Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race

Rygar walked slowly through the empty building, observing the details of the space around him. His steps echoed through the imposing rooms, filled with dust but with sturdy structures still well-preserved. He stopped in the middle of the main hall, a spacious area that could easily be turned into a large meeting point. The tall windows allowed sunlight to illuminate every corner, and Rygar let a subtle smile escape.

"Not bad..." he murmured to himself, satisfied with the place.

He exited through the main door and, outside, saw the vast grounds surrounding the property. The open fields and abandoned gardens needed some care, but they were also space to be used for other purposes. Near the entrance, a small but impressive figure awaited him.

It was an elderly lady with purple hair, tied up in an elegant bun. She was dressed in fine clothes and a decorated hat, exuding the aura of someone who had achieved everything they wanted in life. She was Rubia, the richest person in Tinaver—a lady who commanded much of the real estate industry, restaurant chains, and tavern rentals in Tinaver. Beside her, in silence, stood Kidar, with a serious expression, as if he were the elderly woman's bodyguard.

Rubia smiled warmly as Rygar approached.

"Is the size enough, my young man?" she asked in a firm yet warm voice.

Rygar looked again at the place and nodded.

"Yes, it's very good. We also have plenty of space to build new things. Thank you for your attention."

The lady chuckled softly, hiding part of her smile behind her hand.

"Fufu... No problem, my dear. This property once belonged to a noble house here in Tinaver. They moved to the capital, and I decided to hold on to it until a good price came along. But..." she paused and smiled even more. "...it also serves to pay off a favor."

Rygar's heart weighed slightly as he remembered the past. Rubia was the same young woman who had been saved by Verdia, his master, many years ago. When he introduced himself as Verdia's disciple and handed her the letter, Rubia became extremely kind and eager to help. It was a precious connection.

"You can send the payment to my property," Rubia continued. "I'll have someone reliable to receive it. If you need anything, just let me know, young Rygar."

"I appreciate your generosity," Rygar replied with a slight nod.

Rubia turned towards her luxurious carriage, where a coachman and a guard were already waiting. Before stepping in, she waved her hand delicately.

"Goodbye, goodbye," she said with a smile.

Once the carriage left and disappeared down the busy street, Rygar looked at Kidar, who still silently accompanied him.

"Kidar, call everyone and settle them at this property. I want Peikak to organize the members into divisions and start planning new constructions. And ask the commander of the trade division to conduct a market survey here in Tinaver."

Kidar gave a brief bow and nodded.

"Understood. Will you be leaving, Chief?"

"Yes," Rygar replied, adjusting his sword at his waist. "I'm going with Eidar to rescue his brother."

Kidar didn't question him and quickly departed to carry out the orders.

Rygar then glanced to the side, where Eidar, the promising young swordsman of the Legion, was attentively observing the property, as if already calculating what they could do there.

"Eidar!" Rygar called.

Eidar immediately turned, his eyes sharp.

"Let's go. We have to get your brother back from the city center."

The young man nodded, and the two of them began walking together toward the bustling heart of Tinaver. During the journey, Rygar took the time to reflect on the progress of the Iron Legion. It had been almost two months since they left Port Zant. The trip had taken longer than expected, both due to the size of the group and the need to keep everyone organized.

He had spent that time guiding, training, and assigning roles to each member of the Legion. The work had been exhausting, more tiring even than the physical training, as he had to consider all the future possibilities in his organization. They hadn't yet mastered everything they needed to, but at least they had a basic understanding of their responsibilities. The division commanders he had chosen had already taken up their roles solidly, so he no longer had to be as involved.

Rygar took a deep breath as he walked, feeling a mix of fatigue and relief. Tinaver marked the beginning of a new phase. The Iron Legion was starting to strengthen, and now the focus would be on building a solid base so they could operate as a true organized force.

Moreover, something else had been bothering him in recent days: the mating season was about to begin. The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine, bringing a strange anxiety he preferred to ignore... for now.

"Rygar, how do you plan to talk to him exactly?" Eidar asked, breaking the silence.

Rygar looked at the young man and smiled slightly.

"I haven't really thought about it. I'll just give him a beating if he's too expensive."

Eidar laughed. They continued their walk in silence, as the city of Tinaver revealed itself in all its grandeur: bustling streets, shouting merchants, and imposing stone buildings. The noise and lively atmosphere of the city were signs that a new phase was just beginning.

The good news was that, a month and a half ago, Rygar had finally learned lightning magic. Although his first attempts were still rudimentary, he could already cast a basic, straight lightning bolt. The problem, however, lay in control: after casting the spell, he lost nearly all precision, and the bolt would follow a wild, uncontrollable path. But Rygar didn't worry about that. His mastery was improving quickly, and he was constantly advancing.

Now that he had mastered the basic spells he considered essential — like fire, wind, water, earth, healing, and lightning — he could finally start working on more complex projects that had been brewing in his mind. Gravity, summoning, and space-time magic were the next long-term goals, but he soon realized that the theoretical knowledge he had wasn't enough to perform these spells.

The theory only helped visualize the processes, not make them a reality. Creating a lightning bolt from scratch, for example, only became possible due to practical inspiration: the Cumulonimbus spell, which he had studied and replicated. Without an example, he would be limited to what he could imagine, and trial and error could take years or even decades.

He remembered stories of people easily creating magic based on theoretical knowledge, but the issue was that these physical elements from his previous world weren't controlled by magic. The interaction between the natural mana of this world and these elements was the key. Of course, when you had a practical example of magic, that theoretical knowledge helped further develop your spells.

"The idea of invading the flying fortress and talking to the Armored Dragon God seems more and more feasible..." Rygar murmured, frustrated with the limitations.

However, he didn't let himself get discouraged. While searching for information on more advanced magic, there was still much to explore in other areas. In recent months, Rygar had begun developing elaborate ideas related to Touki: manipulating its properties to make it faster, more resistant, or stronger. His idea was that different fighting styles shaped Touki differently, replicating different effects. He theorized that if he could manipulate these changes instantly, he would react faster and be much more versatile than his enemies. Another thing he needed to experiment with was the Black Gem he had pulled from the chest of the Black Troll. Some demon races had strange powers derived from magical gems, but that was for the future.

Combining this with barrier magic and magic circles, the potential was almost unlimited.

Ironically — or not — barrier magic was the one Rygar had the least natural talent for so far, but at the same time, it was the one that gave him the most ideas for application. He had already concluded that magic circles and barriers worked similarly to programming from his old world. Both required structure, modularization, and logic.

"It's almost like someone is actually trying to apply that knowledge to magic," he whispered to himself as he scribbled a magic circle in the dirt with his hand, testing small effects.

For a long time, he hadn't dedicated himself to this. He knew it wouldn't be a quick and straightforward study, and there were always other, more efficient spells that would increase his immediate strength — something he had needed since the beginning of his life. But now, with the Legion starting to stabilize and having established a deterrent force against the Great Forest, he could invest time in the magic circles, which had much greater long-term potential.

Rygar had already applied many of the concepts almost from the beginning, using modularization to break spells into smaller, more manageable parts. For example:

Summoning a stone cannon. Harden the bullet. Increase rotation. Add propulsion force.

It was basic, but the principle was clear: modularizing a spell into independent parts allowed for more precision and better results. However, the true potential of magic circles lay in the more advanced possibilities.

Rygar began to sketch more complex applications:

Automatic reactions: "If I'm attacked with fire, automatically cast a fire barrier." Magic circuits in items: create spells that activated under specific conditions, like an instant healing spell upon use, focused on specific parts of the body.

These were just the simplest applications he thought of at the moment. Rygar's mind was buzzing with ideas for magic, enchanted items, and possible combinations that could revolutionize his combat style.

"This... would go far beyond just shooting fireballs or wind blasts," he thought, excited. "It's like creating magical programs that perform actions automatically. I could even replicate many technologies from Earth with this."

However, he knew he would need to keep working on magical control. Mastery over mana would never be a problem; on the contrary, the more control, the better. Elemental magic still had a lot to explore too, like vacuum magic and flight magic, underwater breathing magic, earth molecular magic, nuclear magic. These two in particular would be a gift for his master, Verdia; it would be perfect if he could create enchantments for them, but if not, he would personally bring them to her.

Rygar also believed that magical control would be essential to mastering advanced barrier magic. Even though it was one of his weakest spells, he was determined to use it in a way no conventional mage would even consider.

"If I can control the barrier with extreme precision, I could use it like Touki, sticking it directly to my skin."

By using the barrier in direct contact with his body, he could drastically increase his defense and, at the same time, surprise unsuspecting enemies. After all, who would expect a barrier — usually used as static defense — to be mobile, flexible, and offensive?

Rygar felt a surge of motivation flow through his body. With the Legion finally settling in Tinaver, he would have the time to experiment, fail, and perfect these new ideas.

"Every little advancement brings me closer to the top of the world..." he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment.

Eidar, who had been silently walking beside him, finally glanced over, intrigued.

"Rygar? Are you okay? You suddenly got quiet."

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Rygar replied, snapping out of his thoughts with a smile. "I was just... thinking about a few things."

"Thinking? Like... battle strategies?" Eidar asked, curious.

"Something like that," Rygar answered without going into details. "Let's keep going. We still have your brother to rescue, don't we?"

Eidar smiled, full of hope, and nodded.

The two continued walking as the gears in Rygar's mind spun faster and sharper than ever.

"Hey, I think it'd be much better to just kidnap him," Eidar suggested, breaking the silence with a firm tone. "Some of the beast race will be heading to the Great Forest soon. A blacksmith is going to teach them how to forge weapons, and others are delivering letters. My brother is blind, Rygar, and he's still so young. He's only six. I'd rather send him to live in the Great Forest with my grandmother. There, he can learn something in safety."

Rygar paused for a moment, processing Eidar's words. His logic was simple and direct.

"That's true. If the Lord of Tinaver finds out we're here to buy him, he'll probably jack up the price. And if we kidnap him later, we'll be the prime suspects. So... why not just take him now?"

Rygar glanced over at the sprawling city ahead and smirked. "Alright, Eidar. I'll go get him. In the meantime, post a job at the Adventurers' Guild. Something like... a magic instructor. The requirement will be an advanced mage proficient in all attack magics. We'll need someone to train the more common members of the Legion too."

Eidar smiled, satisfied. "I'll leave that to you, then."

Some time later, Rygar stood before the Lord of Tinaver's mansion, an imposing structure of stone and fine wood. But to him, it was far too vulnerable.

"This is too easy."

With his Mana Sight activated and his keen sense of smell and hearing, Rygar moved like a shadow through corridors and windows. No guard, no servant escaped his perception. His stealth was impeccable, the result of years of training and refinement.

"I could also create an alarm system with barriers. My master mentioned that in Milishion, they have barriers like these to protect large mansions. This has to be a priority... If I can infiltrate this easily, others can too."

After combing through the halls and eavesdropping on snippets of servants' conversations, he finally found the boy.

The child, with dark hair and worn clothes, stood in the middle of a grand hall, cleaning the floor with an old cloth. The way he moved—meticulously and in sections—showed that he was guided only by touch due to his blindness.

Rygar paused for a moment, observing the scene. He felt some compassion, or perhaps pity, but there was something about the boy—perhaps his calm or resolve—that made him hesitate briefly.

"I don't feel like wasting time with conversation."

In one swift motion, Rygar covered the boy's mouth, preventing any scream or reaction. The boy flinched but quickly went still, likely realizing that resistance was futile. Rygar grabbed him firmly and, like a speeding shadow, escaped the mansion as easily as he had entered.

Back at the new base of the Iron Legion, the activity was already bustling. Members of the Legion were carrying crates, arranging makeshift furniture, and training in small open spaces.

Rygar arrived carrying the blind boy in his arms. Upon entering, he looked at one of the nearby members and ordered:

"Tell Joseph to come talk to me."

He gently placed the boy in a chair, then knelt in front of him, speaking firmly but without aggression.

"Hey, kid. I'm a friend of your brother, Eidar. I came to rescue you. You'll see him soon, so just wait patiently."

To Rygar's surprise, the boy didn't ask questions or struggle. He merely nodded, remaining quiet. His behavior caught Rygar's attention.

"He's not shaken... He didn't scream or try to run. He's probably been through worse. This calm... it's like he's used to being treated this way."

For a moment, something inside Rygar stirred. A feeling of empathy.

"You'll be okay soon," he murmured before standing up and leaving.

Out in the makeshift training ground, Rygar observed Rufus practicing with Skoll and Geri, the two wolves that were growing rapidly. Rufus was becoming increasingly skilled with Earth magic, raising pillars and controlling projectiles with impressive precision.

Noticing Rygar, Skoll trotted toward him, tongue hanging out, ready to pounce.

"Chief!" Rufus shouted, stopping the wolf before it could leap. Rygar simply waved back with a faint smile.

"Good work, Rufus. Keep training."

He then walked to the room he had designated as his office. Closing the door behind him, he dropped into his chair, feeling the weight of all his accumulated responsibilities.

"I'll have to deal with Milis diplomatically at some point. Haaaah, this looked so much easier on TV."

Rygar ran a hand through his hair and smiled faintly.

"I'll need to prepare. The more we advance, the easier it will be to attract unwanted attention. But for now..."

He leaned back in his chair, satisfied with their current progress.