A Close Call

Tanuj stood face-to-face with the creature he had unknowingly summoned. It was large, towering over him, with a muscular build, dark, armored hide, and glowing red eyes that bore a striking resemblance to the Shadow Wolf. But unlike the menacing aura the wolf had exuded, this creature had a more dog-like presence, almost as if it were waiting for a command from its new master.

Tanuj took a cautious step forward, observing the creature's posture. "You're… my new summon, right?"

The creature tilted its head slightly, its glowing eyes softening with what could almost be mistaken for curiosity.

Tanuj relaxed a bit, realizing that despite its imposing appearance, this creature wasn't hostile. In fact, it seemed to be waiting for something—waiting for him.

"Alright," Tanuj said, swallowing his initial fear. "I guess we should make this official. Let's form a contract, like I did with the Lightning Mouse."

He extended his hand, focusing his thoughts as he had done before. A soft glow surrounded his hand, and the creature responded, lowering its head as if understanding the gesture. The glow spread, enveloping both Tanuj and the creature, sealing their bond.

A name popped into Tanuj's mind, unbidden but fitting. "I'll call you… Shadow Fang."

The creature—Shadow Fang—lifted its head, its eyes glowing slightly brighter as if acknowledging the name. Tanuj felt a strange but comforting connection solidify between them.

"Good, we're officially a team now," Tanuj said with a smile. "Now that that's settled…"

A sudden curiosity hit him, and Tanuj furrowed his brow. "Hey, Shadow Fang, where were you when I was fighting the Shadow Wolf?"

Shadow Fang tilted his head again, his glowing eyes giving nothing away. Tanuj sighed, realizing he wasn't going to get an answer. "Of course, you can't talk. Well, it's fine. I'm just glad you're here now."

With that, Tanuj decided to de-summon both of his companions. "Alright, you two take a break. I've got some business to handle in town."

The light around Shadow Fang flickered as he faded away, and Tanuj repeated the process with the Lightning Mouse. He watched as the mouse gave him one last squeak before disappearing.

"Alright, now that that's sorted out, time to get rich," Tanuj muttered to himself as he made his way back to town.

The market was as lively as ever, bustling with traders and shoppers. Tanuj's confidence soared as he approached a shop that dealt in rare materials and magical items. He imagined the hefty sum he'd get from selling the loot he'd collected over the past month.

As he joined the line, his heart pounded with excitement. He could almost see the piles of money he was about to receive. But as his turn approached, something caught his attention—a group of guards marching purposefully through the market, heading toward the area he had just come from.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he turned to the shopkeeper. "Hey, where are those guards going? It's my first time seeing them actually do something. They didn't even check me when I came in."

The shopkeeper, who had been arranging items on the counter, looked up. "Oh, them? They're heading to the children's playground. Apparently, some pets have gone missing."

Tanuj's heart skipped a beat. "Missing pets? What happened?"

The shopkeeper shook his head, looking concerned. "Nobody knows for sure. It's been happening recently. The kids just got back from an outside trip, and now, they're finding that their pets have disappeared. The guards are checking the area to see if they can find any clues."

Tanuj felt a cold sweat forming on his brow. "That's… terrible. What kind of monster would do something like that?"

"Yeah, it's sad. My son's pet is missing too," the shopkeeper added with a sigh. "He's been pretty upset about it."

Tanuj's stomach did a nervous flip. "Uh, what kind of pet was it?"

The shopkeeper's expression brightened as he remembered. "A cute little Ninja Squirrel. My son loved playing ninja-ninja with it. Mischievous little thing, but it was his favorite."

Tanuj's throat went dry. "Ninja Squirrel?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

The shopkeeper didn't notice Tanuj's discomfort. "Yeah, they're popular pets around here. Small, playful, and quick as lightning. The kids adore them."

Tanuj's mind raced as the pieces began to click together. The Ninja Squirrel he had defeated in the forest, the loot he had collected, and the system's cryptic message about the Shadow Wolf being the "first real monster" suddenly made sense.

"Oh no," Tanuj thought, his panic rising. "I've been hunting pets this whole time! That's why the system said 'real monster.' I wasn't fighting monsters before—I was killing kids' pets!"

He realized with horror that if the guards found out what he'd done, he'd be in serious trouble. And now, here he was, about to sell the loot he'd collected from those very same pets. If anyone recognized the items…

His sweat turned cold.

"Hey, buddy," the shopkeeper called, snapping Tanuj out of his spiraling thoughts. "It's your turn. What've you got for me today?"

Tanuj opened his mouth, but no words came out. His mind was spinning too fast to form a coherent thought. If he sold this loot and the shopkeeper recognized anything—like the fur of a certain Ninja Squirrel—he was done for. The guards would drag him off before he could even explain himself.

"I, uh… I…" Tanuj stammered, trying to think of an excuse. But the words just wouldn't come.

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, looking at Tanuj with curiosity. "You okay there? You're not gonna faint on me, are you?"

"I… I forgot something," Tanuj blurted out, his voice cracking with panic. "I'll be right back!"

Before the shopkeeper could respond, Tanuj spun on his heel and bolted out of the shop, pushing past the people in line as he made a hasty retreat. His heart pounded in his chest as he darted through the market, his mind racing.

"That was close. Way too close," Tanuj thought, his breath coming in short gasps. "I need to figure this out. I can't sell this stuff here—not with the guards looking for whoever's been making the pets disappear."

He ducked into an alleyway, leaning against the wall as he tried to calm his racing heart. The reality of his situation hit him hard. He wasn't just some adventurer anymore—he was a wanted man, even if no one knew it yet.

As he tried to catch his breath, he heard footsteps approaching the alley. His heart skipped a beat, his mind flashing to the worst-case scenario—guards, or worse, someone who had recognized him.

Tanuj pressed himself against the wall, holding his breath as the footsteps grew louder. He tensed, ready to make a run for it, when a familiar figure stepped into view.

It was the shopkeeper, holding something in his hand.

"You dropped this," the shopkeeper said, holding out a small pouch that Tanuj hadn't even realized he'd lost in his panic.

Tanuj blinked, relief flooding through him. "Oh… thanks."

The shopkeeper handed him the pouch and gave him a curious look. "You seemed pretty jumpy back there. Everything alright?"

Tanuj forced a laugh, trying to play it off. "Yeah, just… remembered I had somewhere to be. You know how it is."

The shopkeeper nodded slowly, not entirely convinced. "Sure. Just make sure you don't drop your stuff again."

"Will do," Tanuj said, forcing a smile. As the shopkeeper walked away, Tanuj let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"That was too close," he muttered to himself, clutching the pouch tightly. "I've got to be more careful… a lot more careful."

As he stood there, Tanuj knew he needed a new plan. He couldn't sell his loot in this town, not with the guards on alert and people noticing the missing pets. But what was he going to do with everything he had collected?

One thing was clear—he couldn't stay here much longer. Not if he wanted to avoid serious trouble.