Chapter 5: Girls with wolf ears and tail

"This place?" I stood amidst a vast expanse, surrounded by an array of beings unlike any I'd ever witnessed.

Our shared world, Earth, had always been one of singularity. But now, it had become a melting pot of inhabitants from various dimensions.

Technically, given the merger of worlds, it wasn't accurate to label them as 'foreigners' or 'beings from another dimension'. But through my eyes, which had seen a simpler Earth, their presence was definitely otherworldly.

What struck me wasn't just their existence but the vast diversity among them. While it was true that in some parallel dimensions, worlds or whatever, humans were predominant, making them the majority here, a significant portion of the populace was distinctly non-human.

A walk down a busy street would confirm this fact, where every other face was non-human, each with their unique traits and characteristics.

Having spent two years in this merged Earth, seeing various races and species was no longer a shocker. The initial curiosity had faded, replaced by a sense of normalization.

However, a peculiar pattern emerged that I hadn't noticed before. The non-human species, in their vast diversity, seemed to be entirely female.

This, in itself, was intriguing. But the real unease set in when, upon my entry into this plaza, every single one of them turned their gaze towards me. It was a uniform, intense stare, one that felt predatory, as if I was the prey and they, the hunters.

Their eyes weren't merely resting on me; they bore into my very soul, making me feel exposed. I could see several of them slowly, tantalizingly, lick their lips. The insinuation was clear, and it sent shivers down my spine.

"Damn it..." I muttered.

Their combined attention was not just unsettling—it was downright terrifying. The sheer number of them focusing on me, coupled with their strange, intense expressions, made my heart race.

The world had changed, and I was struggling to understand the new rules and dynamics. But this, this was something entirely different and far more personal.

In this new multi-dimensional world, humans found themselves at a distinct disadvantage.

While the merging of various dimensions caused the human population to surge, giving us a semblance of numerical advantage, our inherent capabilities paled in comparison to the other races that now inhabited the Earth.

Whether it was raw physical strength, innate magical prowess, or any other supernatural gifts, humans, as a whole, were simply outclassed.

This isn't to say that there weren't exceptions. Among the sea of average human beings, a few rose above the rest. These exceptional individuals possessed strength and abilities that could rival, if not surpass, the powers of other races. These humans became beacons of hope, symbols of what humanity could potentially achieve.

Sadly, I was not one of them.

Had I been one of those prodigious individuals, I wouldn't have found myself in my current predicament. Instead, I was more representative of the average human – vulnerable and easily overlooked in the grand scheme of this new world order.

The various beings that now shared the Earth with us were, by and large, superior in every respect. Even as I gazed around, I felt the weight of their scrutiny, their clear recognition of my inferior status.

Among them was a young-looking woman, her large eyes fixed on me. Her lithe figure was accentuated by a tail reminiscent of a wolf, wagging softly behind her.

She appeared to be from the Werebeast race, identifiable by her wolf-like features. Though she might seem deceptively youthful and her attire might resemble what one would term 'cosplay' with wolf ears and a tail, one should not be fooled. Werebeasts, renowned for their immense strength and prowess, were not to be trifled with.

Even she, with her seemingly delicate and playful demeanor, could probably overpower me or any other average human with the mere flick of a finger. It was a sobering realization of the new world's hierarchy and where I, unfortunately, stood.

In simple terms, the woman before me possessed abilities that could easily dismember my very being.

Equally imposing was the Minotaur figure in the distance, identifiable by the horns protruding from her forehead. Despite the traditional image of Minotaurs being male and fearsome, she appeared as a statuesque woman with incredible horns.

A recent incident still echoed in public memory: a male Minotaur, in a fit of drunken rage, had impaled and halved a human with his horns. I was terrified and scared after that to some limit to even scare of animals with horns.

Though that Minotaur was considerably larger with more pronounced horns compared to this woman, it was a known fact that among many races, the difference in strength wasn't always defined by gender. Thus, she too was fully capable of inflicting the same harm.

Similarly, a Lamia with her serpentine lower body slithered around, and a translucent figure that appeared to be a slime woman shifted shape nearby.

Everywhere I looked, I was surrounded by beings who could, with little bit of no effort at all, overpower and annihilate an ordinary human like me while just playing.

"Uh… uh…" I stuttered.

A knot of fear tightened in my stomach, and I reflexively began to retreat. Thoughts of escape filled my mind, urging me to bolt. However, an unexpected sensation on my back halted me.

A voice dripping with condescension whispered behind me, "Oh, what's this? Afraid, are we? Well, what did you expect, entering through the back? Surely you saw the warnings. Coming in through the main entrance might have been healthier for you. But then again, I'm guessing you had reservations about the front door too. So tell me, what compelled you to sneak in?"

Realization dawned that my escape route was effectively cut off.

The voice continued, now tinged with mild amusement, "Never mind. It's best if I get you out of here before those overeager beings decide to make a move." With a hint of mischief, the voice added, "This might feel a tad unpleasant."

Fear gripped me tighter, unsure of what awaited me next.

In the blink of an eye, the menacing figures that had surrounded me vanished. What replaced them was an intense wave of nausea and disorientation.

"Whoa..." I stammered, trying to regain my footing.