Becoming a Monster

Chapter 462: Chapter 461: The Monster’s Era

Noah’s eyes glistened as he recalled the discussion before. A clarity that made looking into his eyes somewhat dazzling.

For the first time, the urges he had been suppressing no longer felt foreign.

After understanding where those impulses came from, Noah found himself unwilling to ignore them any longer. If Ailetta’s theory held weight, and if Bolas’s experience was proof... then resisting one’s calling was truly holding him back.

If going against your calling limited you, then there was only one way left to find the truth.

He wanted to see what would happen if he didn’t resist at all. If he listened to that quiet pull, he had always dismissed. The instinct he constantly justified to ignore.

And if the theory turned out to be true, then he feels that he would grasp the essence of what would help a monster evolve.

—

His gaze settled on Pandora. Taking into account what he had told himself, he also didn’t want his decision to affect her own feelings.

"Pandora, I have a plan for us to do together."

—

The day began no differently than any other.

Then suddenly, the air shifted. Everyone could feel the forest stirring. Mana pooled in a circle that encompassed everyone. What followed was the ground trembling.

It wasn’t enough to throw anyone off balance, but it was enough to cause every living creature to stop and look around.

Bolas felt it immediately.

His head lifted, eyes narrowing as the flow of mana moved in ways that made his scales itch.

But as he looked around, his gaze instinctively turned to the sky, looking for a drastic change; there was nothing.

And that worried him. Because any disturbance this large had only had one source.

Noah.

Please, he thought grimly, tell me you remembered.

Elsewhere in the territory, reactions were different.

The dogs and cats were more disturbed than ever. This would be their first grand Noah experience. Most of them rushed towards the center of the territory, while the others prepared for something dangerous to happen.

Noah’s creatures just looked around with a curious, observant eye. Normally, they would rush to Noah’s side, but this time Noah was considerate of their worries. He notified Ailetta and Arachne in advance to let the others know what he was doing.

The rumbling didn’t stop. It continued for nearly half an hour. And by then, everyone, including Bolas, had learned what was happening.

Noah was building another wall.

This one was grander than the original because it was made with the combined efforts of Noah and Pandora. The two merged, funneling their mana into the trees to create a wall nearly twice the height of the original.

And with the help of the dungeon core, the wall was slowly on its way to becoming one unity of its own. Every tree incorporated into making the wall was being converged together as one.

Linking their roots was enough to consider them as one being. What Noah did was to slowly tamper with the way their mana flowed through the roots. What had once been separate channels slowly braided together, circulation adjusting until the energy no longer belonged to any single tree.

The process couldn’t be done in one sitting. Not just because there wasn’t enough mana. But because the process of conjoining so many trees that contained their own life force needed to be done slowly and meticulously.

Because the trees themselves were going through a transformation of self. Even now, as the first process was finishing, the changes were plain as day. The one section of the wall had bark that was no different than Pandora’s own. The only difference was the veins of energy. The luster was lacking compared to hers.

What he planned to create was a tree with a sense of self. He didn’t know if what he was doing would work. But somewhere deep in his gut, he felt that sensation at work again. And this time he listened.

When he was done, what he would create wasn’t just a simple barrier, but a new sense of life altogether. It would be a self-sustained gate, one that would slowly gain its own sense of self, becoming a new tree entirely.

But why was he making another wall?

—

At the exterior of his territory. There wasn’t a creature within even a foot of the wall.

At the exterior of his territory, there wasn’t a single creature standing within a foot of the wall.

Predators lingered beside prey. Beasts that would have torn into one another on sight now stood frozen in wary stillness, eyes fixed on the towering barrier before them.

Every instinct screamed caution. Smaller creatures huddled behind larger ones without thought. Larger beasts allowed it without protest.

For the first time, fear outweighed hunger. It wasn’t just fear of what was happening, but also fear of losing the opportunity to lose the best nesting ground imaginable. Because the mana lingering in the air promised growth.

And every creature present understood that truth on some level.

When the shaking finally stopped. That was when the wall changed.

The roots in one area began to withdraw, sliding back into the soil. By the time the movement stopped, a passage nearly twenty yards across stood open.

It wasn’t just there. Around the entire domain, the same scene occurred in three different areas.

For the first time in a long while, the forest was quiet. The creatures didn’t dare move; some were too shocked to breathe. But none of them turned away.

When no creature was brave enough to venture through, one creature finally stirred.

It wasn’t a predator, nor was it particularly bold.

It was a stag that lingered at the edge of the opening. Its long legs were stiff as it shifted its weight. Its antlers were almost translucent. From certain angles, they nearly vanished altogether.

The stag was unnaturally white. In the forest, it stood out no matter how still it remained. Hiding had never been an option. Even when traveling at night, its outline betrayed it.

That was why it was alone.

Its pack had abandoned it the very day it had mutated. It was out of necessity. Because wherever it went, danger followed. It gave away their positions without meaning to, and eventually, the others stopped waiting for it.

Hunger gnawed at it harder than fear ever could.

The air beyond the wall was thick with mana, heavy enough that even the stag could feel it pressing against its lungs.

It took one step forward. The creature froze, its heart hammering with every muscle ready to bolt.

But after a while, nothing happened. Slowly, it took another step, then another.

When it crossed fully into the opening, the forest gaze was lifted. The wall didn’t close in on it either.

Its eyes closed momentarily when its nerves settled. The mana inside was even more calming than it had felt before. Despite its malnourished body, the mana alone felt invigorating.

The grazer lowered its head and inhaled the grass. Without thinking, it had already taken a bite. Its eyes shot open in an instant.

The difference was immediate. Not just the taste, when it was swallowed, the nourishment was overwhelming. That single mouthful felt as filling as an entire day’s worth of feeding.

That sight alone was enough.

A second creature followed. It too had frozen the moment it breached the entrance. The gaze lifted quicker this time before the creature felt optimistic enough to enter.

Soon, a predator crept forward next. When it passed the entrance, even bypassing the other two creatures altogether, roaming the forest inside the walls, movement spread in waves.

It wasn’t a stampede, but every creature advanced cautiously.

Gradually, the fear of the wall changed to a fear of being left behind. And so, one by one, the forest outside the wall began to thin.

—

Back inside the territory, when Noah had finished, Bolas was the first to question Noah.

"More and more I don’t understand you... You have the power to branch out, to expand your territory, and yet you go out of your way to share it. What do you seek to gain?"

This would be the second time Noah had been left speechless by Bolas’ change. In the past, the question would have been framed as an accusation, challenging his decision.

Noah didn’t answer right away. It was hard to properly put his feelings into words, especially to someone who sincerely wanted to understand.

"How did it feel to be the strongest creature in this forest? Did you feel accomplished being called strong with such weak competition? Strong? Compared to who?"

The question was sudden, and it was one that was hard to answer because Bolas wasn’t sure what Noah was getting at. But instead of waiting for an answer, Noah shot out another one.

"Even now, you’re stronger, right? And even then, we’ve heard of humans coming inside our forest, trespassing as if they own the place. They could do so easily... Why?"

Noah looked in the distance, past his territory, looking towards the wall he just made.

"It’s because the creatures here are weak. The forest that we act like we rule... everything about it is mediocre."

He looked back towards Bolas, and then his gaze swept around him. Not just his creatures, but the other inhabitants were now listening in.

"I’m doing it because I seek this forest’s growth. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Demons, Even Beastkin... I think it’s time for us monsters to make a name for ourselves, too."