[In other news, it seems I was contacted by the site here to make a contract in getting 'ACOPB' premium. I tried learning as much as I could about what that would entail. Let me be clear with you guys right now that I am not planning on making you guys pay ridiculous amounts of money just to read my amateurish, generic isekai story at any point in time. I started out putting up this story as a hobby that I wanted others to get as much kick into reading it as I do writing it, and unless I'm uber talented enough to make it possible, I don't think I'll be able to make a living out of it anytime soon.

[I am, however, thinking about making a patr3on for those of you who'd like to give your support, and if possible, I'd like to use my amateur drawing skills to put up character designs, ill.u.s.trations, and possible fan service so you'd guys get a little more out of it after putting in some money. Let me know what you guys think and I'll try to get my b.u.t.t off into drawing the cover art.

[Without further ado, enjoy the chapter.]

"… Seriously? You're not playing with me as part of a trial already in progress, are you?" I ask with my hand back on Nyra's handle again.

"I-I'm serious here! Destructive as I can be, I am not one to use underhanded tactics to achieve victory, especially as part of a trial!"

"Then, what made you see me as worthy?"

"When I became the King of Wrath, there were only very few people who were able to make me stagger in fear just being in the presence of their power. One of them was my superior in the Cursed Realm."

"That would be the G.o.d of Wrath, Monkar, right?" Ume asks, to which the bear nods in confirmation.

"I see," I start with a hand to my chin, "and if I remember right, Winny's bird familiar from the Holy Realm is something about 'Humility,' which opposes Pride as one of the Seven Virtues, right? That means, for each G.o.d and G.o.ddess of sin or virtue, there is a king or queen magical beast of those same ideologies that serve as their aide or right-hand man of sorts?"

"Correct," the bear answers. "I have fought and worked my way up from the bottom to get to where I am today with raw power both physically and magically. Few have dared to oppose me when I took my stance as a king, and none of them ever walked out of my presence alive. Human male, what is your name?"

"I'm Jinma Kotori."

"Jinma Kotori … you are not only the first human to have ever summon me, but the first being since I became a king to oppose and make me stagger in the presence of your magical aura, let alone possessing the Devil Eyes that only those of the Devil race may possess. You have more than proven yourself worthy before I even uttered a word about putting you on trial."

{So, my Devil Eyes 'were' on just then? How did I get them up? Are they still on now?}

Nyra confirms.

"Your strength and capability for committing wrath far exceed anything I could ever expect; therefore, if you would have me, it would be an honor to make a Master and Familiar pact with you, Jinma Kotori."

"Wait, you're willing to form a contract with me?!"

"That is what I'm telling you, yes."

"Then, please! It would be awesome to have you on board! How do we make the contract?"

"Bestow a name upon me, and our pact will be sealed."

"Give you a name, huh …" I close my eyes and think hard on what to give this impressive familiar. It doesn't help that I'm no good at coming up with names on the spot. "Crimson bear, red bear, strong bear … Kenaka." Trying out the little trick Winny showed me, I use my magic to trace lines with my finger to form the bear's name in j.a.panese with ease. [健赤] "Not very creative, but it translates to something like 'red strength' back in my country."

"'Red strength' with these peculiar characters … I like it! Then from this moment on, I bestow my power to you, accept the name 'Kenaka,' and will be your familiar until the end of your days. I'm honored to be under your leaders.h.i.+p, Milord," he declares as he lowers his head to me.

"Yeah, welcome aboard, Kenaka," I say before my magical characters dissipate into nothingness. The summoning circle and Kenaka emit a bright purplish-white light before it all condense and sinks into my chest like Ms. Obina's magic did in the Sacred Realm. A great feeling swells and spreads through my body before I get an incredible sense of lightness.

[You have achieved the 'Bear King of Wrath Summoner' t.i.tle!

[You have now learned 'Summon Bear King of Wrath*!'

[You have now learned 'Familiar Telepathy*'!

[You have now learned 'Bear King of Wrath's Blessing*!'

[Your HP, MP, ATK, DEF, SP. ATK and SP. DEF has increased!]

{Huh, is this stat boost the result of the blessing? I'll look at it later.}

"Ha ha ha~!" Ume suddenly laughs joyfully as she wraps her arms around my shoulders and circles me around. "You did it! I still can't believe it, but you did it! Not only forming a contract with a familiar but with the Bear King of Wrath! Is there anything you can't do?!"

"Unbelievable … for Master Jinma to form a contract with the King of Wrath," Winny says as she slowly stands up.

"I do not go by 'King of Wrath' any longer. Refer to me as 'Kenaka' from now on."

"O-Oh, yes, Master Kenaka, please excuse me."

"Hm? Who said that?" Kenaka asks while looking around the room.

"Wait, can you hear Nyra, too?" I ask while Ume sets me down before I hold up the tanto in front of him.

"Nyra? I imagine this being a cursed weapon, but is there someone dwelling inside it?"

"A Pixie trapped in a weapon as part of a curse … it seems there's still much to this realm I've yet to know. If you've formed a Weapon's Bond with her, Milord, I imagine its magic is being linked by that of the contract between us."

"Huh, neat."

"Wait, did I hear right that there's a Pixie trapped in the cursed tanto?" Winny asks, but Kenaka continues without acknowledging her.

"Well then, I guess I look forward to working with you in the future, Nyra."

"Please excuse me for being selfish, Milord, but I'd like to ask a favor."

"What is it?"

"Normally by now, we magical beasts would return to our respective realms as their continuous presence require magical power from the summoner, but as we are linked by the contract, I can sense yours is already recovering at a drastically fast rate. If it doesn't hinder your movements, I'd like to remain by your side in this realm."

"I don't mind, but I'm worried how me walking around with a large bear will scare the other locals. Even now with your pressure toned down, my companions are still a little uneasy." I look back and see the girls are taking their time getting their bearings. The only one concerning me is Ren who still lies on the ground face-first.

"Ah, yes … then perhaps this will suffice?"

Suddenly, Kenaka blows up in a puff of smoke, and in his place, sits a red bear cub that's a little bigger than my MIB.

"I believe this form will be more sufficient to getting around without attracting attention? I also require less magical power while in this form to stay with you in this realm," he says in a surprisingly higher pitched, child-like voice.

"Wow, that's actually much better."

"Oh my gosh, you're the cutest thing, ever!" Ume exclaims as she picks Kenaka up and hugs him. "Haaa~! You're so soft and cuddly!"

"U-Unhand me, Lizardman! I am not some plaything that some stranger can do whatever they want with!"

"Excuse me, but I am not 'some stranger.' My name is Umeiyon, I am your master's proud and beloved wife, and so I have the right to cuddle and squeeze you anytime I please, so you should get used to this treatment while you can."

"A human and a Lizardman courted as husband and wife?! Wait, does that make … all of the other girls here of the Demon-Kin Milord's concubines?!" Kenaka exclaims.

"H-Huh?! Does it really look like that?! I-I mean … someone like me having that kind of relations.h.i.+p with Master Jinma would be …" Winny trails off before going into mumbling that I can't make out.

"I-I am not like that with Master Jinma! We art not even registered as party members yet! I am but a lowly servant!" Kalline exclaims in a fl.u.s.ter.

"Ren and I are Master's s.e.x slaves. Since you'll be serving him along with us, I hope that we get along, Kenaka," Erizora says politely.

"I'm a … I think we're working something out, at least. We haven't got much time to bond, and after talking with my mother last night …" Lili also trails off while looking to the side with a slight blush.

{Seriously, Nyra?}

"… What in the b.l.o.o.d.y name of Monkar has this world come to for a human to get with so many demons in a harem?" Kenaka asks.

"You might want to get used to it because I feel like we're going to meet a lot more crazy people in our travels soon enough," I say before approaching Ren still lying on the ground. Her status still reads as 'ALIVE,' but I'm worried about how she's not getting up like the others have. Not to mention, like one might see in RPGs, using clear symbols and colors, there's a strange new icon next to her name like I've seen from other people that say they're afflicted with ailments like 'poisoned' or having their stats decreased.

This new icon in particular just depicts a silhouette of a canine's head.

"Ren? Are you still with us? Kenaka's calmed down now so you can relax, too," I say while lightly shaking Ren's shoulder.

"Murr …" Ren utters a weird noise and stretches in a low yoglike pose strangely fitting for her character—I learn later that it was called 'downward dog'—before shaking herself and stands on all fours.

{… Something feels 'very' wrong here,} I think just as Ren looks up at me.

"[Master! It's Master! Master's here!]" Ren exclaims excitedly as she suddenly runs around me in circles, still on all fours. The way she shouted that, I couldn't help but feel there was something different about it from the way she usually spoke. "[Wow! Look at all of the people here! What's that big furry thing?! Ooh! I see birds flying! *Gasp!* Look at all of this gra.s.s!]"

Then, out of nowhere, Ren runs to the gra.s.s and starts rolling and rubbing herself on top of it. "[Sooooft! It smells so gooood! Oh, if Master rubs my tummy like this, I'd really be living in paradise, now!]"

"Is Ren … barking?" Lili asks out of shock as she and the rest of the girls watch on in Ren's drastic behavior change.

{Wait, 'barking?' Like, 'wan wan,' barking? But I understood her just fine, though?}

{You thought of that, too, huh?}

"Oh, dear, under these circ.u.mstances, it was expected that this would happen," Ume says while Winny walks over to Ren who's rolling on the ground.

"I will check with my 'Diagnosis' skill … yep, it's as I thought. Ren has succ.u.mbed into the 'regressed' ailment."

"What's the 'regressed?' ailment?" I ask.

"It's an ailment specifically affecting beast-type races in both the Demon-Kin and Demi-Kin," Winny explains. "When one's experiencing high stress under a threatening-enough situation, they momentarily lose their senses of logic and reasoning and revert to their more b.e.s.t.i.a.l instincts that befits their race in order to quickly commit some sort of responsive action. They won't be able to properly use their skills and spells, they'll just behave like, well, beasts, and usually attack anyone indiscriminately when they're approached, but this is the first I've ever seen one experiencing this ailment in such a manner," she finishes as she watches Ren.

{Ume mentioned me going into 'distressed' if I was overwhelmed by my fear of heights. So, there's ailments like that, and then there are those like 'regressed' that Ren's afflicted with right now. I can't tell how real or ridiculous the mechanics in this world are getting.}

"[Master! Tummy rubs, please!]" Ren barks (?) as she looks at me before panting with her tongue out.

"Ah, I just remembered Ren telling me of this pose once," Erizora says. "This is how Werewolves completely submit themselves to their 'opponents' when they know in their mind and heart that there's no hope of them ever achieving victory against them, and so they lie on their backs, exposing their stomachs, and leave themselves completely vulnerable as a way to beg for mercy and spare their lives."

"… But Ren just said she wanted me to rub her stomach just now," I argue.

""Huh?"" the others respond in confusion while I approach Ren and lower myself to my knees.

"You said you want … 'tummy rubs,' right? Is that what you want?" I ask her.

"[Tummy rubs! Tummy rubs!]"

"She responded?!" Winny exclaims in shock. "But they're usually incapable of thought and reasoning while in this state! Did she understand him?!"

Slightly hesitant, I reach out and stroke Ren's bare midriff, slowly running my hand in a circle that elicits s.h.i.+vers in her body.

"Mrrrrrrr~," Ren coos while lying back and receives what she's given, wagging her tail and kicking her wolf hindleg as well.

"She … likes it," Kalline says while she and the others stare at the scene with mixed expressions.

"She really seems to be enjoying herself there, does she?"

"U-Uh, Lady Umeiyon? Could you loosen your hold on me, please? I think I can feel my bones creaking …" Kenaka pleads to Ume.

{Don't tell me she's actually 'jealous' of this strange scene, is she?}

Nyra confirms.

{H-Hold on, if Ren's like this, then could she also … no, that just can't be …} I mentally decide to do a little experiment based on what I've read in some animal-related books back home.

Ren deflates as I pull my hand away and I clear my throat. "Let's try this … Ren, roll over," I command while moving my hand in the appropriate motion.

Ren follows without question until she stops on her stomach.

"Sit. Speak."

"[I love you, Master!]"

Okay, I admit I'd probably be a little happier being told that with so much energy every morning if we aren't under these strange circ.u.mstances.

"Hand. Hand. Play dead."

After putting each of her corresponding beast hands on top of my own, Ren falls to her side and lies there motionlessly, following the 'play dead' command more beautifully than any pet dog I've seen on Earth.

"She's following every order so straightforwardly! Master Jinma, how are you doing this?!" Winny asks.

"I don't know! I'm just doing what's expected between pets and pet owners!"

"Pets … come to think of it, Mr. Todoka's wife is a pet trainer that tames and trains monsters this way, too, making them 'pets' to be sold for high prices," Erizora points out. "If this is also possible with beast-type races under the 'regressed' status, then wouldn't that make Ren …"

[You have achieved the 'Pet Trainer' t.i.tle!

['Petting' LV 1's mastery has been integrated into 'Petting' LV 3.

[You have now reached 'Petting' LV 4!

['Ma.s.saging' LV 1 has been integrated into 'Ma.s.saging' LV 3.

[You have now reached 'Ma.s.saging' LV 4!

[You have achieved the 'Pet Owner' t.i.tle!

['Petting' LV 1's mastery has been integrated into 'Petting' LV 4.

[Ren is now registered as your pet!

[Ren has achieved the 'Trained [s.e.x] Pet' t.i.tle!]

Just as Erizora trailed off, I receive all of these notices.

Out of pure curiosity and confirmation through light experimentation, I have just converted my Werewolf [slave] companion, Ren, into a domesticated pet dog.

If I had to make a comparison to this situation, a car that was driven by one of the people my former company hired to do me in back home successfully hit me with it as I was making my getaway and approaching my last moments before death. Getting hit by one for the very first time, 'I' was amazed I managed to walk away with a couple fractured ribs and still itching to fight for my life. I was even still mending the wounds I had received from a street brawl prior to that at the time.

My collision with that car was 'nothing' compared to how the reality of this situation hits me, though.

{WHAT HAVE I DOOOOOOOOOOOOONE?!} I scream in my mind.