I glided silently through the air, my keen gaze scouring the landscape for any signs of life or sustenance. The absence of footsteps granted me a distinct advantage while hunting, allowing me to observe without alerting the creatures below.

After several minutes of patient surveillance, a flicker of movement caught my eye. A bush rustled in the distance, betraying the presence of a concealed creature within. I wasted no time in approaching the restless shrubbery, only to discover a small, brown, rabbit-like creature hiding amidst the foliage.

With a swift and decisive wave of my aether, I uprooted the entire bush, levitating both the flora and its unsuspecting inhabitant into the air. The rabbit-like creature squealed in terror as it struggled to escape my powerful grip. But its efforts were futile; my aether held it tightly, as inescapable as the coils of a serpent.

Without hesitation, I dispatched a tendril of energy around the creature's head, swiftly and mercilessly crushing the life from its fragile form. Blood rained down upon the forest floor, a gruesome testament to the rabbit's sudden demise. Separating the limp corpse from the bush, I drew it closer, an unsettling stillness settling over the once-vibrant creature.

‘Yeah, this will do.’ I mused, now looking around to find something I could use to start a fire.

Drawing upon knowledge gleaned from the survival shows of my past life, I possessed a theoretical understanding of the process of starting a fire—an essential skill I had yet to put into practice. I scanned the area, my gaze settling on a cluster of bushes and twigs that appeared dry and suitable for my purposes. With a wave of my aether, I collected the potential kindling, arranging it into a neat pile on the ground below.

A flash of blue light enveloped my arm as I summoned an unassuming axe from the depths of my bracelet's dimension. Wielding the tool, I swiftly severed a sturdy branch into two halves, levitating the freshly cut pieces of wood to join the growing assemblage of fuel.

Channeling my aether, I initiated the ancient art of fire-making, methodically rubbing the two pieces of wood together in a flurry of motion. The air grew taut with anticipation as the first wisps of smoke began to curl from the heated wood, a telltale sign of progress.

Within moments, the heat intensified, and sparks cascaded onto the tinder below, igniting the parched shrubbery in a satisfying burst of flame. A small fire crackled to life, casting dancing shadows across the forest floor and warming the chill of the night air.

A triumphant smile spread across my lips, my sense of accomplishment mingling with relief as the fire's gentle glow told me that I would get to eat soon.

As the fire grew, I threw more wood on top of it. After a minute or so the fire had grown to a point I deemed suitable, so I gingerly floated the rabbit above the flames, intending to cook it in that same manner.

I didn’t know how to properly prepare the rabbit to eat, but I figured I was doing something wrong. The rabbit’s fur quickly caught fire, and soon the entire corpse was a burning mess, quickly turning black under the heat from the intense flames.

‘Ah, sh*t.’ I thought, now shaking the rabbit in the air in an attempt to put out the fire.

Unfortunately, my panic had just worsened the situation, only serving to intensify the flames. I had completely burnt my food at this point, and the stank stench of singed fur permeated the area, making me nauseous. I threw the rabbit to the forest floor with a resigned curse, the rumbling of my stomach mocking me for my foolishness. The sun had now set above the tree line, and the gloomy darkness was setting upon me.

‘It’s definitely too dark to find anything else to eat, I’ll just head back for now and maybe beg Six-Tails for some meat.’ I thought, now craving the savory taste of meat even more.

Since coming to this world I have only ever drunk breast milk, a meal that loses its luster after the first few times.

‘I would quite literally kill to eat meat right now. Well, I guess I already did. I should have really thought that out better.” I mused, looking back towards the burnt rabbit that was still sizzling atop the dirt.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

However, my eyes widened when they landed upon a small, red-furred animal. This creature had somehow snuck up on me while I was distracted, and was now sniffing at the charred rabbit with a tiny snout.

At first glance this creature appeared to be some sort of fox-like animal. Its coat was a striking crimson color, and it had the same blue-eyes that all celestial creatures possessed. What drew my attention the most though, were its fluffy tails. That’s right, the fox had not one, but two tails!

‘Woah! I thought only those monkeys could grow more than one tail. Does that mean this little thing has been eating celestial fruits?’ I wondered, my curiosity piqued.

Amusingly, even this wild animal deemed the burnt rabbit to be inedible. It scrunched its snout in disgust as it moved away from it, now sniffing the area to find any more food. Suddenly, it smelled something strange, and raised its head to my position.

Its tails tensed as its ears lifted up in horror, “AAAA!” it shrieked, turning to run away, “Flying Monkey!” it hollered, its high-pitched voice sounding rather adorable.

I tilted my head in bewilderment for a moment, before remembering that I was still wearing those black-furred headphones Six-Tails had ‘traded’ me. I didn’t have too much time to marvel at the fact that I could understand this creature, for it was now sprinting away, straight towards the towering tree next to us!

“Hey, hold it! Let me eat you!” I shouted, barreling after the fox as I flew through the air.

The great tree was probably only around thirty meters away at this point, but the tiny fox was fast. Its red form became a blur as its paws bounded across the forest floor, and even though I immediately flew after it—the fox had already reached the base of the tree.

I watched as the fox scurried into the massive roots surrounding the tree. I slowed to a halt above the area where the fox had disappeared, my eyes focusing on what looked to be a small hole, right below one of the roots.

This hole was dug into the dirt beneath the tree, but it looked just wide enough that I could maybe squeeze through it.

With this in mind, I approached the opening, gauging its size against my own. It did seem like I could fit through the hole, so I gingerly lowered myself towards it. The opening was smaller than I expected, but I delicately maneuvered myself with my aether, soon crossing the boundary of the hole.

Entering the dark passage, my eyes struggled to adjust, barely discerning the faint blue energy flowing through a root on the dirt walls. Using this dim light as a guide, I ventured further into the mysterious tunnel, scanning the shadows for any sign of red figures. Minutes passed, the silence broken only by dirt falling and my bated breath as I approached the ever-brightening energy.

As I delved deeper, the celestial energy intensified, illuminating the widening passage. Curiosity piqued, I pressed on, thoughts of turning back vanishing when a brilliant blue light emerged in the distance.

Excitement mounting, I hastened toward the luminous glow, my eyes slowly adjusting as I passed through the opening into a vast, subterranean chamber buried beneath the tree. Countless thick roots spiraled above, their radiant glow casting a shimmering blue aura upon the chamber's occupants: an astonishing assembly of red foxes crowded below. This vast underground chamber had to be well over a forty meters in diameter,

'I hit the jackpot!' I marveled, the abundance of potential meals fueling my culinary ambitions. However, my enthusiasm was met with sudden panic as the foxes became aware of my presence, their terrified shrieks shattering the serenity of the hidden sanctuary.

‘AAAAA!!!’

“INTRUDER!”

“We’re under attack!’ the foxes screamed.

A sea of crimson surged towards the chamber's exits, as countless foxes scrambled to flee through the labyrinthine network of roots. In their desperate bid for freedom, they clambered over one another, trampling the fallen beneath frantic paws. The narrow passages, unsuited for such a mass exodus, became bottlenecks of chaos and fear.

Inexorable as the tide, my aether swept downward, engulfing a handful of foxes in its unyielding grip. Their panicked cries echoed through the chamber as they writhed futilely against my power, an impotent struggle against the force that held them captive.

“Nooo! Please! Don’t eat me!” a fox begged.

“Eat her first! She’s tastier!” hollered another one.

Amidst the chaos, a single fox remained composed, his aged, gruff voice piercing the cacophony. "Who are you?" he inquired, his crimson fur streaked with the wisdom of years. Five tails, a testament to his strength, set him apart as a leader among the others. Recognizing their apparent intelligence, I decided to engage in conversation before satiating my hunger.

"I'm simply a hungry traveler." I replied with a wry smile.

The elder fox sighed, the weight of his years and the plight of his kin heavy in his gaze. "Such is the way of the world. The strong consume the weak. I cannot bear to see my people suffer; I beseech you, take my life first."

I sighed in response, my appetite waning as my prey spits out heroic quotes and pleas for mercy, "Must you all be so dramatic? I only want a meal, not a massacre. One or two of you will be fine." I shook my head, adding, "Besides, age has probably made you too tough for my taste."

A glimmer of hope sparked in the old fox's eyes as he realized my intentions weren't entirely ruthless. "Oh, mighty one!" he declared, "I humbly request your mercy upon our people. Perhaps I could interest you in a trade?"

I regarded the fox with a raised eyebrow, intrigue mingling with skepticism. "A trade? What could a little thing like you offer me?" My doubt hung heavy in the air between us, yet a flicker of possibility lingered, inviting further discourse with the enigmatic elder.