Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race

Objectively speaking, Rygar was as strong as a King-level combatant, but it wasn't that simple—there were many variables in a person's combat strength. For example, if Rygar concentrated a large amount of mana into a single Hellish Slash, as he had done at the Black Troll's base, and ambushed Ghislaine, she would almost certainly be killed, and if she survived, it would be by sheer luck and with grave injuries.

If he kept his distance, he could even use the King-level spell Earth Rupture to massacre an entire army, as he was almost certain he could wield its superior version, the Emperor-level Earthquake.

However, in the midst of close-quarters combat, these spells couldn't be used casually. His ability to manipulate mana was already extremely fast, allowing him to cast spells even in high-speed battles, but they had their limits. Against Ghislaine, he couldn't strengthen his spells as much as usual, because a single delay would result in his defeat.

Other variables included nearby allies who restricted his magic, the information the enemy had on him, natural counterattacks—such as the Flow of the Water God Style, which could cut through magic—among others.

This was also why he was truly enjoying Lightning Magic—it was fast, lethal, contained, and nearly indefensible. The same went for Barrier Magic, which had incredible versatility and potential.

The night at Joylore's mansion was torn apart by a deafening shockwave. Sparks cut through the air as Ghislaine fought Donar Bonart and the two knights. All three opponents had mastered Flow, severely restricting Ghislaine's Longsword of Light. They seemed unwavering, and the beast woman was at a great disadvantage—her swift and lethal attacks were always defended against and countered. And whenever she had a chance to kill one of them, Bonart would always interfere.

Ghislaine vanished into a blur, her sword whistling through the air. Her strike was met by the blade of one of the Saint-tier knights, who slightly tilted his weapon, redirecting the force of the attack into the ground. The floor cracked under the impact, but the man remained firm. Donar and the other knight moved simultaneously, flowing like waves toward Ghislaine.

But Rygar, who had regained consciousness, had finally healed his wounds enough to fight. He wielded only Tsukikage, as only emptiness remained where his left arm had once been.

Rygar dashed forward, his blue blade gleaming as it reflected the flames he had conjured. With a snap, he unleashed an arc of fire, attempting to force Donar to halt his attack. But the Water God King merely rotated his sword toward it, slicing vertically through the incoming wave of fire. Rygar watched intently with his Magic Eye—that use of Touki was truly mysterious and fascinating.

"Tch..." Rygar growled, leaping to the side the moment a swift thrust from the other knight attempted to pierce his flank.

He conjured a stone barrier between them, causing the blade to ricochet. Donar advanced, stopping beside Rygar with an upward slash. The silver blade gleamed, reflecting the lightning Rygar instinctively conjured in counterattack.

Electricity exploded across the battlefield, and Donar was momentarily stunned as he witnessed this unknown magic. The speed of the attack and the element of surprise prevented him from making an adequate defensive move, sending him flying like a ragdoll. The mansion's walls and pillars collapsed from the impact of the lightning.

Rygar didn't stop the lightning and redirected it toward the knight closest to Ghislaine. The man felt his arm hairs stand on end but remained calm. When he thought of using Flow to absorb the attack, it had already struck, sending him flying dozens of meters just like the first.

The knight flanking Rygar didn't allow him to continue, attacking from behind, forcing him to block with Tsukikage, interrupting his spell.

Ghislaine smiled. Her body moved a mere instant after understanding what had happened—she targeted the knight attacking Rygar. Before he could react, Ghislaine was upon him, executing a perfect Longsword of Light. He focused all his attention on defending the lethal strike, barely managing to redirect the blow with his sword and suffering a wound to his shoulder.

Rygar didn't waste the opportunity. Fighting with only one arm felt strange, but he still had his legs. He spun, confusing the knight, and landed a kick to his ribs. The force sent the knight hurtling backward, leaving a deep trench in the stone floor and crashing through wall after wall.

At that moment, Donar Bonart emerged from the rubble, holding a glowing magic circle in his hand—likely what he had used to dispel the electricity from his body.

Analyzing the battle, he spoke with a look of disgust, "Demonic magic… Only Laplace could control magic at such a level! It seems you've delved even deeper into the demonic path than I had imagined…"

When Rygar saw him, he frowned. "Those healing magic circles are a problem. We have to kill them immediately when we wound them."

Ghislaine silently agreed and charged again, while Rygar rushed toward the other knight who had been struck by lightning before he could recover.

Donar remained impassive, like a mountain. His body moved like water flowing over a rock, dodging each of Ghislaine's attacks with supernatural fluidity.

Shockwaves from their clashes rippled through the debris-filled battlefield.

Then, he struck.

Rygar reached the knight, who was getting up and assuming the Water God style stance, but still seemed dazed. In that brief pause, Rygar channeled as much mana as he could into Tsukikage. Since his sword now required nine times less mana for the same level of attack, even those few instants were enough for high-temperature purple flames to course along his blade.

Rygar attacked with a magic-infused stance, his magic eye scanning beyond the warrior to ensure no one else was caught in the crossfire.

The warrior saw Rygar's intent, and terror flashed across his face. He retreated as fast as he could, but his muscles were still stiff from the lightning.

It was enough.

Rygar spoke in his mind, 'Hellish Slash – Reduced.'

The Saint-level warrior desperately raised his sword to defend, but it was futile. A massive, flaming slash erupted forth. Rygar's low stance allowed him to launch the strike upward—his ascending slash tearing through the space ahead like a whirlwind of pure destruction. The purple flame expanded violently, rising like a demonic wave of fire toward the sky, consuming everything in its path.

The upper half of the warrior was turned to ashes, while the lower half fell to the ground with a dull thud. Rygar heard the other knight, the one he had kicked away, screaming as he charged toward him.

"NOOOO, YOU FREAK, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Meanwhile, Ghislaine struck at Donar from all sides, but the warrior remained untouchable.

He raised his blade, and for an instant, the world seemed to freeze.

As Ghislaine attacked once more, he used the Water God style's secret technique.

"Tidal Flow," Donar recited, his voice as sharp as a blade.

Ghislaine was moments away from completing her strike when she heard it. Her instincts screamed at her, and she abandoned the attack, leaping back. But contrary to her expectations, she couldn't escape the range of his sword—no matter her speed, it felt as if she were being pulled in, as if the attack was inescapable.

But Ghislaine was no ordinary warrior. She observed and analyzed the situation in an instant, making the best possible decision.

She struck Donar's sword with Hiramune. Their blades clashed—like a speeding car crashing into a stationary truck—neither side gained the upper hand, and a shockwave erupted, cracking the ground around them.

Ghislaine, her sharp gaze locked onto Donar, sensed the danger of this technique, realizing that this must have been what took Rygar's arm.

Rygar was locked in combat with the remaining knight but used Flash Step to instantly distance himself.

He began chanting earth magic. His hands glowed with heavy energy as he summoned massive stone pillars that erupted from the ground, forming impenetrable barriers that disrupted Donar's movements. But that alone wasn't enough to destabilize Tidal Flow. Donar reacted swiftly, cutting down any attacks aimed at him. He was confident in blocking almost any magic with his sword—except for lightning magic, which forced him to retreat.

But killing him wasn't Rygar's goal—only restraining him.

"Now!" Rygar shouted.

Ghislaine wasted no time. With her blinding speed, she surged forward like a storm, delivering a lethal strike to the last remaining knight. The man attempted to dodge using Flow, but he was already exhausted and had bruised ribs. Ghislaine struck him with a swift, deep, and precise cut. He staggered, staring at the diagonal wound that had sliced through his organs and bones before collapsing heavily to the ground.

The tide of battle had shifted. Donar was now alone.

"It can't end like this…," Donar muttered, his face dark. He tried to regain control, but Rygar and Ghislaine's confidence was overwhelming. The battle was about to take a decisive turn.

With a resolute movement, Ghislaine attacked again.

The Joylore mansion was rapidly crumbling from the intensity of the battle. Few structures remained standing after the relentless fighting.

Donar looked around, frustration twisting his face. He knew he was only alive because he practiced the Water God style, focusing on defense. But at the same time, there was no turning back—he could only stall for as long as possible. Those flashy magic attacks had undoubtedly drawn the attention of Milishion.

The battlefield was engulfed in chaos. The Joylore mansion, now mostly in ruins, trembled under the force of explosions and clashing blades.

The intensity of the fight had devastated the area. It was only a matter of time before they killed him—one mistake, and he would be struck by lightning. But at that moment, Rygar heard, in the distance, near Milishion's gates, about ten people rapidly approaching the mansion.

They were winning, without a doubt—but time was against them. Milishion certainly wouldn't send weaklings knowing Donar was already here.

Rygar was decisive. He wouldn't hesitate and allow reinforcements to arrive and settle the fight.

Donar Bonart, now visibly exhausted and wounded, was struggling to maintain his composure.

Rygar spoke. "Ghislaine, Milishion has sent reinforcements. I'm going to free my subordinates, and we're leaving immediately. Can you hold him off?"

She looked at him. The intensity of the battle was immense, yet Ghislaine remained calm, her gaze unwavering, without hesitation.

"I can."

Without hesitation, Ghislaine launched herself at Donar with lethal speed, her blade slicing through the air with precision.

Donar, now more aggressive, unleashed a furious attack, using Tidal Flow in an attempt to regain control of the fight.

Seeing the opportunity, Rygar did not hesitate. He shot forward toward the staircase leading to the prisoners, his only hand gathering Lightning magic into Tsukikage. Meanwhile, Ghislaine continued pressing Donar. The force of her attacks made it impossible for the already wounded and exhausted knight to stop Rygar.

Rygar quickly found the staircase and ran without stopping. The air underground was dense, saturated with the acrid scent of dried blood and rotting flesh. Heavy footsteps echoed through the damp corridors as Rygar descended the stone stairs, his mind still reverberating with the adrenaline of battle. His heart pounded rapidly, but nothing could have prepared him for what he would find below.

As he crossed the final passage, he froze. The scene before him was a living nightmare.

Bodies. Mutilated bodies hung from iron hooks embedded in the ceiling, their mangled forms swaying slightly in the cold, fetid air. Arms and legs had been torn off at the base, leaving only bloodied torsos and faces twisted in agony. Puddles of blood soaked the stone floor, forming a crimson swamp around the corpses. Some mouths were still open in silent screams, frozen in the torment of their last breaths. The flickering torchlight trembled over the macabre scene, casting grotesque shadows on the damp walls.

At the center of the chamber, a young guard wearing the blue armor of the Templar Order held his sword with trembling hands, protecting Linstar Joylore. The man who had sent assassins to kill Verdia, the one who had captured his subordinates. Beside Linstar, a mage—or perhaps a priest—stood with a neutral posture, observing everything with no apparent emotion. But Rygar couldn't take his eyes off the mutilated bodies.

Apparently, they were behind a Magic Barrier as their last line of defense.

His chest tightened as he recognized the prisoners hanging near the barrier. Six had been taken... and now, five were hanging. Among them, Kidar. The man who had been with Rygar since the early days of his fight against the slave traffickers in the Great Forest. Kidar was dead. There was no movement, no sign of breathing. His glazed eyes stared into nothingness, his mouth slightly open as if he still wanted to say something. Rygar felt something inside him shatter.

Of the other four, two were barely alive. Their weak breaths and skeletal bodies were covered in marks of torture—one of them was Taes. Only one still had all their limbs intact, unconscious and hanging like the others. Guilt struck Rygar like a serrated blade. He should have arrived sooner. He should have been faster. His mind swirled in a whirlwind of emotions: shock, rage, sorrow, guilt. A primal scream threatened to escape his throat, his consciousness teetering on the edge, his eyes burning with restrained fury.

But then, a voice cut through the silence, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"You see?! I told you to go help in the fight! Now what will you do?!" Linstar shouted in desperation, casting a panicked glance at the guard beside him.

The young knight hesitated, adjusting his stance. "We're surrounded by a King-level physical and magical barrier... And I'm here to protect you as a last resort, sir—"

He never finished the sentence.

A thunderous crack tore through the air. In one instant, the guard was alive; in the next, his body was split in half. Rygar's blade, cloaked in violet lightning, cut through him as if slicing through air. Only after Rygar had already crossed the space between them did the shockwave hit, sending blood and viscera exploding across the floor. Rage boiled inside him like magma, his body pulsing with an almost tangible killing intent.

Linstar collapsed to his knees, his eyes wide with pure terror. His body trembled uncontrollably, and a foul stench filled the air as he wet himself. "Don't kill me!" he begged, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Your master killed my parents first!"

Rygar didn't blink. The hatred in his gaze was deep, abyssal, something that consumed any trace of mercy within him. "What a shame I don't have time to give you the most painful death possible." His voice was as cold as ice. "Despite everything, you still have some luck left."

Linstar opened his mouth to scream, trying to utter another desperate plea, but all that was heard was the sharp crack of a stone fired at absurd speed. The projectile pierced his skull like a rifle shot, scattering bone fragments and brain matter across the bloodied floor. Linstar Joylore died without even understanding what had happened.

Rygar slowly turned to the priest, his eyes still burning with fury. The man showed no fear, only acceptance.

"If you can heal their limbs, you're free," Rygar said, his voice empty.

As if he had been expecting it, the priest nodded. "You can heal them faster. Their wounds aren't fatal—just blood loss. But to restore their limbs, Saint-level magic is required." He pointed to a sack nearby. "The bones and limbs of the two survivors are in there."

Rygar wasted no time. He rushed to Taes and the other survivor, activating his healing magic. The wounds closed, the bleeding stopped, and their breathing steadied. It wasn't enough, but it was a start.

Taes opened his eyes for a moment, his gaze empty, but a miserable smile curled his bloodied lips when he saw Rygar. "I... didn't tell them anything, Boss..." His voice was a whisper before he slipped back into unconsciousness.

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