Becoming a Monster

Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Marked for Greater Suffering

A rumble stirred, not from the changing of the earth, but from within the large cave.

Something stirred, not caring that the world had changed at all. It roared, a roar that sounded more of a monster than a beast.

The stone cave slightly shook, debris breaking from cracks as it moved from deep within.

At this moment, all of Noah’s creatures grouped around him, vigilant and ready for a fight.

Their bodies were tenser than before. Even Noah felt his hands clenching instinctively from the monster’s roar alone, he could tell...

It was strong.

He hadn’t felt pressure like this even when he went up against the Seraphim. The holy entity’s strength was above his, but even at that time he believed that the Seraphim’s power stemmed from its energy being able to suppress him. Its energy was pure, and that purity clashed with his strength, disrupted his healing and constantly disrupted his mana.

But this, this power was raw. Its roar triggered his instincts, a roar that sought to dominate his will from the pressure alone.

Heavy thuds continued to echo as the creature approached closer.

Instinctively, Noah activated his Nexus eye. Thick essence of the creature’s energy radiated from the cave. This energy looked smothering, as if it was tangible enough to affect those who stood within it. For a moment... Noah thought it was even compatible with his own when he had merged with Ailetta.

But it was with this comparison in mind that he noticed something about himself. As he looked towards the others, his body froze up.

Their energy was barely what it once was. Their mana still churned strongly within them, but as that same energy emitted from their bodies, it was being dispersed as it interacted with the air. As if their aura were fire, and as it escaped their bodies, the world dispersed it.

Noah’s eyes narrowed. He had to act fast. If the world was affecting them, he had to understand what exactly was affecting them and how they were affected.

Immediately his body pulsed, his arm shifted into that of a blade, infusing it with mana to make it sharper.

Everything felt the same. It didn’t make sense to him at all.

His companions watched him as the blade reverted, this time, mana began to build within his palm. But the action was weird. He was struggling to form it, an action that they never witnessed before.

Noah was growing agitated. The moment he materialized the mana sphere he was immediately hit with resistance. He felt his control over his own ability falter, not because he had trouble focusing, but because the mana he was using, that he always used, wasn’t enough.

The amount was more than double the amount that he would initially use, and that was just to create the spell. With a thought, the spell dissipated. If the output needed to create the spell was that much already, he didn’t want to test how much it would take to make the sphere bigger, not now.

His eyes flickered towards the cave. The heavy steps were getting closer. The aura was getting heavier.

Knowing what he knew now, he realized that the monster was even stronger than he had originally believed.

Turning slightly, he looked over to his companions. His family continued to stand by him despite feeling the same pressure from the creature as he did.

"You saw what happened... Our abilities are working against us. Don’t put faith in any ability that doesn’t directly empower you, unless you absolutely have to."

His gaze then went to Eve. Her grimoire vanished as she just finished materializing her two skeletal guardians. She was determined to fight to the end with them, but Noah had noticed her oddities the moment he saw her running towards him. Her movements were strained. Not sluggish, but he could tell that she was putting in effort to maintain her balance. "Eve, your body is too weak to fight with us. Unless you are going to fuse, you’re not joining the fight, you’ll only be a distraction."

Eve’s eyes widened, but she didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. The flicker in her gaze said enough. She was going to join the battle regardless. But she didn’t argue, nor did she lash out.

Rarely had she ever truly been in danger, fear was an emotion that she had only experienced when it came to Noah’s disappointment. Not even the Seraphim made her afraid, because she always had faith Noah would protect her.

And now that she felt closer to Noah than ever before, she felt afraid that the monster in the cave would tear that bond away, and she wouldn’t let it.

Eve first looked to Ava, the motherly figure whose power, when together, was strong, strong enough that even an angel was killed effortlessly. Eve could sense that in her own ways, Ava was stronger than Diablo, and yet, her eyes still gravitated to her guardian. She recalled that, despite Ava meaning no harm, Ava still held a stubborn personality, leaving Eve with little to no control over their fused form. Even if they fused, would Ava risk their safety for the others, for Noah?

Eve couldn’t be sure.

Ava would protect her, no matter what. But she would prioritize Eve’s and her own survival at all costs, even retreating if necessary.

That’s when she looked to Diablo, the one who would do and give her any and everything she asked for.

"Papa!"

Diablo’s eyes shined, moving immediately as if he was always waiting for this moment. His actions showed caution about what was being discussed, despite always behaving as if he didn’t have a conscience.

He took his sword, its miasmic flames dimmed when he saw Eve approach. Diablo stabbed the sword into the ground as he knelt down to her eye level, waiting. There was an eagerness in Eve’s eyes as she eyed the sword. She grabbed its hilt with both hands, but she didn’t attempt to lift it.

The sword reacted the moment she gripped it, releasing the miasmic energy around its blade to bridge the two together.

Unlike Ava’s fusion, Diablo’s and Eve’s fusion went more smoothly and faster than before. No one was trying to control the other, Diablo was willingly letting Eve have full control, giving everything to her. But something happened that no one expected. Eve was giving their combined control to Diablo.

She was aware of what she lacked... experience. She wouldn’t allow her selfishness to get in the way of the other’s safety. Her papa was a natural warrior, he only lacked the power to prove his worth, and now she wanted him to have that chance to protect her, to protect everyone.

The swirling miasma rose, becoming higher than when Eve and Ava had formed. And when it stopped rising, the transformation started to reveal itself, beginning at their feet as the miasma rose. His feet showed first, heavy boots formed of dark ashen iron that looked like it had been forged in ruin. Glowing gold veins pulsed within the cracks of the metal, giving off a soft eerie radiance that didn’t belong.

The armor climbed upward with the rising haze.

Noah wished he could fully witness her transformation. He was sure that unlike her transformation when first fighting against the creatures of the forest, their transformation would be quite different from before.

But he couldn’t remain idle either.

Smoke was exuding from the cave, heavy smoke that was no different from soot. The smoke was accompanied by deep grunts and footsteps that were soon nearing the clearing.

"Fenrir, it’s our turn."

_______________

As Noah and Fenrir were both merging, a massive shape stirred within the shadows.

Two eyes ignited like molten suns, burning with a dark orange glow that pierced through the darkness. Slitted pupils tightened as they adjusted to the fading light beyond the cavern’s mouth.

Rugged, rigged scales appeared in view, dark as scorched stone and layered like armor forged from immense pressure. Jagged horns curled backward. Thick, furrowed brows jutted out, casting deep shadow over its glowing eyes. Beneath them stretched a long maw lined with perilous teeth. And when its mouth parted slightly, black smoke hissed out like venomous breath.

Spines flared along its jaws and neck.

And as Noah faced what he might believe was a dragon, an unseen gaze was watching it all.

The Divine Being wasn’t surprised by Noah’s opponent being there. In the being’s own cryptic and merciful way, this was his gift to Noah, a gift for when Noah had lost the opportunity to benefit from the system before the merge. It wasn’t the creature itself that was the prize, but all that he would gain from winning, a trial that offered more than one reward for overcoming it.

Losing would mean death, a harsh punishment that didn’t appear merciful at all. But the Being was aware of the powerhouses of this world. If Noah couldn’t survive this, then he would never survive the ones that were coming next. The Being believed they truly understood Noah... or maybe they were bored, interested in how far Noah would come.

The Being understood that someone like Noah needed adversity and constant life-and-death struggles to become stronger.

The others? They too had their own path, but only Noah would have himself to depend on.

Because in this world, Noah’s existence would only bring him danger.