Rei let out a sigh at the game-like elements Takumu had baked into his new existence. Though they were often jarring, he couldn't deny their utility, so he accepted them as he always did.
Seeing his reaction, Set rubbed its face against him as if to ask, "Is something wrong?"
"No, it’s nothing. More importantly, that Water Ball... it’s the same skill the Water Bear was using, right?"
"Guruu."
Set nodded in confirmation.
"Alright. In that case, can you try using it right now? I want to get a handle on our current combat strength."
"Gurururururuuu!"
Set let out a sharp roar, and a sphere of water about twenty centimeters in diameter materialized right in front of its beak. It looked identical to the one the Water Bear had manifested.
"Good. Now, try hitting that tree trunk over there."
"Guruu!"
Following Rei's command, Set launched the Water Ball. It traveled through the air with decent speed, though it was notably slower than the Water Bear's version. It collided squarely with the trunk... only for the impact to do little more than scatter bits of bark into the air.
"Guruu..."
Compared to the monster's version, both the velocity and the destructive power were clearly inferior. Furthermore, while the Water Bear had been able to fire three at once, Set could only manage a single sphere. Set lowered its head, looking visibly dejected after having been so confident a moment ago.
"Don't get so down, Set. It's only Level 1, so this is about what I expected. The Water Bear’s skill was likely a much higher level. If you keep absorbing more Magic Stones, the level of your Water Ball will eventually go up, and you'll acquire other skills, too."
"Guruu?"
Set tilted its head and looked up at Rei as if asking, "Really?" The gesture was purely adorable—it was hard to reconcile such behavior with the fact that it was a hybrid of an eagle, the King of the Sky, and a lion, the King of Beasts.
"Yeah. Besides, Water Ball isn't just for combat. At the very least, as long as I have you with me, we'll never have to worry about finding water."
"Guruu!"
Set let out a short cry that seemed to say "Leave it to me," its mood brightening instantly. Rei wondered if this simple-mindedness was because it was only two days old.
"Anyway, we’ve finished butchering the Water Bear, absorbed the Magic Stone, and confirmed the results. Let's get moving. Other monsters will be drawn here by the scent of blood soon, just like before."
"Guruu."
Set nodded, and they quickly vacated the area.
Left behind in the clearing were only the dark stains of blood and the offal Set had left uneaten.
About an hour had passed since they left the site of the battle. Rei continued through the dense forest, snacking on a Clara Fruit he had retrieved from the Misty Ring.
Suddenly, Set came to a halt and began scanning the surroundings.
"Set? An enemy?"
"Guruu."
Set nodded, its sharp gaze fixed on the trail behind them.
Rei stole a glance backward, but unfortunately, his human vision couldn't pick up anything in the shadows of the trees.
(I suppose there’s bound to be a difference between the five senses of a Beast and those of a human, even if this body was created by the greatest Mages. Now, how should I handle this?)
He gripped the Death Scythe in his right hand while checking the Mithril Knife at his waist. He hesitated for a moment, but since he might need to use magic, he decided on the Death Scythe despite its length being a hindrance in the brush.
"If they keep trailing us, they might attack while we're trying to make camp. Fine. Let’s meet them here."
"Gururuu."
Nodding in agreement, Set prepared a Water Ball, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The instant something shifted in the undergrowth, it launched the attack.
"Gyan!"
A yelp echoed from the point of impact. As if that were the signal, a pack of enemies began to emerge from the foliage.
"Wild dogs... no, wolves?"
The creatures were roughly knee-high to Rei, covered in grey fur. There were six in total.
"The numbers are high, but they look easier to handle than that Water Bear."
From what he could see, they weren't wreathed in water, and their size was comparable to an ordinary dog. Though they were wolves, Rei felt they would be more manageable opponents.
The two sides stared each other down, jockeying for position. Rei took the opportunity to quickly search through Zephyle's memories for information on the pack.
But then...
"What?"
"Guruu?"
Set reacted to Rei’s unintentional exclamation, but Rei simply shook his head to indicate it was nothing and focused back on the wolves.
Internally, Rei clicked his tongue. Unlike the Water Bear, these wolves were present in Zephyle's knowledge—but they weren't classified as Monsters.
Monsters, Beasts—the names varied, but they all referred to the same thing: creatures that possessed a crystal called a Magic Stone within their bodies, usually the heart. These creatures were inherently aggressive, attacking other species on sight. That was precisely why they were designated as "Magic" Beasts.
However, the wolves currently closing in on them were merely ordinary animals. They lacked Magic Stones.
In other words, no matter how many of these wolves they killed, they wouldn't obtain the materials needed to strengthen Set or the Death Scythe.
While ordinary animals could occasionally become Beasts through mutations, long-term exposure to a Magic Spot, or by accidentally swallowing a Magic Stone, these were clearly just common predators. The Water Bear they had fought earlier was likely one of the few that had successfully established a magical lineage.
(The only upside is meat for Set and pelts I might be able to sell... I guess.)
Since it was a fight with almost nothing to gain, Rei honestly wished they would just leave.
(Then again, it’s not like they’ll listen to reason. Guess I have no choice.)
He readied the Death Scythe. As if unable to withstand the tension any longer, one of the wolves lunged. The rest of the pack followed suit, but the forest was immediately filled with the sound of a pained shriek.
"Gafuh!"
The moment the first wolf leaped to snap at Rei's throat, Set swatted it down with its right foreleg.
Set was a creature born from Rei’s massive pool of Magic Power, and it was currently equipped with the Bracelet of Herculean Strength. Struck by a blow of that magnitude, an ordinary animal had no chance of survival. The wolf let out a pathetic yelp as it was sent flying; by the time it hit the ground, more than half its skull had been pulverized. It was dead before it stopped sliding.
"Hah!"
Simultaneously, Rei lunged at an incoming wolf, thrusting the blunt end of the Death Scythe’s handle forward.
Having realized the extent of his physical capabilities during the fight with the Water Bear, Rei was able to handle the wolves with relative ease.
"Gyan!"
The wolf’s chest was pierced through by the handle. Without slowing down, Rei swung the shaft—with the dead wolf still impaled on the end—into another wolf that was about to leap. Both animals were sent tumbling away in a heap.
"Gururururuu!"
Set launched a Water Ball as a follow-up. While weak compared to the bear's attack, it was more than enough to snuff out the life of a common wolf.
"Three left. Set, let’s finish this!"
"Guruu!"
Set barked sharply, and the pair charged.
"Garurururu."
Having lost half their pack in seconds, the remaining three wolves became cautious, circling Rei and Set warily. However, they showed no signs of retreating.
"Gururuu!"
Set fired another Water Ball as a feint, forcing the wolves to split up. Rei charged the gap, switching the Death Scythe to his left hand and drawing the Mithril Knife with his right.
"Gaaa!"
One of the wolves lunged at him, aiming for his throat with the practiced instinct of a hunter.
"Not today!"
Rei drove the Mithril Knife straight into the wolf’s open maw.
Due to their anatomy, if a foreign object is forced deep into the throat of a canine, they cannot close their jaws until they've spat it out. Rei exploited this weakness. Furthermore, the Mithril Knife was currently infused with his abundant Magic Power, granting the blade legendary sharpness.
"Gafuu."
The blade didn't just pierce the wolf’s throat; it sheared clean through the upper half of its head.
"Gururururururururuuuuuu!"
Set let out an intimidating roar that shook the trees.
With only two wolves left, their numerical advantage was gone. Realizing the fight was hopeless, the remaining pair turned and vanished into the depths of the forest without a backward glance.
Rei didn't bother to give chase. There was no point in hunting animals that didn't provide Magic Stones.
"Well, that’s that, I suppose."
"Guruu."
Rei gave Set a grateful pat, then stored the four wolf carcasses into the Misty Ring. They wouldn't provide Magic Stones, but the meat and pelts were still useful resources.
"However, this is a problem."
"Guruu?"
Set tilted its head curiously. Rei continued while stroking its feathers.
"We only left the Barrier a few hours ago, and we’ve already been attacked by a Water Bear and a wolf pack. That means there are more monsters and predators in this forest than I anticipated. Camping here is going to be incredibly dangerous."
Rei organized his thoughts as he spoke. A few minutes later, he looked Set in the eye.
"Listen, Set. Can I ride on your back and have you dash through the forest? I want to get out of these woods in one go rather than risk being ambushed while we sleep. Once we reach the outskirts, the threat of Dragon Species should diminish, so we can probably fly to cover more ground."
"Guruu!"
Set immediately crouched down, urging Rei to climb on as if saying "No problem!"
"Thanks. I'll make sure you get plenty of Water Bear meat once we're out of here. For now, have this to wet your throat."
Rei pulled a Clara Fruit from the Misty Ring and offered it to Set.
"Gururuu."
Set let out a happy cry and bit into the juicy fruit.
"Alright, let's get through this forest... I'm counting on you."
Realizing the Death Scythe would be an obstacle while riding, Rei stored it in the Misty Ring and swung himself onto Set’s back.
"Let’s go!"
"Gurururururuuuuu!"
With a majestic roar, Set kicked off the ground. It accelerated with such incredible speed that the forest scenery became a blur.
Rei could only managed a wry smile as he clung to Set's back.
"I see. So you were holding back to match my walking speed this whole time."
"Guruu?"
Set made a questioning sound in its throat. Rei just scratched the back of its head, telling it that it was nothing.