Becoming a Monster

Chapter 412: Chapter 412: I Wouldn’t Use Fire if I Was You

Outside the cave, Noah’s creatures waited for him. They were nervous, and yet beneath their cautious patience, there was expectation. They didn’t know what Noah was trying to do, but they could feel what happened.

At first, all they sensed was pain, agonizing and unbearable pain. If Ailetta hadn’t warned them not to interfere, they would’ve breached the cavern without hesitation, even if it meant facing the drake.

But as they waited, they realized it wasn’t just pain Noah was dealing with. His aura was changing, growing. Every breath he took made it stronger.

Not all of them sensed it the same way.

His vassals felt it directly through their bond, his soul became firmer while expanding past its old limits.

His creatures’ subordinates only felt the pressure he radiated, an oppressive weight that spread out from the cave’s depths.

But those connected to him through his blood pact, their bodies changed with him. Their strength surged at a degree that was impossible to ignore. Their overall strength increased by nearly thirty percent at the same pace Noah’s did.

And after it was all over, Noah finally emerged. And none of them were prepared for what they saw.

Not only did Noah gain wings, his armor was hardened plates that resembled demonic dragon scales. Sharp ridges and overlapping armor segments curved along his arms, chest, and legs.

His silhouette was tall and imposing, with a frame that looked carved from shadow and condensed malice. His head bore a crown-like set of backward-sweeping horns, black at the base but glowing faintly at the tips, touched by the same violet flare that outlined his wings.

Finally, as he moved, a long tail with spikes along the middle swayed behind him.

Behind, the drake followed. It looked lost, its unmoving gaze locked onto Noah’s wings.

Noah noticed the shock on his creatures’ faces and felt a flicker of pride. He didn’t realize yet that inheriting the drake’s bloodline also meant inheriting traits that drakes carried instinctively, their greed for treasures, and their pride.

He wanted to bask in their awed gazes more, to put on a display of his new powers. Time however, wasn’t on their side.

Through his slimes, Noah saw the monsters outside had sensed the surge from his transformation. The unknown made them restless... and then it made them bold.

On the northern side, two goblins hurled torches at the barricade. The oiled cloth around them burst into flames instantly, catching the roots on fire.

To the west, the trolls slammed their fists and shoulders into the wall, each blow sending splinters and leaving dents throughout it. They were trying to tear their way in with brute strength alone.

And in the east, the lizardmen "leader" stepped forward. Its armor heated until the air around it blurred from the temperature emitted by it. Then it exhaled a funnel of flame, narrow at first, then rising into a tall column nearly six meters high before crashing against the roots.

The roots in all areas seemed to resist with an unnatural force. But that was because the trees weren’t ordinary either. They drew on the mana from the air and the earth around them to grow stronger, and being connected with Pandora improved them in ways that were still unknown.

But even that had limits.

The lizardmen broke through first. Its flame seared a single point relentlessly until the roots finally gave way, burned straight through as if sliced by a living fiery blade. Only then did it stop its attack.

The instant the gap opened, the lizardmen charged, straight through the lingering flames. Some were burned, but not enough to slow them. Their bodies, molded from the many dense metals and ores, made them resistant to most flames.

The first breach had been made.

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As the lizardmen swarmed through, they all reached a certain distance before they halted. The distance between each of them was nearly the same, synchronized in a way that made these units seem even more as elites than the other tribes’ soldiers.

The leader entered after all the others, its eyes swiveling all around itself, but every time, its gaze always dropped to its feet. It had heard that the forest created the wall, its leader reminded it that the forest too was alive, and that if the forest was truly on the demon’s side, then it should constantly be alert to its surroundings.

It didn’t rush, not yet. It had all of its troops closely observe around themselves to verify what they assumed. After time passed with no incident, the leader’s assurance in itself increased as it gave the order to proceed.

They streaked between trees like fish cutting through water, their bodies gliding in controlled bursts. Even the largest among them moved with speed that defied their size. Only their shadows betrayed their positions, flickering across the forest floor.

But as they neared the clearing, they stopped in unison.

This was the closest they had come since the demon first appeared.

And standing there before them...

A creature they knew too well.

Hatred surged instantly, a hatred born from years of conflict. Their eyes, burning with malice, locked onto the drake. Yet mixed with that hatred was something else: greed. The drake’s scales, its core, its bloodline; all of it was a prize that would strengthen their tribe beyond measure. Although, they were also here to understand the changes that had occurred. Their main objective was standing right in front of them.

The drake met their stares with equal fury. Hatred and disdain twisted through its eyes.

But beneath that hatred was something else entirely.

Resentment. Not towards its hateful enemies, but to the demon.

The wound in its chest was still open. Although the dark mana was gone, making the wound manageable to move, it served as a reminder that constantly ignited its rage.

A wound that the demon said he would heal, yet all he did was make it possible for his body to heal itself. It was tricked again! What it didn’t know was that Noah truly didn’t have a way to fully heal it personally.

Noah’s healing abilities only worked on creatures who were bonded to him. And the only person who could heal it, Ailetta, would rather let the drake die than embrace the hateful beast and allow its flesh to sully her body that was only meant for Noah.

She said those words directly in front of it.

So, not only did the drake despise Noah for tricking it, it hated Ailetta just as much. But it made sense to the drake in the end. A manipulative demon would also have a spiteful lover.

"I’m not in a good mood right now..." Fire leaked out of the drake’s mouth as it spoke. Its eyes constantly moved, tracking the lizards that were stealthily trying to flank it before landing on the one who was the leader.

"And mere fledglings think they can challenge me?"

The drake’s tail struck the ground hard, its claws digging into the earth, ready to move.

All this time, the lizard leader had been watching, studying the drake’s posture, its stance, its breathing. It never forgot its objective. When its gaze lingered on the giant wound in the drake’s chest, it finally gave the order.

The first wave lunged at the first sound of its orders, three of them rushing in from the front while two darted around its sides. Their movements were just as synchronized as the time they entered. It resembled a practiced assault that was meant to break and combat the drake specifically.

The drake stepped forward and met the ones in front head-on. The ones on its flank it paid no mind to. Not only because it had faith in its own defense, but because the demon at least showcased an ounce of kindness despite all of his lies.

The moment the flanking lizards stepped into reach, the ground rippled.

Dozens of roots shot upward and wrapped around both lizardmen. They didn’t have time to react. The roots constricted instantly, pulling them onto the ground and pinning them with a force that was a cumulative strength of every single root.

The ambush landed cleanly. But the leader reacted just as fast... a little bit too fast. It snapped out an order the instant it saw the roots emerge from the ground.

Three lizardmen broke formation immediately, sprinting around the drake to flank the captured pair. Their bodies were almost fully crimson red, even their eyes. Heat soon flooded into their throats as they inhaled.

Then two of them spewed fire in wide arcs, aiming not at the roots, but the ground around the captured lizards.

The flames washed over the area. It wasn’t enough to burn through Pandora’s roots entirely, but just the threat of being burned made Pandora relinquish her grip, pulling her roots back into the ground. The third lizardmen dashed in and yanked one of the trapped pairs away before any more roots appeared.

The rescued lizard couldn’t stand properly; one leg had two holes punched clean through it.

The two lizardmen who spewed the fire before were about to regroup after finishing their job. But the two suddenly stiffened when they felt a cold chill running down their spine. They were being subjected to pure malice from all directions

Pandora may have been afraid of fire, but what she was most afraid of was letting Noah down again. What these creatures didn’t realize was that triggering her fear also triggered the deepest, most corrupted part of her.