Chapter 12 — The Anomaly Manifest
The forest was quiet, deceptively so. Days had passed since my encounter with Rimuru, yet the ripple of his presence still lingered, faint but unmistakable. It wasn't just observation anymore; it was interference—an anomaly slowly bending the timeline around my existence.
I crouched beneath a dense canopy, letting Shadowed Flow Technique dissolve me into mist. Every leaf, every glimmer of mana in the air seemed to respond to my presence. Even the faint stirrings of distant creatures suggested that something extraordinary had recently passed this way.
Cursed Sage spoke, more insistently than usual:
"Host, timeline anomaly detected. Probability of divergence impact: extreme. Recommendation: exercise maximum caution."
I exhaled, letting the words sink in. "Maximum caution… yes. But we can't just observe forever. We need growth."
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The anomaly appeared gradually—a distortion in the air, subtle at first, but rapidly intensifying. A faint shimmer like heatwaves, twisting the very space around me. Then I saw him: Rimuru, materializing from the anomaly itself, eyes calm but calculating, observing every ripple of my mana.
Cursed Sage whispered, almost anxious:
"Host, direct timeline anomaly interaction detected. Target is capable of immediate countermeasures. Probability of survival if unprepared: 41.8%."
I activated Celestial Rift, immediately reinforcing my spatial perception and manipulating local mana flows to stabilize the area. Shadows thickened, ambient mana shifted, and roots twisted subtly to anchor the ground. The forest itself bent, not violently, but just enough to integrate my presence into the anomaly.
Rimuru's gaze flickered toward me, and I felt it—not hostility, but intense curiosity. "You've grown… significantly," he said, voice carrying calm weight. "And yet… you don't fully belong here."
I smiled faintly, mist coalescing into form. "Perhaps I'm meant to test the boundaries of this world. Or maybe… the world is testing me."
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I tested Abyssal Dominion, letting it expand to its limits. Void Weave now covered the clearing completely, subtly manipulating terrain, roots, rocks, and mana currents. Cursed Gravity Shift affected even subtle mass distributions, making movement difficult for anything unprepared. Dominion's Reach extended influence to nearly every targetable area, while Environmental Integration Lv.3 merged every tree, rock, and patch of mana into my battlefield control.
Cursed Sage analyzed feverishly:
"Host, Abyssal Dominion fully evolved. Integration with Celestial Rift sub-skills at 97.6%. Recommendation: deploy new Ultimate Skill for synergy."
I exhaled. Time for the next gift.
Sign-In Reward — Ultimate Skill: Eclipse Sovereign
The system hummed as the new skill imprinted itself.
Eclipse Sovereign (Ultimate Skill)
Description: Manipulates light, shadow, and perception on a conceptual level. Can create zones of obscurity, amplify or nullify incoming attacks, and influence opponents' sensory and cognitive inputs.
Sub-Skills:
1. Obsidian Veil — Creates impenetrable shadows that obscure presence and distort perception.
2. Luminous Mirage — Projects illusions that interact with mana flows, confusing enemy senses.
3. Perception Sever — Temporarily scrambles opponent's spatial or temporal awareness.
4. Cognitive Dominion — Subtly manipulates target reactions by influencing neural/mana perception linkages.
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Rimuru's eyes narrowed. He had sensed the sudden power surge immediately. His stance became subtle yet defensive, anticipating variables far beyond normal comprehension.
Cursed Sage whispered nervously:
"Host, anomaly-class entity is now fully aware of power spike. Probability of successful engagement if directly challenged: 34.7%. Recommend staged interaction, not direct confrontation."
I nodded. "We're not fighting yet. We're testing."
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Rimuru moved first, materializing a pulse of blue mana that struck subtly at the terrain around me. I responded instantly, activating Rift Step to reposition mid-air, Mana Redirection to absorb the pulse, and Temporal Pulse to adjust my reaction time. Shadows thickened around me, enhanced by Obsidian Veil, masking my form.
I countered with Luminous Mirage, projecting multiple illusory copies, each interacting with the residual mana flows, forcing Rimuru to recalculate. He paused, assessing, his movement careful but fluid, not aggressive yet.
Cursed Sage muttered:
"Host, efficiency currently at 89%. Further deployment of Eclipse Sovereign sub-skills recommended to maintain advantage."
I allowed Perception Sever to ripple subtly through the clearing. Rimuru's body shifted instinctively, a subtle miscalculation in his foot placement—but nothing catastrophic. Even he was affected by the new skill, a faint acknowledgment that Eclipse Sovereign could influence a top-tier anomaly-class being.
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The encounter became a delicate dance. Every attack, every movement, every manipulation of space, mana, and perception was a test—my own skill, my Ultimate Skills' synergy, and the boundaries of my race evolution.
I pressed with Cognitive Dominion, influencing Rimuru's subtle reactions without fully revealing my power. He adjusted, yet I could feel the faint hesitation—a temporal pause that allowed me to push the limits of Abyssal Dominion and Celestial Rift together.
The forest shifted as if alive. Shadows thickened unnaturally, roots twisted and arched, rocks subtly changed position, and mana currents bent to follow my will. Rimuru reacted instantly, but even he had to respect the fact that I was no longer just a mortal observer of this world—I was a force altering it in real-time.
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Time seemed to stretch. Minutes passed like hours. I tested every skill, every sub-skill, every layer of control. Cursed Sage argued and advised constantly, analyzing every probability and even debating risks:
"Host, probability of catastrophic feedback if overextension occurs: 21.3%. Recommend strategic retreat or system reinforcement."
"We don't retreat. We adapt."
I let Shadowed Flow Technique disperse into multiple forms, each using Abyssal Dominion and Eclipse Sovereign sub-skills simultaneously. Rimuru moved like a flowing river, adapting, reacting, yet even he showed signs of acknowledging my presence as a unique anomaly.
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Finally, the encounter ended—not in combat, but in mutual recognition. Rimuru stepped back, observing the battlefield, his form stabilizing the surrounding anomaly.
"You… are far beyond what I expected," he said softly. "Your existence is… rewriting the rules of this world. I will watch carefully."
I allowed the shadows to recede. The forest exhaled. Mana flows returned to equilibrium. I sat on a large rock, feeling the energy of my fully evolved skills pulsing through me:
Abyssal Dominion fully integrated
Celestial Rift fully integrated
Eclipse Sovereign now active, influencing perception, light, and cognition
Sub-skills interacting seamlessly to create emergent effects I hadn't consciously triggered
I had faced a timeline anomaly, survived, and evolved beyond a top-tier observation-class entity without direct conflict. The forest felt alive, but it was mine. My skills, my evolution, my growth—they were limitless.
I smiled faintly. The world would continue to test me, Rimuru would continue to observe, and I… would continue to grow.
The anomaly wasn't a threat anymore—it was a mirror of my potential.
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