Novice Reincarnator

A weight landed on my shoulder and a moment later, poisonous fangs sunk into me. I calmly coated my hand in [Fox Fire] and clawed the monster in two. A surge of warmth filled my body as I leveled up from my latest kill.

If this was my previous life, then I would have no choice but to die under the Forked Tongue Viper’s poison. Unfortunately for my dead assailant, this second life welcomed a new me.

“Status.”

Name: Fang

Class: Adept

Level: 14/20

Personal Skills (5/5): [Ash Demon Princess], [Fox Fire II], [Naked], [Ki III], [Poison Resistance II]

Racial Skills: [Instinct II], [Agility II]

Class Skills: [Adept], [Growth II]

My [Poison Resistance] and [Health] skills were more than enough to stave off the deadly poison of a Forked Tongue Viper. I didn’t like it, but I had settled on a more efficient way of hunting.

A Forked Tongue Viper was far easier to deal with once their poison was dealt with. Additionally, I didn’t even need to wait patiently for hours for my food to pop out of their hiding spot. These snake monsters were more than happy to try to ambush me whenever I walked around the forest without hiding my presence.

This method was not without its own risks. I would be doomed the moment something stronger than me noticed my presence. The only reason I was taking such a risk to quickly level up was because of how unlikely it was for a strong monster to be anywhere near me.

I had gained a better understanding of this dungeon after my many hunting sessions. The apex predators of the dungeon had divided up the forest into their own territories. Of course, all of these predators stayed far away from the Six-tailed Red Fox.

The place I built my home in was originally part of the territory of the wolf pack I encountered on the first day, but now this territory had no owner. Actually, that wasn’t quite right. The area around my home had become my own territory.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I first realized that. All of the other strong monsters recognized that my [Fox Fire] was the same as the Six-tailed Red Fox and promptly redrew the map of power in the forest.

Nights were often full of howls. The wolf pack I displaced was trying to snatch territory from other territory lords. I was by the far the weakest territory lord, but none of my competitors dared to get close enough to find that out.

The strong may not dare to get close, but it was all the same to the weak regardless of who was in charge. That was to say, the area around my home suddenly became a beginner zone with only weak monsters.

I still had to put my life on the line every time I fought with those ‘weak’ monsters. Compared to engaging in a desperate battle to the death, it was much easier to bait Forked Tongue Viper’s into attacking me and then finish them off.

I brought the snake meat back to my home and roasted it outside. Acquiring [Poison Resistance] wasn’t fun. Anything poisonous that I ate would be neutralized via [Gluttony], which meant I had to create a small cut and rub poison into it.

“I wonder how Cecilia and Byleth are doing.”

I muttered to myself. Not for the first time, I thought about my two dearest friends. Had they moved on with their lives? Did they think I was dead? Did they miss me?

The Archangel Cecilia Snowlight always went about her days like an Untouchable Empress. Nothing that happened could make her bat an eye, but I knew the general public’s understanding of her was dead wrong.

The Fallen Angel version of Cecilia was a very lonely girl. Even if White Cecilia’s behavior remained unchanged, Black Cecilia was bound to be upset at my sudden disappearance. Byleth too, wouldn’t take my disappearance lying down.

My disappearance was like spitting in the faces of Byleth and the Demon King who claimed me as their own. Of course, that was just the excuse she would use. Byleth had always welcomed my presence with a warm smile, even if I wasn’t a demon.

I was confident that a Fallen Angel and a Demon Princess would soon be showing Aurelius Snowlight hell, perhaps even together. Hopefully my disappearance was the opportunity my two friends needed to get along.

I chuckled at my thoughts, feeling in a much better mood than usual. I wouldn’t be able to step outside my home if I let myself drown in negativity like I did as Ash. There was some good even in this dire situation.

“Heh. I can’t wait to show off my wicked scars to Cecilia and Byleth.”

I glanced down at myself as I added another item to my growing mental list of things to do when we reunited. My gaze lingered on my chest. I had dismissed it as my imagination when I woke up as a One-tailed Fox Beastman, but now I was certain.

“My chest has gotten bigger again, hasn’t it?”

When I first woke up as a tailless Beastman, I was as flat as a board. Now, both my chest and my hips and actual curves to them. My curves had only grown more pronounced when I went from having one tail to having two tails.

That wasn’t all. My black hair was getting longer and my ordinary, friendly looking face was growing sharper. I wasn’t sure yet, but it felt like I was gaining a bit of height as well. Would Cecilia and Byleth even recognize me when I escaped from this dungeon?

I was getting closer to seeing them again with each passing day. I could feel it. Unlike when I first woke up as a One-tailed Fox Beastman, I now had a good idea on how to clear this dungeon.

I would reincarnate over and over again, taking the opportunity to learn useful skills and hopefully advance my race to something that could compete with a Six-tailed Red Fox.

I spent a few minutes savoring the taste of roasted snake meat before I was off into the forest again. There was no time to waste. I needed to get stronger.