"Huff"

"Huff"

"Huff"

"Huff"

"What is this?"

"How did I end up here?"

Xerxes ran with all his might as one grey wolf after another began chasing him.

Just minutes ago, he had been returning from school and decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway.

As soon as he stepped inside, his surroundings melted away, and he found himself in a dense forest.

Panic seized him as he wondered how he had ended up here and how he could get back home. Suddenly, a grey wolf leaped out from the shadows in front of him.

Fear gripped his mind, and he started running in the opposite direction. However, more and more grey wolves emerged from the shadows, joining the pursuit.

"Huff"

"Huff"

"Huff"

His breathing grew heavy, his legs burning with exhaustion, but he didn't stop. The wolves, however, had already encircled him.

Then, one of the wolves lunged, its jaws snapping on his back.

"THUD!"

"AAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

With a deafening scream, Xerxes crashed to the ground.

The wolf, relentless, didn't give him a chance to recover, sinking its teeth into his neck.

His cries were cut short. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the blood oozing from his wounds.

The wolves howled in triumph as Xerxes' body stiffened. His eyes, heavy with the weight of death, finally closed.

But then, something unexpected happened. His heart, which had stopped for a fleeting moment, began to pound violently. An unknown power surged through his veins, jolting him awake.

Sensing the unusual energy radiating from him, the wolf atop him recoiled, leaping away. However, Xerxes, with a sudden burst of strength, caught its leg.

The wolf howled in agony, struggling furiously to break free. But Xerxes' grip tightened, unrelenting.

Terror seized the creature as its body began to melt, its body dissolving and being absorbed into Xerxes.

Xerxes, lost in a trance, was unaware of the wolf's demise. The creature was completely absorbed, leaving only its bones behind, which also melted and vanished into his body.

The wounds on his body miraculously healed, leaving no trace. However, profound changes were underway.

As his body recovered, a thick coat of fur began to sprout on his back and hands, and sharp claws emerged from his fingertips.

Witnessing this horrifying transformation, the pack of wolves recoiled in fear, scrambling to put distance between themselves and Xerxes.

His eyes now glowed an eerie green, and with a ferocious roar, he lunged at the nearest wolf.

The creature attempted to dodge, but Xerxes was too fast. He seized the wolf in his grasp, and within seconds, the animal's body dissolved, absorbed into his own.

Enraged by the demise of their two companions, the remaining wolves let out a chorus of angry growls and launched a frenzied attack on Xerxes.

Xerxes retaliated, his claws slashing through the air. The wolves, snapping their jaws, inflicted numerous wounds upon him.

Another wolf fell victim to his grasp, its body dissolving as before. However, the relentless assault continued.

Xerxes was wounded, his fur matted with blood from countless claw marks. Yet, almost immediately, the wounds began to heal as he absorbed the life force of the fallen wolf.

Finally, the wolves, sensing an unnatural power in Xerxes, hesitated in their attack.

"AAAWWWWWWWUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A sharp, commanding howl echoed through the forest. A magnificent white wolf emerged from the shadows, its eyes gleaming with intelligence and a hint of fear.

This was undoubtedly the alpha male, the leader of the pack, who had been observing the unfolding events with growing concern. He had witnessed the impossible, and he knew his pack was in grave danger.

Sensing the intimidating aura radiating from the white wolf, Xerxes paused his attack and fixed his gaze upon him. The white wolf, instead of retaliating, lowered its head in submission, waiting for Xerxes' next move.

Suddenly, sensing no further aggression from the white wolf, Xerxes halted his attack and stared intently at the creature kneeling before him.

His eyes glowed with an eerie light as he scrutinized the wolf. In the next moment, he lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.

The wolves, who had been maintaining a cautious distance, instantly surged forward, intent on attacking the unconscious boy. However, the white wolf unleashed a ferocious growl, halting them in their tracks.

The white wolf cautiously sniffed the air around Xerxes, then gently pulled away the boy's clothing. With surprising gentleness, he began to carry the unconscious Xerxes away to the unknown place.

After some time,

Xerxes awoke with a jolt, fragments of the terrifying events flashing through his mind. He initially dismissed it all as a fever dream, but then he felt a strange wetness on his face.

Opening his eyes, he found himself in an unusual cave, the roof open to the sky, moonlight cascading down upon him.

Suddenly, a small creature lunged at him. Instead of panicking, Xerxes curiously observed the playful wolf cub.

"AAAAWWWWWWOOOUUUU!"

Then, with a low growl from another wolf, he sat up. The magnificent white wolf stood before him, flanked by three other wolves and a litter of four or five playful cubs.

One of the cubs tugged at his clothing, seemingly inviting him to play. Xerxes, however, was bewildered by his situation.

Though he no longer felt fear in the presence of the wolves, he was utterly confused about this unfamiliar situation.

He finally realized the bizarre events weren't a dream, but a terrifying reality. He had been transmigrated to this unknown world.

"AAAAAAHAAAAAA!" he yelled, "Where is my system? And what was that terrifying power?"

The white wolf growled, seemingly trying to communicate with him.

Xerxes stood up and looked at the wolf. "Can you understand me? Do you know what place this is?" he asked, but the wolf recoiled, wary of him.

Seeing the wolf's apprehension, Xerxes realized his hands had returned to normal. However, the memory of the terrifying power he had used to absorb the wolf still sent shivers down his spine.

"You are wary of that strange power," he muttered, "I don't know what it is, but I don't think I can control it yet." He spoke aloud, though he knew the wolf might not understand his words.

The White Wolf growled, "AAAHAAAAAAUUUUOOOOOO!" and another wolf emerged from the shadows. This wolf was limping and appeared quite old.

Xerxes understood. "You want me to test my power on him?"

The White Wolf growled in affirmation, "AAHAAAUUUOO."

Xerxes felt a pang of unease. The old wolf was clearly nearing the end of its life. Was this the reason the White Wolf had brought it here?

"If it were a human," he mused, "things would be different." He made a decision and gently touched the wolf's head. Nothing happened.

"So, just touching something won't activate that strange power," he concluded, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, my friend," he whispered, "but this is better than becoming prey to some other beast." He began to feel the familiar surge of power within him. The old wolf's body began to shimmer and dissolve, absorbed into Xerxes in a matter of seconds.

"So, it's safe to touch things," he said with a relieved smile.

If that wasn't the case, he couldn't imagine how he would ever live with the fear of unintentionally harming someone with his touch. The power, though otherworldly and potent, was terrifying if he couldn't control it.

[Read author's note for more detail]