I Became a Monster in a Novel

Will that opportunity even arise? Alpha has adeptly escaped the net every time. It’s possible he possesses other skills apart from Stealth and the revealed Predation.

Maybe I shouldn’t have underestimated him from the start, even if it meant smudging my own reputation and asking for help. Well, it was the right decision at the time to not waste unnecessary labor, even if it’s hindsight bias.

“Have you considered the possibility that he moved out of Jirisan?”

“I can’t overlook that.”

“Countermeasures?”

“We can’t stop him. Alpha is fast, and Jirisan is vast. Even if we lie in ambush, the odds are low.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The tapping on the table quickened. The Team Leader knew it was the Clan Leader’s habit.

“Contact the Vice Team Leader of Team 3. Tell him to return ASAP.”

“Right now, the Vice Team Leader is in Busan…”

“I know that. But can you imagine the disaster if Alpha slips out of Jirisan?”

“…….”

“The priority has shifted. Finding those guys is less urgent than finding Alpha.”

That wasn’t wrong. What if Alpha did escape Jirisan? Just the thought of it is terrifying. Currently, his estimated strength is at least that of a B-class Hunter.

This is merely a base estimate; the howl I heard might even carry A-class potential. Logically thinking, a Worg wouldn’t suddenly come close to A-class just because it evolved… but Alpha has surpassed expectations multiple times.

“…Understood. And Clan Leader.”

“……?”

As the silver glasses looked up at him, the Team Leader inhaled deeply. The fierce gaze felt palpable even through the lenses. That was one thing he could never get used to.

“Is it alright for Team 3 to participate?”

“Why?”

“There are currently no assigned missions. I’ll return with an elite squad and join Team 2. That includes me.”

“Got it. Permission granted.”

“Thank you.”

As the Team Leader exited the Clan Leader’s room, he sighed. Lately, the Clan Leader seemed unusually out of sorts.

‘I can’t blame him. The Plateau has run out of hunting opportunities.’

An opportunity could backfire. Since he couldn’t handle the tasks given, he might end up retorting, “If that’s the case, then don’t take it.” Sure, the tasks were anonymously handed off, but no one would blame him if Alpha wasn’t captured, and the Clan Leader would remain unhappy.

It seems I’ll have to drift around for a while.

However, the fact that Alpha was already absent from Jirisan was unknown to anyone, including the Team Leader.

***

What kind of world is this? Monsters are just casually loitering in the city, right? There were quite a lot of Dragon Worms I saw in Jirisan, and some were even pretty big.

What are the Hunters doing? Sure, they aren’t threatening as long as you don’t provoke them, but isn’t it about time to wipe them out? They are monsters after all.

…however, worrying about them isn’t my place right now. I should be keeping my eyes peeled for myself. I can hide decently, but seeing a big dog might raise some eyebrows, even if I don’t look like a monster to most. Sure, they wouldn’t notice unless subjected to an Emotion Skill or something… but how many people actually have those skills?

Yeah, I think I’m pretty safe from being discovered. But then…

“Who on earth ditched such a big dog?”

“Mom! Look at this! It’s a doggy!”

“Yikes! This is about to be a big problem!”

…wherever I go, I’m treated like a stray dog.

No matter how much I use Stealth, a giant black dog in the city is just too noticeable to stay hidden. Even when trying to avoid people, considering the population density of South Korea, it’s pretty much inevitable. Stray dogs… well, wolves are related to canines. I believe they share 99.8% of their genetics. I get it; it’s easy to mistake me for a dog…

“Woof woof! Bark like a dog!”

No way, they can’t be serious about tugging my tail, right? I mean, even if I’m just a dog to them, it’s still a bit much!

As for me, I was scared of tiny dogs when I was young… but when I growled, the kid who pulled my tail got super scared and ran off crying.

What’s wrong with this picture? My pitiful state…

A monster that conquered Jirisan being treated like a stray dog in the heart of the city… the title of Mountain Tyrant was really hitting hard. Should I try to shrink down a bit or maybe downgrade my Stealth to D-rank?

No, wait a minute. What’s the problem with being treated like a dog? It’s more wasteful to throw away skill points!

Initially, I was lost and wandered around a bit, but I must be getting close now.

South Korea is small and densely populated, which means a high crime rate too. If a monster appears, it gets reported right away and Hunters can respond quickly. Plus, everything is well-managed, so signage and guides are easy to find. That made it easier to find my way back even when I went off-track.

2071 – the world of the novel takes place in the future. However, due to the emergence of monsters, everything turned chaotic, and the progress of science and technology has practically come to a standstill. It isn’t that different from the modern world I live in; if anything, it’s regressed.

The problem is that it’s not 2071 but 2069. I know the plot of the novel, but that only applies within the context of the story.

The story originally starts when the protagonist graduates from the Academy in 2071. That means I’m two years ahead of the timeline I knew. As time passes, we’ll reach 2071 and the story will begin its events, but that’s not the case right now. In a way, I’ve gained two years, but at the same time, I feel lost without the milestone.

So, let’s start with the certainties. I’m here in Busan to stop imminent disasters that I can prevent.

The disasters are escalating over time. If I don’t stop them now, I won’t be able to prevent what could’ve been easily stopped later. Considering the reproductive capacity of the residents below, this makes perfect sense.

I opened the sewer cover without hesitation. As the disgusting smell hit me, I switched off my sense of smell and jumped right in.

***

Had I still been human, I wouldn’t have been able to see a step ahead, but with my weak vision, I could make out shapes in the dark. Still, it wasn’t great visibility, and while feeling my way forward, I suddenly stepped on something slimy.

The squishy feel and a long tail; a rat’s carcass, half-eaten and left with just the skin remaining.

I can’t see it. It’s hidden in the darkness, where the bare eye can’t perceive. However, when I used my senses, I could feel numerous presences crowding in.

As a red eye glinted beyond the sewer, I immediately used my spying ability.

[Greed Rat]

[Body Length 26cm] [Height 4cm] [Weight 250g]

[Strength 11] [Agility 21] [Health 14]

[Curse Rat]

[Body Length 27cm] [Height 3.8cm] [Weight 246g]

[Strength 6] [Agility 15] [Health 9] [Magic Power 6]

Greed Rats and Curse Rats.

Each one alone isn’t threatening. They’re weak enough for an average person to take down, but the problem lies in their numbers.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

“Squeak? Squeak squeak!”

Dozens? Or maybe hundreds? When they charged, it looked like a black wave. I knew they were there, but I didn’t expect this amount!

These two types of rats are the primary source of the disaster and a headache. If their numbers pile up later, they will flood out of the sewers and wreak havoc all over Busan. Particularly, Greed Rats are so vicious they even eat their own, and Curse Rats possess magic, making them a catastrophe for common civilians who aren’t Hunters.

As I revealed myself and posed a threat, they parted like the Red Sea, but they had no intention of letting me pass through.

Why? Because it’s all experience points.

Monsters are not your average critters. If they were just rats, I wouldn’t gain experience from them, but since these guys are different, it’s a whole new ballgame. Terrified, I rushed in and gobbled them up.

[You have consumed a Greed Rat. Satiety and experience points increase.]

[You have consumed a Curse Rat. Satiety and experience points increase.]

The difference in size from length to height and weight was overwhelming. Just swallowing them without killing them would lead to digestion or Gluttony in no time. They can’t fight back against Hardening and my weak Regeneration.

Greed Rats, being aggressive and greedy, were easy to handle. However, the troublesome ones were the Curse Rats. They wouldn’t die simply. While they also get digested and turned to experience points, each of them had about 5-6 magic even as they died, which turned into poison.

If it were plain nerve poison, it wouldn’t affect me since I’m shapeless, but their poison is based on transformed magic. That would harm even me.

But that doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. It’s just annoying.

[Weak Poison Resistance (F) Lv.1 has reached maximum proficiency. Weak Poison Resistance (F) Lv.1 → Weak Poison Resistance (F) Lv.2]

While devouring them, a skill I had previously acquired but never used leveled up. Now, weak poison from those rats won’t work on me. No, I actually hoped there’d be some that might affect me, but ultimately, my Poison Resistance didn’t rise until I wiped out all the rats.

[EXP 10245 / 19124]

Even after devouring hundreds, I barely accumulated half the experience necessary for a level-up. They were just too weak, but hey, every little bit helps.

But even devouring all these wouldn’t end the disaster in the sewers until I dealt with the root cause.

However, I’d be better off when fighting that root cause.

These rats could essentially be called his minions. The more I can reduce their numbers ahead of time, the easier it will be when facing the main antagonist.

“Grrr…”

Growling softly, I quickened my pace. I don’t know how vast the sewers of Busan are, but with my sensing ability, I won’t take long.

As I was walking down the path, an idea popped into my mind that I could level up my skills without necessarily eating rats.

The sewer filled with all sorts of waste. Just dunking myself in that water would feel disgusting. I wanted to back out immediately, but even being submerged would likely increase my Poison Resistance. Heavy metal poisoning… if that counts as poison, then it surely does.

Man, there seems to be an endless number of them. I know they say numbers are a bully, but these rats are hardly a threat. In the end, they’re just experience point shuttlecocks. I’ve consumed all of them.

[Gluttony (E) Lv.9 has reached maximum proficiency. Gluttony (E) Lv.9 → Gluttony (E) Lv.10]

[Gluttony (E) Lv.10 has reached maximum level. Gluttony (E) Lv.10 → Avidity (D) Lv.1]

Avidity?

I expected to max out at level 10 from eating that monster wolf, but I didn’t think I’d get a level bump from rats. The next skill for Gluttony is Avidity. Predation. Gluttony. Avidity. Doesn’t feel good; they all sound kind of… off.

[Avidity: You can eat indiscriminately.]

Somehow, the explanation feels like it’s against picky eating…

Since becoming a Slime, picky eating hasn’t even crossed my mind. In fact, I was hoping that with the rank-up to D, the skill name would change to Gluttony instead. That would make sense since it’s a cliché, right?

Gluttony. One of the seven deadly sins and a power that frequently appears with antagonists or protagonists in fantasy. Generally, it’s a cheat-like ability that allows you to absorb the strength of anything consumed.

So I was excited, but the result is Avidity. That skill is just about eating without being choosy… can’t help but feel let down. But at least Gluttony didn’t disappear, so I’ll just accept it.

With just the ability of Gluttony, I’d say it qualifies as worthy of being called a cheat. If I’m really that disappointed, I can just look forward to ranking up to C. Sighing over my dissatisfaction, I continued to devour these experience-laden rats.

As I searched for the Rat Man, the king of the rats and the source of the disaster.