However, the Slime Abomination was not deterred by the smile at all, even with the mass of knowledge that it had obtained from humans telling it that generally, a smile was meant to display good intentions.

Humans were simple creatures and most of them took whatever they saw at face value, they had barely even scraped upon the concept of deception like the more cunning races such as the Lupines and the Vulpines had done and believed whatever was displayed to be true. So for one of them to have come up with the grand illusion that encompassed the entire Forest was extremely irregular, something that had left the Abomination perplexed for a long time. But it was because of this very illusion that the Abomination didn’t dare to underestimate the man before him, didn’t for a second dare to trust the smile on his face.

He could be the very person that had created the illusion after all, and that would make him very much capable of doing as the Hyenas did; Smiling whilst they separated the flesh from your bones.

Despite the fact that the soul-gripping aura had vanished and the Abomination was even free to move as it wished, it didn’t dare to do so in the slightest. In fact, if it were possible, the Abomination would have frozen the Wraith King’s ethereal cloak so that it would stop moving so erratically and so eye-catchingly.

It didn’t want to provoke this creature in any way!

“You still won’t calm down? Even despite many concessions? …Could it be that you are doubting the sincerity of this Heavenly Lord?! Are you seriously daring to provoke me?! WHAT INSOLENCE! DIE FOR YOUR SINS!” the man roared to the sky as his aura burst out once more.

The terrified Abomination desperately tried to run away but found its movements once again restricted, sending an additional wave of fear through its many hearts. It could do nothing but tremble as its life was once again hung by a single thread, a thread that was even smaller than the last. But just as it was thinking for sure that this was the end, the aura once again disappeared.

“Cough, cough. Sorry, little one. I’ve just always wanted to say that ever since I was a young buck with no strength. You must forgive me.” The man said as his demeanour did a complete 180.

‘What is even going on?!’ the Abomination thought after finally regaining the ability to do so. It had never before met such an abnormal being!

“Actually, I have come here because there is something that I want to test.” The man continued as a sharp light appeared in his eyes.

“You are acquainted with a being known as… Theo, yes?” The man asked as one of his eyebrows oddly rose. But the Abomination didn’t concern itself with that and hastily answered the question.

“No.” the Abomination spoke for the first time in the Wraith King’s body, its voice deep and dark but echoey and illusive.

“...” Golden eyed man

“...” Slime Abomination

“WHAT?! EVEN AT THIS POINT YOU DARE TO LIE?!” the man roared.

The Slime Abomination’s many hearts simultaneously skipped a beat. “I do not know of a being that is named Theo! I do not lie!”

“...Aaahh~ I see. It’s because you little ones are always trying to fight so much, never coming together to hold hands and watch the sunset. Tut tut, you guys really need to change. You don’t even know the name of the second strongest being you ever met!” The man said.

Immediately, an image popped into the Abomination's mind. “You mean the Cloud?”

“Yes I mean the Cloud. His name is Theo.”

“...”

“Ahem, anyways.” The man clapped his hands together. “What would you say… if I said that I have the ability to grant you the same kind of power that Theo has, hm? What would you say if I could make you an… Anomaly.”

“...You could do that?” The Abomination wasn’t quite sure what an Anomaly was, but It had never lacked intelligence and was quickly able to infer that an Anomaly was what the Cloud was and was the reason for its power, and that somehow, if the man was not lying, it was something that the Abomination itself could become.

As the implications of becoming such a thing began to bloom in its many brains, desire likewise began to seep in. But in comparison to the fear that was already there, it was like a few droplets of water entering a basin of poison.

“Oh yes, and quite easily too. So what do you say? Want it?” The man asked with a nonchalant smile.

“I do.”

“Good, good~” The man said in a jovial tone as he nodded his head up and down. “No hesitation, that’s nice. But you see, the good things in this World aren’t free.”

The man suddenly held up his arms in what seemed to be a helpless gesture and was now shaking his head, but the Abomination would never mistake the cunning light in the man’s eyes for anything other than mischief, the dastardly behaviour that the vulpines were famously known for. Unfortunately, there was nothing that it could do about it.

“If you want to become an Anomaly, you’re going to have to agree to a few things for me.”

“...And what is that.” The abomination asked, feeling more than a bit wary of the man’s intentions.

“First, you will now become the guardian of this entire Continent. It would become your duty to make sure that the Continent does not suffer extensive harm and that no race on this continent ever goes extinct.

Second, you will also stop your endless consumption of the beings on this continent. It’s fine to devour those that provoke you or to devour corpses that are not undead, but never devour beings that are self aware.

Lastly, you are now my subordinate. When the time comes, you will fight for me or defend for me and obey all of my orders. Do I make myself clear?”