Reborn As An Evolving Monster

[You have devoured the Fourth Floor's Guardian.]

[Your Reward has been chosen.]

[Your Unique Title "Devourer" gives birth to a new Unique Title.]

[You have developed the Unique Title "Ore Devourer".]

[By consuming different kinds of Ores, you shall inherit some of their properties.]

'Oh. I don't really care about that. Let me get out of here. Now.'

[You are not ready.]

'I'm not asking. You said I could leave after clearing the Fourth Floor. Well, I did. So...'

[You might die.]

'And? I might die here too. Let me check it out for myself. This new world.'

[If you won't back down, then, at least, survive for as long as possible.]

'Sure. Sure.'

Mark showed his fangs.

'Finally... I'll finally see this world!'

His wide smile refused to leave his face.

The Moonlit Feline pressed its head against Mark's leg.

'What will happen to my Underlings?'

[Calculating...]

[Familiar Necklace[A]: A necklace that can hold one's Underlings in a subspace. The Underlings can watch their Master's movements, but they cannot leave the subspace without the Master's permission.]

'How much for that?'

[All your remaining Gold Coins and Evolution Points.]

'Tsk. I just evolved. No Skills to buy either. Whatever, take them.'

A necklace appeared around Mark's neck.

Its jewel shined red.

'Alright. Ummm, get in?'

The next second, Light, Fiery, and the Moonlit Feline were transformed into spheres of energy and entered the necklace.

[Your Moonlit Feline Underling is greatly displeased by the situation.]

'Get used to it then.'

[The Moonlit Feline is hissing menacingly.]

'Right. Anyway, how do I leave?'

The next second, a portal appeared in front of Mark.

He walked towards it, but stopped right before entering.

'The outside world... I can practically feel goosebumps. Wonder if I can run away and never come back here. Probably not, right? I wonder how it is, out there...'

Hesitant, Mark stood in front of the portal.

[Will you go in or not?]

[Keeping portals open uses up energy.]

[Hurry up and make up your mind already.]

The familiar tone made Mark smile ever so slightly.

'Alright. Let's go face it.'

He held his breath from anticipation and slight anxiety.

Mark stepped inside the portal.

Woosh-

In the blink of an eye, he found himself outside.

The air was cold.

A bit too cold.

Mark turned around.

Behind him was what looked like an enormous building, similar to a fortress. Or a tower.

He lowered his gaze.

Snow.

Mark raised his gaze.

'Mm.'

But, where he had hoped would be a bright sky, wasn't anything.

Nothing but grey clouds.

'For real?'

He was in the middle of a blizzard. A violent one.

Before he could notice it piling up, his shoulders and wings had already been buried by snow.

Mark couldn't see more than 10 meters in front of him.

Still, two shining yellow eyes stared at him.

'Do I have to fight... Even when I'm outside?'

He exhaled deeply.

'Tsk...'

A cloud of fog exited his mouth.

'It's that cold, huh? I'm not even sure why, but I'd expected to find myself in the middle of a city or something...'

Ready to launch himself at the approaching target, Mark took a deep breath in.

"ARGHHH."

The inhaled air felt like sharp thorns piercing his body from the inside.

The air was so cold that it burned.

"ARGH...!"

Mark truly felt like his throat and lungs were on fire.

He couldn't stop himself from coughing uncontrollably.

But the more he coughed, the more unstable his breathing became.

With his hands gripping his throat, Mark coughed and coughed. Until blood exited his mouth.

Breathing felt impossible.

The approaching and shining eyes exited the thick fog that surrounded Mark.

A huge polar bear, with green inscriptions on its body, roared loudly.

'What... The hell?? How am I... Supposed to...?'

[Your body is struggling to adapt to the environment.]

[You have fallen victim to the Status Effect: Frost Bite.]

'No... Shit!? I can... See that...!!'

Despite coughing blood, Mark raised an arm towards the incoming Monster.

A Great Fire Ball appeared.

Feeling threatened, the huge polar bear growled and a barrier of ice appeared around its body.

Mark's Great Fire Ball hit the barrier. An explosion ensued.

But it barely made a dent.

'Shit...'

Mark desperately was in need of air.

He felt dizzy.

He couldn't think straight anymore.

The world around Mark had become fuzzy.

The bear-like Monster roared, and the barrier around it broke.

Mark's mind went numb.

He stopped thinking.

Or rather, his body couldn't do so anymore.

The Monster, more than accustomed to the low temperature and air, ran forward before standing on its back legs, aiming to behead Mark with its strong paws.

GROWL-

Mark's body moved instinctively.

His body was lowered, dodging the strong paws, before moving forward.

Pierce-

Mark's claws pierced the Monster's chest while his tail hit its neck.

BAM-

The light in the Monster's eyes faded as it lost its balance.

It passed out, and its heavy body fell forward, on Mark's.

The weight made the latter fall to the ground.

It wasn't because the weight was too heavy for Mark to lift.

But simply, because Mark's body was too weak.

It had been weakened, to be exact.

Sharp fangs immediately pierced the bear-like Monster's neck.

Only then, was the Monster turned into a blue sphere of energy and swallowed right away.

[You have developed the Passive Skill "Cold Resistance[A]".]

The next second, breathing became a little easier.

Mark's feet and hands, which had been aching from the numbness, started hurting a bit less.

Still, the oxygen levels in his blood were too low.

Mark closed his eyes.

He passed out and lay unmoving as more and more snow fell on his body.

A couple of seconds later, another bear-like Monster appeared.

But this one was different.

At least twice as big as the previous one, it approached.

The bear-like Monster's nose twitched.

It had smelled something.

The scent of its child.

The huge polar bear walked towards Mark.

Even though his body was gradually being covered by snow, drops of blood could be noticed.

The blood of its child.

Enraged, a greenish Aura covered the bear-like Monster's whole body as it opened its large mouth.

GROWL-

The Beast walked closer before standing on its back legs, about to slam both its front legs on Mark's stomach.

An attack that, probably, could have ended his life.

But before the attack could land, the huge Monster was pushed back.

It had been launched away, despite its great size.

"Now, now, we can't let you play with our young little Lordling."

In front of Mark's body was...

Its silhouette resembled that of a Human, but...

A body covered by a dark cape.

The passed-out Mark was by the neck and lifted with ease.

Mark opened his eyes ever so slightly.

Two glaring red eyes stared at him.

"Being greedy is good."

Mark's eyes closed once more.

"Still, I'm surprised you could breathe in here without enveloping yourself with Aura. Oh, I guess you didn't think about doing that. Doubt you would have held on much longer either way. But this level..."

A wide smile.

"Isn't too bad." The person commented while taking steps away.

Mark's body was moved around as if it was no heavier than a twig.

"You still have a lot to learn. Guess that'll be Draconia's job."

Mark was put over that person's left shoulder.

"Still, on the verge of death, you didn't even ask her to bring you back, huh?"

The "man" walked through the blizzard.

"Not that she could anyway. That's why I'm ever. Mm... You even took down that little guy. Gutsy, at least. Although, that one wasn't even an adult so... Not much of a feat really. Yep, the strength isn't there, but the guts are. Interesting..."

The man stopped for a bit.

"How arrogant..."

The unconscious Mark coughed up drops of blood.

His life was hanging by a thread, but the person carrying him wasn't the kind to worry.

"But it's the right kind of arrogance. Yeah. I think so. An arrogance that says leave it to me, I can do it. An arrogance that screams: I don't need your help."

A devilish smile.

"I must admit, I don't dislike it."