Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

Under the warm afternoon sun, Ryu Dedoldia sat cross-legged on the grass, his body still slightly sore from today's intense training. A gentle breeze carried the distinct scent of the forest to his nose, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Beside him sat a large dog, its forehead adorned with a sacred star. Its ears twitched occasionally, picking up distant sounds.

Ryu gazed at the dog with a nostalgic expression.

This creature reminded him of his Shiba Inu from his previous life.

Its expression, the way it wagged its tail, even its loyal and protective nature—everything was eerily similar to the dog that had once been his faithful companion.

"Do you also feel like we've known each other for a long time?" Ryu murmured, gently patting the dog's head.

The large dog let out a low growl—not one of aggression, but rather a contented sound, like that of a dog enjoying affection.

Ryu smiled faintly. "You really remind me of—"

Before he could finish his sentence—

"RYU!!"

A loud voice tore through the air, making Ryu turn his head in surprise.

A burly beastman came running toward him, his face a mix of shock and fury.

"What are you doing?!"

Ryu blinked, still not understanding the situation.

"What do you mean?" he asked casually, his hand still resting on the dog's head.

The beastman gritted his teeth, his face turning red. "That—that's the Sacred Beast!"

"...Huh?"

Only now did Ryu remember something important.

This wasn't just any dog.

This was the Sacred Beast of the Dedoldia tribe—a creature revered and worshipped by the beastmen.

As someone who had once been human in his past life, he never fully grasped all the beliefs and traditions of the beastmen.

But from what he had heard, touching the Sacred Beast without permission was considered a grave offense—one that could be severely punished.

Damn it.

Ryu quickly pulled his hand away from the Sacred Beast's head and stood up, looking a bit awkward.

But it was already too late.

More beastmen had gathered around them.

Their gazes were filled with anger and disbelief.

"Ryu! Do you have any idea how disrespectful it is to touch the Sacred Beast without permission?!" shouted an older female beastman.

Ryu raised both hands. "I didn't mean to offend anyone. I was just… playing with it."

Several beastmen gasped in shock at his words.

"Playing?!"

"Did he just say playing?! With the Sacred Beast?!"

Ryu could feel the tension rising.

Among the crowd, whispers began to spread.

"Why didn't the Sacred Beast reject his touch…?"

"It never lets anyone get close to it, right?"

"Could it be… there's something different about this boy…?"

Some were still angry, but others were now more curious than outraged.

Ryu sensed that the situation could escalate into something troublesome if he didn't handle it carefully.

But before he could think of a response—

WOOF!

The Sacred Beast suddenly let out a loud bark, drawing everyone's attention.

Then, to everyone's shock, it stood beside Ryu and wagged its tail happily.

The atmosphere immediately turned silent.

The beastmen who had been fuming just moments ago froze in place.

An elderly beastman with a long beard stepped forward, his expression one of pure astonishment.

He stared at the Sacred Beast, then at Ryu, then back at the Sacred Beast.

Then, in a hushed voice filled with disbelief, he whispered, "This… has never happened before…"

Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

The elder turned to the crowd.

"The Sacred Beast has chosen this boy!"

A ripple of shock spread through the crowd.

Ryu's eyes widened. "What?! I don't understand!"

The elder looked at him with deep meaning in his gaze.

"The Dedoldia's Sacred Beast never allows just anyone to touch it unless it has acknowledged them."

Another beastman added, "No one in our generation has ever been able to approach it like that!"

More murmurs and whispers filled the air.

"So… does this mean this boy is destined for something great?"

"Could he be the chosen one?"

Ryu felt even more confused.

"I just wanted to play with a dog… how did I suddenly become an important figure?! What is happening?!"

But the Sacred Beast itself seemed content.

It even licked Ryu's face casually, as if confirming their bond.

The stares from the surrounding beastmen only grew more intense.

Ryu swallowed hard, realizing that his life in the Milis Continent had just become a whole lot more complicated.

Since his rebirth as Ryu Dedoldia, his life had revolved around training and combat.

For others, such a life might have seemed harsh and exhausting, but for Ryu, it was true freedom.

Even though this world was different from Earth, its core principle remained the same:

The strong survive, the weak perish.

From a young age, he realized that his new body was far superior to his previous human body.

The beastman race possessed numerous natural advantages that made them superior in battle:

Enhanced physical endurance – Their bodies were tougher and healed faster than an average human.

Heightened senses – Their hearing, smell, and sight were incredibly sharp, allowing them to react quickly to danger.

Innate combat instincts – Beastmen had a natural affinity for battle, making them highly reactive in fights.

But Ryu wasn't content with just relying on racial advantages.

He wanted to push his body to its absolute limits and uncover the highest potential a beastman could achieve.

For most people, survival was enough.

But for Ryu?

Surviving without evolving was the same as dying.

That was why he never hesitated to throw himself into dangerous fights.

From a young age, he trained his body by fighting powerful creatures, some far larger than himself.

Wounds and pain became his daily companions.

But every time he got injured…

He became stronger.

He learned how to dodge more efficiently, how to maximize his strength, and how to predict his opponent's movements before they attacked.

For Ryu, this wasn't just training.

This was life.

A Battle Junkie Never Changes

No matter what world he was in…

Ryu was still Ryusei.

A battle junkie.

A warrior who never feared standing at the edge of death just to experience the thrill of a fight.

In his previous life, he had earned a terrifying nickname on the battlefield.

D.O.B – Devil of Battlefield.

The Demon of the Battlefield.

Both allies and enemies had given him this name—not because he was bloodthirsty, but because of his inhuman way of fighting.

On the battlefield, he moved as if dancing with death.

His enemies believed that he had sold his soul to the devil in exchange for unnatural strength.

To them, Ryusei Takeda was no mere soldier.

He was a monster.

And now, reborn into this world…

That part of him had not changed.

Ryu Dedoldia, now armed with the power of a beastman, still carried the same fire in his soul.

A fire that could only be satisfied through battle.

A fire that made him constantly seek the limits of his own strength.

And in this world, with all the new power he had gained…

He was ready to become even stronger.