Reborn As An Evolving Monster



The Moonlit Feline's eyes went from the target to Mark repeatedly.

"Think you can deal with it?" The latter whispered.

The Lioness didn't respond.

Instead, she lowered her body and started moving towards the target.

'The grass that covers the ground has been steadily growing taller and taller. This should be Krista's specialty, fighting in this kind of environment... Though this is her first time in a place like this.'

Stealthily, the Lioness approached the Beast that lay in the middle of the field.

A Beast that resembled a large bull.

[Alri, [E+] Ranked Monster:

Alris are creatures usually found in the Eastern parts of Sloth...]

The Beast's imposing muscles were almost enough to make the Monster's mouth water.

Not only that but,

'That head... It sure is nostalgic.'

The Beast's body strongly reminded Mark of the Minotaurs that he had found and fought on the Dungeon's Eighth Floor.

'Finally, something to eat. Leaving the Forest empty-handed... Definitely left a bad taste.'

Eat, not Devour.

Why?

Because the Beast's Rank was too low for it to be considered Devouring.

'Krista and Elisa need to eat but... Mm. They need to eat but, if this guy has any Skills, I'm keeping him for myself.' Mark thought to himself.

He tried not to wake up the sleeping Princess as he shrugged and readjusted the slipping Princess' position.

'Lioness versus Bull... Buffalo? A classic nevertheless. Make sure you get him.'

The Alri, despite being aware of the white-scaled Monster's presence, didn't bother standing up. The distance that separated the two seemed sufficient. Plus, the white-scaled Monster didn't seem ready to attack.

Meanwhile, while keeping its body inches off the ground, a Moonlit Feline stealthily passed through the sea of tall grass.

'Mm. That's good.' Mark noted internally as Krista circled around the Alri before closing the distance.

Once the Moonlit Feline judged the moment opportune, it leaped forward.

The bull-like Monster rose to its hooves, but not before Krista's claws were embedded in its body.

  The Beast let out a deep and powerful bellow as it stomped on the ground with its front legs, trying to shake off the Moonlit Feline.

The latter, with its paws on the Beast's body held on for dear life.

It didn't take long for Krista to acclimate herself to the Alri's movements and to sink her fangs into its body.

The next second, the Alri started running forward.

'Huh?'

In a straight line, it ran.

'Its speed isn't bad-'

Suddenly, the Beast's speed seemed to double out of nowhere.

The burst of speed made both Krista and Mark's eyes widen.

"Phew..." He whistled as a slight smile appeared on his face. "That's definitely a Skill. The acceleration was too sudden for it to be due to anything else."

It only took a couple of seconds for the Alri to become the one surprised by the turn of events.

Its speed was decreasing, even though it didn't feel tired. How could it already feel tired after all?

Nevertheless, the Alri's muscles started losing power and flexibility.

Its body started slowing down, as a layer of Frost, emanating from the Moonlit Feline's paws, covered part of its body.

Krista didn't need much time to finish off the Monster after that.

"Good sneak attack." Mark complimented as the bleeding Alri was dragged to him by the neck.

Krista let go of the bull-like Monster once it lay in front of Mark.

'How to do this...?'

Stomp-

Stomp-

Stomp-

'Now...' 

With a touch of Mark's foot, the Alri's body was turned into a sphere of energy.

'And then...'

Mark placed his foot below the sphere.

He slowly rose it, while trying to balance the sphere on his foot.

'This is stupid...' Mark thought as he chuckled. 

Sap-

The sphere took to the air, and his jaw grabbed it.

[You have acquired the Passive Skill: "Ferocious Charge[D]".]

[When charging forward at top speed and in a straight line, Charging Speed will Increase by 50% after 30 seconds of Charging.]

[The Increase in Charging Speed will remain as long as the user's Charge isn't halted and the direction isn't changed.]

'I guess that could be useful-'

Grooowl-

Mark surprised.

What growled ferociously wasn't a Beast.

It wasn't the Lioness that stood in front of him.

"Pfahahaha." He laughed, despite trying to resist. "Guess we'll have to find something for the two of you to eat before she wakes up."

Krista nodded.

"Mmm. Let's see..."

...

Yawn-

'I wonder how long I've-'

Elisa was suddenly let go of.

"Agh." She fell to the floor and her butt hit the ground. "You didn't have to drop me like that-"

As Elisa opened her eyes, she realized that now wasn't the time.

"Please, continue." The Orcish Fiend sneered.

At the end of its extended arm, was Mark's throat.

Grabbed and lifted off the ground by Lin's hand, he was struggling to breathe.

'Shit-' Elisa cursed as she rose to her feet.

***

A couple of hours earlier,

"Are you sure we can go in, Commander?" A nervous Borus asked.

"Wait a moment." Lin ordered as he pushed himself off the Boar-like Monster.

The Commander Of Sloth lowered his body and reached towards his right ankle. 

Tear-

'Part of his pants... Why?' Borus asked himself.

Lin brought the long torn piece of cloth to his face before closing his eyes.

"Alright." The Commander climbed onto Borus' body after placing the piece of cloth around his head and tying it so that it would hide his eyes. "Let's go in."

"Yes, Commander."

In front of them, lay the Forest Of Yarnha.

It was a little after dawn.

"Pick up the pace." 

"Yes, Commander."

"Faster. Just go as fast as you can."

Borus obliged.

It didn't take a while for them to cross the Forest and approach the Southern border of Sloth.

"Should be around here. This is where the Lord felt the target's presence. Smell anything?"

Snif-

Snif-

Borus walked while sniffing around.

Snif- Snif- Snif-

'Oho. Did he get it?' Lin asked himself internally.

"It smells..." Borus said as he continued sniffing around.

"Of?"

"Corruption."

A slight smile appeared on the Commander's face.

"Perfect."

He pushed himself off Borus' body and,

Bram- Bram- Bram-

Crack- Crack- Crack- 

The Commander couldn't help but sigh.

"What's the meaning of this..." He lowered the piece of cloth that covered his eyes until it hung around his neck, but Lin didn't open his eyes. "Yarnha?"

"If you're coming for him..." A voice started.

The Boar-like Monster started trembling as the dozens of trees surrounding them bent and broke, forming an entrapping barrier.

"You just missed him." 

"Point me in his direction and I'll be gone. Strange to see you interfere during the day though."

"I'm not sending you his way."

"You're not? But he was here, huh? Don't tell me he messed you up badly?" Lin questioned with a, somewhat, malicious tone.

Borus' trembling grew more intense.

'Messed up... The Spirit of the Forest? Messed up Yarnha badly...? What kind of target are we-'

"You're not going to him, Commander Of Sloth."

"Oh, but I am. And you can't stop me?"

"Could this be a challenge?"

"It's a threat."

"So it's as they thought..."

"They?"

The roots and trees that were entrapping the two moved out of the way and took back their normal positions.

"You're smart enough to know what's good for you, Yarnha." Lin opened his eyes.

"If it's on the Demon Lord's orders, I don't have a choice." 

"That's right. Although calling it an order is a bit of a stretch." The Commander said as he looked around with his shining eyes. Strangely enough, it seemed that Lin was purposefully keeping his gaze glued to the ground. "He's the Demon Lord Of Sloth. Giving orders is too much of a drag. He's too slothful for that."

"All the more reason why all of you kneel at his every word."

"Yep. He's too slothful to move and look around, which is why his eyes can see everything. He's too slothful to extend his arms, which is why his hands can reach everywhere. I don't need to explain, do I?"

"You don't." Yarnha answered.

Lin continued looking around for a bit.

"You're not showing yourself. And you're interfering after dawn. Did something change?"

"A lot is changing..." The Spirit's presence started disappearing. "And it'll change some more."

Lin couldn't pinpoint Yarnha's position earlier, but he could tell she was around.

With her disappearance, he was left with Borus.

"I can see the trail. Let's get going."

"Yes, Commander."

"We'll catch up soon, and finish this damn job."