Becoming a Monster

Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Rampant Desires

Although the woman was dead, Noah remained standing over her body, reflecting. Suddenly, he bent down, his hand forcibly ripped through her chest to retrieve her heart that contained her core. Its swirling energies were still slightly more active than the others when no longer supplied with the mana and life essence of its host.

Ailetta assumed that he was being his usual self when it came to leaving no core unturned. Despite retrieving the core, Noah still had yet to move. Instead, he brought his hand closer to his stomach that was uncovered by his hide, using one of his claws to brush against his skin to draw blood.

”What do you plan on doing with that? There’s no reason to make those things Arachne refers to as treats right now, is there?”

Noah turned towards her, realizing that what he was about to do was oddly similar to his blood essence skill. ”I’m not making those this time. There’s still a skill that I have, a skill that can retrieve a trait or ability of the creature or human that I killed, allowing me to store that skill so I can give it to any creature that is bonded to me.”

He offhandedly replied as the spectacle of his blood glowing with crimson and violet energies seeped around the core. Eventually, the blood coated the outside of the core until only the inside of the core could no longer be seen. The skill didn’t stop there; the blood encasing the core began to harden while the glow of its energies intensified. Slowly the viscous liquid began to crystalize, while the outer layer of its solid substance held a small aura of his energies, seemingly preserving what was still left within the core.

Noah couldn’t help observing his handiwork, admiring the beauty of his crystalized blood. His eyes pandered back over to the corpse beside him, his mood plummeting at the sight of her.

”Lets go, Le,” Noah called out to Ailetta as he made his way out of the cell to return to their original goal. Before leaving, she took one last look towards the body as well, but instead of loathing, or disgust, she felt betrayed.

”Tsk, you were even given Noah’s blood and you turned out this way...I guess the material used is still important even in this matter. Even a miracle worker can’t turn scrapes into treasure.” She begrudgingly muttered to herself, following silently behind Noah. But as they walked down the last few cells, she found herself eyeing the core still within his hand.

”Noah?” She called, eliciting for Noah’s head to perk up as he continued his pace. ”That orb, I’m guessing it’s ’that’ skill that you decided to keep, no?”

”That’s right...if this was given to someone with the potential to utilize the skill, then it could become so much more, at least that’s what I’m hoping for. If Fenrir were to be given this skill, there’s almost nothing that could happen to us that he couldn’t withstand and still be able to heal himself.”

”.......And you don’t think there’s anyone better than him who could use this skill?” Ailetta gave a slight pause to stabilize herself before she asked. If it was just a normal question, then Noah would’ve simply answered yes without having to second guess his answer. Yet, the chill in her tone, and the ominous pressure emitting from her made it clear that this was no idle inquiry.

”Why does it sound like you want to learn the skill? You remember what it does, right? The skill won’t help you at all.”

Ailetta’s expression shifted slightly, her aura receding quicker than it was emitted after realizing that Noah wasn’t belittling her worth. ”You’re misunderstanding, Noah. I don’t want the skill based on how useful it is for me. ’I’ want to be the one to help ’you’ if you ever needed it. I want to be the one embracing you, healing you of your wounds, giving my life for yours. It should be me and no one else.”

Noah’s gaze hardened as Ailetta’s words sank in. He could sense the intensity of her emotions, the weight behind each syllable. ”Le, you don’t need a skill like this to prove anything to me. I don’t need you to give your life for mine.”

Ailetta’s eyes, still brimming with that dark energy, locked onto his. ”But I want to, Noah. You’ve given me everything: power, purpose, a second chance at life. Why shouldn’t I be the one to protect you, no matter the cost?” Soon after, her eyes became clouded with her possessive desires. ”And Noah, I won’t leave you that easily...I won’t let you have a reason to ever replace me. No one else can be by your side like I can. No one else should be.”

Noah’s expression darkened, sensing how far Ailetta’s obsession had grown. He had seen her act like this before, but now was different, she was more unhinged, more...desperate. He didn’t know what incited the change: her evolution? Merging with his soul? But in the end, her transformation was all for him.

The thought stirred something deep within Noah, something that pushed away any lingering concerns he had about Ailetta’s emotional state. It was true that she had changed, grown more unhinged, but her actions and her transformation, it was all for him. She had become what she was because of him, and that loyalty, however warped, was something he found himself unwilling to turn away from.

His gaze softened as he stepped closer, his hand gently cupping her cheek. ”I told you before, Le. You’re mine, and I’m yours. That won’t change. No matter what happens.”

Ailetta’s eyes, still burning with possessiveness, softened ever so softly at his words as she found herself leaning into his touch. Yet, before she was able to absorb herself in that warmth, she felt his hand cover the entirety of her mouth, his strength destabilizing her solid form that was in his grasp. She was taken aback, but not alarmed; not a moment later she could feel and taste an extremely cold circular object in her mouth, instantly realizing what it was.

Noah’s gaze remained locked onto hers, a cold stare penetrating through her. ”All you see are the sacrifices you made for me...Remember not to lose yourself. If you love me, if you care about me, then you need to start reflecting about the things you say....” His tone began to match his cold gaze as he became lost in his own thoughts. ”Love...it isn’t just about what you’re willing to lose..”

He released her, pulling his hand back, but the impact of his words left Ailetta paralyzed while the core remained placed in her mouth. She had been prepared to take on anything for Noah, to bear his burdens, to carry his pain, because for her, that was love. Yet, as she stood before him now, the realization hit her. His words, his actions weren’t about rejecting her sacrifices; they were about saving her from herself.

”I...” Her voice faltered. She didn’t know how to respond. Her dreams, goals, desires, everything was clashing violently against each other.

In the end, all of her feelings had one thing in common, causing Noah’s expression to soften, but only slightly. ”You don’t have to say anything, I know.”

Ailetta continued to stare while Noah walked away. It took till the time he took a turn into the last cell for her to become aware of herself. She found her hesitating consuming the core, believing that she would actually be letting Noah down by doing so. But it was his parting words that gave her the security to move forward. Despite everything, Noah still understood her better than anyone else, even herself.

Without further hesitation, she consumed the core.

————

Noah was moments away from making contact with the mysterious entity before he took notice of the ringing in his mind, notifying him of a notification.

Death’s Embrace(Lvl 0)- The user can draw upon the wounds and pain of others, feeling their suffering and taking on their wounds while healing them. The severity of the injuries absorbed can vary, while the cost of their vitality used to heal the intended target varies based on the severity of their injuries.

Noah observed the skill before letting out a deep sigh.

”Noah?” He turned around, noticing that Ailetta was steadily walking to him. She hesitated in her steps the moment they locked eyes, but slowly a small smile parted on her face, imparting her with a budding joy that brought back the usual pep in her step.

”I think you’re forgetting something.” Her small smile widened as if she were unveiling a secret when noticing his befuddled expression. Instead of words, her body answered the question for him.

Her palm hovered closed to him, but as he observed, he noticed the slight bulge coming out of her hand. Imagine his surprise when he saw the sight of a gold coin emerging.

”I still have the gold you gave me from before, and....” From her body, more objects began to seep out. A glowing vial, with deep crimson hues that sparkled with small silver specks swirling within, caught the light and shimmered with a magical allure. Alongside it, a long blade emerged, its segmented design showcasing three distinct points along the edge. The blade’s material mirrored the tough exterior of insects, glistening with a hard, chitinous sheen.

The first two spotted items didn’t hold that much of an allure in Noah’s eyes, but it was the other two remaining items that Noah fancied. He bent down, ignoring the first two items altogether, picking up a tier zero upgrade stone and placing it into his ring, while lastly, scrutinizing a parchment that he was very familiar with.

He immediately read the skill first, but his brows furrowed when he read what kind of skill it was.