chapter7: First fight

Rudra parked the car on the side of the narrow mountain road, his eyes fixed on the massive black bear blocking the path. It wasn't just the size of the creature that set off alarm bells in his head—it was the ominous dark aura swirling around it, the same aura he'd seen surrounding the zombie from earlier.

That's not normal. What's a bear even doing here? This area doesn't have wildlife like this. His pulse quickened as he reached into his inventory. No chances this time. I'll prepare for anything.

He pulled out his gear with practiced efficiency. First, five rings—each attuned to a different wand. In the game, these rings allowed players to switch magic types seamlessly without the hassle of manually changing wands. They weren't powerful on their own, but their utility was invaluable. Rudra slid them onto his fingers, their familiar weight a small comfort amidst the growing tension.

Next came his sword—a sleek, silver blade reinforced with enchantments. It was one of his best weapons, not just for its cutting power but for its durability. Two daggers followed, each placed on his thighs, secured in custom holsters for quick access. The daggers were lightweight but razor-sharp, ideal for close combat or emergencies.

Finally, with a mental command, his dragon-scale armor materialized over him. The deep, crimson plates shimmered faintly with protective runes, fitting snugly to his form. Kushina, still dazed and trying to process the events of the day, stared at him in disbelief.

"Rudra... where did all that come from?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I'll explain later," he said, keeping his focus on the bear. "For now, stay in the car and lock the doors. No matter what happens, don't get out."

She hesitated, fear etched on her face, but nodded. Rudra's tone left no room for argument.

Stepping out of the car, Rudra gripped his sword tightly, the familiar weight a mixture of comfort and dread. He didn't know if the bear would attack immediately or if it was waiting for something. In a game, he could analyze stats or predict patterns. Here, there were no cues, no health bars, only raw instincts and a very real threat in front of him.

The bear growled a guttural, bone-chilling sound that reverberated through the air. Rudra's sensory runes flared, heightening his awareness of its movements. His body tensed as the beast lunged at him with terrifying speed, faster than he ever thought possible for something of its size.

He sidestepped just in time, swinging his sword in a wide arc. The blade bit deep into the bear's shoulder, severing one of its massive arms. It roared in agony, but instead of retreating, the dark aura around it surged. To Rudra's horror, the severed limb began regenerating almost instantly.

Rudra stood his ground, eyes fixed on the bear's severed arm, now slowly regenerating as though the injury never existed. His grip tightened on the sword's hilt, his mind racing. This thing regenerates... that's a problem.

The bear roared, a guttural sound that sent a shiver down his spine, and it lunged at him with terrifying speed, its claws swiping toward his face. Reflexes kicked in, his body moving before his brain could catch up. Rudra sidestepped, his body almost moving instinctively, and the bear's claws tore through the air where his head had been just moments before. He exhaled sharply, his heart pounding.

Damn, that was close.

But there was no time to think. The bear was already repositioning itself, charging toward him again. Rudra's eyes locked onto its movements, watching every twitch of a muscle, every flex of its limbs. He wasn't used to this kind of real fight, but the game mechanics seemed to still be in play. His body reacted faster than his mind could track. The sword in his hand sliced through the air like an extension of his will, cutting through the bear's charging form before it could land its next blow.

The bear's large head sailed clean off its shoulders, hitting the ground with a sickening thud. For a moment, everything was still. The headless body of the bear stumbled forward as if confused by its own demise, before crumpling to the ground.

Rudra took a step back, watching as the body twitched, the dark aura around it swirling ominously. It's over...

But then, to his horror, the dark aura enveloped the corpse, and the bear's headless form began to twitch, its body spasming as the dark energy surged.

Rudra's eyes narrowed, his senses on high alert as he watched the bear's body slowly begin to regenerate once again. No... this thing just won't die, will it?

Wasting no time, he activated the Holy magic wand with one of the rings. A golden light enveloped the bear's body, and the dark aura dissolved into nothingness. Only then did Rudra allow himself a moment to breathe, his chest heaving as the weight of the fight sank in. He is not used to real-life fighting. Even with all the powerful weapons and tools, he has to fight hard with this bear. He needs to get used to fighting soon otherwise.

He glanced back at the car, where Kushina sat wide-eyed and pale. He couldn't imagine what this looked like from her perspective. Turning his gaze upward, he muttered bitterly under his breath, "This is insane. It's not a game anymore. I just wanted to relax and play..."

The reality of his situation hit him like a hammer. This world has become unforgiving to the weak, and he was only just beginning to understand how high the stakes truly were.

Rudra wiped the sweat from his brow as he walked back to the car, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. Every muscle in his body protested, but his mind was sharper than ever, scanning the area with his sensory runes on high alert.

As he approached, he noticed Kushina had shifted to the driver's seat. She didn't say a word, her hands gripping the wheel tightly as her knuckles turned white. Her wide eyes followed him as he opened the passenger door.

"You're driving?" Rudra asked, his voice softer than he intended, the adrenaline still coursing through him.

Kushina gave a tight nod but didn't speak. She seemed more composed than before, though he could tell the fear from their earlier ordeal was still fresh in her mind.

Rudra didn't argue. He needed to focus on other things. He sat down in the passenger seat, closing the door with a heavy sigh. With a flick of his wrist, he began dismantling his gear. The dragon-scale armor shimmered and dissolved, its pieces retreating back into the intricate tattoo on his arm and the rest into inventory. Only the rings were left. The sword and daggers disappeared next, leaving no trace of the battle they had just endured.

As he leaned back into the seat, a memory surfaced: I've never learned how to drive in this life. He grimaced at the realization. Great. Add that to the list of things to figure out how to explain later. Thankfully, currently, things are chaotic enough, and Q&A was at the back of Kushina's mind, at least for now.

For now, there were more pressing matters. With a deep breath, he pulled up the shop interface connected to his inventory. He scrolled through his options, his fingers trembling slightly from both fatigue and the situation.

She needs protection. Real protection, he thought, his gaze briefly flicking to Kushina. She had been utterly defenseless during the fight, and the thought of her being hurt because of his lack of preparation gnawed at him.

Using his infinite resources, he began crafting. He selected the best materials for durability and resilience, focusing solely on defense. The result was a complete set of protective armor—simple yet elegant. It was designed to cover her entirely without hindering movement. He added additional accessories: a shield artifact to block projectiles, a necklace imbued with minor healing properties, and a pair of sturdy bracers that would activate a barrier in emergencies.

Unlike his own gear, this armor had no offensive capabilities. It was for protection and nothing else. He stored the set in his inventory, making a mental note to give it to Kushina later. She'll need it. This world isn't safe anymore.

He glanced at her again, expecting a barrage of questions. Surely, she had seen the armor, the weapons, the runes—things that defied logic. Yet, she said nothing. She just gripped the wheel and drove, her movements mechanical but steady.

"Kushina..." he started but trailed off when she didn't respond.

Instead, she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were almost got killed, Rudra."

"I know," he replied, keeping his tone calm.

She didn't elaborate, and the silence hung thick between them. Rudra decided to pull out one of his barrier artifacts. He activated it, creating a faint, shimmering dome around the car.

"This should keep anything from getting too close," he muttered.

"What is that?" she asked, finally glancing at him.

"A barrier artifact. It'll stop anything dangerous from coming near us," he explained briefly, trying to keep it simple.

She nodded slowly, her expression unreadable.

Rudra leaned back in his seat, letting the hum of the car's engine fill the quiet. His sensory rune was still running at full capacity, sweeping the area for any signs of danger. He wasn't going to let his guard down, not after what is happening in this world.

As they descended the mountain road, the tension in the car remained. Kushina drove cautiously, her eyes darting to every shadow and movement along the roadside. Rudra stayed quiet, his mind occupied with plans and contingencies.

For now, survival was all that mattered.