Did I just… jinx myself into something good?
...
“Agh, this is gonna take forever! At this rate, it might not even finish today!”
Grumbling, I refocused on my immediate goal: finding food. Fruits seemed like the best bet—not because I’m vegan or anything (no offense to vegans)—but because I wouldn’t know how to process meat even if I managed to kill something. Skinning, cleaning, cooking—it all seemed way out of my league.
As I climbed back toward the cliff where I’d first “spawned,” the strange wildlife of this world became even more bizarre. I saw a deer-like creature with a peacock's tail, a giant moth with a squirrel-like face, and then there was the gray leopard with spider-like fangs... currently chasing me.
The spider-leopard—or leopard-spider—was surprisingly small, no more than 50 centimeters tall, but it was ferocious. Thick, dark liquid dripped from its fangs as it pursued me. Poisonous. Of course.
“System! Status! NOW!” I screamed between breaths, running like my life depended on it—which it did.
“Great, just great. It’s nowhere near ready!”
Desperate to lose the spider-leopard, I veered toward a tree and tried to pivot sharply by grabbing onto its trunk. Big mistake. The tree was nothing more than a rotting husk, and the bark crumbled in my hands. I lost my balance and tumbled to the ground, rolling twice before landing flat on my back.
Above me, the spider-leopard lunged, fangs bared and dripping with venom.
This is it... I thought, my eyes closing in resignation. I just wish I could’ve seen my skill...
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
A sharp impact against my hand startled me. Reflexively, I’d held up the piece of bark I’d grabbed during my fall. It had impaled the spider-leopard mid-lunge, the creature’s body now limp and lifeless.
“Guess I wasn’t ready to die after all,” I muttered, pushing the carcass off me and taking care to avoid the dripping venom.
I stared at the dead creature, catching my breath. “What the hell am I supposed to do with this? Eat it? Probably not—it’s literally oozing poison. Still, maybe I can find something about it on Wikipedia.”
Pulling out my phone, I checked the charge—57%. I scrolled through the downloaded database, but information on poisonous creatures in another world was predictably sparse. Still, the general advice was clear: never assume a new creature is safe to eat.
I sighed. “Well, that’s a no-go. Wait, where am I?”
Looking around, I realized I was in an unfamiliar part of the forest. The thick canopy blocked out the sky, making it impossible to orient myself. As I turned to search for landmarks, I stumbled upon the very thing I had been looking for—fruit!
The tree resembled a magnolia but bore strange, blue-green peach-like fruits. My stomach grumbled loudly, overriding any caution. I plucked one and bit into it. The juice dripped down my chin as I devoured the fruit. It wasn’t particularly sweet, but hunger made it taste divine.
Stuffing my cargo pants’ pockets with as many fruits as I could, I continued my search for water.
I stood still, straining my ears for the sound of running water. After five minutes of silence, I turned to my phone again. Maybe Wikipedia had something? Searching through the data was slow and clunky, but then I remembered—I had a lightweight AI installed on my phone.
It was a power hog, though, so I checked my battery again: 56%. Activating it would drain the charge, but I didn’t have much choice. Disabling every other function on the phone, I trained the AI on the downloaded Wikipedia data and asked for advice on finding water in a forest.
“To find water, follow animal trails, search for dense vegetation in low areas, and look for natural valleys or ravines,” the AI said in its monotonous voice.
Following its guidance, I noticed thicker vegetation in one direction and decided to follow it. Sure enough, I found a river. The water was so clear that I could see my reflection—and the wounds on my forehead from earlier.
I drank deeply, then cupped some water in my hands to rinse my cuts. The cool sensation was soothing, and I felt a flicker of relief.
“This isn’t so bad,” I muttered, taking a long look around the area. The riverbank was serene and flat, the gentle sound of water flowing over smooth rocks adding a sense of calm. It seemed like an ideal spot to set up camp for the night.
I started by gathering dry branches and twigs scattered nearby, stacking them carefully in a small clearing to form a makeshift fire pit. Using a flat, sturdy rock as a base, I placed some dry leaves and kindling in the center, making it easier to ignite later.
Next, I scoured the area for a good spot to sit. Among the scattered stones, I found a large, smooth, and rounded one that was just the right size to serve as a makeshift stool. I placed it near the fire pit and tested it—surprisingly comfortable for a rock.
Moving on, I looked around for large, clean leaves to make a bed. I carefully inspected each one for insects or dirt before layering them together. Once I had enough, I arranged them into a soft pile to act as a makeshift pillow and mattress.
Lastly, I gathered a few more branches and propped them up as a rudimentary windbreak, shielding the camp from the occasional breeze.
“This should do for now,” I said, stepping back to admire my handiwork. It wasn’t much, but it felt strangely satisfying to create something so basic yet functional with my own hands.
"I’ve never felt this free before… no expectations, no responsibilities. Just me and this new world.”
I checked the status for the system.
“So close! I can’t wait to see what skill I get!”
Kachink!
A sudden noise startled me. It came from deeper in the woods. Grabbing a makeshift torch—a stick wrapped in leaves soaked with sap and lit from my campfire—I ventured toward the sound.
In a small clearing, I found a man lying on the ground, his leg impaled by a cruel, metallic trap. Blood pooled beneath him, and his face was pale.
“P-please... h-help...”