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Chapter 1
An Unknown Continent untouched by human footsteps.
Somewhere in a cave deep within a mountain range.
"Gwoooo...!"
A heavy groan echoed against the walls.
A creature classified as a monster.
A Flame Bear was about to give birth.
"Gwoooo...!"
The first contraction arrived.
The Flame Bear curled up in pain.
After a grueling struggle with herself,
she brought her first cub into the world.
"Whine! Whimper!"
"Rooar."
A small baby bear with red fur.
It was a Flame Bear, just like its mother.
The sturdy-looking Flame Bear cub looked healthy at a glance.
A bright smile spread across the Flame Bear's face.
The first birth was a great success.
However, she couldn't rest easy just yet.
There were still more cubs waiting to be born.
The Flame Bear curled up once again.
Fifteen minutes passed as she groaned in that position.
"Whine! Whimper!"
"Rooar."
The second cub slid out safely.
Once again, it was a Flame Bear.
It was smaller than the first, but seemed to have no health issues.
The Flame Bear put on a satisfied expression.
Now, only one cub remained.
The Flame Bear curled up yet again.
And when about twenty minutes had passed.
Plop-!
Something strange popped out.
What was born this time was not a Flame Bear with red fur.
"......."
"Rooar?"
The Flame Bear was flustered.
Monsters occasionally give birth to Mutants or different species. The Flame Bear knew this. She had considered the possibility that a cub different from the Flame Bear species might be born.
However, she had never imagined a case like this.
It was a completely unexpected result.
The Flame Bear had given birth to a Teddy Bear.
That didn't mean a baby as pretty as a Doll.
Literally, a Doll shaped like a bear had popped out of her womb.
"Roooaaar...."
Swish.
The Flame Bear pushed the Teddy Bear to the side.
Turning her back to the Doll,
she carefully embraced only the two living cubs.
She could not accept such a bizarre thing as her own child.
No matter if it came from her own womb.
She could love an ugly cub,
but she felt no maternal love for a Doll that wasn't even a living creature.
"......."
In the corner.
The Teddy Bear didn't move an inch.
It just stayed like that, staring blankly at its own reflection in the obsidian cave wall.
***
I have finished grasping the situation.
I died, and was born again.
As one of three cubs of a giant bear.
......Is this really reality?
I wondered if I was dreaming.
Let's say I can accept being born as a beast's cub.
But why am I the only Teddy Bear?
Can a living creature even give birth to a Doll in the first place?
I'm so confused.
My common sense is crumbling.
No, wait a minute.
Come to think of it, being born as a Teddy Bear might not be completely impossible.
Those bears are no ordinary beasts.
Leaving aside their extraordinary size.
Small flames are flickering over their red fur.
I guessed they were beings like monsters appearing in fantasies.
If they are monsters, well, they could probably give birth to a Doll.
Because they would be structurally completely different from the ordinary creatures I know.
Let's just assume that's the case.
What should I do now?
I gained a new life, but the future is bleak.
Reincarnation as a monster is fine.
The problem is that I was born as a Teddy Bear and can't move. Naturally, I can't speak either.
I can't help but curse.
I need to be able to move first to do anything.
"Rooar."
As I was cursing inwardly, the Mother Bear glanced at me sideways.
Excuse me, Mother?
Are you really going to abandon your own cub?
If you leave me like this, I can't do anything.
The Mother Bear turned away from me.
She withdrew her gaze without even looking for a second.
Cold-hearted bear bitch.
By the looks of it.
Even for monsters, giving birth to a Doll seems to be rare.
If so, I could understand why she abandoned me.
A dirty Doll popped out of her womb saying peek-a-boo!, so what creature would welcome such a bizarre thing? Even a monster is bound to be reluctant.
Hmm. Right.
I can understand.
But I cannot forgive it.
Filled with resentment.
I glared at the Mother Bear's massive rear end reflected in my vision.
It was at that moment.
Suddenly, letters wriggled like earthworms and appeared before my eyes.
[Flame Bear lv.35]
└ Pw.105
└ Rnk.Superior
What is this now?
A game interface?
Ah, a Status Window or something?
At this point, I wasn't even surprised.
Now, I was confident I could maintain my composure no matter what happened.
Moreover, is it because I am a monster?
It seemed I was accepting all these situations befalling me more detachedly than I thought.
I felt awkward about myself too.
Normally, it would be normal to panic.
Not that it's a bad thing.
Rather, it was good.
Because I wouldn't be able to endure the current situation with a sane mind.
More importantly, can I see the information of other creatures too?
[Flame Bear lv.2]
└ Pw.6
└ Rnk.Superior
[Flame Bear lv.1]
└ Pw.3
└ Rnk.Superior
Oh, I can see it.
My siblings also shared the same species as our mother.
Enviable bastards.
If so, what is my species name?
It definitely wouldn't be Flame Bear.
I should be able to check my information too, right?
Just as I was thinking that, a new Status Window appeared.
[Ragged Teddy Bear lv.1]
└ Pw.1
└ Rnk.Normal
[Skill]
[Helper lv.1], [Evolution lv.1]
The species name sounds like garbage from the get-go.
***
Day 2 since my Reincarnation as a Teddy Bear.
I am still huddled alone in the corner.
On the other hand, the Flame Bear family was harmonious.
The Mother Bear would hunt for food outside the cave,
and the two cubs would eagerly chomp down on the prey the Mother Bear brought back.
The Mother Bear watched her cubs with a pleased expression.
What a look full of absolute affection.
Would it kill her to share a little of that affection with me?
Of course, there is no food for me.
Because I have not been acknowledged as her cub.
The Mother Bear did not even spare me a glance.
I was treated as being essentially a rock.
Well, I suppose I should consider myself lucky she didn't tear me to shreds.
It was fine that I didn't receive any food.
Even though the discrimination was upsetting, my body had no problems functioning without eating anyway.
I guess a Doll is just a Doll.
It seemed I didn't feel hunger at all.
In other words, I am a monster that has absolutely no trouble living without consuming food.
It was truly ambiguous.
Whether I should call myself a living creature, or an inanimate object.
Anyway, it's a relief that I won't starve to death.
...Wait, no.
Aren't I basically dead right now anyway?
If I only have consciousness but can't move, I'm just a corpse.
To be exact, I'm in a vegetative Human state...
No, I'm no different from a vegetative bear.
Even though my vision is intact.
Trying so hard to think positively only made me feel depressed for nothing.
***
Day 3.
I brought up the Status Window containing my information.
I looked at it on the first day and got sick of looking at it on the second day, but I had nothing else to do. The only thing I could control with my own will was opening the Status Window.
Now then, shall I slowly organize things again today?
Who the newly born me really is!
[Ragged Teddy Bear lv.1]
Species, Ragged Teddy Bear.
Just like the species name suggests, I am a worthless Doll.
Since I was born from a monster's womb, I must also be a monster, but in my current state, I am no different from any other ordinary Doll.
└ Pw.1
Pw is an abbreviation for Power.
That's not a guess, it's solid information.
If I focus my mind just a little, more detailed information is displayed.
Power 1
Like this.
My power is, exactly as it appears, a mere 1.
It's a figure that truly pales in comparison to my siblings.
One of my siblings is the same level as me.
Despite that, their power was 3.
The talented one born at level 2 had a whopping 6.
The reason the power was different even at the same level seemed to be due to the difference in rank.
└ Rnk.Normal
Rank.
In other words, my rank was Normal.
This is just a guess, but
I figured Normal might be the lowest rank.
After all, there's no way a rank lower than mine exists.
I'm getting depressed again for nothing.
Mom is a Superior rank, and all my siblings are Superior rank too... Why am I the only one stuck at Normal rank?
Fortunately amidst this misfortune,
it seemed possible to raise my rank.
[Flame Bear lv.1]
└ Pw.3
└ Rnk.Superior (Limit Breakthrough possible upon reaching lv.30)
Limit Breakthrough.
That's probably the ritual to reach the next rank.
For reference.
The Mother Bear and the level 2 cub were in a Limit Breakthrough Impossible state.
It means they are destined to remain in the Superior rank forever.
I was in no position to mock them.
Because I am also in a Limit Breakthrough Impossible state.
Still, I had a chance.
Namely, because I have this skill!
[Helper lv.1]
─A skill with a Status Window system and various support functions.
Ah, not this skill.
The other one.
[Evolution lv.1]
─A skill that allows attempting Evolution without Limit Breakthrough.
─Special Evolution cannot be attempted.
─Can be used by consuming one entity level.
─The species rank does not change.
─Upon Evolution, permanently acquire a skill or additional power.
Evolution!
Just looking at it, it is a completely broken skill.
The usage conditions are not strict at all.
And perhaps through this, I might be reborn as an entity capable of Limit Breakthrough.
Of course, it is currently a useless skill.
To a mere Teddy Bear that cannot even move, it is just a pearl Necklace cast before swine.
I became ten times more depressed.
***
Day 10.
It is frustrating.
I want to move.
I do not think... I will go crazy.
Even though I am a hundred times more depressed, it is somewhat bearable.
It seems my mental fortitude has hardened quite a bit since becoming a monster. If it were me when I was a Human, I would have lost my mind already.
Bearable is bearable, anyway.
I want to move.
I want to jump up and dance.
I want to throw a bear punch right at the face of the Mother Bear.
When I was repeating such wishes countless times in my mind.
[Earned the achievement Desperate Will to Move.]
Huh?
This Helper skill has voice support too?
Then you should have talked to me sooner.
I was incredibly lonely all this time.
No, wait a minute.
More importantly, what did you just say?
An achievement?
[Acquired [Action lv.1].]
As the voice announcing the skill acquisition was heard,
I reflexively opened my Status Window.
[Ragged Teddy Bear lv.1]
└ Pw.1
└ Rnk.Normal
[Skill]
[Helper lv.1], [Evolution lv.1], [Action lv.1]
┃
[Action lv.1]
─A skill that consumes Mana to perform an action.
─Regardless of the state, movement is possible as long as there is Mana.
Ooooh!
I got something called an Action skill!
It is possible to move no matter what state I am in?
Does it mean it does not matter even if I lack muscles or joints?
If so, it was a skill tailored just for me.
I have acquired an absolutely indispensable, must-have skill.
Now I will finally be able to move too...!
Being thrilled and thrilled again,
I showed my will to use the skill without delay.
Now, let us move forward.
Toward a true new life!
[Not enough Mana to use [Action lv.1].]
......Yes?