Becoming a Monster

Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Forgiven, but Can He be Saved?

Noah was already aware of Dummy’s actions. Despite being one of Fenrir’s pack, from the moment Dummy killed his golems, he had already marked the beast for death. Even a creature with unlimited potential didn’t matter if that creature was a risk to his family.

Initially, he had rushed back, intent on killing. But now, seeing the beast, he understood immediately. Layered over Dummy’s aura was another aura that didn’t belong. It didn’t just surround him; it manifested itself in the shape of a creature. A creature that Noah understood was the source of it all.

His bloodlust diminished. Deep down, Noah was relieved. When his creatures were all that he had, he didn’t want to start doubting them, not a single one.

Noah didn’t speak, but he made his intent known. He took a step forward. That one step was accompanied by a pressure that even the Queen could feel.

It was a probe. Just how much control did the Queen have over Dummy?

Dummy roared in retaliation, but he didn’t move forward. Instinctively, Dummy recognized the owner of that pressure. Suddenly, he screeched; not in pain, but in confusion. Somewhere deep inside, the real Dummy was fighting to reclaim himself.

And the Queen knew it.

The Queen understood that her plan had failed. She wasn’t foolish enough to challenge the new king, not after what she had witnessed. But she couldn’t end this empty-handed. She lost a precious general and good soldiers. These soldiers weren’t simply birthed; they were made from the sacrifices of her own children, children who now numbered in the double digits.

Otherwise, how could she have given birth to three generals in such a short amount of time?

No... If she was going to fail, then she would make sure she benefited from this loss.

Dummy’s antennae fluttered. His body momentarily paused. Then his wings began to buzz. The Queen’s last-ditch effort was to retrieve Dummy’s body. Her imprint alone could enable her to birth a stronger soldier, but if she were to also use Dummy’s body as the catalyst. Then her creation would be superior to Dummy in every way.

”Fenrir,” Noah called out to his companion, whose aura was blaring to move. Fenrir’s breath was heavy. Clouds of condensation formed from the sheer heat of his aura. The only reason he didn’t make his move was because Noah didn’t give the order.

All this time, Fenrir could sense it; he could smell it. The Dummy in front of him wasn’t the Dummy of his pact. The beast felt like an outsider. And most importantly, his own pack member had the audacity to bear his fangs towards their true leader.

His instincts screamed at him to strike down the traitor. And the moment he heard Noah’s command, Fenrir reacted before his name was fully uttered.

”I don’t care what you need to do, but don’t kill him.”

Despite his rage, Noah’s words afterwards still reached him. For a moment the intensity of his aura became weaker before suddenly exploding again. Cracks splintered at the impact of his launch. He lunged with a force that should’ve destroyed the ground entirely, but somehow, mysteriously, the ground within Noah’s home was stronger than the rest of the world.

Dummy was strong, and to others similar to his strength, his speed was overbearing. But to those who followed Noah, his prowess still had a long way to go.

Before he could react, Fenrir had smashed into him. Dummy’s feet dug into the ground, while his other hands were plunging to the ground to resist himself from being flung away. But his body continued to be forced back.

Fenrir’s momentum was unrelenting. The sheer pressure of Fenrir’s charge tore at the ground beneath them, testing the mysterious durability of it to the fullest.

Dummy’s wings flared open as he tried to regain balance. The mouth along his stomach split wider than it ever had before.

Crunch!

Dummy’s teeth sent sparks along Fenrir’s body. The exoskeleton Fenrir had was far denser than anything he had tried to eat thus far. But that didn’t mean he was able to succeed. Not all of Fenrir’s body was protected by his armored hide.

Dummy’s teeth grinded and twisted against the pieces of flesh he made contact with, while his mandibles were the only weapons that were pierced through, deep into his muscles. Blood quickly soaked his teeth as he slurped down the viscous liquid. His mandibles forced the torn strands of flesh deeper into his jaws.

Just a tidbit of Fenrir’s flesh and blood was all he needed to change, and yet, the beast that subconsciously chose to take on the traits of whatever it deemed to be stronger than it didn’t act on that instinct.free\we\bnov(e)(l).com

The Queen had other plans in mind. She still needed Dummy to return. Fenrir’s genes were undoubtedly strong, that she could tell from his strength alone.

But the potential was inferior to the current genetics of the tree that it had in his system. And that was the true prize.

Fenrir felt the stabbing pains digging into his body. He could feel the fur on his arms being plucked away as Dummy’s hands held them with a heavy grip. And now, Fenrir witnessed his head open wider than ever before, wide enough to engulf Fenrir’s own.

Still, Fenrir didn’t fear. Those actions only led to a deeper rage.

The area surrounding him grew hotter than before. His chest glowed a bright, deep crimson before flames in Fenrir’s throat burst forward. Not in a cone, but in a lance, a concentrated stream of burning energy that ignited directly into Dummy’s still-open mouth.

The abomination that didn’t know pain, screamed; not in pain alone, but in violation. Fire flooded into him, searing down his throat, into his gut, into every twisted, writhing cell that made up his core.

Unlike his stomach, whose bottomless jaws led into something deeper, more unknown that was directly attuned with his body. Dummy’s other mouths were fully connected with the rest of his figure.

The fire ravaged his insides, boiling through his throat, threatening to cook his insides. Fenrir didn’t hold back his flames. Noah’s reminder to not kill him echoed in the back of his mind as he continued to produce his flames. He didn’t fear the chance that Dummy could die from it. Anyone from his pack should be stronger than to die flames that Fenrir considers to be his weakest assets.

But on the off chance that he did perish...then so be it.

Let Noah be angry.

Let him bare his teeth in frustration.

Fenrir would rather face that fury a thousand times than let this imposter soil the bond of their pack with his disgrace.

Boom!

Not once did Fenrir stop his momentum. The den rumbled to the collision of Dummy’s body being run through the opening.

The moment they exited the clearing, Fenrir slammed Dummy’s body into the ground. This time the ground was completely destroyed, a shockwave pulsed outward, sending a gust of wind ripping through the forest.

Fenrir stood atop Dummy while in the crater, snarling, growling at the distorted, scarred creature underneath him. Dummy was worse for wear, yet his hands were still firmly holding onto Fenrir, his mouth slowly but relentlessly creeping open to take another bite.

He didn’t show it, but Fenrir felt pride in Dummy’s tenaciousness.

He didn’t move from his position. He kept Dummy pinned, claws embedded deep into his chest, teeth bared in a low, warning growl. But his ears twitched as Noah came to a stop beside the crater.

Noah looked down at Dummy, then past him to observe the Queen.

He scoffed to himself as he realized he was being too cautious.

After going against the Seraphim, learning that ’God’ was real, and after the unsolicited attack by the hollow seraphim, Noah viewed everything as being able to be a danger to him. He worried that the Queen, latched onto Dummy’s aura, could transfer herself to another, controlling them just as she was doing with Dummy.

The thought made him too cautious for his own liking, but also suspiciously calm. The answer to all his problems was the same.

Power.

He stared down at Dummy’s twisted form. Suddenly, his body shot out a large tendril made from his slime, attaching itself to Dummy’s leg before it spread out, enveloping every inch of Dummy’s body while avoiding Fenrir’s.

Even as the slime spread across him, Dummy still made attempts to eat it. If he could gain Noah’s genes, then his powers would surge like no other.

But as Dummy opened his jaws, the slime moved, avoiding its teeth, latched onto his lips, and constricting until it completely prevented Dummy’s jaws from opening.

Noah was silent as he approached. Eventually, he crouched over Dummy’s body, staring deeply into his ribs, past his flesh and bone.

His hand rose, fingers sharpening, glistening with mana concentrated in his fingertips. His slime receded where his hand approached before he plunged it into Dummy’s exposed ribs.

Noah’s gaze was focused. Despite his usual bruteness, his hand moved with still caution, showing that he didn’t want to harm Dummy more than he had too.

When he finally reached what he was searching for, he stopped.

”I don’t know if this will work, but if you die, your essence will continue to live on.”

Noah’s aura enveloped him, pouring into one part of his body. Then, the eye in his chest responded, reciprocating by wrapping Noah’s fingertips in the same green energy as its flames.