Reincarnated as a Cat in Another World, I Was Picked Up by the Strongest Mercenary Group
Before I knew it, I’d turned into a kitten in another world.
The one who picked me up, when I was on the verge of freezing and starving to death, was Valdo, the leader of the tough mercenary group “Black Iron Claws”, who had been wounded in battle and separated from his comrades.
For some reason, Valdo took a liking to me and gave me the name “Al,”
and just like that, I ended up traveling with the commander as a shoulder-perching kitten.
And so began my otherworldly life as a shoulder-riding kitten with the commander and his mercenary crew!
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I Was Reincarnated as a Cat
… When I woke up, I’d been reborn as nothing more than a cat.
It wasn’t a joke or a dream. I knew that all too well from the overwhelming hunger and the biting snowstorm steadily draining my body heat.
What I remembered was this, I’d been an ordinary guy in Japan, living a completely average life.
My name was Satou Yuta.
The last thing I remembered was a single black cat by the roadside.
It looked like it was about to get hit by a car, so I instinctively stepped forward to save it, and while I managed to shield the cat, it seemed I got run over and died in its place.
Right before my consciousness faded, I felt like I heard something along the lines of, “In return for saving me, I shall grant you the blessing of the Cat God…”
… though that might’ve just been a hallucination.
If that really was a voice, then this so-called Cat God has a bit of a personality problem.
I mean… when I woke up, I was nothing but a tiny little kitten!
“Meowwwww!!”
And it’s not like I can talk like some picture-diary-writing orange cat out there!
And it’s not like I can turn into a human like some fantasy cat either!
I’m a completely normal cat!
And on top of that, why the hell did I wake up in a snowy forest in the dead of winter!?
At least drop me somewhere in a town where humans live!
Then I’d suck up to cat lovers with everything I’ve got!
“Me-meow…”
And this fluffy little jet-black kitten body of mine? My fur’s still all soft and flimsy, and my limbs are tiny and unreliable.
On top of that, my sense of smell and hearing, way sharper than a human’s, are a problem too.
The scent of dirt carried on the wind, the distant footsteps of beasts, the roaring howl of the wind… I feel it all with overwhelming sensitivity.
Ah, but right now, the bigger problem is my stomach!
There’s no way I can hunt. As just a kitten, I wandered aimlessly through the forest.
My steps were heavy, my head fuzzy from hunger.
I tried digging under fallen leaves, but maybe because it’s midwinter, I couldn’t even find any bugs.
At this rate, I’m going to die, either from hunger or the cold…!
I finally got reincarnated, and I’m going to die again in less than a day!? You’ve got to be kidding me!
“Miiyaa… meow?”
That’s when it happened.
In the depths of the dark forest, I spotted a faint, solitary light.
With a dazed mind from hunger and cold, I staggered toward it.
M-maybe… there are humans there!
If there are humans, I’ll show them this fluffy belly of mine and suck up with everything I’ve got!
Pride? That won’t fill my stomach!
“Miiyaa…”
And after several minutes, I finally reached the source of the light.
Deeper inside a cave, a flickering glow swayed. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I moved toward it.
… Well, I guess in this case, it’d be more accurate to say I moved my front paws.
As I stumbled closer, I saw someone sitting by a campfire in the back of the cave.
Outside, the wind howled through the night, but in there, it looked incredibly warm.
“Meow.”
I tried calling out to the person by the fire.
Though, all I could manage now was a pathetic little meow.
“…………”
No response.
I took a few more steps and moved closer.
The one there, was an enormous man.
Leaning against the wall as he slept, he had a thick chest and a powerful build you could tell even through his leather armor.
A deep gash was carved across his right cheek, still oozing blood. His whole body was covered in wounds, and the smell of blood hit my nose the moment I got close.
Beside him lay a sword in its sheath and a shield.
… Wait, a sword and shield!?
Hold on, why does this guy have stuff like that in modern-day Japan!?
Hmm… what should I do…
Maybe he’s dangerous…?
“Miiyaa…”
I let out a hesitant cry, but only for a moment. Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness hit me.
Drawn in by the warmth of the fire, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Looks like this kitten body doesn’t have much stamina.
And with the triple combo of exhaustion, cold, and hunger, there’s no way I can fight off sleep.
Before I knew it, I’d pushed aside the man’s cloak and climbed up onto his thigh with a little heave.
I glanced at him, but he showed no sign of waking.
The thick scent of blood stung my nose.
But, I couldn’t resist the gentle warmth of his body.
Letting the incoming drowsiness take me, I curled up on his thigh.
And then, purring softly, I drifted off to sleep…
What do you think about this chapter?
