Survival

The trees were tall, and the ground was littered with stones. In any other circumstances, I would have called the scenery around me beautiful and might have even considered becoming a hermit.

But not in the situation I was in right now. I had been walking through the forest for no more than thirty minutes, and my legs were already trembling.

But it wasn't weakness. Given the standards of my original world, Kai's body was actually quite healthy.

No, the weakness in my legs came from fear. I could hear strange noises, and the ominous vibe from the forest was palpable.

This might have been my first time in a forest. I had never visited one in my previous life. I had always been curious, but I was too lazy to leave my apartment.

So I didn't know if forests were supposed to feel like this.

In any case, the day was quickly coming to an end. The forest had already grown dark due to the density of the trees, and I had to decide whether to keep walking or stay in a tree for the night.

Shit… I cursed silently as the realization struck me. I had gotten far too cocky, thinking I could simply walk into a forest without thinking this through.

The food in my luggage would last me at most two days.

So if I stayed the night here, that would use up one day's worth of rations, and I'd have to come back as well.

The options were clear.

I had to keep walking.

A sigh escaped my lips as I pushed forward through the dense forest. The sounds of leaves, branches, and mysterious noises grew louder.

Fear refused to leave my body.

Why the hell couldn't I create a more peaceful world?

But there was no point in thinking about it now. The deed was done, and I had gone too far to turn back.

It didn't matter if I died. It would just be a short escape from this situation.

I wasn't brave enough to end it myself, so I'd call this the coward's way out.

Now I'm really tired.

I thought to myself while leaning against a tree. I had been walking for a long time now, and by my estimate, it had been about seven hours.

I was so exhausted that I wasn't afraid anymore. It was indeed hard to navigate through a forest.

The terrain was tricky, the trees dense. I had to use my sword several times to clear branches, and I slipped more times than I could count.

At this point, I could officially qualify as a beggar.

Maybe even a royal beggar, since I'm so handsome now. Heh. A chuckle left my lips as I thought about my features.

Let's rest here for a while.

I sat down, leaning against the tree, and took out the water bottle from my luggage.

After taking a few gulps, I felt a bit better. I closed my eyes for just a minute.

On second thought, it's not so bad.

A smile crept onto my face as my body began to relax.

But sadly, all good things must come to an end.

I soon heard a growl that made my blood run cold.

Grrr... Grrr...

In an instant, I gripped my sword, slung my luggage over my back, and sprinted with a speed I didn't know I was capable of.

"UUUUUU!"

It's a beast, I realized immediately, but my feet didn't falter. I kept running, even though I might be suicidal still survival instincts kicked in.

I no longer felt tired or afraid. The only thing that mattered was running, so I kept going.

Branches scraped my skin, stones and thorns tore at my feet, but I didn't stop.

The sounds of the beast grew louder and closer, but I kept running. It felt as though my body was on autopilot, knowing nothing but to keep moving.

And I didn't stop.

Eventually, the sounds faded, but my legs continued to carry me forward.

Soon, the trees began to thin, and I found myself running across an open, barren grassland.

That's when my body finally gave in. I tripped and tumbled to the ground.

"Huff… Huff..." I tried to catch my breath, but my lungs felt like they were on fire. The adrenaline rush finally wore off, and I felt the full toll of my actions.

And then, my consciousness slipped away as I saw a figure standing near me through my closing eyes. 

'This is bad' It was the final thought that came into my mind. As I gave in to fatigue. 

.....

'It's warm.' That was the first thought that crossed my mind as I slowly woke up.

I cautiously opened my eyes and noticed a crackling fire nearby. Looking around, I realized I was in a cave.

Glancing toward the entrance of the cave, I saw a man leaning against the wall, his head tilted low, hiding his eyes.

It's him, I thought, immediately recognizing the archer I had seen in the carriage.

It seems he's been following me… but why? Uneasiness began to swell in my chest, and various scenarios played out in my mind.

The man lifted his head and met my gaze. His face was clean, though a scar ran across his right eye. His black eyes held an intensity that made my body shiver. It felt as though I were prey staring into the eyes of a hunter.

He stood up and slowly approached me. I could feel the tension in the air as he closed the distance. Soon, he was standing right in front of me, looking down at me.

"Thank you for saving me," I said, forcing the most grateful smile I could muster. "I really appreciate your help."

But to my shock, I suddenly felt a blow to my abdomen. The air was knocked out of me, and as I looked down, I saw the man's foot planted firmly against my stomach.