First Pet

Some of the messages were confusing, but Nox didn't care. He was certain of one thing: he had finally Awakened his class!

Unfortunately, this wasn't the time to celebrate because Fluffington was in a dire condition. Nox needed to seek help fast, but first, he had to deal with the demonic three-faced dog.

Nox clenched his fist tight when he thought back to Fluffington's painful moan, and his eyes narrowed.

When he arrived in this world, Nox promised to always protect his loved ones after experiencing the tender love and care they showered him with.

"I also promised to get rid of anyone who harms them. I won't be like those righteous protagonists who forgive... if you hurt anyone close to me, I'll pay you back tenfold!" A smirk appeared on Nox's face.

With his black hair streaked with red and those midnight eyes, Nox looked quite menacing; even the Cerberagh noticed this and began to step back.

"Y-you, what happened to you?" The Cerberagh's survival instincts, honed over the years, screamed at it to flee from this boy or suffer a fate worse than death, but its pride wouldn't allow it.

To the Cerberagh, Nox was just a little boy. So what if this unknown goddess's status was helping him? At the end of the day, he was just a kid who had only recently stopped breastfeeding.

"Hmph! I planned to take my time mauling you, but it doesn't matter because I've heard from humans that roasted meat tastes more delicious!" The three-faced demonic dog roared as it opened all three mouths to shoot out the dark blast.

However, at that moment, it noticed a familiar sight.

Seeing the Cerberagh's action, Nox raised his hands and a swirling vortex of darkness materialized before him. The air started to crackle as if it was struggling to accommodate the impending doom.

The demonic dog's eyes constricted with each passing second, shock evident on its face. How could it not be shocked when the skill being displayed was very similar to its own...

Suddenly, even breathing became difficult for the Cerberagh, but it was too stubborn to succumb to a superior power. Filled with pride, the demonic beast roared at the top of its voice and unleashed the dark blast at Nox.

The three beams of condensed dark energy sliced through the air with lightning speed, threatening to engulf Nox entirely. It was clear that this dark blast was even more powerful than when it had been used on the cat.

Fluffington, who was barely alive, wanted to help Nox, but even the slightest movement seemed to open his wounds more and terrifying pain shot through his entire body.

While he was struggling, Nox looked him in the eyes and mouthed, 'Stay still, it will be over soon.' Then he glared at the demonic beast and exclaimed:

"Shadow Oblivion!"

At that instant, a deafening roar shook the entire cavern. It sent waves of trembling throughout everywhere, and even outside, Nathan couldn't help but look with a panicked expression while Eve maintained her indifferent look.

At Nox's command, the vortex exploded outward, unleashing a catastrophic blast of shadowy energy. The wave raced across the cavern floor like a dark tsunami, engulfing everything in its path, including the Cerberagh and its three dark blasts, which looked like ants compared to the giant blast.

Because Shadow Oblivion, which was meant to annihilate several enemies at once, was targeted at one, the Cerberagh wasn't stunned for 10 seconds; instead, its body directly exploded into several fragments that rained across the cavern.

[You have killed level 7 wildling, Cerberagh]

[You have received 70XP]

[Ding! You have absorbed the life force of Cerberagh, the Demonic Hound]

After the last message, an otherworldly golden glow bathed Nox, and he could feel his immature bones becoming strengthened and even his chubby skin shrinking a little. Nox suddenly felt intoxicated with the power coursing through his veins.

Ignoring the intoxicating sensation, he rushed towards Fluffington and held him gently. "Are you okay, Fluffington?"

[Meow... Brat, gentle with me, do you wish to inflict more harm on me?"] Fluffington retorted when Nox touched his injured body.

Nox was glad that his friend could still talk, but he still had to hurry... it was then an idea struck him.

'The taming space!'

During the deluge of messages, he had seen something like that. And as far as Nox knew, the taming space was another dimension where tamed beasts could live and heal faster if they sustained any injury.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Fluffington. Before we could return to the barony, I fear you'll lose too much blood and then... and then."

["Proceed with whatever you want to do... I don't plan on perishing any time soon, you still have to give me the promised massage,"] Fluffington stated.

As Fluffington looked at the boy, he noticed something different about his aura... and the prideful cat felt drawn to him like a sheep to a shepherd. He didn't know why, but... he liked it.

Nox nodded and placed his hand on Fluffington. When he Awakened his class, he'd also awakened skills related to it, one of which was [Tame].

A brilliant blue glow slithered from between Nox's fingers, lighting up the cavern. After a moment, the glow faded, revealing a seal on Fluffington's fur... the sign of infinity!

Yes, it was exactly what Nox had hoped for because he never wanted to be separated from Fluffington. Afterward, Fluffington's body disappeared.

***

"The sound... it has stopped!"

Nathan, who had been pacing back and forth anxiously while biting his finger, stopped and looked at the entrance of the cavern. He knew that silence meant the fight had ended, but who was victorious?

Nathan didn't know if this was a good or bad sign, which only made him more worried.

Fortunately, at that moment, Eve's emotionless voice reached his ear.

"Someone is coming."

Nathan looked deeper and indeed saw the figure of a little boy approaching. Immediately, a tear trailed down his cheek.

"Nox, you little brat!"

"Grampa, what're you doing here-" Nox couldn't finish his sentence before his grandpa's bony hands swooped him up and hugged him tightly. "Thank the heavens, you're okay. I didn't know what I'd have done if anything happened to you. Please forgive Grampa for not being there when you needed him most."

Although Nox was confused about how his grandpa had arrived, he pushed those thoughts aside and embraced the old man he loved with all his heart.

"Master, can you feel it?"

While the two were hugging each other, the green-eyed skull floating beside Eve spoke, staring at Nox with a shocked expression.

"Yes, but how... I thought every one of her statues had been destroyed." Eve narrowed her eyes and looked at the boy, her eyes dissecting him as if unraveling all of his deepest secrets.

"Whatever the reason is, at least he's an ally," Skully stated, his gaze never leaving the grandfather and grandson duo who were having a shouting match.

***

"What happened here... why is there so much disturbance here?"

A few hours after Nox, Nathan, and Eve had returned to the Cromwell barony, a figure emerged from the forest and stood before the entrance of the cavern Nox had exited earlier.

"Did someone find this place?" said the figure, wearing a dark robe-like overcoat with the symbol of a red rose engulfed in ominous black flames on its back.