The office in the Phoenix's Nest remained plunged in shadow. The magical torches burned in steady silence, casting golden reflections over the black marble and the runes carved into the walls. The phoenix crest behind the desk seemed to pulse with its own fire, as if reacting to the emperor's presence.
Riser was alone. Body upright, eyes half-closed, the weight of the room settled on him as part of his authority.
"System… how many portals exist right now?"
There was no immediate reply. Silence stretched for a few seconds, until the metallic voice echoed in his mind.
[Request valid. Requires payment in luck points for a full dimensional update.]
Riser lifted his chin, motionless.
'How much?'
[Price 2,000 luck points.]
He did not hesitate.
"I accept."
DING
[Deduction completed. Current balance 30,500 luck points.]
The air seemed to vibrate for an instant. Discreet runes on the walls pulsed in response, reflecting the invisible update that passed through the system.
[Multiple portals opened around the world. Instabilities are not limited to Zou. Several rifts are already active in seas, islands, and cities. New portals continue appearing each temporal cycle.]
Riser's gaze stayed fixed on the flame of one torch. His breathing was slow, controlled, each word from the System absorbed with cold calculation.
"Are they all the same as the one in Zou?"
[Negative. Some follow the same unstable pattern. Others show crimson variations. There are signs of adaptation to external forces used against them.]
Silence dominated the office again. Only the soft crackle of the fire filled the space.
Riser rested his fingers on the marble table. The weight of the gesture was not doubt but calculation.
'So it's not just multiplication. They are changing.'
The flame beneath his skin glowed in response, discreet but alive.
"System… is this related to my old request?"
The crest behind the throne reflected the red that spread through his eyes.
"Before entering this world, I asked to be sent to a different version of One Piece. Is this the result?"
[Confirmation. This universe corresponds to a divergent timeline. Extrinsic intervention was inserted into its base history. The portals are a direct consequence. The invading entities do not belong to this world. The planet was previously destroyed in a parallel version.]
Riser remained still. No trace of irritation crossed his face. Only the cold silence that always accompanied him.
'So that's it. It wasn't a mistake. It was the literal execution of my wish.'
The flame under his skin flared once more, revealing itself as a faint glow.
'A broken world. A distorted story. That's exactly what I asked for. A greater challenge.'
He leaned back slowly in the marble chair, his body relaxing without losing firmness. The shadow cast behind him stretched across the walls, immense, reinforcing the throne's supremacy.
'So there is no reason for anger. Only calculations. If this world was destroyed in another version, I just need to mold this one. And if the rifts keep opening… they will be my tools.'
Silence held in the office, then a presence crossed the arcane link.
'Riser-sama.'
Merlin's voice sounded firm in his mind, clear as if she were beside him. 'May I come to you now?'
He did not move, only let the flame under his skin glow in response.
"Come."
ZUUUUM
The air before him trembled, and the space folded into a purple spiral. Merlin emerged from the beam of energy, her purple cloak rippling lightly, the runes in her eyes spinning in constant circles.
Her body remained upright, hands aligned at her sides. No unnecessary gesture, only silent reverence before she raised her chin.
"Riser-sama, what are your orders?"
Riser's gaze narrowed for a few seconds. The flame under his skin pulsed in reply, but his voice came calm and steady.
"You will protect the Nest. I need to return to Zou. The portal turned red. I want to confirm if I can destroy it the same way I did here."
Merlin inclined her head slightly in immediate acceptance. "Understood, Riser-sama."
Silence dominated the room again, but then a vibration ran through his mind.
[Request permission to transmit information.]
Riser's eyes glowed with a faint red. 'Speak.'
[Correction required. The portal in the Nest was not destroyed. It was only contained. It can be reopened.]
The flame under his skin exploded in sudden intensity. His expression hardened, and his fist clenched on the arm of the chair.
'Tsc… are you kidding me?'
Merlin noticed the tension in his face. She stepped forward, hesitant, but her voice stayed firm. "Riser-sama, did I make a mistake?"
He lifted his gaze, cold and implacable, but his answer came without hesitation.
"No, Merlin. This has nothing to do with you. Just keep an eye on the Nest. Other portals may open at any moment."
She nodded, determination in her look. "Of course, Riser-sama. I will watch every stone, every shadow. This… is happening elsewhere too, isn't it?"
"Yes."
His tone did not waver, just confirmed her suspicion.
A faint smile touched her lips without breaking her firm posture. "Then I will take care of the Empire in your absence."
The runes in her eyes spun faster in a spiral. A purple circle opened beneath her feet, expanding in waves of energy.
ZUUUM
The distortion swallowed her in silence, leaving the hall empty once more.
Riser leaned back slowly in the chair. The torch flames flickered against his marked skin, but his gaze already turned inward.
'System, tell me now. What do I need to do to end a portal? I don't want to just contain them. I want to destroy them for good.'
There was a conspiratorial pause, as if the room itself awaited the answer. Then a metallic voice filled his mind.
[Request received. Initial analysis in progress. Estimated time for a better response: permission from the host required.]
Riser let his breath flow, slow, and nodded silently. 'Time. Do the analysis. I will give as much time as needed.'
The rune in the marble shimmered slightly, as recognition. The crest reflected the gesture, the crimson of the fire running across the carved feathers. The system vanished for a moment, working the invisible gears of the dimension.
When the connection closed, the voice returned, harder, more objective.
[Analysis complete. Preparing report.]
A faint involuntary smile crossed Riser's face. He relaxed his shoulders for the first time since entering the hall.
"Speak."
The reply, however, did not come outright. The system's silence gained texture, and the following sentence was cold as calculus.
[Information required for complete neutralization is available for compensation. Request approval for a cost estimate.]
Riser's smile vanished instantly. His fingers tightened imperceptibly on the armrest.
"Tell me the cost."
[Standard procedure. All high-level data requires compensation. Confirm authorization to proceed with price assessment.]
A flash of incredulity crossed his face. 'Seriously? Am I going to haggle with a system that reincarnated me across worlds?' He let out a short, bitter laugh. "You want money for answers. How quaint."
Riser swore at the system and capitalism under his breath, each curse masked by the composure he kept. The hatred was more practical than emotional, irritation at the rule now imposed. Still, after the invective, he took a deep breath and stated with cutting calm.
"Tell me the price. I'll pay."
There was a small electronic noise, as if consulting a table. The system resumed, impassive.
[Authorization confirmed. Calculating cost. Inform when ready to proceed.]
Riser tapped the table lightly, a gesture of contained impatience. "I've authorized it. Stop with the ceremony and speak."
The response that came was almost bureaucratic.
[Estimated cost for the full neutralization protocol 10,000 luck points.]
DING
[Deduction completed. Current balance 20,500 luck points.]
For a second, the sound of the DING rang hollow in the room, like a bell struck in stone. The mental indicator flashed the deduction; the number fell, heavy, etched in his mind.
Riser turned his face and looked at the torch flame. The light shimmered across his marked skin, reflecting in eyes that rarely showed surprise.
'They charge for knowledge now,' he murmured in thought. The irony was almost laughable.
"This… is blatant robbery." The phrase came loaded with disdain, but without grandiloquence. He licked his lower lip, the old habit of someone who controls rage before it becomes action. "Do you think I can always afford this?"
[Transaction completed. Amount deducted as authorized by the host. Procedure cleared for detailed instructions.]
Riser's eyes narrowed and he burst into a short laugh, more sad than angry. 'So I'm paying for answers like the rest of the world pays for favors. A machine calling itself providence is fleecing me.'
"Shut up," he said in a low voice, then lifted his face. "Then speak. Tell me now what I need to do."
The system's silence lasted a fraction longer, and at last the electronic voice returned, precise and cold again.
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