At the end of the week, and just before Hogwarts' second semester began, the Ad Infinitum had to pause, letting Black wake up.
A redness washed the world in his eyes explosively.
Black took a deep breath, ignored the redness, and looked around, feeling a slight haziness in his mind.
It had been the first time for Ad Infinitum to go all in, utilizing the very last percentage of its Proficiency for one task.
Even then, the deciphering of Core Resurrection hadn't reached fifty percent.
For him to wake up now only meant that the AI had picked up something that Kai must not ignore — something that was as important and indispensable as its current task.
Yet, Black had no choice but to ignore the redness.
Instead, he used his entire mental capacity to behave as if nothing wrong had happened, that he hadn't just woken up from a state of complete hibernation.
It was all because of where he was.
It was all because of the nature of the people around him.
It was the kitchen of Grimmauld Place in London — the ancestral home of the pure-blood wizard family — the Blacks!
At this moment, around the table, several figures were seated — figures that had no business of being here.
First and foremost was Lord Black Phoenix, behind whom Black stood.
Dumbledore's presence alone would have been enough for him to ignore the alarming redness and continue his acting.
Then there was Madam Villanelle.
Other than the fact that she was a reincarnated Biblical Witch and had the authority to move the Order of Immortal Lotus' forces in this timeline, she was of no particular importance to Black.
However, presently, Madam Villanelle's silver-gray eyes were shining black and green.
Which meant… it wasn't her who was seated opposite Dumbledore, but the Imperishable Artifact — the Green Seat — the Witch of Endor!
There were two more women in the kitchen, seated at the extreme ends of the table.
One was a tall, voluptuous woman in a green gown. She had black hair and blue eyes, her red lips flattened into a thin line. Her smooth arms were crossed and completely hidden under her large breasts that were popping out of her gown.
The second woman was… burnt.
She was wearing black jeans and a sleeveless white T-shirt that openly showcased her cleavage. Her face was completely burned—no discernible eyes, nose, or mouth—just scarred flesh. In stark contrast, though, she had lush green hair that reached her waist.
There was something about that woman that instantly unnerved even Black.
Of course, despite seeing the two women for the first time, he had realized who they were.
Contestants!
The last two of the group of five 12th Floor Contestants who had come to the Harry Potter timeline with the help of the Order of Immortal Lotus without Missions.
And, unlike the three before them, these two… did not need to seal themselves anymore.
Black suddenly experienced another realization.
The people in the kitchen were more than capable and enough to destroy even him to smithereens — many times over!
This setting was already the greatest disaster, the likes of which Kai had never experienced before.
Darth Kars had indeed almost killed him.
But that had happened less because of the Sith's voluntary action and more because of the Force's unpredictable nature, parasitizing Kai's Source through Void Fist — a result of a sporadic epiphany on the fusion of Force and Ripple.
The people in the kitchen were in a completely different league.
Dumbledore himself had gone beyond the limits of a 12th Floor Contestant's strength the moment the timeline's Overall Grade had become B+.
The two 12th-Floor Contestants were also Top-level.
Moreover, even though Madam Villanelle seemed the weakest link, she held another type of danger…
The danger of Black being discovered as an Item.
He wasn't using Death's Cloak of Disguise at this moment.
Ever since Kai had become a Magus, he didn't need the Cloak to hide his signature.
But who knew what kind of trump cards the Witch of Endor might have to find out what others couldn't?
So, a question needed to be asked.
What in the name of Chaos was Black doing among these four?!
Instead of blurting out that question, Black, as a third-year student of Hogwarts, continued to stand behind Dumbledore casually.
Ignoring the redness, he continued to take furtive glances at the blue-eyed Contestant's massive breasts.
Despite knowing that it was safe to read the blinding and roaring Notifications, Black dared not open them.
Others might have faltered at this stage, but he was a Faceless.
No matter what doom had befallen him, Arlen Black had nothing to do with it.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet me," the Witch of Endor said through Madam Villanelle. "I know you have…"
Lord Black Phoenix raised his hand. "Spare me from the pleasantries," he said, burying all traces of the respect that he once had for the Six. "Tell me. Tell me what kind of doom my world is facing now because of these outsiders…"
Madam Villanelle paused, briefly glancing at Black. "What do you intend to do by keeping the boy here, Dumbledore? If you…"
"It was my recommendation," the green-gowned woman said. "Lord Black Phoenix needs someone by his side… for some time…"
And, with that, Black got enough data to generate a Lucky Intuition.
The seductress had drained Dumbledore's Luck, forcing the wizard to keep other Characters around him!
The Witch of Endor must have realized this, too, for she narrowed her eyes with the barest hint of anger before turning her head towards Dumbledore.
"It's alright," she said through Madam Villanelle. "As long as I am here, Yellow Warlock will not be able to sense it."
Dumbledore… nodded, sensing that it was indeed something related to Contestants.
"Thank you for your assistance today as well, Mr. Black," he said, looking over his shoulder and smiling. "You can leave."
Black, acting clueless, nodded and turned around to leave —
— but not before taking another look at the huge breasts, forcing a small smile out of the blue-eyed woman.