"Beep beep beep—!"
"Beep beep beep—!"
The rhythmic sound of the alarm clock pulled Natsuhi back from the depths of her consciousness. Though her body was exhausted and she wanted to sleep a little longer, she gritted her teeth and forced her eyelids to stay open.
The scene outside the window was in a state of limbo between waking and sleeping; the sky was no longer pitch black, replaced instead by a dark navy blue.
Perhaps at the far eastern edge of the city, an almost imperceptible sliver of dawn was already appearing.
"Why does it feel like... something is pressing down on me?"
Feeling something unusual, Natsuhi tentatively lifted a corner of the quilt and peeked inside.
The sight that met her eyes made her hold her breath instantly—
A blinding white light completely filled Natsuhi's vision, pure and flawless. What on earth was obscuring my sight?!
Oh, it turns out it was pure Holy Light!!!
Damn it!
Inside was a gentle little white kitten, completely different from the hostile, bristling cat from yesterday. She pressed her body tightly against Natsuhi as if seeking warmth.
The [Kitten] was sleeping soundly, her faint breathing steady and long, carrying a reassuring rhythm.
The kitty seemed to be enjoying Natsuhi's embrace, unconsciously burying her head deeper into the crook of Natsuhi's neck, her slender front paws even resting lightly on Natsuhi's chest with a sense of total dependence.
Natsuhi: "!!!"
Something this intense first thing in the morning!
A surge of heat, a mix of pity and impulse, instantly coursed through her entire body.
She could clearly feel the body temperature coming from the [Kitten], as well as that incredibly soft touch.
Her fingertips even trembled slightly involuntarily. Natsuhi couldn't help but feel a strong desire to gently stroke the [Back Fur].
[No... I'll wake her up...]
Reason and desire struggled fiercely, but in the end, reason barely gained the upper hand.
[No, I really can't hold back! I'm such a terrible person!]
Hehe, that upper hand reason held for a mere half-second was completely defeated by desire and thrown into the abyss.
[But leaving such a cute kitten without giving it a rub is practically torture!]
Thinking this, Natsuhi's restless little hand reached into the covers. She felt like she was committing a crime, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest.
The touch was even softer and smoother than imagined, carrying the unique warmth of a living being.
She gently stroked the [Kitten's] spine, feeling the subtle outline of bones and the slight rise and fall of her breathing beneath her hand.
The sleeping kitten let out a soft, gentle "Woo...". Far from being startled awake by the touch, she seemed comforted by the grooming and relaxed her entire body further against her.
This soft and cute reaction undoubtedly gave Natsuhi great encouragement. Her courage grew, and her fingertips cautiously moved through the deep blue fur, feeling its delicate texture.
She then let her fingers lightly brush over that invisible cat tail and the curves of the waist around it.
The kitty's body trembled slightly, and a long, languid "Meow-woo~~" escaped from deep in her throat, as if complaining, yet also acting spoiled.
She even unconsciously pulled in the front paw resting on Natsuhi, her claws accidentally hooking onto Natsuhi's neck.
[I can't take it, I really can't take it! I'm going to faint!]
Natsuhi's heart was practically melting. Wonderful emotions exploded in her mind, spiraling out of control. The kitten's inadvertent trust and dependence made her feel all tingly.
This defenseless posture moved her heart more than any confession ever could.
[Ahhh—too cute! How can she be so cute!]
Her heart rate was nearing its limit, yet the movements of her hands became even gentler. Natsuhi forced herself to stay in control and not act on impulse.
She began to use her fingertips to gently massage the kitten's nape and the base of her ears, one of a cat's favorite places to be touched.
Sure enough, the kitten was so comfortable that her entire body went limp. Her head unconsciously followed Natsuhi's fingers, nuzzling against her palm while letting out a satisfied, faint purr.
"Natsuhi... mmm... belongs to me..."
[Don't call my name like that, I won't be able to handle it! It feels like my heart is racing so fast I might die! This isn't good!]
The subconscious murmur left Natsuhi restless, on the verge of losing control!
"Beep beep beep—!"
"Beep beep beep—!"
The familiar alarm sounded again. Had five minutes really passed without her noticing?
To Natsuhi, it felt like it had happened in a mere instant.
However, with the help of the alarm, Natsuhi managed to barely regain her composure, falling into a brief moment of clarity.
Shaking her head vigorously, Natsuhi finally remembered why she had gotten up so early. Now was not the time to indulge in this gentle dreamland.
Carefully, bit by bit, she moved her body out from under the kitten, terrified of disturbing her peaceful sleep. The warm and soft sensation slid slowly off her body, nearly making her lose her resolve again!
After successfully getting out of bed, Natsuhi immediately grabbed the slipping quilt and gently covered the kitten again, hiding that blood-pumping sight.
Just as she was about to turn and leave, the kitten let out a dissatisfied whimper in her sleep, her paws fumbling around as if searching for the heat source she had just lost.
Natsuhi really couldn't bear it. She knelt down, gently took hold of the front paw that was grasping at the air, and wrapped it in her warm palm, rubbing it a few times.
Then she carefully tucked it back into the warm quilt and meticulously tucked in the corners for her.
Seeing the kitten smack her lips in her sleep and curl up again with a satisfied face,
Natsuhi finally breathed a sigh of relief and headed downstairs with a smile.
After a simple stretch and a cold shower to invigorate her spirit, she changed into sportswear and walked out the door...
The moment she stepped out of the house, all the distracting thoughts in her mind vanished with the morning breeze. Deep in Natsuhi's eyes, a quality born of the soul emerged—resilience!
Time: 4:13 A.M. Weather: Clear
The neon lights were weary; the hum of streetlights and cleaning trucks were the protagonists of the streets.
The cold light of convenience stores enveloped night-dwellers and early-risers. In the damp air, the city performed a silent play for no audience.
The entire city was still in a state of absolute silence.
And Ito Natsuhi had already begun to enjoy her first morning in this new world.
A low, long whistle pierced the silence, followed by the sigh of released brakes.
The steel dragon slowly pulled out of the base. On the road beside the steam train, a graceful figure set off along with it.
Sprint!
Natsuhi took her starting position and suddenly burst forward, her legs exploding with incredible power as she kept pace with the train's gradually increasing speed.
The wind whistled in her ears, and the cold air poured into her lungs, bringing a burning sensation.
This body was far less robust than the one in her previous life. Her muscles were screaming in protest, and inertia dragged at her like heavy chains.
But she gritted her teeth, a raging fire burning in her eyes, using the willpower of her soul to battle the body's inertia.
She raced alongside the train, her silhouette turning into a blurred stream of light on the parallel road extending behind the platform.
Her stride frequency was extremely high and her steps powerful, momentarily maintaining synchronization with the accelerating locomotive!
At this moment, inside the driver's cab, Mr. Teacher Tanaka, a driver nearly fifty years old who could barely keep his eyes open, took a large gulp of black coffee, trying to dispel the fatigue of overnight driving.
He habitually looked at the side-view mirror to observe the train's operating status, but his gaze suddenly froze, and the coffee in his hand almost spilled onto the seat—
In the mirror, a girl in sportswear was running neck-and-neck with the high-speed locomotive!
Teacher Tanaka instantly thought he was hallucinating. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes vigorously and even instinctively pinched his own thigh.
"Hiss—that hurts!"
This actually wasn't a hallucination?!!!
He suddenly leaned half his body out, sticking his head out the driver's window, and the salty wind filled his mouth.
Teacher Tanaka's eyes widened, looking at the running figure beside him in disbelief.
The girl's hair swayed violently behind her, her cheeks were flushed from the intense exercise, and her breath condensed into white mist in the cold air.
Her gaze was exceptionally focused, like a hungry wolf chasing its prey.
Was it an illusion?!
Teacher Tanaka... actually saw a trace of green light in the girl's eyes.
Isn't that... a color that only appears in the eyes of wild beasts?
Natsuhi had long since put her entire heart and soul into the sprint, completely unaware that someone on the train was staring at her, dumbfounded.
"Hey—! You've got to be kidding me?!"
Teacher Tanaka couldn't help but cry out in shock, his voice instantly torn apart by the wind.
He had driven trains for twenty years and had seen people morning jogging, but he had never seen someone who could race an accelerating train?!
As the train continued to accelerate, the girl was eventually left behind. Although the duration was short, it was enough for this driver to remember for the rest of his life.
Natsuhi's steps began to grow heavy, her breathing became labored, and she finally slowed to a stop.
Watching the train recede into the distance, she rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily in the empty morning mist.
Teacher Tanaka looked back, unable to withdraw his gaze for a long time. Only when he could no longer see the girl did he shrink back into the cab and lean against the seat back.
"Ouch—! My back hurts!"
"Looks like I still need to exercise more. I'll start morning jogging from tomorrow!"
"Heh—hah—! Heh—hah—!"
System: [Speaking of which, why do all you Boxing Kings like morning jogging? Is there something special about the morning?]
Natsuhi slowly calmed her breathing and started jogging with a smile:
"The meaning of getting up early isn't in the act itself, but to temper the will to challenge all difficulties."
"Leaving a warm bed is the first, most concrete, and most direct challenge of every day. I don't want to fail at the very first challenge!"
"Only by overcoming this challenge every day can I have the courage to face greater difficulties when they come, to step over them, to surpass myself, and to become stronger!"
System: [Suddenly I feel... you've become quite handsome.]
"Heh~ Nonsense, I've always been handsome!"
System: [Still as cocky as ever, you guy...]
"I have the strength to back up this cockiness."
[The system can give me strength that others would envy, but it cannot give me an indestructible will!]