My Life As A Reborn Monster

I woke up with the wind blowing faster than normal. I smelt a sweetness on the wind and for a second I got scared that the vines had come back, I looked hastily but was relieved to only see that it was just Howy with a small cooking fire and the sweet smell was coming from whatever he was cooking.

"Oh good morning man, bout time ya woke up. I guess whatever you went through took a lot more out of ya then ya let on. I'm guessing you woke up with a start because of the sweet smell right? Yea me to, I did the same but found out that the weird 'Tree of Silence' as I've taken to calling it had actually leaked out some kind of sweet sap. I was hungry and figured that maybe if I cooked it up, maybe it won't be so hazardous."

I just looked at him with an eyebrow raised at his logic. But then my stomach growled and hunger started to set it. That was a bad sign, I usually don't get hungr like this unless my body has absolutely ran out of nutrients saved up. I wasn't sure what would happen if I start to starve but I did not want to find out.

I took a look at what he had ready and it looked like just homemade lollipops. The sap had been hardened and wrapped around some sticks. It had a orangish hue to it but I was just happy it didn't smell like Maple from Earth.... Not that I don't like to eat it on pancakes or waffles back in the day but heated Maple was just to strong for me.

Anywho, I took up one of the lollipops and I went ahead and just to be safe I used Analyze on it.

[Homemade Sweet sap Lollipop]

[Inferior Food product]

[Heal 25 hp/sec - lasts 15 seconds]

[Made by boiling the sap of the (Tree of Silence) that has been purified of the Parasitic Vines. It has gained the property of the Parasitic Vines Anesthetic toxins. Caution consuming without first purifying will result in Hallucinations.}

Ah well hey thats not bad. I mean thats a good healing item aswell as drug. I'm not to fond of the drug aspect but I'm definitely thinking trying to plant this over at the base. I'm sure there will be someone who has some kind of gardening skill. 

I took a closer look at the tree while munching on the sweet. I saw that the bark was glowing in a faint blue and the tree branches went upwards and formed an overhanging canopy that spread out atleast 6 feet in all directions. I didn't see any leaves on the branches, I did however see what looked like a small bud that was growing on one of the hanging branches. It was a small fuzzy growth that just emerged from the limb.

If there is a fruit than that means theres usually a fruit seed. That was my ticket to starting an orchard of this potential moneymaker.

"VEXSUS, HOWY, WHERE ARE YOU!"

Soon I turned my head and saw as Kitsoma and Sondar emerged from the path that Howy told me they would come from. I saw them and was happy for a second before the guilt of causing them more worry came over me.

She saw me and instantly started running. I found it hard to keep looking at her but when she came up to me she threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. I soon felt tears wetting my chest as she began to cry.

"I-I was so worried. When I saw you come out of that cave I got so scared. I was so worried about you Vexsus, please don't ever do that to me again." She said as she raised her face to stare at me directly in the eyes. I could see how adamant she was about this and I saw the fear of losing me in her eyes.

It was then that it finally dawned on me just how much I meant to her. I thought it was just some kind of girl love for the strongest swinging dick in the joint, but when I saw those tear filled eyes.... I facepalmed.

"I'm so sorry I worried you Kitsoma. I didn't take things seriously enough and thought I could do anything. Can you ever forgive me?" I asked as I kissed her forehead and held her tightly.

Sondar came up to me and he looked relieved but also I could see the Anger in his eyes.

"I'm glad your safe but you and me have some matters to discuss. Kitsoma why don't you and Howy give me and our fearless leader some space.... I'd say a few miles might be enough."

I knew where this was going and started walking away. After a few feet I turned around and saw the backs of Howy and Kitsoma running off, then I turned towards Sondar with a questioning glare.

"Are you sure you want this?" I asked, He only nodded as he walked back a few feet aswell. 

Nothing I said was going to change this so I just got ready. Soon I felt a burst of Life based energy all around me and then Sondar vanishes before I feel a breeze come from my left a second before a fist covered in stone crashed into my cheek.

I was just going to let him get some steam off and I'll just regen and tank the hits but I opened my eyes after being hit and I saw myself with a air stream behind me as I was sent bowling into a thick tree. I was then bent around the tree as the force of the hit and the sudden stop combined to break several of my bones and spine.

'This Motherfucker isn't holding his punches.' I thought as I actively used my regeneration and buffed my body with skills. Then I used Aura Vision and Sondars Aura was completely Red. Not a hint of any other color was seen. 

"Sondar... You could have held back just a little bit. I broke atleast half my spine with that."

He didn't say anything as he vanished once again. Aura vision was still active but it couldn't keep up with the speed that he was using. Instead I switched to Heat vision and could see a couple seconds before yet again a huge stone covered fist got close to colliding with the same cheek. 

This time however I ducked just in the nick of time and could feel an explosion of splinters crash against my back. I jumped forward and turned around to catch a fist again seconds before it hit my face.

"Goddam it Sondar, chill out. I fucked up I know, Doesn't mean you can just keep punching me like this. Your my brother, I don't want to fight you."

"You should have thought of that before you hurt so many of our companions. There are over 20 people that came with us to rescue you and over a 1/3rd of that number is under emergency care because of your actions. I may have respected you once but this is the end of the bullshit Vexsus. We are leaders over people now. We can't just do whatever we wanted to like in the dungeon. You have to be the Leader we need. Your not some solo adventurer anymore." 

As he talked I could feel a continous rise in his energy and power. His normal Armadillo armor started to be covered in hard metallic spikes, aswell as the rest of his body being covered in a mettalic armor looking material. 

"Ugh, Fine I accept that I am a horrible leader. I will start holding back my craziness and start thinking more about the group as a whole instead of just myself. We don't have to keep fighting."

I spread my arms as a sign of me surrendering but he only furrowed his brows and got angrier.

"You can't just say some bullshit and expect it to work anymore, you need to show us that your can be the leader that we need you to be. You need to show more than the bullshit you've done so far. All of us at base have been taking care of your mess for a while now and honestly we don't like it, we are fed up Vexsus, We need you but that can only get you so far. I'd rather suffer day to day and built up our lives slowly than have to deal with your shit and have to watch my companions suffer for your negligence."

I only sighed as the truth in what he said weighed down on me. I hated how right he was and how easily I get distracted by so many things and end up as a useless leader. I needed to change, I needed to be what they need me to be. 

Sondar blinked and then jumped in shock as I appeared right in his face.

"I agree... I'm a horrible leader. I need to be a better person. I need your help Brother. Now... Which side you want it on?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Which side do you want your payback on? You punched me 2 times and hurt me. Did you think I was going to let that go? You won't feel it as your using your new ability but in order to move on this needs to happen."

He looked at my eyes with confusion but then a small amount of fear started to emerge as what I said started to connect in his head. He knew He was going to get hit and now 2 punches he managed to hurt me with became a source of regret.

"You sent me.... Idk atleast 20 ft. right? So I'll send you.... 10 ft. I accept the punishment but the second hit was not necessary."

Before he could even gulp I enlarged my muscles and smoked him in the face. He may have bounced from a couple trees but I was honest when I said he wouldn't go more than 10 ft..... Not my fault that I said 10 ft away from me, and not combined between bounces. 

I wasn't worried as I went over and healed his wounds and he gasped and stood up with a jump. 

"Can we move on now? I need to show you something" I said as I started walking toward the Tree of Silence. 

"This tree has a weird ability to block out the voices in my head. I don't know about Gluttony but I do know that the Voice of Wrath that was close to controlling me has lost almost all power as I came near this tree. At first it had some kind of vines that captured me and if it wasn't for Howy I could have died... But afterwards he found out that using that trees sap, he could make a sweet treat that could heal our wounds. I want to take some of the seeds from this tree hopefully and plant it near the base as a potential source of income aswell as a source of food for the base."

I knew I had to change and used this opportunity to show my right hand man just how much I had the groups future in mind.