The tutorial for the RPG horror game [Last Shadow] was both welcoming and wicked. It introduced buffed food with a cheerful tone—while secretly laying landmines beneath it.
“What the hell?!”
“What the actual hell?!”
As soon as the brownie’s hidden strain of acute food poisoning bacteria kicked in, people began vomiting blood and collapsing, plunging the room into utter chaos.
“Fox, don’t eat that!”
Squeak!
The noonas, who had been happily munching away, instantly dropped their food, scooped me up, and backed away to watch the unfolding disaster from a safe distance.
Then it happened. A man hunched over in a corner, rummaging through his inventory, suddenly raised his hand high.
“Um… I think I have medicine in my inventory…”
“Medicine? Hurry, give it to us!”
He hesitantly stepped forward toward the puking crowd, but before he could even finish his sentence, they yanked all the medicine right out of his hands.
“We’re saved, thank God!”
“What a relief.”
“I seriously thought I was done for! My HP just hit the floor in an instant!”
As everyone sighed in relief, the man’s expression twisted into a mix of discomfort and irritation.
Hmm… this is going to be a problem.
From where I was watching, his frustration was obvious. He had been the one to offer the cure, yet no one thanked him—they were too busy celebrating their survival among themselves. No wonder he was pissed. And to make it worse, they’d snatched the meds like they were looting a corpse. Anyone would feel slighted.
“Over here! We’ve got another one down! Medicine, quick!”
“Hurry up and give it to us!”
“What, did we put in a request or something?”
“Excuse me?”
This time, the man didn’t give in so easily. He just huffed through his nose, cheeks puffed out in full pout-mode.
“There’s no tiiime!”
“If you want the medicine, you must become my follower.”
“…What?”
Through his healing actions, the hidden early-game powerhouse class—‘Priest’—was unlocked. But the guy who snagged the newly unlocked class… gave off strong villain energy.
[Would you like to join the Ttubi Sect?]
[Yes / No]
In the blink of an eye, a pop-up appeared before everyone’s eyes.
“What the hell is the Ttubi Sect?”
“It’s named after me! Worship me alone! Praise my divinity!”
“Cut the crap and hand over the meds.”
“You only get them if you join!”
“Fine, I joined. Happy now? Now gimme the—ugh, what’s wrong with my voice?! Almighty Ttubi! I offer my prayers! Oh come on, what the hell is this… I love you, Ttubi! You are my destiny, my one true love!”
…Once recruited, you’re forcibly converted into an obedient devotee. A few players who thoughtlessly clicked “Yes” began chanting hymns like brainwashed cultists.
[By singing hymns with your followers, 5 capsules of medicine have been created.]
That’s probably what popped up on the priest’s screen. Moments later, he reached into his robe and pulled out five glowing capsules.
“Ooooh!”
“Ttubi has bestowed a sacred gift! Take this medicine and heal the afflicted!”
The players, pale and on the brink of death, finally began to recover after receiving Priest Ttubi’s miracle cure.
Early in the game, sticking close to the priest is the only way to survive— but why did it have to be this petty lunatic?
As the chaotic situation slowly calmed, I continued watching the priest…
[Special Quest for Baby Arctic Fox! <Eat the Jewel Ice!>]
…What now?
I tilted my head. When I tapped on <Eat the Jewel Ice!>, the scenery around me suddenly distorted. Everything became hazy, and only one direction remained sharp—like I was staring through a magnifying glass.
Can I cancel this? Cancel! Cancel!
Race-exclusive quests cannot be canceled once started.
[Special Quest for Baby Arctic Fox! <Eat the Jewel Ice!>]
[The baby Arctic Fox, stranded in a barren desert, must consume “Jewel Ice” to maintain its glossy fur! Failure to consume it within the time limit will result in the loss of silky fur and being treated like a puppy. Time Limit: 01:59:30]
Treated like a dog?
At first, it sounded kind of cute—but it was anything but. Here in the “Shadow Castle,” dogs were called “Sand Hounds”… and they were treated like slaves.
Which meant—failure was not an option. And to make things worse, there was a ticking countdown.
First, I burst out of the hall and sprinted down the corridor. It was the first quest, so it shouldn’t be too difficult… right?
[Special Quest for Baby Arctic Fox! <Eat the Jewel Ice!>
·
·
·
Time Remaining: 01:59:12
Difficulty: Extreme]
Are you insane?! Squeee!
The moment I saw the difficulty, my vision swam. A top-tier difficulty quest right from the start?!
That meant the quest item would be a nightmare to find. I bounded down the long corridor and hopped up the stairs— But they were steep, and after a couple of clumsy leaps, I flipped over like a pancake and landed flat on my back.
Meow-meow!
Struggling to get back on my paws, I drew the attention of a few curious day-ghosts. With wild, tangled hair and ghastly faces, they gave me twisted grins like I was some kind of adorable pet. I shuddered.
Get those rotten mugs out of here!
I swatted my front legs in protest, but my stubby body only ended up smearing my pristine white fur against the filthy floor. Now I was covered in grime.
At last, I reached the third floor of the castle—a chilling corridor lined with grotesque, broken portraits and riddled with traps.
This must be the path to the Inner Sanctum.
I glanced around, hoping to find an alternate route—but no such luck. There wouldn’t be. This area was a designated no-go zone, with no incentive to cross it normally, so there was never a reason to design a detour.
And yet the arrow kept insisting I head straight through the corridor of death.
Guess I have no choice.
Even as a baby, I was still a fox—I should be sturdy enough to survive a dash through. Delaying would only waste precious time.
I drew in a deep, determined breath, then bolted forward at full speed.
Moments later, I reached the other side—completely unharmed.
Meow?
Baffled, I glanced back. Not a single trap had been triggered. The corridor was just as still and lifeless as before.
I must’ve been too light to set anything off.
Lucky me.
Without wasting another second, I took off running again. Where are you, Jewel Ice? Come on, come on—
Suddenly, a glowing arrow zipped across the floor toward the far end of the hall. My peripheral vision dimmed, zeroing in on the objective.
Myaa!
It felt like the system itself was hurrying me along. I sprinted with everything I had. The Jewel Ice felt close—but my speed wasn’t enough. I couldn’t keep up with my own momentum and ended up tumbling forward, rolling helplessly across the corridor floor.
Whimper.
I slammed into what I thought was a wall. Still dizzy, I blinked to regain focus… only to realize it wasn’t a wall at all.
It was a human foot.
Huh? Is this some kind of cash shop outfit?
Polished leather shoes and navy shorts. Smooth, elegant legs that didn’t quite scream “man.” Just as I was trying to make sense of it, I felt a hand grab the scruff of my neck and lift me into the air.
“What is this grimy little thing?”
??
The voice belonged to a boy who looked barely twenty.
The moment our eyes met, my flailing limbs froze. It was like time had stopped.
We stared at each other, quietly taking one another in— and… wow.
That face should be illegal.
There was no better way to describe it. He was devastatingly handsome, the kind of boy whose looks could stop traffic. Even I—an actual fox—felt my heart skip. Those glittering black eyes, those sharply defined features—absolutely magnetic.
I’d never seen an NPC this good-looking before. He had to be a player.
How he already had the Jewel Ice during the tutorial was a mystery— but whatever, I needed it.
Still dangling from his grip, I squirmed and kicked before finally letting out a frustrated cry.
Meow! Meow!
He watched me quietly, then unceremoniously plopped me onto the ground.
No—wait! The Jewel Ice!
I opened my mouth wide, doing my best to enunciate “Jewel Ice,” but my current anatomy butchered the pronunciation.
“What? You want me to pick you up again?”
Sure. Fine. Whatever gets us closer.
I nodded eagerly and wagged my tail. He raised an eyebrow, then scooped me back into his arms.
Once held, I wagged my tail again, then opened my mouth wide— a clear sign: Put the Jewel Ice here.
Instead, he shoved his damn finger into my mouth.
Ptooey! Ptooey!
I tried to bite down and spit it out, but he just kept it there. All I managed was a weak, awkward chew. With no teeth, I couldn’t even make it hurt.
“That tickles.”
FIND IT! FIND IT! FIND IT!
[System]: Target is nearby.
[System]: Target is nearby.
[System]: Target is nearby.
That Jewel Ice—he definitely had it. But where was he hiding it?
The man picked me up and started walking somewhere. Didn’t matter. While he moved, I nosed around, nudging at the inside of his clothes with my paw.
Ah. There it is.
The Jewel Ice was fastened to the front button of his pajama-like shirt. I sank my teeth into it and yanked with all the strength I had.
Surprisingly, it came off without much resistance.
He stopped walking.
“…What the hell?”
Mission accomplished. I tried to bolt, but there was no way I could overpower the grip of an adult human.
Ugh… Now what?
What if he got pissed and accused me of stealing something valuable? What if he tried to punish me like some cruel pet owner?
I widened my eyes and stared up at him, trembling pitifully—pulling my best Puss in Boots impression.
He stared back for a moment, then asked,
“That look… You want affection? Do you actually like me?”
What the hell is he on about now?
“Spit it out, mutt.”
He reached for my mouth.
Gulp. I panicked and swallowed it whole. A quest completion screen flashed before me.
[Race Quest <Eat the Jewel Ice!> Completed! Your fur’s glossiness will be maintained for 5 days.]
With one hand, he hoisted me even higher and began poking around in my mouth.
“I told you to spit it out. Look at all this drool.”
I was about to scream at him to knock it off, but instead, I launched a flurry of frantic paw swipes at his cheek.
“Hey, quit it. You’ve got a stubby little tail, too.”
This brat—probably still mooching off a student meal plan—was treating me like a damn puppy.
I snorted through my nose and wagged my tail even harder in irritation. He grabbed it.
Then, watching me closely like I was some rare creature, he leaned in and casually sniffed me.
…So I leaned in and sniffed him right back.
What is this bizarre