2:00 AM.
They say it's the time when the world sleeps, but this godforsaken office was the sole exception.
Tick, tock.
The clock on the wall sounded like it was gnawing away at my lifespan. In this space, illuminated only by the glow of monitors, I was pounding away at the keyboard like a zombie.
"Hah... Is it finally the deadline?"
The date marked in red on the calendar stabbed at my eyes. If I just finished this project, I could rest. No, I had to rest. This was already my third consecutive all-nighter.
Clack-clack, clack. Tap.
My fingertips were numb. Empty energy drink cans were stacked like a tower on my desk, and dried coffee stains were crusted at the bottom of my cup. With a trembling hand, I reached for the last remaining can, but it was light.
'Even caffeine doesn't work anymore.'
The empty can rattled as it rolled onto the floor. Damn it. Just as I was about to bend down to pick it up...
"Ugh...!"
A pain shot up from the back of my neck to my shoulders, feeling as if a red-hot iron skewer were stabbing me. My vision momentarily wavered. The letters on the monitor scattered like a swarm of ants before beginning to overlap.
'Huh? Why does the text look like this...?'
A buzzing ringing sound covered my ears. And then, the next moment.
THUMP!
My heart pounded violently, massive enough to crush my ribs and burst out. I couldn't breathe. With a choking sound, the world tilted.
Crash— Thud!
The sound of the keyboard, mouse, and stacks of papers spilling onto the floor sounded distant. My cheek touched the cold office floor. My vision was gradually darkening.
'Ah... I can't... I haven't saved yet...'
It was pathetic that I was worried about the file rather than begging for my life. My eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. I couldn't hold on any longer.
'...So... sleepy...'
That was my last memory as 'Kang Han-ul'.
I thought it was the end. But my consciousness didn't fade. In the pitch-black darkness, I was floating.
'...Where is this? The afterlife?'
It was then. Tearing through the silent darkness, tens of thousands of blue data lines wrapped around my soul.
[Zzzzt— Beep!]
[System: Notification. 'Noble Sacrifice (Tier 1)' detected. Initiating reincarnation process.]
A mechanical voice pierced directly into my brain. Reincarnation? The kind of reincarnation seen only in novels? Before I could even grasp the situation, the blue system windows suddenly turned red, and an alarm blared.
[!!! WARNING !!!]
[Error: Subject 'Kang Han-ul's Mental Power exceeds the allowable range.]
[Analysis: Due to excessive overwork and stress during his lifetime, mental durability is abnormally high. A standard human vessel cannot contain this mental power.]
'What? You're saying my mental state became steel because of too much overtime? Is this a compliment or an insult?'
[Conclusion: Forcing the soul into a human body poses a risk of immediate death via cerebral overload.]
[Searching for alternatives... Generating the body of a Superior Species capable of handling high-output energy.]
[Reincarnation Target Confirmed: Juvenile form of the Calamity-rank Divine Beast, 'Fenrir'.]
[Caution: Installing Magic Output Limiter. Risk of world destruction if released.]
World destruction? Fenrir?
Before I could process the text pouring down like a waterfall, an intense light swallowed me whole.
"Aaaaaah!"
"..."
It was warm.
Not the warmth of the office air conditioner, but the warmth of actual sunlight. The scent of fresh grass rushed into my nose. Chirping birds tickled my ears before any alarm clock could.
"Mmm..."
I opened my eyes. I saw a dazzlingly blue sky and gigantic trees. Did I survive? As I tried to get up in relief, my field of view was strangely low.
And what I saw in front of me was...
"...?"
Softly glowing, fluffy paws that looked like little cotton balls.
'...Why are my hands like this?'
I jumped up and ran to the lakeside. No, I tried to run. But my legs were much shorter than I expected, and my body was round.
Tip-tap-tip-tap—
Even the sound of my footsteps was insignificant. Barely arriving at the edge of the lake, I checked my reflection in the water and couldn't help but be astonished.
Reflected in the water was a fist-sized, silver baby wolf with flowing, glossy fur. Rather than a wolf, it looked closer to a doll woven from silver threads.
'This is a Fenrir? You said it was a Calamity-rank Divine Beast! This is just a puppy!'
While I was in shock, a squirrel passed by with an acorn in its mouth. It glanced at me, snorted, and went on its way.
'Hey! I'm a predator! Don't ignore me!'
I tried to growl, but the only sound that came out of my mouth was a soft whining noise.
"Kyuu..."
At that moment, a translucent window appeared before my eyes.
[Name: Kang Han-ul]
[Physical Attack: 5]
[Mana Capacity: Immeasurable]
Physical Attack: 5. It was pathetic. What was the point of having high mana if my body was like this? Feeling aggrieved, I swung my front paw at a butterfly flying in front of me. I intended to take my anger out on it, at least.
"Hah!"
It was at that moment.
[Detection: Hostile intent confirmed. Casting Magic 'Vacuum Wave'.]
Along with the system message, a massive magic circle expanded from the tip of my jelly-like paw pads. Huh? Wait. I just swung my front paw?
BOOOOOOOOM—!!!!
With a roar that tore my eardrums, an invisible wave swept through everything in front of me. The water in the lake parted like the Miracle of Moses, and the dense forest on the mountain range across the way was erased in a clean, straight line. Clouds swirled above a giant hole that had been punched through the middle of the mountain.
"..."
I, the one who actually fired the magic, was perfectly fine without a single hair out of place. With my mouth hanging open, I stared at the vanished mountain range.
'My body is a glass cannon... but my firepower is a nuclear warhead?!'
This was a cheat. A game-breaking level of cheat, at that.
Twitch.
My ears moved on their own, independent of my will. Super-senses awakened, seemingly capable of hearing a falling leaf from kilometers away.
"Kyaaaah! Help me!"
It was a scream. A girl's voice. And following it was the coarse laughter of beasts.
'A person!'
Without a moment to think, I ran toward the source of the sound. Of course, it was more like I was rolling along with a "tip-tap-tip-tap" sound.
When I arrived at the scene, I saw a brown-haired girl surrounded by three goblins. She had dropped her staff and was sitting on the ground, trembling.
'Okay, this distance should be enough.'
I darted out from the bushes but hesitated when I saw the goblins were about to pounce on the girl. It was obvious that if I went in now, I'd be nothing more than a bite-sized snack.
'Wait, don't I have nuclear-level magic?'
But if I fired like I did earlier, the girl would also be swept away and erased without a trace. I hid my body behind the bushes and closed my eyes tight.
'Invisibly... very secretly... just create a slight breeze.'
I pictured the image in my head. A massive gust of wind separating the girl and the goblins. But absolutely ensuring the girl didn't get hurt.
Cold sweat poured down like rain. Suppressing the power was harder than squeezing it out.
[Skill Activation: Psychokinesis — Minimal Output]
"...!"
I silently moved my mouth.
WHOOOSH!
Suddenly, a gust of wind like a bolt from the blue struck the goblins.
"Kuek?!"
"Kuweeek!"
The goblins couldn't even scream properly before they soared into the sky like leaves. It was as if an invisible giant's hand had kicked them away. The girl's hair fluttered violently, but miraculously, she didn't have a single scratch on her.
"Uh...? W-What just happened?"
The girl raised her head with a bewildered expression. The goblins had disappeared far into the forest, becoming stars in the sky, and silence returned to the surroundings.
"Wind...? Why a sudden gust..."
The girl looked around as if she couldn't believe it.
'Phew... Success.'
I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. Then, extreme fatigue washed over me. It felt like my brain cells had burned out from controlling the mana. The moment my legs gave way and I stumbled, I ended up rolling out of the bushes with a rustling sound.
"...?"
Our eyes met.
I lost all strength, stuck my tongue out, and collapsed on the ground. I couldn't move an inch.
"Oh my, goodness."
The girl rushed over and scooped me up. She seemed to think I had fainted from shock because of the goblins.
"You were surprised too? You poor thing... Were you alone in this forest?"
Her touch was warm. I decided not to correct the misunderstanding. No, I didn't have the energy to speak anyway.
The girl hugged me tightly in her arms, relieved.
"Thank goodness... It's really a relief. The goblins suddenly flew away, so we survived. I'm glad you're safe too."
She didn't see me as her life-saving benefactor, but rather as a pitiful comrade who had survived the ordeal with her. Well, not bad. Being treated as a pet would be much more comfortable than being treated as a hero.
'Ideally... let's sleep. I'm too tired.'
I buried my face in her embrace. The fatigue from my past life's overtime overlapped, and my eyes closed.
And so, my—no, the 'Calamity-Rank Silver Furball's'—life in another world began.