Reborn As An Evolving Monster



'My Spear is nothing like his.'

Mark walked away from Elisa and Krista.

...

'Mm.'

Fifteen minutes later, Mark was walking through the blizzard.

'Why is it so different?'

Alone, he walked and wondered.

'Grabbing his Spear with both hands made him much scarier, but even when he had one hand left empty it wasn't easy...'

His head turned left and right repeatedly.

Not much could be seen around him. Still, he looked.

'Thrusting and swinging. That's all he did, and that's what I did. But it's too different.'

Mark scratched his head.

'I made that Spear to be the same size as his... Tsk. Even when swinging it, it felt different. I wanted Elisa to take my place, and me to take Zephyr's but... He's too amazing-'

He stopped.

Surprised by his own thought.

'Amazing, huh? Mm... What made him amazing then?'

Surprised to feel admiration for the enemy.

'He didn't move around much. His feet were planted on the ground. I tried doing the same, but that only seemed to leave me wide open. I'm sure his sense of distance was part of it. I can tell the necessary distance for my claws to reach the enemy, since I'm used to that particular distance. Couldn't get used to the Spear's range in three matches though...'

His nose twitched, and Mark changed directions.

'But that's only part of it. Every movement of his Spear felt... Oppressive. Like it took way more space than it should have. It limited my options considerably. With every swing and every thrust, he could tell how I was going to dodge. He could tell whether I was going to dodge or block... Or maybe that's just an impression I have. Maybe he was just fast enough to react as if he could tell beforehand...? I'm not sure.'

He took a powerful leap and clenched his fist.

But before throwing a punch towards the ground, he stopped.

'Mm. Probably shouldn't make a mess of it.'

Two eyes full of fear stared at him.

The Monster advanced towards Mark.

The latter extended a palm towards it.

A horn collided with that palm, and Mark grabbed it.

'Guess I'll take it alive. Tsk. This is seriously...'

[Your Title "Devourer" is sobbing.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is disappointed.]

'Kind of depressing.'

Mark turned around and started walking back.

In his hands, a Horned Hare dangled, trying its best to free itself.

'I wonder if Elisa would have had fewer issues fighting against Zephyr. She's faster and more... Nimble? Dodging is more her thing while I usually don't mind taking the hits head-on... Maybe that's something I should change. I can probably Evolve into a Corrupted Dark Elf, right?'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" nods.]

'Mm. Too weak though. How about a Dark Elf?'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" says that should you Devour, at least, one Dark Elf for that.]

'Yeah. As I thought.'

[Your Title "Devourer" sneers.]

[Your Title "Devourer" forbids you from taking such a puny appearance.]

'Somehow... I sort of agree with that.'

...

"He's worried, isn't he?" Elisa asked.

The Moonlit Feline, buried in snow, nodded.

"Wonder why... We're outside the Dungeon. Usually, it's inside Dungeons that most are worried... We're finally outside... Mmm..." She whispered.

To Krista, the answer was obvious.

Elisa wasn't as worried after leaving the Dungeon.

Mark was more worried now than he was inside.

The Moonlit Feline's round eyes stared at her for a bit.

One of them knew the outside, the other didn't.

"Think I should teach him how to use Daggers?" 

Krista nodded enthusiastically.

"Mm... He really doesn't have the physique for it though. He'd be better off using a Mace or a Sword. Spear might work too but... Learning how to use a Spear the right way is pretty complicated. I imagine, since it's much larger than a Dagger. Though perhaps that's not how it works." Elisa chuckled.

Krista rolled her eyes.

...

'Is learning how to use Weapons what I should be doing? With no Monsters around, there's nothing to fight or Devour. Mm. I'm only supposed to make it to Draconia but... I can't stay this weak.'

[Your Title "Devourer" nods.]

'I'm free now, but that's only because Raven decided to leave. Which is good for me obviously but... Mm. If I stay weaker than they are, I'll never be free.'

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" nods.]

'First step to get stronger is staying alive though. This isn't the Dungeon anymore, so the levels of strength held by the Monsters I'll find out here will be all over the place. Can't just approach the first Monster I see without thinking... Can't do that anymore...'

Mark felt a bit restless.

Especially after checking out his Updated Status Window.

"Status."

[

Name: Mark

Species: (Unknown)

Level: Lv1 (0/1000EXP)

Evolution Points: 0

Health Points: 1150/1150

Endurance Points: 900/900

Mana Points: 1350/1350

Stats:

Strength: 98

Agility: 75

Sense: 55

Vigor: 115

Endurance: 90

Mana: 135

List of Titles:

Devourer: [Unique Title].

Evolving Monster: [Unique Title].

Potential Demon King Candidate: [Rare Title].

Gaavah's Follower: [Uncommon Title]

System Holder: [Common Title] 

]

All Stats had dropped considerably.

'Mm. Still, I didn't get weaker. Only the numbers changed...'

Something akin to Ranks had been added to the Title List.

'The System won't say much about those. Tsk... What's my Rank again?'

[You are currently a [C-] Ranked Monster.]

'Mm...'

Mark thought it wasn't that bad.

After all, the gigantic Olga he had seen was a [C] Ranked Monster.

'Wonder if I could beat that... I usually have fewer issues fighting against big Monsters. Those about my size are the most troublesome.'

Seconds later, Mark could see Elisa and Krista through the blizzard.

The two had sensed him approaching before he could them.

"Finally..." Elisa's eyes sparkled.

So did Krista's.

Mark handed Elisa the Horned Hare.

One of her Daggers spun, and she started skinning the Creature that was a bit larger than a normal Hare.

'Raven and Zephyr. Those two were so powerful I can't even compare myself to them. I can tell that Zephyr was holding back. Didn't even use Magic. As for Raven, well...'

Mark remember those red glowing eyes, and his hand twitched.

'He didn't need to beat me up for me to realize how strong he is. Raven is, no doubt, stronger than Zephyr, who is, obviously, much stronger than me-'

"You're quiet." Elisa said suddenly as she skinned the Hare's thigh.

"Thinking."

"Okay."

Krista stood inches away from the Horned Hare that was being skinned. She stared at it with starving eyes.

'Raven. Vampire Lord, Descendant of Dracula? Whatever that means... It couldn't be the Dracula anyways, since that one stems from a story. A story from another world. Then...'

"Elisa."

"Yes?"

"You saw Raven, right?"

"I did." She didn't take her eyes off the Horned Hare.

"What Rank would you say he is?"

"Rank?"

"Yeah, Rank."

"Mmm..." Elisa's Dagger stopped moving for a bit.

"S Rank?"

"Probably A Rank, like me."

"Haha, right."

"Huh?"

"Huh? Wait you're serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I'll take offense, if you don't drop it."

"How? What...? How?"

"Huh. Well for one, three and O. Hope you remember that."

"I do but...?"

Elisa let out a deep sigh.

"You're being very annoying."

"How so? I'm just asking-"

"The Corruption." She interrupted." It's the Corruption. You think Vampire Lord is impressive? Then you don't know a thing about Elven Princess."

"Right. Right... Wait...?"

"What?"

"You're not... You're not actually...?"

"A Princess? Yes, I am. Now drop it..." The Dagger in her hand spun. "Or I'll gut you."

Mark closed his mouth.

"I told you I was Dark Elf Royalty. Seems you weren't listening. I'm a Princess, And I don't want to talk about this any longer."

Krista's gaze went from one to the other repeatedly. 

Seemed Mark wasn't the only one worried or stressed.

'Princess... Putting aside all the... Mm. A princess locked in the tower. I thought about that after first meeting her but... That's such a cliché. That's a...'

Mark's hands twitched.

He immediately stood up and started walking away.

Making sure he walked in a straight line, Mark got lost in the blizzard.

He wasn't lost per se, but he was out of their fields of vision, and they were out of his.

'Cliché... Cliché... Elves... Spirits... Dragons... Dungeons... Vampires...'

Mark's heart started beating faster and faster.

'Seven Deadly Sins... Dracula...'

He raised his gaze towards the sky, hidden by the raging snowstorm.

'A world of Dungeons, Vampires, Dragons...'

Less than a minute later, a scary, scary thought entered Mark's mind.