The Glorious Evolution

The silence that seemed like it was about to last for eternity shattered when Levi began descending.

WHOOOAAAH!!! Celestial! Celestial! Celestial!!

A chant of Celestial’s name started in one section of the sky and quickly spread through the venue, consuming everything in its path... even many fans of Akira Sol dropped her like she meant nothing and joined the chants, finally realizing they had been supporting the wrong Half-Radian in this game!

”HE WON!”

Arthur kept shouting even after the crowd made it impossible to hear him, shaking Jojo back and forth by the shoulder until she had enough and elbowed him in the liver with an annoyed expression.

Yet he didn’t care about the pain... only moments ago, he had been begging his brother to stand... now, Levi floated above the ruined chamber without a single wound on his body.

”Holy... that was more stressful than my hardest assassination missions.” Nurah could finally bring herself to sigh in relief, a pretty smile taking over her face.

Shia was already adding her voice to the celebration, while Jasmine watched the last golden light disappear from the projection.

’You knew his Sun Seed could do that?’ Jasmine wondered.

’She challenged the Sun Origin with a branch of its own Law,’ N’ibby replied. ’What did you expect?’

’His Dominion is still a fake one... no?’

Jasmine never had a problem accepting that an Origin Seed possessed greater authority over Laws than a ShadowLife Seed... however, Levi used it through a False Dominion, which was meant as a bluff, nothing more, nothing less.

’Yes... its Aspects still cannot defeat a genuine Law... but Akira tried to impose the authority of a ShadowLife Seed upon the Origin from which her power descended.’ N’ibby shook her head. ’And upon the Ancestral Sun Tree, no less... as long as it has access to the Dominion, it doesn’t matter which method Levi used to get inside; anything falling under its Sun Laws is its property.’

’I see...’

Jasmine realized that Levi truly meant it when he said that Akira had a better shot at defeating him outside a Dominion.

The moment she brought him in, it was game over for her.

Of course, this applied only to Aspects under the Origin Law Levi commanded; had his opponent been the Taxman or Mournful Spirit, his life might have been the one claimed within the Dominion.

Across the live stream, Celestial’s supporters wasted no time returning to the earlier argument.

-Who was calling his Dominion fake?! Suck it, losers!-

-She even asked him to show her the real one! LOOOL, the nerve of that arrogant bitch!-

-Well? Was it impressive enough?!-

With each victory, Levi’s fans’ noses climbed higher and higher until it was starting to look quite impossible to bring down their arrogance.

Yet, as long as Levi remained dominant, no one dared put them down.

Meanwhile, the rest of the viewers had watched his little Tree grow until its flames consumed Akira’s territory... they had seen her own sun obey him, then descend upon its creator.

Most could only conclude that Celestial had been concealing his strength.

But not Gamemaster Gamble.

Only two people had truly experienced Levi’s aura as he used his Sun Form... Akira and Gamemaster Gamble.

One was dead, and the other had remained silent with his microphone frozen in his hand since the moment Levi’s Tree had first appeared.

It had claimed barely ten percent of the Rift, and its Aspects had been unable to advance against Akira’s Law... yet, even after it grew, he hadn’t detected a new Law belonging to Celestial.

’The Tree was real... but the Dominion was false.’

This was the sole conclusion he arrived at... but what startled him the most was Celestial taking over Akira’s authority over the Law itself.

He knew Radian blood alone couldn’t explain such complete obedience... others, who hadn’t sensed what he had, would believe that the purity of Levi’s Half-Radian bloodline was simply much higher than Akira Sol’s.

It wasn’t strange... many Dominion battles between similar bloodborns ended with Law authority skewing toward those possessing the highest bloodline purity and the closest ties to the Ancient Lineages.

But that wasn’t what had happened here.

’The missing Sun Origin Seed...’

Gamble murmured inwardly, almost forgetting the audience and his follow-up commentary as he gazed at Levi... he was surprised to see the three Celestial stars staring back at him.

Seeing his reaction, Gamble brought the microphone closer, ready to explain the absurdity they had witnessed.

A private notification evaporated these thoughts.

[PROTECTED TECHNIQUE: FALSE DOMINION.]

[PRIVACY LIST: ACTIVE.]

[PRIVACY REQUEST APPROVED BY NOCTURN.]

[DISCLOSURE OF THE TECHNIQUE’S SOURCE, MECHANISM, OR RELATED INFERENCES IS PROHIBITED.]

’You even prepared for this...’

Levi had added the technique to his privacy list before the battle, and Nocturn had approved the restriction.

Gamble could describe the victory everyone had seen... but explaining why it had been possible would expose the protected technique’s foundation... including the Sun Origin Seed.

He also couldn’t pass the discovery to someone privately. A hint, a written message, or a telepathic exchange would violate the same ruling if it revealed what Nocturn had forbidden him to disclose.

This was different from exploiting tax loopholes or breaking the Boundless Expanse’s minor rules... Nocturn’s privacy list was untouchable by anyone; not even the highest-ranked Gamemaster dared to think about fooling around with it.

’Three-Body Problem... now, it all makes sense.’

Gamemaster Gamble grinned as he stared directly at Levi’s stars, figuring out the truth his master already knew... a truth he was now forced to keep to himself.

He understood that anyone possessing an Origin Seed would never allow the utilization of other powers or aspects... unless... Two more Origin Seeds existed to exert the same respect and authority over the host.

’I always knew you were a special one.’

Gamble had taken an interest in him before the Board of Fortune and Calamity began, but that interest hadn’t allowed him to manipulate the Wheel or alter its odds.

Levi’s luck had been shit entirely on its own.

What Gamble could do was punish those who violated the Wheel’s rules, within the authority Nocturn granted him.

So, he had waited patiently until Levi tried to cheat... then used that offense to include him in the punishment alongside the others.

His patience had earned him an unforgettable spectacle and a new viewership record, finally securing his promotion!

Yet, Gamble’s attention remained on Levi.

’Equilibrium of Chaos’s heir... many have walked that path before you,’ he transmitted privately. ’None reached its end.’

Levi received the message, and yet, his expression and body language were unchanged.

’I imagine anyone familiar with their failures would know which side of the wager to choose,’ Gamble continued with a faint grin. ’Fortunately... I’ve never found much excitement in following the crowd.’

Before Levi could respond, the Gamemaster addressed the venue.

”THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM...”

He gave the name a moment to reach every spectator before finishing with unmistakable delight.

”HAS DEFEATED AKIRA SOL!”

The audience answered him with chants and applause, accepting the declaration as another celebration of Levi’s victory.

Levi paid more attention to the name he had chosen.

Gamble usually called him Celestial when exciting the crowd. This time, he had used the name of the very problem that had killed every predecessor... and followed it with a declaration of victory.

The rodent had found a way to announce his wager without mentioning what he was betting on.

Levi remained quiet for a moment.

He had expected curiosity, suspicion, perhaps another attempt to profit from his circumstances. Having someone who understood his predecessors’ failures still choose his side was harder to dismiss.

’Let’s hope your luck is better than mine.’

Levi acknowledged Gamemaster Gamble’s bet on him with a brief nod before continuing his descent, leaving the Gamemaster to enjoy the uproar that conveniently spared him any further explanation.