Chapter 2

I can confidently say I’m just an ordinary person.

I was born into a typical family like everyone else, made friends in a normal way, went off to the army in a standard fashion, and I just happen to really love gaming.

The only difference is I’ve become a veteran, completely immersed in a specific game.

Unless I’m playing with friends, I tend to dive deep into it all on my own.

[**Soul World**]

That’s the name of the game I enjoyed playing.

At first glance, it seems like your run-of-the-mill game, but in reality, it has incredible depth.

First off, the future changes based on your choices, and the character design and harmony are simply superb.

Though the story becomes increasingly dark to the point of utter desolation, it manages to be praised due to its plausibility.

But alas, there’s a downside that overshadows everything—those damn controls and the combat style.

Nothing works properly and the keys frequently get stuck. I nearly smashed my keyboard a few times out of frustration.

That said, while the story might get good reviews, everything else has problems, making it a game for enthusiasts.

As for me, I’m a hardcore veteran who’s cleared it multiple times, getting lost in the characters and story.

However, in reality, being a veteran means nothing. One hit from that damn squirrel, commonly known as ‘Porori,’ and I feel like I’m about to die.

“I’ll skin it one day.”

I’m still pressing on my aching gut, grimacing. The stench of that little rat’s poop is assaulting my nose.

The official name of that squirrel is Ratatosk. But in the fandom, it’s simply called Porori.

It’s infamous for its behavior, from teabagging to everything else, being a total pain in the ass monster.

When you enter the Academy, it’s customary to head into the nearby forest for training. And if you go deeper, well, this is where you’ll find it.

And as soon as you step in, you usually run into that damn Porori, resulting in an instant game over.

Dodging is nearly impossible due to those wretched controls, and if by a stroke of luck you manage to win, it’ll pretend to be dead and hit you again.

Porori is just pure frustration packed into one annoying creature.

“By the way······”

Leaning against a tree, I looked around.

It was daylight before I passed out, but now it’s already dark.

This forest is home not just to Porori but also to dangerous beasts and monsters.

Meaning, unless I find my way out of here, there’s a 99% chance I’ll die.

And I really don’t want that.

“Ugh······”

With great effort, I managed to rise. The blow to my gut made even breathing feel laborious.

Honestly, just surviving getting hit in the jewels by Porori is nothing short of a miracle.

In the game, one hit usually means game over. Sure, you might survive once in a blue moon, but it’s usually worthless.

“Good thing that rare moment happened now.”

I gathered some fallen leaves nearby and rubbed them on my face.

Maybe this would help mask the filthy stench clinging to me.

You might wonder what happens if there are toxic bugs mixed in, well, let them be. Such is my crappy life.

**Squish-squish—**

Even in this half-forest, half-jungle environment, it seems the sun sets quickly.

Fortunately, this forest is warm all year round, so that’s a relief. Right now, I need a place to hide.

“The fact that Porori is here means there aren’t any dangerous monsters nearby.”

Wilderness is survival of the fittest. That tiny Porori being the strongest in this area is a statement in itself.

It only spares you if it feels like it. And in exchange, it will proceed to shit on your face.

Those in the know understand that leaving a mark serves as a warning. A declaration that this is my territory, so don’t come any closer.

Having received that warning, if I get invaded again, there won’t be any mercy.

“I feel pretty damn wronged.”

I woke up in my room and found myself here. I might even cry from the injustice of it all.

Still, thanks to leaving my mark, monsters might avoid getting too close.

Beasts and monsters have a good sense of smell, so I shouldn’t run into too many.

“Growl······!”

Except for the occasional exception.

I faced a wolf approaching, growling.

It seemed clearly exhausted from days without food, with its ribs prominently sticking out.

It looked like it was either chased away from its pack or lost a fight and was now wandering around.

“Why is a starving wolf here······?”

This forest is populated with a variety of monsters and beasts, with no levels truly distinguishing them.

In other words, it’s not odd to see a starving wolf from a low-level area.

While typically easy prey in the game, this one’s an exception due to its extreme aggressiveness.

In search of food, it persistently seeks out the weak, attacking players that are no match for it.

If the game is accurately reflecting characteristics, it must see me as lower level than it.

“How did it find out?”

Even with the smell of Porori on me, a beast is still a beast, I guess. I gulped and began to back away.

I had just regained consciousness and was left without any weapons.

I was, after all, someone who lived far from the wilderness.

If Bear Grylls were here, he could have turned me into a fine protein dish.

“Growl!”

Before I could even think, the wolf lunged at me. Panic-stricken, I raised my arms in defense.

But I realized too late that doing so was a poor decision when the wolf bit down on my left arm.

Crunch!

“AAAH!!”

The wolf’s strong teeth felt like they were going to crush my arm. Its sharp fangs dug into my skin.

A scream escaped me as an indescribable, excruciating pain washed over me. My vision momentarily went black before returning.

The pain was so intense it caused a brief blackout. I gritted my teeth and glared at the wolf.

“Growl!!”

The beast stared back at me, as if determined not to let go. I knew one of us was going to die that day.

But I certainly wasn’t going to die without a fight. I had to do something.

Just moments prior, ‘fear’ had consumed my body, but now it was ‘instinct’ taking over.

An overwhelming survival instinct that tends to manifest only in extreme situations—my will to live surged.

Crunch! Crunch!

“AAAH! NO!”

The wolf was trying to bite my neck as I lay on the ground. I defended myself with my left arm, only worsening the pain.

I sacrificed that arm to search around with my solid arm. Luckily, I found a suitably sized stick.

First, I needed to get this beast off me. I aimed for its eyes and jabbed it precisely.

Thwack!

A nasty sensation tingled through my hand. But the survival instinct pushed away all discomfort.

I had to live, that was my first priority. I couldn’t die here.

“Yelp! Yip! Yip!”

The wolf yelped, retreating after having its eyes poked. I looked down at my blood-soaked arm.

It had clearly suffered five or more puncture wounds.

Rather than visually harming effects from Porori’s hit, my arm was bleeding profusely.

Plus, there was the worry of rabies from the wolf’s bite, and even if not, tetanus was a certainty.

My once 99% mortality rate skyrocketed to 100%. Anger boiled inside me, and I gritted my teeth as I stood.

“No······ not yet······”

I can survive. As a veteran of this game, I know every little detail about it.

I know how to treat bleeding, which herbs are good for bacterial infections, and which plants work as medicine.

I know it all. There’s no way I’m dying in a place like this.

I won’t perish until I understand why I was thrown here.

“Yelp! Yip!”

The wolf was still dazed.

Without hesitation, I approached and stomped its head hard with my foot.

Crack!

“Yip!”

As soon as I stepped down, the beast struggled. If I hadn’t quickly pulled back, it might have bitten my foot.

I had to finish it off before it recovered. I noticed the stick lodged in its eye.

Crack!

I pinned it down with my body, ensuring it couldn’t escape.

It thrashing around was enough to shake me hard, given its size.

“Ugh!”

Thwack!

Ignoring my injured arm, I shoved the stick deeper with both hands.

The more I pushed, the more the wolf screamed and thrashed about, but I pressed on with all my strength.

Smash!

The stick finally broke under the strain. It was the wood’s limit.

Luckily, I had anticipated this. The reason I risked my body to pin it down was simple.

To make use of the sharp rock next to me once the wooden stick broke.

Thwack! Smash! Smash!

At first, it sounded like I was hitting something.

Crack! Smash! Crunch! Crack!

Finally, the skull shattered and the brain was destroyed. The wolf trembled briefly before sticking out its tongue and dying.

I continued to slam down a few more times, panting fiercely as I looked at the wolf.

I did it. I killed the beast that had aimed for my life.

I had lived a life far removed from killing, but when danger struck, instinct guided my actions.

“Ha······ Ha······”

Sweat poured down in torrents, and my heart felt like it would burst from my chest.

I took a few steps back and fell on my rear.

Just sitting down made my left arm feel like it was electrocuted from the pain.

[**First Hunt Successful! Strength and Agility increase slightly!**]

I didn’t care about the status window. I had just narrowly escaped death, who had time to worry about that?

My mind felt foggy. Killing brought me no immediate emotional response.

It was like a wave of adrenaline was stifling any potential nausea I might feel.

[**Trait Acquired: Wilderness Instinct!**]

Wilderness Instinct?

I stared blankly at the unfamiliar trait.

[**Wilderness Instinct: ???**]

[**In the wilderness, it is not the strong that survive, but those who manage to survive.**]

[**All senses are heightened, and the more you survive, the stronger you become.**]

Typically, traits have rankings. And you can raise those ranks.

But Wilderness Instinct was filled with question marks. This was something I had never seen before.

What in the world does this mean? I’ve gained a trait but don’t feel anything at all.

It seems my brain can’t grasp this surreal situation.

Ouch!

The pain in my left arm returned, pulling me back to reality. I grimaced at the sharp sensation.

With the adrenaline that had acted as both a tranquilizer and painkiller fading, the pain surged back.

‘First, I need to treat this······’

I ignored the wolf’s corpse. I needed to prioritize treatment.

Remembering a plant that’s good for bleeding, I realized I was in a place rich with nature.

‘I will survive······ I will survive and······’

I will see the face of that son of a bitch who threw me into this mess.

If God had done this, I would unleash a torrent of curses.

[**You have blasphemed against the God. Your faith score decreases.**]

What the hell.

Just when I was already annoyed, it decides to make me even more irritated.

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