Reborn As An Evolving Monster

[You have acquired the Passive Skill "Acid Reflux[C]".]

'Ew, what the fuck?' The white-scaled Monster asked itself while covering its mouth with a hand before laughing out loud. 'That's not what that Zombie used, is it? Maybe a mix of this and something else. The Skeletons were made so... Maybe the rest is too?'

Mark turned around and started walking his way back out of the path he had entered.

"If the rest of the Monsters were made by the Undead Lich too then... That's a strange Dungeon. They're not here to be defeated. This is just... The Undead Lich's dwelling?" Mark asked himself. "Meh." He shrugged. "Doesn't really change anything I guess."

Minutes later,

Ice Manipulation-

'The Monsters are here to delay the arrival to the Boss Room, where the Undead Lich is. To weaken, tire out, or kill... So it's unlikely that the Undead Lich itself will come to me. Still, better safe than sorry.' The white-scaled Monster thought as a wall of ice closed the path behind it.

[Your Title "Fire Seeker" looks at you.]

"I knew." He sighed and extended an arm.

[Your Title "Flame Devourer" is pleased.]

[Affinity with the "Undying Flames" increases.]

'The Undead Lich's dwelling... A nice way of thinking about it. Nicer than thinking about it as its home, I suppose. Well,' Mark shrugged. 'Doesn't change anything. In this dark forest, there are only disgusting beings. This Dungeon hasn't proved any different...' He stepped forward. 'And I doubt it will.'

"More than anything though..." Mark clenched his fists as he whispered, a slight smile on his face. "I don't want it to-"

His ears twitched suddenly.

'Fast this time.'

The sound of their feet hitting the ground was barely audible.

But they were there, approaching.

They could already see him.

It took a couple of seconds more before he could see them.

They ran before jumping onto the walls and ceiling.

From the ceiling, they jumped onto the wall, before jumping onto the ground. From the wall, they jumped onto the ground before jumping onto the ceiling.

'High Agility. A High Sense Stat since they could hear me...'

Mark raised his arms, ready for anything.

Most Monsters stop before attacking. They stop, growl, roar, show their fangs, then attack.

These did not.

Their eyes and bodies were made to fight in the dark. To fight stealthily. Perhaps that is why they didn't roar. Because their bodies weren't made to produce such sounds, to use such tactics.

With small palms, long fingers, and even longer claws, they moved to eliminate the enemy.

Their feet had no claws or nails. Those could scrape the ground, make noise, and let their presence be known, so they had none.

Their bodies had no fur. Hair falls after all, and that would leave traces of their passing.

Their ears were long and sharp. So were their fangs.

Mark's first thought as he saw their bodies,

'Hairless rats?'

They were Ghouls.

Their movements and bodies became clearer as they approached and left the shadows.

Their bodies became clearer, and their numbers grew.

The two Ghouls at the front were about to attack.

Mark thought about dodging and letting them pass by him. This would allow him to gauge their maximum speed.

He decided against it.

He couldn't let him get surrounded. Not now.

Their movements were silent as they jumped towards him, their claws aimed at his chest.

Each had been standing on one of the corridor's walls a second earlier.

Mark moved his center of gravity backward as he extended his arms forward.

He gently pulled his arms back after grabbing the attacking Ghouls by their wrists.

Since there were two of them, the timing needed to be just right. Still, he found that grabbing Monsters of such a level in such a way, was, despite the number doubling, much easier than doing so to a Commander.

Making full use of their speed, he directed their air-borne bodies and, adding his own strength, launched them each to a side, their faces crashing against the walls, and their necks cracking.

Four of them would arrive at once next.

One would jump from the ceiling, one from the ground, one from the wall on the right, and the last one from the wall on the left.

More were approaching.

Deal with the four as fast as possible.

Mark launched himself forward, refusing to let the four approach him with their preferred timing.

Each of the five had senses sharp enough to judge the others' speeds and determine when and where their paths would cross.

In 0.5 seconds, all five would cross.

How will the enemy react?

It was being attacked from practically every direction.

Which direction would it protect? Which direction would it choose to hit?

The white-scaled Monster did not stop.

The Ghouls were certainly surprised. But they were already airborne.

In the first place, it not attacking or defending was a good thing.

They extended their claws.

Mark's eye had already stopped looking at them.

His foot hit the ground.

Ice Manipulation-

Four spikes of ice rose from the ground suddenly, impaling the helpless airborne Ghouls.

Before he had even activated his "Ice Manipulation" Magic Skill, Mark was already watching the incoming Ghouls beyond the four attacking.

'Eight at once. They've seen it now, so they won't jump, at least not from the ceiling or walls. The one on the ground was the closest to me, but it was also the one that I barely hit. Had it been a tiny bit further, it would have managed to dodge.'

Mark's "Combative Eye" lay on each of the approaching Ghouls one by one.

Their speed, the direction from which they approach, the path they're taking.

Gauge everything quickly.

Those on the sides will have to circle around before attacking.

Those at the center will attack sooner.

Use that delay to deal with those in the center.

How far can they jump?

How far were the previous ones before they jumped to attack?

How large will the delay be?

Don't let their claws touch.

More of them are coming.

With your Eye, see the gaps.

With your claws, pierce their hearts.

With your hands, crush their bones.

With your fangs, tear their necks. 𝙛𝓻𝙚𝙚𝔀𝙚𝓫𝓷𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝒎

It's so much fun, playing tag with Monsters!