I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Chapter 168: The Third Trial: Embracing Humanity

As a beast, she understood his words. Fear was their worst enemy in dangerous situations. Yet, his explanation didn't answer her question entirely.

After all, beasts usually killed to feed or protect their territories. So, why was this human killing them? Was it for pleasure?

Upon reaching that thought, she shivered, Ignatius' mad smile flashing before her eye before she said, "Be careful not to fall too deep into madness. Or you'll become just like that monster."

Her unexpected wise words brought him to a sudden stop.

He had never considered that. What if, one day, he failed to recover and started to enjoy killing? Considering his calculative disposition, it was entirely possible for him to hunt humans instead of beasts to level up. After all, they yielded Xp, too.

'What can I use instead? I'm not a brave hero who fearlessly fights with grand ambitions, just a random dude, lost in an interesting world filled with dangers.' His mind raced as he exited the room with a deep frown.

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Alas, he failed to find an answer with so little time. However, he planned to consider the question seriously after he returned. For now, he couldn't be distracted.

With a shake of his head, he chased those thoughts away and turned to gaze at Octavia's new appearance.

Her face looked more human-like as her wolf maw receded. A nose started to replace her snout, and her grey fur turned into golden hairs.

"Why do you look more human after each transformation?" He asked, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"I don't know. I feel I'm assimilating their traits internally, but it shouldn't be the case." She answered, as interested as him.

"Nevermind. Lead the way." He said, unwilling to add the weight of another question to his mind.

With a nod, they progressed smoothly amidst the twists and turns of the winding path until they reached a towering gate carved out of the mountain itself.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you?" Octavia asked, her voice carrying hints of worry.

With a smile, he pushed the door open and answered with a playful smile. "You'll finally understand who the strongest in the team is, little Octavia."

Despite the belittling words, she couldn't help but ready herself to help him. She didn't understand why, but after each evolution, her emotions became clearer, and she could understand them better.

As she pondered, Adam stepped towards the hideous guardian, gazing at its appearance with disgust.

"What an ugly bastard," he said, staring at the scale-covered tiger's head, supported by a long coiling snake's body ending with sharp eagle's talons.

With a snap of his fingers, a mana bullet appeared before being hurled at the creature by two minor explosions.

Octavia's eyes widened as blood inexplicably gushed from the chimaera's head like a fountain.

"What... What happened?" She asked, an icy shiver running down her spine as Adam turned to gaze at her coldly.

"Melee fighting is far from my speciality. I'm a mage." He said as mana swirled around him, causing his black hair to dance wildly before adding, "I can kill you or anyone at your level in a second. Keep that in mind the moment you decide to turn on me."

Faced with the mysterious display of power, her legs uncontrollably trembled as she understood where his confidence came from. He had been toying with them since the beginning.

Panicked by his suspicion, she yelled, "I never planned to turn on you. Only to use you to escape. But I changed my mind. I truly want to defeat Ignatius!"

Her genuine words echoed before the stairs as Adam gazed at her with his playful smile.

"Do what you want. The moment I feel threatened by your presence is the moment you die." He explained before stepping on the stairs and leaving her alone.

'Don't ruin the opportunity I grant you.' At first, he planned to deal with her after she guided him to the boss. But her earlier words opened his eyes to a critical problem of his. That's why he altered his plans and warned her as a way to repay her.

As he reached the next floor, another sinuous path dimly lit by sparse torches greeted his eyes. He took one and cancelled his illuminate spell to save on mana before Octavia joined him.

Her leathery skin became more supple, and her short hair grew to reach her shoulders.

"Let's go." She said, taking the lead before he could speak. Then, she added. "With your strength, why did you let me live?"

This question bogged her after she devoured the guardian. He said it himself. He didn't need her. However, his answer struck her with its unexpectedness.

"Just wanted to have fun after you understood you weren't the strongest in the room, I guess?"

She gazed at him, her sharp teeth in full display, as her jaw dropped open in stupefaction. That was the reason?

Confusion covered her face as she thought, 'This human is the weirdest I ever met after Ignatius.' Yet, she felt thankful he spared her.

As they journeyed through the fourth floor, then the third, and she kept devouring evolved chimaeras, her intellect, instincts and comprehension of the man improved.

Despite his playful nature and hints of madness, she felt she could trust him. She even started to feel attached to him, as if she had been longing for a friend for years.

"Why?" she muttered. She couldn't understand where that feeling came from. After all, she was not human, so why would she long for human friends?

Confusion covered her features as she shook her head to dismiss those ideas. They would now enter the second floor, where the monster's masterpieces lay guards.

"Be careful on this floor. All ten chimaeras are in the hybrid convergence realm." She warned as her legs trembled uncontrollably.

Forget about bestial abominations. The monster created unique creatures that were naturally stronger, more vicious and voracious than they could ever become.