Chapter 10: First Encounter

"Grah!"

As the moon reflected on the Zombie's pale blue eyes, he screamed. The veins in his arms which previously no longer throbbed, now pulsating as the flesh surrounding them started to contract.

The vein started crawling through his neck, then diverging to both his shoulders; with one taking a different path as one of the Zombie's shoulders had a huge gash on it from the human-like beast's attack. And soon, the worm-like vein scattered through his arms.

And as it reached his hands, the bones in his knuckles started to protrude; the bones at the back of his hand, now slightly exposed.

But perhaps the greatest change… was that his fingers that have fallen for some time grew back– and they grew back with vengeance.

[Skill: Hardened Claws Lv. 2, Gained!]

[Host level, Up!]

[Would you like to distribute your Status Points?]

[...]

[.....]

[Failure to answer within the allowable time: Automatically distributing Status Points.]

[Determining Host's needed Status.]

[...]

[.....]

[Adding points to Intelligence.]

"Hm…"

[Congratulations on devouring your first Demonic Beast! Granting a bonus skill from the Feral Werewolf Youngling.]

[...Some of the Readers of Fate thought it was a kobold.]

[...Absorbing another skill from the Feral Werewolf Youngling.]

[Skill: Minor Regeneration Lv. 1, Gained!]

And soon, the gash on the Zombie's shoulder started to… squirm. Almost like a hundred worms puking another set of worms, slowly pulling the Zombie's arm as they all connected to each other.

"..." The Zombie could but slightly let out a groan as he felt… a weird feeling crawling all over his body. This was perhaps the first time the Zombie was feeling something like this– after all, even when a gash was sliced open on his shoulder earlier, he did not feel a thing.

And soon, perhaps half an hour, the gash on his shoulder was now only a huge scar.

The Zombie then looked at his hands– his nails, now almost as thick as the bones on his fingers.

"..." If the humans saw this, they would surely attack him. No, even if they didn't, the Zombie's pale, somewhat bluish hands were already a… dead giveaway that he was a zombie. But still, were his nails going to be like this forever?

He might accidentally claw his own flesh since–

And as soon as he thought that, his nails suddenly retracted– turning back to normal almost instantly.

"...Hm," the Zombie tilted his head to the side, does… it appear and disappear by his order?

And once again, as he thought that, the claws once again showed themselves, almost causing the Zombie to jump. It would seem his conclusion was right.

A conclusion– the Zombie found himself trying to reach that lately. Each time he devours, when a long list of words popped out in front of him, it happens then– the changes. Could it be… these words were actually trying to help him?

[The Readers of Fate are touched by having been recognized for the first time.]

Does he not only get stronger with each meal? Does he also… become more? Just… more. If he devours and devours, would it be possible for him to become more than just… what he is?

[Host has not yet met the prerequisite for Evolution.]

"..." And now, for once… the Zombie actively turned his pale blue eyes towards the words that suddenly popped out in front of him. He looked at it for a while, but just let out a small groan as he waved his hand.

Maybe if he devoured more, he would finally learn to understand the words. And for that to happen, he would devour.

"..." The Zombie then turned his head towards the woman that the Werewolf Younglings were eating… and without any hesitation, bit a chunk out of its face.

"..." But alas, no words popped out. And with that, the Zombie just shook his head. He then grabbed the woman's red cape, placing it over his shoulders to hide the rip on his black cloak.

If any humans with any decent fashion sense were to see him right now, then they would probably be weirded out by him. But alas, the Zombie has no knowledge of fashion… just yet.

The Zombie then started looking around. He could probably get back to his home… but there was no point in doing that. There were newer things here he could devour– creatures that his mouth and tongue welcomed even more.

And so, with one final glance… the Zombie walked deeper into the forest. Not, of course, without the halberd.

Truly, if a human were to see him walking right now, he would only be mistaken as a weird man– no longer an undead. That is… if he doesn't unrobe himself.

"..."

But… just how wide was this forest, exactly? The Zombie found himself walking for almost an hour, and yet not even a single beast or human has shown up. If it would continue like this, the Zombie would find himself hungry once again.

"!!!"

Soon, however, the Zombie quickly hid behind one of the thick trees as he heard a rustle coming from the front. His nose started to move as a scent he hadn't sniffed before entered his nose.

Could it be… another demonic beast?

"..." The Zombie stood still as the rustling grew louder, the leaves, almost whispering into his ears. And very soon…

…a four-legged creature jumped out from the bushes.

The Zombie was getting ready to hammer it with his halberd… but for some reason, he didn't really feel the need to. There… was nothing telling him to devour the creature that suddenly appeared in front of him.

…A deer? Is that what they're called?

They looked tasty enough, even more delicious than the Werewolf Younglings… but why doesn't he get the urge to feast?

"..." He was going to try and swing the halberd towards the deer just in case, but before he could do so, another one popped out… and another… and another.

And suddenly, the Zombie found himself sticking on the tree just so as not to get swayed away and be mowed down by almost dozens of deers. It almost felt like a drum, beating endlessly in the air as it hummed with the sound of the forest.

Soon, finally, that symphony stopped. Leaving the forest behind the Zombie almost shaved.

"..." The Zombie looked at where the deer ran to for a few seconds, before only letting out a grunt as he continued to walk deeper into the forest. And since the deer cleared out the bushes for him, it made it even easier for him to navigate through the forest.

And so, once again, he continued to walk.

"..." Until he noticed something from afar, floating in the air. Clear, with the moonlight almost penetrating it.

It was a Bubble.

The reason for humanity almost reaching its extinction.