Chapter 1 - Volume 1 (2/2)

I hadn’t become aware of it until it had gotten close. The moment I did, though, I felt that my iron-sand body would break and collapse from the overwhelming, enormous sense of fear that washed over me.

It was a huge, black panther.

If I was the size of an average cat, that black panther was even larger than a horse.

And… it was beautiful.

It didn’t give off the impression of being short and stout, which was common among wild cats, but instead appeared to be supple and slim.

It had fur that gave off a deep… dark, beautiful luster.

You would think that brilliant and black wouldn’t go together, but I couldn’t describe it any other way.

It had a whip-like pair of tails, split into two parts, that were even longer than its body.

Silver claws and silver fangs. In his silver eyes, for the first time in this world I saw that it also carried [Purpose].

“…………”

I was scared. For the first time in this world, I felt fear… a real danger to my life.

But…even more than that, I was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my eyes off of this black panther.

Uzu… Uzu….

I-I want to pet it.

It would definitely feel all silky and good. There might even be a fluffy part somewhere.

” [……?]”

After a while, its indications of wanting to eat me faded away, and the black panther appeared to be curious as it tilted its head to the side.

” [……Why aren’t you afraid?]”

“!?”

That was a [Voice]. What I heard out loud was the faint growl of a beast. However, its growl resounded inside of me and turned into words.

“…!     …!?     …!”

I was surprised by the first intelligent voice I got to hear in this world. An unexpectedly handsome voice….

The black panther’s tone was deep and masculine, a lovely voice that seemed to belong to an old man…scratch that, a lovely voice belonging to a man in the first half of his thirties, on the brink of becoming an old man.

It is very much my type of voice. Before I noticed, I was shaking in excitement and made a sound…but it didn’t become words.

The black panther was surprisingly making a similar flustered expression at my panicking self.

“[Can you…understand words?]”

In response to its question, I tried to nod my head… but no matter what I tried I couldn’t nod, so I hopped up and down where I stood.

“[……Ho~o, so you’re able to comprehend my words.]”

It approached me as it spoke, when I instinctively tried moving back, it swiftly used its forefoot to pin me down.

“[……As I thought, you don’t disappear. You must have a significant amount of purpose and intelligence.]”

“………”

……Eh? By any chance, is it that if you don’t have any purpose or intelligence, you’ll be eaten just by being touched?

Aside from that, although I do have a purpose, my intelligence…. When I was in school, I scored magnificently average in my subjects.

I was trembling like pudding while having such thoughts when the black panther said:

“[Don’t be so afraid… No, are you angry? You’re quite an interesting one].”

It showed signs of laughing.

No no, I’m not angry, but how can I say, I just don’t know….

My confused thoughts might have gotten across, because the black panther then released me from its forefoot and brought its face close enough to peer at me.

“[Relax. I won’t have any more thoughts of eating you… leaving that aside, why are you staying in that kind of body?]”

“…?”

Why, you ask…. It’s not like I look like this because I want to~.

For a while, I attempted to communicate through iron-sand fluid body language, when the black panther began showing signs of being annoyed.

To put it simply, it seems that individuals with a body like mine usually transform their body for easier movement.

It seems that, normally, it’s something known by [Instinct], and unless you alter your body like that, when you run into strong individuals, you’ll be eaten without being able to fight or even run.

Thank god…. I’m glad that the first strong individual with intelligence I met was this black panther….

For that reason, I’m being taught how to transform my body from the black panther.

“[……Are you messing with me?]”

“……!?     …!”

I got all teary eyed from the black panther’s sudden shout. Although I have no tears.

What kind of figure I would transform into. Of course I decided to take the form of a [Human]. I’m used to it, after all.

Turns out, after transforming, apparently, your body shows growth to a certain extent, but further changing your form becomes difficult, which was a reason I wanted to take a human shape…

“[Trying to take on such a from right from the beginning is something only a fool would do.]”

A human form right from the start is weak. It’s a given that if a human and beast were to be pitted against each other, in most cases the beast would win.

That’s why at the start, it’s better to choose a beast form. Or perhaps, something with a gorilla-like image. Although the black panther doesn’t have them, horns and jagged scales are apparently the norm.

“……?”

It’s certainly much prettier and cooler to be like the black panther without scales and the like….

Perhaps because he could tell my thoughts, the black panther broadly grinned.

“[Only the weak put up appearances. For me, these claws and fangs are enough.]”

Ohhh~~~~, how cool!

Anyhow, although normally impossible, the only individuals capable of changing once more from the initial transformed state into a [Human] are the ones with exceedingly great strength, moreover, doing so is the equivalent of naming oneself to be the boss of that area… apparently.

But… if that’s the case, I wonder why the black panther doesn’t turn into one itself? Although he appears to be considerably strong, I suppose there’s always someone above you. …Probably.

Now that that’s all out of the way, what should I do. I feel like it should be possible to go for a half-beast kind of look, but the closer the shape is to a human, the more my fighting strength would decline. In the first place, seeing as how I’m already only the size of the average cat, I may turn out becoming the size of an infant.

“………”

I guess it should be a type of beast after all…. Taking my size into account, as expected, should I be a [Cat]? Somehow, being a matching pair with the black panther might be good.

“[Have you decided? If so, then get on with it. What’s important is what you want. Project the image of how you want to fight.]”

“……!”

Right after he said that, I jumped up in acknowledgement, and began to focus on my image.

What I’m imagining is a pretty, slender, and well proportioned cat. Fluffy long fur is good too, but personally I prefer fur that’s shorter in length. That way, there’s less worry of shedding.

Oops, image, image…. I want both beauty and cuteness. I like dogs as well, but if I had to say, I’m a cat person.

Although I like playing with doggies, their aura of playing all day every day gets tiring.

Oops, I’ve gone and digressed again. Image, image…. Nimbly dashing past and swiftly attacking with fangs and claws is cool right.

High agility… running as if soaring… mm? To fly… a bird is good too huh. A falcon might be lovely as well. If I remember correctly, the fastest ones are called peregrine falcons, right? But they’re not that nimble, huh. I feel like I’m on to something. Agile and capable of evading enemy attacks….

No no no no, it’s gotta be a cat, a cat! How did it turn into a bird!? Cat cat cat cat, I am a cat cat, a cute kitten….

“[…………]”

“[………What’s the meaning of this?]”

I had turned into a cat.

I had become a pretty and lovable cat with short fur, exactly as I imagined. I feel like praising myself.

“[……How should I explain……]”

My voice, after finally becoming capable of speech, sounded strange.

My current form was, without a doubt, a cat. I had turned into a [Kitten] that looked like a snugly fur-ball.

A tiny pair of bat wings, sprouting from my back, were awfully pretty~.

Perhaps as a result of transforming, my once curry colored body had turned into a pretty golden color, my rotund eyes were a bright, ruby red, while my small claws and fangs, that had yet to grow out, were like translucent bright red jewels.

Using the sense  I’ve had up till now, I was able to get a good look at myself.

Frankly speaking, I’m criminally cute. If it was the [Me] from the dream world, I would probably have picked me up with no hesitation to hug me all day long.

“[………Umm]”

“[……So how do you intend to fight like this……?]”

This is bad. The black panther sounds angry….

How did it turn out this way? No no, I know the cause of this. It’s all because I’m an idiot.

Even an idiot like me can understand. This body isn’t fit for fighting.

“[……Eh, tehe]”

“[…………]”

The black panther’s gaze was cold as I involuntarily put on a forced smile.

It can’t be helped that it’s run out of patience with me, but if possible I would like to remain friends with this rare conversational partner… not to mention that it had a voice that was particularly my type.

Other than that, I also want to pet it. It’s a different matter with my own fur.

I tried, with tottering steps, to approach the black panther on my short legs… only to flop over on the way.

Suddenly remembering I had them, I flapped my bat wings, causing me to lightly rise into the air…then I fell to the ground flat on my face.

“”[[………]]””

The two people… no, two cats that fell into silence… Hmm, were you supposed to count large animals by the head count?

And while I sunk myself into such thoughts to escape from reality, the black panther let out a small sigh…what a skill, even though it doesn’t breathe… anyhow, after sighing it came closer to chomp down on me with its fangs.

“[Hiiyaa!]”

I, I’ll be eaten!

“[…Settle down.]”

After I quieted down after being told so, the black panther held me in its mouth like a parent cat and began to walk.

“[……Erm]”

“[……I told you before that I have no intention of eating you. To begin with, I wanted to have a conversation for the first time in a while. It’s bothersome, but I’ll keep you until I get tired of talking.]”

“[………Okay.]”

And so, although I had wanted a pet out of loneliness, it was in this way that I became the pet of the black panther.