I was stunned.
"Huh…"
She slammed spectacularly into a wall of junk. The surroundings trembled slightly, and debris scattered everywhere.
"Gwaaahhh!!"
"Juicy!?"
That's not right. A power type moving at this speed… I caught myself.
Could she actually be carrying a Relic, and with an adapted OOPArt to boot!?
The base Omega swung its axe down at me.
Too fast — no time to dodge. In a split second, I managed to block with the knife I'd drawn on impulse.
"Nngh… NNGH…!"
What kind of strength was this? Barely managing to hold it with both hands was all I could do.
The knife blade groaned under the strain, emitting a grinding, creaking sound.
I was gradually forced back until I ended up in a kneeling position.
This is bad. If this keeps up, the knife will snap.
"Nnngh…!"
The base Omega pushed even harder. I was reaching my limit.
Pushed and pushed further, my knees buckled, and I was forced into something close to a seiza position.
Th-this is bad — the knife is—
No good. The knife… is going to… Ah, no, me too… my strength… I can't hold on…!
"Aaowwwwwww!!!"
Just as I was on the brink of certain death, a valiant howl rang out, and something pure white crashed into the base Omega.
The base Omega staggered, and I scrambled backward while I had the chance.
I-I was saved. The knife had nearly— that was truly down to the wire.
This was the scariest moment I'd had since that time in the forest. I genuinely thought I was going to die.
That was because I'd already activated [Generous] during morning training today, so I couldn't do it again.
"Hah... hah... but what on earth..."
The white figure was fighting the base Omega at close range, all while glowing faintly.
What even was that thing. And it was strong. It was completely dominating.
"Bwwwoooooh!!!"
"Woof! This is the finishing blow!"
"Rakshasa Wailing Claw!"
"It's over! Aaowwwwwww!!!!"
The white figure spun halfway around.
A tremendous impact struck home, and a piercing howl of triumph echoed through the air.
Looking closer, the base Omega's arm had been sliced clean off, its axe destroyed, and its torso split wide open.
With a thud it hit the ground, and the base Omega's head was gone too.
The base Omega, completely shredded, toppled over and went still.
I cautiously addressed the figure.
"......Juicy?"
"Woof-woof, Lord Wof! Lord Wof! Are you hurt? Are you okay?!"
She spun around gracefully and came bounding over with the force of someone about to tackle me in a hug.
That was Juicy — a girl with pure white hair, large white wolf ears, and a white tail.
This wasn't a Player 2 color swap. Her eyes were glittering a brilliant purple.
Purple eyes. And her coloring had changed. Could it be...
And as she barreled toward me, I tried to brace myself — which was absolutely pointless.
"Whoa—"
"Kyau!"
I was slammed to the ground with tremendous force. My back hurt.
"..."
Yeah, that tracks. Dogs with momentum hit hard.
Juicy's pure white, luminous hair spilled and cascaded down, and her swaying purple eyes reflected me back.
A purple version of me. Looks like I've become Generous too. Also, way too close.
"...Wuuuhn. Lord Wof... you're really close..."
Her whining breath washed over me. I was thinking the same thing.
"..."
"Woof... wuuhn... Lord Wof... are you okay?"
"............"
Something about her right now... she really does remind me of Generous.
Not just the purple eyes — the way her hair and everything else had changed color too.
And that overwhelming presence — a Pseudo-Deification Relic, huh.
Juicy had one too? That was pretty surprising, but cute.
Ah, she's beautiful.
"Kuuun... Wof-sama... can you... see me?"
Right. I'm going to ignore her current state.
Completely ignore it. I didn't see anything. Didn't see a thing. Nothing at all.
"Woof... kuuun... kuuuun... kuuuuuun..."
A Pseudo-Deification Relic. This would be top secret even for House Tassan.
If anyone found out, it'd be bad. But before that, this position we're in is the real problem.
"Kuuun. Wof-sama... kuuuun..."
More pressing than that, the sounds she's making are the problem.
Way too sensual. Definitely not a sound a thirteen-year-old girl should be making.
"............"
Huh — why is her mouth open? And isn't she getting closer?
A-anyway, I need to do something about this position and those plaintive cries — hold on.
She's staring at me while creeping toward my arm — wait, she's pinning my arm down.
Chomp!
"Wha—?"
She bit me. Juicy bit my right arm.
It doesn't hurt. She just keeps gnawing gently, chomp chomp chomp. What a weird sensation.
What is this...? I spoke up.
"H-hey, Juicy?"
"Woof!? Lord Wof! Uh, uh, um, woof woof, are you okay!?"
"Yeah. You saved me. So, um, I'd like to get up now."
"Woof! Ah, um, um, I'm sorry! I'll move right away!"
She sprang away as if jumping back. I slowly got to my feet.
Juicy approached me, still in her current form, and spoke.
"Um, um, um, do you know who I am?"
"Yeah, I do. You're Juicy, right?"
"Woof! Yes, that's right! I'm Juicy-Tasan! This form is, um, called a Fenrir!"
"Huh."
A Fenrir? That Fenrir? I was surprised.
So they existed. Fenrir, in this world. No, that wasn't the point.
"Woof woof, it's because of a Relic called Pseudo-Apotheosis! Awooooo!"
"Um, wait—"
Why is she blabbing top-secret information so casually? My face went pale.
Meanwhile, Juicy, still in Fenrir form, was blushing.
"Um, um, um, I-I'm sorry. When I turn into this form, the urge to bark and howl just comes out without any restraint—woof woof, woof, awooooo!"
"I-Is that so?"
Juicy did a little spin. It was elegant and impressive, but she was way too excited.
When someone keeps saying "stay" like that, you just can't help saying "stay, stay" right back.
"Woof! Wof, I have a request! Woof woof! Woof!"
"Wh-what is it?"
"Um, um, woof—I want you to pet my head! Woof!"
With that, Juicy crouched down. She sat on her haunches like a dog.
Petting her head was no big deal, really… Still puzzled, I placed my hand on Juicy's head.
"Woof woof! Woof woof! Woof woof woof woof! Awooooo!"
At least try to say it in human words.
Then she asked me to pet her cheeks, so I did. Was this really okay?
"Woof, woof woof! Mmmmm, mmmmm!!"
Then she suddenly rolled onto her back, wanting me to rub her belly, and tugged at my clothes. That, I absolutely could not do.
So I settled for just ruffling her fur. Or was that even settling?
"Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Woof woof! Woof woof! Mmmmm! Woof!"
It looked like the active time had finally run out.
Juicy returned to her normal form. Five minutes, probably. I was exhausted.
"Juicy. Is that good enough?"
"U-um, I'm sorry. Woof—thank you so much! When I turn into that form, woof woof, the wolf inside me just won't hold back no matter what I do! Woof woof! Woof!"
Something told me she wasn't holding it back even now. A wolf? Wouldn't it be a dog?
"Ha, at least she didn't lick my face or anything like that."
I said it in a half-joking tone. Surely she wouldn't actually go that far.
My right arm got nibbled on, but she wouldn't actually do that. Right?
Then Juicy pressed both hands to her cheeks, which had turned red with embarrassment.
What was that reaction supposed to mean.
"Um, um, um, well, I was actually trying to lick your face earlier, Wof, but even I knew that would be too much, so I gave you a little nibble instead. But, woof! If Wof should desire it, then next time I won't hold back, woof woof, absolutely no mercy whatsoever — I've never done this with a gentleman before, but if it's you, Wof, I, your humble servant, will lick that precious face of yours, over and over, until it's a complete mess!"
"I absolutely do not desire that! Stop!"
I was genuinely glad I didn't get my face licked to a pulp.
A simple nibble was fine. That was fine... wasn't it?
Either way. Fenrir included, she was one outrageous duke's-daughter dog-girl.
I sighed, glanced over at Omega, and turned forward.
A strong purple light. That was unexpected, but I started walking toward it.
This is it. This is really it.
Juicy followed along behind me, wagging her tail. It swished through the air with a whoosh.
She'd been going full tail ever since. The dog back at my parents' place used to do the same thing.
With a wry smile, I finally arrived at the source of the purple light.
Behind Omega. What was there was... hmm?
"What is this?"
"Woof... what is this?"
Juicy tilted her head slightly at the sight of it.
I knew this pattern. The same thing had happened with the Relic Plate.
Sitting on a clay pedestal was a square block of mixed white and purple?
What is this? I checked with the [Wheel of Fortune].
There it was. A strong purple light. Or wait, was it this one...?
I reached out to touch it. This... texture. Soft. Clay?
"...It won't come off."
It had the softness of clay, but I couldn't tear any of it off.
I gave it a light tap, but the only impression I got was that it was soft.
White and purple twisted and swirled together in large, distorted patterns.
Juicy watched silently from behind me, looking puzzled.
Her gaze practically screamed "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
Hm. I had no idea. What even was this thing?
Reporting it to the Witch was a given, but just for a moment... I pulled out my knife.
I pressed the blade against it and drew. No cut.
"..."
I stabbed. No good. Even trying to drive the blade in with all my might, it wouldn't penetrate a single millimeter.
"............"
I put the knife away and brought out [Banish].
Shrinking it to roughly the size of a baseball, I touched the square block with the barest flicker of intent.
"...!?"
It made contact. That was all. It didn't vanish.
I pressed it firmly against the block. Just sticking to it — it wasn't disappearing. I tried several times, but nothing happened.
Banish doesn't work!?
"Um, um, um, Master Wof. Is something wrong? This feels really weird!"
A purple glow… What on earth is this, really? A chill ran down my spine.
I let out a breath. I see. This thing is far from normal.
"It's fine. Let me try picking it up first."
I gripped it with both hands. The surface was soft and pillowy. Heave—!?
"Oof, heavy…"
I couldn't lift it. What—what was this? Heavier than the thrust of a bare Omega-grade axe.
"Gnnn, grrr, agh—guh— no. I can't… can't even— lift it?"
It wouldn't budge at all. I let go. Heavy. I was breathing hard.
"Woof woof! Master Wof, are you okay? Is it really that heavy?"
"Hah… haaah… yeah, there's no way I can carry this."
Phew. I was starting to sweat. Heavy. Relentlessly, impossibly heavy.
What was I supposed to do? There was no way I could move it. You'd have to be a gorilla.
Did I know any gorillas… Actually, yeah. Lupinus.
Maybe I could ask her for help somehow.
But how? I was turning the problem over in my mind, getting closer to despair by the second.
"Um, um um um—woof! I'll carry it!"
"W-wait, no, this is—"
Juicy wrapped both arms around it and grabbed hold tight.
"Woof! It's soft!" she said while lifting the squarish lump with white and purple mixed through it.
A Gorirainu was there.