Becoming a Monster-Chapter 98: What have you been doing?

When Noah’s vision refocused, he glanced outside and saw Fenrir still obediently waiting. However, Fenrir appeared bored, his head swiveling at every tiny sound, eager to investigate.

"Fenrir, you can go out and play, but don’t go too far from here. And if you see any of those boxes" he pointed to the chests scattered around after being distributed to the students. "make sure to bring them back here." Noah wasn’t worried about Fenrir at all after viewing his stats, especially since it was a full moon tonight, which bolstered his confidence in Fenrir’s abilities. In fact, he was more concerned about missing out on any loot that Fenrir might find.

Fenrir’s head snapped in Noah’s direction, his tail creating a gust of wind as his tail wagged excitedly while staring in Noah’s direction. "I can really go?" he asked. Noah nodded in response. Without even saying goodbye, Fenrir took off from the dorms, eager to go on an adventure and test his strength.

’Should I have specified how far is far?’ Noah watched Fenrir’s figure fading away in a daze. He assumed Fenrir would just stay near the dorm, but he didn’t take an animal’s territorial behavior into account. What if Fenrir believed that the whole campus was its territory and so, ’far’ was anything past that?

Noah sighed to himself as he turned back to watch Arachne. However, as he moved to return to the bed, he discovered Ailetta curled up in a ball, deeply asleep. Gently, Noah approached and covered her with a blanket, ensuring she remained warm and comfortable. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he shouldn’t have left her when she needed him the most. Perhaps her current lack of strength could have been improved if he had allowed her to follow him. Yet, entertaining such thoughts would only lead to unnecessary speculation, would he still be as strong as he is now if he never ventured out alone? For now, all he could do was watch over her as she slept.

The day had been overwhelming for her; this was the first time she could truly relax. However, not everyone shared the same sentiment. Some were too fatigued and had fallen asleep, while others remained awake, consumed by anxiety about their future.

As they found themselves with a moment to spare from worrying about their own lives, their thoughts began to drift towards their loved ones and families. Were they still alive? What should they do if they were dead? How many people had immediately turned into zombies upon awakening? Would they encounter them at their next destination? These questions consumed the minds of many.

Noah’s gaze softened with tenderness as he observed Ailetta’s sleeping form. Yet, it was also tinged with sadness. Occasionally, she would twitch violently, clearly tormented by bad dreams. Despite her attempts to appear unfazed, the life-threatening situations she had endured, the numerous deaths she had witnessed, and the act of killing zombies that still resembled humans weighed heavily on her. Noah felt it was too much for her to bear.

He recalled the times when Ailetta accompanied him, her ever-present smile serving as a beacon of hope. Sitting on the opposite bed, Noah reflected on how many others failed to appreciate how much better the world is now. Slowly, exhaustion from draining his mana began to catch up with him, and his eyes began to close.

........

"Ahhhhh!"

"Put your weapons down! It’s his fault for coveting something that’s not his."

"Kyle didn’t have to die for it! That beast needs to die!"

"We chose to follow it, STUPID! You can leave us out of it!"

"What are you all doing??"

Noah was jolted awake by the incessant yelling outside his broken window. He wanted to investigate but found himself pinned down by a heavy weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of a giant spider head, its numerous eyes staring directly at him. Instinctively, panic surged through him, but he quickly calmed himself as he remembered the identity of the creature before him.

However, confusion soon replaced his panic. He recalled that Arachne was in the process of gaining a human body—or so they had assumed from the previous night’s events. As he allowed his sleepy eyes to adjust, he noticed that it didn’t seem like the eyes were looking at him at all. Instead, he felt a slow rising and falling sensation on his chest.

"She’s sleeping?" he muttered to himself, his curiosity piqued. But this observation only led to more questions. When could Arachne’s body show signs of breathing, unless...

As he scrutinized her face, Noah was fully awake this time. His gaze traced the contours of her spider-like features, noticing how her fangs, while still present, now nestled closer to the sides of her face. Her spider visage seemed almost like a living mask, especially as he observed the transition below her upper lip, where her face took on more human-like characteristics. Beneath her black upper lip, her skin bore a pale purple hue.

Lost in studying her face, Noah failed to initially register the silver threads moving around her as she breathed. Only upon closer inspection did he realize that they were strands of her hair. From the front, the hair seemed inconspicuous, but when viewed from the sides or the back of her head, it cascaded down gracefully, reaching all the way to her mid-back.

On closer inspection, it became evident that Arachne possessed a human-like torso seamlessly integrated with her spider body, encased in a skin-tight exoskeleton that maintained the jet black and purple color palette of her transformation. While her natural armor covered most of her torso, there was a notable exception around her chest and collarbone area. Here, the exoskeleton took on a unique design, resembling a hybrid of a full-body corset and a keyhole pattern.

Curiously, Noah observed Arachne’s new female features, noticing the subtle rise and fall of her cleavage with each deep breath she took in her slumber. Despite the armored coverings, he couldn’t help but be struck by the surprising elasticity of her breasts. Memories of earlier conversations with Ailetta resurfaced, where they had discussed the possibility of Arachne transforming into a beautiful female spider. Reflecting on the initial stages of her transformation, Noah found himself hesitant to disagree with Ailetta’s logic as he continued to scrutinize her body.

The dark hues of her exoskeleton made it easy for Noah to discern glowing lines coursing through her torso and spider limbs. These lines resembled emerald-green veins, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. As they reached the ends of her legs, Noah noticed that the once-purple extremities now mirrored the radiant green glow of her veins, completing the transformation of her spider form.

"Aawwwhoo!"

Noah was taken out of his stupor when he heard Fenrir’s howl from outside, with the accompanying sound of screaming following it.

"Hey, Arach-?"

Annoyed by yet another interruption from outside disturbances, Noah reached out to awaken his slumbering spider. However, his attempt was thwarted when he realized that Arachne wasn’t the only occupant of his bed.

On his side, Ailetta lay there, her hair covering her face, yet the firm grip still attempting to dig into his skin was a clear indicator that she was awake.

Earlier in the night, Ailetta awoke abruptly, unable to find solace in sleep. The fully open window invited in the eerie sounds of nocturnal creatures, sending a shiver down her spine as fear gripped her. Hastily, she sought refuge at Noah’s side, her fingers seeking comfort in the brush of his arm against hers, yearning for his protective embrace.

Awakened by Fenrir’s thunderous roar, Ailetta was abruptly ripped from the safety of sleep, her body jolting with primal fear. The echoes of his menacing growl reverberated through her, unlocking a floodgate of long-buried traumas. Her entire being was engulfed in a whirlwind of heightened emotions and acute senses, every nerve electrified by the primal instinct to survive. Desperately, she clung to Noah’s arm, seeking security, even as he reached out to stir Arachne from her slumber.

Noah’s exasperation escaped him in a heavy sigh. Although he understood the situation he was in, the double physical affection; Ailetta clinging to his arm and Arachne sprawled on his chest, prevented him from promptly checking on Fenrir.However, as Noah was scrutinizing the situation he was in, he became aware of a certain discovery, unsure if he should be upset over what he found.

"Arachne... I know you’re awake. Please go stop Fenrir, or I won’t forgive what you just pulled.

His frustration wasn’t directed at her lying on him, rather he was upset that while the racket was going on outside, she still pretended to be asleep. Despite not directly being the target of his ire, that still didn’t stop Arachne from bolting off of his body, worry and embarrassment enveloped her heart as she quickly darted out of the window. Remarkably, despite her size, she effortlessly squeezed through the tight space as if it were natural.

Noah let out another exasperated sigh, helpless towards Arachne’s reaction. He planned to rise from the bed, yet there was still someone else to address. His dead eyes panned towards Ailetta, who still clung to his arm, her head buried into his chest. It became evident that Fenrir’s skill was much stronger than Noah was giving it credit for.

"And you," Noah’s directed voice startled her, causing her to filinch, yet remaining unresponsive. "You either let go or follow behind me so I can see what’s going on." His tone was cold and direct. Despite the frostiness of his words, the fact that Noah didn’t push her away conveyed to Ailetta that he didn’t despise her for her current vulnerability. Given her choices, naturally, she chose the latter.

Smack!*

But when he arrived at the window, he couldn’t believe his eyes. He was at a loss for words, so astonished that he could only forcefully palm his face to ensure he was truly seeing what was before him. The sharp sound of his palm meeting his skin jolted Ailetta from her reverie, her concern for Noah’s well-being momentarily eclipsing her fear of Fenrir’s roar.

Noah remained in a daze as he observed how high the grass had grown overnight, now reaching up to his knees. However, the sight of nature’s unnatural progress didn’t take away his attention from the scene created by his creatures.

"I told her to go ’stop’ Fenrir... What in the world is she doing? I didn’t say ’help’ him," he muttered incredulously as he looked down below, surveying the aftermath. One half of a body lay next to Fenrir, while another was lifeless, punctured in the lower back by one of Arachne’s legs.

Ailetta’s voice trembled as she managed to speak through the haze of disbelief. "I-is that really Arachne and Fenrir?" she stammered, her words strained by the weight of astonishment. Despite the unsettling sight of the corpses lying nearby, her attention was wholly consumed by the awe-inspiring presence of the two mythical creatures. Even after witnessing Arachne’s metamorphosis, the sight of her standing beside the towering beast left Ailetta in intense awe, her mind struggling to reconcile the fantastical with reality.

Noah remained silent for a moment, his gaze scanning the scene for any clue as to what had transpired. Though only two lives had been taken, he couldn’t shake the gnawing question of why. His eyes fell upon a cluster of chests positioned just beyond Fenrir, each one containing treasures that, while insignificant to him, held immeasurable value to others.

Noah could already hypothesize a few reasons for why they were here. His eyes wandered over the group opposite Fenrir, noting their stunned expressions of fear. While most were immobilized by sheer terror, a select few managed to retain some semblance of mobility and rationale.

Yet, one figure stood apart, unaffected by the pervasive fear that gripped the others. Noah’s observations led him to conclude that while some may be deemed weak, this individual possessed a unique skill that set them apart.

"Fenrir, Noah told me to stop you. Because of you I got in trouble!"

"But, but what did I do?"

"It doesn’t matter, it only matters that Noah believes you did something bad, you owe me now."

Noah arrived jumping out of the window to hear his two creatures talking. Just from the conversation alone he could already tell the personality of the two after evolving. He was also surprised that unlike Fenrir, Arachne actually was calling him by his name. Not only that, her voice lost that raspy quality she held before. Now her voice was clear, yet it lacked something, he could sense emotion in her tone but it lacked...expression? He couldn’t say what the problem was directly, but he hoped that it would change in the future.

"Arachne, Fenrir," Noah began, his voice firm yet tinged with a hint of curiosity. "What’s going on here?"

Arachne shifted uncomfortably, her eight legs twitching with nervous energy. "Noah, we... we were just... dealing with the intruders," she stammered, her voice betraying her unease.

Fenrir, on the other hand, seemed more puzzled than anything else. "But...they attacked first, right?" he protested, rather, he directed his question to Arachne, asking for assurance, his voice carrying a note of confusion.

looking over Fenrir’s confusion, his gaze redirected to Arachne. He expected the behavior from him, but Arachne was the one sent here to control the situation.

"Arachne, you’ll be in further trouble if you don’t tell me why you have that under your foot," Noah said, his tone stern.

Arachne panicked, feeling that she was going to get in trouble again. "The food tried to touch me, food should know it’s place." She said with a shaky voice but her demeanor showed just how emotional she felt towards the subject.

’Oh no...’ Noah felt a headache coming on when he heard her. ’Her arrogant Queen mentality is starting to bloom.’

"Wait! These are your creatures?"

Noah turned to face the new arrivals, his brow furrowing as he took in the newcomers.

"Ah! He’s a monster too!"

As someone confronted Noah, they were unprepared for his distinctive features. His presence, with four shining purple pupils, elicited an instinctual fear comparable to that felt when facing the two monsters before him.

"Fuck! Why did you tell us to follow that beast? Look what it lead us to! You need to get us out of this!"

Noah noticed the group growing upset, their anger directed at both him and a... little girl? No, it was just a petite woman. She held a bow in her hand, and on her back was an open book bag repurposed as a quiver. Unless she had encountered the mysterious shopkeeper, Noah couldn’t fathom where she had obtained the arrows. The woman seemed incredibly sheepish, cowering as the students yelled at her. Something didn’t add up. If she lacked the qualities of a leader, why did the group follow her?

"N-no, I...I said that it mig-might belong to someone, b-because it was collecting the chest..." The girl stammered, trying to defend herself.

"Wait, there’s other people here! Please save us!" someone shouted, ignoring the girl’s defense.

At this time, Ishii and the rest came out of the dorm, they saw what was happening outside and rushed to come out before Noah killed them all. That result may not happen, but deep down, people like Ishii and Jasmine all felt that way. They were just late coming out because Fenrir’s roar had affected them too.

"Noah, let m—" Ishii, the most relaxed and familiar with Noah, tried to step in and remove him from the volatile situation, but was met with a cold stare.

Noah’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but the dominant emotion was clear: annoyance. Not only did they covet his loot, but they also attempted to make advances on Arachne; sexually or not, Noah had to prevent himself from giving into his dark desires. He faced the new group with a barely restrained irritation. "You’re lucky I have more important things to worry about right now..." he muttered, his tone dripping with contempt.

The new group was left dumbfounded, their faces a mix of fear and confusion as they watched Noah turn away from them and approach his two creatures.

"That’s it? What about our friends? You killed them!" one of the newcomers shouted, their voice breaking with anguish.

"So? It’s only food; you all die all the time," Arachne spoke in Noah’s place, her tone cold and dismissive. Her words did nothing to soothe the situation, but at least it might deter them from further confrontation.

During this time, Jasmine stood beside Mark, watching Noah with a conflicted gaze. She and Ishi turned to address the new arrivals, but her mind was elsewhere, wrestling with her inner turmoil.

Jasmine’s internal struggle regarding Noah had started earlier that night. She had always harbored doubts about the potion Noah gave her, fearing it might be as ineffective as Isabelle’s spell. But when Mark awakened, her fears dissolved, and she cried tears of joy. However, Mark’s reaction was far from joyful. He was confused, believing he had died. Jasmine had to explain everything to him: how Noah had initially intended to leave him to die, then defeated the zombie, and ultimately provided the cure that saved him.

Grateful as she was for Noah’s intervention, it was a particular question she had asked Mark that made her view Noah in a new light.

"What was that skill you used? The one that made all of that zombie’s attacks slow down? Why didn’t you tell me about this before?" Jasmine demanded, her eyes wide with both awe and confusion.

Mark turned towards her, equally bewildered. "What skill? I didn’t use a skill like that, I was just movi—!"

They both paused, the realization dawning on them simultaneously. During the battle, Mark had believed he was moving so fast that time seemed to slow whenever the tentacles approached him. But if Jasmine could see it too, that could only mean one thing.

"He was helping you all this time."

"He was helping me all this time."

They both said in tandem before looking at each other in disbelief.

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