Kouki ventured deeper into the
dungeon's heart, where only the most formidable players dared to tread. Here,
the air was thick with an unnerving tension, and monstrous creatures roamed
freely, their growls reverberating off the damp stone walls, mingling with the
ominous creaks of ancient traps that could swiftly snuff out the lives of the
unprepared. Yet, the allure of hidden treasures – rare and powerful relics
buried deep within – was an intoxicating incentive for those willing to gamble
their lives for fortune.
As he pressed forward, Kouki's keen
eyes caught sight of a colossal metal door, its surface intricately adorned
with arcane symbols, though conspicuously lacking a keyhole. It pulsed with an
alluring energy, hinting at treasures unimaginable far within. Clenching his
fists in determination, Kouki steeled himself to confront the uncharted
threshold.
The door groaned open, unleashing a
tumultuous gust of wind that surged forth, drawing him irresistibly into the
unknown, an abyss draped in haunting mystery and shadow. Undeterred, Kouki
braced himself for whatever trials awaited him beyond the threshold, his spirit
unyielding against the encroaching dread.
As he stepped into the chamber,
thick fog enveloped him, swirling around like a living entity, attempting to
shove him back into the safety of the outside world. It felt as if an ancient
spell hung heavily in the air, woven into the very fabric of this room long
ago. Through the swirling mist, a glimmer of purple caught his eye, a radiant
light standing out like a beacon at the far end of the room. It gleamed
brightly, reminiscent of a magical gemstone, yet remained indistinct, the fog
obscuring its true nature.
Beside this radiant object, a
shadowy figure loomed, almost humanoid yet shrouded in an unsettling darkness.
With each careful step Kouki took toward the stone, he sensed it crumbling into
dust, dissipating slowly as though it were a mirage. The figure attempted to
slip away, yet Kouki felt an unshakeable pull toward something – or someone –
lurking beyond yet another door, beckoning him further into the depths of
mystery.
As he sprinted toward the door, an
unsettling sound reached his ears—the frantic clattering of footsteps
retreating from him. They bore an uncanny resemblance to those of a small
creature, though part of him wondered if it might be a fleeing human. The door
was left ajar, its hinges creaking in protest, as if hastily abandoned in the
midst of chaos. Just then, a piercingly bright light erupted from the doorway,
illuminating the dim surroundings. "Mira taba lighting bo—" The incantation was
abruptly cut short as a girl stumbled, her foot catching on a jagged rock,
sending her sprawling to the ground. The spell—and the radiant glow—vanished in
an instant. "Oweeee…"
He was momentarily bewildered by
her words; the voice sounded distinctly feminine, and the sight of her
underwear—the frilly design revealing far too much—was simultaneously startling
and disconcerting. Yet, the true terror lay not with the girl but with the
hulking Minotaur barreling toward her, its massive frame dwarfing everything in
its path. "Oh great, another one of these," he muttered with exasperation,
failing to notice the critical distinction between this beast and the ones he
had encountered in his own world; this Minotaur was larger, more menacing, and
imbued with a primal rage.
The girl, wide-eyed and terrified,
cried, "No… no… no… No!" Her fingers fumbled with a magic stone, desperately
attempting to conjure another spell, but panic clouded her thoughts, rendering
her unable to focus. "Why is this happening to me?!" she exclaimed, tears
shimmering in her eyes, brimming with fear. Just then, the ground quaked
beneath the pounding hooves of the Minotaur as it charged closer, wild
determination etched into its features. With no spell ready, the girl braced
herself for the imminent attack. On an unrelated note, her choice of cute
strawberry-patterned panties seemed almost absurd in this dire situation.
"Shadow Hands," rang out a voice,
sharp and authoritative. Just as the words were spoken, the Minotaur, poised to
strike, suddenly found its massive legs ensnared. Dark tendrils emerged from
the shadows, coiling around its limbs like serpents, holding it in place.
Frantically, the beast struggled, but the weight of the shadowy grips rendered
it helpless, attempting to yank its hooves free to no avail. In that moment,
Kouki stepped forth from the shadows, an eerie figure that seemed more a
villain than the Minotaur itself. His pale skin and the marks of decay
crisscrossing his features cast a chilling aura around him. He approached, his
gaze fixated on the girl momentarily, taking in the absurdity of the situation,
before turning to meet the Minotaur's defiant glare. "…Poison..." he
intoned, his voice cold and resolute.
As the words left his lips, an
immediate transformation overtook the Minotaur. Its demeanor shifted
dramatically; foam began to froth at the corners of its mouth, and its
ferocious, bulging eyes rolled back as it succumbed to the devastating effects
of the cursed poison that surged through its veins. The creature's powerful
form trembled, a grim testament to the potency of the magic unleashed by Kouki.
The girl, still reeling from the
chaos, stood frozen in place, a whirlwind of conflicting emotions swirling
within her. A wave of relief washed over her as the looming threat dissipated,
replaced by an awe that took hold as she tried to grasp the magnitude of the
incredible display of magic she had just witnessed. Yet, intermingling with
those feelings was a profound fear—the unsettling realization of what Kouki had
inflicted upon the Minotaur. With her legs quaking beneath her, she slowly
lifted herself off the ground and cautiously approached him. "Um… thank you,
sir," she managed to say softly, her voice barely a whisper as she dared not
meet his intense gaze. In her trembling hand, she offered him a shimmering
purple stone—a high-level magic enhancement stone, its surface sparkling with
an otherworldly luminescence.
As she extended the shimmering
purple stone toward him, Kouki couldn't shake the sensation that there was
something distinctly unusual about her presence. The feline ears perched atop
her head, twitching curiously with every slight movement, and the swishing tail
that flicked playfully behind her were undeniable markers of her hybrid nature.
It was a sight that both intrigued and mystified him, invoking a sense of
wonder he'd never experienced before.
Instead of accepting the stone, he
let it slip from his fingers, entranced by the delicate details of her
features. Her eyes sparkled like jewels, reflecting a world of emotions he felt
compelled to explore. He reached out, brushing his hand against her cheek with
a tenderness that belied the intensity of his emotions. The warmth of her skin
sent a jolt of electricity through him, as if he feared she might shatter under
the weight of his touch. Yet he couldn't resist the urge to admire her, his
fingers trailing up to gently stroke her ears. In all his life, he had
encountered various beastsfolk, but never had he seen a creature like her—a
perfect blend of grace and strength, half-woman, half-cat. "Astounding," he
murmured, the word escaping him like a breath of wonder.
"H-huh?!" Her eyes widened in
surprise, darting from the stone to his hand and then back again as it fell
from his grasp. A blush crept across her cheeks, a delicate pink that
contrasted with the rich hues of her fur. "Sir… what are you—" she began to ask,
but her words faltered and faded as she closed her eyes, surrendering to the
gentle exploration of his fingertips as they grazed her ear. The soft, velvety
fur felt cozy beneath his touch, and suddenly a gentle purring resonated from
her, vibrating through his fingertips, creating a shared rhythm that felt like
magic. Her tail swayed back and forth in response, an unconscious display of
the delight that bubbled within her, radiating an infectious warmth.
Kouki felt an exhilarating
connection spark between them, a tension that pulsed like electricity through
his body, making his heart race. The undeniable sense that they were polar
opposites—a medieval traveler and a modern adventurer—only heightened the extraordinary
bond forming in that moment, something entirely unique and exhilarating. He
knelt down to retrieve the fallen stone, placing it carefully back into her
outstretched hands. "I'm guessing I'm not in my world anymore," Kouki mused
aloud, his eyes darting from the peculiar garb that adorned her body—a snug,
modern adventurer's outfit complete with practical boots and gear—back to his
own medieval attire. The stark contrasts between their worlds left him
marveling at the rich tapestry of possibilities waiting to be unraveled.
As he backed away, she slowly
opened her eyes again. Her gaze fell to the stone in her hands, lost in thought
as if wrestling with the implications of their encounter. After hearing his
words, her face deepened into a vivid blush, radiating an uncomfortable charm.
She quickly placed the stone back in her pocket, cupped her cheeks with her
hands, and turned slightly away from him, as if to shield herself from the
overwhelming feelings swirling within. "Oh! You're not?! That would explain why
you suddenly grabbed me…" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and
curiosity. ("OMG!") she thought to herself, ("I can't believe I
enjoyed that enough to purr! What is wrong with me?!")
Realizing it might be rude to hide
from her savior, she turned to face him more fully, though not completely,
hoping to conceal her flushed face behind a curtain of feigned nonchalance.
"What… is your name, sir?" she asked, her voice soft and tentative, laced with
a blend of shyness and fascination.
"My name? It's Kouki," he replied,
a hint of playful mischief in his voice. The warmth of her cute demeanor was
like a spark, igniting a flurry of emotions within him. He felt a strong urge
to tease her further, especially as his tail began to sway back and forth
behind him, complemented by the movement of his rounded yet pointed ears.
"Kouki...? What an interesting
name!" she exclaimed, turning to face him with a bright smile that lit up her
features. Suddenly, her eyes widened, catching sight of his ears and tail. "How
did you…?" she marveled, leaning forward to inspect his ears more closely. The
excitement coursing through her was palpable. "Did you make them with magic?!
This is amazing! You have to teach me how to do that!" Her enthusiasm was
infectious, her smile radiating pure joy.
But then, her expression shifted as
realization dawned on her. "You killed… to get these ears?" she took several
cautious steps back, her voice trembling. "Does that mean you've killed beast
humans before?" The moment was heavy, filled with unspoken fears, and when she
looked up and saw the amalgamation of monsters surrounding them, she sank to
her knees, overwhelmed. She had never witnessed anything like it—were these
creatures born of magic or something more sinister? Shivering, her ears drooped
in distress. "You're not going to hurt me, are you...?"
Kouki met her gaze, and as he
recounted his story, she listened intently. Her initial fear melted away,
replaced by pity and profound sadness. "You're a cursed magic user…" she
murmured softly, raising her hand to tenderly rest on his cheek. "You've been
dealing with this curse since birth, all alone, hunted down… That must have
been incredibly hard." Her gaze shifted, filled with sympathy as she added,
"I'm so sorry to hear about your mother... and I apologize for doubting you. I
trust you now." A moment of silence hung between them until a spark ignited in
her eyes, an idea blooming. "Wait… I might be able to cure your curses!" she
exclaimed, her voice infused with newfound determination.
"Huh?" Kouki blinked, taken aback
by how quickly her mood had shifted from melancholy to fervor. The unexpected
revelation left him at a loss, and he was genuinely surprised to discover there
were people in this world like him.
Noticing his astonishment, she
lowered her hand, a touch of uncertainty flickering across her face. "Well…
maybe I came on a bit strong. But I'm a light magic user and I can heal certain
curses," she explained, her voice steady with conviction. "I know you're not
from around here, but depending on the type and severity of your curse, I might
be able to help." She reached out her hand again, inviting him to connect.
Kouki hesitated, assessing their
surroundings. It felt imperative to establish a condition before proceeding.
"Before we do anything, let's get out of this dungeon. The darkness here fuels
my curse, so I'd prefer avoiding that if possible."
"Of course, that's perfectly fine,"
she replied with earnest understanding. "I'm assuming you don't have a place to
stay, so let's head to my house. It's not far from here." She rose gracefully,
brushing off the dirt from her clothes and then turned to him, extending her
hand once more to help him to his feet. "I'm really glad I can help you,
especially as a way to say thank you for saving me earlier," she added with a
genuine smile, her eyes sparkling with kindness and hope.