The night was pitch black.
No moonlight reached the forest floor. The dense canopy of the Crimsonwood Jungle swallowed every trace of light, leaving the ground beneath the towering trees drowned in shadows. The wind moved slowly through the branches, causing leaves to whisper softly in the darkness.
Renji lay unconscious on the cold earth.
His body was motionless.
Blood had dried along his arms and legs, staining the dirt beneath him. His breathing was faint, barely noticeable.
Far in the distance—
A deep roar echoed.
Then another.
The jungle was alive.
Wild beasts ruled the night here. Their growls and howls traveled through the forest like waves, bouncing off tree trunks and rolling through the endless darkness.
Yet none of them approached Renji.
The scent of blood hung in the air, but something else lingered with it—an unfamiliar aura.
Morning slowly arrived.
Soft light filtered through the thick leaves of the jungle canopy, illuminating patches of the forest floor.
And then—
A presence emerged from the trees.
The white tiger.
Its massive body moved silently between the trunks, each step deliberate and controlled. Its sharp golden eyes scanned the ground until it finally stopped.
Renji lay there.
Unconscious.
The tiger lowered its head slightly and sniffed the air.
Blood.
And something else.
Mana.
A strange aura surrounded the boy's body. Something about it was unfamiliar… yet strangely compelling.
The tiger circled him slowly.
One step.
Two steps.
Its tail swayed behind it like a pendulum.
The boy didn't move.
After a moment, the tiger let out a low growl.
When no response came, it released a powerful roar that shook the surrounding trees.
The sound echoed through the forest.
Other beasts heard it.
And they stayed away.
Throughout the night, the tiger remained there.
Watching.
Guarding.
None of the other creatures dared approach. The tiger's overwhelming presence alone was enough to keep the jungle predators at bay.
Morning sunlight finally reached Renji's face.
His fingers twitched.
Then—
His eyes slowly opened.
Pain struck him immediately.
"Agh—!"
A sharp wave shot through his legs and shoulders. It felt as if every bone in his body had shattered.
Renji clenched his teeth.
"W-What… happened…?"
He tried to move his arm.
Nothing.
His body felt heavy and weak.
Blood loss had drained nearly all of his strength.
Suddenly—
A shadow appeared above him.
Renji's eyes widened.
The white tiger stood directly in front of him.
"…!"
Fear surged through his chest.
His heart pounded violently.
The tiger slowly lifted one of its enormous paws.
Renji froze.
"W-Wait…!"
But the tiger didn't strike.
Instead, it gently placed its paw on Renji's body.
A faint warmth spread through him.
Renji blinked.
"What…?"
The skin covering his injuries began to heal.
Cuts closed.
Blood dried.
Bruised flesh smoothed over as if time itself was reversing.
Renji stared in shock.
"Y-You… healed me…?"
But the deeper pain remained.
His bones were still broken.
His muscles still torn.
The tiger removed its paw and stepped back before lowering its massive body onto the forest floor.
It lay down calmly.
Facing him.
Renji stared at it for several seconds.
"…You want me to follow you?"
The tiger flicked its tail once.
Renji took a slow breath.
"…Alright."
Despite his injuries, he forced his body to move. Every motion sent waves of pain through him, but he gritted his teeth and climbed onto the tiger's broad back.
The tiger stood.
Slowly.
Then began walking.
The journey through the jungle was quiet.
The tiger moved with steady steps, carefully navigating between enormous trees and thick roots.
No other creatures approached them.
Even the birds remained silent.
After a while, Renji reached forward and gently placed his hand on the tiger's head.
The tiger flinched slightly.
"…Sorry," Renji laughed softly.
The tiger suddenly grabbed a nearby stick with its mouth and nudged Renji with it.
Renji blinked in surprise.
Then he laughed.
"Wow…"
"You're actually kind of cute."
The tiger turned its head slightly, as if acknowledging the compliment, before continuing forward.
Renji held the stick loosely.
"…Thanks," he whispered quietly.
Eventually, the forest began to thin.
The edge of the jungle appeared ahead.
Renji slowly climbed down from the tiger's back.
"…This is far enough."
The tiger stared at him silently.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then the tiger turned around.
Without another sound, it walked back into the forest.
Its massive white form slowly disappeared between the trees.
Renji watched until it was gone.
"…That was weird," he muttered.
Then he looked toward the distant town.
"…Now how am I supposed to walk there?"
He leaned heavily on the stick and began moving forward.
One painful step at a time.