I Was Reincarnated as the Weakest Monster, but I’ll Use My ‘Return from Death’ Skill to Become the Strongest! Even as the Weakest Monster, I Want to Get Stronger, Take Human Form, and Build a Harem… But Why Do Only Yandere Non-Human Girls Keep Showing Up? - Chapter 1.2

By now, it’s been about three hours since I realized I had woken up as a cat—a situation so utterly absurd that it defies explanation.

And in that time, I’ve come to one undeniable conclusion: I am completely doomed.

Giant caterpillars the size of a person, massive birds soaring through the sky like creatures from a fantasy game—yeah, my current cat-sized self does not stand a chance against any of them.

And to make matters worse? This is definitely not Japan.

I’ve seen rabbits with horns, bizarre creatures with three legs, and other beings that simply shouldn’t exist. Yeah, no. This isn’t just a different country—this isn’t even Earth.

“Sigh…”

I let out a deep sigh as I wander aimlessly through the dense forest.

On the bright side, I somehow still retain the ability to speak, despite being a cat.

That, at least, was a surprising discovery.

“Not that it matters, since I have no one to talk to.”

Even if I tried striking up a conversation with one of those giant caterpillars, I’d probably just end up as their next meal.

“…I should stop avoiding reality.”

Let’s summarize my situation:

I woke up, found myself reincarnated as a cat, and ended up in a dangerous, unknown world.

No special reincarnation perks.
No overpowered abilities.
Just a completely hopeless situation.

Yeah, it’s absolutely a nightmare.

But I refuse to just roll over and die. There’s no way I’m going down without a fight.

“My only hope is evolution.”

One of the defining aspects of non-human reincarnation stories is the protagonist gradually growing stronger through evolution.

If that’s how it works in this world, then I have only one path forward—

“Step one: get strong enough to survive. Step two: evolve into a humanoid form. That’s my plan!”

Honestly, it’s my only option.

“If it means survival, I’ll abandon my human dignity!”

I spot a small insect scuttling nearby.

My body moves on instinct. The moment I tense my muscles, my feline body reacts with terrifying agility—launching forward in an instant.

“Nya!”

I swipe at the bug, catching it between my paws.

And without a second thought, I toss it into my mouth.

“…Guh.”

The moment I bite down, an unpleasant texture spreads across my tongue. The bug’s tiny body twitches inside my mouth, its wings brushing against my tongue in the most unsettling way.

It struggles.

I can feel it moving.

Ignoring the instinctive disgust clawing at my mind, I force myself to chew. The soft body slowly crushes under the pressure of my jaws. A sickeningly wet taste spreads across my tongue, making my stomach churn.

Yeah. This is disgusting.

“…This is the worst.”

And yet, despite the sheer horror of what I just did…
Somewhere deep inside me, I feel a strange sense of accomplishment—and even a hint of satisfaction.

── Your level has increased by 1.

A mysterious voice echoes in my mind.

“…Huh.”

So I can level up.

If I remember correctly, my status screen showed a level cap of 10. That means I only need eight more levels to reach the max.

That being said…

I never want to do that again.

But in a world without convenient snacks like Churu, insects are protein. If I don’t eat, I’ll starve. The small animals around here look way too strong for me to hunt right now, so bugs might be my only option.

“Sigh…”

Even though I’m the one who chose to do this, I instantly regret my decision.

I should’ve eased into this instead of diving in headfirst.

“…Let’s find something else to eat.”

I don’t like it, but this is the only way forward.

Bracing myself, I start walking again, scanning the ground for my next unfortunate meal.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, I feel an odd sensation in my legs.

Something feels off.

“Huh?”

Before I can process what’s happening, my body collapses.

I hit the ground hard.

And then, my eyes widen in horror.

My leg.

Blood gushes out like a fountain, pooling around my severed limb—cleanly cut off at the ankle.

“AaaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!?”

My leg—my leg—has been severed.

The moment my eyes register that horrifying reality, a searing pain shoots up from my wounded limb, piercing through my entire body and exploding in my brain like a blinding flash of agony.

But the very next moment…

I forget it.

The pain in my leg vanishes from my mind, replaced by something even more overwhelming.

“…Ah.”

A scorching heat engulfs my entire body, so intense it feels like I’m being consumed by flames from the inside out.

A strained, breathless sound escapes my lips.

“Guh… gugh…!”

But then, instead of an incoherent gasp—

A thick clot of blood spills from my mouth.

My vision starts to blur.

Everything I see is painted in red.

Red on the ground. Red in the air.

My body—my entire being—is drowning in red.

Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I thrash my remaining three legs in a desperate attempt to move—

And that’s when I finally realize.

My stomach has been torn open.

Everything inside me is spilling out.

The red consuming me is my own blood.

“Skitter, skitter…”

Then, just ahead of me, a spider creeps closer.

Its blade-like legs—dripping with fresh blood—gleam ominously in the dim light.

My blood.

“Ah…”

I’m going to die.

I’m already dead.

The moment my hazy mind registers the enemy before me, my fading consciousness begins to disintegrate, crumbling into nothingness.

I can feel it—

The last remnants of my body, my existence, everything I am—

slipping away.

I’m dying.

“AaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

No. No. No.

I don’t want to die.

I don’t want to die—I CAN’T DIE—

……

…………

My mind is sinking.

Falling into endless darkness.

But just as I’m about to disappear completely—

The black void consuming me shatters in an instant.

“…Huh?”

And just like that—

I find myself staring at my own reflection in a puddle.

The body reflected back at me is—

The same small, feline form I had just lost.