DogToy

Inside the city, dusk settled deeply, and several streetlamps stood alongside the road, casting a bleak white light akin to the cool glow of the moon. The cold wind whistled through the alleys, provoking pitiful howls from stray dogs.

Despite being a prosperous metropolis with the highest economic and cultural strength in the country, the nightlife of its citizens couldn’t compare to that of small towns and villages. After nightfall, every household shuts its doors and windows, rarely venturing out unless absolutely necessary. "They say Su Fang City is the gateway between our world and hell. Going out at night might expose you to demons crawling out of hell to claim lives," the girl walked down the road with a flashlight, tightly gripping her friend's arm, "so the locals here tend to go out and return early, avoiding the night altogether."

"The rules at your hotel are truly odd," another girl remarked with a touch of disapproval while trying to comfort her friend, "But don't worry, we'll be home soon. Besides, what demon could be more relentless than our boss? Working late into the night and not even giving us a day off tomorrow."

Before she could finish, a heavy clunk echoed as something fell to the ground. In the dimly lit and narrow alley, something seemed to stir and rush out.

The girl shuddered in horror and huddled closer to her friend. Her friend, relatively composed, took the flashlight, saying, "Don't be scared, it's just a trash can knocked over by the wind."

The flashlight's beam fell upon the overturned garbage, and before they could discern anything, a large yellowish-brown cat suddenly leaped out of it.

The cat was filthy and unkempt, with patches of black-green mold on its belly emitting a pungent odor. Its glazed eyes gleamed with an ominous red light, revealing its ferocious bared teeth dripping with thick saliva onto the ground.

Her hand trembled as she took a few steps back, her voice quivering, "Is this cat sick?"

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she turned sideways to shield her friend and summoned the courage to face the large feline. Meanwhile, her friend hastily pulled out her phone from her bag, ready to call the police.

Before the phone could be unlocked, the cat suddenly became agitated, ignoring both of them and growling as it lunged back toward the trash can. Mid-attack, it was engulfed by a sudden gust of wind, vanishing into the darkness almost instantly.

Clutching each other tightly, tears of relief welled up in the girls' eyes as they sprinted hand in hand toward the exit, not forgetting to dial the police on their way.

They fled far away, leaving only a blurry figure at the tarred intersection. One of the girls abruptly turned her head, repeatedly glancing back at the decrepit alley. Her friends called out to her several times before she snapped out of her trance.

"There was a cat just now."

"A cat? Where did you see a cat?"

"Nothing, perhaps I imagined it."

The night wind carried their conversation back into the alley.

The figure hunched over the trash can stirred.

Obscured by the pale moonlight hidden within the dark clouds, the trash can appeared as a shadow cast by the willow tree. Only upon a close approach and careful observation could one discern a real person.

Claude, in all-black attire from clothes to mask, at first glance, resembled an abandoned human sculpture. Yet, the perky dog ears atop his head and the long tail swinging behind him ruthlessly exposed his disguise, turning this appearance, which might have seemed like an attempted robbery, unexpectedly cute.

Holding a miniature toy water gun, he walked to where the large dog had disappeared, bent down, and performed an unknown action, seemingly pulling a palm-sized silver metal piece from thin air.

"Is this the fragment of the dog god's body you mentioned?"

With a slight pressure on his fingertips, the seemingly indestructible metal block emitted a bright, shimmering light like a shower of stars, then returned to its original place.

"Yes, now do you believe me? Once you dispel the Hell Cat that invaded the mortal world, there's a chance to obtain the Dog God's fragment as a reward. You can strengthen yourself and become an invincible superpower!" The voice conveyed joy and pride.

"I never thought you were a liar. What liar can make people grow dog ears and tails?" Claude sighed, removing the mask to reveal his young, innocent face. "But why? Just because I picked up a stray dog that was in a car accident three days ago?"

There was a pause in the voice's response. Instead of answering Claude's question, it shifted to another topic.

"As long as you collect enough fragments, you can gain superpowers bestowed by the Dog God, like immense strength, magic, or even immortality. Isn't that appealing?"

Claude sighed in resignation, "In comics, everyone says that there is usually a demon or villain."

"I am not a demon but the guardian of the dog god, the supreme spiritual artifact. I've been given the name of the God of Light since my birth, and all the gods call me by this name!"

"Then what is the name God gave you?" Claude asked curiously.

"Dog toys," proudly stated the voice.

Claude rubbed his temples and couldn't help but smile, slightly easing his fear of the strange voice.

"The Dog God guards the gates of hell. With the Hell Cat's infiltration, human life and safety are at risk. Only you, recognized by the Dog God, can contain the Hell Cat," the voice reasoned.

Claude stood silent, gazing at his right wrist. Ever since he encountered a stray cat in a car accident three days ago, a dark black complex pattern resembling a flattened world map had appeared on his wrist.

Though mistaken for a tattoo by those unfamiliar, he could hide it under his skin with a gentle touch, akin to a fingerprint-controlled phone screen saver.

"The island of dogs, and also the world map. It resembles a dog playing with a ball, signifying the world belongs to the god of dogs!"

However, the dog toy couldn't stay serious for more than two seconds. It quickly transitioned into speaking proudly about the Dog God's power and greatness.

Claude heard footsteps and retreated, skillfully navigating streets and alleys, finally reaching his house and sneaking into his room. Despite his visible dog ears and tail, his agility had significantly improved.

He neatly arranged his black clothes as nightwear, placing them beside his pillow. As he lay in bed, the heart that had raced all night finally settled.

Had it not been for the sudden emergence of dog ears and a tail, he wouldn't have succumbed to the dog toy's persuasion and snuck out in the dead of night without informing his parents. He had to be at school by six tomorrow morning!

Yet, witnessing the Hell Cat's indiscriminate attacks and realizing that a few drops of water, long considered a jest, could truly exorcise demons, was another jolt for Claude, who believed he lived in a rational world.

The grand mission of expelling Hell Cats was an irresistible temptation for teenagers entering their second phase of puberty. The allure of legendary superpowers and magic was even stronger. Moreover, today's Hell Cats have displayed aggression towards humans. Claude asked himself whether he'd feel guilty if he stood by and watched innocent people get hurt or worse.

However, he prided himself on being a rational person. Furthermore, after consuming countless movies and comics, he held a deep-rooted skepticism about saving the world-superheroes and their associates had to endure countless hardships and losses. Heck, not even the Avengers or the Justice League could boast complete sets of parents!

When Claude questioned the danger involved in expelling the Hell Cats, the dog toy stayed silent for a while. Even without seeing its body, Claude could envision the creature scratching its ears and face in puzzlement.

"Why not use a puppet instead of risking your own body? Combining the fragments of the dog god's body and spirit creates a puppet distinct from your physical form. It can handle all the dangerous tasks, keeping your identity secret," the dog toy proposed, seeing Claude's interest.

"But what about the dog's ears and tail?" Claude inquired.

The fluffy black ears twitched atop his head, and the tail, confined in his pajamas, wagged excitedly, breaking free from the quilt and playfully patting the pillow.

"They're a manifestation of your transformed soul and body, and they'll also merge with the puppet," the dog toy clarified.

Claude nodded gleefully. Fed up with his homeroom teacher's reprimands for wearing a hat in class, he'd longed to prove that his golden hair wasn't dyed, nor did he have alopecia. Eagerly, he turned to activate the vest. Upon the dog toy's reminder that he had less than four hours until school, he settled back down.

As the morning sun streamed through the window, the metal piece retrieved from the alley, dormant in the vast night, shattered into silver fragments, glimmering in the sunlight, and seeped into the tattoo on the sleeping teenager's wrist visible under the thin quilt.

The dark world map suddenly brightened in a small area.

The dog's tail he had been holding shrank and vanished, transforming into a small, silver-gray cat-dog, resting on his white pillow.

The dog toy's voice echoed in the teenager's mind. It was soft enough not to disrupt the boy's unfinished dream but left an impression like a stone sinking into a deep lake, fading before the ripples dissipated.

"Great Dog God, I cannot fathom your directive. Can an ordinary human truly fulfill your wishes..."