Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race

The smell of blood lingered in the air, thick and nauseating, mixing with the stifling heat of the hall filled with bodies. The floor was drenched in crimson, and the knight's scattered entrails gave the scene a grotesque appearance. Rygar took a deep breath, suppressing the fury burning within him. There was no time for mourning now. His gaze shifted to one of the hanging bodies. Still intact and breathing.

Poulak.

The beastman of the Adoldia race was hanging from a hook, bound by chains, his breathing ragged and uneven. Rygar quickly approached and woke him with a slight shock. His eyes shot open, wide with terror. He choked on a sob and tried to move, but his body was still weak. When he finally focused on the figure before him, his fearful gaze turned into pure relief. Tears welled up in his eyes as he mumbled, his voice trembling:

"Finally... Boss... The others... they..."

Rygar cut him off abruptly. The rumbling from the upper floor echoed through the mansion, reminding him of the urgency of the situation. Milis reinforcements were on their way, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time here.

"There's no time for explanations. Taes and Fehel are still alive. Take them back to Tinaver." His voice was firm and unwavering. "And take this bag. It has their missing limbs. The journey will only take a few hours, but I'll meet you on the way."

With precise movement, Rygar raised his blade and cut the chains binding Poulak, healing his wounds swiftly. The beastman collapsed onto his knees for a moment, still trying to process everything, but soon his expression changed. The fear clouding his eyes was now replaced by determination.

"I won't fail you again, Boss." He nodded and, with effort, carefully lifted Taes and Fehel onto his shoulders.

Wasting no time, Rygar raised his hand and focused his mana. The air vibrated around him, and with a single sharp glance from his magic eye, he fired a concentrated blast of fire at the ceiling. The stone structure gave way, opening a hole wide enough for Poulak to pass through. Then, he quickly molded an improvised staircase with earth magic, creating a safe path for escape.

Poulak didn't hesitate. With his comrades on his shoulders, he climbed through the passage without looking back. Rygar watched his figure disappear through the opening before turning his attention to the priest, who still stood motionless amidst the massacre.

"Are you a Saint-level healing mage?" Rygar asked, his voice returning to its usual cold tone.

The priest, a man in white robes with weary features, nodded slowly. Rygar narrowed his eyes.

"Where does House Joylore keep its spells?"

The man didn't hesitate. He simply pointed to a side door in the hall and answered directly:

"There's a barrier protecting them. The password is a combination of codes."

While speaking, he was already walking toward the door, touching its surface and murmuring low incantations. A slight magical ripple swept through the invisible barrier protecting the entrance, and a metallic sound echoed as the lock disengaged.

Rygar frowned. He had intended to extract information from the priest by force and then kill him, but now the situation was becoming confusing. Why was he helping so readily? He narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

"Who are you... and why are you helping me?"

The priest seemed surprised by the question. After a moment, he murmured:

"Didn't you make a deal with the Pope? Then why haven't you killed me?"

Rygar narrowed his eyes.

"The Pope? I made no deal. I simply invaded the Joylore House after learning that my subordinates were here."

Now it was the priest's turn to look truly shocked. His face paled as he muttered:

"You're insane..."

He took a deep breath and, now showing slight fear, continued:

"I was sent here by the Pope to ensure your loved ones wouldn't die. Unfortunately, Kidar provoked Lord Linstar too much, who killed him personally, but Taes Dedoldia and Fehel are only alive because I kept them that way. Someone from your Legion contacted the Pope's faction after the kidnapping, since you weren't around to help. That's why I thought you hadn't killed me... because that was the deal."

Sweat began to drip down the priest's forehead as his eyes darted to the shattered remains of the Joylore knight on the ground. It was obvious he had realized how close he had been to death.

Rygar remained silent for a moment. His gaze fixed on the priest, evaluating his breathing and heartbeat. Nothing indicated a lie. That only deepened his disappointment in himself. His rage had completely blinded him. And now, the mistakes he had made that night could not be erased.

At last, he sighed.

"I'll believe you... for now."

The priest nodded quickly, relieved. Without further delay, Rygar entered the spell chamber of the Joylore House.

The shelves were filled with ancient grimoires and well-preserved scrolls. His eyes scanned the rows of books, quickly grabbing any spell or enchantment he had yet to master. His master possessed vast knowledge, and few books here were new to him. However, what he managed to gather amounted to a heavy backpack.

And then, his eyes widened as he found something unexpected.

A healing spell and some detoxification spells at Saint level.

A subtle smile formed on his face. In just thirty seconds, he gathered everything he could carry and left the chamber, still feeling his heart pounding as memories of his actions that night surfaced—he couldn't afford to stop and think.

Rygar took a deep breath, focusing on his surroundings. His beastly senses picked up the faintest sounds from the surface. With his sharpened hearing, he discerned the heavy, coordinated footsteps of Milis reinforcements approaching the main entrance of the Joylore House. His magic-enhanced eyes gleamed as they pierced through walls and obstacles, revealing the presence of multiple warriors emerging from the shadows of the night. Time was against him.

—

Outside, the battle was still ongoing. Ghislaine, the Black Wolf, faced Donar Bonart, master of the Water God Style. The fight was evenly matched. As fast and precise as she was, the fluid and relentless form of Donar's defense nullified her attacks. Her blade was deflected, her offense repelled. However, Ghislaine's beastly instincts allowed her to avoid the lethal strikes of the secret technique, Tide Flow, keeping her alive.

Then, realizing the disadvantage of continuing the duel, Ghislaine leaped back, putting distance between herself and her opponent. The next instant, the ground where she had stood was shattered by a brutal impact. A massive hammer descended like thunder, cracking the earth with its destructive force. The blow came from one of the new opponents who had just arrived.

Ten knights emerged around the battlefield, their armor gleaming under the moonlight. The silver, blue, and white colors marked their affiliations: Knights of the Church Order, the Temple Order, and the Order of Instruction. Each of them was at least a Saint-level warrior. Four of them, however, emanated an even more menacing presence, surpassing that classification.

At the center of the group, imposing and unshakable, stood Galgard Nash Venick, the man known as 'The Strongest Man' in Milis, commander of the Order of Instruction. His silver armor shone brilliantly, his broad sword resting at his waist like a slumbering beast. The aura he exuded was heavy, dense, almost suffocating. Ghislaine glanced at him and frowned. He was dangerous—almost as dangerous as her master, Gall Farion.

The priests moved quickly, healing Donar Bonart while Galgard analyzed the scene. His cold, meticulous gaze studied Ghislaine, capturing every detail of her stance. Then, his voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade:

"What does the renowned Black Wolf have against Milis to justify this attack?"

His voice was deep, expressionless, laden with absolute authority. He rarely smiled, and even standing still, his presence was overwhelming.

Ghislaine remained firm, her expression serious and vigilant.

"I came to help a friend." Her response was simple, but her determination was clear.

Before Galgard could respond, the ground beneath them exploded. From underground, a figure emerged, engulfed in blazing flames. The searing heat spread instantly, distorting the air around him and making the knights instinctively step back. The presence was overwhelming.

Rygar Adoldia burst from the rubble, wielding Tsukikage with his lone arm. Fierce flames enveloped the blue blade, dancing like hungry serpents. His expression was calm, but his eyes burned with incandescent determination.

"Ghislaine, fall back. Leave this to me." His voice was firm, unquestionable.

Ghislaine hesitated for a second, analyzing his expression. Then, seeing the unwavering confidence in him, she nodded and stepped back.

Rygar turned his gaze to Galgard and the other knights. He raised his voice, clear and imposing:

"I am Rygar Adoldia, of the Doldia Tribe and leader of the Iron Legion."

Silence lingered for a moment. Then, one of the knights from the Temple Order muttered, his tone dripping with contempt:

"Don't forget to add 'genocidal' to your introduction."

Before he could continue, Galgard shot him a sharp look. The knight immediately fell silent, feeling the weight of his leader's presence.

Rygar did not waver. His flames flared, crackling with increasing intensity. His gaze locked onto the Strongest Man of the Order of Instruction.

 The tension was palpable.

"Rygar Adoldia."

The name was spoken firmly by Galgard Nash Venick. The man kept his eyes fixed on the figure before him. Rygar's sword, Tsukikage, burned with violent blue flames, and the ground around them had turned into a sea of molten rock. The scorching heat distorted the air, and the nearby walls were already turning to ash. Even so, Galgard did not move.

"I hope you have a good explanation for your indiscriminate massacre of the knights of the Temple Order and House Joylore." His voice was as sharp as his blade, each word carefully chosen.

Rygar raised an eyebrow at the choice of words. He didn't say "knights of Milis" but instead deliberately separated the groups, leaving room for justification. Even so, the knights surrounding Galgard frowned, some clenching their fists, others their jaws. Their anger was palpable, but still contained by the presence of their commander.

Rygar took a deep breath, expanding his barrier against the heat so that his own flames wouldn't consume him.

"I came to rescue my subordinates, who were being cruelly tortured and killed when I arrived." His voice carried pure hatred.

Galgard continued staring at him, seemingly unfazed by the fire accumulating on the blade.

"And do you have proof of these events?"

Rygar scoffed, mocking.

"Just look in the mansion's underground. You will see the rot of a noble Milis house." He spat on the ground, but the saliva evaporated before it even touched it.

The knights shifted, even more irritated. However, none of them moved. Everyone there knew what that sword in Rygar's hand had done in the Zant Port forest. They hesitated not out of a lack of courage but out of pure survival instinct.

Galgard furrowed his brow, his expression growing even more severe.

"That justifies the guards and even the Joylore family. But what about the servants? Even the children who lived in this mansion? Is this how the Iron Legion does things?"

Those words hit Rygar like an invisible strike. For a moment, his mind went blank. He had been avoiding and pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind. Amidst the heat of battle, his fury, and thirst for revenge, he had struck indiscriminately.

But he couldn't afford to show weakness now.

"Taes Dedoldia is thirteen years old," he retorted aggressively, trying to stifle the growing guilt. "Do you think he's not a child? I found him mutilated, missing all four limbs, covered in lacerations! Is this how Milis does things?!"

His voice trembled with genuine rage, but his own justification sounded hollow even to himself. The images of the battle resurfaced in his mind. He remembered the cuts he had inflicted, the fire consuming bodies that perhaps weren't warriors, the absolute destruction he had caused. And now, faced with Galgard's accusation, he tried to appear unaffected.

Galgard remained silent, but his expression hardened, a slight disgust clearly discernible on his face.

"Indeed, the Joylore family deserved the fate that befell them… if your claims are true. But from what I've heard, Taes Dedoldia was a warrior… The children in this mansion were not."

His gaze swept across the scene.

"The Church of Milis offered a partnership, yet you spat on our goodwill by massacring civilians and innocents due to your own petty rage. I must say, from the stories I've heard of the Red Wolf, I expected more."

Every word Galgard spoke was like a dagger piercing him, the insults hurt even more when they were true. And the truth was that at the first real hardship he encountered, Rygar lost control and threw away any cooperation Milis might have been willing to offer.

"But I don't want to risk you still being in a frenzy and deciding to unleash your magic upon Milis and my men without regard for innocent lives." His gaze held a measure of caution, but also a barely concealed contempt.

The temperature around them rose uncontrollably. The Hellish Slash was fully formed. The Saint-level knights had retreated due to the heat, while the King-level ones barely remained standing. Rygar's skin burned and regenerated simultaneously due to the proximity of his own devastating energy.

But Galgard did not yield.

He raised a hand and touched the sheathed sword at his waist. In the next instant, an oppressive aura spread through the air. Its weight bore down on Rygar like a mountain, and he knew, without a doubt, that Galgard was an opponent he could not defeat in a direct duel. Not even by unleashing the Hellish Slash at this distance.

"Stand down immediately." Galgard's voice was an absolute command. "And a warning—if you ever point that flaming sword at the city of Milis again, I will hunt you to the ends of the world, no matter the price I must pay."

Rygar felt his heart grow heavy. He wanted to fight. He wanted to scream. He wanted to argue and say that he was right. But the words got caught in his throat—no experience in either of his lives had prepared him for this situation. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing, then murmured:

"Ghislaine… let's fall back."

The flames around Tsukikage still roared as he turned, walking slowly toward the forest. Little by little, the intensity of the flames waned, but the weight in his chest did not lessen. With every step he took, he felt as if something inside him was changing—as if he were nothing more than a bandit fleeing the scene of a crime.

When he looked back, he saw the Joylore mansion disappearing into the distance. And for the first time in a long while, Rygar wondered if, that night, he had become exactly kind of person who wanted to destroy.

----

Hello! If you want to support my writing, I've launched a Patreon membership! By joining, you'll get access to 5-10 advanced chapters (I'll add more in the future) and I'll be running polls in the future to decide some things about the story. Your support will encourage me to keep writing more chapters! Check it out here: patreon.com/DaoistJunkYard