[Acquired a usable Anomalous Object, the Heterochromatic Badge "Materialist Soul (Crimson)" Hidden Trait Activated]
[Materialist Soul (Heterochromatic, Crimson, Cannot Upgrade): ...]
[Wearing Effect: ...]
[Advancement Route: ...]
[Hidden Trait: Badge Slot +2, Current Slot Number: 5, Total Number of Anomalous Objects Required to Unlock the Next Slot: 4]
[Your Contamination Value has increased]
[Current Contamination Value: 0.9]
After carefully examining the description of the "Witch's Broom," especially noting the 0.5 Contamination Value, Leon couldn't help but cast a complex gaze toward the Black Goat on the desk.
*You really are something else...*
*Always boasting about being a formidable Great Demon, looking down on everyone, yet your Contamination Value can't even surpass a broom?*
*Do you know? If you hadn't just "leveled up" yesterday, your Contamination Value would be only one-fifth of this broom's. A broom could match five of you Great Demons... Really... It's just a disgrace...*
"What are you looking at!"
After making eye contact with Leon, the Black Goat, with a shoe print on its face, craned its neck and glared at Leon, angrily questioning,
"Are you looking down on me? You bastard! We are partners who have faced life-and-death crises together!
When that old man almost chopped you up, I was the one who took the hit for you! And now, just because you have a new Anomalous Object, you despise me?"
Although this guy was indeed annoying, always tempting him to Corruption and frequently urging him to do bad deeds, it had truly saved his life. As someone gentle in nature and rather nostalgic, Leon had to silently turn his head and dishonestly lie,
"You've misunderstood, I don't think you're weak, um... really, I don't."
*Then why don't you look me in the eye and say it!*
If Leon had openly mocked its weakness, the Black Goat might not have felt so aggrieved, as it had never backed down from any verbal battle.
But Leon's sympathetic expression looked just like someone saying "I was wrong" followed by "is that enough," instantly piercing the pride of the Black Goat as a Great Demon.
"Stop looking down on the demon!"
With a thud, the Black Goat rolled off the table, its mentality crumbling while it rolled on the carpet, screaming in frustration,
"I really am a Great Demon! One of the most countable in the Abyss!"
"Uh-huh, I believe you, your Ability is actually quite formidable."
Driven insane by Leon's attitude, the Black Goat screamed,
"You punk... I was ambushed as soon as I descended! My Heart, my Eye, my Stomach... all taken away, and my horns were ruined by that red-haired woman!
Don't be fooled by my current state, just as long as you retrieve everything I've lost, then I'd be the strongest... top ten... at least top thirty Anomalous Object in your Purification Bureau!"
*So, you're some sort of demon-themed collection?*
Although Leon didn't believe the Black Goat's clearly lacking confidence in being "top thirty," the possibility of other similar Anomalous Objects beside the [Demon Horns] intrigued him.
The effect of the silver Badge [Friend of Demons] was an increased affinity with Anomalous Objects marked by "Corruption," lowering the consumption when used, and greatly enhancing the Ability's impact.
This meant that those [Demon's Heart], [Demon's Stomach], [Demon Horns], [Demon's Eyes], and similar Anomalous Objects had a very high Affinity with him, allowing him to rapidly enhance his power as soon as he acquired them!
Picking up the goat's head and placing it back on the desk, Leon temporarily set aside his "new love" and curiously inquired about the "old one,"
"How many Anomalous Objects were taken from you? Where am I supposed to find them?"
"If you're interested... counting the horns, everything on me that could be considered an Anomalous Object was divided into seven pieces!"
Seeing that Leon seemed keen on "putting together" its pieces, the Black Goat couldn't help but straighten up and boast energetically,
"At my peak, my Hierarchy was only half a step below that of an Evil God, for a top-tier Great Demon like me, the body itself embodies ultimate sin!"
"My Horns are weapons for battle, symbolizing Wrath and War; my Heart is inflated ambition, symbolizing Pride and Power; my Eyes are twisted will, symbolizing Jealousy and Rebellion;
Also, my Stomach stands for Hunger and Conquest; my Tongue is Gluttony and Desolation; my Tail represents Sloth and Secrecy...
Kid! Believe me! As long as you piece me together, your Abilities can definitely make it into the first echelon of the Purification Bureau, even that red-haired woman might not be your match!"
*No hurry to piece it together, you're missing pieces!*
Horns, Heart, Eyes, Stomach, Tongue, Tail... after counting what the Black Goat mentioned, Leon frowned suspiciously, and asked,
"Isn't that only six? What about the last one?"
"The last one isn't important..."
The words made the Black Goat hesitate,
"That Anomalous Object was completely ruined back then. It's probably still slowly recovering, we'll just look for it when it's ready..."
"Not important maybe, but you should at least tell me what the last one is, right?"
"Why are you stuttering?"
"Speak up! Why are you hiding the last one?"
Under Leon's relentless questioning, the Black Goat, although very unwilling, ultimately revealed the identity of the final Anomalous Object.
"The last one... It's my whip... representing Lust and Union..."
*Seriously... can't you see I don't want to say it? Why are you asking so many pointless questions?*
After glaring at Leon, who was making things difficult for no good reason, the Black Goat muttered with an annoyed face,
"As for how to obtain these... after the ambush, they held me down while I was weak, bit by bit taking parts away.
I was afraid of being completely killed, so when they were about to take that one thing, I gritted my teeth, blew it up myself, scattering the other six Anomalous Objects in all directions. So I don't really know where the others ended up.
I just remember finding a random host to attach to once I landed, and we fled for our lives, hiding for who knows how long.
Until I realized no one seemed to be pursuing us, I started messing around, trying to regain some power, and immediately got caught by that red-haired woman. She wrecked me into this state... What's wrong with you now?
Leon's expression changed several times as he looked at the Black Goat, moving from disdain to shock, then shock to speechlessness, finally from speechlessness to admiration, which made the Black Goat suddenly wary, stopping his recollections and asking with alert eyes,
"Kid? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Why look at you like that... It had to be admiration, to be honest, just the bold, defiant maneuver you pulled demands respect from anyone, especially any man."