'This is...'

Several hours into their journey, the group marched through a lush field, the grass brushing against their ankles as they walked. The landscape was dotted with beautiful red flowers of varying sizes, blossoming in abundance. Having spent his entire life amidst the tightly packed, concrete confines of Arcturus City, Noah found himself awe-struck by the beautiful spectacle before him.

Even while operating drones beyond the protective walls of The Arc, during his military service, Noah was attached to the western frontier. The area bordering it was dubbed 'The Scorched Forest', an immense woodland that unnaturally thrived, prompting the army to regularly set it ablaze in order to deny monsters a cover so close to the city. It was a hellish vista.

"Do keep in mind that everything out here wants to eat you." The demonic voice of Jeffrey's shark-human hybrid form, reminded Noah, as he was leading the group.

To illustrate his point, the humanoid shark extended his muscular arm towards a particularly large flower. Almost instantly, massive green jaws burst through the ground, snapping around Jeffrey's arm. Despite the creature's furiousness, its teeth couldn't pierce through Jeffrey's tough skin.

The werehuman proceeded to wrench the plant-like monster out of the ground, revealing its tangled roots. The red flower turned out to be just one of the creature's numerous appendages, now attempting to ensnare Jeffrey, who in turn smashed the creature to the ground repeatedly until it ceased moving. A stream of green liquid poured out of the monster, accompanied by a glowing cloud of mist, drifting toward Noah and absorbing into him.

"Hey, Jeffrey. Did you see a green... Cloud thingy come out of that monster, when you killed it?"

"No. Did you hit your head or something?" Jeffrey laughed, making Noah wince at how his laughter sounded in this hybrid form.

"Never mind..."

'So only I can see it...'

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Anyway, all of the flowers are monster lures?"

"Nah, It's usually just the larger flowers."

Noah nodded, absent mindedly scratching his arm. He didn't feel quite right. His stomach churned with discomfort, and an unsettling sensation prickled beneath his skin, as though tiny insects were crawling just beneath the surface.

Brushing off his discomfort, Noah continued marching. The group pressed onward, eventually ascending to the top of a hill.

"This is where we're heading." Jeffrey gestured towards the direction of the rugged, rocky plains up ahead. "We'll camp there for the night."

While surveying the terrain, Noah spotted an unusual gathering of monsters in the distance. He had encountered solitary beasts, or packs of the same species before, but this pack was diverse, including creatures he had seen in the Hollowed Depths and some entirely new and unfamiliar horrors.

There was something unsettling about it. All the monsters marched together, heading in the same direction. Some were human-sized, others massive, but their movements were twitchy and rigid, as though each step forward was coerced.

"Eh... There's so many of them, these days." Jeffrey noticed them as well. "Stay away from monsters that act like this, it's a fate worse than death."

"What happened to them?"

"There are these smaller monsters that burrow into their flesh and attach to their spines." Jeffrey shuddered. "As far as I can tell, they are still alive and conscious." He motioned towards the group of effectively enthralled monsters. "But they do not have any control over their bodies."

'Prisoners within the confines of their own flesh and bones' It was the first time Noah had seen the cheerful and humor loving werehuman, become serious.

The group pressed onward toward the rocky plains, dispatching a few monsters along the way, courtesy of Jeffrey, Steve, or Claws. Feeling increasingly unwell, Noah opted to stay on the sidelines, so to speak.

As dusk settled in, the group reached their destination and set up camp for the night in a secluded spot amidst the plains. Noah passed on dinner consisting of smoked meat, deciding instead to retire early, while his skeletal minions kept watch.

In the dead of night, Noah stirred from his sleep, gripped by a wave of discomfort. Sweat soaked his body, every inch of his skin prickled with an insistent itch, his stomach churned with spasms, and fever burned through him. Noah rose and drank water in a feeble attempt to quench his thirst and cool his feverish body, in the chilly night air. Steve shadowed his every move, like a loyal bodyguard.

'What is happening to me...' To Noah's shock, a familiar gravelly voice answered him.

"You're riddled with parasites, kid." The voice felt as though it was emanating from within Noah's own head, just like it did in the underground hall where he had raised Steve. "I think it's about time you and I have a little chat."