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 1.5

The creature standing before me.

It was a dog, but there was nothing remotely adorable about it.

It stood about as tall as a human’s knee, so it wasn’t particularly large.

But everything else about it was utterly monstrous.

Its short, gray fur rippled in the wind, revealing exposed, sharp white bones protruding from its body.

Its jagged, uneven fangs jutted out in all directions, like they had torn through countless victims before me.

A creature built to rip, crush, and kill.

“N-Nyaa~?”

There was no way I could beat this thing.

Not in this body.

Hell, even in my previous life, I wouldn’t have stood a chance against something this terrifying.

So, I did the only thing I could think of—I tried to act cute.

If this were a rational human, they’d probably fall for it instantly.

“GAAAAARRH!”

“Of course not—!?”

But my opponent was no rational human.

It was a bloodthirsty beast that looked like it could devour an entire human whole.

My adorable meow, which would have gone viral on a video-sharing site, didn’t faze it in the slightest.

Instead, it lunged straight at me, completely unhesitant.

“Oh, hell no!”

I turned and bolted.

“GRRRRRR!”

I ran.

I ran as fast as I could, my small body racing through the underbrush.

But I was not fast enough.

The dog was gaining on me.

“GAH!”

“Nyaa!?”

Its jaws snapped shut right behind me.

With godlike reflexes, I somehow dodged—barely.

A miracle.

But—

“GAAAAAAAAARRRH!”

The dog caught up instantly.

And then—

It rammed full-speed into a nearby tree, shattering it to splinters.

The impact sent the trunk crashing down, the roots completely torn from the ground.

In that one moment, I understood the vast difference in power between us.

This wasn’t just a monster—

This was despair incarnate.

“GRRRRRR…”

Ah—

Yeah, no. I’m dead.

There’s no way I can win against something that can obliterate trees with a single charge.

And there’s no way I can outrun it either.

I’ll just have to die again.

That’s it.

I’ll return using Return from Death, and then I’ll just…

Try again.

This time, I’ll avoid this dog completely.

I’ll keep repeating this process, carefully adjusting my movements until I evolve.

Yes, that’s the only logical option.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

Screw that!

Like hell I’m dying again!

I’m not going along with some bullshit plan that relies on dying over and over again!

“RAAH!”

I grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it at the dog.

“YELP!?”

It flinched.

Now’s my chance!

“CHOMP!”

I lunged, sinking my teeth into its leg.

My only attack skill—Bite.

“GAAAH!?”

“OW!?”

It was a desperate move—

And it was pathetic.

With a single shake of its leg, the dog sent me flying.

I tumbled across the ground, rolling over and over until I came to a stop.

Damn it!

I lifted my head to check—

The dog’s leg had only the slightest wound, a tiny trickle of bl00d leaking from its skin.

That was it.

“Damn it… Damn it… DAMN IT!”

I cursed, dragging myself to my feet.

That’s all I could do?!

“……”

I turned and ran again.

This time, I had at least injured it, and its attack had sent me flying far away.

Maybe—just maybe—I could outrun it now.

That tiny shred of hope kept me moving.

“GAAAAAAARRH!”

But the dog wouldn’t let me escape.

It chased me down.

And with every second, its snarls grew louder and louder.

“……Damn it!”

What can I do?

What can I do!?

There has to be something—!

I glanced over my shoulder—

And what I saw was pure terror.

The dog’s gaping jaws, open wide, mere inches away from me.

“This is… impossible.”

I was going to die.

“……Ah.”

I almost gave up.

But then—

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something.

A tiny, familiar shape.

A bug.

“GAAAAH!”

Pain.

Its jaws clamped down on my back.

My body was engulfed in searing agony, as if my flesh were being torn apart.

Every nerve in my body screamed in pain.

But—

“RAAAH!”

Even as my flesh was ripped away—

I moved.

With pure willpower, I forced my paw forward.

I grabbed the bug.

And shoved it into my mouth.

── Your level has reached its maximum. Would you like to evolve?

And in that moment—

The one thing that could turn the tables appeared before me.

My only chance at survival.

My one hope to escape this nightmare.

Evolution.