Chapter Five - Whiskers

"Oh my! It's a hamster." I breathed out, and with that, all of my goosebumps vanished. I was breathing normally now. My palms had stopped sweating, and my legs weren't shivering anymore. I reached out my hands and touched the little furball.

[Congratulations, you formed a spirit contract.]

The system notification suddenly flashed up, leaving me surprised. I gasped, almost choking on my saliva.

"This thing is a spirit, what?" I couldn't believe it, so I just looked down at the little furball my hand was holding. It had a cute pattern and was brown and white. One ear was completely white, and it had red eyes. Somehow they looked more like rubies than the devil's eyes. Its little whiskers were twitching as if they wanted to say something. Like an arrow to my heart, cuteness struck me.

"Oh, I think I'll call you Whiskers."

[Congratulations, your spirit contract is completed.]

"Right, this hamster is supposed to be a spirit?"

"Not any spirit. I am, just so you know, one of the five pillars supporting the monster realm."

"No way."

"Believe it or not, I am."

I was dumbstruck. For one, this hamster was speaking to me, and second of all, he was claiming to be some kind of mythic spirit king.

"Well, how can you be if you look like that?"

Somehow the little whiskers of him twitched even more, and his eyes turned even redder.

"If I look like that! What do you think? Whose fault is it that I look like that? It's yours."

"Mine? How so?"

"Wasn't it you who absorbed all my energy, managed to die within seconds, and used up almost half of my energy to turn back time!"

"I did what?"

"You heard me. That's why we're stuck in this predicament here. Go ahead, get back to where you were, and see that you get more of the portal's energy. Only then will we be able to activate the system."

"Right, that system. What is that all about anyway?"

"You'll see. Now just get back, okay?"

"Fine, let's get back."

I continued to pass all that I had seen only in a blur while running through the alleyway. In this backstreet, by going back, I could somehow make out more of the shapes. There was some kind of shelter where metal pipes created scaffolding, and a dirty and wet cloth was hanging over it as some kind of roof. I could only wonder who would live there. I passed by piles of trash and other unsightly things.

"We're almost out. What am I supposed to do then?"

"Can you just check your system?" It was still strange to hear the hamster answer me, but what was I supposed to do?

"I can check the system. Can I navigate it somehow?"

"Oh Lord, don't tell me you haven't even figured that basic thing out! Who have I let become my master?"

I curled my lips and clicked my tongue. While rolling my eyes, I sarcastically answered, "I guess yours has not figured it out." I looked at the little furball in my hand. "Would you care to enlighten me then?"

"Try thinking of the system and opening what you want."

"It's that simple?" I asked, somehow taken aback.

"…"

Instead of waiting for an answer, I just decided to go for it. I concentrated, thinking of the system. Suddenly a message flashed up again.

[Power needed for activation: 5000]

[Current power: 3,500 / 5,000]

[Please raise the absorbed energy to activate the system.]

"It still says the same. What am I supposed to absorb power from? What is it even speaking of?"

"You really are quite slow on the uptake, aren't you?"

I was just getting annoyed with this little hamster.

"Do you know right now? I am regretting that I did not name you something more stupid."

"I wouldn't have done that. It would be you who would suffer in the long run because you would need to call out my name."

It was confirmed. This hamster was annoying.

In the next second, as I was walking along, sunlight blinded my eyes, and I had to blink. I guess we had reached the street. I could hear the bustling of people talking, the chattering, and the vehicles driving by.

"Wait… you said today is yesterday… wouldn't that mean that the rift would open tomorrow?"

"I guess I really do have to explain everything to you, don't I?"

I groaned, and with a sigh and a look of disbelief, I glanced at the hamster.

"Well, how about you just tell me what you disagree with now?"

"Fine, but my service isn't free."

"Not free! Who do you think you are? Aren't I your master?"

The little hamster walked away, almost being embarrassed or something else. I could've sworn his cheeks became red.

"I guess my master you are. Well then, let me tell you."

"Thank you." I lowered my hand, tilting it slightly to the right before raising it up again. "I am listening."

"Yesterday, when the rift opened, you absorbed all the energy in it. To be completely honest, you called upon me."

"I did what?" Some woman passing by looked at me as if I was just crazy. Other people had also turned their heads. I guess I screamed that a bit too loud.

"You absorbed the energy of the rift while awakening. This caused you to receive this system."

I raised my eyebrow, not really understanding. Somehow this hamster must've been quite intelligent because it picked up on this cue and began to explain in more detail.

"The D-grade rift was supposed to be a normal orc rift, but then your ether functioned as a sort of luring smell. This attracted monsters. And thus, the grade of the dungeon rift became A-grade. Your energy became stronger and more present, even reaching me. It was pulling me out, and here we are. You absorbed all of the energy, making me be stuck here."

"I see. Why did you form the contract with me then?"

"You really can't pick up anything, can you? Didn't I just say your smell was incredibly potent and nice?"

"I see…" Somehow with my free hand, I scratched my nape.

"Anyway, to sum it up, the rift won't appear again. You consumed all of its energy."

"I see. The energy I need to consume now is rift energy?"

"Yes, that would be it."

"Does that mean I have to go near another rift again?" I shuddered at the thought.

"Not necessarily. You could also just kill monsters or use that device from yesterday. It might have some more energy you could take."

"Oh, you mean the device for awakening hunters…"

"Yes."

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but that won't work. I already used it yesterday; I can't do it twice—"

For a second, I just looked at the hamster and its bloody red eyes. It looked back at me, and somehow we felt a sense of understanding.

"Okay, I guess let's go. It won't hurt to try."