In The Wilderness

A dull ache pounded in his head as he stirred awake. The first thing he noticed was the rough, uneven surface beneath him—cold and unwelcoming. His fingers brushed against damp stone as he forced his eyes open. Shadows stretched across jagged rock formations, flickering under the dim glow of an unseen light source. A musty, earthy scent filled his lungs.

"Am I dreaming? Where is this place?"

Kuma sat up, his body sluggish as if weighed down by something foreign. His clothes—no, not clothes—were strange. Thick, coarse fur clung to his skin, stitched together in a crude attempt at covering him. He ran a hand over the material. Animal pelts? Why was he wearing something like this?

His mind scrambled for answers.

"The last thing I remember… I was at my desk. Watching my favorite show on Netflix. It was the final season. I even bought a bucket of chicken…"

His stomach twisted at the thought. The taste, the smell—it all felt so vivid, but the gnawing emptiness in his belly reminded him that it was only a memory.

"How long was I asleep?"

A sinking dread settled in his gut. "What kind of prank is this!?"

The air was cold against his skin as he pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly before regaining balance. The cave walls loomed around him, ancient and silent. A faint breeze rustled from somewhere beyond. Driven by an uneasy curiosity, he moved toward the entrance. As he stepped outside, the chill wind slammed into his face, and for a moment, he forgot to breathe.

Before him stretched an endless sky, painted in hues of gold and crimson. Below, a vast expanse of rolling green stretched toward the horizon, where it met the endless blue of the ocean. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the jagged cliffs of the mountain he stood upon.

It was breathtaking.

Yet, it was all wrong.

"Wow… Beautiful." His voice was barely above a whisper. "But this is no time to admire the view. I need to go home."

Home.

That single thought sent panic thrumming through his veins. He had to find people—someone, anyone—who could tell him what was happening. "A road. If I find a road, I'll find civilization."

With renewed urgency, he began his descent.

Hours passed. His body ached with every step as he navigated through uneven terrain, thick underbrush clawing at his legs. His feet throbbed from the endless walking, every muscle in his body screaming in protest.

"Damn it. Should've done some exercise back then."

The woods thickened around him, towering trees swallowing what little daylight remained. The crunch of dry leaves and twigs beneath his feet was the only sound accompanying him—until another, much softer sound reached his ears.

Water.

His breath hitched, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He followed the sound, weaving through the dense foliage until he stumbled upon a small stream. The sight of it nearly brought him to his knees. Without hesitation, he cupped his hands and scooped up the crystal-clear liquid, gulping it down greedily. The cool water slid down his throat, soothing the dryness that had plagued him for hours.

As the ripples settled, he caught sight of something strange—his own reflection.

He leaned closer.

"What the hell?"

The face staring back at him was his… but younger. His hair, now much longer than he remembered, cascaded past his shoulders. His skin, which should have carried the faint roughness of adulthood, was eerily smooth.

"This isn't possible…"

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, unfamiliar sound. A faint ding echoed in his ears, as though something had just… loaded?

A translucent blue window materialized before his eyes.

Mission:

Find a Water Source - ✔ Complete Make a Shelter - Ongoing Secure Food - Ongoing Hunt an Animal - Ongoing Find the Village - Ongoing

Kuma blinked, rubbing his eyes. The glowing text remained, floating in mid-air. "A… game menu?"

Hesitantly, he reached out, but his hand passed through it. His heart pounded in his chest. "This is insane… but this looks exactly like a survival game."

His mind reeled at the implications, but his stomach had other priorities. A sharp pang reminded him of the one thing he needed most—food.

"If this is really a game, then…"

"Status!"

A new window appeared.

Kuma

Job: None

Age: 17

HP: 33/50

Hunger: 2x (-1 HP per hour)

Thirst: -

Skills: Analyze Lv.1

"This is crazy!" He wanted to laugh at how absurd this was, but the cold, hard reality was that his health was decreasing. If this was a game world, he could very well starve to death.

He needed food. Now.

The sun dipped below the horizon as he continued down the mountain. He tried every possible way to summon magic—"Fireball! Wind Slash! Water Ball! Earth Wall! Wingardium Leviosa!"—but nothing happened.

Frustrated, he clenched his fists. "Damn it! This would be so much easier if I had magic!"

Then, he remembered his only skill.

"Analyze."

A faint glow enveloped the flower in his hand.

Flower x1

He frowned. "That's it?" He grabbed another object and repeated the skill. A rock. A leaf. Another flower. A mushroom. More rocks. More leaves. For thirty minutes, he analyzed everything he could find.

Then—

Rock (Small): Can be used as a tool

His breath hitched. "Wait… does this mean…?"

He quickly checked his status again.

Skills: Analyze Lv.2

A surge of excitement coursed through him. "Yes! I can level up skills!"

Fueled by this discovery, he continued on. Hours passed, and exhaustion weighed heavy on his limbs. His hunger gnawed at him, each step feeling heavier than the last. His HP had dropped further, and his vision blurred at the edges.

Then, he heard it.

Snap.

His breath hitched. Slowly, he turned his head.

A large creature stood at the water's edge.

A deer—but not just any deer. It towered at nearly three meters, its antlers stretching like ancient branches. The air around it crackled with something primal, something powerful. It drank from the stream, oblivious to his presence… until its head slowly lifted.

Its eyes locked onto his.

His body screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move. His heart pounded against his ribs.

For a long, unbearable moment, the two simply stared at each other.

Then, just as suddenly, the creature turned away and resumed drinking.

Kuma didn't wait to see if it would change its mind. He backed away, step by agonizing step, until he was sure he was out of its sight. Only then did he allow himself to breathe again.

He had survived his first encounter.

And if he wanted to keep surviving, he needed to get stronger. Fast.