Ranching System, Activated!

< Don't be stupid this time, and hear me out. If you plan on having these girls around you and you don't want to become lunch while you sleep, you had better listen!>

Jeez, this guy was forceful, but I wasn't ignoring what he was saying. There was an excellent chance that he was right, and it would only be a matter of time until Jilly figured some way around Mary.

<Good. Now, My name Herotipanlopolis, Great God of Heavens Ninth Gate of Oberomian. You can call me Hero, but I am the ruling god of this world.>

You just made that up, didn't you?

<I can wait until they kill you if you would prefer. Then I can reopen the gate and hopefully find someone more willing to accept the gifts that are bestowed upon him!>

Fine, you're right. I am being a bit of a turd, and I do need your help. So, lay it on me; what is this fancy and unique System that you have for me?

[Ranching System] Activated!

[Level Up] Level 1 gained!

[Level Up] Level 2 gained!

<This System is built specifically as a support system for the ones that want a more relaxed life somewhat, but this will not give you any physical enhancements. The System will only give you ways to help care for monster girls. In your present situation, I think this is the best thing for you.>

I still wasn't sure precisely what Hero meant with the System, but if it would still let me keep my own personal restrictions on myself, then it couldn't hurt. Plus, it wouldn't be bad to do something that I was already going to do anyway.

<I will now open the menu screen for you to look over, but later, you can just summon the menu by thinking that you want to do that.>

A large white-bordered white-edged window with a black tinted background appeared in front of me. There was white writing, and it reminded me of an old MS-DOS screen on the old IBM computers.

{Kazz Foreman}

Level: 2

Title: N/A

Rank: {Poor and Ranchless Rancher)

Monster Girls: 2

System: Ranching System

System Abilities:

{Monster Girl Rancher}- Gain experience from taking care of your Monster Girls.

{Monster Girl Pacification}- The innate ability to calm Monster Girls.

{Monster Girl Care}- All things done to care for Monster Girls are 100% more effective.

{Jilly}

Level: 2

Title: N/A

Species: Oomukade

Unique Ability: Air Pressure Control

System: Builder System

System Abilities:

{Builder Bug}- Gain experience from completing Building Tasks.

{Pinsir Saw}- Activate to use Pinsirs as a saw.

{Spine Nailer}- Activate to fire fastening spines that grow out like razor vines, securing the spine.

---------------------

{Mary}

Level: 3

Title: N/A

Species: Gorgon Medusa/???

Unique Ability: ???

System: Saintly Survival System

System Abilities:

{In The Aid of Others}- Gain experience from helping party members.

{Helping Hand}- Twice per day, you can use this ability to help a party member that is in need, but the items used to help will disappear after use.

{??? Blessing}- Gives logic bending luck bonus to survival odds when put into harm's way.

I could feel two pairs of eyes looking over my shoulders as I looked over the menus. I had been distracted and hadn't noticed that Jilly had moved around behind me, but I no longer felt the same creepy-crawly feeling from before.

I guess this new System and seeing her when she was hurt had reminded me that she was still just a girl. I wasn't sure what Mary was doing because I could feel her staring just as intently at the screen.

"Can you both see the floating screen in front of me?" I asked the girls as I turned to the girls.

The screen moved around with me as I turned, and I noticed both girls following it as I did. That confirmed my question, but now I wanted to know how Mary could see it.

<Mary can see her screens and yours, but they are the only things that she can see right now. Along with the MP that you will earn from helping others, there will be other rewards along the way you will receive. Unfortunately, all quest rewards you receive that aren't MP will be for one of your party members.>

While that did suck, the idea of getting something good just because I moved some crates or killed a couple monsters was like getting free help. So, the items being for the girls didn't bother me, but what I was worried about was if the System would have any effect on the Items or other things that I found.

<Anything that you find or earn outside of quest will be rewarded to you.>

"What is a Rancher? Are you our Master or something now? I don't feel like I want to eat you now," Jilly said as she looked down at me.

"Mastersss? Mmm, what doesss my Master wantsss me to do for himsss," Mary hissed seductively in my ear, and then licked up the side of my neck, send a hot shiver through my body.

"No, I am not your Master; I am your caretaker, I guess. According to this page," I said, pointing to the screen. "I just need to make sure that you two are taken care of and stay out of trouble, I think. Honestly, I know about as much as you do at this point," I said while scratching my head, but then I heard something.

It was like the patter of feet, but soft like paws, almost like a pack of dogs or wolves. Of course, there would be monsters coming, and the fact that we had this much time without any was the more surprising thing with the dead Stinking Troll.

"I think we should get moving; this place is about to get more dangerous," I said while turning to figure out which was to go.

"What? You don't want to fight whatever is coming? I thought you wanted to get stronger?" Jilly asked, and that was about the time a pack of three head dogs charged into the clearing.

They each had weird glowing mouths with the glowing stuff leaking out, green, red, and blue. They weren't huge, and they went straight for the troll-like savages, but then I heard a high-pitched squeal come from Jilly, and she charged.

Great.