Orange sunset.
Pairs of wild geese swept across the sky.
A vast, rolling forest of verdant green stretched as far as the eye could see.
This tranquil and beautiful scene would astonish any Earthling upon first sight.
But Ye Chi had no leisure to admire this exquisite CG now.
By the riverbank, a group of pale blue Slimes hopped excitedly around a girl who looked no older than a 13- or 14-year-old human.
“Phew… Fortunately, even as a Slime, the Hero’s Mark hasn’t vanished. There’s still hope.”
The girl with moon-white, shoulder-length hair gently covered the golden emblem on her chest, kneeling on a stone with a tone full of relief from having survived a disaster.
Reaching level 60 would unlock the Transformation feature.
She could then shed her current soulless, unclassified monster body and revert to being a Hero, becoming the world’s very first Hero-class monster.
Could any other monster do that?
Hmph, not even the Demon King could.
Thinking this, the white-haired, green-eyed Slime girl couldn’t help but sigh quietly within her heart.
Who would have known that three years ago, she was the famed Night Hero.
Every time she returned victorious from clearing out monsters riding her horse back to the palace to be honored red sleeves fluttered in the city, and throngs lined the streets to welcome her.
Only in those moments, basking in the gaze of both familiar and unknown onlookers, did Ye Chi, as a transmigrator, find a long-lost sense of reality in this world.
She absolutely loved that feeling.
But, then again…
There weren’t many who bore the blessing of the Hero’s Mark on this land, and even fewer who could walk the path all the way.
Most had perished or vanished, only to be found years later in remote places by later explorers.
Ye Chi had succeeded in continuing on, surviving and even becoming one of the best.
From an obscure candidate Hero, she rose to become the named Night Hero.
Later, she formed her own Hero Squad under that name, firmly establishing herself on this land.
Much like playing games before transmigrating, Ye Chi naturally began carefully selecting various classes for her squad members.
Energetic shields, area-of-effect mages, elite warriors, buffing healers… if others had it, she must have it too; if others lacked it, she would find a way to have it.
In short, Ye Chi poured tremendous effort into this Hero Squad, and the members rewarded their captain’s dedication.
Until one day, when a particularly special member joined the squad, the Hero’s destiny began to veer off course…
In her memory, the Slime girl’s clear, translucent light green eyes gradually dimmed.
She lowered her head slightly, tossing a soccer-ball-sized blue Slime that had climbed up to her pale ankle back into the rushing river, her voice tinged with annoyance at being disturbed.
“It’s really itchy!”
Plop!
The Slime thrown into the river didn’t even have time to bubble before being swallowed by a larger Slime.
Ignoring the commotion in the river, Ye Chi wrapped today’s haul in her pack and rose, following the familiar path away.
The battle three years ago was never truly clear who won or lost.
To this day, Ye Chi refused to dwell on the details of that fight or what mood she held when it ended.
It all had lost meaning.
After all, from this world’s perspective, the mightiest Hero and the most terrifying Demon King had perished together.
The world continued, and the Night Hero became legend.
That was enough.
No one knew that the deceased Hero now bore a curse, surviving on the human border as a monster girl.
After nearly half an hour, Ye Chi finally saw the signpost.
Her pale yet exquisitely cute face showed a flicker of emotion.
“Fengxiang Town…”
It was a small town bordering the Monster Forest and the human territory.
It housed the Adventurer’s Guild where many Adventurers accepted bounty quests, and it served as a midway rest stop for candidate Heroes.
Thanks to the Hero’s Mark and memories from her Hero days, Ye Chi easily passed the checkpoint at the city gates, sneaking into this human settlement.
Fengxiang Town at dusk carried a unique charm.
From outside the walls came occasional monster roars; inside, veteran Adventurers bragged and drank.
The aroma of liquor mingled with faint ammonia odors from the sewers, strangely calming Ye Chi’s heart.
Not long after, shouts rose from the city walls.
Amid the howling wind, a massive beast-shaped shadow, mountain-sized, rose above the ramparts, blocking the orange sunset and casting a dark shadow over the town below.
Its enormous, lantern-like crimson vertical pupils scanned the city—a terrifying sight.
A dragon-shaped monster, no less than level 100—Ye Chi judged this with experience from just a glance.
Such dangerous monsters often appeared to attack human settlements, indiscriminately destroying and slaughtering all.
Among the Demon Race, only a rare few, like the Demon King, possessed human-level intelligence and knew how to hide.
Ye Chi tugged her white hood over her head, hiding her beautiful face.
She wasn’t worried this dragon monster would breach the walls.
Even three years ago, before Ye Chi led the Alliance Army as the lead Hero to slay terrifying monsters and seal away titled Demon Kings, humans and other intelligent races had decent defenses in place.
Sure enough, before the dragon monster could make its next move atop the walls, a streak of brilliant purple light cut across the twilight sky.
Dazzling as a falling meteor.
The dragon monster lifted its ferocious head, baring interlocking razor-sharp teeth, hot breath billowing from its nostrils—it was answering the enemy’s provocation.
Ye Chi was no stranger to this scene; she enjoyed such confrontations in her Hero days.
Soon, the purple light collided with the dragon monster.
A tremendous explosion thundered on the city walls, the shock nearly knocking her off her feet.
Smoke and dust billowed, covering half the sky.
One squad after another of soldiers blew assembly whistles, gathering from alleys and streets to the central square.
Under the watchful gaze of a blurred statue, they marched briskly toward the scene.
The Human Alliance Army’s approach to monsters was kill to stop killing—no beast was spared.
Soon, Ye Chi heard the crowd’s commotion—cheers and sighs of relief—from the distant city gates.
Clearly, everyone recognized the figure who had just battled the dragon monster—the named Hero.
In their eyes, decades or even centuries had passed, monsters came again and again, yet they never breached the Hero’s defenses.
No matter how powerful or cunning the monsters, they were born to be defeated by righteous Heroes.
After exchanging some rare materials gathered from the Monster Forest for a few coins, and neither participating in nor watching the human hunt, Ye Chi returned to her room above the tavern.
She had stayed in this human town for some time.
Whenever the forest grew tiresome, she would come to the town to relax.
Her room was cold and empty, a few empty bottles scattered carelessly in the corners.
The dim yellow light flickered.
She absentmindedly recalled the days when the entire Hero Squad gathered together.
The crackling campfire, heated discussions among teammates, laughter of comrades, and the whispers of a lover seemed to echo again in her ears.
Sitting blankly on the edge of the bed, Ye Chi felt an oppressive heaviness in her chest, unable to breathe easily.
Only the patter of rain outside the window snapped her out of her memories.
Ye Chi sighed involuntarily. Since becoming a monster, her thoughts had grown sluggish.
Was she too immersed in the past?
Or did alcohol affect a monster’s body differently?
The petite figure kneeling on the bedsheet shook her head, slapped her cheeks, trying to clear her dull mind.
It must be that she once cared too much about things, and now cares too little.
Give it more time, and she would adapt.
Night had fallen, and by human habit, it was time to eat.
No matter the world, eating comes first.
With that thought, Ye Chi lifted her spirits and walked barefoot toward the door.
Suddenly, a rapid knocking interrupted her thoughts.
Her steps halted at the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
“Open up, Demon Hunter Order room inspection!”
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