Cherreads

Val system: L-class monster

Beingmaniac
7
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
She wasn’t born. She was grown—from the last breath of a sealed demoness and 500 years of cursed Mana. Named Cordelia, she awakens as a monster. A root. A blooming threat to empires. The forest bows, the serpents kneel, and soon... even the seas will rise for her. In a world ruled by hunters, nobles, and ancient bloodlines, Cordelia is something new. Something terrifying. Something divine. But her awakening doesn’t go unnoticed. Not by Gabriel Vaelthorne, the empire’s strongest hunter, born of the bloodline that sealed the very demon Cordelia inherited from. When their worlds clash— Monster vs. Tyrant Divine rage vs. Imperial arrogance Under the blood moon, petals will fall like blades. Can a root grown from vengeance build a kingdom?
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Chapter 1 - Loading......

"Rinny! Wake up! It's already seven!"

The voice of her mother screeched through the door like a Banshee on a mission.

She groaned and rolled over, face buried in the pillow.

Another yell.

Still half-asleep, she blinked at the clock.

7:04 AM.

Picnic day.

Shit.

She flew out of bed like she was being exorcised,scrambling through drawers and throwing on clothes without checking if they matched. She brushed her teeth in twenty seconds, chugged down a glass of milk and practically swallowed a piece of toast whole.

" Goodbye mom!!"

" Did you take all the things in your bag?"

" Yes.. Yes… mom."

" Be careful."

" Haiiii..!!"

On her way out the door, she snatched the one item she couldn't forget… .. her favorite novel. The one with monsters and dungeons.

Today was going to be fun. Sunshine, friends, snacks, trees. Maybe a little flirting with her long time crush if the universe was kind.

The streets were buzzing with morning traffic. She spotted her group waiting at the bus stop ahead.

She jogged across the crosswalk.

The screech of tires.

The flash of silver.

The sound.

And everything went black.

Her body felt heavy. Numb. Cold.

Somewhere in the distance, voices panicked, time slowed down.

Her eyes, barely open, saw the sky… and then something else.

A faint blue screen blinked in front of her. Floating. Glowing.

[ SYSTEM BOOTING… ]

[ VAL SYSTEM LOADING—]

[ Welcome, Player. ]

She blinked once.

Twice.

What… the hell?

______

She felt numb.

Not sleepy-numb. Not "it's too early for this" numb.

This was wrong.

Heavy. Still. Floating-but-not-floating.

Her limbs didn't respond. She couldn't blink. Couldn't twitch. Couldn't even tell if she had a body.

Only one thought echoed in her brain:

"Where the hell am I…?"

Darkness surrounded her. No warmth. No pain. Just… void.

Then it hit her.

Wait. WAIT. Was that…? That was a truck.

Did I just get Isekai'd?!

Oh my god oh my god oh my god—

Okay okay okay… Stay calm. Deep breath. What are the options?

A princess?

A side character who ends up collecting all the hot male leads?

A knight with a tragic backstory who becomes queen?

A single-father-childcare trope? With a hot duke dad? And a sword prodigy child??

Ohhh—a cold CEO reincarnation arc???

She giggled internally.

Yes. This was it. Her moment. Her destiny—

[ NOTICE: SYSTEM INITIATION… ]

"AHHHHHHH!!! WHAT WAS THAT?!"

The voice echoed inside her skull.

[ VAL SYSTEM INITIALIZING… ]

No. No. No no no. That screen—

It was the same one she saw while dying on the street.

"…Who the fuck—"

"Ow.

Language, please. I'm sensitive."

She froze.

"…Who said that?! Light it up! It's too damn dark in here!"

It's not dark. You just don't have eyes yet.

"…Excuse me?!"

"Excused.

Also... Hi. I'm Val. Your system manager. And your unique skill."

"…You're my what now?"

"System manager. Val. Capital V. You can thank me later."

She couldn't see it, but she knew it made a smug face just now.

And she was already pissed.

"A system? Like—do quests, level up, choose skills, become the OP player??"

"No."

"…No?"

"Exactly. Hehe."

"…Sooooo—"

"Sooooooo—"

"DON'T IMITATE ME."

"Okay okay. Relax. Here's how it works.

It's a system where you can unlock unique skills… after completing random quests. You level up. Sometimes. Depending. Maybe.

It's chaos. You'll live. Probably."

"…So that's what I said."

"No. What you said was basic. This is ✨different✨."

She sighed dramatically—mentally, of course. Her body still wasn't a thing.

"Fine. So what fantasy novel am I in, huh? Is there a hero coming? A villain? Am I a captured princess? A blessed oracle? Let me guess—am I in one of those fake villainess arcs where I'll be secretly adored and misunderstood?"

"Nope."

"…Eh?"

"Heh."

"…Heh??"

"You'll be the THING people protect their loved ones from."

"…So… I am the villainess?"

"Haha. No."

"HAHA—NO?? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? THEN WHAT AM I? SAY IT!"

"...A monster."

"…What."

"A monster."

"…EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?"

_________

As she panicked inside the void, a sickening thought crept into her mind.

Maybe… maybe this Val thing was telling the truth.

She had no body. No sense of movement. No limbs. No warmth.

She wasn't a human anymore.

And with that horrifying realization, she accepted the worst.

"…Please don't let me be a cockroach."

Her thoughts spiraled.

What even was she?

A voice interrupted.

A soft, lilting laugh. Feminine. Sultry. Dangerous.

The pitch-dark cave suddenly lit up with a dull crimson glow.

And for the first time—

She could see.

Or… sense?

[ NOTICE: WARNING — A being too above your rank has entered your domain. Apply Marked? ]

"Huh?? Val?! What the hell is Marked?"

"Your unique skill."

"You didn't explain it!"

"Shut up for now."

And then she saw her.

A woman.

Tall. Pale.

Wearing a blood-red gown that whispered along the cave floor.

Hair so long it brushed the ground—floating slightly, like she was underwater.

A golden waist chain clinked with every step…

Golden eyes shimmered like firelight.

Too beautiful.

Too unnatural.

Too dangerous.

She gawked.

"W-Who is this goddess…?"

That's not a goddess, Val said dryly. That's Yerith. A primordial demoness. Now calm down—

"Wooooowww... even her laugh is divine!"

You really need training.

The woman smiled.

"Your thoughts are funny," she said softly.

"Wait, you can hear me?! But I'm not even talking!"

"You're born from Mana. My Mana. Exactly."

"…YOUR Mana?"

The woman tilted her head slightly.

"How about we have a long conversation... somewhere else, Root."

"R-Root…? Oh."

She looked down.

Yes.

She was, in fact, a tree root.

Somewhere, deep underground.

"You can sense my Mana. I know you know your way to me."

Then—she vanished.

Be careful, Root, Val muttered.

"She's a goddess," she whispered, still starstruck.

She's a DEMON. A primordial one.

"So should I follow her?"

Sigh. Do we have another choice?

"…Also, are you a black butterfly? You're kinda cute."

I'm not a butterfly, I'm a shadow. Do you even KNOW what a Val is?

"What?"

…You've got a long way to go. Use your skill. Say the command: Roam.

"Roam."

And the cave changed.

Her vision sharpened.

She felt the world now—the mana currents, the stones, the cave walls, even the distant echo of life.

A pulse… somewhere.

And then—

They reached it.

A lake.

Crimson water. Still. Glowing faintly with ancient power.

And in the center… her.

The woman.

Chained.

Both hands locked in place. Half her body submerged in water. Horns curling from her head. Red gown now soaked and floating.

Hair fanned out across the surface like spilled ink.

"Surprised?" she asked.

"Ehhhhhh?!"

"What?"

"How?! You're here—and also there?!"

"I'm just a fragment. A leftover of my last breath. The body you see will disappear in a few days. Me too."

Root panicked. "Should I help you?! Get you out?!"

"Hmm? Can you?"

"I can try!"

"Those chains were made by a hunter. Vaelthorne chains. Made only for me. If anyone touches them—"

She smirked.

"That cursed family will burn this forest down again."

Root gulped.

"And it's still not time for that yet."

"Yet…?"

"Yes. Yet."

Her smile faded.

"You are born from my Mana, Root. Once I disappear, all the Mana this dungeon holds will rush into you."

"Wait, wait, wait—WHY?!"

"It will recognize you as its master. Not only here… but everywhere I've left my mark."

Root's imaginary legs buckled.

"And don't worry… you won't be chained here. But this lake? It will become your core. Every time you break through, you'll need it."

"This is… my home?"

"This cave. This lake. They are tied to your soul. This water… has soaked in my Mana for 500 years."

Then she bent slightly and touched the root.

"I created you with my last breath."

Her soul shook.

And then Yerith started fading.

"NO—WAIT! Yerith! Are you okay?!"

"I've been holding on for too long..."

Root stared at her, helpless. This woman, this demoness... they'd just met, but the fading felt like grief.

Like her soul was screaming.

"Don't be like me," Yerith whispered.

"Be worse."

And with that—

She vanished.

Only the chained body remained. Silent. Still.

But Root knew…

It wouldn't stay much longer.

She spread her roots into the lake.

The power welcomed her like blood returning to a heart.

The essence of a demoness soaked into her soul—raw, ancient, corrupted, divine.

Val spoke, quietly.

Let's begin unlocking your core.

And so—

She bloomed.

_______

Time meant nothing here.

Root had no way of counting days, hours, or even breaths.

But she knew one thing—

Yerith's body was still chained in the lake, still whole, still unmoved.

So… not much time had passed.

Probably.

She'd spent the entire unknown stretch meditating, soaking in every drop of Mana the lake offered, learning the pulse of the forest, and communing with Val—who mostly just rolled their metaphorical eyes and told her to try harder.

And then—

---

> [ NOTICE — SYSTEM UPDATE ]

You have been named by the Primordial Demoness, Yerith.

Designation acquired: "The Last Descent — Cordelia."

---

"…Whoa."

Her thoughts trembled.

The name burned into her soul. Not painfully. But deeply. Like it belonged there all along.

> [ SYSTEM — You've leveled up. ]

[ NOTICE — You've unlocked your primal unique skill. ]

[ NOTICE — You've unlocked your Ultimate Skill: Triangle of Hell. ]

[ Triangle of Hell — upgraded to: Asmodus Meal ]

"HUH?!"

---

[ Ultimate Skill: Asmodus Meal ]

— Devourer.

[ Sub Skill ]

—Acid Twigs: Any creature that comes in contact will be reduced to ash.

— Forbidden Fruit: A deadly fruit born from Cordelia's Mana.One bite can put even a Primordial Demon to sleep for 24 hours.

---

"…I—I unlocked what?!"

Congratulations, walking horror show, Val replied. You're officially unbalanced.

"Wait wait wait—did you say acid twigs? And demon-sleeping fruit?!"

You did say you wanted to be worse than Yerith, right?

Cordelia blinked.

_______

The lake was silent.

The chains finally broke.

And like a forgotten dream…

Yerith's body vanished.

Her red robe unraveled mid-air—floating like blood in water. Her waist chain clinked once, then fell. Bracelets. Earrings. Her crown.

All of them slipped silently into the water, one by one.

Cordelia stared in shock.

Then—without thinking—she dived.

---

The lake was deeper than it looked.

The deeper she went, the clearer it became.

At the very bottom… was treasure.

Not gold.

Not coins.

But… robes. Offerings. Forgotten artifacts. Ancient relics.

Even while sealed, Yerith had been worshipped.

Humans, monsters, and something in-between had thrown treasures into the lake over centuries—unable to touch her, but still desperate to offer something.

Cordelia didn't touch anything.

But the lake knew her.

---

> [ NOTICE: All items stored ]

[ Unique Item Unlocked — Floral Curse - Paralyzed ]

---

> [ Primal Skill Unlocked — Floral Decay ]

— Those you kill will bloom with cursed floral patterns. Their corpses will wither into gardens of death.

> [ Primal Skill Unlocked — Petal Rain ]

— Summons razor-edged petals. Aura-based. Cuts flesh in a heartbeat. Strength increases with the user's level. The petals can change color.

> [ Unique Item Acquired - White Boots of the Blooming Wound ]

— When worn, it creates a battlefield domain where power increases tentenfold.

---

Root floated at the bottom of the lake.

Jewels surrounding her.

Robes swirling around her root-like limbs.

Petals forming in the water.

"…I really am a monster, huh?"

No, Val whispered.

You're something worse.

She smiled in the dark.

"…Good."