Chapter 53: Side Story: Rumi (3)

As if a dog suffering from heatstroke, Ruru—no, Jooin—stuck out her tongue and sprawled out limply. 

Rumi, seeing this, leaped over and landed gracefully beside her.

That astonishing strength.

And yet, her tender care for her friend left the audience in stunned silence.

Of course.

Calling that puppy a friend…

Seems like the canine tribe has quite… assertive tastes, huh…

Whisper, whisper.

A serious misunderstanding had arisen, but it wasn’t particularly important to Rumi.

She pressed her face against Jooin’s nose, sniffing. She’s still breathing.

With a gentle finger, she pushed the tongue back into Jooin’s mouth.

“Y-you… how dare you ambush me like this…!”

Petra, the champion of the feline tribe, staggered to her feet after being knocked down by Rumi’s punch, voicing her complaints.

“Grrr.”

“Gasp.”

With slightly thicker and larger fangs bared, Rumi let out a roar, and immediately, Petra yelped—no, meowed!

Moreover, it was only then that Petra noticed the completely shattered wall.

“I surrender, I surrender, meow!”

She immediately declared defeat.

The winner was Rumi of the canine tribe, and the echoes of her name gradually faded away.

The sensation of space twisting and the feeling of gliding through the gaps—something experienced countless times with each episode change.

Rumi tightly hugged Jooin.

***

The next destination was a peaceful grassland.

Since the episode guide had only appeared in Ark’s eyes upon entry, Rumi had no information, but…

“Sniff, sniff.”

The scent of nature filling the air.

A serene smile naturally bloomed on Rumi’s lips.

Two scents dogs love the most.

Jooin’s scent.

And the scent of nature itself, a blend of wild grass and flowers.

The two harmonized perfectly, making this place a paradise for Rumi.

“Rumi?”

“Huh?”

Rumi, who had been resting Jooin’s head on her lap, enjoying the tranquility until she woke up, heard a familiar voice.

Turning her head toward the source of the sound.

“Dad…?”

A figure more beast than man.

Rudin, Rumi’s father, who had left home on an important mission on Rumi’s fifth birthday and never returned.

If the slumped Ark had seen him, he would’ve exclaimed, “Wow! Commander Komamura!”

“You’ve grown splendidly, my daughter.”

His voice was affectionate.

But Rudin’s expression was tinged with sorrow.

Rumi, sensing the atmosphere, carefully set Jooin down.

“I had hoped you would live a peaceful life in the human city…”

“Rumi is happy, woof! I met a good Jooin, woof!”

“Jooin…? You mean that puppy behind you?”

“Yes, woof!”

Rudin’s brow twitched.

He had hoped his daughter would meet a good human and live happily, but now she’s calling some stray puppy her master…?

If this were a private place, he would’ve immediately thumped her forehead and whispered for her to find a better person—a human.

…Fine. At any rate, coming this far means you’ve reached the final stage of the trial. Well done, my daughter.”

“Ok?”

“Now, show me how much you’ve grown.”

Rudin’s demeanor shifted.

The tranquil blue land, where only a gentle breeze had stirred, now saw winds rising, grass trembling, and mournful sounds echoing.

And then, expansion.

His height, similar to Ark’s, suddenly surged, transforming into a massive, ink-black dog, easily over 3 meters tall.

Beastification—a power only those of the beastkin, or rather, the dragon-beastkin, with stronger beast bloodlines, could use.

“Grrr…”

The low, resonant howl carried a clear message.

Come at me.

“But, Dad…”

Rumi hesitated.

“Khhh!”

With a roar, Rudin charged, and instinctively, Rumi blocked him.

Not Rumi.

Because he charged toward Jooin.

“Khh…!”

Even with her monstrous strength, capable of breaking walls, stopping a mass equivalent to a tank with a human body was too much.

She was pushed back, her feet digging into the ground from the sheer force, but she managed to hold her ground and shoved him aside.

Sensing danger, fur sprouted naturally on Rumi’s arms.

The red in her eyes deepened, and her fangs sharpened!

But in real combat, there’s no room for transformation delays.

Rudin’s heavy footsteps shook the ground as he leaped toward Rumi.

At that moment, Rumi’s ears perked up.

The tremors from his feet pushing off the ground, the sharp sound of air tearing as he leaped.

Combining all the information.

Whoosh!

His front paw slashed through the air where Rumi had just been.

“—!”

Rumi, having swiftly slipped to Rudin’s side, swung her fist and struck his flank— 

Thud!

The momentary impact disrupted Rudin’s balance, and he hoped to regain his stance.

Our daughter.

She’s grown quite strong.

Even in his beastified state, Rudin’s eyes gleamed with pride, but there was no time for such sentiments.

He was the selector.

Did she have the qualifications to challenge the king of the beastkin?

And did she possess the potential to purify the dragon-beastkin, who had fallen to the machinations of the demons?

Rudin’s red eyes, identical to Rumi’s, flashed with light.

The grassland’s winds grew fiercer, and the grass bowed as if in reverence to Rudin.

“This is…”

The fur on Rumi’s body bristled.

Her senses screamed warnings.

This is the real deal now.

But Rumi gritted her teeth and steadied herself.

A glance.

She looked back at Jooin.

“I’ll protect Jooin, woof…!”

With a fiery roar, she declared she wouldn’t lose.

Clash!

Rudin’s massive shadow loomed over Rumi, but with Jooin at a safe distance, Rumi could unleash her full power.

Like the first time she faced a bear.

Even against a fierce assault, she stood her ground and thrust her fist forward.

Boom!

The sound of a massive dog’s paw clashing with a human fist was unbelievable.

Moreover.

“Khh!”

While Rumi’s tail was just a means of emotional expression.

Rudin’s wagging tail wasn’t just a sign of joy—it was a weapon.

Rumi, struck by the tail, was sent flying.

Her vision blurred, her body feeling impossibly heavy.

She crashed back-first into the ground, absorbing the full impact.

Get up, get up…!

As Rumi struggled to rise, a shadow loomed over her.

“Grrr…”

Rudin’s glowing red eyes seemed to ask, “Is that all?”

His paw pressed down on Rumi.

Thud!

The ground cratered from the immense force.

“Grrr…?”

But all Rudin felt beneath his paw was hard earth.

In that moment.

“Dad…! I’m sorry, woof…!”

Rumi’s voice echoed from beneath Rudin.

She had thrown herself forward, barely dodging.

Suddenly, Rumi heard her mother’s voice in her head.

Rumi?

If a man ever bothers you, aim for the lower half.

A kick there can easily take down even your father.

Was that lesson preparation for this moment?

Just as she found an opening, Rumi saw the target—right where it would hurt most.

A brother… would’ve been nice…

Briefly reminiscing about the past, a past that would never return.

Rumi clenched her teeth.

With a slight pang of guilt.

She thrust her fist forward.

“—!”

“Guh…!”

Rudin’s massive body lost balance, swaying violently.

Just before collapsing, Rumi rolled forward, slipping between his legs.

Thud!

Rudin, his vision unfocused, collapsed to the ground.

Soon after, his beastification faded, returning him to human form.

But.

“Ugh…”

He clutched his groin, twitching.

Unable to move.

Rumi’s eyes showed a flicker of guilt.

***

“Ugh…”

The sensation of her nose and throat being submerged brought her back to her senses.

At least I’m not dead, she thought, wriggling, staggering.

“Jooin! You’re awake?”

Rumi’s cheerful voice pierced through her eardrums.

“Ugh…”

Regaining her senses, she looked up.

“……?”

Rumi’s body—no, her clothes.

An unprecedented, bold, wow, wow, wow…!

“Woof…!”

She let out the highest praise a dog could muster.

However Rumi interpreted it.

Her lips curled into a bright smile.

“Jooin, it’s all over, woof! Let’s go home, woof!”

As Rumi spoke.

[Rumi’s Legend – Miracle of the Great Forest (End)]

A pop-up appeared.

Suddenly, her body felt light, floating upward.

“Finally…!”

Tears of joy flowed naturally as she regained her human voice.

This dog’s life has been so hard.

Walking on all fours isn’t easy.

With that thought, I—no, Ruru—embraced Rumi, who was giggling happily.

Event.

Cutscene, outfit, something like that.

It was tough, but seeing that made it all worth it…

“Jooin?”

Rumi’s soul seemed to have returned from the possession, her voice coming from right beside me.

Turning my head.

“Ugh…!”

The overwhelming figure, barely held together by a single button.

Shamelessly, or rather, with too much satisfaction, the sheer stockings that wrap around those smooth legs.

In contrast to the flesh tone, the black outfit balances it out, with a giant red ribbon adorning the waistline and hips.

I, overwhelmed by that breathtaking sight, couldn’t help but lose focus for a moment.