Hestu saw a large violet slime floating in the middle of the dark void. Its colossal figure gave a sense of grandeur that was almost godly in nature, as if this divine being had touched down from the heavens and visited the human plane.
"Who—who are you?!" Hestu asked, his voice filled with confusion yet with a hint of wariness. He didn't want to offend this humongous being. After all, it was more than probable that they were the reason why he was here in the first place.
"I am a ninj—ahem…a celestial," the slime said, its voice transferring directly into Hesu's head.
"A celestial?! What do you want from me? Get me out of here!"
Hestu struggled to push himself off to try and find a way out of the darkness, but found that no amount of force could displace him from his current location. It was as if he was trapped in the very air itself.
"I am here to help you, my son, for you are treading a path that will make you stray from your true destiny," the slime said in an ethereal voice.
"Why should I believe you? True destiny, what are you talking about?"
The giant slime then grew a pair of stumps on its side, creating its own hands.
A shadow from the dark void latched onto the slime's palms, morphing into the silhouettes of humans.
Upon closer inspection, Hestu realized that those two human figures bore a great resemblance to himself.
The one on the right was a replica of himself in his current state. He almost didn't recognize himself. His usually slicked back hair was a total mess, his eyes were sunken to the point that he looked like an emaciated ghost, and his dashing royal suit was stained so much that the Flarecorp emblem was completely disfigured.
This version of himself laid down on the floor, hugging its knees and continuing to mumble unintelligible words.
"This is the path that you are currently on," said the giant slime. "It is filled with suffering and torment. Doubt will poison your thoughts, making you question your very own sanity."
Hestu remembered the horrifying hell he had to go through when trapped inside that maze. The worst part about it was the doubt he had in his mind at the very end of it. Did it truly happen, or was he just imagining that it did?
"But that is not your final fate. You can have peace and serenity in your life as well."
The giant slime showed Hestu the other shadow replica. This time, Hestu saw himself sitting in a lotus pose, with a calm smile on his face.
For a second, Hestu saw himself finally free from the voices in his head. But as soon as he was about to achieve this peace, he suddenly heard that familiar bu to to and ra ta ta rhythm beating in his mind.
"Why are you doing this?!" Hestu begged.
"Have you ever felt that you are meant for something bigger, for something more meaningful, becoming as cool as a ninja or as amazing as a spy?" the slime asked him seriously.
The slime's words made Hestu be raptured in deep thought. After all, this wasn't the first time that he thought about this kind of question. He always thought he was meant for something greater, beyond the Queens region, and even beyond the Royal Continent.
This was the reason why he subordinated himself to Flarecorp in the first place. He thought that by following them, he could achieve his dream of becoming an influential figure in the world.
"I do think of becoming more than I am. I don't know what a ninja is, but I want to take destiny in my hands and mold it myself!" Hestu declared in a rare moment of courage.
The giant slime looked down at him and smiled. "That is precisely your fate! You are destined to become one of the greatest figures in the history of the entire world! After all, you are one of my chosen ones!"
Hestu's eyes gleamed with excitement. He felt like it was only now that he was starting his life. It was only now through this celestial slime did he finally found purpose for himself.
"I am one of your chosen ones?" Hestu asked, pride leaking out of his voice.
"Yes. I have big plans that are in store for this world, and you are one of the lucky ones that are going to fulfill my wishes."
Hestu stepped forward, no longer being afraid of the giant slime in front of him. Now that he was convinced that this colossal figure was not a malevolent being but a helpful celestial, Hestu felt even more in tune with his words.
"What shall be my mission in this world, oh great slime?"
It was at this point that the giant slime stayed silent. In Hestu's perspective, it was as if the slime was in deep contemplation, as if he was peering through the different possibilities of the dimensions of the universe.
But in truth, Fudge was a little bit caught off guard. He didn't expect Hestu to go along with his lies so easily.
He might have acted as this all knowing figure, but he was bumbling along the way, improvising all of the words out of his mouth.
"There is a great evil in this world…uh, yeah, that's right. Uh huh. And it is our job to destroy it..yes, that sounds good."
Despite saying those words without the dignity and assurance that a celestial should have, Hestu didn't even question any of this giant slime's authenticity. He was too enamored with the promises and that the celestial was offering him to see through the lies.
"I see. I knew it," Hestu muttered to himself. "Just like in the stories and legends of old, there is a great evil in this world that must be purged. And it is my job to help you get rid of it, is that right?"
"Yep! Yep! That is exactly right. I knew I chose you for the right reasons."
"Then that must mean that there is a hero in this world that you have arranged," Hestu said, as if he was discovering a big secret of the world.
"Uh huh…sure…"
"It is not my job to ensure that this hero will succeed in his destiny and purge the evil of this world!"
Fudge heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't even have to do anything and Hestu did all the work for him.
"But who is this hero, celestial slime? How will I find this individual? Perhaps, is it the King of Flarecorp—"
"SILENCE!"
The dark void shook upon the giant slime's shout. Hestu found himself stricken, having trouble composing himself.
"You do not want to anger me any further. I do not take kindly to your words. If you keep on spouting these falsehoods, then I cannot protect you from my own wrath."
Hestu bowed deeply, kneeling in front of the celestial slime. He didn't know that helping Flarecorp was a crime worthy of death.
"I beg for your forgiveness, celestial slime. I shall not mention this again."