10 Building a Pride

The figure emerging from the cocoon was breathtaking, the pale-blue fur color became deeper, her slender body became even more graceful, her fur was even more luscious. She was like an ice fairy, a fleeting beauty descending upon this mortal world, her two bushy tail moved elegantly. The beautiful fox opened her eyes and smiled at me, she walked toward me and rubbed her little head against my neck and cheek.

"I've evolved." (BF)

Her voice was soft combined with her intimate act, it made her looked so endearing. I raised my right hand and pet her head, I also rubbed my head against her affectionately.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did." (MC)

"Am I pretty?" (BF)

"Of course, you've always been pretty." (MC)

"Un. Thank you, I can evolve because of you." (BF)

"It's all your hard work, I only help a little." (MC)

The beautiful fox licked my face and once again rubbed her head with mine. I kept petting her head and appraised her in secret.

Name : Nameless

Species : Two-tailed Tundra Fox (Rare)

Type : Beast

Sex : Female

Rank : 02

LV : 03/85

HP : 104/104

MP : 239/239

STM : 91/91

ATK : 22

VIT : 31

MGC : 135

MND : 81

DEX : 30

AGL : 52

Active Skills :

Ice Needle LV04

Frost Whip LV04

Icicles Shot LV04

Ice Wall LV03

Passive Skills :

Ice Magic Mastery LV04

Nimble Body LV01

Magic Boost LV01 NEW!

Resistance Skills :

Cold Resist (High) LV02 NEW

Ice Magic Resist LV03

Water Magic Resist LV03

Vulnerability to Heat LV02 NEW

Two-tailed Tundra Fox

A race of foxes that lives in the extreme cold region. Their body has acclimated to the cold and changed their constitution, now, they vulnerable to heat. Their two tails help regulate their body temperature and also serves as a mean of attack, as they can enlarge and extend. Lives in a group led by a matriarch, the strongest female in the group, highly territorial.

They're a skillful ice element magic caster, they're ice magic is amplified in cold region. Their whole body is a treasure for making ice element equipment. Carnivore. Inedible.

Hmm? Her max level went down? Why? Wait a minute, now that I thought about it, except beautiful fox, I had never seen another person or monster with a max level of 100. Was there any reason for it?

Level? In this game-like world, the strongest being would definitely a being with the highest level, with that line of thought, between the same leveled rank 2, the one with a max level of 100 at rank 1 would be stronger. Then, in other words, the max level in this world represent an individual's potential? The reason why beautiful fox's max level dropped because her potential as a Two-tailed Tundra Fox was less than Frost Fox? Or potential was something that depleted every evolution?

If my guess was right, then the reason why the goblins didn't evolve when they hit max level was because that was the limit of their potential. Not good, I could only hypothesize. I needed to research this or asked someone who knew a lot about this. But for now, I needed to fix the problem in front of me first, the beautiful fox. I had to fix her max level and the [Vurnerability to Heat] skill, as of now, I didn't know how to fix her max level but I could fix her skill.

How did you ask? By making her be my slave. If I made her my slave with [Enslave] skill, I could share my [Heat Nullification] with her, then she would no longer have a weakness. And besides, I couldn't let a mere skill prevent her from approaching me or being near me, right? I didn't know but I just couldn't bear the thought of her not being near me. The beautiful fox is mine! None can keep her away from me! Such thoughts filled my head and echoed with no end.

I didn't know when I fell for her and how could I fall in love with a female fox, but since it already happened, why fight it? I pulled her face in front of me and stared straight into her eyes.

"You're mine." (MC)

The beautiful fox was surprised for a moment, her eyes widen but then it turned to normal, I saw affection in her eyes. The beautiful fox nodded.

"....Un." (BF)

I activated [Enslave] skill and targeted the beautiful fox when I saw her nodding. My power was sucked and clustered in front of me.

"[Enslave] activated!"

"Target acquired!"

"Creating a personal slave mark, complete!"

The power clustered and mixed together, at first, they were transparent and intangible, the could only be felt. Then slowly, they materialized and dyed with deep crimson color. From the abstract shape, they slowly took the shape of a blazing fire with half of them fragmented.

"Integrating the slave mark to the target!"

The mark descended onto the beautiful fox's chest and disappeared inside her. Then I heard a notification inside my head.

"The individual, Two-tailed Tundra Fox, is now the host's slave!"

"Would you like to share your skill with the individual?"

"[Y/N]"

"Yes." (MC)

"Please choose the skill."

"[Heat Nullification] skill.]"

I felt something just came out of my body but there was nothing missing in my body.

"Copying skill...integrating to the individual...complete!"

"...nn..." (BF)

The beautiful fox writhes a little as if she was tickled. When I thought it was over there was another notification ranging in my head.

"Analyzing the individual, Two-tailed Tundra Fox...complete!"

"Collecting essence...complete!"

"Ah!" (BF)

The beautiful fox furs swayed without wind, she writhed even more than before. I could vaguely sense something was copied and taken out from her.

"Transforming essence...complete!"

"[Freezing Fire] essence is created!"

"Integrating essence to host!"

"Hngh!" (MC)

Something entering me, it was cold and yet hot at the same time. The mysterious power entered me and settled, I instinctively knew what was it. I freed one of my hand from the beautiful fox, I pointed my palm at a wall.

"Freeze Bolt!" (MC)

A ball of pale blue flame with the size of an adult's fist flew out of my palm, when the ball of fire hit the wall, a layer of ice spread out from where the fire hit. A circle of ice with a diameter of twenty centimeters appeared on the wall, part of the wall under the ice began to darkened and smoke came out from the ice.

This was the identity of the new power of mine, ice that burns. Anything hit by it would be covered by ice, but the ice would not freeze them, it would burn them.

The beautiful fox looked on curiously, for her, ice was used to freeze things meanwhile the ice I threw burn things. I understood what essence meant now, it referred to the slave signature power, which in this case, ice. The beautiful fox essence was ice, the skill copied that and changed it to something that fit me, the host.

That meant I have four more chance to acquired such useful and powerful power, I needed to think this through. Then another notification rang out.

"[Dominate] skill activated!"

"The individual, Two-tailed Tundra Fox, is now under the effect of [Dominate] skill!"

"Forcefully raising potential...complete!"

"The individual stats management is set to manual!"

"Both the host and individual can now modify the individual body when evolving!"

What? The beautiful fox also had a surprised face, seemed like she heard the notification. I looked at her stats.

Name : Nameless

Species : Two-tailed Tundra Fox (Rare)

Type : Beast

Sex : Female

Rank : 02

LV : 03/100

HP : 104/104

MP : 239/239

STM : 91/91

ATK : 22

VIT : 31

MGC : 135

MND : 81

DEX : 30

AGL : 52

Points : 0

Active Skills :

Ice Needle LV04

Frost Whip LV04

Icicles Shot LV04

Ice Wall LV03

Passive Skills :

Ice Magic Mastery LV04

Nimble Body LV01

Magic Boost LV01

Resistance Skills :

Cold Resist (High) LV02

Ice Magic Resist LV03

Water Magic Resist LV03

Heat Nullification LVMAX NEW!

The heck? Her max level was forcefully increased? Shit, to tempered with individual's potential, this cheat of mine was too sick! But, I like it, with this, I could have 5 individuals under me with full potential!

The beautiful fox was full of questions, I ruffled her head and smiled.

"It's okay, it only makes you stronger." (MC)

"...okay, husband." (BF)

...what?

"What did you call me?" (MC)

"Hm? Is there something wrong, husband?" (BF)

"Why are you calling me "husband"?" (MC)

"You said I was yours, right? Then that means, you're also mine, isn't that right? Then you're my husband." (BF)

....her words made sense so I couldn't retort her, based on my word, it wasn't far from a proposal, wasn't it? It was kind of light and abrupt one but, for a monster, it was good enough, right? Besides, hearing her calling me "husband" filled my heart with a sweet feeling.

I rubbed my head against her's, this little act filled me with joy. I wanted to continue but it was time we went our way, I stood up and wore the bag on my shoulder, I walked out of the room to the entrance of the cave. The beautiful fox walked beside me, there were some goblins left which she killed swiftly with ice magic.

I looked at the beautiful fox face that was filled with hate as she gazed at the corpses of the goblins, the reason for her hatred against the goblin, I vaguely guessed it. Her family probably killed or captured by the goblins. I pet her head since she didn't tell me about it, then I wouldn't ask about it. After we got out of the cave, we disappeared into the forest, I led the beautiful fox around searching for prey and caught four delicious rabbits.

I cleaned and roasted the rabbit, armed with [Heat Nullification], the heat no longer bother the beautiful fox. While we were eating, I asked something to the beautiful fox.

"How did the leader of your pack control her pack?" (MC)

"Power, mother used power to control the pack. Mother was The strongest, so everyone listens to her." (BF)

"I see." (MC)

Power, huh? Simple yet effective. After we ate, I went around the forest, searching for a pack of monster. Not to hunt but to tamed and made into subordinates, my subordinates.

The cave raid taught me that number was sometimes more important than individual strength. If wasn't for my overwhelming power, the only six powerful goblins in the cave were haughty, the raid probably failed. If the six goblins were to fight me with the rest of the goblin horde, it would be very dangerous. The fact that I raided the cave with just the two of us were beyond reckless, I was drunk on the feeling of omnipotence after evolving. Thankfully, the raid was successful, but it would be safer if I had some subordinates, so I thought of getting some. That was why I asked that question to the beautiful fox.

She lived in a pack before, so I thought of referencing how the leader of her pack ruled. If using power was enough, it would be very easy for me, even if it didn't work, I could try again and again. I'm sure I would success with enough trial and error.

Unfortunately, we didn't find anything but rats, I wasn't desperate enough to recruit rats to my pack. I and the beautiful fox found a relatively safe place before retiring for the night, we would continue the search tomorrow.

@@@

Morning came, I went searching again with the beautiful fox, today we searched deeper into the forest. We walked for quite some time until we found a pack of wolves, well, it was more like they found us.

We were surrounded by a pack of grey wolves, they were about a meter tall and one and a half meter in length, their grey furs was long and their tails were long and bushy, their eyes were blood-red. They were growling at us and I understand what they said.

"Meat..."

"I want the female, tender meat..."

"Hungry...hunt...kill..."

There were about ten wolves from what I could see, but I sensed a stronger wolf hidden behind the pack, my sense had become stronger after evolving. One of the wolves attacked us, it jumped with its mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth opened.

I caught it by the neck with one hand, it struggled and scratched my hand with its claw but its strength, it wouldn't be able to hurt me.

Name : Nameless

Species : Grey Wolf (Uncommon)

Type : Beast

Sex : Male

Rank : 01

LV : 046/50

HP : 120/120

MP : 8/8

STM : 210/210

ATK : 52

VIT : 43

MGC : 0

MND : 12

DEX : 17

AGL : 35

Active Skills :

Iron Claw LV02

Brute Bite LV02

Sprint LV03

Howl LV02

Passive Skills :

Pack Mind LV03

Swift Feet LV02

Silent Step LV02

Stamina Boost (Small) LV02

Resistance Skills :

Slash Resistance (Small) LV03

Bludgeon Resistance (Small) LV2

Fear Resistance LV02

They're stronger than goblins, for sure, especially their stamina, but still weak. For my first attempt at subduing monsters, they should do.

Grey Wolf

A wolf monster that can live in many terrains and environments, but prefers forests and plains. A nomadic monster that will go from place to place searching for food. A highly organized monster that lives in a pack led by the alpha male.

They don't have any special aspects or characteristics, except having exceptional stamina. A fearless monster that will attack anything they perceived as prey. They exhaust their prey before going in for the kill.

Their thick fur protects them from slashing and bludgeoning attack, good material for armor. Their sharp fangs and claws can be used to make small-size weapons. Carnivore. Inedible.

This monster was just perfect for what I need. Seeing their kin caught by me, one more wolf lunged at me, I simply threw the one in my hand at the one jumping at me. I held myself back, so they were only hurt without actual wounds.

The wolves growled at me but before they could act, I activated [Intimidation] and all of them were frozen stiff. I'm not adept at using it yet but I managed to exclude the beautiful fox from the effect of [Intimidation]. Even though they were frozen stiff, they face still showed defiance.

I smirked, I kinda liked these fearless mutts. I strolled pass them easily with the beautiful fox, and I found a bigger Grey Wolf than the other at the back. It was frozen too but this one could still growl at me.

Name : Nameless

Species : Grey Wolf (Uncommon)

Type : Beast

Sex : Male

Rank : 01

LV : 066/75

HP : 135/135

MP : 8/8

STM : 265/265

ATK : 73

VIT : 59

MGC : 0

MND : 17

DEX : 24

AGL : 44

Active Skills :

Iron Claw LV03

Brute Bite LV02

Sprint LV04

Howl LV04

Passive Skills :

Pack Mind LV04

Pack Commanding LV03

Swift Feet LV03

Silent Step LV03

Stamina Boost (Small) LV03

Resistance Skills :

Slash Resistance (Small) LV04

Bludgeon Resistance (Small) LV3

Fear Resistance LV03

Title :

Alpha Male

Ho, based on stats alone, it was on par with a rank 2 goblins, very nice!

"Submit to me and you will live, against me and you will die along with your pack." (MC)

The Grey Wolf leader growled even more and even moved his feet to stood his ground, there was no fear in his eyes. He glared at me back, even though, he must have realized that I was far stronger than him or his pack. He clenched his teeth and I assumed he wouldn't be able to converse while under the pressure of my [Intimidation], so I canceled it.

The moment the pressure was gone, many wolves fell to the ground, not many could still stand, but they were all panting hard. The Grey Wolf leader was still standing, he was panting exhaustedly.

I waited for him to recover and when he did, he roared at me.

"Fight me! The strong lead! The weak die!"

A simple deathmatch to determine the pack leader, I liked this simple solution. The other wolves stood circling us, watching who would win, despite their leader was fighting, no wolf cheered him on. The beautiful fox joined them and sat down a distance from me, she was relaxed, no wolves dared to went near her.

I looked at the Grey Wolf leader, he was charging himself, ready to lunge. I sneered at him, I would finish this quickly. I walked toward him leisurely, the Grey Wolf leader took that as an insult, for not treating him like a worthy enemy and underestimating him.

He lunged at me with explosive speed, but I could still see him, I dodged a little to the side and caught his neck, then I slammed him to the ground. While he was gagging and dazed from being slammed, a stream of pale blue fire poured out of my mouth.

"Cold Breath!"

The Grey Wolf leader's head was encased with ice, he struggled greatly but he couldn't move his head as the ice pinned him down to the ground. I released my hand and stood up, smoke coming out of the ice and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. After a few minutes, the Grey Wolf leader ceased moving.

The wolves revealed their feeling of trepidation after seeing what happened to their leader, not one of them talked. I looked at them and asked.

"Submit or die like your leader" (MC)

The Wolves didn't hesitate and howled to the sky.

"Submit!"

"Strong leader, submit!"

I smiled, with this I've taken the first step of building my pack, no, my pride.