Time to Adapt

What Baekya had dragged out wasn't an animal. If it were human, it looked about five or six years old—a humanoid something. The key point was that it wasn't human, but some kind of humanoid thing.

And I could guess what it was.

"Goblin?"

I'd heard there were monsters. But goblins from fantasy novels? It felt like I'd somehow become the protagonist of a novel possession story without realizing it.

Of course, the odds of that were not just slim—they were zero. Hoya, my parents, my friends, my job—everything was exactly the same.

"Hmm? Or have I been the protagonist of some novel all along?"

This one had a bit more plausibility. If I'd been living oblivious to it for thirty years... well, any novel like that would have bombed and gotten axed ages ago. No way.

I decided to Observe the goblin-like creature.

Real goblins. Island Goblin or not, it was a goblin. And at level 12, this little guy was stronger than me.

Baekya dropped the Island Goblin on the ground. The moment I saw it, I nocked an arrow and fired.

Thwack!

Kieek!

The arrow hit dead center between its eyes. A perfect shot—the fletching was completely buried.

"That's gotta be dead."

Obviously. No humanoid or animal survives a hole in the brain.

A confirmation popped up.

That made me level 10. And it didn't stop there.

The Archery skill I'd half-expected appeared. My first combat skill.

"Holy crap, actual monsters. What the hell is that forest?"

The forest's perimeter was about an hour's walk around. No way could an ecosystem that complex fit in there.

So what was it really?

"Hoya, what's in there?"

Nyaaang? Hoya tilted her head like What're you talking about?

Too complicated? Or dodging?

I just stared at Hoya. Not Observation—just staring. I blinked. She blinked back.

"Hey, who said we're doing cat kisses?"

Cat kiss: When cats slow-blink at each other to say "I'm not a threat." Some do it with humans too.

But Hoya's was deliberate. She never used to do it.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Nyaaang? Still playing dumb. Then she flopped over, belly up.

Not cute begging or submission. Straight-up "gut me."

I spoke loud enough for her to hear.

"Baekya, bro, let's head inside."

Honestly, calling Hoya "daughter" since she was a kitten felt weird for a full-grown white tiger. Or was she the older one?

Grrrumble. Baekya growled low in response and started toward the forest. I followed.

Hoya darted in front. Haaack!

"That's on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠purpose, right?"

Nyaang?

"Fine, Dad'll go alone?"

Nyaa! She latched onto my leg.

"Something's definitely up."

Nyaa.

"Dangerous if I go now?"

Nyaaang!

"Someday it'll be okay?"

Nyaang? Someday—who knows.

Why did I understand her most of the time? Animal Affinity skill?

"So I hunt what Baekya drags out, level up till I can take him on, then go in?"

Nyaaang? Pretty much.

That forest had secrets. A literal secret forest. Otherwise, no boars, wolves, tigers, and monsters.

One tiger would wreck the ecosystem. But it was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thriving. Baekya living there meant the rest should've gone extinct.

"So it's not as small as it looks..."

Only one explanation: Inside wasn't normal space.

Another gate inside? Unlikely.

"Wait, maybe? Not a dimensional gate, but one linking to another spot in this dimension?"

Or spatial expansion, like in novels. Latter seemed more likely.

"Hoya, monsters like wolves or goblins could pop out?"

Nyaang. Yes.

"Could they hurt me?"

Nyaa! Chest puffed, tail straight—Trust me.

"Safe as long as you're here?"

Nyaa nyaa!

Good. With Hoya and my new tiger buddy, this was a solid base camp for safe farming.

"Alright, let's hit level 15."

Nyaa! Hoya hopped on Baekya's back, kneading like a boss. Looked like Baekya was her mom. Some command, probably—Baekya charged the forest again.

This time, two goblins. I dropped them both with arrows.

The modded bow was a beast. No clue how Seon-woo did it, but it worked like a dream. Hunting was effortless.

This was a bus. A luxury limo bus.

"Kyahaha! This is hunting!"

I kept at it, hitting level 15 as planned.

"That's enough for today."

Safer, stronger than yesterday.

I maxed Strength, balanced the rest. Now I was four times stronger, three times faster and tougher, twice as smart as average.

Superman? Not yet. Play-wrestled Baekya—he didn't budge. Still weaker than him, no contest vs. Hoya.

"If I get as strong as you, Hoya, Superman?"

Nyaaang. She laughed. Like she had a human soul.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's farm."

I headed to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠field, Hoya trailing, Baekya too. Taming meant he'd joined my turf—followed even for no reason. Kinda cute, despite being a beast.

"Gonna have to feed him too?"

No tiger chow. Zoos did raw chicken or chunks. Would need tons anyway.

"Lucky I work at a pet food plant."

Employee discount. Heard rich Arabs have cheetah food—worth checking.

But first, something I'd always wanted: feeding a tiger those squeezey treats.

Saw it on YouTube. Wanted to see if real.

"Baekya, come."

Chomp chomp chomp! Total cat. Went nuts. Like honey on a fingertip for us?

Had tons for Hoya—dumped two whole tubes in him. First taste, hyped. Needed to calm down.

"Feeling like Dad needs to make bank, Hoya."

Nyaa.