Reborn As An Evolving Monster



"Did you see them? Before killing them?" Mark asked as he walked back towards the pond of clear water.

"No. Shot them before that. Why would I want to see those disgusting... Ugh."

"Hate Goblins that much?"

"Are you serious? Of course, I do. They're... Everyone should hate them."

"Those inside the Dungeon weren't too bad."

"These would do despicable things upon catching-"

"You?"

"Anyone." Elisa said as her eyes narrowed.

Mark took that as an affirmative to his question.

'So that's where the horny goblin phrase comes from...' He thought as he scratched his head. 'Despicable things, huh?' The white-scaled Monster shook its head before its thoughts could continue down the path they were heading. 'We couldn't hear them approaching because they were being silent. Still. They weren't approaching actually. They were silently... Ugh. Okay.'

He turned around and,

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Even those disgusting...?"

"Yeah."

"Gross."

"I'll keep you updated on how they taste."

"Please, don't."

Guided by the scent of blood, the white-scaled Monster wandered through the tall grass.

'So even Monsters have sexual urges. Guess it shouldn't be surprising. Kind of is because of the Dungeon but... Yeah.' He lowered his body towards an unmoving Goblin whose neck was pierced by an arrow. Mark pulled it out of its neck. 'If they have... Tsk. Don't want to eat them normally.'

[Your Title "Devourer" says you should stop being so picky.]

[Your Title "Devourer" argues that anything to Devour is better than nothing!]

[Your Title "Devourer" says that you should aim to Devour everything!]

'Right... Yeah... No.' 

The Goblin's body was turned into a green sphere of energy.

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is dissatisfied with the quality.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" says that you should find better things to Devour.]

'Right? Can't Evolve eating weaklings.'

[Your Title "Devourer" shakes its head.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" shakes its head.]

Even the white-scaled Monster shook its head, but it Devoured the Goblins one by one nonetheless.

'Guess I'll go for a swim again.' Elisa thought to herself as she undressed.

She looked around carefully before doing so though.

"Alright..." The white-scaled Monster whispered after looking around carefully.

Hidden by the tall grass, it lay on the ground.

"Do it."

[Your Title "Devourer" raises an eyebrow.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is looking at you.]

"Come on. Do it."

[Your Title "Devourer" suppresses its laughter.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is confused.]

"Just do it already."

[Your Title "Devourer" has trouble suppressing its laughter.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" says that it doesn't understand.]

"You know what I want."

[Your Title "Devourer" wheezes!]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" stares at you with wide eyes.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is incredibly embarrassed by your words!]

"Well, so am I so do it already!"

[Your Title "Devourer" laughs out loud!]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" looks away.]

'Seriously?'

[Your Title "Devourer" calls you a fool!]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" refuses.]

"What do you mean refuse??" Mark shouted suddenly as he sat up. "I told you to do it, so do it!"

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" shakes its head.]

"What? Am I supposed to stay a sexless Monster??" The white-scaled Monster whispered as it looked around.

[Your Title "Devourer" wheezes at the Sexless Monster.]

"Yeah. How about you go take a nap? Your presence isn't necessary here."

[Your Title "Devourer" presses its lips together, hiding its fangs.]

[Your Title "Devourer" falls into a slumber.]

"Good. Alright. You."

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" hides its eyes.]

"Do. It."

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" refuses.]

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" argues that it, in no way, would further your Evolution.]

"I still want it!"

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" rolls its eyes.]

"Don't roll your eyes at me-"

[Your Title "Evolving Monster" falls into a slumber.]

"Seriously?" Mark asked in a low voice before clicking his tongue.

As he expected, no answer followed.

He remained on the ground, surrounded by the tall grass.

'I feel a bit stupid right now...'

Mark pushed himself off the ground and walked back towards the pond.

"I trust you won't be using that Eye."

"I won't." He answered.

'Especially not after seeing those Goblins... Ugh. They left a foul taste in my mouth too.'

[Your Title "Devourer" chuckles in its slumber.]

"Shut up, will you?" Mark's eyebrow twitched repeatedly.

"I didn't say anything."

"I was... Nevermind."

"Your Titles?"

"Yeah. That happens to you too?" Mark asked as he lay on the ground.

'Staring at the sky? Isn't that nice?' Elisa thought to herself.

She let her body float horizontally and stared at the blue sky too.

"Talking to your Titles is normal. It's natural to argue with them."

Mark listened silently.

"You have to prove to them that you are worthy of bearing them. Like that Fiend. Commander Of Sloth. He had to continually act accordingly to what you would expect from a Commander Of Sloth. If he hadn't or had stopped doing so for a while, he would have lost that Title."

"Then how should you act when it's a Title you were born with? Is it possible to lose it then?"

The question caught the Princess off guard.

She remained silent for a bit.

"It's possible to lose it... No. I guess it's more like... Losing it temporarily."

"As in it won't show itself?"

"Yes, I guess so. But it's still there. You just have to... Make it show itself again."

'So no matter how I act, I'll always keep it. Mmm... Zephyr did say something about my Titles having something to do with my past life. With my life before I was Reborn ... Then it's not as simple as what she makes it seem to be. I guess the situations are just a bit too different for....'

"Why? Afraid to become a lowly Titleless Monster?" Elisa's voice was filled with sarcasm and derision.

"It would be a shame," Mark said, matching her tone.

'I guess those Goblins don't have Titles. In the first place, that must be the norm, not having Titles...'

"We should probably get going before the sun starts to set." Elisa said as she left the pond.

Mark felt like sitting up to catch a glimpse, but didn't.

"Yeah. We didn't make much progress today."

"We did have to fight a Commander." She started getting dressed.

Mark's eyes widened as a slight smile appeared on his face.

"And we won."

"That, we did."

'We won... Against a Commander. Against someone on the level of Zephyr. This is... That's-'

"Aren't you going to apologize?" Elisa asked as she glanced behind her.

"What for?"

"Nevermind." She rolled her eyes.

Mark remained silent for a bit.

"What was it you did then?"

"What was it, I wonder." She answered cheekily.

"Tailing me doesn't even begin to describe it."

"Try to describe it then."

"It was amazing really." Elisa scratched her cheek at his words. "So amazing that it felt creepy at first. And then..." Mark's eyes widened.

"You got it?"

"Stop saying that."

"Why?"

"Because it's what he used to say."

"Who?"

"That Commander."

"True. Anyways, continue describing it." What Elisa wanted to say was 'Praise me more,' but she stopped herself.

Mark suddenly sat up and stared at the ground as he remembered the fight.

As he remembered what he thought during the fight. What he felt.

"You..." He started as he raised his gaze towards her.

She smiled cheekily.

"You hid from him, but also from me..." Mark lowered his gaze again. "You made me forget about you, and so... I moved as if you weren't there. The fact that I completely forgot about you... Made it easier for him to forget-"

"You got it."

Mark rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the ground.

"How did you do that?" He asked as a Moonlit Feline walked towards the pond and started sipping some of its clear water.

"Well, I-"

"Actually, no. That's not even half of it. At one point, it seemed... It felt like you had really disappeared. Your presence even felt similar to Yarnha's."

"Oh, don't make me blush." She said sarcastically.

"It was amazing, Elisa."

"It's not a big deal." She looked away. "You should have seen me before... Well, I'll get it back though."

"At some point, you really... You'd really become... Mmm... How to explain it...?" Mark's excitement seemed to be surging.

"Mm?"

"You really became one with the Wind there!"

With a hand, she fiddled with a strand of hair.

The ashen strand server well to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!" Mark answered as he nodded enthusiastically.

"That's good to hear." She turned away.

She turned away, and Mark kept staring at her.

'I can't...'

For the first time, a different shade of darkness loomed over his face.

'Let go of her anytime soon.'