Reincarnated as a Carnivorous Plant

The massive rat was sniffing him with its grotesque, quivering nose.

The creature's breath was hot and reeked of decay, its oily whiskers twitching as it assessed this seemingly insignificant plant in its path.

Haeto, motionless and silent, could feel the beast's breath wash over his plant body.

He was frozen.

Why?

What was this alien sensation gripping him so tightly?

Fear.

Why was he scared?

Haeto had been the infamous "Green Reaper," a serial killer who struck terror into the hearts of his victims. Yet now, rooted in place, he felt powerless, a fragile thing beneath the shadow of this monstrosity.

Was it because he had been reborn?

The plant's instinct?

Was it the fear of losing the system, his lifeline in this unforgiving world?

Or was it something deeper?

Suddenly, Haeto's fragmented memories stirred. He saw fleeting glimpses of his wife—her voice, her warmth, her words: Protect the environment, Haeto.

But her face remained a blur.

Why couldn't he remember her?

Why did her words haunt him now?

He clenched his head for more information, desperate for clarity, but the only thing that came was the lingering sting of loss.

Back on Earth, he was no one special.

He wasn't a genius or a hero.

He was a simple man—just a man.

Then, the truth slithered back into his thoughts.

He became a killer because of her.

His wife had been tormented by wealthy, powerful men who cared nothing for the environment she had cherished.

They drained her spirit which led her to her death.

Haeto had loved her more than anything, but he had been powerless to protect her.

After her death, something inside him snapped.

He wanted revenge—but he knew it wouldn't come easy.

To strike fear into those powerful men, he had to become fear itself.

He trained for months, hunting animals in secret, perfecting the art of death.

First small ones, then larger ones.

Each life he took brought him closer to his ultimate goal: vengeance.

Now, standing face to face with this monstrous rat, Haeto felt those old instincts awaken.

The fear was still there, but now it was accompanied by something else: rage.

"So what if it's bigger?" Haeto muttered under his breath, trembling but one could feel his resolve building. "It's still just a rat."

The thought burned through every blood vessel of his body, they were hot and searing, enough to melt the cold moon itself.

Yes, he was just a plant now.

Yes, his body was weak, rooted, and immobile. But that didn't make him helpless.

Memories of his first kills flashed in his mind—the animals he had hunted, the blood he had spilled.

Back then, he hadn't been anything special either. Yet he had learned. He had adapted. And he had survived. And became a serial killer.

And how did he become like that?

Spite!

Humanity was driven by spite!

Why are nuclear bombs created?

Spite!

Mutual destruction!

So if this was his end, Haeto wasn't going down without a fight. If he couldn't kill the rat, he would leave it scarred, marked, and in pain—yes—a pain!

With that resolve, Haeto's carnivorous maw opened wide, revealing his jagged, crimson teeth.

He waited, patient and calculating, for the perfect moment.

Until… the rat leaned in closer, its grotesque nose twitching mere inches from Haeto's sharp tongue.

And then, he struck.

Bang!

Haeto's teeth clamped down on the rat's nose with all the force he could muster.

The impact was jarring, and the rat's head snapped back in shock.

The beast let out a deafening screech, a sound that reverberated through the clearing and sent smaller creatures scurrying into the shadows.

The pain registered immediately.

Blood dripped from its nose as Haeto's teeth sank deeper, refusing to let go.

The rat writhed, shaking its head violently in an attempt to dislodge the plant's grip, but Haeto held on with a fury born of desperation.

For the first time, the rat felt pain—real, searing pain.

But Haeto didn't care.

He wasn't fighting to win.

He wasn't fighting to survive.

He wasn't fighting to prove a point like he wasn't prey.

He was fighting, just to cause harm!

Out of spite!

That's how he became a serial killer!

Just to cause harm!

He became a serial killer not because he is talented or torture his opponent, he just wanted to cause harm!

The rat's face twisted, its beady eyes narrowed into slits.

The pain quickly gave way to fury.

Its lips curled back, revealing sharp yellowed teeth, and a low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat.

The air grew heavy as the rat's massive form loomed closer. Its claws flexed, digging into the dirt with a sound like grinding stone.

The beast was no longer sniffing or assessing him.

Now, the rat is enraged.

Haeto doesn't care even if the rat's face contorted into pure, unbridled anger!

As for the reason it didn't attack him immediately like others?

He could also care less about it!

To cause pain!

As much as he could!

Not long, the massive rat growled deeply, the sound resonating like distant thunder as it loomed over Haeto.

Its nostrils flared with pain, blood dripping steadily from the gash Haeto had inflicted earlier.

The rat hesitated, its beady eyes narrowing with a mix of anger and caution. Haeto, rooted in place yet unyielding, felt his instincts screaming for him to attack again.

The beast might have been ten times his size, but Haeto knew one thing for certain: even giants had weak spots.

The rat lunged forward, baring its jagged yellow teeth in an attempt to snap Haeto's stem in half. But Haeto was no ordinary plant.

He timed his movement perfectly, his maw snapping shut not on the rat's teeth but its nose once again.

Crunch!

The sound of impact reverberated through the clearing as Haeto's sharp jaws sank deep into the soft cartilage of the rat's nose.

Blood spurted from the fresh wound, staining the earth below.

The rat let out a high-pitched shriek of pain, its body jerking violently as it tried to shake Haeto off.

The struggle began in earnest.

The rat reared back, thrashing its head left and right, attempting to dislodge Haeto's vice-like grip.

Haeto held on, his teeth embedded firmly in the creature's flesh.

Every movement sent tremors through his fragile body, but he refused to let go.

The rat slammed its face into the ground repeatedly, the impact shaking the dirt and causing nearby plants to sway.

Still, Haeto held on.

The rat's strength was overwhelming, its massive paws clawing at the dirt in frustration as it tried to maneuver its head to bite Haeto.

But Haeto was experienced, along with his predatory instincts and his serial killer honed from years of hunting people on Earth.

He read and anticipated each move, every shift in the rat's posture, he would adjust his grip accordingly.

The stalemate dragged on, each second feeling like an eternity.

The rat's movements grew more erratic, its fury mounting as it realized it couldn't overpower the unyielding plant.

Its nostrils flared, its breath coming in ragged huffs as it finally pulled back, retreating a few steps to assess the situation.

Haeto didn't let up.

The moment the rat hesitated, Haeto's mind raced.

If the nose isn't working, there's another spot… His gaze, though unseen, focused sharply on the rat's ears—soft, fleshy, and just as vulnerable as its nose.

The rat lowered its head, preparing to charge again.

It seemed to have decided that it couldn't risk another nose injury.

Instead, it aimed to use the top of its head as a battering ram, hoping to crush Haeto's delicate stem.

Haeto tensed.

This was his moment.

As the rat lunged forward, Haeto swayed to the side slightly with his maw snapping open just as the beast's ear came within range.

Snap!

Haeto's teeth clamped down on the rat's ear with a ferocity that sent shockwaves through the creature's body.

The rat screamed—a piercing, guttural sound that echoed through the Grum forest.

It thrashed wildly, its massive body twisting and writhing as it tried to escape the searing pain.

Blood poured from its torn ear, splattering across Haeto and the ground in a violent spray.

The struggle intensified.

The rat bucked and twisted, slamming its head into the ground and rolling onto its side in an attempt to crush Haeto.

Dirt and debris flew everywhere, the clearing becoming a chaotic mess of flailing limbs and violent movement.

Haeto's grip faltered for a moment, the sheer force of the rat's struggles testing the limits of his strength.

But Haeto wasn't just a plant.

He murders people.

With every move, Haeto adjusted his position, biting deeper into the rat's ear and causing fresh waves of pain to shoot through its body.

The rat's shrieks grew desperate, its thrashing becoming more erratic as it realized it couldn't shake him off.

Blood soaked the ground, the air thick with the metallic scent of violence.

The rat's once-imposing form now looked battered and desperate, its movements slowing as exhaustion began to set in.

Haeto, though weary, refused to relent.

Finally, the rat had enough.

With one last ear-splitting screech, it wrenched itself free, leaving a torn, bloodied piece of its ear in Haeto's jaws.

The creature stumbled back, its body heaving as it struggled to regain its balance.

It stared at Haeto, its beady eyes wide with a mix of pain, fear, and disbelief.

And then, it turned and ran.

The ground shook beneath its heavy footsteps as it disappeared into the forest, its injured form leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

Haeto remained rooted on the spot, but with it running, the victory was his!