Becoming a Monster

Chapter 590: Chapter 589: An Unexpected Presence

The moat surrounding the settlement had only been the first step in addressing that problem.

Noah hadn’t ignored the possibility of violent winds, lightning, or even the countless other disasters the storm might bring.

However, after considering every possibility, he believed the greatest threat to the territory would be rain.

If left unchecked, the sheer volume of water could quickly overwhelm the settlement, flood the creatures’ shelters, and wash away everything they had spent the day preparing.

Knowing that, Noah’s attention naturally shifted.

Countless roots spread through the soil before weaving together into an intricate network.

Rather than allowing rainwater to gather wherever the land naturally dipped, the roots slowly carved countless underground channels that all led toward the moat surrounding the settlement.

From there, the channel would continue to connect to the small lake they created before.

One after another, Pandora connected them until the territory itself became one enormous drainage system, capable of carrying floodwaters away long before they ever threatened the creatures living there.

Even then, Noah wasn’t satisfied. Keeping the water away from the territory wouldn’t matter if the creatures themselves had nowhere safe to endure the storm.

The forest would sustain itself and recover long after the storm had passed. Nature always had its ways of ensuring the cycle continued. But it wasn’t the same for its inhabitants…

And Noah didn’t put all this effort into helping these random creatures grow just for them to die.

His sights settled upon the towering barricades surrounding, and gradually he began changing them into something that would help them.

Rather than remaining a simple wall to keep out intruders, the enormous roots supporting them slowly loosened, then curled back toward one another.

One after another, they intertwined overhead until the once-solid barricades became enormous hollow structures capable of sheltering entire groups.

They would be used as emergency shelters.

Even the buildings Noah had created earlier weren’t left untouched. He could have used the roots to lift them several feet above the forest ground, but he had a simpler solution.

The dungeon core had enough energy remaining to uplift each structure nearly a meter off the ground.

If the floodwaters still managed to reach the settlement, they would flow harmlessly beneath the buildings while the drainage system gradually redirected them away from the territory.

—

While Noah and Pandora focused on their part, and the others dedicated themselves to digging the moat, Bolas had taken responsibility for the growing lake.

His massive body easily stood within the lake without being hindered by its depths. His enormous claws carve away the earth before throwing countless tons of soil farther into the forest.

With every pass, the lake continued expanding, preparing to receive whatever floodwaters the drainage system directed toward it.

Above them, Arachne and every member of her brood worked without rest.

Countless strands of web stretched between the towering trees before gradually weaving themselves into enormous overlapping nets.

These nets were mainly created above each housing structure.

At first glance, it would appear as though they were created as a buffer from the rain.

However, they existed to intercept everything the storm might tear loose before it reached the creatures below, whether it be shattered branches or entire trees ripped by the heavy wind.

Layer after layer continued reinforcing one another until the webbing itself resembled another canopy hanging above the forest.

For only half a day’s work, the changes throughout the territory were astonishing.

Even Noah couldn’t deny that. Yet the satisfaction he should’ve felt never came.

There was still one thing no amount of preparation could account for.

Time.

If the storm arrives tomorrow, he believes they can finish everything they still have planned.

But if it arrived today, it wouldn’t be possible for them to finish their preparations.

Every creature had already pushed themselves close to their limits.

Even Noah could feel the strain accumulating throughout his body. The amount of mana he and Pandora had consumed was already enormous.

Without the surrounding forest continuously restoring part of that mana through Pandora’s connection with it, they wouldn’t have accomplished even half of what now stood before them.

Yet the one task that continued weighing upon Noah’s mind more than any other was the moat.

The progress everyone had made was nothing short of remarkable.

Already, nearly half of the territory had been encircled by a trench several meters deep and wide enough that even large monsters would struggle to cross it without effort.

Under ordinary circumstances, such a feat would’ve taken hundreds of workers weeks to complete.

They had accomplished it in little more than half a day.

Fenrir alone had contributed more than entire groups of monsters could’ve hoped to achieve. His massive frame tore through the earth with every swing of his claws, leaving behind trenches the cats and dogs would’ve needed far longer to create together.

Dummy wasn’t much different.

The glutton devoured everything before him, consuming enormous quantities of earth before continuously reshaping his own body into one that burrowed through the ground with frightening efficiency.

Yet even among all of them, the one who astonished Noah the most was Digger, the exception among all the canines.

The variant dog had become a force of nature with the earth.

Every complete lap around the settlement carved away another layer of soil from nearly the entire border, as though the earth itself willingly parted before him.

Even so… Noah couldn’t bring himself to feel relieved.

It wasn’t because they lacked the ability. Stamina and the lack of mana became their enemy yet again.

—

As the sun gradually descended toward the horizon, the sounds of digging, weaving, and construction slowly disappeared one after another.

Noah finally called an end to the day’s work.

One by one, every creature gathered within the center of the settlement.

A massive bonfire had already been prepared long before they arrived, its flames fed by harvested timber and strengthened by Fenrir’s own fire until the heat could be felt throughout the entire clearing.

Dozens of monster carcasses slowly turned above the flames.

Kratos had spent the day contributing in his own way, tirelessly bringing back prey from throughout the surrounding forest while everyone else focused on the territory.

The result now hung before them.

Enough food to reward everyone.

Noah quietly watched the fire for a moment.

Ever since becoming what he was, eating had long since become a luxury rather than a necessity.

He could absorb what he needed without ever concerning himself with taste.

After obtaining Ethaniel’s soul…

Even that had become increasingly unnecessary.

Mana itself had gradually replaced food as the body’s greatest source of energy.

Even so…

That didn’t mean the others should live the same way.

They had spent the entire day pushing themselves to exhaustion without a single complaint.

The least he could do was reward them.

At first, the creatures only watched with puzzled expressions as Noah carefully prepared the carcasses over the flames.

None of them understood why he was bothering.

Raw meat had always been enough.

Whether it was eaten moments after the hunt or several days later made little difference.

The answer came long before Noah finished.

The rich aroma gradually spread throughout the settlement, carried by the evening breeze until it reached every creature gathered around the fire.

One curious glance quickly became another.

Before long, countless pairs of eyes had settled upon the roasting meat. Even Bolas found himself staring at it a little longer than he intended.

The drake was unable to stop himself from clicking his tongue.

“…It’s been a long time.”

Noah glanced toward him.

“You’ve had cooked food before?”

“Of course.” Bolas snorted.

“I breathed fire long before you were born.”

His gaze lingered upon the flames for another moment.

“…Before.”

Noah immediately understood.

Ever since Bolas’ body had become saturated with miasma, his flames were no longer incapable of burning.

At least that’s how it was for materials not made of the same energy as its flames. Otherwise, anything caught within them rapidly broke apart before it ever had the chance to cook properly.

Bolas had never cared whether his food was cooked or not. It had simply always been an option. Only after losing it did he realize how much he had taken that simple luxury for granted.

Noah found a pleasant sense of satisfaction watching everyone enjoy themselves.

While the others rested around the fire, Noah continued discussing the remaining work with Ailetta and Arachne. There was still much left to do if the storm gave them another day.

Then, without warning, nearly everyone abruptly stopped what they were doing. Each pair of eyes turned in the same direction.

Noah’s expression slowly became serious. Several powerful presences had entered his senses simultaneously.

And among them was a presence that was impossible to ignore. Its aura was as strong as his own.

His first instinct was the same as it had always been.

There was an enemy.

Noah’s gaze immediately shifted toward Dobby.

The feline had warned him only hours earlier that the approaching danger was still growing stronger.

Could this really be what Dobby had sensed?

No… it was too soon.

The thought lingered for only a brief moment before he had to reconsider. Looking at Dobby, the feline was just as confused as he was.

Whoever they were, they were isolated from the humans.

And the fact that Dobby hadn’t warned him about them meant that they also weren’t enemies.

At least not yet…