Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Hunting Kaiser
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Once the decision was made, all that remained was action.
I spent two days observing and investigating the cat's daily routine.
After meticulous analysis, I reached one conclusion.
‘It’s living like a true emperor.’
I’d bet even this ship’s captain doesn’t have it as cushy as that cat.
I’ve watched the crew for six days now, and most live below average standards. Their meals, for example—artificial meat, genetically modified grains, cheap junk with no merits beyond the price tag.
‘Meanwhile, that cat lucked out with its owner and scarfs down meat every day.’
Freshly slaughtered raw meat, no less.
This ship has an agricultural sector for farming and livestock, meant to serve gourmet dishes to high-ranking officers or visiting VIPs. And yet, they feed that precious meat to a mere cat.
‘That means Kisaragi Yujin isn’t some average civilian.’
Probably a Prime Capital noble from Mars, or top-tier Noble Capital from a Mega Corp. Both are core ruling elites of the Mega Corps, wielding planetary-scale power.
‘A real pain to deal with.’
Those classes have egos through the roof and never forget a grudge. Even the slightest grievance, they’ll repay dozens or hundreds of times over down the line. Made the game a nightmare because of it.
If I killed someone else instead of Kisaragi Yujin and escaped the ship, she still wouldn’t let it go. She’d track me down somehow and finish me off.
‘One more reason she has to die.’
Setting aside her status, the real issue was how to take out that cat.
“Meow.”
The cat yawned hugely out of boredom. Sprawled on its luxury cushion, rolling around, it was the picture of pure sloth—no freeloader idler quite like it.
This was Kisaragi Yujin’s bedroom.
Right now, I was in the ventilation duct connected to the wall near the bedroom floor. I’d been watching the lazy bum through the grate, and its lounging act had me sighing involuntarily.
‘Looks dim-witted, so killing it should be easy enough.’
Cats, unlike dogs, keep their wild instincts even after domestication. They’re natural-born hunters, too.
So I’d figured it’d be a tough matchup for a mere Hatchling like me. I’d win a fight, sure, but expect heavy bleeding.
Turned out, seeing the thing up close, it was needless worry. That flabby gut? More mouthwatering than menacing.
‘Problem is, it’s too damn lazy.’
It spent most of its day glued to that cushion. Only budged for meals or walks with its owner.
‘Can’t take it down right here, though.’
Funny thing: security in this room outclassed the cargo hold.
The vent I was in looked identical to any other at a glance.
But Super Sense revealed the owner’s paranoia-level precautions. Laser sensors dotted everywhere, monitoring for intruders.
If I slipped into the room? The AI would instantly ping the guards outside about an unknown visitor.
‘I’d be toast.’
No guns needed—a guard’s kick would rupture my guts.
‘Roadblocked here.’
The cat itself seemed easy pickings, but getting to it was trickier than expected. I twitched my tail in irritation without thinking.
‘Dammit!’
The tail smacked the duct wall with a clank. The cat’s ears shot up.
“Meow?”
It sprang up and charged straight for my spot. Fat as it was, the movement was surprisingly nimble.
Its body slammed the grate, triggering the lasers.
I felt the guards outside stiffen at the alert. No time to stick around.
I shot the frantically clawing cat a glare and bolted. The moment I vacated, guards burst into the room.
“What? What got in?”
“Tch, cat’s throwing another fit.”
“Again?”
“Ugh, that damn thing!”
Leaving their grumbling behind, I retreated to my nest.
‘Me, pulling a stunt like that.’
Damn near got myself killed. Thrashing my tail in a huff? Amateur hour.
Did the cozy nest dull my edge? Body too comfy, reactions slacking?
‘Drew its attention with my tail... wait.’
Mid self-recrimination, an idea sparked.
Fragments clicked: bored cat, stimulus, guards’ reaction.
Core keywords: those three.
Finally, a solid plan to take it down.
Cat Kaiser was killing time on his cushion as usual today.
When he learned he’d leave home for a stinking metal hunk, he couldn’t believe it.
He sternly scolded his food provider, Kisaragi Yujin, but she just looked apologetic and ignored his protests.
Kaiser was deeply disappointed, but his suffering didn’t end there. The bed was uncomfortable, and the food was trash.
He’d lived on premium beef and fresh-caught fish his whole life; the ship’s slop was intolerable.
Even he, a notorious glutton, went a full day without eating.
His owner knelt and begged desperately, so he reluctantly choked down the subpar meat.
Before long, Kaiser adapted perfectly to the new environment, making his initial resistance look silly. The unchanging ship life meshed perfectly with his lazy nature.
Kaiser stretched amid the boredom. Lazy as he was, he still had a cat’s curiosity.
Wonder if something fun’ll happen.
That’s when a rustling reached his ears.
He looked up: sound from beyond the vent where wind came in. Come to think of it, something weird had poked around there recently, catching his interest.
Kaiser rose slowly. Last time, he’d rushed and missed the mystery thing.
This time, he vowed not to, creeping closer cautiously. Nearing the vent mouth, he spotted a small object.
A half-severed cockroach, twitching desperately despite no hope.
Seeing it stirred long-dormant predator instincts. Without thinking, he pounced.
Front paw reduced the roach to mush. Kaiser felt a strange new emotion.
It was fun. His tiny brain filled with desire for more toys.
Another roach appeared beyond the grate. He deflated—previous tests showed the grate unbreakable.
Regretfully tapping it, shockingly, it toppled forward this time.
Ecstatic, he crawled into the duct after the bug.
“Hey, alarm’s going off again.”
“Cat, probably. Annoying—let’s check later.”
“Yeah, where’s it gonna go with us standing guard?”
Being a cat, Kaiser didn’t grasp their chatter.
Even if he did, the bugs had him too engrossed to care.
Following scattered bugs, light appeared ahead. Tracing it led to an open corridor.
“Meow?”
Looking around, it was somewhere he’d never been.
Maybe head back? But another bug snagged his reason.
Beyond the corpse loomed a dark maw contrasting the corridor light. Fearlessly, Kaiser leaped in.
It was the cargo hold.
‘Here it comes.’
I lurked atop a container, peering down. The idiot cat followed the bugs into the cargo hold without a second thought.
‘Not entirely brainless?’
It was just acting on instinct.
For animals, instinct is absolute law.
Even tamed by humans, those wild hunter genes lingered in its body.
“Meow.”
It neared the container. I readied my ambush.
Blood surged faster from tension. My thick, flexible tail-end screamed it was primed to strike.
Muscles in my four pairs of legs contracted, posture dropping low—combat ready.
As my body prepped, my loyal aide, auxiliary senses, computed the perfect strike window per orders.
Aimorph transcendent vision pierced the dim cargo hold, locking onto the cat. Observing muscles, bones, habits, I noted its right eye had weaker vision than the left.
“Meow?”
Head swiveled left. Its poor eye couldn’t spot me in the shadows.
Now’s the moment.
Coiled legs launched me airborne.
No wings—too noisy. Gravity alone sufficed for speed.
Distance shrank rapidly.
Cat ears twitched at air rush. Head whipped my way, pupils blew wide. Body sensed peril, tensed.
Too late.
My tail speared its flank like an assassin’s dart. Paralysis venom potent enough for an adult flooded its veins, racing body-wide. No way its tiny frame endured; heart stopped seconds later.
Hunt successful.
I planted a foot on the motionless trophy and let out a small roar.
The predator’s victory cry echoed through the hold, sending residents shuddering in fear and awe.
‘Nice. Time to dig in.’
Ceremony complete, reward time. I chomped into the cat corpse.
‘Whoa?!’
A texture leagues beyond bugs or calorie bars slammed my brain.
First, warm mammalian blood flooded my mouth—sweet nectar. Before savoring, chewy muscle and umami fat invaded, ravishing my tastebuds mercilessly.
Spine-tingling shock.
I’d thought roaches, spiders, calorie bars decent. Dead wrong.
This is what ‘delicious’ means.
Trembling legs barely held as I bit again.
‘Insane.’
No illusion. Cat meat so good, I could eat it till death. My poor vocabulary couldn’t capture its perfection.
I tuned out everything, focused on devouring.
The bigger-than-me cat vanished in under five minutes.
‘Mmm.’
Bones crunched, every blood drop licked clean. I smacked my lips.
Post-frenzy calm revealed why Aimorphs crave meat.
‘It’s fucking delicious.’
Swear-worthy bliss.
Even sans gene essence goal, worth the hunt.
Licking leg blood and bits, a text box popped up.
‘Oh?’
Meat had me in bliss, and now gene essence too. Didn’t expect it from my first cat kill.
‘Wild Instinct, huh. Never seen this trait before.’
First time eating cat, so no prior knowledge. Whatever the effect, couldn’t hurt. I hit accept.
Predator Sense: ‘Super Sense’ enhanced. Detects imminent threats in the near future based on possessed information.
*P.S.: A master hunter always reads what lies ahead.
‘Holy shit?’
I stared at the text boxes, speechless.