I Refused To Be Reincarnated
Chapter 568: Facing the Fear

Chapter 568: Facing the Fear

He remembered his reactions when he first entered the tower and chuckled as the room rumbled to life.

The white slabs under his feet softened and permeated the air with the musty scent of the forest. Trees sprouted, reaching maturity in a few seconds and casting a refreshing shade over his smirk.

Soon, a lush forest filled his vision as a blue sky replaced the endless darkness veiling the tower’s ceiling.

A low chuckle escaped his lips as he inhaled the fresh scent of nature and read the hovering notifications.

[Defeat five wild beasts to complete the first trial.]

[Rewards quality and uses are based on the type of beasts defeated.]

[Slay the boss to obtain the highest reward.]

[Remaining time: Forty-eight hours.]

"So nostalgic. It almost feels like the same forest." He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, ready to get the work done.

Before he could, the text shifted, drawing his attention back to it.

[Rerun quest: Your irrational fear of bears is cute, but it’s time to fix it. Learn that they’re not scary by making them accept you as a companion rather than a prey or a predator.]

A ghostly veil fell over his twitching features with each word he read.

"I made friends with a cow, a crane, a serpent, and a spider. Yeah, I should do that... definitely..."

His lips quivered, dread’s icy fingers wrapping around his racing heart as the brown bear, the tree, the madness, and the horror melded into his memories.

"Twenty-two years..." He muttered, taking his first step into the forest. "I still can’t forget this trauma."

He exhaled slowly, calming his raging emotions by finding humour in the task.

"Misha has bear D.N.A in her. So, she’s also a cute and gentle bear lady." He rolled his eyes. "I don’t even believe it myself."

Unlike last time, his fearless steps echoed against the cracking twigs as he strolled the forest, meeting a pack of old enemies.

His eyes narrowed at ten growling wolves, locking on the larger one—the alpha.

"Should I carve makeshift spears from branches again?"

His boisterous laughter enlivened the calm forest, agitating the wolves.

Their bright blue eyes scrutinised him as their noses inhaled his scent to assess the prey’s strength before the alpha howled and bolted without looking back. This bipedal creature was a beast that chilled its blood more than the forest’s guardian. Never would it fight against that monster!

Adam smirked and shook his head.

"Every creature wants to live. You’re lucky you crossed my path." He licked his lips, his mind rumbling with a vengeful idea. "Where are the rabbits? I remember they were my targets last time."

Acting on his idea, he walked further into the forest. Each predator he met fled like the wolves. But with Decarabia’s bones and Misha’s D.N.A flowing in him, he shrugged their reaction as normal.

After half an hour, he completed the quest by killing five rabbits. In a good mood, he left four carcasses behind for the wolves.

Then, his lips twisted, and his nose scrunched in disgust.

"Do I really have to do this? I guess so..."

With a sigh, his mana circuits roared to life like an engine, pumping energy into his limbs. A practice thought was all he needed to control it, and magic operated on his body in the blink of an eye.

Brown fur sprouted on his thickening limbs. His face elongated into a snout, and dagger-like teeth glinted in his maw. His bones popped, shattering the forest’s calmness as his back bent.

"Tsk. I don’t even want to see myself."

Though he said that, he raised his bear’s paws and almost fainted.

"I became what I hate. Thank you for the transformation method, Elena. And thank you for the stupid quest, Luna."

Grumbling, he stumbled forward, finding his balance after a few steps before he rushed through the trees.

Guided by the beasts’ qi, he soon stopped by a cave and glared at a female bear and her two cubs.

Violence flashed in her reddening eyes as she rose on her hind legs menacingly to protect her territory and babies.

However, Adam just trembled before her, his mana rumbling and threatening to burst outward to eradicate her.

’Calm down,’ he reminded himself, taking a deep breath. ’They can’t do anything to me, even if I stand still. So, why can’t I stop shaking?’

The bear cubs noticed his hesitation, their cute growl echoing to intimidate him. Yet, out of curiosity or drawn by his natural scent, they stepped toward him despite their mother’s reluctance.

They nudged his paws, then climbed onto his back and ruffled his fur, delighted by their new companion.

Wariness still shrouded the mother’s eyes, yet she joined them and glared at him as if asking why he had come to her territory.

Meanwhile, Adam rolled his eyes as a bitter taste filled his mouth.

’Why is it so different? I... want to kill them.’

The irrepressible urge, stemming from experience, roared in his clear mind. In truth, Orion had healed his trauma long ago. Yet, his fears and the false sense of danger had slowly revived it. He understood it now.

’Let go of this meaningless hatred. They’re cute when they’re not trying to make me their dinner.’ He sighed and opened his mouth, revealing the last rabbit carcass.

He pushed it to the mother and helped the cubs down his back before he sat to let them eat in peace.

The mother’s eyes softened. Leaving her babies to eat, she walked to Adam and pushed him playfully. Upon feeling his rock-hard chest and noticing he didn’t budge, she shuddered.

Before Adam’s widening eyes, she lay on his lap and let out delighted growls.

’I’m not an expert in bears, but... I hate you and your idea, Luna!’

Eyes trembling, his steps eviscerated the ground as he scrambled, wanting nothing to do with a female bear in her mating season!

To add insult to injury, Luna chose this moment to send a notification that tore at his pride.

[A shame! You could have cured your woman’s illness by building a family with this gentle bear. Hahaha!]

"It’s not fun! Get me out now, or I’ll really hate them!"

[Before killing the boss? As you wish.]

He clicked his tongue and shifted back into his human form in a flash.

Then, mana surged out of him as he snapped his finger.

RUMBLE

The ground trembled, and the air split with a sharp crack as a mana spear whistled through the trees.

ROAR

An agonising wail reverberated five kilometers north a split second later as he shrugged.

"It’s dead