Becoming a Monster-Chapter 103: A Step closer to Losing Humanity

The disbelief was shared with everyone there. No one knew what to say or even how to react to Noah’s spontaneous fainting. Although everyone was hesitant to voice their thoughts. Neal’s emotional outburst broke the dam for more negativity.

"What the hell is he doing?" Alicia muttered, shaking her head.

"This is insane," another voice echoed.

Ailetta, visibly concerned, knelt beside Noah, checking for signs of consciousness. "He’ll be fine," she said, more to reassure herself than anyone else. She turned to the group, trying to maintain composure. "Let’s give him a moment. This is part of his process... I think."

"Who cares if he’s fine or not? How long are we supposed to wait?? Maybe we were better off driving after all!"

"Obviously he only cares about himself!"

The frustrated voices began to unite under the same banner, attacking Noah when he wasn’t able to defend himself.

The student’s who voted to use transportation to flee were beginning to gain ground in the "discussion". Even those who agreed to follow their "leaders" opinions were beginning to be swayed to their side.

Who knows how bad the situation would’ve become if the following scene didn’t occur.

"L-look!" The bow-wielding girl stammered out, making few aware of the magical transformation happening to Noah’s figure.

Noah’s body suddenly burst with a purplish mist, reddish black strands of pure energy flicked through the gas while the mist began to emit a violet translucent glow around it. Intitaly, the mist was transparent enough to still make out Noah’s body within, but gradually, the mist grew heavier and heavier until the gaseous substance formed a hardened barrier on the outside into a magnificent orb, keeping the raging energies within. The orb was unnaturally smooth, yet, the striking resemblance to mana cores was blatantly apparent.

The emotional discussions happening before all stopped when seeing the change, what they witnessed was more unbelievable than the dead rising up among the living. Their curiosity overshadowed their previous anger, those who wanted to exploit this moment were unable to decipher another thought.

No one spoke a word; no one moved. It was when Ailetta’s body stirred closer to the orb that someone finally spoke up.

"Ailetta..." The sudden voice that broke the silence quickly stirred Ailetta to look back, seeing her best friend looking towards her, fear and wonder mixed within her gaze.

"You-you said this could be part of his process, right?" She asked, unsure of how to exactly proceed, but seeing that Ailetta was unresponsive, she continued. "Is... ’this’ supposed to be part of the process? What exactly is happening? No..." Jasmine shook her head, resetting her thoughts. Her gaze reflected her recent memories, remembering a similar situation although different. When Arachne changed the first time, she enveloped herself in a cocoon of webs. Looking again at Noah’s situation, noting his monster-like appearances that were becoming more pronounced with each encounter, the question hanging on her lips was becoming difficult to voice out.

"Ailetta... please tell me... is he even human anymore?" The suspense after her question was stifling; everyone seemingly held their breath at the realization that Jasmine was onto something.

Intense inquiring gazes bore into Aietta’s figure; the tense atmosphere was too much for Ailetta to bear, but the heavy judgment being directed towards Noah allowed her to remain strong. Her conflicted gaze furrowed; her panicking eyes looked left and right for a sufficient answer, finding solace only when she envisioned Noah’s smile, a smile she had never seen him wear when he was once considered "human." She didn’t like it; no... she hated their stares. A dangerous glint briefly escaped her eyes while her vision became emboldened.

"Does it matter?" Her frigid tone startled Jasmine, making her flinch in response. Jasmine couldn’t believe her own reaction to the girl she always stood by and supported; there was genuine fear in Jasmine’s heart in a brief moment. Seeing that Jasmine didn’t speak up, Neal chose to use this moment for him to shine, taking his place as leader.

"Does it matter? Do you hear yourself? Have you forgotten how many people died, how many people are still dying because of those ’monsters’?" He questioned with hostility in his voice, wanting to gain everyone’s support through collective resentment, succeeding easily. However, Ailetta looked towards him with an even more impassive expression.

"How many times has Noah saved us?" Her sudden question effortlessly stumped Neal, allowing a momentary pause to allow her to continue. "Noah has saved us countless times and will probably save us countless more on our journey, and yet we are the ones taking advantage of ’him’, we are the ones badmouthing him whenever he’s out of earshot, ’WE’ are the ones depending on him for our survival; so I ask again, does it matter?"

A silence fell over the group, the weight of Ailetta’s words sinking in. Those who impulsively followed the most irrational feared their own actions even more. They were there when Noah faced off against the Zombie King, witnessing Noah saving them from Fenrir’s rampage, quelling the sudden ambush against the ants, and rising above a creature that even guns were unable to put down. Just that alone amounted to Noah saving them at least four times, and every time he was met with more animosity.

Out of everyone there, Mark had the biggest reaction. For someone who repeatedly considered Noah to be a selfish person, uncaring for everyone’s life or death, he began to see that Noah had done more for everyone than he had since this hell started. But in Mark’s eyes, he correlated all of what Noah achieved to his strength, not because he was a good person. Yet, he couldn’t deny what he had done, and slowly he was respecting Noah even more.

"She’s right," Mark declared, eliciting surprised glances, even more so than Ailetta’s confirmation of Noah’s monstrous nature.

"Even I owe my life to him. If we were to deny what he’s done, to deny that most of us are still living and breathing because of him, then who’s truly the monster here? We are better than that. The monsters we need to concern ourselves with are the monsters that are actually out there, threatening to kill us all."

The room fell silent, the surprised stares transitioning into somber contemplation. It wasn’t merely Mark’s unexpected defense of Noah, despite his openly expressed disdain, that held their attention. There was something in the way he articulated his words, stirring emotions that compelled them to lean in and listen. Little did they know, Mark was beginning to exhibit the qualities of a true leader, unknowingly tapping into one of the many hidden traits of a hero: charisma.

Meanwhile, Ailetta herself was the most surprised to see Mark defending Noah. Initially, she felt that Mark was planning something. She waited for him for the ’but’ moment, yet it didn’t come.

Seeing that once again he was unable to stir the masses, Neal felt aggrieved. Why was his number one Noah hater supporter betraying him? His mind racked itself for a way to reverse the situation; he couldn’t allow for this to happen. And yet, even more than him, Regina was having the worst inner crisis of them all.

Nervously, Regina’s clenched fist dug into her palms with such force that it drew blood, the startling sensation only adding to her inner turmoil. As fear gripped her, she anxiously bit into her lip, inadvertently drawing more blood. Desperate to incite fear and hatred towards Noah, she yearned to say anything that would rally others to her cause. Disregarding the potential threats they faced, she believed her life would always be in jeopardy as long as Noah remained nearby. In her eyes, Noah was the ultimate monster, surpassing any other threat she had encountered or could imagine. Despite her fervent beliefs, she found herself relegated to the sidelines, unnoticed and denied the attention she believed she deserved.

Realizing her brother had become more dependable after his recent crisis, Jasmine sighed with relief. However, her relief dissipated when she remembered being the one who labeled Noah a monster, hinting at her discomfort. She felt the need to explain herself to her dear friend, fearing Ailetta might come to hate her.

"Ailetta..." Jasmine whispered softly, edging closer for a more private conversation.

Her intentions were soon thwarted by the startling sound of thunderous cracking emanating from the orb encasing Noah. His creatures, previously attentive to his spiritual state, now showed interest in the commotion. Although Arachne could discern what others were saying, she paid them no mind as long as they didn’t approach or threaten Noah. Her sixth sense, honed by skill, assured her neither she nor Noah were in any danger.

As the cracking sounds persisted, Ailetta’s attention fixated entirely on Noah’s orb. Jasmine’s attempt to speak to her was momentarily forgotten as Ailetta watched with apprehension, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the weight of the moment, uncertainty hanging heavy in the air, fearing that his new appearance would be even more monstrous than before. Though she had accepted his monstrous aspect, she dreaded the possibility of him becoming further consumed by it, which could threaten her chance to remain by his side.

Everyone observed in suspense as the cracking orb grew louder with each passing moment, until cracks spidered across its entirety and all sounds ceased. Tension lingered thick in the air, and Ailetta felt the urge to step forward, thinking Noah might need assistance to get out.

However, in a sudden turn of events, the entire orb abruptly shattered. Rather than fragments flying out like broken glass, the orb inexplicably reverted to its misty substance, ominously rising into the air. It swirled like a cyclone before dissipating into nothingness.

"!"

Both Fenrir and Arachne felt sheer dread as they watched the tantalizing drug escape them. However, the new presence of their master managed to hold their attention. Though bonded to him, Noah was different now, both physically and spiritually. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

In the aftermath, Noah lay motionless on the ground, bathed in a soft, ethereal glow. Ailetta rushed to his side, her heart pounding with fear and worry. Kneeling beside him, she gently shook his shoulder in a desperate attempt to rouse him.

"Noah, please," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Wake up."

But Noah remained still, his eyes closed as if in a deep slumber. Ailetta’s heart clenched with fear, uncertainty gnawing at her insides.

"He’s fine," Arachne’s somewhat indifferent response interrupted Ailetta’s emotional turmoil. Ailetta looked in Arachne’s direction, surprised yet anxious to understand Noah’s state.

What do you mean he’s fine? So... so he’ll wake up soon?" Ailetta hesitantly inquired, her worries justified. Seeing Noah’s new features only exacerbated her current mental state.

A new set of symmetrical eyelids adorned his forehead, their purpose still unknown. His body remained clad in armor, but on the side and back of his neck, a layer of "skin" had formed. As Ailetta felt behind him, she encountered a texture even more fortified than her own armor, leaving her to imagine the extent of his bodily changes.

During this time, Arachne didn’t initially respond, only staring into Ailetta’s face with all of her eyes, her thoughts unreadable.

"Yes," Arachne stated before turning her attention fully to Noah’s changes, no longer acknowledging Ailetta. Previously, she had sensed a deep kinship between them, beyond mere spiritual connection; it was akin to meeting someone of her own "kind." Now, observing Noah’s new form, that feeling intensified. Her queenly intuition screamed at her, declaring that she had found a potential King.

Ailetta, still fraught with worry, couldn’t help but notice the peculiar intensity in Arachne’s gaze as she observed Noah. It wasn’t just concern or curiosity, it was something deeper, more profound. She couldn’t shake off the unease, the sense that something deeper is undergoing right before her eyes.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Ailetta said, "Alright, if you say he’s fine, I’ll trust you," though the words felt hollow even to herself.

While the others silently watched from a distance, each exchanging uneasy glances; Noah was now fully conscious of himself, yet his mind was anxiously diving through his changes.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢