Becoming a Monster-Chapter 78: The pros of Reaching Lvl 10

The revelation that some of the guards were hired by Regina’s father shocked everyone, but Regina herself was consumed by grief over her father’s death. He had always spoiled her unconditionally, and the fact that he had come all this way to try to save her spoke volumes about his love for her. Ironically, his love may have contributed to her egotistical nature.

Regina fell to her knees in disbelief, muttering words that no one could hear. She seemed to teeter on the edge of madness, but then she looked back anxiously towards Pam.

"And my mother? Where is my mother??" Her eyes screamed ’Please tell me that she’s here with you.’ But the darkened look on Pam’s face broke Regina’s obnoxious barrier.

"Your mother....your mother was the first of the people to turn...she’s dead t-"

"Who gives a shit? Are we gonna sit here talking while that monster you brought to us makes its way here? You all could do that later!" Mark’s outburst, though typically arrogant, proved useful in redirecting their focus. Even amidst the heart-wrenching moment, the zombie continued its relentless advance, refusing to grant them a moment of respite.

"He’s right. Alicia, everyone? I don’t want to say this, but it seems we’ll have to stay the night here. Leaving from this direction doesn’t seem like an option anymore. We either need to make a detour from the side lots or find a way to get around that zombie."

Ishii’s suggestion was met with immediate acceptance from the masses. The guards, lucky to survive against the approaching monster, grew more anxious by the second. At this point, they were willing to accept any suggestion if it meant getting out of there.

"It doesn’t matter where you decide, just decide already!" spoke one of the more paranoid guards, his gun still pointed towards the zombie. The action alone provided him with some mental comfort.

"If we have to stay another night here, then I suggest either the cafeteria again or one of the dorms," suggested Jasmine. "The cafeteria would be a better option since we wouldn’t have to worry about conserving the food we already have. But the dorms would provide us with much-needed clothing and anything else we forgot after everything started."

The group decided to discuss their plans on the way to the dorms, mindful of the approaching zombie. They couldn’t afford to stop, and the urgency pushed them forward. Eventually, they reached a consensus to visit the dorms, despite the guards’ displeasure. The women were particularly vocal about the decision, eager to retrieve undergarments and other essentials from their rooms.

———————

After entering the first door on the second floor, Noah ensured it was securely closed while Arachne lightly barricaded it with her webs. With the room secured, Noah collapsed onto one of the nearby beds, exhaustion washing over him like a tidal wave. The adrenaline that had sustained him through earlier trials had dissipated, leaving his body keenly aware of its fatigue. Despite feeling the need to sleep, his eyes glinted with excitement, contrary to how he felt.

[Proceed to advance class ’Monster Evolutionist’? Y/N?]

Without hesitation, Noah confirmed, paying little attention to his position on the bed, his legs still dangling off to the side.

Noah’s body slipped into a state akin to a deep slumber. Devoid of any notifications, he was oblivious to the world around him as his body underwent a profound transformation. The stats he had accumulated over time were now manifesting in his physical form. However, the process wasn’t without its challenges.

In this new world, where individuals received a surge of stats with each level gained, the body struggled to adapt to these changes seamlessly. The introduction of mana further complicated the adaptation process. Noah’s body, like others’, struggled with the influx of power, struggling to integrate it without causing harm. Yet, within this transformative state, Noah’s potential for growth and evolution reached new heights, heralding a significant step in his journey to obtain the power to have control over his life.

Noah’s physical transformation became evident as the definition of his muscles sharpened, his stature subtly elongating by an inch. Yet, the most remarkable changes unfolded within the density of his bones. While his constitution had previously bolstered his recovery and vitality, it now conferred an additional layer of defense against harm.

Ordinary attacks that would have posed a threat before the transformation now encountered formidable resistance. Regular zombies found it challenging to pierce his reinforced skin, while runner zombies were utterly thwarted in their attempts to breach his fortified bones.

This is what the Divine Being meant when he said to pass your limits. Reaching level ten was surpassing the race you were before. If a level ten zombie was considered a tier one zombie then a level ten human would be considered a tier one human, no longer just a lowly human.

As Noah underwent his transformation, he felt the armor he wore becoming increasingly constricting, yet he showed no signs of discomfort. However, something more profound was happening within him. His body would become the conduit for aiding his monsters’ evolutions, and for that to occur, the most critical aspect would be his blood.

From the core of his being, where all blood converged before coursing through his veins, a mysterious mana began to emanate. Neither human nor belonging to any of the creatures he had assimilated, this otherworldly energy manifested as a thick, murky purple substance, mingling with his circulating blood.

The transformation was gradual, each passing moment bringing Noah closer to his final form. As he slept, the essence of the purple substance infused with his blood, gradually altering its composition. Once a deep red from his initial encounter with the zombie trait, Noah’s blood now bore no resemblance to its former state. If cut, it would spill forth as a vibrant purple, an anomaly diverging from both human and his other genetic counterparts.

Yet, the alteration in blood wasn’t the sole change. His blood underwent assimilation with his mana, allowing him to channel his mana through his bloodstream, a prerequisite for wielding his newly acquired skills. The crimson glow in his eyes shimmered, gradually transitioning to match the hue of his transformed blood, albeit in a lighter shade.

Cracks of bone sounded loudly in the room with his bones being readjusted in place after growing. Arachne waited at the end of the bed, watching curiously as the sounds constantly caught her attention. However, as the changes were occurring in Noah, Arachne’s curious eyes were changing to greed. The change in Noah’s blood was beginning to attract her, she was unable to view the blood as just ’food’.

The change in Noah’s blood, now infused with the essence of mana, exerted a powerful allure over Arachne. Unlike mere sustenance she would obtain from feeding, she instinctively could feel that Noah’s blood held the promise of growth and evolution, akin to the mana cores she so coveted from her spider kin. Despite the overwhelming temptation, Arachne exercised remarkable restraint. Though enticed by the tantalizing essence of Noah’s blood, she resisted the urge to succumb to her instincts, maintaining control over her desires.

...

Two hours had passed since Noah began his transformation, and the large group of students finally arrived at the dorms. The building Noah occupied was typically used for new arrivals, so many of the students had no reason to visit it under normal circumstances.

However, their attention was quickly drawn to the monstrous remains scattered outside the dorm.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT??" One of the students yelled. The outburst drew immediate glares from those around, silencing the student quickly.

They silently stared at the remains. Despite the dismemberment and decay, enough flesh and meat clung to the bones to reveal the creature’s grotesque nature. The face was remarkably intact, giving the students the full view of its flesh-mincing teeth. Though one of the femurs was missing, the skeletal structure remained largely recognizable. The leftover remains gave a clear image of what kind of monstrosity it was.

"Do you think another monster did this?"

"Keep a look out...whatever did this could still be here."

"No..." Ailetta rejected the murmurs around her as she noticed something that confirmed her original thoughts. Her eyes glue to specific location, gesturing to the others to get their attention.

"Look, there’s a chest. ’Someone’ was here, and it wasn’t a monster..." Her eyes shined with pride and comfort. She thought about the person she knew had been there and how strong he must be to take down such a creature, though her eyes also projected the sadness of feeling left behind.

Jasmine noticed the look on Ailetta’s face and even she considered that this was Noah’s handiwork, especially since she hadn’t seen him in a while.

"You think it’s Noah don’t you?" Jasmine asked to confirm her previous thoughts, while receiving an immediate nod from her friend. Bailey also chipped in on the conversation.

"It has to be him, look! There are webs still on the monster’s legs. It has to be from his spider. I wonder if he’s still here."

"Who’s Noah? If you’re saying one person did this then you are fools" one of the guards interrupted the group’s chat. His comment annoyed the group, but they couldn’t deny the extraordinary feat in front of them.

"Noah’s... different," Jasmine said, a hint of defensiveness in her voice. "If anyone could do this, it would be him."

The guard rolled his eyes but didn’t press further, from his stance it was oblivious that he didn’t believe a word.

As the time went by with grouping with the guards, the students quickly found out that the guards believed they were the leaders of their group. While there hasn’t been any heated arguments yet, it was surely a ticking time bomb.

Regina, who was devastated at the loss of her parents, was slowly recovering when she realized that some if not most of the guards still followed her. With the old man out of the picture, she was the one to inherit all of his money and so she would also be the one to pay them, they were banking on that fact alone. To her, just having guards with guns to do her bidding was a huge safety net for her, she mourned her parents, but her survival was more important.

"Guys lets just go, if he’s here then he wouldn’t be hard to notice. We need to find our own shelter and prepare to leave first thing in the morning." Ishii, being the mediator, suggested. He also felt uncomfortable with the guards’ presence and didn’t appreciate them downplaying Noah’s achievements. A part of him wished Noah was still nearby.

Cautiously, they made their way through the dorm’s courtyards. Their destination was the dorm that housed the upperclassmen, which made up the majority of the female students there. But their eyes soon spotted something.

"Look!, it’s more webs, but it’s blocking the door." Everyone was quick to respond to the voice, but those who were on the lookout for any signs of Noah turned faster.

"It has to be him, he should still be in there." Ailetta confidently said, her statement filled with eagerness that didn’t go unnoticed by those close to her..

"Should we meet him? He doesn’t know about the zombie we saw, right? If he knows, maybe he’ll join us." Bailey voiced her hopeful thoughts. Many of the people who witnessed Noah’s achievements became more optimistic at the thought of having Noah with them. However, they couldn’t help but shudder when they pictured his monster-like appearance and his weird ’eating’ habits. They had half a mind to avoid someone as insane as him.

"Why do you still care about that guy? We made it this far by ourselves, we don’t need him. We gave him multiple chances to come with us, but he doesn’t care if any of us live or die. What’s wrong with you all?" Mark vented his frustration. He hated that even now, when he could showcase his strength, Noah’s past exploits continued to overshadow him. He wished Noah would just disappear already.

Mark attempted to head towards their designated building, hoping to herd the rest along with him. To his disbelief, people he didn’t expect to disagree with him interfered.

"I want to see what all the talk is about this Noah."

"Yeah! These kids think he could beat that thing when even we couldn’t. I’ll deck him in the face as soon as I see him if he looks like a punk. He better be at least half as strong as they make him out to be."

Three guards grew visibly agitated, their faces tense with pent-up stress and anxiety stemming from their near-death encounter. The realization that their self-worth didn’t match their expectations only added to their frustration. The news that a college student had triumphed over a creature of such magnitude that they, a seasoned group, couldn’t handle, ignited their ire. The memory of being forced to flee from the monster, tails metaphorically between their legs, fueled their anger further. The mere mention of Noah’s strength, devoid of any logical reasoning, only served to intensify their emotions.

Without hesitation, they immediately rushed to the web-covered door and attempted to tear it down with their bare hands.

"Fuck im stuck!"

This chapter is updat𝓮d by fre(e)webnov(l).com