Contaminated Beast

Contaminated Beast (汚染獣) is a type of monster that appears in Mass for the Dead.

Background
Contaminated Beasts are monsters and animals that were mutated by the miasma of the Cracks from the Catastrophe. These monsters serve as some of the major antagonists in the ruined New World as the three surviving nations: Re-Estize Kingdom, Baharuth Empire, and Slane Theocracy struggle to rebuild.

Appearance
Contaminated Beasts are infected by the Catastrophe that affected the world. They come in a multitude of forms, weaker variants are mostly contaminated living creatures that range from humanoid goblins, quadrupedal wolves, lumbering trolls, etc. But a common trait is that they possess glowing red eyes.

Abilities
Contaminated Beasts are stronger and more aggressive than baseline counterparts though are akin to berserkers with high levels of endurance. Additionally, they show no signs of fear, even against superior foes, and will continue to attack, risking death. Even with skills of a Beast Tamer, Contaminated Beasts are untamable creatures and cannot be intimidated.

Normally Contaminated Beasts will target any living being and devour them. However in the absence of prey, Contaminated Beasts will succumb to cannibalism.

It is theorized that the reason why these monsters attack indiscriminately is because their brain is severely affected by the miasma and thus it is not possible to make normal judgments. It is probable that the contaminated brain helps to remove the limiter for the body thus allowing the Contaminated Beast to move beyond its limit. To support this, from a dissection of a Contaminated Beast, it's learned that they undergo abnormal muscle development and damage. Strangely the damaged parts of Contaminated Beasts show signs of healing and physical strengthening giving them a muscle repair ability that allows them to heal at a speed that exceeds the damage they take.

An even more troubling discovery on the nature of Contaminated Beasts, discovered by Sophie Noia, is that once a creature has been contaminated, even death does not release it from its affliction. Experiments delving into resurrecting a subject has revealed that the subject was not restored to normal but remained a Contaminated Beast. This would indicate that the change Contaminated Beasts undergo is not simply just a poison but also changes their race.

According to Enhela Read Gahi, the process of contamination is just a incomplete method to evolve humanity into stronger beings as ordained from his interpretations by the Devourer of the Nine Worlds. The contamination is a trial by the god to cull out the weak so that only the worthy can survive. When those who are cure of the contamination, they are physically radically changed into stronger forms as shown with the example of Gazef Stronoff.

It has been inferred that if enough humans experience decontamination and successfully become enhanced, then it would change the evolution of humanity. Such concerns were raised by the Sorcerer Kingdom, the nation which developed the cure, as there is a possibility that humans could rise to beings on the level of a Pleiades or even higher.

Trivia

 * Usually, in the game, their appearances are heralded by cracks or ruptures in an area of space alongside Chaos Beasts.
 * Some monsters, like slimes, undead, constructs have been shown to be immune to the effects of the contaminated gas. So far no cure has been found to rid the effects of contamination, though the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Great Tomb of Nazarick are currently developing a cure.
 * The E-Rantel Magic Research Institute managed to develop a successful cure and applied it on Gazef Stronoff. The method did indeed restore Gazef Stronoff's mental ability, though unexpectedly the Warrior Captain retain super-human abilities that were far more enhanced even when he was a feral monster.
 * The cure for Contaminated Beasts was accidentally discovered through the application of the Melting Pot. It requires Chaos Stones and sacrifices, more specifically the corpses/souls of those who died tragically at the hands of Chaos Beasts. However in doing so those corpses which are used to cure the afflicted can never be revived again.
 * In the Chaos Zone, Contaminated Beasts are abound there, and able to function normally, albeit in smaller numbers compared to the Chaos Beasts which hunt them as prey.
 * According to himself Gazef believed that he was powerful enough to drive away Jaldabaoth. Though others like Nigun and Sebas Tian estimated his exact power level to be beyond an outlier or Pleiades but below a Floor Guardian.
 * When fighting, Gazef under his new abilities gains crimson red eyes like a Contaminated Beast.