Chapter 161: The Fool

Slimo continued jogging through the kingdom at a steady pace after getting his weapons back from the guards at the front. He slowly took off his helmet and dropped it on the ground, allowing his glasses to get a clear view of anyone who passed by. The kingdom was extremely large, but Slimo prioritized going back to their house to check on Doc, Squabee and Sarah first, who were likely staying there. He approached the two front doors with his usual indifference and slowly opened the left one.

Sitting at the table was Squabee, Doc, Sarah, and...

"...Pops?"

However, the thing sitting at the table looked nothing like pops. Rather, it looked like the former old man had undergone a strange transformation and turned into a weird looking insect-human hybrid. It was as if he had become a cockroach beast and was holding the three people at the table against their will. Despite the grotesque body Pops was wielding, his normal face still held his usual calm, composed expression. The entire scene sent shivers down Slimo’s spine.

Squabee looked at Slimo fearfully.

"Oh... hey, Slimo! We didn’t expect you to be back so soon... what are you doing here?"

Squabee looked like she was about to throw up. She was holding playing cards in her pale hands along with everyone around her. It appeared as if Pops was making them play with him or the others suggested playing a game to buy themselves time for someone like Slimo to return. As Slimo got a clear view of Pops for the first time with his glasses, multiple words started appearing beside him, making him choke on air.

Name: Emerial Poperson (Pops)

Zalo: Complete Adaption

Zalo Type: Curse

Zalo Description: This user is capable of adapting to any and all things capable of harming them after a short amount of time. There appears to be no limit to what they are capable of adapting to. However, some adaptions appear to weaken or disappear after a long time.

Threat Level: Elder Monster

Weakness: Kill it before it can adapt to your attacks or somehow cage them long enough for an adaption to be reversed. Do not let this user become powerful enough to make the adaptions permanent. Otherwise, gods themselves will struggle to rid this beast from the world. Do not let the user use their transformation.

Release: Instant adaption to whatever the user chooses to adapt to.

Transformation: This user can become a cockroach abomination that is capable of insane durability. In this transformation, it is difficult to comprehend the user dying in any way.

[Court Jester]: This user is blessed by a strange magic. Laughing at any joke this user makes, even jokingly, instantly heals any wounds they have and refills them with newfound energy.

[Unstable Mind]: This users mind cannot comprehend who they are anymore after years of putting on an act for their Queen. This user is mentally unstable and acts irrationally on the slightest whim.

Slimo stared at the last line with repugnance.

’What the hell is this thing? How the hell does he have magic instilled in him?’

Pops finally turned his head and looked at Slimo.

"Ah. It’s you. That face of yours, Slimo. Boy, have I missed the look of it oh so much."

Slimo cautiously approached, drawing his sword from his waist.

"What do you want? Why are you here playing cards with everyone?"

One of Pop’s many insect arms raised slowly, commanding Slimo to stop in his tracks.

"I wouldn’t move if I were you. It may just save all your friends lives."

A manic chuckle came from Pops’ mouth. Slimo didn’t want to listen to him, but he was at a great disadvantage from a distance. There was no way he could kill the beast before he killed one of them first. Grunting loudly, Slimo put down his sword and stared at Pops with wrath.

"Answer me. What do you want from us?"

"Oh? Is it me who owes you answers? I believe you’re terribly mistaken, Slimo Kin. You owe these poor friends of yours answers. You may look slightly different, but I know it’s you under that guise. You can’t fool a fool!"

Another crazy laugh sounded throughout the room. Sarah, Squabee and Doc all remained silent but stared at Slimo with a hint of curiosity in their gaze. Slimo clenched his teeth together.

"Damn it."

Suddenly, the door behind him creaked open and multiple people started flooding the room. It was everyone coming home from their classes.

"Slimo! You made- AHHH! WHAT THE HELL IS AT THE TABLE WITH SQUABEE?!!"

Zoey jumped into Serena’s arms.

Slimo walked in between the crowd of people and the creature holding his hands up.

"Nobody gets any closer. This man is not stable. He will kill all three of our friends if we don’t do what he says."

Jacob studied the scene over Steel’s shoulder.

"What the hell? Is that Pops?! Why does he look like that?!"

"Just stay back! I have it under control!"

Just as quickly as Slimo blinked, Pop’s was already behind all three of the people at the table, holding sharp arms up to each of their throats.

"Oh. You have it under control, you say?"

Slimo hesitated and put his hands in the air.

"I’ll do what you say. Just let them go."

Using one of his extra insect arms, Pops protruded a wanted poster from behind his back, showing it for everyone in the room to see. An eerie silence fell over everyone staring at it. On the wanted poster was a picture of a man who looked identical to Slimo, except the man in the photo had silver-white hair rather than the dark black hair that Slimo had. Underneath the photo was a small description:

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

Prince Slimo Kin

REWARD: 100,000,000 Gold Coins.

"So, are you going to finally take off that wig of yours? Or are you using a charm?"

"If I do it, will you let them go?"

Another maniacal laugh rang through the room.

"Of course I will! Who do you take me for? Some kind of crazy fellow?!"

Slimo slowly took off his glasses and handed them to Zoey, who was still being held by Serena. Zoey instinctively peered through the glasses out of curiosity at Slimo.

"These glasses..."

"The charm is imbedded on my heel. I need to destroy it if that’s okay."

Pop’s smiled creepily and nodded.

Slimo slowly bent down cautiously and reach around his metallic boot. However, instead of breaking any sort of charm, Slimo unsheathed his hidden dagger and dashed at the cockroach creature, instantly closing the distance before it could react.