"Takumi-sama?"
"It's nothing."
Seeing Kōyō looking at him curiously, Takumi gave the charming fox-eared girl a reassuring smile. The group moved through the mountain paths, as there was no direct road from Mistwood to the Fox Village. Reaching it required climbing over rugged terrain. Takumi initially worried that the younger girls might struggle to keep up. However, he soon realized he had underestimated them. Beastkin possessed exceptional physical endurance—twice or even three times that of an average human, even without magical enhancements.
They stopped once to rest. Carrying the village's remaining supplies, the group quickly replenished their strength and continued on. Watching the girls press forward, determined despite their fatigue, Takumi felt a pang of sympathy for their resilience.
The Fox Village was still a half-day's journey away. Takumi decided to find an open spot for the group to camp. The beastkin girls skillfully unpacked materials from their bags and, under Kōyō's guidance, quickly assembled a large tent spacious enough for everyone. Takumi watched their efficiency in awe.
"We beastkin often go hunting in the mountains, so we're taught from a young age how to survive out here."
What might seem like a daunting task for others—camping in the wilderness—was second nature to these beastkin, even the youngest among them. Their chosen campsite was near a stream and shielded by a large tree. If not for their dire situation, it might have felt like a quaint adventure.
"Takumi-nii, Tsubaki and Suzu found fish in the stream!"
The black-and-white cat-girls came running over like a pair of cheerful furballs, eager to share their discovery. Takumi started to tell them it was too cold and dangerous to wade into the water. But Kōyō assured him that beastkin were natural hunters and there was no need to worry. Tsubaki and Suzu were adept at catching fish, having done so many times before.
"Alright then," Takumi said reluctantly. "Just be careful."
"Okay!"
With his permission, the two cat-girls happily ran off to catch fish. Meanwhile, the wolf-girls and dog-girls took it upon themselves to stand guard. Their sharp noses were as keen as those of real wolves and dogs, making them excellent sentinels.
Even the youngest girls, no more than five or six years old, contributed in their own small ways. They gathered firewood, filled water pouches, and washed dishes. Watching them, Takumi couldn't help but marvel at how capable and diligent the beastkin girls were.
After enjoying a delicious fish soup prepared by Kōyō, the group crawled into the tent to rest their weary bodies. The quiet night was punctuated only by the girls' gentle, even breathing. Clearly, they were exhausted from the day's trek.
Takumi opened his eyes in the middle of the night. He reached out to the system to claim his daily reward.
**[Sign-in successful. Congratulations, you've received 1 SR Enhancement Card.]**
"An SR Enhancement Card?"
Takumi was pleasantly surprised by his luck. It wasn't a guaranteed draw, yet he had pulled an SR card. However, he realized he had no immediate use for it.
"To synthesize an SSR, I still need nine more SR cards."
As Takumi pondered, his attention was drawn to a strange new symbol in his attribute list.
**[Takumi]**
- **Age:** 16
- **Gender:** Male
- **Race:** Human
- **Abilities:** Magic Growth SR (Upgradable), Magic Manipulation SR (Upgradable)
- **Items:** R-level Enhancement Cards x4, SR Enhancement Card x1
- **Overall Rating:** Seven figures (initial)
- **Current Draw Chances:** 1/30 (SSR guaranteed on the 30th draw)
"Upgradable?"
Curious, Takumi focused on the "Magic Growth" ability. The system immediately presented an option:
**[Use 1 SR Enhancement Card to upgrade Magic Growth?]**
"Upgrade Magic Growth with an SR card?"
After some deliberation, Takumi decided to give it a try. Since he couldn't currently use the SR card for anything else, he saw no harm in testing this new feature.
"Upgrade!"
In an instant, his Magic Growth ability changed from SR to SR+1. Along with the change, Takumi felt his already massive magic reserves expand significantly.
"What?!"
Although Takumi suppressed the sudden surge of magic using his SR-level Magic Manipulation, he couldn't help but feel astounded.
"Onefold! My magic has doubled!"
Takumi was stunned. Spending just one SR card to reach SR+1 had doubled his magic power. Moreover, the system revealed another detail: if he used an SSR card on his current Magic Growth, the system would refund one SR card.
In other words, the SR cards used to upgrade abilities weren't lost. They could be reclaimed when an SSR card was applied, making the system more flexible and user-friendly.
"It's a great feature," Takumi thought. "Finally, a practical use for my stockpile of SR cards."
The only downside was that R-level cards couldn't be upgraded in the same way. However, R cards were more common and could be easily synthesized into SR cards.
Still, Takumi was struck by the sheer magnitude of the power increase. SR+1 was twice as strong as SR. This raised two possibilities for SR+9:
1. **Tenfold SR strength:** After upgrading to SR+9, the jump to SSR would involve another significant transformation.
2. **Exponential growth:** If each upgrade doubled the previous level's power, SR+9 could be hundreds of times stronger than SR.
Without enough information, Takumi couldn't be certain. He decided to wait until he had another SR card to continue testing.
Meanwhile, the additional magic reserves enhanced his sustainability in battle. Magic Growth didn't just expand his capacity; it also accelerated his recovery rate and overall growth.
"Today's draw didn't give me an SSR, but getting an SR is still great luck."
Content with his newfound strength, Takumi snuggled under Kōyō's silver-gray fox tail, using it like a warm blanket. As he closed his eyes, he felt more confident in his ability to thrive in this world.
"Mmm…"
Kōyō stirred as Takumi shifted. Though aware of his actions, she made no effort to move away. Instead, she allowed her tail to soften and wrap around him more snugly. She and the other beastkin girls had long noticed Takumi's fondness for their ears and tails. Though they didn't fully understand his preference, they appreciated his affection.
Kōyō let out a soft sigh. She was beginning to feel something more than gratitude for Takumi. However, Takumi remained oblivious to her growing feelings, interpreting her demeanor as mere gratitude.
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you," Takumi said, thinking Kōyō was anxious about the Fox Village. In truth, she was silently questioning her own charm.
"Mm."
Kōyō managed a smile, even as her feelings deepened. She admired Takumi's strength, his kindness, and his determination to protect them.
As Takumi rested, his thoughts drifted to the mysteries surrounding Mistwood, the Fox Village, and the larger conflict looming in the background. While he believed his growing power would allow him to overcome any obstacle, he couldn't predict what awaited them at their destination.
The next day, as Takumi and the beastkin girls approached the outskirts of the Fox Village, he was met with an unexpected sight. Flames engulfed the village, the air thick with smoke. Snow fell gently, but the scene before them was anything but serene.
"Did we come all this way for nothing?"
Takumi gazed at the burning village. It was a grim mirror of Mistwood's destruction—bodies scattered, fires raging, black smoke rising.
"It's on fire!"\
"How could this happen?"
The sight sent a wave of panic through the girls. Memories of the massacre three days earlier came rushing back.
"Something isn't right."
Takumi didn't rush into action. It wasn't fear holding him back; rather, his magical senses detected something unusual.
"This time, the invaders aren't the black-clad men we encountered before. They're ordinary beastkin."
Unlike the previous attackers, the ones now assaulting the Fox Village appeared to be fellow beastkin. Could this be a civil conflict among their own kind?
"Takumi-sama?"
Kōyō looked at him, torn between urgency and hesitation. If this were a situation like Mistwood's, Takumi wouldn't need her to ask; he would act on his own. But this seemed different—beastkin fighting beastkin.
War wasn't black-and-white, good or evil. It was often a struggle for survival. And yet…
"They're too late."
Takumi's powerful magical perception allowed him to see the scene clearly, even from a distance. He identified two groups: the invaders and the defenders. The defenders were few, the invaders numerous—hundreds strong.
There was no doubt. The Fox Village had fallen.
Takumi sighed. It seemed this world was exceptionally brutal. The beastkin attackers showed no mercy, slaughtering everyone—elderly, women, children. They were no different from the black-clad swordsmen who had decimated Mistwood.
"This is going too far," Takumi thought. His old moral compass struggled to accept such wanton bloodshed. At the very least, the young children deserved to be spared.
"Stay here. I'll go check for survivors."
"Please be careful," Kōyō said.
"I will."
Takumi left a protective barrier of magic around the girls. Under Kōyō's worried gaze, he set off toward the burning village. Kōyō's concern wasn't just for the village's general safety; she was deeply worried about her cousin, who lived there. She prayed silently that her cousin had survived.