"Yanto, wait, don't go!"
A year has passed since Apta became a human. In the space of a year, he spent time in the forest, living in life, already like a forest man, and never had any intention of getting out of there. There, all his needs were met, including clean water flowing in the river, as well as food from some of the animals he hunted and the fruit he got from the trees. His life can be fulfilled without the slightest problem.
Even to this day, the wild boar that he named Yanto spontaneously and which he is currently chasing has become one of the necessities of life. Apta needs Yanto as his food. Hunting Yanto was the best option he had accidentally seen. That's why Apta had to chase Yanto to fill his stomach.
"Yanto...wait for me!"
Apta took something from between his stomach and his spit. It was a knife made of stone, which had been sharpened quite sharply and with a handle made of wood that was quite strong and comfortable to grip. Apta took it and threw it at Yanto, who was running so fast as if he was panicking.
The knife hit Yanto, right between his stomach and chest. The blood from within Yanto's body began to come out because of that. He immediately lay there.
"Finally... Sorry, Yanto. Maybe it's because I'm a human that I have to…"
Without thinking, Apta began to skin Yanto's body. Slowly and surely, Yanto's body only left some bones.
A reason enough for Apta to kill any animal he encounters. He is a human trying to survive in the forest. Food, drink, house, comfort, clothes, that's all he needs in this forest. With fulfilled needs, he can survive as far as he can and is able. As long as he wants to live, he will continue to live as a human.
After making a bonfire which he learned from what he saw when he was a god, Apta pierced Yanto's flesh to form a satay. Then, he put it between the fire. He made it up to 5 and put them between the smoldering fire.
Devouring them one by one into his mouth and then into his stomach, Apta finally remembered something.
"I forgot something. I should have cleaned this meat in the river before I ate it. It's still dirty and smelly, it doesn't taste good when you eat it. Why did I forget something as important as this? Unlucky..."
He did forget that the most important thing before the fire occurred, but he still ate it because he didn't want to waste it.
After eating Yanto, Apta made new clothes for him. He took the bark to combine with Yanto's skin. Then, he sewed with lemongrass some of the flowers he got. At least, the knife he made was also very useful for sewing and punching holes.
The new clothes made of bark and Yanto's skin were finished by him. It took up to 2 hours just to make that alone. The clothes were immediately washed by him on the river bank.
It wasn't perfect in the end, but at least it could warm him from the night and morning breezes and the cold spring air.
He has made at least 10 clothes in one year. The clothes he made from materials from this forest, including trees, animals, flowers, and fruits that had fragrant skins.
Three out of ten clothes that he makes can guarantee when in winter. The clothes kept him warm even amid a snowstorm. What he learned from the climate of this world, and what he had learned when he was still a god, he was able to survive well in the forest.
But it's just that, so far, he still doesn't know what he's waiting for. He had never tried to get out of the forest, to go to places in this world after becoming a human. Out there, he can only think that there he will meet other lives as well as humans who live in groups.
Even so, he wanted to try to do that, get out of this forest.
Since that dream, a dream that keeps haunting him and keeps coming in his sleep, he has a desire to get out of this forest. The dream seemed to invite him to get out of his comfort zone, the forest that became his home.
Within the dream, a girl who had a cruel gaze was seen. The girl seemed to be filled with a high sense of anger that made her gaze feel so sharp. But what Apta has been questioning until now is that the girl has purple eyes and hair. The girl looks like the little girl Apta had saved.
Therefore, as a result of the same dream that keeps coming in every sleep, Apta wants to meet the girl and get out of his comfort zone. He wanted to let go of his curiosity, whether the girl was the girl he had saved or not, then why she could grow that big in such a short time—even though Apta had last seen her when she was almost dead and was still a little girl.
All his curiosity will be answered when he meets her, he thought. Even if Apta doesn't think about the power embedded in the girl, he just wants to answer his curiosity. Apta believes that the dream that has been haunting him for so long is a sign that he must meet the girl.
But again, he didn't know the right direction to get to where the girl was. Whether it's north, south, east, or west. All he knows is that the cherry blossoms are blooming in the east, according to the direction of the rising sun.
"If I'm not mistaken, there is a settlement there."
Apta remembers when he came out of the cave. He had seen so many houses to the east, right where the cherry blossoms were blooming.
"Maybe the distance from this forest to there is 2 kilometers. If I walked for at least 2 kilometers, I would find a settlement they used to call a village. And if I walk 4 kilometers, I'll find a settlement so big and bustling—maybe that's what they call a city."
It was indeed a city because there were so many people there, but Apta wasn't sure that he would get used to the crowds. Even in this forest just seeing animals passing by makes Apta feel a little uncomfortable.
Apta is used to being alone, he is a loner. A god-like himself deserved it. However, when he was still the God of Void, he always carried out his duties before finally, the supreme gods decided to ease his task, namely by ordering him to have subordinates. And since then, he has always been accompanied by his subordinates, including Janu.
But if he does not go there, out of the forest, he will not find the answer to the dream that continues to haunt him. He had to get there, after all.
"Alright, I'll prepare supplies first before leaving. Maybe I can make a pouch out of this leftover skin, and maybe this meat won't go stale."
There are so many supplies available. Apta wants to throw them away for nothing. Even so, he still had to lighten his luggage so as not to make it difficult for him.
"I have an idea..."
He had the idea of throwing away some of his supplies.
After making a bag made of Yanto's leather, Apta threw away some items he didn't need. Like meat, he throws it into the river, so the fish can enjoy it. Like the skin, he covers some fruits with it so they don't rot. For him, items that are still fit for use must be used, should not be thrown away, and left to be wasteful. Nature still needs it even though he doesn't anymore.
"It's over, time to go."
Apta walked to leave the forest to the village in the east. He carried the provisions he kept in a leather pouch.