Becoming a Monster

Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Embodiment of Desires.

Out in the present world, the room was still. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the results of Burke’s actions, while Noah’s companions weren’t making a move until they were assured Noah was ok.

No one moved. Meanwhile, Noah’s parents had ended their bickering when Noah’s ability was thwarted.

Burke stood still, his eyes glued to the parchment. His body trembling from the overstimulation of his eagerness. The parchment he just used was an item that was supposed to grant a 100% guaranteed success. It wasn’t a matter of if he would be able to tame Noah, but what should he do after gaining such a specimen that showed prowess beyond the ordinary. And it wasn’t just Noah.

Burke’s gaze meticulously scanned the creatures behind Noah; he couldn’t stop himself from licking his lips.

Power...

His trembling intensified as his hands clutched the parchment harder, as though he could squeeze the process to go faster.

He was too wrapped up in his fantasy to question what was taking so long. His pupils had dilated to the point of madness. ”Come on, come on...” he whispered feverishly. ”Submit, you damn freak...”

Vincent observed it all. In fact, he was scrutinizing Burke’s actions more than the monster who was the danger to them.

He wasn’t stupid. He could tell that whatever Burke had used was successful, and although that should be good for them all, Vincent couldn’t find it in himself to be relieved.

”Whhhaaatttt!”

When everyone was still left in the dark about what was truly happening, the sudden outcry startled everyone.

All eyes snapped to the source. Burke was staring wide eyed towards the parchment that burst in glowing blue flames. He had never seen the phenomenon before, But even without knowing the details, he knew...

The parchment failed.

Burke was in utter disbelief, he couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe that such a priceless item, one that was guaranteed to work, had failed. Something was wrong. If the item failed, he believed that Noah had to make a great sacrifice to prevent the item from working. At the very least, Noah shouldn’t have come out of the items affected unscathed.

He could still salvage the situation. If the parchment didn’t work, he still had another alternative to finish what he started, but it would have to be acquired through sacrifice.

Turning, Burke was going to rely on Vincent to work with him. Some secrets had to be disclosed if he wanted this to succeed.

”!”

However, the moment he turned his gaze away from Noah, his body froze. It wasn’t just him, everyone froze. It wasn’t that they were unable to move, what they all felt was a powerful presence. It was the kind of presence that made their instincts scream that something horrifying was waiting just behind them and turning towards it would bring about horrifying consequences.

But fear went hand in hand with curiosity. Slowly, their gazes drifted to the unnerving presence. Noah was still standing there, but everything about him had changed.

Ailetta watched his change with caution, and with worry. The ”Noah” that was in front of her was not her Noah. At least she didn’t think so. She didn’t know anymore. She only remembered the monster Noah had turned to in the past, a creature that couldn’t differentiate friend from foe, a creature that was consumed with Noah’s pain and embodied it.

She hoped this time was different. Because this time, Noah’s soul wasn’t being tampered with. But what worried her is what took place right before that mythical creature was destroyed. Whatever that entity inside Noah did, she doubted it was for Noah’s benefit.

She had to be ready, ready to do whatever it takes to bring her Noah back.

Unlike Ailetta, none of Noah’s creatures experienced this form before, none of them could ever believe that Noah would lay a hand on them so they didn’t have the same vigilance as Ailetta did. However they were uncertain. Noah’s presence was significantly different, his scent was no longer the same, even his mana has changed. Yet, the connection of their bond was still there.

It was only Arachne who seemed to understand that something was wrong with him.

It wasn’t because there was a difference in her connection than the others, but because her intuition was screaming to her that something was wrong.

”Noah?” Her voice came out as a hesitant whisper, one which stirred Noah to turn towards the calling of his name.

When she saw Noah’s gaze she instinctively stepped back without realizing she did. For the first time she actually came to fear the person she trusted the most.

When ”Noah’s” eyes met hers, she wasn’t subjected to the malice that enriched his aura. No, what met her was a desire, a strong desire to claim her. It was a declaration that should’ve brought her joy, but the intensity of that gaze felt wrong. It wasn’t a desire filled with the love and care that Noah had always shown her. The stare was filled with obsession, and possession, as if she were no longer someone he cherished.

She found herself taking another step back, hesitant to say another word.

Her vulnerability seemed to stir ”Noah” on even more. It was only his face, but his body was itching to face her, who knows what was about to happen. And seeing this, Ailetta wasn’t going to stand still. She wasn’t going to let whatever this creature was do something that Noah would regret.

She readied herself to step in between the two. Those eyes were one of a creature that couldn’t be reasoned with, not with words alone.

The cold smile on ”Noah’s” face twisted slightly, one that was hard to decipher between being amused or if he was becoming hostile. But before he could take a step toward the two prizes in front of him, a flare of magic ignited behind him, accompanied by a set of three unfamiliar presences who weren’t there before.

Burke had made his decision.

Under Vincent’s astonished gaze, Burke’s body glowed with a shining white light that was very familiar, but seeing it encompass Burke didn’t make sense.

The light subsided from Burke’s body, shifting in front of him, stabilizing to form three blinding impressions of figures that were bathed in light. And when the light resided, what replaced them were three powerful zombies.

That’s when Vincent understood, Burke used the shop to gain the monster tamer subclass. He wasn’t focused on how and when Burke was able to obtain not one, but three clearly powerful unique zombies. His mind was finally able to link the dots as to what Burke was attempting to accomplish when he used that mysterious parchment.

He realized that he was wrong about Burke all along. He was a schemer, and there was the chance that there was more that he was still hiding.

Should he continue to help him? He was tempted to sit back, to let Noah force Burke to release all of his cards. But... What if he was wrong? What if Burke had nothing else and he wasted his only chance he had to fight against the monster.

That hesitation didn’t last long. The moment he chanced upon Noah’s new appearance, an appearance that truly took on the shape of a monster, his mind was made. But deep down he was already planning for the occasion for when Burke backstabbed him.

”Natalie!” Vincent’s voice snapped one of his elites at attention. Her response was quick, but her wavering resolve was etched in her expression.

Seeing the woman appear, Burke’s eyes gleamed in acknowledgment, understanding exactly what Vincent meant by calling upon her.

”The middle one!” Burke shouted in a hurry. When he summoned his creatures he was expecting such a strong reaction from Noah. His shout was urging her to move quickly. He was growing restless when Noah turned his way.

At first Noah eyed the creatures he summoned, but then it seemed Noah remembered what he had tried to do and somehow was able to pinpoint that he was the one who tried to tame him. Even bypassing his parents who were running back towards the stairs.

The animosity instilled into Burke by that stare alone terrified him, making him feel completely vulnerable. It was then that the new Noah did something that made everyone grow pale. His mouth began to glow. Energy was building within his mouth, energy that could be felt from the distance between them.

But that wasn’t all.

As he built up the energy within himself, mana was also being drawn from the air around him. When the two opposing energies touched, the energy released thunderous noise, creating howling winds mimicking the fury of a hurricane.

”Hurry up dammit!”

It wasn’t just Burke, everyone urged Natalie to go, even pushing her from behind against her will.

As she approached the zombie in the center, she couldn’t get herself to meet the zombie’s gaze. She wasn’t a fighter, so being near any source of danger made her body stiffen. But Noah’s building attack helped her to push forward.

She placed both her hands onto the zombie, closing her eyes to avoid being under its gaze any longer. An invisible layer of mana formed over her, layering itself over the zombie that gradually took on a bluish hue before she fainted.

The moment she hit the ground, the zombie in question faced Noah before it disappeared, its speed undergoing a growth that Burke believed would make it possible to contend with such a monster.