~ Aika vs. Murder Beast: Round One
The Shiranui Beast stared at Aika the way a man stares at an embarrassing advertisement he didn't authorize. His icy-blue eyes glowed with barely restrained aggression, his claws flexed, and every inch of him radiated: I will murder you out of principle.
Aika felt her soul peeling out of her body.
"System," she whispered. "Help."
[ADVICE: RUN.]
"FINALLY, SOMETHING USEFUL!"
She spun around and sprinted blindly into the woods, branches whipping her face, leaves slapping her cheeks like nature itself was judging her life choices.
Behind her, a deep growl echoed.
"You can't escape from a Shiranui."
Aika shrieked, "Wanna bet? I have cardio experience! …From running away from my landlord!"
[NEW QUEST ACTIVATED:]
['SURVIVAL 101: DON'T DIE IN THE FIRST HOUR']
Reward: 1 (ONE) mosquito repellent
Penalty: Death
"What kind of reward is that?!"
A massive shadow leaped from the trees. Aika screamed as she dropped into a slide, dirt flying everywhere. The beast landed where she had just been, claws digging deep into the ground.
He snarled, "Stop running."
"Stop chasing!"
"That is MY territory!"
Aika ducked behind a fallen log. "Sir, with all due respect, your territory is stupid and so are your territorial rules!"
The beast looked personally offended.
[WARNING: INSULTING A RANK-SSS ALPHA IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.]
Aika rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Google."
She needed a distraction.
Aika rummaged through her starter pack.
A rock
One rice ball
A leaf
A +3 Charisma lacy bra
No weapons.
No magic.
No dignity.
She groaned. "Fine. Desperate times."
She grabbed the rice ball and chucked it at the Shiranui's head.
It hit him with a soft plop.
He froze.
Slowly… very slowly… he turned his head toward her.
"…Did you just throw food at me?"
Aika clapped her hands together. "It's… a peace offering?"
"That was an attack."
"N-No! It was cultural! In Japan we throw food sometimes! As a greeting! Or apology! Or… okay fine I lied PLEASE DON'T KILL ME—"
The beast vanished.
Aika blinked. "Eh?"
She felt him before she saw him—hot breath fanning the back of her neck.
"Human," he growled behind her. "Your lies are pathetic."
She stiffened. "In my defense… I'm improvising."
He grabbed the back of her fur top and lifted her like a misbehaving kitten.
Aika kicked her legs. "Put me down! This is harassment! I'll call HR!"
"This is my forest."
"Then I'll call forest HR!"
"There is no such thing—"
"Well maybe you should start one!"
He sighed—the long, exhausted sigh of someone rethinking his existence. With a flick, he tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
"HEY—PUT ME DOWN! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE AND TOO PRETTY TO BE A SNACK!"
"You're loud," he muttered.
"YOU'RE RUDE!"
He walked deeper into the forest, Aika bouncing with each step.
"You're the first human to enter this territory in centuries," he said.
"Explain why you're here."
She opened her mouth… then closed it.
Should she tell him the truth?
That she died by rice cooker explosion
→ got reincarnated into a horny survival game
→ and was instructed to make babies with him to save his species?
Yeah. He'd kill her.
So she smiled sweetly. "Well… I'm a traveler!"
"A traveler wearing no armor, no weapons, and shouting every three seconds."
"Hey! I'm very stealthy when I want to be—"
"Amazing stealth," he said flatly.
Aika pouted. "Whatever. What's your name, scary wolf-dragon guy?"
"…Shiranui Kazuki."
Aika blinked. "Shira… noodles… Katsuji?"
"Kazuki."
"Ka-su-ki."
"…Close enough."
A vein popped in his forehead.
As they reached a clearing near a waterfall, the system chimed dramatically.
[ATTENTION, PLAYER.]
[YOU ARE CURRENTLY BEING CARRIED BY YOUR MAIN MISSION TARGET.]
[CONGRATULATIONS! THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BUILD AFFECTION.]
Aika whispered, "Build affection? I haven't even built a bed yet."
[SUGGESTED ACTIONS:]
1. Compliment his muscles
2. Admire his territory
3. Accidentally fall on him seductively
Aika deadpanned.
"This system is trying to get me killed."
Kazuki glanced at her. "Who are you talking to?"
"Uh… my imaginary friend."
He squinted suspiciously.
[SUGGESTION 1 ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY.]
"What— NO—"
Aika blurted loudly:
"YOUR MUSCLES LOOK VERY… FUNCTIONAL."
Kazuki stopped walking.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Aika wanted to crawl into a hole.
"…Functional?" he repeated slowly.
"I—I mean! Strong! Powerful! Big— I mean BIG—BUT NOT IN A WEIRD WAY—"
Kazuki stared as if she were a malfunctioning creature.
"You truly are insane."
"THANK GOD!"
"That wasn't a compliment."
The clearing opened onto a cave framed by glowing blue crystals. Water trickled from vines above, forming a natural curtain.
Inside, the air hummed with ancient energy.
Kazuki carried Aika in.
"Welcome to my den."
Aika's eyes widened. "Wow… It's gorgeous."
"It's a temporary place to interrogate intruders."
"Oh. So I'm in… jail."
"Exactly."
"Can I get blankets?"
"No."
"Snacks?"
"No."
"A lawyer?"
"There is no such thing here."
Aika gasped dramatically. "Truly a savage land."
Kazuki tossed her onto a flat stone platform.
She landed with an unflattering thud.
"OW— That's police brutality!"
"You're not being arrested."
"THEN IT'S KIDNAPPING!"
Kazuki ignored her.
He stepped close—too close—leaning over her. His cold blue eyes locked onto hers, intimidating and dangerously beautiful.
"I need to know why a human entered my territory," he said.
"Humans avoid us. Fear us."
Aika swallowed. "Yeah, well, I'm brave!"
"You're stupid."
"Also true."
He leaned even closer. Aika's breath hitched.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking your scent."
"My scent?! Why?!"
"To confirm what you are."
Aika screamed internally.
Kazuki lowered his face to her neck.
She froze, muscles locking, brain short-circuiting.
His breath brushed against her skin—warm, primal, wild.
"Mm," he murmured. "Human. And… something else."
"That's deodorant."
"No. Something different. A trace of old magic…"
The system flashed.
[DANGER: THE TARGET IS DETECTING SYSTEM ENERGY!]
Aika's smile twitched.
"Hehe… hey… can you not sniff too hard? I'm ticklish and I might accidentally kick you—"
Kazuki suddenly grabbed her wrists, pinning them lightly.
Aika choked.
"I WASN'T READY FOR THIS LEVEL OF PHYSICAL CONTACT!"
Kazuki frowned.
"You talk too much."
"THAT'S MY COPING MECHANISM—"
But before he could interrogate her further—
The ground shook.
A distant roar echoed through the forest.
Kazuki's eyes narrowed.
"Trespassers."
He released her and stood up.
Aika exhaled in relief.
He glanced back at her.
"Stay here. Move, and I'll tie you to the wall."
Aika saluted sarcastically.
"Yes, sir, Beastlord of Questionable Manners."
Kazuki growled low in warning before vanishing into the forest. The moment he disappeared, the system chimed.
[GOOD JOB SURVIVING THE FIRST HOUR.]
[NEXT QUEST: ESCAPE THE DEN.]
Aika stood up.
"…Escape? Now? When the guy who can rip mountains apart told me not to move?"
[YES.]
"But if he catches me, I'm dead!"
[THAT'S A YOU PROBLEM.]
Aika inhaled sharply.
"Okay. Fine. New life, new chaos. I can do this."
She marched toward the exit, fists clenched.
"I'm brave. I'm smart. I'm resourceful."
She tripped on a rock and faceplanted.
"…I'm so going to die."