Survive

The blinding light slowly faded, and Eldric found himself standing in the middle of a vast expanse of grass. A gentle breeze danced through the green grass that undulated like an ocean, creating a stunning yet calming sight.

"Where is this?" he muttered, his eyes sweeping around. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but grass and a clear blue sky without clouds.

His gaze fell to the ground, where a sword in a sheath and a brown cloth pouch lay near his feet. He bent down to pick up both items, feeling the rough texture of the pouch in his hands.

Eldric opened the brown cloth pouch, seeing the gleaming copper coins inside. He took out a handful of coins, feeling their weight in his palms. "Quite a lot," he thought, then began to pour all the coins onto the grassy ground.

With movements faster than he had expected, his hands moved automatically, arranging the coins into small piles as he counted them. His hand movements were so fast and precise, as if his body had been accustomed to doing this thousands of times.

"A hundred coins," he muttered, slightly surprised by the speed and accuracy of his calculations. He could even see every detail of the carvings on the coins clearly in the blink of an eye. "This power of comprehension... seems to be working."

Carefully, he gathered the coins back together and put them into his pouch.

His attention turned to the sword in his hand. He drew the iron blade from its sheath, feeling its substantial yet still within his limits weight. As he swung the sword to feel its balance, something caught his attention - his hand seemed different.

"What is this…?" Eldric brought the polished surface of the sword close to his face, using it as a mirror for improvement. Though the reflection was not very clear, what he saw was enough to make him gasp.

The face staring back at him was not the tired face of the office worker he knew. What he saw was the face of a young man, probably between seventeen and twenty years old. His jawline was more defined, his skin fresher, and his eyes filled with youthful vitality.

"My body… is returning to youth?" Eldric touched his face with a trembling hand. This was no illusion – he had truly changed.

"Is this part of the test?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a distant rumbling sound. In the middle of the once empty grassland, he began to see small dots appearing – other people who had also been teleported to this world.

"It seems the real adventure is about to begin," Eldric sheathed his sword into his belt. His instincts told him to move, to find shelter or a nearby settlement before nightfall.

Eldric moved back cautiously, taking some distance from the crowd of people that had begun to appear. His mind raced, analyzing the situation. "No, I can't trust anyone in this world," he thought. "Especially with this power of time manipulation..."

Terrifying images flashed through his mind - himself being captured, forced to use his powers, or experimented on. Time power wasn't something simple - too many people would be interested in taking advantage of it.

After feeling far enough away from the crowd, he began to jog towards the forest that appeared in the distance. The deeper he entered the forest, the denser the vegetation became. Large tree roots protruded from the ground like giant fingers, making him have to jump and dodge repeatedly.

"Shit..." he muttered, realizing that he had gone too far into the forest. The tall trees above him blocked the sunlight, making it difficult to get his bearings. His stomach began to grumble - he hadn't eaten since arriving in this world.

His eyes caught several small fruits growing on the bushes. Some were dark brown, some jet black, and some dull green. With his newfound powers of perception, he tried to examine the fruits in more detail. But even with his newfound abilities, he couldn't be sure whether the fruits were safe to eat or poisonous.

"No," he shook his head. "Too risky. I should find safer food." But as his stomach growled again, doubt began to gnaw at his resolve. "Or maybe... I could try one?"

His hand reached out for the black fruit, but then he pulled it back. "No, no. It's better to starve to death than to die stupidly eating a poisonous fruit on your first day."

A rustling sound from the bushes behind him made Eldric flinch. He turned quickly, his hand instinctively grasping the hilt of his sword.

Eldric's hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, cold sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. In this solitude, every possible danger felt more threatening. He took a stance, his eyes focused on the moving bushes.

His heart was pounding in anticipation of what was about to appear. He imagined a terrifying monster or wild animal that would pounce on him. But what emerged from behind the bushes was a small white rabbit.

The rabbit paused for a moment, moving its head from side to side in quick, nervous movements. Its long ears twitched in alarm, its nose twitching as it sniffed the air. When its red eyes met Eldric's, it froze for a moment.

"Just a rabbit..." Eldric let out a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders beginning to relax.

In an instant, the rabbit turned and hopped away, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared into the dense bushes. The sound of rustling leaves marked its departure.

Eldric lowered his hand from the hilt of his sword, smiling bitterly to himself. "Too paranoid," he muttered. "But..." he stared in the direction the rabbit had disappeared, a thought crossing his mind. "Where there are rabbits, there must be food. Maybe I can follow its trail."

Eldric ran after the rabbit as it hopped quickly through the bushes. The distance was not too far, and he could still see the small creature hopping nimbly. After a while, the rabbit finally stopped near a tree with red fruit hanging low.

Eldric walked closer slowly, making sure not to make any noise that would startle the rabbit. He watched from a distance as the rabbit began to nibble on one of the small red fruits that had fallen to the ground. However, when the rabbit noticed Eldric's presence, it immediately jumped in fear and disappeared back into the dense bushes.

Eldric stood still for a moment, his eyes now fixed on the red fruit that the rabbit had just eaten. The color was striking, bright red like a ripe apple. "It looks safe to eat," he murmured as he approached the tree.

He took a closer look. The red fruit was abundant, some hanging low on the branches, while others had fallen to the ground. Fortunately, the branches of the tree were low, so Eldric didn't have to struggle to reach them. The strong roots of the tree gripped the ground firmly, making the tree look old and full of life.

Eldric reached out, picking one of the low-hanging fruits. He held it in his hand, feeling the smooth texture of its skin and its shiny surface. The fruit's aroma was sweet and fresh, like a combination of honey and flowers. Still, he was skeptical.

He examined his surroundings. The ground beneath the tree looked a little different—darker, like it had been trampled by something. Maybe rabbits or other animals often came here to eat. But were rabbits the only ones interested in this fruit?

Eldric sighed, trying to shake off his doubts. He wiped the fruit with his cloth, then took a bite slowly. It tasted sweet with a hint of sourness, quite refreshing after the long, tiring journey. "At least it's not poisonous," he thought, feeling a little relieved.

Eldric continued to eat the fruit until he felt quite full. However, he remained wary, especially since the color of the soil around the tree seemed different from the surrounding area. This made him certain that other animals often came here to eat, perhaps even larger and more dangerous creatures. Cautiously, Eldric picked one more fruit to take with him, then quickly left the place.

Not long after walking, Eldric heard the sound of trickling water. He quickened his pace and found a small, clear stream. His face immediately brightened, pleased with his find.

"Finally, water," he murmured with relief.

He crouched by the stream, examining the water carefully. The stream was clean, with no signs of dirt or other dangers. After making sure, he scooped up the water with both hands and drank it. It was refreshing, cool, and quenched his long-held thirst.

After drinking until he felt satisfied, Eldric sat by the stream, trying to think about his next move. "If there is a river like this, there must be a settlement nearby," he thought. Rivers are often a source of life for humans and other creatures. In the hope of finding a safe place or perhaps meeting someone else, he decided to follow the river downstream.

Eldric continued walking along the river, enjoying the soothing sound of the trickling water. Soon, he saw something that caught his attention, road that seemed to be used often. The road looked quite wide, perhaps intended for vehicles or as a main route for pedestrians.

Seeing the road, Eldric felt relieved. A small smile appeared on his face, the burden on his shoulders seemed to be lifted. "Finally, I found the right direction," he thought. Without hesitation, he crossed the river to reach the side of the road. Eldric moved carefully, swimming calmly so as not to lose energy.

After reaching the other side, Eldric stood up and began to wring out his clothes to remove the water. Although the cloth still felt a little wet, he still put it back on, because the air was starting to feel cold. He continued his journey, following the path that was now his guide.

Not long after, Eldric saw something that made his heart beat faster. In the distance, a large gate stood firmly, looking like the entrance to a settlement. Several people were seen queuing in front of the gate, as if waiting for their turn to enter.