Becoming a Monster

Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Is Resolve Enough?

This revelation should have given Noah more of a piece of mine, but it only made him more wary for the battle to come. The creature’s zombie bloodline was that far different from his own. In fact, Noah could instinctively feel that the zombie’s bloodline was of a higher hierarchy than his own. If before he thought that he could interfere with the creature while it fought against his companions, potentially making it his second vassal in the end, now he wasn’t sure how effective his skill would be.

Unsure of its effectiveness, Noah thought about making a golem to aid in the fight, but denied the idea outright. Despite its usefulness, the extensive amount of mana needed for a stronger golem would prove to be a liability in this battle, especially if the zombie was as strong as he believed it was. If he planned to use his mana, he would rather increase the attributes of his creatures. It would be less costly and more efficient.

With his decision made, his eyes narrowed as three tendrils of slime extended from his body. Each passed through the air, tethering themselves onto Ailetta, Arachne, and Fenrir. The sudden action surprised them initially, but then their eyes showed an understanding eagerness as they quickly understood what he was about to do, a feat that they had cooperated with before when helping Noah attempt to further develop his skills outside of the system’s usage.

His tendrils became enveloped with a red hue that slowly turned yellow before green took over, and then lastly blue. Each of those colors had enveloped his creatures, raising their strength, agility, constitution and magic respectively.

Being able to enhance four of their six attributes were now only possible because of the latest loot. The silver chest allowed him to gain the novice skill ”Lesser Constitution” along with two attribute orbs that increased both his strength and constitution by 25. Lastly, he was granted an Level 1 upgrade stone, a stone that would allow him to upgrade either a level 0 or a level 1 skill. After his last inner turmoil with choosing what skill to upgrade, his mind was clear on what to level up.

If he wanted to prepare for creatures that could pose a threat to him, then he needed to be prepared to use everything in his arsenal, even abilities that he believed to be double-edged swords. He still remembers the ability that allowed him to get this far, a skill that he relied on more than even mana bolt, a skill that originated as his true trump card. Wrathful Overlord, the skill that was originally called Killing Instincts. Not only would upgrading the skill affect himself and Eve, but since Fenrir shared the skill with him, Fenrir’s use of the skill would also be upgraded. Not only that but the skill used by Fenrir would extend its effects to the creatures in its pack.

With their increased strength, their vigor exploded, ready to battle even more.

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Although the zombie originally was chasing down the group of humans that escaped it before, the moment it laid eyes on Noah and Eve, its movements quickened. The power in its legs exerted even stronger. Arcs of electricity surrounded its body while every single muscle tensed up, muscle groups that were rarely used flexed, increasing its speed even further.

Just like Noah, Eve’s instincts flared the moment she saw it. But unlike Noah, Eve began to strongly crave for the zombie’s core, her hunger, her instincts burned with desire to devourer it. And simultaneously at the first sighting of the creatures, the book in her hand began to glow with an ominous aura, the runes glowed brighter than normal. A violet mist seeping out of the pages, symbolizing the addition of the zombies’ contents.

Eve’s eyes flickered repeatedly as she digested the information, and with her standing close by to Noah, he was able to see everything.

Wanting to see what exactly the book was able to uncover, he had the urge to have Eve open the book so he could see for himself, but the creature’s sudden increase in speed had it closing the distance far too quickly. Noah’s instincts flared, forcing him to push his curiosity aside and refocus on the immediate threat. He had to be hypervigilant and aware of everything so he could jump in at any moment’s notice.

Fenrir was the first to react, his speed wasn’t quick enough to respond to the creature’s burst of speed, but with Noah amplifying his stats, he was now just fast enough to position himself in front of the zombies charge. He quickly surged forth, both his upper and lower claws went to grapple with the zombie while the ember veins in his body began to flare out.

He was preparing to unleash a torrent of flames from his maw directly into the zombies face. Yet the moment its claws went to latch onto the zombie, and its jaws slightly opened, a fist from underneath his jaws, forcing Fenrir’s head to jerk upwards. Its jaws snapping shut so loudly, one would fear that his teeth would shatter. Flames escaped through his clenched teeth while the rest were forced back down his throat.

Fenrir looked to be about to fall backwards, but pushing through the sudden impact, his four claws clamped onto the zombies figure to not only hold himself up, but to also deliver an attack of his own.

Just this small lapse in time was enough for Arachne to act in tandem. She vanished, her light steps mixed in with her stealth skill as she was determined to deliver a devastating blow. Her appendages were subtly glowing with not only her poison, but also from her least used skill coated arms, further increasing the sharpness of her legs. In less than a breath she was already behind the zombie, two of her legs aiming for its head, while the other two aimed towards its lower back. To further increase her odds of dealing fatal damage, Arachne employed her trump skill, determined to lower the zombies stats while increasing her own even more.

Everything was caught within Noah’s gaze, nothing escaped his notice as he used both pairs of eyes that was already overloading his mind with every minute detail. The pincer attack would work on any other creature of the same power level as them, but this creature, even with the buffs he imparted on them, was clearly superior. Noah saw the creature’s eyes, ever so subtle, following Arachne’s movements during the time she darted behind it. For others, she simply vanished, but for people like Noah, and now this particular zombie, she was barely a blur.

If it could follow Arachne’s fast movements then that would also imply that it should be able to react just as fast. But Noah wondered if it even could, especially because Fenrir was less than inches away from sinking his claws into a vice-like grip into the zombie’s flesh. But then that’s when he noticed it, the blue arcs of electricity that it used to speed itself up before had shown up again, but this time much stronger and sporadic than before. The electricity turned into sparks that lashed out indiscriminately towards everything around it.

Fenrir, with his claws already sinking in, was the first to feel the brunt of it, a pain snarl escaped his throat as the electricity coursed through his body, forcing his muscles to seize involuntarily.

Arachne, mid-strike, had to make adjustments to her strike as she attempted to twist her body away while still managing to continue her attack. Only one of her sharp ended legs connected with the back of its head, but the moment before it did, a face buried beneath its skin surfaced. Her leg penetrated through the face’s eye, generating a pained expression that twisted in silent agony before completely dissolving into the zombie’s body. Arachne’s eyes widened in surprise, but she had no time to dwell on it. The electric current surged through her leg the moment it made contact, sending sharp jolts through her body and forcing her to retreat with a hiss of pain.

Noah wasn’t able to see the face being destroyed like Arachne had, but he knew that whatever she did had enraged the zombie past its already belligerent state. Its body sharply tried to turn, preparing to end her, but before it could, massive claws had firmly grabbed hold onto it, neglecting the electric current that continued to seep into it. Fenrir seemed to be determined to fulfil his role despite the pain, but if one looked into his eyes they would realize that Fenrir’s gaze didn’t hold a hint of sentience within them. A bestial rage reflected within his eyes, his strength exploded with overwhelming power as he lost all reason, his only desire was to kill the creature within its hold.

His claws strongly grip onto the creature’s body. Snarls mixed with ambers of smoke that leaked from his mouth, making it appear as if he was reattempting to use his flaming breath once again. But that was not the case, Fenrir was so enraged that it was just unable to control its flames. Instead, his mouth opened wide, layers of soot escaping his mouth, embers threatened to rise at the back of his throat, making the inside of his mouth no different than hell itself. Wider, it opened before it was wide enough to complete its goal. Without warning, Fenrir lunged forward, preparing to bite off the zombie’s head.