Chapter 03
A new system window appeared.
(Global) SYSTEM: In 120 seconds, the Hidden Class Pet (SSS) will appear in front of Dungeon No. 4!
The first three people to find the White-headed Long-tailed Tit and pat its head will automatically form a party.
Party Buffs:
- Flight skill available (P)
- Will not receive preemptive attacks from avian monsters (P)
- Item acquisition rate increased by 20% (P)
“…Ppi?”
SYSTEM: You will be moved to Dungeon No. 4 in 120 seconds. 120, 119, 118…
Wait, what?!
What about my consent?
I had absolutely no intention of showing myself in front of people!
Cold sweat poured down at this completely unexpected situation.
Watching the numbers decrease, I flapped my wings and chirped frantically.
And the moment the countdown changed from 1 to 0—
Just like before, my body glowed white.
I shut my eyes on instinct.
A few seconds passed.
Then the quiet around me was suddenly filled with loud, chaotic noise.
When I cautiously opened my eyes—
I was perched on a tree branch.
And below me, hunters were crowding everywhere.
Then once again—
Doo-dung!
That dramatic sound effect rang out.
(Global) SYSTEM: The Pet (SSS) has appeared somewhere in the field!
“It appeared!”
“Can tracking skills detect it?”
“Split up and search the area first. If you find it, pat its head immediately!”
“It’s a bird, so watch the sky too!”
Voices erupted all at once, and it felt like my heart shrank.
Pat its head?
If that whole crowd rushed me, my head might explode.
Literally.
I-if they don’t find me… Maybe I can go back on my own?
Seeing as I had been forcibly teleported here, that seemed unlikely.
Even if I stayed still on this branch—
I didn’t want to be found.
Below me, the hunters started getting irritated.
“Where the hell is it hiding?”
And then—
Doo-dung!
That cursed sound effect again.
Ah, please…!
(Global) SYSTEM: The Pet (SSS) has not been discovered for 600 seconds.
The pet (SSS) will double in size!
Image of the White-headed Long-tailed Tit attached.
(Photo)
The moment the new window appeared—
My field of vision widened slightly.
My body had doubled in size.
…Aaaah!
I screamed internally at the suddenly heavier feeling.
But the hunters below cheered.
“Wow, cute. Is it going to keep getting bigger?”
“But that bird is originally smaller than a palm, so even doubled…”
“Still easier to find than before.”
“Tracking skills don’t pick it up, so I guess we have to search manually. Check the trees too?”
Their voices stabbed into my ears.
The attached image made me flinch.
The word “trees” made me swallow hard.
If only I knew how to fly, I could hide somewhere else—
But I only knew how to flap my wings.
I had no idea how to actually fly.
W-what do I do?
My heart felt like it would jump out of my beak.
If I could at least talk properly—
But all that came out was chirping, which only made me more nervous.
If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve tried transforming!
The saying curiosity killed the cat was absolutely right.
I clamped my beak shut so I wouldn’t accidentally cry out and sat frozen like a stone statue.
But before long—
Doo-dung!
That evil sound came again.
(Global) SYSTEM: The Pet (SSS) has not been discovered for 800 seconds.
The pet (SSS) will double in size!
And I grew again.
Much more noticeably this time.
The problem was—
Growing bigger also meant growing heavier.
The branch that had easily supported me when I was small slowly bent downward.
“……!”
No, no. Please don’t do this!
Below, hunters shouted—
“It got bigger again!”
Cold sweat poured down.
But maybe because my luck stat had disappeared after awakening as a pet—
Or maybe fate simply hated me—
The branch bent…
And with a snap—
It broke.
“Ppiyaaaak!”
My body dropped.
The rush of wind made me scream as I flapped desperately.
Thankfully, it slowed my fall.
Barely.
A tiny bit.
But it wasn’t enough.
And seeing the hunters below stretch out their arms in a frenzy—
I could barely breathe.
If I got caught, that was a problem.
If I hit the ground, that was a problem too.
Neither outcome looked good.
Tears almost burst out.
And then—
Right before I fell into someone’s hands—
A soft wind wrapped around my body.
“Ppi… ppii?”
What was this?
It definitely wasn’t natural wind.
My body bounced in midair.
Thunk. Thunk.
Then I rolled over and flipped onto my back.
And this time—
I really did land in someone’s palm.
My vision spun.
While I was shaking my head dizzily—
Fingers rubbed my face.
(Global) SYSTEM: The Pet’s party has been formed.
My feelings were complicated.
But at least I probably didn’t have to worry about my head exploding anymore…
Though somehow it felt like I’d lost a little of my dignity as a human.
Then a sharp voice cut through from nearby.
“Ah, they stole it…”
“Told you this would happen. Those bastards.”
“Hey, shh. They’ll hear you.”
“So what if they do? Going to PK me? As if hogging dungeon floors wasn’t bad enough, now they’re taking even that?”
Bastards…?
Did I get caught by rude, bad-mannered hunters?!
Just because people operated openly didn’t mean everyone was good.
While lurking the forums, I often saw posts about people causing trouble.
This person did this.
That person did that.
But I never paid attention.
I had already given up entering dungeons, so even famous hunters’ names meant nothing to me.
And the community was anonymous anyway.
Even if I read those posts, I wouldn’t know who they meant.
But now that I was actually facing such people—
Anxiety spread through me like spilled ink.
If I get back to normal, I am NEVER using a skill like this again!
Thinking that, I slowly forced open my tightly shut eyes.
I then tilted my head in confusion and relief at the same time.
“Ppii?”
Because the person in front of me—
Was Hee-ho?
And standing beside him—
Ye-seung and Cho-hee unni were regular customers at our shop.
Wait… did they just call my regular customers bastards…?
What was going on?
Usually, when you talk to people, you naturally get a sense of what kind of person they are.
And Hee-ho—
Of course.
But Ye-seung and Cho-hee too—
They always seemed kind and warm.
They looked after me.
They chose their words carefully.
Did I hear wrong? Or is that guy just picking a fight…?
But I didn’t have long to dwell on it.
Because the moment our eyes met—
Hee-ho smiled beautifully and tilted his head too.
“Hello, little chirpy.”
“…Ppi.”
Seeing a familiar face—
A close one—
Made me so relieved I nearly cried.
No—
I actually did cry a little.
Whether birds can cry wasn’t the important part.
I flapped my wings happily—
When the hunter who had been complaining raised his voice even louder.
“At least make an excuse instead of ignoring us. It’s more irritating this way. You think others didn’t have the ability to take it too? My hand touched it, and you still stole it. What kind of mentality is that? Am I the only one who thinks so?”
