Hiroshi was still trying to make sense of it all.
If this cat-person Riku was his only guide in this strange world, he needed answers.
"Hey, is that tail real?" Hiroshi asked, eyeing Riku's fluffy tail swaying behind him.
Before Riku could respond, Hiroshi reached out and grabbed it.
"Eeep!" Riku squeaked, spinning around. His high-pitched voice caught Hiroshi completely off guard.
If Riku hadn't said he was a boy, Hiroshi would have sworn he was a girl. Everything about him—from his soft voice to his delicate features—screamed feminine.
Riku flattened his ears and narrowed his eyes. "Hisss~! Don't touch my tail!"
"Hmm? Why not?" Hiroshi raised an eyebrow.
"It's sensitive!" Riku pouted, hugging his tail protectively against his chest.
"Yeah, yeah... whatever," Hiroshi said, waving off the complaint.
Riku's ears perked up. "Henry... where are you going?"
"Huh? Like I know, girl." Hiroshi shrugged and took a few steps forward, scanning for signs of people or anything familiar.
"Riku is not a girl!" Riku protested, stomping his foot. His tail fluffed up in frustration.
"Yeah, yeah," Hiroshi replied, leaning down to study Riku's face. He squinted, and Riku froze under his gaze.
Seriously? Riku's not a girl? Hiroshi thought, taking in those soft lips, slender neck, and delicate frame. With a face like that?
"Ne~ne~, Henry!" Riku blurted, breaking the silence.
"Hm?"
"You're really big!" Riku looked up at him with wide eyes.
Hiroshi smirked. "Yeah, I hear that a lot."
"If only I had muscles like you," Riku sighed, attempting to flex his slim arms like Hiroshi.
Before Hiroshi could respond, the ground trembled beneath them.
Riku tensed, his ears shooting upward and his tail going rigid. "H-Henry…"
"Huh?" Hiroshi frowned.
Before he could ask what was wrong, a massive boar burst from the bushes, charging straight at them. This beast bore no resemblance to the wild pigs back home, its tusks stretched longer than his forearm, and its eyes burned with hunger and fury.
"Whoa! Easy, big guy!" Hiroshi shouted as the boar barreled toward him.
Suddenly, his body moved on instinct. He kicked high and brought his foot down with devastating force.
CRACK!
The ground shook as his heel crushed the boar's skull instantly. The beast collapsed, lifeless.
For a moment, everything fell silent.
"W-what…" Riku stammered, staring at the fallen creature with wide eyes.
Hiroshi blinked, still standing with his foot planted on the boar's head. "Uh… what just happened?"
"You… you killed it… in one hit," Riku whispered, his voice trembling with shock and awe.
"I did?" Hiroshi glanced down at the boar, then at his own foot. He scratched his head. "Huh. Guess I did."
Riku stared at him, his tail puffed up like a bottlebrush. "You're not just a big human… you're a strong human!"
Hiroshi smirked. "Yeah, well, I hear that a lot too."
He crouched beside the massive boar, examining it closely. It was easily twice the size of any wild pig he'd seen back in Japan.
"Can we eat this?"
Riku, still gazing at him like a hero, nodded eagerly. "This is a level 10 Forest Boar! You're amazing, Henry!"
"Hmm?" Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "Is it worth something?"
"Yes, nya! The meat, tusks, hide, everything! Merchants pay well for Forest Boar parts." Riku's tail swished excitedly.
"Oh…" Hiroshi scratched his head. "But I'm still new here."
"New?" Riku tilted his head, ears twitching. "New where?"
"Ah, never mind," Hiroshi said, waving it off. He didn't want to explain how little he understood about this world. "Riku, where can we sell this thing?"
Riku's face brightened. "Come to my village! There's a merchant there who'll definitely buy it!"
Hiroshi crouched beside the boar, eyeing its massive frame. He slid his hands underneath, expecting dead weight, but it felt surprisingly light, like hoisting a heavy bag of rice instead of a giant monster.
"Oh, it's light," Hiroshi said, standing easily with the boar slung over his shoulder.
Riku's jaw dropped. "W-what?! You can lift that so easily?! Most people need a cart or help from other adventurers!"
Hiroshi shrugged, adjusting the boar like it was nothing. "Guess I'm just built different."
"Built different, nya…" Riku muttered, his eyes gleaming with admiration.
(End of Chapter)