[A/N: This chapter was uploaded without being proofread. Let me know if there are any mistakes.]
[Abandoned Warehouse]
"Life is strange," she thinks, watching as the lights flicker around her. Just moments ago, she was feasting on a defenseless creature—relishing the hunt, the taste, the adrenaline… and now, without warning, she's being teleported to some completely unfamiliar place.
She begins to make out fragments of the space she's appearing in. Her gaze sweeps the area cautiously, senses alert for any movement. The surroundings feel foreign—cold, dusty.
"A warehouse? Looks like it."
She deduces it from the rusted shelves, the thick layers of dust, the boxes piled in disarray—many of them broken. Everything gives the impression of having been abandoned long ago.
She needs to think fast. Figure out where she is. Assess the danger. Analyze every detail.
The first thing that catches her attention is a shattered window. Glass shards are scattered across the floor, reflecting the warehouse's dim light... but that's not what matters.
What matters lies beyond. Stars—visible through the hole in the wall—twinkling against a dark sky she doesn't recognize. She narrows her eyes. Focuses. Looks for familiar patterns. Known constellations.
Nothing.
"Great… I'm not even on my world."
The thought creeps in, annoyed, as she takes a deep breath and continues scanning her surroundings. She sees more of the warehouse now... and then she notices it.
A human.
She blinks a couple of times in surprise.
"A human? I thought they were extinct."
But he's not alone. Beside him is something else. A white box that doesn't match the rest of the environment, and next to it, an Odontodactylus scyllarus. All of it is… strange. Too strange.
There are no machines. No portals. No visible tech that could explain her transfer here.
So, she turns to the most logical option—even if she doesn't like it: this was magic.
And if it was magic, then...
"He summoned me."
The theory gains weight when she sees his eyes. Wide open. Consumed by terror. He didn't expect this. Not like this. He probably didn't even know what he was summoning. Maybe he thought something else would come through.
She almost wants to laugh. Honestly.
"Heh… ruined my dinner. I guess he'll be the replacement."
A low, raspy chuckle escapes her—genuine, amused—rising from somewhere deep within as her instincts begin to surface.
"Kill..."
The word slips out unbidden, a guttural whisper, instinctive and raw—her wildest side taking over for just a moment. And that's all it takes for the human to flinch.
He draws a weapon. She watches him with mild curiosity. The gun doesn't look like it packs much punch. More… pathetic than threatening, though it's kind of pretty. He hesitates, but he aims. Then he fires.
The first bullet hits her side. She feels the burn, the impact—direct. Nothing serious. It's not the first time she's been shot. Not the worst either.
"This is going to be fun."
She doesn't move. Just lets him do it. Another shot. Then another. Two more. Five. He empties the magazine. Reloads quickly. Fires again.
One bullet hits her leg and makes her stagger. She falls to the ground—but doesn't react. Just listens. Waits.
And then it stops. No more gunfire. He's out of bullets.
"Hehehe..." She laughs—this time, louder.
She begins to rise, slowly. Her bones creak, muscles tightening again. Flesh regenerates as she stands tall on two legs. The wounds seal before the human's eyes. Effortlessly. Painlessly.
She shows her teeth—long, sharp, gleaming under the faint light. Not to intimidate. Just because she's enjoying this.
And yes, she is enjoying it. Every second of that expression. The terror. The desperation. The inevitable surrender. It's a delicious mix.
"Well… that was fun."
The thought crosses her mind with satisfaction. She savors the moment like the last bite of a perfect meal.
"Time for you to die."
The only sound breaking the silence is the crack of her claws against the floor as she launches toward him, closing the distance in a blink.
She gives him no time to think, no time to react.
The human stays frozen, completely stunned.
She extends her arm, claws aimed straight at his throat. One move and she'll rip it out... but she misses. She watches as he ducks under her arm just in time—faster than she expected from someone with that much fear on his face.
She tries to spin, to strike with her other claw—but she doesn't get the chance.
A fist slams into her jaw.
The blow is sharp, precise—it makes her bones crack. It doesn't knock her down, but it forces her to stumble back a step, surprised... and irritated.
The human doesn't stop. He moves again—quick, fluid. There's technique in his motion—clear signs of training. She sees it as he pivots and throws a kick aimed at her side.
She doesn't allow it. Instantly regaining balance, she catches his leg by the calf, feeling the impact vibrate through her hand—firm, but not strong enough to make her let go.
With ease, she turns her whole body, lifting him like he weighs nothing, and slams him into the floor hard enough to make the blow echo—hollow—forcing the air from his lungs in a strained gasp.
She grips him tightly, ready to slam him down again. But just as she moves—he reacts.
His free foot snaps up and strikes her throat dead-on.
"Aash!"
The pain catches her off guard, making her release him in a reflexive jolt. She stumbles back with a growl, hand clutching at her neck as she regains her posture.
"Mmm... that bastard."
Before he can get up, she's already on him again. Her claws come down hard, but he manages to pull back once more. His speed is impressive—but not enough to fully escape. The strike doesn't land cleanly, yet her claws still slash across his face with a sharp, precise motion.
His skin splits easily. The pain shows on his face as he brings a hand up, touching the wound without taking his eyes off her. Still locked on. Still tense. Still determined.
"What a shame," she thinks as she watches him calmly. "He had a nice face."
She lowers her gaze to her claw. Warm blood drips between her fingers—thick and red beneath the dim light. She brings her hand close to her face, inhaling the metallic scent hanging in the air, then lets her tongue slide across one of the claws. The taste surprises her. Rich. Far too rich.
"Interesting…"
That tiny detail stirs something deeper inside her. The taste is so enticing that for a moment, she stays still—savoring it, feeling the spark in her chest grow stronger.
With a faint smile, she accepts the inevitable. That kind of blood only does one thing: make her want to tear him apart even more.
And this time, she doesn't plan to miss.
The human's face tightens in rage, his hair glowing faintly.
"I'm gonna turn your corpse into a taxidermy project when I'm done with you!"
She can't help but laugh when he shouts. "Heh… I made him mad."
She didn't expect the sudden burst of speed. In an instant, he's already on her. He catches her off guard—and she notices the trail of rose petals he leaves behind.
His fist slams into her chest. This time, she feels it. The hit sinks into her, then sends her flying back several meters. She bounces, skidding across the floor, until she manages to stop herself.
Before she can move—he's on her again.
A kick crashes into her jaw, snapping her head violently to the side. She feels the joint dislocate on the right, hanging at an awkward angle. It's not a serious injury—she's had worse—but it's definitely annoying.
And he doesn't stop.
He keeps moving, relentless, like he can't—or won't—slow down. He goes straight for her head, aiming to crush it under a brutal stomp. But she rolls aside at the last second, dodging it.
She's not about to give him another shot.
She moves quickly, ducking another kick that slams into the floor hard enough to crack the concrete.
"That would've hurt…"
"Time to return the favor," she thinks as she charges him with her whole body. The impact sends him flying into a pile of stacked crates at the far end of the warehouse. Dust explodes from the crash, making it hard to see—but the sound is unmistakable.
She uses the moment to bring a hand to her jaw.
Crack!
A swift adjustment snaps it back into place. She shakes it off.
Much better.
He bursts out from the pile of crates, covered in dust, launching himself at her with another punch. But this time, it doesn't land. She sidesteps effortlessly, dodging the blow—and in the same motion, sinks her teeth into his arm, clamping down hard on a good chunk of flesh.
"AAAHHH!"
The scream vibrates between her jaws, but she doesn't let go. She tries to tear through the muscle—though she doesn't get the chance. One of his hands suddenly jams into her eye.
The pain forces her to release him. It's sharp. Piercing. Real.
"That bastard… he damaged my eye!!"
It's already starting to regenerate, but the sting lingers, buzzing deep in her skull. And with that, the fun disappears completely.
This is no longer entertaining.
The human drops to his knees, clutching his mangled arm. The bite wasn't shallow. Not even close. As he tries to push himself up, she lunges again.
Her claws strike straight into his chest, slicing through skin and muscle.
"AAAHHH!"
He screams in agony, but she cuts it short by wrapping one claw tightly around his neck, pinning him in place.
"The most torturous way to die…"
That's what crosses her mind as she raises her other claw to his head.
He thrashes, kicks, fights like a trapped animal. The desperation is overwhelming—palpable, disgusting—as he starts to feel the weight of inevitable death.
"AAAAHH!"
His fists slam into her with force, like hammer blows, one after the other. They hurt—yes—but not enough to make her let go. Not when she's this close.
She begins to twist his head slowly. The crackling of vertebrae pairs with the trembling in his limbs. He hits harder—his last defense, his final attempt to stay alive.
But it doesn't matter.
She pushes just a bit further.
Until—
Crack.
The sound changes everything. His body goes limp in an instant.
"Ahh~~~"
She can't help but sigh, savoring the moment.
"Such a satisfying sound."
She lets the body drop without care, without ceremony. It hits the ground like a hollow sack.
With the human dead, her thoughts drift elsewhere.
"Should I eat him…? Or maybe that mantis shrimp I saw on the crate?"
It was probably his pet. How sweet.
"Mmm… tough decision."
After a quick moment of thought, she nods to herself.
"I deserve it! I'll eat the shrimp first. Done deal!"
She walks lightly toward the crate, still ignoring the body.
"I wonder what they taste like…"
But she only gets a few steps before a sharp pain explodes in her side.
"Mhmgh!"
She growls, twisting her head sharply. A quick glance reveals the cause: a crystal. A damn crystal lodged deep into her flesh.
"How…?" She's certain she snapped his neck. Absolutely certain.
It couldn't have been him. "Could it…?"
She spins around to where the human's body should be.
Nothing.
The space is empty.
Her eyes scan the room, searching for any trace—but she sees nothing. Nowhere.
Another stab—this time in the neck.
"AHghg!!"
Hot blood bursts out instantly. She writhes in pain.
"Damn it! He's invisible… and completely silent!"
No time for more thoughts. A brutal blow slams into her side, sending her flying several meters back.
She hits the ground hard but quickly scrambles back up, twisting mid-air as she tears the crystals from her body with a pained growl.
She has to see him. She has to find a clue… but there's nothing. Just silence.
And then—she spots it: a tiny slip-up. The human, grabbing more crystals from the ground. The moment he picks them up, they vanish. She doesn't see him directly, but he's just betrayed his position.
"Got you!" She lunges with everything she has, ramming into the space where he should be. But her claws meet nothing.
Only air. "Not again…!"
The pattern repeats. New crystals pierce her body.
Chest. Throat. One even lodges itself into her eye.
"Aahhh!!" The scream rips out of her, raw.
She barely processes it before the hits come again.
From every direction, giving her no time to react.
Her regeneration works overtime, but the wounds open faster than they can close.
"Damn it…"
She has to think. Fast.
Her eyes land on a crate. In a desperate motion, she stumbles just far enough to grab it, lift it, and hurl it toward the ceiling with everything she's got. It shatters instantly, exploding into hundreds of splinters.
But that's not what matters.
What matters is the dust.
A thick cloud of it rains down over everything—covering the ground, the crates… and most importantly, revealing a blurry silhouette, right in front of her.
"Got you!" She launches herself like a wild beast.
With all her speed, she rams into him, slamming him to the ground and pinning him beneath her claws.
The human thrashes, but it's too late. The invisibility shatters around him like breaking glass, revealing his full body.
This time, there'll be no dragging it out. No drama. No games. She'll end this now, without hesitation, without a second thought.
She opens her jaws, determined.
No neck-snapping. No drawn-out savoring of bone cracks. This time, she'll tear his head clean off.
He writhes—he knows what's coming—and he fights with everything he's got, but she gives herself over fully, without restraint.
Strength, instinct, rage—all of it pours into a single motion. She bites down with everything she has.
...and then, when her jaws clamp around his neck—there's no flesh. No blood. No scream.
Only a sharp, stabbing pain jolting through her jaw.
"Aghgh!!"
She pulls back immediately. The human is still whole. His neck—untouched.
And she, with a broken tooth, snarls in a mix of fury and confusion.
"What the hell…?!"
-/-
Daniel thrashes with all his strength, trying to free himself from the monster pinning him to the ground.
"Agh...!"
He struggles desperately, but he can't break free. The weight on top of him is crushing. His muscles tremble from the useless effort, and all he can do is watch as the creature opens its jaws, ready to bite into his neck and rip his head off in one clean motion.
The moment those jaws lunge toward him, something in his mind snaps—like a flash, everything fractures. Time seems to stop, the world slowing down entirely.
Two hundred eighty-nine days since he arrived in this world.
Two hundred eighty-nine since a Grimm nearly killed him for the first time.
Two hundred fifty-eight since the hell he called training began—daily hours until unconsciousness, only to be healed and thrown back into it.
Two hundred twenty-eight since he was nearly killed in an alley.
One hundred eighty-two since that fight in the underground arena—where he first felt the helplessness of fighting someone with an aura.
One hundred sixty-seven since Neo started beating him to a pulp every day under the excuse of "building resilience"—not to mention the lashes from her whip that helped accelerate his progress.
Ten days since he had his closest brush with death—falling from the top of Beacon Tower.
Nine since he learned the true pain of losing a part of himself—his finger still gone.
And now, here he was again. Frozen. Completely powerless against someone stronger.
It all felt like part of a cycle…
One he was no longer willing to accept.
Because he doesn't want to live like this anymore.
He doesn't want to keep getting hurt.
He doesn't want to be weak.
He wants to protect himself.
He wants to live.
And right there, in that instant—when everything inside him screams to survive—reality snaps back into motion.
He sees the jaws closing in, razor-sharp teeth just inches from his throat, feels the crushing pressure of the moment.
But he doesn't give in.
His will burns hotter than ever before.
"I'M GOING TO LIVE!"
And then it happens—the fangs hit.
A second passes.
A dry, harsh sound echoes through the room.
A grunt… but not his.
The creature recoils with a pained whimper and the strangest part of all…
Daniel's head is still attached.
He has no idea what just happened. His mind races, desperate for answers as he checks himself over, confused, shaken—until he sees it.
"Aura?" he thinks instinctively.
But one glance at his hands tells him it's not.
There's no soft glow, no warm energy.
Instead, a black, dark, glimmering layer coats his hands and parts of his body.
It's not aura.
After training until his bones broke, after living in pain day after day, after enduring beatings without rest, and brushing up against death time and time again —or maybe, simply, because the script demanded it—
This isn't his soul manifesting as a shield.
It's his will.
His raw, unfiltered determination not to die.
His refusal to be crushed ever again.
The direct manifestation of his desire to keep breathing, to keep fighting.
And he knows exactly what this is called.
Haki.
For a moment, everything falls silent.
Daniel's eyes lock with the creature's. And in that moment, he knows: He's not afraid anymore.
And in a moment like this, there's only one thing he can say—
"I'm gonna fuck you up!!"
-//-
Author's Note:
Did you think I forgot about the Haki? Well, I didn't—as you can see. Too forced? I don't know, honestly. But that's how it stays.
The fanfic has now reached 5k bookmarks. I'd say I'm happy about hitting 5k, but that would be a lie. Though to be honest, it is kinda funny. I gain and lose bookmarks at such a rate that the counter's been bouncing between 4.99k and 5k for the past four days.
I appreciate my 8 followers who comment, and also the other 4.92k bots who follow the fanfic.
Reward? Hmm... not sure. How about in the next chapter, the MC fucks the wolf? Nice gift, right?
Anyway, see you when I see you.
Kisses and hugs.