Awakening: Reincarnating With the SSS-Level Extraction Talent

Around them, dozens of fox-kin women—each with shimmering red or white tails and furred ears—began to gather.

The village fell silent as they noticed the strangers.

"L-Lilith?"

"She\'s back!"

"Who\'s that with her?"

Some glanced suspiciously at Alex and Alice, clearly wary of an outsider.

Most races and especially humans were known enemies of the fox-kin, often trying to capture them for their powerful magic or rare abilities.

In seconds, the village square came alive as fox-kin women rushed forward, joyfully surrounding Lilith.

Alex and Alice were momentarily forgotten for a short period of time.

"It\'s alright," she said firmly, drawing their attention. "This is Alex, the one who saved me. He helped me escape the dungeon." Her voice softened as she continued, "He\'s a friend. I trust him."

The fox-kin murmured among themselves, exchanging wary glances, but gradually, the tension in the air faded.

A few of them even relaxed, looking at Alex with curiosity.

But as the crowd began to part, one figure stood out—a tall, beautiful and elegant fox girl with silver-gray fur streaked with white, as well as two tails instead of a single one.

She wore a necklace of stones and feathers, her gaze calm and wise.

She stepped forward, a quiet authority about her.

"So, you\'re the human who saved my daughter," she said, her voice steady. "Thank you for that. I am Alera, chief of the Fox Tribe."

And at that exact moment, Alex understood everything.

Why?

Well, because he actually knew about Alera from his past life.

Just like Aldritch, she was one of the stronger NPCs of [Universal Descent], fighting the [Abyssal Humans] and other evil races to avenge her tribe.

She was currently around level 400, meaning tier 6, the strongest in this village.

But when he met her in his past life, she was an emotionless tier 8 powerhouse (level 1000) and didn\'t care about killing, whether enemy or ally.

\'So that is her story...\' Alex understood as he sighed.

Her tribe died early from the hands of the demons, and that actually especially made even more sense why she would keep hunting demons one after the other before.

It was confirmed: the attack happened in Alex\'s previous life, and the [Fox Tribe] had lost.

But now that he was here, he wasn\'t going to let it happen.

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Alex returned her nod, "Just doing what I felt was right. I\'m glad I could help."

Alera\'s expression softened, "Then please, join us. I\'d like to speak with you about… the future."

She led Alex and Alice through the village.

As they walked, Alex couldn\'t help but notice the village\'s structure: the houses were skillfully woven from branches and leaves, blending seamlessly into the forest.

Lanterns hung from tall poles, casting a soft glow, and woven charms dangled from doorways, whispering in the breeze.

Everywhere he looked, he saw fox-kin women watching them, some with shy smiles, others with open curiosity.

Several of the younger fox-kin moved closer to Alex, one of them with white fur and vibrant green eyes.

She leaned in, smiling with a playful glint in her eyes, "It\'s rare for us to see a human here. We hear… stories about your kind."

Alex kept his tone light. "Guess I\'m here to prove not all of us are trouble."

She laughed, a soft, pleasant sound, and backed away with a curious look, clearly not the only one interested.

Another fox-kin, this one with fiery red fur, sidled up beside him.

"Think you\'ll visit more often?" she asked with a wink.

"Could happen," he replied, trying to keep the conversation friendly but not too encouraging.

They were charming, sure, but he was here for business.

Alera led them into a larger structure near the center of the village, one decorated with colorful feathers and woven vines.

Inside, they took a seat around a low table.

After a moment, Alera brought out a crimson, weathered scroll and placed it before him.

The edges were worn, and it was sealed with the symbol of the demon tribe.

"That\'s what we received around two weeks ago," Alera sighed, "Those bastard, warning us as to make sure we knew we were powerless."

"Why don\'t you just leave," Alex risked.

"There\'s no place for us, our village is protected by a barrier, and trying to leave this forest would mean the majority of my people would die," Alera shook her head.

She handed the letter to Alex, who opened it.

...

[Demon Tribe Attack Order]

[Our great demon king "Asmodeus" has decided that an attack will occur on your village a month from now on.]

[Asmodeus is a fair demon, and he informed us that if you survive this attack, he wouldn\'t attack anymore for a while.]

[Though I\'m sure you already know that winning isn\'t possible, and neither is escaping.]

[Await your deaths in peace, fox women.]

...

Alex\'s gaze hardened as he read the words, "I\'ll be here. I won\'t let your tribe face them alone."

The chief nodded, her expression one of gratitude and relief. "Then we are in your debt."

Alera was pretty much the only person in this village that could stop some of the demons, forced to take thousands of them at once previously.

He didn\'t know how she survived, but maybe the other fox women used their lives to save her.

After they finished, Alex and Alice spent the next hour touring the village.

It seemed that nearly everyone wanted a moment of his time.

Some fox-kin women offered him small tokens—a braided bracelet, a carved stone—and others simply wanted to talk, curious about his life beyond the forest.

They seemed intrigued by his strength and calm demeanor, so unlike the stories they\'d heard of humans.

Lilith accompanied them to be able to see all the fox girls she knew since childhood.

Some of the women even tried to approach Alex with lustful gazes, most of them having never seen a man in their lives.

But Alice would be the one stopping them.

\'I said I accepted other women, but I would be the one to choose if someone is alright,\' she thought.

Alex wasn\'t bothered though, he didn\'t know about Alice\'s intentions yet, so all he thought was that she was protective.

"Come on girls, he\'s my savior," Lilith sighed, trying to stop her people from approaching the only male they saw in years.

Eventually, they arrived back at the village square, where Alera was waiting for them.

She looked pretty much the same as her daughter, including her figure, which was very endowed.

"So around 2 weeks until the attack," Alex confirmed as he approached.

Alera nodded. "Yes, we believe they\'re gathering forces already. I\'m afraid our time is short."

Knowing that, Alex smirked, it indeed left him just enough time to prepare for the attack.

"I\'ll be back in a week, maybe two. Just know I\'ll be here when you need me."

The fox-kin around him let out small sighs of relief.

Lilith gave him a soft smile, and her mother nodded approvingly.

Maybe with Alex in the picture, they could be saved.

Ding!

[New Location Added to the World Map: Mystic Forest (Fox Tribe Village)]

[You can now teleport to Fox Tribe Village at any time.]

"Nice," this would make it easier for him to come back.

As Alex prepared to leave, Lilith moved a step closer, her eyes steady as she looked at him. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For everything."

"Anytime," he replied, his voice steady. "Stay safe until then."

He turned to Alice, taking her hand. With one last look at the Fox Tribe village and a nod to Alera and Lilith, he activated his teleport, bringing them back to [Bell City].

The moment they landed, a notification appeared.

Ding!

[You have received the SS-Level Hidden Quest, "Save the Fox Tribe."]

[Objective: Save the Fox Tribe from the attack of the demons, as otherwise they will be wiped out completely.]

[Time: 2 weeks left.]

[Reward: ???]

Alex read the notification, his expression growing determined.

The Fox Tribe had given him their trust, and he wasn\'t about to let them down.

"Alright," he muttered, a smirk forming as he clenched his fists. "Game on, demons."