Becoming a Monster
Chapter 213: One Battle Closer to A Home

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: One Battle Closer to A Home

As soon as the weapon materialized, a long whip extended from the handle that was already beginning to radiate with a bluish glow that further shined on the weapon’s handle.

The bee was fast approaching, its wings extended that held a fierce sheen that was as sharp as its fangs.

"Did you figure out what it does, Noah?" Ailetta, curious as to why Noah brought out the weapon now of all times.

Noah’s back continued to face her, his arm rising high as he was unfamiliar with how to control the weapon.

"Nope," Without turning, the grip on the handle tightened even more before his arm swiftly was brought down, the crack of the whip resounded almost as loud as when the behemoth spider accidentally attacked itself. The energy enveloping the whip traveled down the length of the weapon, intensifying at the tip just before it connected.

The moment it struck, a burst of energy radiated from the impact point. Noah wasn’t quite sure what to expect. When he tried it on Fenrir, the big lug treated the lash as an inch and nothing more. There wasn’t a suppression effect or mental disturbance. But Noah believed that it was only because Fenrir was already bonded to him. And his assumption was correct, the attack barely grazed the creature who jumped at the last possible second.

The whip didn’t leave any substantial damage; the bee’s armored hide wasn’t just a display. However, the moment it landed, its advancement faltered. Its gaze lacked a goal, looking towards Noah with brief hesitation.

Noah should’ve been happy that there was at least some effect, but he couldn’t be satisfied if he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what that effect was. He frowned as he scrutinized the creature’s response, searching for any pattern in its behavior that might hint at the weapon’s influence.

The bee’s head snapped towards the swarm behind it, deciding if it should rejoin them. But then its antennae twitched strongly again, and its focus on Noah returned, accompanied by an even stronger aggression towards him.

"Is that your Queen?" Noah rhetorically questioned, not expecting an answer. However, he had forgotten that although he couldn’t seamlessly speak to others creatures that weren’t of the same species as his tamed companions, that didn’t mean that his intentions were entirely lost on them.

To Noah’s surprise, the bee emitted a low, guttural hum in response, as if acknowledging the implied connection to its Queen. Its wings vibrated with renewed ferocity, and a dangerous gleam ignited in its eyes, signaling an even more intense determination to eliminate him.

Ailetta’s eyes slightly widened. "It... actually responded to you?"

Noah smirked, not letting his surprise show. "Seems like it. Guess I struck a nerve. These insects really do live and die for their Queen." Noah’s arm rose again while in the midst of speaking. The bee surged forward with a speed faster than before, with each strut, its claw prints were left etched into the ground. With not much distance left between the two, the bee immediately entere melee range, lunging at Noah with the intent of ripping him to shreds with its jaws.

Fours metallic like dings sounded right after its attack. Noah’s spider appendages reacted faster than he reaction time, intercepting the bee’s two claws while his last two legs blocked the approaching rows of teeth.

Despite intercepting the assault, the momentum and the strength of the creature forced Noah to take a couple of steps backwards. His expression remained calm; he was expecting to overpower the creature with brute strength, he just needed another opportunity.

Crack!*

Another crack of the whip sounded, striking right into the bee’s face before it attempted to try to bite through one of his appendages. Its jaws froze with its teeth biting into one of the legs, its mind became empty, an emptiness that reflected in its glazed eyes. Before the bee could recover with its Queen’s help again, another sound of the whip followed, squarely impacting its face that sent another pulse of energy through it.

"Let go," he ordered, his eyes reflecting a bit of doubt and anticipation. He still recalled the first time the bee was affected by the whips’ effects, its demeanor lacked a directive.

To his surprise, the bee’s jaws slackened, its sharp teeth retracting as it staggered back a few steps. Its wings twitched sporadically, struggling to decide between resuming its attack or if Noah was still an enemy.

Noah’s gaze narrowed, critically observing the creature’s erratic behavior. "Lay down," His hand flicked again, whipping the creature that immediately went prone. Its reaction to his order was much faster than before, an observation that peaked Noah’s interest.

’This thing either grows more powerful with each strike, or it builds a cumulative influence over time..." Noah thought to himself as he observed the bee restlessly lay completely prone.

"Are you thinking of making it the new addition to the team?" Ailetta’s voice broke his train of thought.

The question made him pause, entertaining the thought. The idea of taming it didn’t enter his mind initially. Looking at the creature, the bee’s aesthetics was one that suited the ideal monster companion. However, his eyes wandered over to the one thing he was most interested in attempting to obtain.

"No," he responded while he took a few steps forward to place himself right above its head. "It’s not the creature I’m interested in."

Ailetta was about to question him about the creature he was referring to, but before she could voice it, Noah’s spider appendages struck. Each leg attacked in what Noah believed to be vulnerable areas; atop its head, directly in the middle of its face, while the last two struck at the sides of its neck. Although he was knowledgeable on the inner workings of a bee’s body, he was hoping to prevent the creature from breathing if the other attacks failed.

Each attack landed without retaliation, yet Noah didn’t obtain the result he was hoping for. His own strength was high considering that his specialties lay elsewhere, and yet only one of his blows was able to completely puncture through its hardened exterior.

A frantic and painful hiss erupted from the bee. Noah wasn’t sure if it was the physical trauma or the fact he was the one who inflicted the injuries that erased the effects of his temporary suppression over it. The bee began to spiral out of control, despite its heavy injury, it still attempted to swipe and bite towards Noah’s leg.

Its attack was sudden, but Noah’s skill that enabled his body to move on its own when in danger, was always active. A series of heavy clangs resounded, with his spider legs once again intercepting the frontal assault. The swipe to his ankle still forced him to take a step back, but the snapping of its jaws inches away from his waist was shot back by two of his legs.

The bee staggered in its attempt to recover now that Noah gained a bit of distance. It was prepared to lunge from its prone position, but it found itself quickly surrounded by Noah’s legs again. His legs strike fast, each one was sent like a jab that quickly became a barrage of quick repeated sequences of stabs. Each strike was aimed for its face without clear targets; attacking its eyes, mandibles, and the vulnerable areas around its antennae. Each impact created cracks within its exoskeleton that began to ooze a surprising amount of unrecognizable liquid, while the force of each jab forcibly brought the bee back towards the ground.

The bee emitted a high-pitched screech, its wings buzzing furiously as it tried to lift off the ground.

"Not happening," Noah muttered, his legs shifting to pin its wings before they could generate enough lift. Two legs clamped down on the delicate appendages, eliciting another screech of agony.

The bee thrashed, but its movements were growing sluggish. Noah’s attacks were taking their toll, each strike sapping its strength. The liquids flowing from its cracked and punctured wounds had already signaled its impending death.

Originally, Noah had the idea of finishing the creature off quickly, but the twitching of its antennae made him realize that a potential danger was lurking around the corner, threatening his future home. If he tortured this beast to death, a creature that was connected to a queen that may potentially be as dangerous or even more powerful than the Ant Queen of the past, would it show itself now to save its loyal soldier?

He took a step back, lowering his appendage and allowing the bee to continue its futile struggle. Its wings fluttered weakly, its legs twitching as it tried to rise, but the damage it had sustained left it pinned to the ground.

Just to air on the side of caution, Noah raised his arm towards the four quick bursts of webs shot out, webs that were tougher and stronger than even his spider appendages. The webs connected with two of the bees legs, firmly tethering it to the earth. And the moment it reached down to chew through the webs with its lethal mandibles, a strand connected with its face, gluing its face with the very legs it tried to free.

Ailetta stepped closer, her expression a mix of intrigue and mild amusement. "I don’t think it appreciates the irony of being caught in a spider’s web."

Noah glanced at her briefly, his expression was stoic, but moments later, his mind understood the joke, causing his mouth to twitch upward in a faint smirk.

He bothered not to respond, his eyes enveloping the ongoing battles. Fenrir’s battle couldn’t even be said to be considered a battle. His fight was messy, his style of not avoiding attacks creating a chaotic mess that would pull anyone into his rhythm. The group of five were now down to three-no two, as Noah watched the bloodthirsty were beast sink his jaws around the mouth of one of the bee’s that bit into his leg. The initial grip of his powerful jaws wasn’t enough to finish the bee that was protected by both bristled fur, exoskeleton, and potentially flesh and muscles underneath.

The bee thrashed wildly, its legs clawing at the ground and Fenrir’s thick fur in a desperate attempt to escape. Blood seeped from the cracks in its exoskeleton, staining the ground beneath them. The surrounding bees, who should’ve come charging to rescue their leader, were spurned by the muffled screech and resentful sight of their kin being eaten. Revenge incited them, raging as they jumped onto Fenrir to not save the bee being eaten alive in front of them.

Their behavior was barbaric, but that was only because Fenrir was brutal in the way he was killed. The two bee’s before this were brutally smashed, Fenrir making sure to only focus on one bee at a time, making their frantic attempts to save their own useless, fueling their resentment even more.

The sharpness of their claws, the strength of their muscular arms, and the potent effects of their honeyed venom never failed them before. They were the apex of the beast when compared to the non rulers of the forest. They were given a taste of false hope in the beginning of the fight. Fenrir bled under the efforts of their attacks, roared from the pain of their incited mauling, and his body stiffened from the effects of their honeyed venom.

And yet, now they found that his body grew resistant to any struggle they made. Blood would drip, no longer overflowing from their vicious attacks. They were now consciously avoiding the areas that weren’t fur, while his sluggishness that was once predetermined to lead to his end felt like an illusion.

As the remaining bees made their attempt to deal significant injuries while the beast focus was elsewhere. Fenrir responded by jerking his head violently, his fangs finally piercing through the bee’s hide. The echoing crunch was followed up by the heavy munching of his teeth further breaking down the bee’s head within his jaws.

Fenrir then turned his attention to his new prey, his blood-soaked snout curling into what could only be described as a feral grin. His teeth reveal bits and pieces of the leftover of their kin. He was surely enjoying himself.

As for Diablo and Dummy, their confrontation was worrisome. The more agile ants kept Dummy preoccupied, their speed and coordination with each other was a clear counter to the abomination that was more simple minded than Fenrir. Dummy reached out for any ant that dared to stand opposite it, never to attack, but to grab in order for it to obtain its next meal.

It was successful in the beginning of its confrontation, before the ants realized Dummy’s true terror of a simple beast that feared no wounds as long as it was able to fill its stomach. Its gluttonous hands reached out towards the ants who grouped up as one to take it down, jumping a top of its tower figure, digging into its flesh with both their steel-grip mandibles and tenacious claws. Their mandibles removed chunks of flesh and fur, while their claws fully penetrated into its hide, creating mini puncture wounds.

Their swarming tactic was quickly responded with Dummy reaching for the ant closest to the mouth with its gluttonous hands, pulling half of its body into its maw. Its lower body barely put up any resistance as it was easily bitten in two. The ant was still alive, but without its core body to give it balance and the threat of dying. The ant buried its mandibles further into Dummy’s flesh, determined to deal as much damage as possible with the last inch of its life.

However, the moment Dummy digested the ant’s figure, its body took on a drastic and instantaneous transformation. The ants’ metallic black hide began to envelope Dummy’s body of fur patted down, hardening to imitate and enhance what it just ate.

The puncture wounds from the ants’ mandibles, still visible on its body, ceased to bleed. Instead, the hardened exoskeleton had sealed over them, reducing the impact of further attacks.

The ants were quick to realize the irregularity. With their attacks barely fazing the hungry giant, they instead scattered, forming a formation to keep the monster busy until their leader was done with its battle to come to their aid.

Their choice of waiting wasn’t unfounded. Out of all of the creatures, Diablo was having the most difficult time. What the broad muscular ant lacked in speed, it made up for with brute strength and an unfathomable tenacity.

Currently Diablo’s shield was pried away, including the missing limb of his arm that was connected to it, but in return, the bulky ant had a long seared wound running down its collarbone to its waist that was constantly oozing out a burning black gas, a result of Diablo’s ominous miasmic energy. The ant was either impervious to pain or its pain threshold was unimaginably high as it pressed on without a care.

Despite the loss of his arm Diablo’s eyes glowed defiantly, wielding his sword with every intent to slay his foe. His combat IQ was much higher than the ants, however this was one of those few moments where absolute strength trump’s technique.

With steady feet, Diablo stepped forward to attack again, his sword threatening to slice directly into the ant’s head. The ant bravely, or foolhardy pressed forward to mitigate the distance between them, raising one of its hands that caught onto the materialized blade of both mana and miasma. Its hands enveloped in black gaseous flames, yet still, its body was unperturbed from its injuries.

______________________

From the distance, Noah was prepared to intervene the moment Diablo was incapacitated. He wasn’t worried about the potential damage Diablo accumulated, as long as his core existed and Eve was still alive, they would just need to wait for a substantial amount of time for he could rebuild himself as long as his skeletal remains were available, though he didn’t want to push the limits of that possibility too far.

"Papa!" The sound of Eve’s childish cry released an aura from both skeleton and zombie. Eve didn’t see Diablo’s struggle as Noah did, she only believed her father was about to die, his core that made him who he was, lost forever.