Becoming a Monster

Chapter 458: Chapter 458: Changes in the Forest

The group decided to give up on their mission and head back. No one argued with the decision. Who would want to go into the forest after what they had experienced?

They were still new to this world, but many of them wondered if most high-level missions were comparable to theirs.

However, as they discussed everything, they realized that it wasn’t all bad.

Their mission was, in a way, already accomplished. The mission didn’t say that they had to hunt all of the trolls. They were returning with one, and with that, they could still earn a bit of coin.

And about the optional mission? Wasn’t that accomplished too?

The task was to gather information about the trolls’ situation, unearthing the cause of their behavior, and determine whether they still had a chieftain.

They had all the information they needed from this one encounter, and the two adventurers who they saved would confirm it further.

The trolls weren’t behaving like they were supposed to. They didn’t travel alone or even in small groups. Their behavior was no different from still having an established leadership. Although a chieftain couldn’t be confirmed, that information alone would be considered completing the mission.

And they still had more information to offer. Fenrir’s confirmed presence in the forest, the trolls’ reaction to his appearance. It was enough to determine the reason why the trolls were now hunting on the outskirts of the forest.

But now that left them with one glaring issue that they all had to address together.

"What about those two?" Ishii eyed the two adventurers trailing behind them. "Should we tell them not to say anything?"

No matter what, Ishii would always consider Noah to be his idol and his savior. For everything Noah had done for them, this was the least they could do.

But the two additional people who weren’t part of their group now made it impossible. And those like Raven were acutely aware of it.

"And say what? We’re friends with that monster? And not only that, we are in cohorts with the monster that somehow took over the forest? We might as well go and ask that devil to take us in because everyone else will surely try to kill us."

No one else said anything because they, too, were thinking the same thing.

"We don’t have to say everything."

All eyes turned to Alicia. There wasn’t a person there who wasn’t surprised; even Ishii couldn’t believe it.

Alicia was about to explain herself, but the reactions directed towards her made her brows twitch. Why are they making it look as if I’m the only inconsiderate one here? She thought to herself. But she wouldn’t voice it. Instead, her glare snapped to Ishii.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You think I don’t have anything smart to say?" Her outburst redirected their criticism. Ishii was the first to look away, while the others silently thanked him for taking their place.

Alicia exhaled slowly, easing her shoulders before the irritation crept into her voice.

"I’m saying we don’t lie... And we don’t tell the whole truth either."

Her gaze shifted briefly toward the two adventurers.

"We tell them what they have already experienced. Nothing they can say would connect them to us." She then looked to Paul.

"Paul, your situation is different. They will definitely bring you up. But it’s not too far-fetched. You have the genes of a werewolf. It’s not too surprising if we say that the beast saw you as a kindred spirit and came to save us just because of that fact alone."

She looked back at Ishii. More than anyone else, she wanted to make sure Ishii understood she was supporting his decision.

Their relationship has been slowly deteriorating whenever the topic of Noah surfaced.

When their eyes locked, Ishii quickly realized that she was saying this not for Noah, but for him. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little.

"...That would work," he said at last.

All it took now was for Paul to give a small nod to settle the deal, since he would be the most affected.

Out of everyone there, there was still one person who just couldn’t get themselves to agree.

But Bailey kept quiet this time. She knew that no matter what she said, her voice would only be silenced over their combined judgment.

She could only walk in agitated silence. The decision had already been made, and she knew nothing she could say right now could change that.

Bitterness filled her heart. Frustration overwhelmed her thoughts. Her eyes drifted to Paul, unwillingness reflected in her gaze.

’Why can’t they understand? I’m doing this for you... I won’t let Noah get to you, too... I won’t let you become the next Ailetta.’

There was no regret in her decision. Although they decided not to tell everything. That doesn’t mean she has to agree.

——

Back in the forest.

In the center of the forest. There was a wall that almost every creature should have learned to avoid. Not because of the wall itself, but what was on the other side.

Instead, there were more creatures who still risked their lives. And if anyone were to see these creatures, they would notice a clear difference between them and the other animals in the forest.

The residue of the dungeon’s mana managed to linger barely past the wall.

Creatures’ fur grew thicker, their scales denser. And their eyes held an awareness that many others didn’t possess.

Many creatures were tempted to bask in mana’s purity. It was in their genes to crave evolution.

And that resulted in more creatures emerging from their hiding places. Creatures who were still new to the world’s mana, whose bodies had finally acclimated.

Creatures Noah knew very well even started to appear. Giant centipedes crept along the edges of the wall. They left small burrows near the wall, relishing eating the nourished dirt and other bugs alike.

Rabbits, deer, and evolved lizards sought refuge nearby, while birds rested in nearby trees.

Everything near the wall had learned the same lesson. Power gathered here, but so did danger.

Predators didn’t recklessly hunt those near the walls. And prey understood that as long as they avoided being alone, the likelihood of being attacked was small.

However, when it came to reserving spots, peace was nothing more than a lie.

The space closest to the wall was limited, and every creature understood its value. The mana there was denser, purer. It wasn’t claimed through dominance alone, but through survival.

Those who couldn’t defend their ground were pushed outward, forced back into weaker territory.

Small conflicts broke out constantly.

But despite the desperation to want to be closer to the purer living space. Not one creature sought to go past the walls. Even birds were too cautious to stretch their wings on the other side.

Because once any creature crossed the wall, their instincts would be alerted to an invisible presence. That presence released a subtle killing intent into every creature, indiscriminately.

—

Inside the territory, the scene had also changed.

The open clearing at the center of the forest no longer felt barren. Several new structures now occupied the space.

To the very right of the clearing stood a massive lodge, its size dwarfing the others. The first noticeable difference between this construct and the original was its jet-black material.

The entrance was tall and wide, built to accommodate creatures that stood several meters high. Deep claw marks and crushed earth showed that the creatures moved in and out of it daily. This was where Fenrir’s pack stayed.

Not far from it stood a second structure, far more modest in size. This one was purely for Kratos.

Even with the two additional lodgings, the territory felt balanced rather than crowded.

At the edges of the clearing, the trees themselves had become part of the settlement. Platforms and small shelters were created in the branches and tree trunks, connected by narrow paths that blended seamlessly with the rest of the trees.

The cats rarely touched the ground anymore. Their jobs were to keep watch from above, where they were most comfortable.

Underneath their settlement, on the edge of the clearing, a long, low structure was made. It served as a shared shelter for all of the dogs, wide enough that space wasn’t an issue.

Farther into the forest, behind the direction of Noah’s own home, the trees were mysteriously parted from one another. In five days, this was the only result directly done by using the dungeon’s core.

Within that space, Noah had Fenrir and his pack dig a pit deeper and wider than they could stand in. Pandora helped prevent the pit from collapsing by reinforcing the walls with roots wrapped along its sides.

And at the bottom, water had begun to gather, seeping slowly from the stone and soil below.

It wasn’t a flowing spring yet, but it was enough to sustain them. He would just have to let nature take its course. It’ll be days, maybe weeks, but soon there will be enough water to create a small lake.

The presence of the water made the air feel cooler. Even the mana lingering in the area seemed steadier. And along the grass, new versions of plant life were already showing signs of growing.

Noah was going through his daily observation within the shared senses of the dungeon core when his attention was caught by Fenrir’s emotions disturbing his own.

"What is it this time?"