There was a reason Kai had chosen to converse with Death and Timeline of the Harry Potter Bubble before going ahead with his plans regarding the Holy Grail War.
One of those reasons was his lack of knowledge of the true dangers Fate Bubble possessed.
Through Red Sun, Kai had his own organization on the 4th Set now — The Sun and Moon Organization.
However, Red Sun, despite being an 11th-floor Top-level Contestant, was losing his efficacy recently. It wasn't like Red Sun lacked contacts or influence or even strength. It was just that the level on which Kai was placing his pawns now was just too absurd for even a 4th-Set Contestant.
Other than Red Sun, Kai only had Meg — an ex-priestess of the Temple of Hastur — with most of her memories locked.
Morning Mist had been a 13th-floor Contestant before falling to the 1st floor, losing all her progress. Not to mention, most of her core memories were blocked behind a mindscape.
Even now, an Ad Infinitum's Echo was actively hacking into her mindscape, trying to unravel the mysteries she was hiding in her mind.
Other than her and Red Sun, Kai truly lacked a bigger wall to lean against in the Primordial Tower.
The Purple King was good enough for occasional guidance and to get an upper hand when it came to the lower Sets, but Kai would never reveal his plans to a Contestant. Much less needed to be said about asking advice from a King who was so obviously grooming him to be used and discarded later.
Then there were the Storm Pirates.
But, even after two years, Kai hadn't heard from his father.
All Kai knew was that Princess Serenity had taken his father, who had been injured in the battle against a Half-Deep One. If Alan's enemy learned that he was injured, then they would topple the entire Tower to go after him, Kai believed.
So, he wouldn't go out of his way to try to contact them, either.
That left only Death and Timeline, with whom Kai shared a symbiotic relationship as Nyarlathotep — like a parasite.
And They had revealed some truly troubling matters about the Harry Potter and Fate Bubbles — about Ancient Magical Script, Great Spider, and… Zelretch.
Not only had Zelretch stolen the Ancient Magical Script from the Harry Potter Bubble, but He had also bestowed the Reincarnation Spell upon the Witch of Endor, angering Death.
In a way, it was Zelretch who had singlehandedly laid the foundation of The Order of the Immortal Lotus.
The two Half-Deep Ones, Qilin and Phoenix, residing at Avalon, were also someone whom Zelretch had helped invade the Harry Potter Bubble.
Even though Death hadn't mentioned why, and for what purpose, Kai had sensed the blatant anger in His hisses whenever He had mentioned Zelretch.
Then there was the matter of the Great Spider.
Kai had no intention of visiting a Key Timeline that belonged to Type Mercury — One Radiant Thing, in the beginning.
If it had just been a matter of obtaining a Key, then he could have gone to some other Deep One's timelines.
But Death the Artificer had insisted that he must go to Great Spider's one, even offering to help him out in hiding his Outer One's status only against It.
Kai wasn't stupid, instantly picking up on the fact that Death was actively trying to pick a fight against ORT for some insane, personal reason.
Even if he didn't know the reason, Kai knew it wouldn't be long before it revealed itself.
And that's how he had a Lucky Intuition that Zelretch, the Overseer of the Fate Bubble, would definitely visit him.
It was especially so in the case that he failed to contain Angra Mainyu's Will from descending into Sakura, beginning the Heaven's Feel route.
Now, after the separation of Good and Evil Sakura, it was hard to say which route it even was anymore.
One thing was sure to Kai, though.
Zelretch hadn't descended into the timeline to act against him.
Not because one of the strongest Deep Ones of Fate Bubble couldn't erase his existence in the blink of an eye, but simply because — He wouldn't.
Sensing His presence through the severance of spacetime, Kai had taken extra care to reveal his true self.
It was his reminder to the Deep One who had yet to show Himself after trapping him.
Because, under the rules of the Great Old Contract, the Deep Ones weren't allowed to go after a Contestant — without a just reason.
…
"To what do I owe the pleasure," Kai said, smiling, locking his hands behind his back, "for Your Eminence to trap a weakling like me — Mr. Zelretch."
The Wizard Marshal, in purple robes, appeared in front of Kai, eying him with His red gaze.
Kai felt himself folding… literally.
It was as if some titanic being of incomprehensible stature had just grabbed him and folded him like a piece of cloth.
In one glance, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg scanned Kai's everything, including his Stats.
Kai's knees struck the ground, his demonic eyes shaking with utmost terror.
Sweat drenched his back, and the tips of his fingers throbbed.
There was something about Power that Kai had always admired.
No matter where one went, where one reincarnated, and where one died — Power didn't discriminate.
It measured everyone on the same scale.
Between any two people, if one was strong, then the other was naturally weaker.
And Kai D. Stormborn lived on the thrill of climbing toward the Peak of Absolute Power.
So, despite the utter terror weighing his shoulders, making him kneel, the Demon King grinned before… outright laughing.
"Hahahaha…" Kai's entire body shook as he roared.
CRACKKKKKKKKK!!!
Yellow bolts of lightning cracked in his surroundings, the end of his white hair gaining the same filthy color.
Red mist oozed from his pores.
Creaks and Rumbles overwhelmed the space as Kai lifted his head, blood spurting out from his entire body.
Slowly, but surely, his bent knees were lifting the mountain on his shoulders.
Zelretch's eyes narrowed as He saw a massive black line tearing through the space behind Kai.
And like Illya, Kirei, Lancer, Rider, Archer, Assassin, and everyone else… the Deep One also had to admit that…
… this man — was dangerous.
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