Becoming a Monster

Chapter 434: Chapter 434: Childish Desires

Noah had collected a variety of souls; either out of consumption, their skills, or used to fuse with his creatures. Out of all of them, it was the strongest spiritual soul Noah had ever obtained.

Not solely because of the fusion, but because shamans were creatures whose essence was rooted in spirituality to begin with.

Their bodies were frail, almost decayed compared to other goblins, precisely because their souls were too strong for the vessels they inhabited. The imbalance had defined their species for generations, granting them power at the cost of longevity and physical stability.

Now, freed from those limitations, the result was something Noah found difficult to categorize as merely stronger.

The soul’s abilities had mutated alongside it. Skills that once required self-sacrifice had evolved into something far more insidious. Using its own soul as a medium for attack no longer demanded self-destruction. Instead, it could draw upon the souls of other willing victims, consuming them to fuel its power.

The concept alone made Noah uneasy, not because of the cruelty involved, but because of how efficient it was.

If this ability had ever reached the goblins’ hands, Noah was certain it could’ve overturned the balance of the forest entirely. Shamans would become the gun, while the repopulating goblins would become the ammo that could kill their enemies with one shot.

Despite the ease at which Noah dealt with the shaman’s desperate attack, he knew the truth. If one of his creatures had faced that threat, the outcome would’ve been life-threatening.

Eve crossed his mind again.

The urge to fuse the soul into her was intense, like wealth burning away unused. Leaving something unused, this valuable felt wasteful.

There was the possibility of giving her the soul now and replacing it later when something superior appeared. Still, if the process was anything like when he had removed that hybrid soul from Dummy, he would rather not risk subjecting Eve to that uncertainty. Picturing her warm smile twisted in pain made him uncomfortable and angry just thinking about it.

Instead of making a rash decision, Noah forced himself to slow down.

”I can use this chance to see what would happen if I gradually strengthened it when my soul recovers. Could I possibly still cause a mutation?” Noah felt that if the results paid off, he would once again obtain another path to become stronger. If it worked, it meant his growth didn’t have to rely solely on dangerous leaps or irreversible commitments.

As long as he had time, he didn’t have to rush, fusing a soul to another creature for quick gains. He can make a strong, suitable soul that could be useful far longer than the ones used now. Even those like Arachne and Fenrir, the souls used to make them who they are now, were certainly beneficial; even now, they were still useful. What if he strengthened those souls back then?

Despite the lingering euphoria from what he had just achieved, his mind cooled quickly.

Was creating skills supposed to be this easy? He was unsure of this specific detail. The thought made him feel that he was missing something.

There had been countless moments in the past when he’d conceptualized abilities in his mind, refining them mentally and visualizing how they would function if they existed. Yet pressure, lack of time, and the constant threat of death had always pushed those thoughts aside.

He’d assumed skill creation was something that required extensive trial and error, repeated failures, and limitations that only a handful of elites could overcome. Or those like Ailetta, whose imagination allowed them to surpass limits that weren’t psychologically placed themselves.

Otherwise, everyone would already be doing it.

Noah realized he had never once asked anyone about their stats. He’d never compared his spirit to others, never truly tried to understand where the difference lay. If he had, perhaps he would’ve realized earlier why others struggled with ability creation, while the concept barely registered as difficult to him anymore.

More importantly, not only himself, but every human from his world would never understand the plateau difference between those who had removed the system themselves and those who had the system fully integrated into them. The system didn’t just grant power; it optimized survival, smoothing the path forward so thoroughly that most never learned to walk without it.

The difference between the two would only become more pronounced as time went on.

Noah felt the familiar itch return.

There were other ideas he’d shelved for far too long. Restrictions the system had once placed on him that he’d accepted without truly questioning. He hated the fact that most of his skills were limited to bonded creatures. It had always felt arbitrary, as though the system itself had decided where his influence ended.

”There has to be a way...” his thoughts continued. ”I just need to understand why it isn’t working, then I can find a way. Just because the system said otherwise doesn’t make it the truth. If that were the case, then how can I—”

The realization hit him so suddenly that his thoughts stalled completely.

Since his evolution, he’d been using his tamer skills on all of his creatures.

Not just those bonded through his taming skill. Dummy. Baka. Creatures that weren’t bonded at all had still received the effects. The buffs applied cleanly, without resistance, without backlash, without the faint pressure he used to feel when pushing against system limitations.

More importantly, it had never felt wrong.

The realization left him staring blankly ahead, more dumbfounded than upset. All this time, he’d been using his abilities in ways they weren’t supposed to function, yet it had felt so natural that he had never once questioned it.

”But if that’s the case,” his thoughts continued, ”then what else is poss—”

”Noah.”

His thoughts were cut short.

He blinked, only then realizing how long he’d been standing there without moving. Everyone was looking at him. Ailetta stood closest, her expression calm, though her eyes carried a trace of something closer to amusement than concern.

”We still have some special intruders to greet,” she said.

He only needed a moment to understand who she meant. The cats and dogs outside the wall had finally crossed inside.

The others hadn’t noticed them yet, but once Ailetta spoke, their reactions shifted instantly. Whatever cats or dogs meant to them didn’t matter. Unknown creatures entering their territory meant potential bloodshed.

Noah didn’t correct the misunderstanding.

There was always the chance it could turn into a fight. Still, he doubted it. The dungeon’s evolution alone was enough to draw attention. Curiosity didn’t always mean hostility. They could simply be searching for shelter.

And if that were the case, Noah would be more than willing to accept them. What he needed was more followers.

The thought of the monsters he had just fought soured his mood.

”If those stupid beasts weren’t so mindless...”

If they’d approached him the way these creatures were now, he would’ve considered welcoming them as well. What he needed wasn’t just strength. He needed numbers. He needed a presence that would deter his enemies from constantly seeking trouble.

What he needed was his own army. He knew what he was; no one would accept him. Not monsters, and certainly not humans. He’s experienced that truth too many times.

He knew what he was, and he wasn’t going to pretend that he was something else. His existence was something that could never live peacefully with others.

He’d lived that truth long enough to understand it clearly. No one would accept him. Not monsters, and certainly not humans. He had learned that lesson too many times.

If the drake spoke true about beings whose power surpassed its own, then those entities undoubtedly commanded forces of their own. It would be foolish to believe otherwise.

If humans ever turned their attention toward his home with an army numbering in the thousands, could he and his companions really withstand it alone?

”Noah, if we really let them stay,” Ailetta said suddenly as she walked past him, ”then I want one for myself.”

He faltered mid-step, staring at her back.

”You’re talking like you’re keeping it as a pet,” he said. ”I didn’t think you’d still be attached to things like that.”

”And why not?” she shot back. ”That naive girl may be gone, but her experiences are still mine. Her dreams are still mine.”

Her tone sharpened defensively, and Noah couldn’t tell whether it came from embarrassment or something deeper. Before he could respond, her demeanor shifted, and a familiar chill ran through him.

”Don’t act like I don’t see through you either,” she said with a smile that made him uneasy. ”You can’t fool me. Your favorite story was always about being a Demon Lord.”

Her gaze flicked behind him.

”Heh~ look. I know why you want to keep it. And I know other things too. So let’s both agree to ignore these small details and go get my pet.”

She walked ahead without waiting.

Noah stood there longer than he meant to, his eyes drifting instinctively to the tail swaying behind him. For a moment, he considered absorbing it, just like the wings.

He couldn’t bring himself to do it.

It’s not like that, he told himself. It helps with balance. And it makes a good weapon.

Watching Ailetta’s back grow farther away, he clicked his tongue and started after her, lengthening his stride as he closed the distance.

”Why are you walking ahead of me?” he called out. ”Do you want them to run away?”