Reborn As An Evolving Monster

"Lying to myself often? Hahaha..." Mark pushed himself off the ground despite the shaking of his limbs. The world around him was still spinning. "It's lying... That I do often."

"It'd be easier to just die. Too many things consume you. Die to me, and I'll give you life once more."

"Oh, wow! A third life, doesn't that sound nice! A third beginning. Another chance to start again... Failing twice would hurt a bit too much though, I'll pass."

"You'll pass?"

"Well, yeah. If I can't use that Skill because of my Underlings... Then I definitely wouldn't want something like that used on me."

"Still, I will use it on you."

"Mm..."

"Wouldn't you rather go easily? I rather enjoyed our discussion. I would rather not have to bend your Soul too much. If you start hating me, it'll be harder to make your my Underling while keeping your Soul-"

"Hate you? Me? Hahaha. There's no way I would. After all..." Despite the white-scaled Monster's words, the look in its eyes was definitely one filled with hatred. "You know me better than anyone."

"Do I now?" The Undead Lich wondered towards whom that hatred was directed.

"Yeah. You're the only one to know my secret after all. No, that's not actually true. Truth is... You're the only one I told about it to."

"I'm honored?" The Undead Lich shrugged.

Why didn't I tell them?

Why didn't I tell her?

I should have told her the truth. I should have...

Instead, I insisted on her seeing me as a Monster.

So many times, I reminded her of it.

Why?

"I guess... It's just easier being a Monster, you know?"

"No. I don't know." The Undead Lich scratched its bony cheek.

"It is easier..." Mark whispered as he lowered his gaze to the ground for a couple of seconds. "There was a time... When I told myself I wouldn't be shackled by my past. By my preconceptions of right and wrong."

"I suppose that is necessary to become... Or after becoming a Monster."

"Whether I was a good or bad person, a doctor or a killer, I'll forget about it all, and focus on this life. But I couldn't do that."

"Leaving the past is no easy-"

"Because I was neither. I didn't have the opportunity... Or the freedom to become either. They say that the more things you do or try to do, the more you learn about yourself. I truly... Didn't get to do much. I died... Without knowing anything about myself. What would I do in this situation? How would I react was this to happen? All I could do was think about it."

'Maybe I can use this...' The Undead Lich thought to itself. ' If his Soul and Body take a knee, it'll be easier. I won't have to bend and risk breaking either. The less damage I can inflict, the better for Necromancy...'

"I thought about so much... But did so little. Still, I did gain something from it." 

Mark stared at his open palm.

"You started listing them earlier..." He closed and opened his hand multiple times. Each time, he showcased his ability to use different Magic Types. "But even that is a lie."

"It is?"

"My affinity for Fire and Ice Magic is high. But my affinity for Corruption Magic is even higher. To varying degrees, I can use them all." Mark stepped forward. "Because I'm a chameleon."

"So you're deciding to fight?"

"I'm not sure when you got the idea that I wasn't going to."

Remember that feeling.

From the depths of my being.

Multiple times, it came out.

Now, I have to make it come out of there.

From the depths of my Soul.

"Incapacitate him. Or kill him, if you must." The Undead Lich ordered, and the three Commanders started moving once more.

The white-scaled Monster raised its left arm up while keeping its hand open.

With no speed or strength.

Just like then.

Just like then.

It's light and unstoppable.

Quiet and discreet.

An emptiness.

A darkness.

Mark lowered his arm.

Slash-

"YOU...!"

'No Magic Skill... Will I have to use it multiple times for that to happen?'

Mark stared as the Commander fell to the ground centimeters away from his feet.

Its body had been cut vertically.

No, it hadn't been cut. Not exactly, at least.

The middle was missing. It had been stolen.

Devoured by the Darkness.

"Dark Magic..." Mark turned towards the Undead Lich. "Is pretty scary."

'Was that even Dark Magic? Was it his Aura taking on the form of... It can't be his Aura! Aura wouldn't make it disappear! That's undoubtedly something that only Dark Magic can do! But how? I didn't sense it until... His Aura... His entire being is that close? That close to darkness?'

Mark immediately crouched and started eating.

The two Commanders ran forward!

A tail flick and a kick were approaching.

At the last second, 

"That... That move...?"

The Commanders jumped away!

One of them had lost part of its tail. The other, its left foot.

'Using Dark Magic that way... Delaying its use until the last moment to take away their... Turning a defensive move into an offensive one! That's exactly what he used to do! No matter how many times we told him not to... He kept using it that way... Ha! That takes me back, truly!'

Two dozen meters away, hidden below a dark veil, the white-scaled Monster Devoured its meal.

Under the dark dome, a Commander's unmoving body, the end of a tail, and a foot.

The white-scaled Monster wouldn't leave that dome until all was Devoured.

The speed of that darkness, the quietness, the shade...

Ominous, ominous.

It was time.

The Chameleon had decided not to hide its true colors anymore.

'With the nature of his Aura, his Affinity with Dark Magic... His aptitude for it will definitely...'

The Undead Lich's index finger moved.

The two remaining Commanders fell to the ground suddenly, like lifeless puppets.

A Sign much more complicated than the previous ones was drawn.

"I call upon thee..."