The laser sight on Luna's chest held steady. The Cerberus, forgotten for a moment, let out a frustrated bark as it shifted its attention to the new threat on the rooftop. It was a standoff. Luna, despite her tiny body, felt the familiar surge of adrenaline she'd only ever felt in the most high-stakes online games. This was no game, but the rules felt eerily similar.
"I said back off," the voice from the rooftop repeated, now with an edge of impatience. The figure, a young man with a tired face and a sniper rifle that looked far too big for his frame, didn't seem to care that he was talking to a catgirl. He just saw a target.
"Wait! I didn't know you were here! I just... I was just fighting this thing!" Luna squeaked, her voice betraying the panic in her mind. Her tail swished nervously.
"Yeah, well, it's mine. Guild contracts. You wouldn't get it." He raised the rifle, and the red dot on her chest grew brighter.
Suddenly, a system message flashed in front of her eyes: "Warning! PvP (Player vs. Player) imminent. Do you want to activate your Character's unique abilities?" Below it, two options glowed: 'Yes' and 'No'.
"What? PvP?" Luna blinked. This was a whole new level of "Isekai." He wasn't just another player; he was a 'rival Vtuber,' and they were competing for monster loot. The absurdity of it all was overwhelming.
Before she could choose, the Cerberus charged, roaring with rage. The sniper on the roof fired, but the bullet missed, hitting the Cerberus's shoulder instead. The beast roared louder, turning its heads towards the new attacker. This was her chance.
"Yes!" Luna yelled, selecting the option. A blinding light enveloped her, and the voice in her head, the 'system,' spoke in a calm, female tone: "Character's Unique Ability, 'Kawaii Overload,' is now active. Your charm, cuteness, and charisma are magnified tenfold, compelling nearby non-sentient beings to follow you. Bonus: 'Feline Affinity' is now active. You have a 99% chance of taming nearby feline creatures. The Cerberus is 50% canine, 50% demonic. Good luck, Virtual Hunter."
Luna stared in disbelief. Her unique ability was... cuteness?
As if on cue, she let out a tiny, high-pitched "Mew!" The Cerberus's three heads, which moments ago were filled with pure aggression, now tilted in unison. It stopped its charge, whining like a puppy. The middle head, in a bizarre display of affection, licked the air in her direction.
"What in the...?" the sniper muttered, lowering his rifle in confusion.
Luna, equally stunned, instinctively took a step back. The Cerberus, seeing her retreat, let out a mournful howl. It began to follow her, its massive body shaking with puppy-like anticipation.
"No, no, no! Go back!" she pleaded, but it was too late. The Cerberus was now her loyal, albeit terrifying, pet. The sniper on the roof shook his head. "Tch. Virtual Hunter Guild... full of weirdos," he grumbled, before disappearing into the shadows.
Luna was left alone in the street with a three-headed puppy-dog and a world of new, bizarre possibilities. Her old life had been a grind, a constant struggle against a soul-crushing reality. But this new reality, as a 16-year-old catgirl with the power of 'cuteness,' was something else entirely. It was ridiculous, dangerous, and utterly unpredictable. And for the first time in a long time, Takanashi Kado felt a strange sense of purpose. He wasn't just a loser anymore; he was a hero, a Vtuber with a ridiculous but powerful skill. And she, Luna, had just found her first pet.