Chapter 3 – Adaptation
I rose slowly from the ground. My body felt heavy. Muscles loose. My breathing unsteady. I turned around, trying to figure out where I actually was.
Forest. Vast. Calm.
And far too quiet.
Towering trees reached for the sky, their leaves glinting like reflections off a high-res screen. Tiny birds flew overhead, but they weren't ordinary birds. Their wings were translucent, and their tails glowed softly.
Everything seemed alive. But none of it seemed aware of me. I looked at my own hands. Still human. But somehow different lighter. Younger. I tried to open the HUD. No buttons. No gestures. But somehow, just by thinking, it appeared.
[STATUS: ZAKI]
AGE: 21
CONDITION: STABLE
HUNGER: MODERATE
STAMINA: 87%
LOCATION: UNREGISTERED WILD ZONE
DIRECTIONAL AID: OFF
I blinked. "Twenty-one…?"
I swallowed. Not sure whether to feel afraid… or relieved. But in this body… I felt lighter. Agile. Like I'd been given back something I once lost. I started walking slowly.
At first, my steps were heavy… but gradually, my muscles adjusted. The sound of dry leaves beneath my feet, the scent of damp earth, the sunlight filtering through the branches, it all felt too real. I came across a small stream. The water was clear. Tiny fish swam inside.
I hesitated. But dipped my hand in. Cold. Refreshing. I washed my face, drank a little. No weird taste. No system warning. And for the first time since waking up in this world, I felt… a little alive. Just as I tried to look for a direction, the HUD lit up by itself.
[System Notification]
Survival Protocol Initiated
Nearest Settlement Detected: ELDENROSS
Direction: Southeast – 2.1 km
Advised: Proceed to settlement to access basic sustenance and shelter.
I stared at the notification. No sound. No pressure. Just… information. But the kind of information that came at exactly the right time. My stomach growled again. I looked southeast. No paved road, but the terrain and faint trails looked like they'd been used before. I followed them. Step by step, through a forest that was strange but calm.
Each step felt like a choice. Each breath, like a chance. I didn't know what awaited me in Eldenross. I didn't know why I was brought into this world. But one thing I knew for sure—
I was still alive. And this time… I'd make it mean something.
[To Be Continued – Chapter 4: Shadows of the First City]
Glossary – Chapter 3
• Survival Protocol – A basic system that activates when the user is in a wild zone without guidance. Provides key information about safe locations.
• Eldenross – The nearest settlement, identified by the system as a starting zone for new players.
• Directional Aid – Navigation assistance that activates once a location is recognized by the system.