Meeting The Honored One [Part 2]

He had his yellow eyes narrowed and tone frigid as he stared daggers at Alistar, clearly angered by Alistar referring to him as Elder.

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by The Honored One's sudden question, Alistar's eyes widened to the limit as a shiver ran down his spine. It felt as if he was standing before a ferocious beast who could kill him with a slight movement.

Never in his wildest dream did Alistar ever think that using Elder would make The Honored One pissed. But now that he thought about it, Elder kind of meant old and The Honored One might just be the type of person who hated being called old even though he was as old as the Universe itself —or maybe even older.

'I guess I should have used sir.' Alistar thought, still keeping his head bowed.

"Aren't you going to answer me?" The Honored One asked again after hearing Alistar's thoughts. This time making his tone colder and his anger that was mixed with displeasure easily noticeable.

"You have every right to kill me. It was my mistake for referring to you as Elder and not using your title as The Honored One." Alistar spoke calmly, still leaving his head bowed.

Although Alistar was begging for his life, he would never drop on all fours as his pride wouldn't let him. If he was going to get killed he'd prefer to die standing on both feet than to die while kissing someone's ass on all fours. He had done it a lot in his past life to the point that he had died while doing and never again would he make it happen.

"Never again," Alistar muttered to himself, clenching his fist with resolution flaring in his eyes after memories of his past life surged from within him.

"You have guts, kid." The Honored One said after taking a glance at Alistar's memories and his reason for not dropping on all fours.

Honestly, he had gained a strand of The Honored One's interest but for a mere mortal to disrespect The Honored One... that was unacceptable.

His eyes seemed like daggers that were trying to rip Alistar apart he coldly said. "Do you not fear me, child?"

With another wave of shock coursing through him from The Honored One's question, Alistar clenched his fist and said through gritted teeth. "I do respect and fear you. But..."

Forcefully stopping himself midway, Alistar took in a deep breath before muttering in a tone that sounded akin to a whisper. "I've lived a good life so far."

As memories of his current life flashed through his eyes, Alistar chuckled lightly as thoughts of his nearing death surged within him.

Standing upright and looking at The Honored One's eyes, Alistar calmly said. "But when I reincarnated into your Universe, I made a vow to myself that I won't die the same way I did in my past life."

"I know this might sound disrespectful but, I refuse to kowtow to anyone in this Universe... not even you." Saying the last part after taking a deep breath, traces of fear flashed through Alistar's eyes after he saw a change in The Honored One's expression.

Quickly suppressing the fear he felt and ignoring The Honored One's expression, Alistar added in an extremely light tone. "I don't wanna kiss someone's ass, beg till my throat is dry, and kowtow till my forehead kisses the ground only to get killed."

"I know this is a ballsy request for a mere Human but please if you're going to kill me, don't hurt Sylvia nor those related to me." Bowing till the point that he was parallel to the floor, Alistar added with glazed eyes. "It was I who disrespected you and not them."

Alistar soon closed his eyes while keeping his head bowed, he thought with a bright smile on his face. 'Life wasn't so bad.'

He waited and waited yet the cold embrace of death he expected never came but a hearty laugh reached his ears.

"Huh?" Shocked, Alistar stared at The Honored One who was laughing in front of him.

"It's been so long since I laughed so hard." The Honored One said wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, he added. "I was joking, I had no plans to kill you. And it's okay to call me Elder."

Gobsmacked after hearing The Honored One's words, Alistar could only stare at him with wide-open eyes and an agape jaw.

With all hints of his previous emotion gone, The Honored One stared at Alistar with narrowed eyes and asked. "Do you really think I'm petty enough to kill those related to you just cause you disrespected me?"

Pulled out of his daze by The Honored One's question, the shock on Alistar's face was replaced by a grim look.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Alistar bowed and said. "I'm sorry for judging you wrongly... Elder."

Internally cursing the Animes and Mangas he had seen after they almost got him killed twice, Alistar sighed in relief after seeing that The Honored One wasn't angered.

"Whatever." Accepting Alistar's apology after reading the latter's thoughts, The Honored One said. "Now take a seat, it's time I discuss with you what I had in mind."

"Yes, Elder," Alistar replied before making an extremely small stool to sit on.

He might be proud enough to not kowtow when there was a chance he could die but making what he was sitting on as high as The Honored One's was just pure disrespect. And after having a dance with death, Alistar preferred if he didn't have to court death so soon.

"You are a smart child." The Honored One said after seeing Alistar's behavior before adding. "But that's not all you need to survive in my Universe."

"Now tell me, how did you come here? And what do you plan to do now that you're here?" The Honored One asked, his tone was cold but not as frigid as it was when he was talking to Alistar for the first time.

"Elder, I-"

Before Alistar could finish speaking, he was forced to swallow his words when he heard The Honored One say. "Think carefully before you answer me. I might be interested in you but that doesn't mean I won't kill you if you dare to threaten the balance in my Universe."