Becoming a Monster

Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Gathering on all Fronts

The first crack arrived with a burst of mana pouring out, that sounded like bone snapping. The pressure that followed displayed the strength of its egg compared to the others.

A single fracture ran down the shell, glowing faintly with violet light. Then another. The shell began to peel itself open, layer by layer, like a creature testing its own strength.

A clawed hand broke down through the opening that was created. The claws were almost humanoid in structure, resembling a hand, but its appearance was that of a beast. Thick veins ran beneath the pale surface, feeding into nails like curved talons. The hand gripped the rim of the egg and tore downward.

Its form slowly emerged from the shattered husk. It stood taller than Arachne, its limbs were long and sturdy. The upper half was humanoid, pale, rough-looking skin streaked with traces of black mana still burning off from its shell. Silver hair clung to its shoulders, dripping wet.

The lower half, however, was entirely arachnid. Eight hard-covered legs extended outward, its joints flexing and clicking as it steadied itself. The glossy black sheen reflected the dim light of the chamber, and violet markings traced along its legs in faint, uneven patterns.

Steam rose from its body as the last of the fluids hit the cold air. The creature straightened, testing its muscles, testing its balance. Every motion was that of a sentient creature.

Then violet eyes slowly opened, burning faintly with frightening clarity.

Unlike the spiders before it, this one was almost fully mature.

Arachne’s chest heaved. Pride... Her power at the time shouldn’t have been able to create a soldier like this one, and yet she managed to do it. And seeing how strong this one was just from its mere presence, she smiled. She didn’t need to question it. This was her beginning as a true Queen.

The new general’s gaze was on her from the moment it left its egg. No... it was on her even before then. It sensed her the moment it woke up.

Arachne extended her hand, ”Come forward.” She spoke with complete authority. Her bearing changed, completely different from anything she had ever shown before.

The creature moved. Its steps were slow but it didn’t hesitate in the slightest. When it reached her, it lowered its front half slightly in acknowledgement.

Arachne’s hands lifted halfway, her first instinct being to show the same compassion she had given the others. But when their eyes met, she stopped.

This one didn’t crave warmth. It didn’t seek comfort or affection.

Its stare was calm, disciplined, empty of all emotion but purpose.

And she understood.

Maybe it was because her will had been stronger when she created it, but her general had inherited that same conviction. It didn’t need her kindness. It needed her orders.

Noah watched Arachne interact with her new subordinates. His gaze lingered more on the general than the other two. His Nexus Eye was already probing it habitually. Its mana was dense, more controlled than even Fenrir’s pack. However, its reserves were still barely capable of being compared to his bonded creatures, but it made up for it with its massive life essence. Even from where he stood, Noah could sense its unbridled vitality.

Arachne seemed to have been assessing it too, and when she made up her mind she turned her head slightly toward Noah, convicted of her decision. ”Allow my soldiers to fight.”

He met her eyes. Honestly, he was surprised at the request. They were just born. The two smaller spiders still seemed to need time to grow. But he understood that he shouldn’t compare the offspring of monsters to his old knowledge. What’s more, just from what he could see, the spiders were born for battle.

”They’ll get their chance.” He replied, deciding not to question her decision. This was her choice. If she believed they were ready then he had no reason to doubt her.

The creature, her general lifted its head, its gaze shifting toward Noah for the first time after observing his Queen’s conversation. There was no hostility in its eyes, only recognition, as if it already understood Noah’s position in their hierarchy.

Noah turned away, looking towards the others who were quietly spectating before they sensed his gaze.

”We need to prepare.”

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The forest beyond the dungeon’s newly created walls was restless.

The goblins moved first. Word spread quickly among them, rumors of a giant wall of trees appearing where the dragon of the forest resided. A beast that had later partnered with a demon.

Their chieftain stood before a swelling crowd of his kin, his frame broad and heavy with muscle. From his appearance alone, he was different from the hobgoblins. It was hard to tell if the chieftain had evolved or gone through an aberrant mutation.

His skin was a dark, ash-brown tone, rough and weathered like burned earth.

Scars crossed its body, many were old and faded, while others were permanently blackened. They were deep enough to have been life threatening injuries. But none of them seemed to affect it.

In its hands rested a jagged axe made from a reforged blade once carried by a man. The steel was warped, hairline cracks running across its surface as if it might shatter at any moment. Yet, despite its frail appearance, the weapon carried the weight of a curse. A dark grime coated its metal, giving it a sinister sheen, the residue of his own blood, thickened and bound with dark mana and offerings from their strongest shaman. The haft was crude, wrapped in strips of beast hide, reinforced with bone spikes.

Its small army numbered more than fifty strong. In some of their hands were flickering torches. There was still a lot of time before the sun set. But these torches weren’t meant for a light source. They were meant for the forest. Using those torches was a last resort. But if the rumors were true, if the forest was aiding the demon, then the forest too would become their enemy.

Beside it stood two figures draped in beast hides. Goblin shamans.

One leaned on a crooked staff topped with a skull that didn’t appear aged. It was that of a human skull, and within its sockets was a light radiating from a core. The other staff carried the skull of a lizardman. Strings of teeth, feathers, and bone hung from the shafts. Painted symbols of ash and blood covered their faces, their body reeked of both death and rot.

From the west, the ground trembled.

The trolls were slower to react, but their numbers were growing by the minute. They didn’t know about the sensation Noah had caused. Trepidation from the no-return of their last scouting party made them more reserved in sending out another in the area. But that didn’t mean they didn’t have eyes elsewhere. Word of the goblins’ gathering quickly reached them.

Their chieftain led the march, its frame massive and solid, though not the tallest among them. A few of his kin stood higher, but none carried a presence like his. Its flesh was dense and coarse, gray-green in color, packed with mana until it hardened like living stone. Moss and roots clung to its shoulders, and rough bark-like skin covered its arms in uneven layers.

When it heard that the rival tribe’s chieftain had also left their territory, it paused. This would’ve been the perfect time to attack the goblins’ village, but he didn’t. Chieftains would rarely leave their territory because of this very reason, so if the goblins made the decision to have their leader leave their territory, then the reason must outweigh the possibility.

Behind it followed fifteen warriors, each armed with clubs, boulders, and bones. They didn’t understand the meaning of surprise, their voices rumbled as they pushed through the trees. When the goblins entered their line of sight, both sides paused.

There were no words exchanged. The troll leader noticed the abnormality as soon as it saw the wall. In fact, it was more sensitive to mana than the others that it could practically feel the purity of the mana despite not actually being able to.

Farther to the east, an echo of noise stirred from the mountains that separated this forest from the forest that led to the Elves.

The lizardmen arrived. However, their leader was absent. It remained within the mountains. It wasn’t that it wasn’t interesting. More than the changes, it wanted to use this opportunity to finally get its hands on the drake’s scales and its core. But it couldn’t leave its dwelling. Since the day before it had been preoccupied protecting its lair from a new enemy. An enemy of insects who were proving to be a serious threat within a short time frame.

Instead, at the front of their formation was the one chosen to represent their leader, a figure with scales the color of burning ore. It looked as if it wore heavy plating of armor, but that armor was its hide that was grown from its own special characteristics from the ore it consumed. Layering across its shoulders and arms like molten rock cooled in place.

Their numbers were small, barely even twenty, yet even so, their presence was no less imposing to the others even without their leader.

Without words, they divided paths.

The goblins circled north.

The trolls pressed west.

The lizardmen, east.

They were enemies, but they shared one goal: to uncover what lay beyond that wall.