Zell couldn't focus on her words. His breathing was erratic, forcing him to lean against the black tree trunk beside him with deep claw marks. Griselda looked concerned but still cut the fur from the wolves, helping her master with the pelts.
"Hah…Hah…"
"Fuck, it feels like a hammer hit my chest!"
He spoke in between gasps before Infra informed him why this happened.
'Take deep breaths. Your body hasn't fully adapted to your changes yet.'
Zell took slower, deep breaths and felt the air and pain fade quickly. His horns retracted back into his body. He wondered how these wounds healed so fast.
Suddenly, he noticed the cute wolf dragging a pile of wolf fur towards him. A powerful force took over his body, driving him to stroke her soft black and white fur with a blissful face. Her cute little tail was wagging like the good girl she was.
'If only I could bring her back home. Not long now, must not be complacent!'
He placed all the fur into his storage; most of them used to make good clothes for the end times. In their previous life, he spent many days wearing the same clothes. He wouldn't accept that dirty world again.
'Zell, you are close to six hours. Are you going to continue onward? Or send the girls back with me?'
Suddenly, he considered staying longer, his mind affected by the high tension of levelling up. However, choosing not to push his luck. He would return tomorrow or after a brief rest. It's not like he needs to worry about work in the morning.
"I'll go back now. It's getting late in reality, and rushing might cause me to make a fatal mistake or miss things."
"Oi! Why are you ignoring me? What about my opinion!?"
Veronica, still trapped in the tree, shrieked. Zell was about to help her down because she was annoying him. When her body glowed slightly and turned into a blur before she vanished utterly, he worried something had happened until Infra's words relieved him.
'Don't worry, that little gobshite is safe inside my special world. You can see her tomorrow or the next time you enter the game. She can still speak to you through messages.'
'Infra, you bitch! I was going to spend more time with my cute Zell! Why are you dragging me to this dirty forest filled with frogs and leeches!'
'Shh! He can hear you!'
'Ah!? Why didn't you tell me, stupid!'
In reality, Zell didn't care about her foul language or sweet side. He spent too long with various people to think they only said kind words. He also found the opposite true as well.
"Take care, Veronica; I'll try to come back quickly!"
A soft brush of fur rubbed against his hand before her tongue licked him a few times. He knew this noble wolf would wait for him and never complain. So allowed her to continue licking his hand and brushing against him.
Somehow, he remembered the cute rabbit Rika and how she would always beat up his other pet badger for no reason. He wondered how long it would take to meet them again. Inside, he prayed it would be quick.
——|Would you like to exit the game?|——
The option appeared before his eyes when he considered leaving. He glanced down at the soft golden eyes of Griselda and nodded. Zell believed he should prepare a plan for the future, not rush into this forest and die.
"Okay, I am going now. Take care of yourself, Griselda! Be a good girl."
"Wan Wan!" (Goodnight, Lord! I will catch more wolf pets for you to make clothes for this lady!)
— Exit confirmed —
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In the distance of his vision, the world trembled and became ethereal, as if it was a dream. He suddenly felt the sensation of falling, surrounded by darkness. Zell tried to grasp out, but his body, locked in place, was forced to stay prone. As he felt the sensation of his stomach jumping out of his mouth filled his body for several moments.
He never experienced a total dive, only using a cheap headset in the past life. This caused him to feel nausea, fear and disorientated in one for several moments.
Finally, everything stopped.
A gel-like substance surrounded his body, a low machine vibrating with a whirring sound. However, he was back in reality; the machine flashed with a message before his eyes.
—|Please wait, adjusting your senses to the real world. 52 seconds remaining |—
Once it reached zero, the metal case slowly opened automatically, and his face and body were dragged out of his unit, filled with a thick gel. He looked down to see his body was pristine like it became even cleaner after gaming.
He was glad he didn't feel any nausea or dizzy in this world. There was no sense of discomfort like in his previous life. He could easily play again right now.
"I should get something real to eat. They say nutrient gel can sustain you. But somehow, not eating actual food doesn't feel right."
His slow feet brushed along the carpet, his heavy club flopping around because he only wore a loosely fitted bathrobe upon exiting the VR unit. He walked along the dull corridor to and up his stairs, wondering if Infra would visit him for a drink.
Some lewd images entered his mind, and he got some hopes of losing his virginity in this life.
"Umu, this place is alright. I shall allow you to keep me here for the time being. Where are you, Zell?"
As if she could hear his thoughts, her voice sounded. But this time, her sweet and sultry voice didn't come from the system or his mind. She spoke from above him on the landing of his first-floor living room.
Zell ignored his hunger and shot towards the top of the stairs, almost falling on his face. He got to meet an actual goddess on his planet. How amazing is that?
He rushed to the top of the stairs, finally reaching the living room. But I couldn't see any human figure. His eyes darted to each side of the room.
There was nothing in the room but his parents' expensive furniture, brown leather couches, and a large three-seater on the west wall under a massive painting of a beautiful woman. Then a two-seater on the South wall below a sizeable wide glass window shows his home's beautiful sights.
An extensive garden with various flowers. His mother loved planting flowers, so he paid for a gardener to keep them alive and replace any that died.
Even in their past life, he tried to keep the garden flourishing.
"Hello darling, I brought something to drink! How about we have a good bonding session?"
Once again, her sexy voice sounded as he tried to find her.
Suddenly, he noticed a strange creature.
A feline with long triangular ears with long fluffy tips wafting with her tilting head. Her body was like a mixture of silver tabby cat and leopard, with spots and stripes.
Zell thought her fur must be the most divine thing he ever saw. It was silky and shone in the mid-evening sun.
"What a big, beautiful cat. How did you get in here, pretty girl?"
The cat blinked at him a few times before the familiar laugh sounded and revealed who she was.
"Hahaha!"
His hot date for the evening turned out to be a big fat cat and a bowl of milk.