Published: January 4, 2026
I held out my palm to the rabbit that was rubbing its cheek against me.
It pressed its head against my palm, acting affectionately.
It no longer looked like a fierce monster, but more like a large, obedient dog.
“Amazing... this thing has become so...”
Jerry couldn’t stop expressing his surprise.
Since Jerry was the one who captured it and knew the situation well at that time, the stark contrast with the scene before him was unbelievable.
Holding his breath, Jerry cautiously extended his hand.
I reached out to pet it—just to try it out.
“Miki—!”
Suddenly, the rabbit got angry and swatted Jerry away with the side of its head.
There was a loud thud as Jerry’s hand was pushed back.
He rubbed his hand.
“Haha, looks like it hates me.”
“No, this is incredible. Considering how it was when I caught it, it wouldn’t be surprising if it bit my hand off just now.”
“Ah, I see.”
I nodded slightly and smiled softly.
I understood what Jerry meant.
The rabbit had fiercely rejected Jerry, but only with the intensity of a pet or livestock.
I could clearly see he wanted to say that monster-level aggression was much worse than this.
“Miki!”
The rabbit suddenly changed its attitude and rubbed against me again.
When I petted it, it squinted its eyes happily.
“Wow... it’s like a completely different creature now... hey.”
“What is it?”
“Can it fight?”
“Yeah, it should be able to—can it?”
“Miki!”
The rabbit responded to my question, spun around, and bit the open door of the cage sideways, twisting it hard.
The metal bars that formed the door bent and warped.
“Oh.”
I was a little surprised.
Structurally, it’s easier to apply force and break something when a door is open rather than closed, so I understood that, but still, the rabbit bending iron bars so easily was a bit shocking.
“This is... about the same as when it was captured.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes... back then, it also destroyed several tanks like this.”
“Hmm.”
Since its role was to charge enemy forces, both the horses pulling it and the armored body of a tank were made strongly of iron.
If it bent iron bars just like this, it was impressive, and I understood why Jerry thought it was about the same level.
After bending the iron bars so badly that it couldn’t be restored or closed again, the rabbit returned to me, sitting quietly and looking up.
Its eyes were clear and glass-like as it stared at me with a face that said, “Praise me, praise me.”
I reached out and petted the rabbit.
It looked ticklish but enjoyed being stroked.
“Wow...”
“So, do you have a name?”
“Mikiki.”
“You don’t?”
“Right.”
Since it didn’t seem to have a name, I decided to give it one and pondered for a moment.
“...Mule.”
“Miki?”
“The very first beast loved by all other beasts.”
“Ahaha.”
“Miki!”
The rabbit, now renamed Mule, happily jumped on me and playfully expressed its joy all over.
It seemed to like the name I had thought up.
“My Lord.”
“What is it?”
“Can that one be sent directly to the battlefield?”
“I wonder. It’s like this now, but it doesn’t seem like the monster temperament has completely disappeared. It might move freely where I can’t see.”
“Hmmm... then it can’t be used by the army.”
“There might be a way.”
I said that, thinking it over.
Since Mule had just become like this, everything was still speculation.
Including the golden light on my left hand.
I wanted to know the conditions better—I felt I had to know.
“—!”
Looking at my left hand, the status window in the corner flashed before my eyes.
――――――――――――
Name: Noah Alarate
Emperor of the Empire
Gender: Male
Level: 17 +1 +1 / ∞
HP: C + A Fire: e plus ss
MP: D + B Water: C + sss
Strength: C + ss Wind: e plus c
Stamina: D + B Earth: e plus c
Intelligence: D + S Light: e plus s
Spirit: E + A Darkness: e plus b
Speed: E + A
Dexterity: E + A
Luck: D + B
―――――――――――
The number after the plus in my level had increased by one.