The Gluttonous White Tiger Cub's War Cry

< p> My eyes landed on the bodies of the insects, and they froze instantly, cracking apart in a single breath.

< p> Crunch! Crack!

< p> My extreme cold wrapped everything in its embrace, and the insects froze solid where they stood, shattering and scattering in all directions.

< p> I pressed forward without giving them a moment to recover, lifting my paw and slamming it hard against the ground.

< p> THUD!

< p> My enormous paw swept through the entire area, spraying cold energy everywhere.

< p> Crack-crack! Boom!

< p> The frozen insects collided with the shockwave of my giant paw and exploded into pieces, spraying shards in every direction.

< p> The fragments of the insects burst like shattering glass.

< p> They claim to feed on corpses and reproduce? I shattered them so thoroughly that even that was impossible.

< p> My single paw swipe reduced countless insects to nothing, their reproduction speed meaningless in the face of my power.

< p> “Waaaaah!!”

< p> “The Divine Beast has swept them away!”

< p> “The insects are disappearing!”

< p> “No matter how many insects or parasites, they’re nothing in front of the Divine Beast!!”

< p> From behind the barrier, the soldiers’ mixed hope and deep joy erupted in cheers.

< p> I continued hammering my paw without pause, crushing the waves of insects in an instant.

< p> The number of insects had nearly halved in the blink of an eye.

< p> … Now half as many. Annoying pests.

< p> I sighed inwardly while scanning my surroundings. Then, between the dead insects.

< p> At the very edge, far away, something of a much darker shade than the others brushed past my vision for just a moment.

< p> What is that…?

< p> My instinctive instinct screamed violently.

< p> That one looks like the head of these insects.

< p> “Kyyyyaaaah!”

< p> Where are you hiding, you filthy worm!

< p> I’ll bite you to death and tear apart your entire family!

< p> I roared loudly, opening my mouth wide again.

< p> I compressed all my remaining sacred energy and cold into my soul itself.

< p> Inside my mouth, the extreme cold and sacred power mixed until it felt dizzy with the amount of energy gathering.

< p> If you can endure it, endure!

< p> A beam of blinding light shot out from my mouth, bright enough to blind anyone.

< p> KWAAAAAAAANG!!

< p> The beam pierced straight through the plain, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠obliterating the remaining insects and the dark thing that had been there.

< p> Kya, krurrr… kyuuu…

< p> It was… really hard.

< p> After shooting the beam, my massive form blocking the sky flickered once, then collapsed and faded away.

< p> I returned to my original small size and lay flat on my belly on the ground.

< p> This is tough…

< p> My breath was at the very edge, and the world spun before my eyes.

< p> “Hey! Blanc… you silly fool…”

< p> Kailian rushed over desperately and scooped me up into her arms.

< p> My paw hung limply, completely under my own will.

< p> I really… had pulled out every bit of strength in my body… I can’t anymore.

< p> Kyuuuung….

< p> I’m so hungry… I used up all my strength.

< p> “Who told you to push yourself like that all alone! You were lying there just moments ago… yet you’re still acting so temperamental!”

< p> Kailian smacked my forehead with a honey fist and grabbed my ear, starting to scold me.

< p> Let go of my ear…

< p> “You pig, now that it’s mostly over, we’ll handle the rest. You just stay put and rest quietly behind us.”

< p> Kailian set me down at the safest spot inside the barrier and drew her sword from her waist.

< p> “Stop trying to do everything alone and let everyone else work.”

< p> “Yes, Your Highness.”

< p> Rosalia immediately expanded a flame spell and burned the remaining insects. Lina, with sacred power wrapped around both hands, leaped into the midst of the insects and swung her fists wildly.

< p> Every time Lina swung her fist, a massive explosion of sacred power erupted, sending insects skyward only for them to crash down again.

< p> Gumiho pulled out a bead and started hunting the insects as well.

< p> Kyuu.

< p> Keep working hard… Honestly, I did most of it already.

< p> Panting heavily, I lay flat on the ground watching them fight.

< p> Tap. Tap.

< p> At that moment, I felt something poking my skinny rear with a finger.

< p> Kyuu?

< p> Huh? Who’s that, being so rude.

< p> I dragged my tired body around and saw Lumia standing there, fidgeting with both hands.

< p> Why is she here…?

< p> Kyung.

< p> Why are you here! I told you to stay inside because it’s dangerous.

< p> “Oppa… I want to help too.”

< p> Lumia peeked at me with her little eyes and spoke in a tiny voice.

< p> Kyuu! Kyang!

< p> No way. You don’t even know how to fight properly yet. You’re not the right size right now.

< p> I firmly shook my paw to tell her to go back, but Lumia puffed up her cheeks as if she didn’t understand.

< p> “Hmph! I can do it too! I don’t want to just watch Oppa suffer!”

< p> Lumia puffed out her chest and pulled a tiny, glowing fox bead from her pouch. She then pointed her mouth at the wriggling insects outside the barrier.

< p> Fwoosh!

< p> A small blue foxfire flew over and dropped onto the insect swarm.

< p> Whoosh!

< p> Kikikiki!

< p> A few insects caught fire in the blue flames.

< p> It was a much smaller fire than what I had been using, but it still managed to kill some insects.

< p> It wasn’t even noticeable.

< p> “See?! I can help Oppa too!”

< p> Lumia stood with hands on her hips, looking at me with a proud smile as if to say she was fine now.

< p> That bold and cute appearance made me grin.

< p> Kyung.

< p> You’re my little sister and you still won’t back down.

< p> I licked her cheek with my tongue and pulled her into a tight hug so she wouldn’t go anywhere.

< p> Lumia, happy with my praise, wagged her tail and stuck close to my side.

< p> Outside the barrier, the butlers were fighting the insects in style.

< p> Kailian’s sword energy sliced through them, Rosalia’s magic burned them, and Gumiho’s spells killed them.

< p> They weren’t as fast as me, but the number of insects was steadily dropping.

< p> Kyuu.

< p> If this keeps up, we’ll finish them soon.

< p> Maybe because I killed their leader. Their reproduction rate has dropped and they feel much more disorganized than before.

< p> Once I felt at ease, my stomach started rumbling loudly.

< p> Rumble rumble.

< p> I looked up at the sky unnecessarily.

< p> Of all times… while the butlers are fighting, I have to act like this.

< p> Kyuu.

< p> I don’t know… I’m hungry.

< p> I looked at my skinny stomach and buried my face in Lumia’s tail.

< p> Speaking of which, the only thing I ate today was… a single bowl of milk with honey that I drank after waking up.

< p> So that’s why my stomach is empty… I should have brought some dried meat.

< p> Somehow… my strength disappeared quickly.

< p> It was only natural since I had used up a huge amount of sacred power and cold.

< p> I desperately wished for the sweet taste of Galbi-jjim meat from Haetae.

< p> That’s why they cut off supplies during wars.

< p> Kyaam…

< p> With hunger came fatigue, and sleep began to overwhelm me.

< p> I rubbed the corners of my eyes with my paw to try and stay awake.

< p> ‘No… it’s not over yet… if I fall asleep now, what will the butlers do…’

< p> But my body, squeezed to the limit, ignored my willpower.

< p> I couldn’t win against the heavy weight of my eyelids and fell asleep with my head resting on Lumia’s tail.

< p> Swoosh.

< p> A cold, clear breeze brushed against my cheek.

< p> When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar white snowfield.

< p> It was the Snowy Mountain, my hometown where I always met Mama.

< p> Kyuu?

< p> This time I woke up here.

< p> Last time I was treated by the soldiers and fell asleep, I didn’t come to the Snowy Mountain, but this time I entered it.

< p> “My baby!”

< p> Just as I tilted my head, trying to figure out the situation, someone suddenly lifted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me up by putting both hands under my arms from behind.

< p> Kyuuuung!

< p> Mama!

< p> I rubbed my head against Mama’s hands and looked up at her.

< p> Mama’s face was not the usual one full of affection.

< p> In Mama’s eyes was sorrow and deep worry.

< p> “… Aah… our ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠baby… where did all that chubby belly go… and now it’s so skinny like this.”

< p> Mama stroked my deeply sunken belly and wore a sad expression as if she might cry at any moment.

< p> Kyung, kyung!

< p> Mama! I transformed into Grandpa like before and caught those insects rampaging in my territory!

< p> I puffed out my chest proudly and rubbed my head against Mama’s cheek.

< p> But Mama didn’t seem happy with my achievement. She frowned slightly and asked.

< p> “Insects? What kind of insects were you talking about?”

< p> Kyuu! Kyang!

< p> I don’t know their name! I just saw them for the first time. They had huge jaws, black armor, and reproduced insanely fast.

< p> I waved my paw to explain the features of the insects.

< p> Mama’s face instantly froze cold the moment she heard my explanation.

< p> A look of disgust and caution flashed in Mama’s eyes.

< p> “……My baby. Never come into direct contact with them.”

< p> Mama warned me in a very firm and strict voice.

< p> Kyuu?

< p> Why? Do they have poison?

< p> Kailian and Lina had soaked in the blood of the insects, but they seemed fine.

< p> When I asked curiously, Mama answered as if it was the most obvious thing.

< p> “It’s ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠filthy.”

< p> “……Kyung?”

< p> Huh? What did you just say?

< p> “The body fluid of such miscellaneous things touching you… it feels like I can’t even breathe anymore.”

< p> Kyung.

< p> … I thought it was some kind of venom again.

< p> It’s just dirty, that’s all.

< p> Mama picked me up straight into her arms and sighed sadly while looking at my skinny belly once more.

< p> “Haa… your belly is so sunken it’s touching my back. Humans really don’t feed you properly. Feeding my precious baby like this…”

< p> Kyung! Kyuu!

< p> No! I just used too much strength! They took good care of me!

< p> My words seemed not to reach Mama’s ears. Mama looked at me with a sorrowful gaze for a moment, then blushed.

< p> She immediately reached for the collar of her pure white top.

< p> “We can’t do that. You need to drink Mama’s milk.”

< p> “……Kyuu?!”

< p> W-what, what are you doing, Mama!

< p> The collar really started to come loose, so I panicked and waved my paws frantically.

< p> Kyaaaaang! Kyuu!

< p> I’m all grown up! I’ve already passed the age for drinking milk!

< p> I pushed against Mama’s chest with my paw, desperately wriggling to stop her from unbuttoning her clothes while she held me.