Chapter 1

An ashen, gloomy sky— Barren rock and earthen walls extend in every direction while an array of monsters prowls around. This is the labyrinth. Its mazelike passages are twisted and convoluted enough to deserve the name—and it exhibits an eerie power that continually spawns monsters. “Meowwwhr…?” Today, a newborn monster issues an infant cry. But what can it be? The creature’s voice has an odd timbre. Where am I? Last thing I remember, I was felled by that damn assassin’s blade… In its memories, the monster recalls being a knight. And in the middle of a pitched battle against demons, the enemy of humanity, it had suffered a powerful slash attack and been slain. But what happened after that? Did the rest of my party survive? And what of our country’s fate…? Forget it. For now, I need to understand what’s happening to… What the hell is this?! Suddenly all the monster’s thoughts come to a screeching halt as it reels in shock. When it attempted to walk forward, the creature finally caught a glimpse of its feet—or rather, its paws. Four toes covered in orange tabby fur, with sharp claws protruding from each. Peeking with trepidation at its paw, the monster catches sight of squishy pink pads and immediately dashes off in a sprint. It needs to find something with which to verify its body’s appearance. The search takes only a moment. A pool of water quickly comes into view, causing the monster to shriek in shock—“Meowwwhr…?!” It sees its reflection staring back with wide eyes—the reflection of a kitten. Status! the monster silently screams in its mind. In response, a number of words appear in its field of vision. “Status” is a self-analytical magic spell. Previously, as a knight, the monster could use the spell to ascertain its current condition. Apparently, the spell still works because the following appears: Name: None Type: Behemoth (cub) Innate Skills: None A be…behemoth?! The monster…no, the behemoth lets loose a shocked roar. Behemoths are S-ranked monsters. Aside from a few exceptions, monsters are ranked according to how dangerous they’re considered, going from E to S. A general breakdown is as follows: E rank = Monsters that the average person could defeat as long as they are properly equipped. D rank = Monsters that will be difficult to defeat for anyone lacking combat experience. C rank = Monsters that usually require at least several well-equipped warriors to defeat. Only accomplished veterans can challenge these monsters and hope to come out on top. B rank = Monsters that could easily wipe out a small village. Powerful skills are generally required to deal with them. A rank = Monsters that could easily raze an entire urban area. Although there are exceptions, defeating them usually calls for several warriors with high-level tactics and powerful skills. S rank = Monsters with enough power to possibly ruin entire nations. Confronting them usually requires states to assemble all available forces. Only a hero or someone comparable could even think of facing them alone. In other words, a behemoth is classified as one of the highest-ranked monsters. Behemoths inspire such dread that they’re sometimes thought of as natural disasters. I should be dead, but now I’m a monster… This must be the reincarnation that I’ve heard so much about… In this world, living things can be reborn after death. The behemoth begins to grasp that this is exactly what has happened. Myriad thoughts flood its mind. Receiving the chance at a second life is surely something to be thankful for. Still, to think that reincarnation would mean coming back in the form of a monster, the sworn enemy of humanity…unbelievable. Unfortunately, the behemoth doesn’t have any time to waste feeling distraught. Why? “Ghghwa!” “Gya-gwa-gwa-hhha!” Those voices belong to the behemoth’s enemies. Two goblins appear, both trailing strings of drool that hang from their mouths. They have green skin and childlike bodies—E-ranked monsters. The behemoth observes them. There’s no doubt these two want to eat me. And then— This is a serious predicament. Top-class monster or not, the behemoth is currently a cub with meager physical strength and no knowledge of how to use its powerful innate skills. At this rate, the poor beast will be ripped to shreds and eaten as raw meat. …If it was a normal behemoth, that is. “Meowww!” Don’t underestimate me, goblins! The behemoth cries out in an adorable voice and burrows its gaze into the goblins with cute eyes. Seeing this, both goblins emit a grating cry, “Gya-gwa-gwa-ha!” as if they can’t believe their own eyes. The goblins rush toward the behemoth, both brandishing daggers. “G-gwaaa!” One of the goblins swings its blade. An ordinary behemoth cub would have been felled with that one blow, its life forfeit. However, residing inside the body of this behemoth is the spirit of a battle-worn knight. This cub will not be easy prey. The behemoth predicts the incoming dagger’s path in an instant and sidesteps the attack with ease. After completing that maneuver, it rushes toward the goblin who struck nothing but air. Aiming for its knees, the behemoth rams its head into the goblin with all its might. “Gu-gwaaa?!!” The goblin, startled by the counterattack, cries out at the sharp pain running up its thigh before crumpling to the ground. Ngh…that was rather painful. I should avoid using too many charge attacks. The impact of the headbutt has also left the behemoth in pain, but that doesn’t stop it. “G-gwaaaa!!” Seeing its companion lying on the ground and grasping an injured shin, the second goblin roars in anger. Holding its dagger at an angle—neither straight-up nor level—the monster charges the behemoth, intent on slicing it to shreds. “Meow!” This is my chance! Tracking the dagger’s tip, the behemoth flips into the air. Arcing gracefully, it flies toward the goblin, whose blade cuts harmlessly through the space directly below. And then— Snikt! The razor-sharp claws extending from the behemoth’s teeny front legs sink into the goblin’s eyes, eliciting a scream that rattles the labyrinth. The reaction is only natural, given the blinding pain and loss of sight that’s thrown the monster into utter confusion. “Meow.” Let’s see now—let me test one of my innate skills, shall I? As the goblins writhe in agony, the behemoth decides to try using one of its skills. It chooses “Elemental Howl.” What sort of skill might it be? Concentrating on the skill’s name and preparing to let loose a howl, the behemoth notices a few words appear in its field of vision. Elemental Howl: (1) Flame Howl (2) Aqua Howl (3) Aether Howl (4) Rock Howl Hmm. Judging by these names, it seems I can activate various elemental skills. Looks like I can choose from fire, water, wind, or stone. Let’s use Flame Howl here. I haven’t the slightest clue as to how effective it might be, but I suspect it’s the strongest. “Meowww!” Flame Howl! The resulting sound is honestly too precious to be called a howl. Boom—!! However, a thunderous peal springs from the behemoth, and a scorching flame erupts alongside its howl. The firestorm engulfs both goblins for a few moments, leaving nothing behind but ash and dust. “Meowrrr.” Is it really possible to be this strong as a mere cub?! The behemoth is shocked at the completely unexpected level of power. It certainly appears to be a bona fide S-ranked monster. I lack a purpose, a goal. For now, I will simply do my best to survive. There must be a reason I was reborn with this body. The behemoth initially felt dismal after discovering it had been reborn as a monster, but for the moment, it’s resolved to focus on staying alive. The behemoth raises its voice in a cry. “Meyooow!!” The behemoth’s howl— This roar is the beginning of the tale of the unrivaled Strongest Cat that will be passed on to future generations.