"I wonder... if this could be a nightmare."
While the pups tried to tug at their father's petrified tail to encourage him to play with them, the mother wolf avoided leaving the corner of the cave after bringing everyone back home. Including the stone that once was her mate.
And then, there was the Shiba Inu pup, standing guard outside the cave, avoiding looking at everything happening behind him with his new family. Or at least, with what was left of it.
His mind refused to fully comprehend what had happened, still licking the missing part of his fur that the elf had torn off, shivering with fear at the mere memory of it.
He firmly believed that the most dangerous part was already over, but it wasn't.
How many beings in this world were stronger than him?
Why was this world so dangerous?
Hundreds of questions filled his little head, stressing him out more and more.
Finally, he took a deep breath and turned to look at his family, who were avoiding facing the situation by pretending that none of it had happened.
Tenma knew well what all this meant.
No one would do anything to confront the hunter who had attacked them so unexpectedly. Simply because no one could.
Regeneration magic.
Teleportation magic.
Strength amplification magic.
Even the little Shiba Inu pup tried to understand what he had seen before his eyes.
He wanted to understand it and find a way to learn it 100%.
And thus end that bastard's life.
Rage consumed him more than ever before, making his heart beat much faster.
He wanted to seek revenge.
["Strong... situation."]
Tenma's ears perked up instantly, staying petrified upon hearing a familiar voice.
Slowly turning around, he looked up, showing his pale face to the floating being behind him.
The angel had returned.
Tenma stayed in shock for a while, not knowing what to say or even utter, extending his paw towards the angel.
Instead, the angel descended to the ground, sitting on the rocky soil, looking directly at the pup.
["... I was trapped in that wolf's mind. I could feel what he felt and know what he thought at every moment."]
The angel glanced at the wolf pups along with their widowed mother, sighing.
["Even the love he had for them until the last moment."]
However, Tenma struck the ground hard with his paw, growling.
["What's wrong?"]
"You said... that with achievements I could gain abilities. One of those abilities can be depetrification, right?"
The angel looked into the hopeful eyes of the pup but turned away, his smile bitter.
The pup retreated, lowering his ears at the angel's words.
"Don't you dare."
["Tenma."]
"NO!"
The pup's loud bark alerted the family, who watched the little one trembling, tears in his eyes.
But the angel had to say it.
["He is dead."]
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! This is all hell, okay?! What the hell is wrong with this world?!"
The mother wolf immediately stood up, covering her pups with her tail behind her as she saw the little Shiba Inu upset.
But the angel stayed beside him, listening.
"Besides... clearly dead dead he mustn't be, right? I mean, look at me, a dumb kid who no matter how grotesquely he dies every time he is allowed to keep living, is someone far less deserving of that ability than others."
Tenma had started to cry.
"And what about that squirrel, huh? I killed her with my own claws and yet she came back to life to help me! So don't tell me nonsense... and tell me a way to revive him, because I know there is one!"
But Tenma was running out of energy, falling to the ground, exhausted and very hungry.
Not wanting to even move.
Or simply... breathe for a moment.
"I want to die. Please... I just... want to die."
The angel watched him in silence and, about to approach to say something, someone beat him to it.
Covering him with her tail and trapping him in a fraternal warmth, the mother wolf hugged him, wrapping him with her soft and furry tail, lying down behind him and making him rest his head on her side.
She licked the trembling pup's ears, and, unwillingly, would make him fall into a deep sleep due to his own exhaustion, noticing him extremely tired and worn out.
The angel watched the scene with curiosity and saw how the other pups went to hug Tenma as if he were their brother, providing the support and love he needed. Even though he was asleep to notice it.
And after thinking for a while, the angel finally understood.
The reason he couldn't take control of a wolf in that cave was simple.
Just as maturity and the level of the soul he was anchored to, in this case, the boy reincarnated as a dog, indicated the strength of will he had to take over someone stronger.
By himself, he was weak.
But if he possessed someone who had a greater capacity for reasoning than Tenma, he would then succumb to being trapped until that one died.
So, in this situation, with the canine family more united than he had seen in a while, he knew that he, like them, could do nothing to reverse the situation.
Sooner or later, they would all die.
All the pups, including Tenma, silently fed on the milk their mother produced, who took a nap with all her children to accompany the one who had suffered the most.
And thus, a whole day passed hidden, arriving at night, all promised to keep silent until the next day.