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Pursuer, a species on the very brink of extinction. Because of their herbivorous diet, timid nature, and gentle temperament, they quickly became the number one target on the black market for hunters and collectors alike. Their pristine white fur shimmered under the light, while their soft pink eyes carried an almost pitiful innocence. Even a single tuft of their fur could fetch an astronomical price on the black market. As for the rest of their body... only the wealthiest elites or the most accomplished hunters could ever hope to possess it.
Because of their immense value, Pursuers were hunted relentlessly. Within only a few months, their numbers had plummeted. Perhaps only two or three remained in the wild. Even renowned hunting experts, working together, rarely had the chance to even catch sight of one, let alone successfully capture it.
Once word spread that the species was nearing extinction, collectors who had yet to profit from them became even more desperate. The forests were searched more aggressively than ever, and the range of exploration continued to expand.
Yet despite all of this, only one person knew where the last remaining Pursuer lived.
That person was Artful.
At first, Artful had only heard rumors about the Pursuer's incredible value. He simply thought he'd try his luck—if fortune smiled upon him, he could become unimaginably rich. So he grabbed a tool that happened to be nearby and wandered into the forest.
After spending quite some time searching with no success, he decided to head back. Yet the moment he turned around...
He saw one.
Artful rubbed his eyes several times to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Once he confirmed what he saw was real, he quietly slipped behind a nearby bush and carefully observed the Pursuer.
The Pursuer was far larger than he had imagined—even taller than a fully grown bear. Artful, standing at 175 centimeters, looked tiny in comparison. If Pursuers weren't such timid herbivores, a single swipe of its paw could probably kill him instantly.
At that moment, the Pursuer stood upright like a human, reaching into a berry bush to gather fruit. Every few moments, it would glance nervously around its surroundings. Once it had collected enough berries, it prepared to leave for somewhere safer to enjoy its meal.
"Now!"
Artful immediately seized the opportunity and leapt out from the bushes.
But the instant their eyes met...
The terrified look in the Pursuer's pink eyes made his body freeze.
Seeing that Artful hadn't continued attacking, the Pursuer hurriedly backed itself against a tree. Tears welled up in its eyes as it desperately shook its head. The berries scattered across the ground, and it silently begged Artful to spare its life.
Looking at the trembling creature before him, Artful finally understood why Pursuers were worth so much.
This wasn't a creature that felt as though it belonged in the mortal world.
It looked more like an angel sent by God to observe humanity.
Or perhaps...
A succubus from the underworld.
"Hey... don't be afraid... okay?"
By now, Artful had completely abandoned any intention of hunting the Pursuer.
Instead...
He simply wanted to get to know this enchanting creature.
And make it his.
Artful slowly lowered himself into a crouch and carefully approached.
As he got closer, he noticed the Pursuer curling itself into a tight ball. Its body was pressed firmly against the tree, unable to retreat any farther.
Recognizing the perfect moment, Artful suddenly quickened his pace.
His hand finally reached the Pursuer's soft fur.
As he gently stroked it, the Pursuer stiffened, turning its head away while instinctively trying to flee.
But now that Artful had experienced just how soft and fluffy the creature truly was, there was no way he'd simply let it go.
He wrapped both arms around the massive beast, practically hanging his entire body weight onto it.
"Come on, don't be scared~ I'm not gonna do anything to you~"
Artful buried his face into the Pursuer's chest, rubbing against its fur while taking several deep breaths through his nose, savoring its scent.
The Pursuer stood there completely rigid.
It stared at the strange human who had first intended to kill it, only to suddenly begin... cuddling it instead.
Confusion filled its expression.
Yet the moment it noticed the weapon still clutched in Artful's hand, its body shivered once more.
The Pursuer gently placed both hands on Artful's shoulders, trying to "firmly" push him away.
Unfortunately...
The only result was Artful hugging it even tighter.
No matter how hard the Pursuer tried to shove him away, the human refused to budge.
Eventually, the giant beast simply gave up and remained standing still, waiting patiently for the unexpected visitor to satisfy himself.
"...Hey."
"Where do you live?"
After petting the Pursuer for quite some time, Artful found himself wanting even more.
After all, if he ever entered the forest again, the chances of stumbling across the Pursuer by coincidence would be almost nonexistent.
The moment the Pursuer heard the question, tears immediately streamed down its face.
It wanted to frantically shake its head in refusal.
But when it noticed Artful's unwavering stare...
And the way he tightened his grip around the blunt weapon in his hand...
It realized it had no way to resist.
Defeated, it slowly guided Artful toward its home.
Along the way, Artful noticed something interesting.
With the Pursuer leading the way, they encountered almost no dangers whatsoever.
The routes it chose were incredibly difficult to traverse—dense areas beneath enormous trees where sunlight barely reached, or winding paths cluttered with rocks and uneven terrain.
Perhaps...
These secret paths existed to avoid hunters.
After traveling for quite some time...
They finally arrived.
The Pursuer leaned against a tree, breathing heavily after dragging along the much smaller—but still burdensome—human all this way.
Meanwhile, Artful carefully memorized the surrounding terrain and landmarks.
Once he was certain he'd remember the location, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the berries the Pursuer had dropped earlier.
Holding one up to its mouth, he smiled.
"Hey"
"You dropped all of these earlier."
"Here..."
"Ahhh~"
With a mischievous grin, Artful gestured for the Pursuer to open its mouth.
Completely exhausted, the Pursuer had no energy left to resist.
It obediently opened its mouth.
Watching the giant beast actually eat the berry from his hand...
Artful's smile twisted into one of uncontrollable delight.
"Ahhh...!"
"I actually got to feed you!"
"You're seriously adorable, Pursuer..."
He excitedly rubbed the Pursuer's head as though he had just obtained the world's greatest treasure.
From then on...
Artful visited the Pursuer almost every single day.
Sometimes he simply missed his enormous fluffy companion.
Other times he brought human food out of curiosity, wanting to watch the expressions the Pursuer made after tasting them.
A month quietly passed like this.
"Pursuer..."
"I really hope you never get captured and turned into some fur coat."
"If those hunters ever make it here..."
"I think..."
"I'll kill every single one of them."
As Artful gently stroked the Pursuer's fur, he muttered those words.
After an entire month together, the Pursuer had come to trust him completely.
No matter how Artful touched or hugged it, the giant creature would simply close its eyes with a comfortable expression.
It probably wasn't even paying attention to what Artful was saying.
Unfortunately...
That day came much sooner than expected.
While Artful was once again petting the Pursuer, the rumbling sound of engines echoed through the forest.
Artful immediately grabbed his hammer and quickly pushed the Pursuer behind a nearby tree.
"Pursuer."
"I'm going to show you..."
"...just how fragile humans really are."
"Boss said it's around here, right?"
"Trust him. We've never failed before."
"Would you idiots keep your voices down? What if you scare it away?"
Several hunters chatted loudly among themselves.
Hidden high within the trees, Artful silently watched every one of them.
Perhaps because of overconfidence, none of them wore much protective gear.
They carried only hunting rifles as they ventured deeper into the forest.
As they entered the Pursuer's territory, Artful frowned.
Soon enough, the hunters naturally split into smaller groups.
For Artful...
It was the perfect opportunity.
He selected the hunter furthest from the others.
Dropping silently from the treetop, gravity did the rest.
**Thud.**
One hunter ceased to exist.
After quietly eliminating the isolated hunters one by one, Artful turned his attention toward the remaining group of three.
He picked up several rifles from the bodies before following them.
Once again, he executed the same strategy.
He leapt from the tree.
Another hunter fell instantly.
"Stop!"
One of the remaining hunters shouted as he raised his rifle.
**Bang!**
Artful had already anticipated it.
Without hesitation, he turned and fired first.
The hunter collapsed.
"You're the last one..."
Artful rushed toward the final survivor, overpowering him before stripping away every weapon he carried and tossing them aside.
Then...
He dragged the helpless man toward the Pursuer.
He wanted the gentle creature to witness the final judgment.
By now, the Pursuer had already been frightened into tears by the earlier gunshots.
When it saw Artful dragging another human toward it...
It instinctively stumbled backward until its back struck a tree.
"Oh..."
"Pursuer, don't be scared."
"I just want you to understand..."
"...how fragile humans really are."
Artful lifted his hammer.
Then brought it crashing down onto the hunter's head.
One strike.
The hunter's body instantly went limp.
But Artful didn't stop.
Again.
And again.
And again.
He continued swinging until the head was completely unrecognizable.
"Hahaha..."
"Pursuer..."
Artful slowly walked toward the trembling creature.
He gently unfolded the Pursuer's tightly clenched hand and softly stroked the claws it could no longer hide.
The blood staining his own hands spread onto the Pursuer's white fur.
"You know..."
"Humans are fascinating."
"If we aren't wearing any protection..."
"Even the smallest tool..."
"Or anything sharp..."
"Can kill us."
"If you wanted to..."
"These claws of yours..."
"You could kill me too."
The moment the Pursuer heard those words, it immediately pulled its hands back and frantically shook its head.
"...You don't want to kill me?"
With tears glistening in its eyes...
The Pursuer nodded desperately.
Seeing that reaction...
Artful couldn't help but smile.
By the time everything had finally settled...
Night had already fallen.
Artful originally intended to gamble on finding his way home through the dark forest.
Instead...
The Pursuer quietly invited him to spend the night inside its hollow tree.
Artful lay comfortably across the Pursuer's curled-up back.
Feeling the giant creature's breathing gradually become slow and steady...
He gently rose and fell with every breath...
Until sleep quietly claimed him.