Deep underground in the Einzbern Castle, where the Einzberns drowned their wasted Homunculi, Kai sat meditatively with his legs crossed.
He was levitating a few inches above the pool of blood and corpses, a silent, magnetic hum echoing in his surroundings. Worms were crawling in and out of his flesh, the buzz of insects permeating his body with every breath.
Under the effect of Zouken Matou's Inheritance, these worms had already replaced every inch of Kai's body, consuming his organs, nerves, and even brain.
It was one of the necessary processes — to let these creatures feed on his flesh as a source of Mana.
The thing was, unlike Matou, who had become a wraith, losing his flesh altogether, Kai had Biokinesis.
As long as there was flesh remaining within him that belonged solely to him, as per his existence as a Contestant, he could regenerate himself using Biokinesis.
So, not only were the worms and insects within him getting an infinite source of nutrition, but they were also getting stronger, adapting to Kai's body.
Of course, before getting Magic Circuits of his own, these worms and insects wouldn't show their true colors, Kai knew.
For now, he needed to nurture them even more — far better than even the dead Elder of the Matou family could have ever done.
Suddenly, getting a cue from Black, Kai opened his eyes.
Tiny, filthy, black worms were crawling under his eyelids, clicking nauseatingly.
As his eyes fully opened, Kai stood up, but kept levitating at his position, the worms crawling back inside him, revealing his purple-rimmed, hazel-slitted eyes.
An arm-thick black tendril came slithering out of Black's chest, taking the shape of Venom's face.
"Time for snacks?!!" Venom asked, looking at the pool of blood and corpses and licking its mouth with a long tongue. "Tell me we are having heads!"
Venom had taken an odd liking to the Einzbern Homunculus, putting them on an equal footing with the fast foods.
Before Kai answered, though, silver mist oozed from him, taking the shapes of three girls.
-Master,- The Space Devourer, wearing a white gown, hissed. Her long hair was misting behind her, and the single, vertical eye on her noseless and mouthless face was shut tight. -It's tragic what it is… For you to force me to share a home with this… brute…-
The Life Devourer, in white shorts and jackets, was more blunt. -Can you block this pervert's thoughts?!- she hissed, flicking her short hair. -One day more listening to him pleading for HEADS, and I am gonna devour his ass!! Fucking double-meaning bastard!!!-
The Time Devourer shook her head under the white hood of her robe more logically.
-I think, the abomination truly means a head…- she hissed. -But I agree with my sisters, Master. A filthy home begets a filthy crowd. Venom doesn't deserve to share the same space as us…-
Venom, who had been silent so far, bared its fangs at the Time Devourer.
Suddenly, with a monstrous BANG, worms exploded out of the black tendril that was attaching Venom's head to Kai's body.
Krrrrrrt-ckkkkkkk-eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
As if that wasn't enough, an ear-screeching scream erupted from those worms.
Venom, whose only weakness was sound, roared and howled as it fell into the pool of blood, thin, black tendrils lashing out toward Kai like the hands of a drowning man.
Kai narrowed his eyes at the Venom and then smiled at the three girls.
-You are getting a hang of these Unlucky Gossip better and better,- he praised.
Unlucky Gossip was one of Selene's Abilities, just like Petrification, Intangibility, and Bloodline Manipulation.
The first time she had used this Ability was during the Night of Truce event, when Kai had used Nothing Is Impossible to let the Three-Headed Devourer come into being.
Despite Kai having most of his Luck sealed at that time, he had lost a chunk of Stat when the three Selenes had gossiped about him.
However, like all Abilities, Selene had just obtained it after leveling up and coming out of the forced hibernation.
Ever since then, and especially after obtaining Venom, Kai had been making her practice Unlucky Gossip on it.
The more she practiced, the closer Venom became to actually dying, maddening the creature even more.
But without making sure that Selene's gossip wouldn't bring unwanted attention to him, or initiate unseen turns of events against him, Kai had refused to let her use this Ability on the battlefield.
As he saw Venom squirm at the bottom of the blood pool, though, Kai knew the time had come to put this ridiculous ability to practice.
-… Luck…- Kai hissed, grinning. -What a baffling mystery! Haha!-
Last night's appearance of Order's Contestant, under the mechanisms of Assassin's Luck, had steeled Kai's resolve to make it his trump card in the Fate Timeline.
He still had no idea how it truly worked.
He still couldn't tell when it began planning against its master's enemies.
He still didn't know what Luck truly was and why its hands reached to not only Timelines, but even Deep Ones.
But, after years, months, days, and hours of letting Ad Infinitum and Lucky Intuitions mull over its working, Kai had concluded one thing.
The best way to go against Luck was not to go against it at all.
-Selene,- The Demon King commanded, making the three girls involuntarily kneel, silver fog rippling around them. -Start gossiping. Use Unlucky Gossip to the extreme. Make sure you don't mean either harm or wellness… Just… Gossip.-
The Time Devourer lifted her head, yellowness pulsating under her white hood.
-Who do you want us to gossip about, Master?- she asked.
Kai pulled Venom out from the bottom of the blood pool with a wave of his hand, putting it in his body before it could react.
Then, he looked over his shoulder and smiled at the girls.
-Me,- Kai said, shocking the Three-Headed Devourer. -I want you to gossip about me.-
Before the girls could ask why, though, Kai's feet shuffled, and he appeared in the thick of snowy hills, leaving the Einzbern Castle.
Now, it was time to contact the Purple King and —
— learn how to contact The Banished One!
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