Chapter 9: Beast Race
Alicia focused once more on the deeper part of the forest.
The strange presence she had sensed earlier had not disappeared. It was still there, mixed among many smaller traces of life.
Her awareness drifted through the trees, past thick roots, damp soil, and swaying leaves filled with Life Energy.
Then she saw them.
Beasts.
They moved between the trees in different shapes and sizes. Some were small and quick, some were larger and sturdier, and some looked so strange that Alicia could not compare them to anything from her old life.
A few had thick fur.
Some had tails longer than their bodies.
One had tiny horns.
Another had oversized ears that twitched at every little sound.
Alicia watched them carefully.
Unlike the humans, most of these beasts moved with a little more ease. Their bodies seemed to fit the forest better. They stepped over roots more naturally, reacted faster to sounds, and seemed more comfortable in the wild.
But that did not mean they were perfect.
One furry beast confidently jumped onto a rock—
then immediately slipped off the other side.
Alicia paused.
"…Alright. Good. Balance has been restored."
A second beast tried to stalk a tiny bug through the grass with great seriousness, only for the bug to fly away. The beast stared at the empty air in silence.
Alicia almost laughed.
"…And this one thought it was a great hunter."
Still, there was a difference.
Even if they were clumsy sometimes, the beast race seemed to rely more on instinct than the humans did. Their ears twitched often, their noses lifted to smell the wind, and many of them reacted quickly to movement around them.
The system window appeared before Alicia.
[Observation]
Race detected: Beast Race
Current state: Primitive lifeforms
Traits: Stronger instincts, better adaptation to natural environments
Note: Physical ability varies greatly among individuals
Alicia read the words and nodded to herself.
"So they're not stronger in every way…"
That was better.
Much better.
She looked back toward the area where the humans had appeared.
Humans were still physically weaker right now. Their movements were awkward, and many of them looked confused by the world around them.
But they also observed more.
They touched things.
Looked at things for longer.
Stayed close to one another more often.
Some even seemed curious in a way the beasts were not.
The beasts understood the world a little better with their bodies.
The humans seemed more likely to try understanding it with their minds.
Alicia became thoughtful.
"…So that's how it is."
"Beasts begin with better instinct."
"Humans begin with better curiosity."
That felt right.
Neither race was truly superior.
Just different.
As she continued watching, a flash of silver caught her attention near a stream.
A small fox-like beast stepped lightly across the stones. Its body was slim, and its fur had a faint pale shine under the light.
Alicia focused immediately.
"A fox, huh?"
It looked more graceful than the others for a moment, carefully placing one paw after another.
Then it leaped for the next stone—
and nearly fell face-first into the water.
It somehow caught itself at the last second, but only barely.
Alicia went silent.
"…That recovery was either very impressive or very embarrassing."
The little fox looked around as if checking whether anyone had seen that.
Alicia was speechless.
"…You absolutely know you almost fell."
The system responded again.
[Observation]
Unknown fox-type beast detected
Current condition: Primitive
Special note: Slightly above-average soul power affinity
Alicia's interest rose at once.
Above-average soul power affinity.
Not enough to mean much yet, but enough to stand out.
"So this little one has talent?"
She watched the fox a little longer. It was not the strongest beast there. Not the fastest either. But it was alert, careful, and strangely expressive.
Then it tried to pounce on a fluttering leaf.
And missed.
Alicia mentally sighed.
"…Talent is one thing. Dignity is another."
Nearby, a larger beast slowly emerged from behind the trees.
This was the stronger presence she had sensed before.
It was broad-shouldered, dark-furred, and clearly more stable than the others. But this time, Alicia did not feel like it was some unstoppable ruler of the forest.
It simply looked… mature.
More grounded.
As if it had adapted a little better than the rest.
The smaller beasts noticed it too. Some stepped aside. Some just watched.
The larger beast lowered its head and sniffed the air, then let out a low rumbling sound.
Not a mighty roar.
Not something world-shaking.
Just a warning.
Or maybe a declaration that it was there.
Alicia observed it quietly.
"This one is definitely ahead of the others…"
"But not by too much."
That was acceptable.
It made sense that some individuals would develop better than others.
The important part was that the difference was still natural.
Nothing felt rushed.
Nothing felt unfair.
As the larger beast moved through the clearing, Alicia noticed something else.
The other beasts did not gather around it like followers.
They did not worship it.
They did not fear it too much either.
They simply acknowledged it.
Alicia liked that.
This was not some beast king.
Just one beast that had found its footing a little sooner than the rest.
Her attention drifted again, from the larger beast to the silver fox, then to the rest of the forest.
The beast race was interesting.
Not overwhelmingly strong.
Not weak.
Just… alive.
Wild in a different way than humans.
If humans were the race that might build, think, and change the world later—
then beasts were the race that seemed born to grow along with the world itself.
Alicia thought about that for a while.
Then she looked back toward the human side of the land.
Some were still awkwardly exploring.
Some stayed together.
Some watched everything around them with open curiosity.
Then she looked at the beasts again.
They were more instinctive.
More natural in the wild.
But less interested in everything beyond what was directly around them.
Alicia's conclusion became clearer.
"…Humans and beasts really are different."
Neither one was disappointing.
Neither one was too much.
And honestly?
That made things far more exciting.
A small pause passed before Alicia muttered to herself,
"…Good."
"It would be really awkward if one race became overpowered before my world even properly started."
The silver fox sneezed suddenly and startled itself.
Alicia froze.
Then she mentally laughed.
"…Yeah. None of you are ruling anything yet."
Still, as she watched the first humans and the first beasts spread across her world, a quiet sense of satisfaction rose inside her core.
Her planet was no longer empty.
It now had life that could walk, react, adapt, and grow.
And one day—
whether through instinct, curiosity, or something else entirely—
these races would carve their own paths across her world.
What do you think will develop faster in Alicia's world: humans or beasts? 👀