Becoming a Monster

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: I’m not Mad, I’m Furious

The group silently stared at the park that transcended into a forest, a place that appeared to be a world of its own when compared to the ruined cities around it.

As the others looked on in fascination, Ailetta’s focus shifted anxiously to Noah. His tense, scrutinizing gaze made her uneasy. She couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong with the place she’d chosen as their potential sanctuary; the weight of his focused expression unsettled her. She had been the one to suggest coming here, and she feared she’d led them into something that didn’t meet their requirements of ’home’.

”I know I was the one who suggested coming here, but if we can find another place if it doesn’t feel right,” she murmured with hesitation.

Noah’s intense gaze finally softened as he turned to her, meeting her worried eyes. ”No, Le.... It’s perfect.” His voice was almost reverent, as if he saw something in the forest that no one else did, which in his case was true.

Ailetta’s gaze softened, though uncertainty lingered. Noah’s response carried a weight that suggested he’d sensed something she hadn’t, something that the decision to come here was worth it. For him, this forest wasn’t merely.

”Le, look through the eye, so you can see what I’m seeing.” Noah’s gaze remained fixed on the forest as he spoke, his tone calm yet serious.

Ailetta’s brows knitted in mild confusion at his suggestion. Though she had always had the ability to share in Noah’s perceptions through the tethered connection of their souls and the Nexus within it, she rarely did so. Out of respect for his privacy, she had left his mind as his own space. But now, with his permission granted, a spark of curiosity rose in her, compelling her to draw closer. She reached within, willing the consciousness of her soul to connect with his sight, letting herself peer through the Nexus eye.

Her vision adjusted, and suddenly she saw the world as Noah did. Mana flowed in vibrant streams, outlining every creature, plant, and force that inhabited the forest. But it wasn’t just the usual energy signatures. Her eyes widened at the sight of the towering trees, each one pulsing with a network of interconnected energy; an intricate system that extended from their roots to their branches, tying the forest into one living entity. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen.

”Amazing...” Her breath hitched as she processed the immense, complex flow of energy. ”But... are the trees actually alive? Or... are they being used for something else?” Her mind raced as she analyzed the possibility. ”Sentries, perhaps? Or maybe... whatever is manipulating them can use them to attack us?”

Noah’s gaze remained steady, but she could sense a shift in his focus as he examined the same possibilities. ”That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he replied. ”I’m starting to believe that whatever is funneling its energies to the trees cannot be strong enough to simply use every tree in this area at its disposal. If something of that magnitude was capable of doing that...then whatever is behind this would be something that we aren’t capable of approaching.”

Ailetta nodded slowly, glancing back at the forest. ”I kinda wanna know what it is even more now.”

Noah gave a faint, knowing smile, catching the flicker of curiosity in her eyes. ”Of course you do.”

Ailetta returned his gaze, half-smiling herself. ”So, what should we do?”

Noah observed the area once more. The energy mixing with the trees was something he couldn’t do anything about. However, the other aura, the one that slightly mixed within the tree like energy, was what was going to guide his decision making. He wasn’t able to tell how strong the creature was or even the identity of the creature for that matter. But as he pandered over his analysis, his gaze caught sight of Arachne moving forward, her demeanor was off, there was a tinge of aggression in her movement.

”What is it, Arachne?”

Arachne didn’t turn to acknowledge Noah; her face was scrunched in both disgust and anger as her eyes flickered, observing the depths of the forest. ”There’s one of my kind here...trying to attract me to it.” The moment her voice ended; her deadly legs punctured through the ground underneath her the moment her body tensed up. Her aura flared; her predatory killing instinct caused the nearby creatures in the forest to go into an uproar.

Fenrir, standing just behind her, felt her anger wash over him like a storm. His vigilance rose, his fur standing on end as his eyes darkened, their focus razor-sharp. A low, guttural growl rumbled from deep within his chest, his gaze tracking the same direction as Arachne’s, daring whatever creature had drawn her ire to show itself.

Arachne didn’t take her gaze away from the forest; her eyes looking past everything in front of her, peering deep within the forest to the center of its depths where the pheromones being released to her were coming from. Blood slowly leaked from her lips that she subconsciously bit into out of her anger.

Noah, watching her closely, felt the steady grip of his own composure slip. His eyes darkened as he stepped closer, a shared anger simmering between them. ”It’s not just simply luring you to it, is it?”

His question was rhetorical; however, Arachne wasn’t yet experienced with human speech to understand what a rhetorical question was, so she answered anyway. ”No...it wants to mate with m-”

Noah’s body tensed, his usually composed demeanor unraveling as a primal rage ignited deep within him. The implication of Arachne’s words struck a nerve so profound that it bypassed reason altogether. The idea of something lurking in the forest, intending to claim her, it was enough to ignite a hatred he hadn’t felt in years.

Without meaning to, his emotions flooded through his connection to his creatures, a powerful surge of wrath that pulsed through their bond like wildfire. His creatures reeled under the intensity, each of them feeling the depth of his fury as if it were their own. Fenrir’s growls turned savage, his teeth bared, and hackles raised, while Ailetta’s eyes flashed with an almost predatory gleam, her calm exterior broken by the raw aggression radiating from Noah.

Eve, the little girl who couldn’t do anything by herself, had to be held back by Ailetta, who noticed her about to run into the forest depths by her lonesome.

Each of Noah’s creatures, from the smallest to the most powerful, found themselves caught in the intensity of his anger, their instincts reacting to the tidal wave of hate coursing through them. Confusion flickered in their eyes as they struggled to separate their own emotions from the force of Noah’s. They could feel the overwhelming drive to protect and retaliate, to seek out and crush whatever had dared provoke such a reaction in their master.

Realizing the turmoil he’d unintentionally caused, Noah took a deep, steadying breath. He fought to rein in his emotions; to calm the wave of anger he’d unleashed upon his companions. Gradually, he projected a sense of control, using his will to pull back the oppressive energy, allowing his creatures to regain their clarity.

Noah’s gaze drilled into the depths of the forest, his eyes gleaming with a dark, unwavering resolve. His fury had steeled his decision, transforming their once cautious approach into something far more aggressive and unrelenting.

”Fine...” His voice was cold, each word carried with it, a controlled yet seething wrath. ”We’ll go meet it together. But this is no longer about us coming here to find a home. We’re going to take everything by force. If it thinks it can take what’s mine, then it should expect the same.”

His creatures felt the shift in his intent as he spoke. Fenrir bristled with anticipation, a low, dangerous growl escaping his throat. His body morphed into a purer form of his werewolf trait, empowering his strength and regeneration to go all out, while Arachne’s deadly legs flexed, ready to unleash her fury. Even Ailetta’s figure seemed to pulse with the violent energy that now defined their purpose.

Among Noah’s creatures, only Eve found herself withdrawing from the intense rage that gripped the group. As she watched Noah and the others prepared for confrontation, a feeling of helplessness settled over her. She knew that Diablo could help Noah satiate his anger, but what could she do? She resisted the urge to pout, if only she was allowed to control the last horde of zombies from before.

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The chaotic noise going on within the city continued like it always has, sporadic screams, rare explosions, and gunfire. But within the forest, surrounded by the myriad sounds of destruction and unintelligible cries, dwarfed any background noise within the city, with Noah in his creatures at the center of the mayhem.

The once small group wasn’t so small anymore. For the first time, Ailetta was allowed to use the corpses created as she saw fit. Accompanying them was now an army of each and every one of the creatures they felled.