The Ad Infinitum stared at the Book, disbelieving its processors.
No Cooldown?! No limit on the number of Characters?! No fear of the Hidden Tale?! Hell, no mention of the Thousand Tales Parasite at all?!!
Black opened the Grimoire, black flames lashing out here and there.
Sure enough. Everything written on the reddish-black pages was in yellow characters of the Ancient Magical Script.
The Original Tales of the Book had vanished from the starting pages.
Instead, five new tales now adorned those pages; each more magical than the last, the ink shining blacker than black as if black blood would begin oozing out of the page anytime.
Story: The Timeless Wizard King
The AI stared at the tale in disbelief. For the first time, there was more than one Act in the Tale. For the first time... there wasn't anything mentioned about constraints.
Black flipped the tale.
Story: The Emperor Of The Wandenreich
Act: Schrift Bestowal
Julius observed Black's expression that bordered not only greed, but blasphemy. "You would be wise to not depend on these Tales, young man," he told Black, making the latter's brows shot up. "Every use of C+ Grade Act would weaken the Seal on the Soul King's remnant psych that the five Tales are maintaining constantly.
"And let's not even talk about you using the B+ ones. That will permanently damage the Seal. Also, I am not sure if you can even control those Acts as you are now. No matter your status as the Outer One. Perhaps over the 12th floor in terms of the Tower? Maybe..."
The Ad Infinitum processed Julius' Warning, knowing well what would happen if the Soul King was unsealed. "Is The Almighty..."
Julius shook his head. "It will be nowhere as powerful as the original," he said, wording out the AI's doubt. "Otherwise, no way it would have just come out to be only B+."
Black nodded and flipped the page again.
Story: The Ghost Of The Uchiha
Act: Mangekyō Sharingan
The AI didn't need Julius to explain this time.
The Book's level was too low, it seemed, for it failed to capture the Madara's tale after he had transplanted Hashirama's DNA into himself.
Analyzing the possible scenarios, Black flipped the page again.
Story: The Dragon King of Magic
Act: Dragon Soul Reaper
Julius smiled at that. "Pure destruction..." he told Black, both advising and warning him about Acnologia's tale.
Black flipped the page once more.
Story: The King Who Never Was
There was no C+ Act at all as if the grade was unworthy of the tale itself.
"Never use it..." Julius warned, holding a frown on his face. "Unless you have the strength to bury all your evil desires. Even the AI won't be enough. Let it become a Master Ability, then try... Still... Sigh!"
Taking a deep breath, Black flipped the page, finding himself at a familiar tale.
Story: The Lioness Of Casterly Rock
Black and Julius' gazes met.
"It means..." Julius said.
"I know what it means," Black said, cutting in and flipping the page.
Story: The Herald Of Chaos
"Be careful," Julius said, his eyes narrowing. "This one is... dangerous."
Black ignored the comment. Julius wasn't privy to the details of the events that had already happened between him and Petyr.
Story: The Tale of Insane Scientist Hououin Kyouma
"Be..." Julius began.
"Alright..." Black said hurriedly. "Consider me warned enough."
Then came the last tale.
Story: The Legacy of Immortal Experiment
Act: Impure World Reincarnation
After devouring his tale, Black had never used the Book's Skill - The Primordial Theater - to call him out.
Adjusting his Stats, he poured his Mana into the Grimoire.
A red-black blob of magic left the Grimoire and fell right next to Black.
Methodically, it began taking the shape of a white-skinned Shinobi, wearing a plain grey kimono with a black polo and pants underneath.
A thick purple rope belt was tied in a large knot behind his back. He was donning blue tomoe-shaped earrings and Shinobi sandals with bandages around his calves.
Orochimaru, one of the three Legendary Sannin, stood there, eying Black and Julius with his reptilian eyes. He looked around and began inspecting the strange space.
"I feel... so free," Orochimaru hissed. "Yet, I feel... loyalty, obedience, and... a desire to serve. Hmm... Have I been enslaved using a Sealing Jutsu?"
The Ad Infinitum didn't bother to explain itself to the Character.
Julius shook his head and briefly explained the situation to Orochimaru. He had interacted with the Character in many timelines and still held a sweet spot for him in his heart.
"I see," Orochimaru hissed, narrowing his eyes. "No wonder. All my will to kill this person is vanishing the moment I am thinking of it."
The Character then looked at the Grimoire. "Incredible... Can two Tales be fused?"
"Whoa! I never thought about it, you know?" Julius commented, getting very interested in the topic.
"Go back," Black commanded the Character. "I will need your services soon enough."
Orochimaru let out a thin smile. Then, with a whoosh, he became a red-black fog and seeped into the Grimoire, becoming a Tale.
"Alright," Julius said, "I am done here."
"Wait." The AI still had a doubt. "Why didn't you pull out the original body instead?"
Julius cocked his head as if baffled by the stupidity of the question. "Storyline Characters can't leave a timeline unless the Timeline allows them or they are strong enough to overlook the timeline's restrictions over their existence."
As Kai was in Hogwarts in Darcie's form right now, so what Julius said made sense to the AI.
Getting no more questions, Julius swiped his right hand, creating a dimensional rift in the Harry Potter Random World. "You can go," he said, smiling.
The Ad Infinitum was about to go when it recalled something and asked, "Where will you go now?"
Julius found the question very interesting. "To Madara's Timeline, of course," he answered the obvious. "He needs help with the Otsutsuki's invasion, you know. Plus, they have lots of new magic... and they live long, too. I can regain all my powers the soonest there."
Was that all the reason?
The AI didn't care, jumping right into the dimensional rift.
The young Julius Novachrono saw the rift closing up and sighed, recalling the huge back of his Captain.
Then he smiled, singing a song.
"When the Storm gathers, the Winds come from afar..."
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