Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race

Rygar was sitting at a table in his room at the Iron Legion base, completely absorbed in studying the Saint-level healing spell.

The pages of his notes were spread out before him, illuminated by the light of a candle. His basic knowledge of chemistry and biology helped him understand the principles behind healing magic. Unlike lower-level spells, this one demanded precise control—a mistake could result in improper regeneration or even instability in the reconstructed tissue, leading to greater damage or deformities.

He focused all his attention on learning, avoiding the dark thoughts that had been surfacing since his last battle. Time passed without him noticing, and when he finally realized it, 37 hours had elapsed. He was a bit mentally exhausted, but confident, so he decided it was time to test the spell, and he thought it would be safer to test it on himself.

Taking the bones of his own amputated arm that he had collected from the battlefield, he took a deep breath, holding them firmly. He felt the magical energy flowing within him, carefully shaping it before he began to recite the incantation:

"O sacred guardian of the firmament, herald of purity and restorer of souls! May your immaculate light descend upon this wounded body! Rebuild the flesh, align the bones, and weave life where death looms! Dispel the pain, expel decay, and restore the form to its original perfection! By the miracle of the heavens, may every wound be undone and life renewed! Holy Healing!"

As soon as he finished the words, a golden, pure light enveloped his mutilated arm. The light thickened around the bones, and then the process of regeneration began. First, he felt a deep itch, as if thousands of insects were crawling across his skin and thousands of needles were piercing his nerves. It was an extreme discomfort, but he remained still, watching in fascination as muscles, tendons, and skin recreated and reconnected magically.

The nerves reformed, sending uncomfortable jolts through his arm. Veins emerged, spreading like branches of a tree until they reconnected with his circulatory system. The skin sealed the regeneration, leaving his arm identical to the original, without any scars. Rygar moved his fingers slowly, testing their functionality. He still felt a slight tingling, but overall, it seemed perfect.

A smile formed on his lips as he thought of his previous world—where feats performed with advanced healing magic could still be achieved in the realm of earth—but regenerating limbs? That was something of legend in his old world.

Now that he had managed to master this magic, Rygar could someday teach it to his mentor. Not even Verdia possessed a healing spell of this level. That thought sparked a flame of pride within him, but it was quickly replaced by the reality of his responsibilities.

He rose and walked to the door, opening it. The corridor was silent. No one had disturbed him during his isolation. But that did not mean he could continue avoiding the consequences of his actions. He would have to deal with everything sooner or later.

Taking a deep breath, he called over one of the nearby guards.

"I'm going to heal Taes and Fehel. Gather all the division commanders for a meeting in the main hall in three hours."

The guard was surprised to see him appear suddenly, and was even more astonished to see his fully restored arm, but he promptly replied:

"Yes, sir!"

Rygar nodded and then activated his Magic Eye to locate Taes and Fehel. What he saw surprised him: a project for a wall around the base was underway. The project was still in its early stages, but there were hundreds of members digging trenches as preparation. Furthermore, the Iron Legion seemed much busier than when he had left for the Dwarf tribe."

Walking through the camp, he felt eyes upon him. Many members greeted him with reverence—and not just the veterans. Even new recruits he had never seen before showed great admiration. The respect and devotion were evident in their eyes.

He crossed the camp, his gaze being drawn to the training field, where a red-haired girl was fighting with passion against Eidar. It was Eris. She attacked with ferocity, trying to outdo Eidar in every possible way. For a moment, Rygar thought about watching her a little longer, but he continued on his way. There were other priorities at the moment.

Continuing his journey, he felt the weight of his mistakes pressing on his chest. Many people had died because he was not there. His decision to attack the Joylore estate could have ruined any possibility of cooperation with Milis, in addition to resulting in the massacre of innocents. Yet, the Legion seemed to be prospering more than ever.

This paradox confused him. Were his actions truly right? Or was he just convincing himself that he was doing what was necessary? With no answers, he simply sighed and kept walking. Soon, he would have to face the truth.

Rygar entered the room silently, his heavy steps echoing in the space. Taes and Fehel were lying in their beds, their bodies covered by thin sheets, but the marks of what they had suffered were still evident. Fehel remained motionless, staring at the ceiling with a vacant look, while Taes, even without limbs, seemed restless.

However, something caught Rygar's attention—a subtle movement in the flow of Taes' mana. He furrowed his brow and activated his Magic Eye, allowing his vision to penetrate the invisible layers of reality. What he saw shocked him deeply: Taes was trying to manipulate his mana without arms or legs. And, to his surprise, he already seemed to have had some success.

Without wasting time, Rygar approached the healer watching over the two and said calmly:

"Leave us alone."

The woman nodded respectfully and left the room without hesitation. As soon as the door closed, Taes lifted his eyes to Rygar and, with a sarcastic smile, broke the silence:

"Who would have thought you'd lose an arm…" his voice carried an acerbic humor. "I must say, I was beginning to get used to this arrangement. I feel like I've improved my mana manipulation a lot. Hahaha!"

Rygar remained silent for a moment, observing him intently. His Magic Eye saw more than just mana; it captured heartbeats, small muscle twitches, irregular breaths. Taes was hiding his pain. Hiding behind jokes to avoid confronting reality. Only he, Fehel, and Poulak knew what they had truly endured within that damned mansion.

Unlike Taes, who made an effort to maintain his composure, Fehel didn't even try to hide his trauma. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, lifeless, as if his mind were still trapped in the horrors he had experienced. Rygar swallowed hard when he saw the marks spread over his friend's body, in addition to the absence of four limbs. Guilt hit him like a speeding train. What if he hadn't been goofing around with Eris and Ghislaine? What if he had just made a normal sword and returned? What if he had been a little quicker?

Taking a deep breath, he knelt beside Taes, his expression serious and laden with emotion.

"Taes… I've known you since I was one year old…" he began, his voice low but firm. "You might not remember, but I remember it like it was yesterday. The first thing you ever told me was that I was a monster of a boy. You were four years old."

Taes let out a short, nostalgic laugh.

"It's true…" he murmured, without losing his teasing tone.

Yet Rygar maintained his serious expression and continued:

"Do you really think I'm a monster? That my true nature can't be controlled, no matter how strong I become?"

Taes raised an eyebrow, still smiling.

"Why doubt that now, Rygar?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Remember the phrase you always told me to 'stimulate my magical creativity'? If someone else has managed it, why can't I? And if no one ever has, then I can be the first!"

He laughed, but his gaze was determined. "I admit, you're very talented, but you shouldn't be as fierce as the original Beast God."

For an instant, Taes' smile vanished, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Do you blame yourself for not being here when it happened? Have you ever thought about how we feel? You told us to take care of the Legion in your absence and, when you returned, you had to save us."

"But I—" Rygar tried to argue, but Taes interrupted him without hesitation.

"It's like you told us: you won't always be able to protect us. You are our leader. You cannot have doubts!" Taes' words were firm, almost harsh.

"It's good that you came to talk to me first. Again, I'm merely repeating your own words: the first step for your subordinates to doubt you is for you to doubt yourself!"

Rygar opened his mouth to respond but found no words. Everything Taes said was true. He had prepared them, taught them about the dangers of the world. He himself had said it was not a matter of 'if' but 'when' they would face something like this. So why hadn't he prepared himself to face the same situation? Why was he hesitating now?

"Didn't you really expect no setbacks along the way?" Taes continued, unyielding. "I know how you feel. Do you think it was in my plans to be tortured and for me to lose my limbs when I decided to follow you?! No! But I always held your words in my heart. You taught us so many dogmas and etched them into our souls… So why, when it's your turn to apply them, are you hesitating?"

Rygar fell silent. His hands trembled slightly. He knew Taes was right, but it was hard to accept.

After a long moment, Taes let out a tired sigh and looked directly into Rygar's eyes.

"Quickly heal my arms and legs, man. I can't stand being stuck here any longer!"

Rygar blinked, surprised by the sudden change in tone, but soon let out a low laugh. Taes had always been like that.

"Alright…" he murmured, taking Taes' bones and placing them in their proper positions—they would serve as the foundation for regeneration.

He rested his hand on Taes' chest and took a deep breath. The spell he had studied for so long that had restored his own arm, he would now attempt to use it without any enchantment.

A pure, golden light emerged from his hands, enveloping Taes' body. The glow filled the room, momentarily blinding Fehel and even Rygar. The spell worked quickly, reconstructing the bones, aligning them with precision, weaving flesh and muscle over the newly formed skeletal structure. Skin sprouted, covering the limbs, as if invisible threads were stitching a new fabric.

Taes grunted as an unbearable itch took over the area where his limbs were regenerating. His body trembled slightly, but he endured without showing any weakness. After long seconds, the light finally diminished, revealing his perfectly restored arms and legs, without scars or imperfections.

He moved his fingers slowly, testing their movement. A satisfied smile crossed his face.

"This is truly another level…" he murmured, flexing his new limbs.

Rygar smiled slightly. For the first time since returning from the Joylore mansion, he didn't feel the crushing weight on his shoulders.

Rygar then focused deeply before beginning Fehel's healing. Once again, without enchantment, though the process was somewhat slow—this magic was very complex. He placed his hand on Fehel's chest and felt the energy flow, a gentle warmth spreading as the flesh, muscles, and bones began to rebuild before his eyes. It was an impressive process, the golden light dancing around the limbs that were regrowing.

Fehel's eyes, which had once seemed empty and dead, began to regain some color as he felt his limbs taking shape again. When the magic finally ceased and his arms and legs were fully restored, the boy trembled. He looked at his hands, moving his fingers slowly, almost in disbelief. Then, suddenly, a sob escaped his throat, followed by a single tear. Everything he had been through, all the accumulated suffering and despair, seemed to come crashing down on him all at once, even as he smiled.

Taes, on the other hand, reacted in the opposite way. As soon as he realized that his body was completely restored, he jumped out of bed, flexing his muscles and testing his movements. A broad smile spread across his face, and without a second thought, he ran off.

"I'll meet you at the meeting later! I've got to see Lisa!" he shouted as he disappeared down the corridor, leaving Rygar behind with Fehel still silently crying.

Rygar watched Fehel for a moment but said nothing. He knew that this was something that couldn't be resolved with words. He simply placed a firm hand on the warrior's shoulder, offering silent support before rising and leaving the room.

He then made his way to the children's training field. From a distance, he could see Rufus, the little dwarf with fiery orange hair, attacking with ferocity. He was hurling multiple stone projectiles at Geri, his wolf companion, who moved with impressive agility, dodging each attack with sharp reflexes.

Rygar looked away and observed the rest of the children. Some were practicing magic, others were training in hand-to-hand combat techniques. Among them, one figure caught his attention: Garrinson, the half-deer, wielding a spear and fighting against three adversaries at once. He was only seven years old, but his spear skills were already very good. His movements were fluid, the tip of the weapon slicing through the air with precision. He clearly had talent, but finding a spear instructor these days was almost impossible.

Deciding not to reveal himself just yet, Rygar began to walk stealthily around the Legion's base, his thoughts absorbed by Taes' words. He understood that his mistake couldn't be easily erased, but he was starting to see a new perspective. Taes, Kilian, Rufus, and so many others had their principles deeply ingrained from childhood, as it was the only thing they had ever been taught to be right. But what about him? How could he compare to them?

The principles he taught them came from his vast experience—both from his previous world and from the countless fantasy and historical stories he had consumed, stories that showed the many good and bad facets of humanity. He simply observed the world around him and passed on what he believed was necessary for survival: resilience, patience, determination, an unshakable faith. He taught them to always do their best but to be prepared for the worst, for the path they chose would never be easy.

However, it was easier said than done. In his previous world, he had been taught in a completely different manner. In a way, he was lagging behind the very children he trained. He knew what needed to be done in theory, but the practice was an entirely different matter. Still, Taes had managed to make him see that. It wasn't a definitive solution, but it was a start.

While these thoughts occupied his mind, he left the Legion's base and walked stealthily through Tinaver. He observed the local businesses, the shops, the merchants negotiating goods. He took a tour of the city before finally returning to the meeting he had scheduled.

Upon entering the meeting room, Rygar saw eight of his ten commanders already present. In addition, Ghislaine and Laws were also there. The atmosphere was heavy, everyone waiting for him with serious expressions. He showed no hesitation, maintaining a dignified and determined posture.

He knew the risks; he knew he had made a grave mistake. But, as Taes had said, he would not show weakness now. Even though he was in the wrong, he could not hesitate. With firm steps, he walked across the room, sat in the leader's chair, and looked at everyone.

With a firm and resolute voice, he declared:

"Let's begin."

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