four Cosmic Authorities. "But…"
The Grail's embodiment turned her head to look in the direction where an Old One's authorities still lingered.
"…but I will make an exception for you," Justeaze finished.
The Grail was connected to The Root. In a way, it was The Root's extension. And The Root was even above the Deep Ones, the Akashic Backlash haunting many Bubble Entities of different Bubbles.
So, it didn't surprise Black that Justeaze had sensed Byagoona's arrival, even if He couldn't haven't come here with His true body.
In the next moment, Justeaze's body stirred, a layer of blood appearing on her entire figure.
The layer of blood assumed a tall form, with no distinct facial features, but long hair and womanly curves.
The moment Timeline truly manifested, Her head snapped toward the same direction where Byagoona had disappeared.
Black felt as if Her eyes were popping out, and only the lack of a mouth was preventing her from gasping out loud.
Suddenly, Black had another intuition that the Many-faced God had helped him with not only the suggestions, but also with His mere presence.
Timeline faced Black. "… You are not just an Outer One, are you?" She mumbled before taking a deep breath. "Tell me, then, Nyarlathotep. What do you want?"
"I want you…"
Blood boiled in their surroundings, Timeline's wrath shaking the entire world. "How dare you…"
"… I have a Verse Fusion Bubble."
And all the blood suddenly fell, like losing blood pressure.
"I meant no offense, my lady," Black said, burying his mysteries. "You must know the significance of an Outer One having His own Verse Fusion. The moment I fuse six more timelines into the original one, it would truly become a Bubble. Then, all the original Timelines will rise to the status of Pillar Timelines of my Bubble."
This was something Harry Potter Timeline had shared with him.
All seven fused timelines would become one grand world. Then, this world would branch into seven different timelines. And the original Timelines would then take possession of those new timelines, becoming Pillar Timelines, irrespective of their initial status.
That's why Verse Fusion held such allure for the Timelines.
In Their own Bubble, Their fate was sealed for eternity. What Black was offering Them—could be termed as a unique chance in the Multiverse—to be something more!
"Which other timelines do you have?" Timeline demanded.
"The original Verse Fusion is a fusion of Demon Slayer and Bleach Bubble's concepts, but the world itself is of Demon Slayer only," Black informed. "A Harry Potter Timeline has already agreed to be part of my Verse Fusion."
"That does not mean anything, unless…"
"Death has agreed as well."
For the first time, Timeline's feet shuffled. "… And the rest of the timelines?"
"I have not decided yet," Black said. "I would like to include one Bleach timeline. I am not sure of the remaining four."
For a while, Timeline remained quiet.
"… It will result in a War… a Multiversal War between Great Spider and Death…" She said after a while. "He would never let me go…"
Black shrugged. "As long as you agree, I will take care of it… I am still an Outer One..."
And the silence returned.
Timeline sighed, the blood stirring around Her.
"Alright, Nyarlathotep," She agreed. "If you manage to survive Great Spider's wrath, then… I will not resist."
With that, all the blood disintegrated, Justeaze reappearing in the featureless figure's place, her questioning, impatient eyes landing on Black's smiling face.
Finally, it was time to wish for a grand future!
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