NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Water Divination
Chapter 2: Water Divination
Hearing the wolves' howls from all directions, Haru Takashi's possessed wolf bristled in alarm.
Will this ever end? Is there really no way out?!
Haru struggled to pull a black suit from one of the corpses, awkwardly rolling onto the back of the wolf he controlled. He draped the oversized suit over himself, tightly hugging the wolf's body and burying his face beneath the fabric. Blocking his own vision, he focused entirely on the perspective of the wolf he was controlling.
"Wolf haru" bolted forward, its four legs sprinting at full speed. It darted through the piles of corpses and leaped nimbly, slicing through the towering grass like a black arrow.
Swish!
In the dim twilight, the wolf's shadow dashed forward and quickly escaped the dense grass. Its glowing green eyes abruptly narrowed.
Thud.
"Wolf Haru" landed on all fours, growling lowly and slowing its pace. Haru, jostled and dizzy on the wolf's back, looked ahead through the wolf's vision. A pack of wolves flanked him from both sides, emerging from the shadows with eyes glowing like ghostly green flames.
Damn it! These wild dogs are flanking me like they've studied military strategy?!
"Wolf Haru" growled menacingly, retreating cautiously as the pack closed in, the tense atmosphere suffocating.
I need to stall for time…
If his main body could recover some strength, perhaps he could use the pentagram ability again. If he could control a few more wolves, there might still be a chance for survival.
Haru felt utterly exhausted. This is insane. I wake up as a little kid, naked in a corpse pile, only to be hunted by wolves? Can't I just get a break? I don't want to die as some clueless ghost!
The wolf pack seemed to run out of patience. With snarls, they leapt at Haru and the wolf he controlled.
Taking a deep breath, Haru commanded "Wolf Haru" to buck its body, sending him tumbling into the tall grass.
"Wolf Haru" let out a sharp howl and collided head-on with the wolves.
In an instant, claws and fangs tore into fur and flesh. Haru, connected to the wolf's mind, felt every agonizing bite and scratch. Overwhelmed, he withdrew his consciousness from the wolf, leaving it to fend for itself. Exhausted and numb, Haru plucked a strand of his soft hair. It might be useless, but I have to try.
Suddenly, the sounds of fighting ceased, replaced by uneasy growls. The wolves seemed to have encountered something terrifying.
Haru forced himself up and cautiously parted the grass. What he saw left him stunned.
The wolf he had been controlling lay bloodied on the ground. Surrounding it, the wolf pack retreated, their eyes fixed on a figure—a massive beast standing atop the hill.
In the pale moonlight, the creature looked almost divine. Up close, Haru saw it was a tiger, its imposing frame over a meter tall. Its fur shimmered with a jade-like blue-green hue under the moonlight. On its forehead, a glowing, jade-like mark shaped like the kanji for "king" shone brilliantly.
Whoa… this thing's on a whole different level.
The tiger let out a low growl, stepping forward. With each step, the wolves scattered in fear. Once at a safe distance, they fled in all directions.
Seriously? It's just a tiger! You outnumber it! Fight back, you cowards! Haru mentally cursed the wolves. If only I could control them to attack that tiger, maybe they'd both wear each other out, and I could escape.
But then the tiger turned its gaze toward him.
Its glowing jade eyes locked onto Haru. He froze.
The tiger slowly approached, its massive, furry head moving closer. The glowing mark on its forehead reflected in Haru's wide eyes. It leaned in and… lightly nuzzled his head.
Haru blinked, stunned. Is… is it being friendly? Do I have some hidden kingly aura? Or is it just because of my name?
Though confused, Haru decided to roll with it. Hey, at least I'm not dead. His tension eased as he allowed himself to relax.
The tiger gently scooped Haru up with its fluffy tail, placing him on its broad back.
"Clothes," Haru muttered instinctively.
The glowing tiger picked up the discarded suit from the ground and handed it to him. Haru blankly took the suit, slipping his thin arms into the sleeves.
Haru glanced at his bloodstained fingers, considering whether to use them to draw another pentagram on the tiger's back.
A cold night breeze blew by. Haru tightened the suit around him and abandoned the thought. If it fails, I'll just piss off my new tiger buddy. Not a good idea.
Sitting on the tiger's back, Haru looked around at the desolate plain and the pile of corpses. This place is dangerous. I need to get out of here.
He gently patted the tiger's back and pointed in the direction of distant water sounds.
The glowing tiger strode forward, unhurried. Along the way, Haru noticed a shadow moving stealthily—it was the wolf he had previously controlled.
It survived?!
Haru had released control earlier to avoid the pain. Now the injured wolf was trying to escape.
"Come here!" Haru called out.
The wolf stopped mid-run. Its ears twitched where the pentagram mark had been, and an invisible heat spread through its body. Obediently, it turned and trotted back to Haru, wagging its tail.
So the pentagram mark consumes the target's energy, not mine… Haru confirmed his ability's unique trait.
Time for some tests.
As they traveled, Haru experimented with the wolf's movements, noting three ways to control it:
1. Full Possession: Haru's consciousness fully inhabits the wolf, allowing him to experience its senses directly.
2. Remote Control: Haru commands the wolf like a game character, maintaining a clear distinction between his actions and the wolf's.
3. Verbal Commands: Haru issues orders the wolf must follow.
"Roll over, then hop twice," Haru instructed from the tiger's back.
The wolf immediately rolled on the ground, then hopped forward twice before resuming its scouting.
Satisfied, Haru nodded. Even issuing new commands doesn't overwrite unfinished ones. This is too convenient. Am I invincible?
Still, a lingering question gnawed at him. Does this ability work on humans?
As he pondered, the wolf sniffed at the ground ahead, discovering something. Switching to full possession mode, Haru saw through its eyes: dried bloodstains leading toward the shore.
Inhaling deeply, the wolf's nose caught the scent of the sea.
The coast? Haru imagined a gang chasing someone toward the water.
The glowing tiger's graceful movements carried Haru closer to the shoreline. Soon, they reached the beach.
Under the moonlight, Haru saw a small, wrecked yacht partially submerged near the shore. Its hull was cracked, seawater flooding the interior.
"Let's hope no one's onboard." Haru patted the tiger's side. Its glowing fur was too conspicuous.
The tiger retreated while Haru possessed the wolf to investigate. The wolf leapt onto the yacht, slipping slightly on the wet deck.
Inside the ship, the wolf sniffed around. Amidst the chaos and bloodstains, it found a newspaper.
Under the moonlight, Haru read the strange,but familiar symbols.
No way… this is from Hunter x Hunter!
Electricity seemed to course through his mind as realization struck. This world runs on "Nen." My pentagram ability must be a type of Nen!
Grinning, Haru decided to test his theory. Using the tiger and the wolf, he gathered water and a leaf.
Time to see if this is real.
(End of Chapter)