Before coming up to the surface.
Back when I was rolling around, sparring with Changyeom, undergoing practical training in the Demon World.
“Do you like furries?”
“What kind of crazy question is that all of a sudden?”
I remember being asked this question while sparring with Changyeom.
“How am I supposed to respond when someone just blurts out, ‘nymphomaniac’?'”
“But you like it when maids wear cat ears and tails, don’t you?”
“There’s a bit of a difference between animal features and furries.”
I dodged the sword attack from Changyeom.
She wielded her sword like Esta, dressed in a maid outfit crafted from magic energy, as she attacked me.
“From my perspective, it seems pretty similar.”
“That’s because, in this world, there are actual races with animal features, but in my world, there weren’t any such races.”
Although Changyeom had accepted everything about me, including my knowledge and memories from my world, there were still some concepts from my world that she found hard to understand as a being of this world.
“In our world, it was pure fantasy, but here, there are real humanoid beastfolk races.”
“Are you talking about the moe beastfolk characters from your world’s otaku fantasy, or the ones that are about 50% furry?”
“Both.”
So, what are the beastfolk races like in this world?
It depends on how much human and animal traits are mixed.
“Hey, Archduke. If an alpaca walks on two legs, carries a sword, and dresses as a female knight, would that be a humanoid race, or just an animal?”
“Even if it talks and acts like a human, if a pure animal walks on two legs, it’s still an animal.”
Changyeom deflected my attack and declared confidently.
“The beast races of this world are genetically mixed with humans. It’s a bit complicated, though.”
“I don’t mind the complexity; just explain it simply.”
“In short, the cat-people are a distinct race, genetically mixed between cats and humans.”
Changyeom conjured flames, forming a shape.
In front of me appeared slender women with sharp claws ready to slash at me.
“They might have cat whiskers on their faces, move as fast as cats, or have cat tails above their hips. And…”
“They might also have physical abilities far superior to humans!”
Ka-ang.
The cat-person created from magic clashed its claws against my sword.
Although I was told it was at a level I could handle, its strength was greater than I expected.
“If you’re struggling with just a cat-person, what will you do if a dolphin-person or a deer-person shows up?”
“I’ve never even heard of a deer-person before!”
From the opposite direction where I deflected the attack, I sensed something sharp. I quickly raised my sword to block it, but it wrapped around my sword like a whip in an instant.
“There are many possible hybrids in this world~”
“!!”
A cat tail.
A long, whip-like cat tail wrapped around my sword, and the cat-person of flames drove its claws straight toward me.
Whoosh.
A familiar phrase flashed before my eyes.
YOU DIE.
It wasn’t an actual game system message; it was a “death judgment” displayed by Changyeom through her magic.
“Whew.”
I lowered my sword, like putting down a game controller.
“Are you giving up?”
“Just taking a break.”
I raised both hands, and Changyeom Phoenix soon approached me, handing me a coffee filled with ice.
I drink that ‘memory’ made with mana.
“About the beastfolk races… They really are genetically combined, right?”
“Yes. It’s one of the remnants of the gods who created this world in the past, mixing human genes with various animals to create new races.”
Changyeom smiled brightly, pointing to the cat ears on her head.
“You could call it a product of magic genetic engineering. But don’t mention this when you go to the surface. It’s a secret that’s been forgotten by humans for tens of thousands of years… no, even longer.”
“So it’s like the red pill of humanity’s origin?”
“Exactly. Can you imagine how shocked the beastfolk races would be? The lower humans they look down upon were actually their original species, and they themselves are just derived from them.”
Changyeom stood next to me and drank a strawberry latte.
She sipped from a plastic cup, similar to the ones I used to get as takeout from cafes.
“Ahh.”
“Is it good?”
“It’s sweet and delicious because you enjoyed it. Everything I consume comes from your memories and knowledge.”
“So you like strawberries?” “Among various things, it’s the most universally tasty, I’d say. Hehe.”
Changyeom stretches out her fingers and snapped them.
Whoosh.
“Consider yourself lucky. At least the ancient gods never thought of combining strawberries with humans.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s a terrifying thought.”
A strawberry, larger than a refrigerator, had human limbs attached to it.
Despite its hulking muscles and stance, it was still just a giant strawberry.
“How about this, then?”
Changyeom snapped her fingers again.
The strawberry began to wriggle like a slime, and then the strawberry-human transformed into a new form.
“It’s just a strawberry-flavored slime.”
“Then let’s add a red, s*xy bikini to it.”
“Adding that kind of outfit won’t change the fact that it still looks ridiculous.”
The strawberry-colored slime-like being seemed to be trying to flaunt itself as if it were beautiful and curvaceous, but it was still just a strawberry.
“Then, how about this?”
Changyeom snapped her fingers one last time.
“Isn’t that just a human?”
A normal human with pale skin appeared before me.
The only peculiarities were their green hair and the red dress they wore, which was reminiscent of a strawberry.
“But if you taste it, it’ll taste like a strawberry.”
“What do you mean by taste?”
“Mana?”
“Can you stop making things up about something that doesn’t even exist?”
“You’re going to become a custard cream cheese human, so if you criticize this, it’ll be like spitting in my face~”
Before I knew it, Changyeom had pulled out a bread filled with thick cream and took a bite.
“Whether it’s a cat-person or a strawberry-person, as long as they look and taste good, that’s all that matters.”
With a snap of her fingers, various beings began to appear behind the strawberry-human, taking on all sorts of forms.
“Dog, cat, panda, dragon, and more. The gods tried to mix countless different species with humans, and their descendants still remain on the surface today.”
“Rabbits too, right?”
“Yes.”
One particular figure emerged before my eyes.
“Ludmila Lionheart. Heroine No. 02. A character who joins the protagonist’s team from the beginning, and a frontline combat heroine.”
A tall woman with white hair and blue eyes appeared.
“Story-wise, she’s known as ‘the rabbit born in the lion’s den’.”
“Definitely a rabbit.”
Standing like a mannequin or a hologram, she had long, upward-pointing rabbit ears on her head, and a fluffy white tail, slightly larger than a fist, at the base of her back.
A tail.
“That’s right. She’s a rabbit. A rabbitfolk. At least Ludmila isn’t the kind of rabbit you were worried about.”
Changyeom created another rabbit next to Ludmila.
“Ta-da! It’s Creamy Rabbit.”
“That description doesn’t help.”
“Oh, why not?”
“You need to say she looks cheeky for people to get it.”
Next to Ludmila, a mischievous-looking rabbitfolk appeared.
“Isn’t that reference a bit too old?”
“…Shut up.”
“Don’t you think even you should realize how out of touch you are with the MZ generation?”
“What matters is that I prefer humans with just ears or tails, at a cosplay level.”
I waved my hand dismissively toward the furry creatures Changyeom had created.
“I’m not a beast, so why would I like those? I prefer this one.”
I pointed toward Ludmila, who looked fully human.
“Hmmm, I see.”
With another snap of her fingers, Changyeom created new beasts.
“Then we must train hard to ensure that such an ‘Apocalypse’ never comes.”
“…This is horrifying.”
In front of my eyes.
“That’s a bunch of h*rny rabbits.”
Gone was the slender, voluptuous Ludmila, and in her place were beings that looked somewhat human, yet—
They reminded me of rabbit characters from certain game called Pookieman, with glowing red eyes and hot breath puffing from their mouths.
“Indeed. This is the apocalyptic image of humanity being wiped out genetically, and furries becoming the rulers of this planet.”
“…”
The second scenario of humanity’s extinction.
Heroine No. 2, Ludmila Lionheart.
[Furry Apocalypse] …
Correction.
[Beast Apocalypse].
In that world, there are no humans left.
Only a thickening presence of beastfolk, and ultimately, only beasts remain.
“Now, hone your skills. Only then will you be able to break her will… the will of a rabbit with the body of a rabbit and the heart of a lion.”
“So, it’s back to fighting again.”
I ignited my magic, wrapping flames around my fists.
“But even if I lose, I’m not going to get devoured by them, right?”
As I manifested my mana into a sword drawn from the flames—
“Well, that’s part of the fun when you hit a game over, isn’t it?”
Without answering, Changyeom Phoenix snapped her fingers.
Kyaaaargh!!
The furries, with less than 50% human content, charged at me, launching their attack.
* * *
[Present time, Main building of the Academy’s Student Affairs Office.]
Thud, thud.
A white-haired, blue-eyed woman walked through the Student Affairs office, pulling a large suitcase.
As the sound of military boots rhythmically striking the marble floor caught their attention, several people turned their heads, only to be left gaping in astonishment at the sight of the woman, sending chills down their spines.
Some might first notice the tall, white rabbit ears standing erect on her head.
Others might notice the large mana pockets that her clothes couldn’t conceal.
Some might see the white bunny girl suit that she wore—something that would take a lot of courage to even think about wearing.
And some might simply be baffled by the fact that a bunny girl, more suited to a casino than an academy, was walking around in the heart of the institution.
But when they caught sight of the various military gear attached to her body, they began to have some suspicions about her true identity.
“Is this…”
The woman spoke.
“…where my grandfather works?”
Ludmila Lionheart.
Publicly known as an A-rank adventurer, [Cutting Wind], and one of the most famous demon hunters around.
Some of the final-year students at the academy, particularly the commoners, recognized her immediately, given that many aspired to join the very same demon-hunting guild where she served as an active member. It was no wonder that a few recognized her as she confidently walked into the academy.
“Welcome, Ludmila.”
Naturally, as the Dean of Academic Affairs, Ederson Lionheart greeted her, and the students realized—
“…Where is your uniform?”
“It’s in the case, but this is my uniform.”
“Even for a special admission student, walking around in that outfit…”
“A combat uniform is also a uniform, Grandfather.”
—That Ludmila Lionheart had enrolled in the academy as a “student”.
“Besides, if I don’t find such a man, I’ll be dropping out right in a year.”
Ludmila pointed to a magic device attached to her wrist and glanced around the room.
“I don’t see him yet, but Grandfather, you said there’s someone promising.”
Ludmila.
“Where is the excellent male who will father my offspring?”
She was currently—
“Where is the husband who will give me strong children, someone I couldn’t even find in the Hunter’s Guild?”
—On a hunt. A hunt to find a husband who could give her strong children as soon as she became an adult in two years.
Her demeanor was like that of a lioness who came to find a mate.
Even if she was a rabbit.
