Sai walked in a random direction, choosing to keep moving and cover as much distance as possible. Before leaving the area, he had collected some sturdy bones from the corpse, hoping to fashion them into weapons. The thought of defending himself against the untold dangers of this world spurred him forward.
Two days passed in this fashion—climbing trees for safety at night, moving cautiously by day. On the third day, as Sai's weary eyes scanned the horizon, he spotted a river shimmering in the distance. His heart raced, a mixture of excitement and desperation driving him forward. The sight of water filled him with an overwhelming urge to run toward it, to quench his thirst and cleanse himself.
But as he neared the river, a sudden chill ran through him. He froze.
A beast, roughly the size of a tiger, stood at the riverbank, drinking deeply from the water. Sai instinctively ducked behind a large tree, his breath shallow as his heart hammered in his chest. He couldn't afford to make a sound. Peering from his hiding spot, he studied the creature with cautious eyes. It was sleek, muscular, and radiated a predatory aura. The glint of sharp teeth caught his attention even from a distance, confirming that this was no ordinary animal.
Sai tightened his grip on the bone he had fashioned into a weapon, silently weighing his options. The creature resembled a large feline, its muscular body sleek but marred by deep wounds and scars. It seemed to have fought many battles to survive.
Despite his newfound body and strength, Sai felt a deep sense of helplessness. His knowledge of this world was limited—he understood the basic language and the customs of the mortals, but beasts like this were beyond his comprehension.
The feline beast growled, low and menacing. Its ears flicked, as though sensing something, and Sai froze, his heart leaping into his throat. One wrong move, and it would be over.
Fortunately, the creature suddenly turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, its growls fading into the distance. Sai let out a shaky breath, but his heart continued to race. He stayed motionless for a few moments, scanning the area to ensure there were no other threats lurking nearby. The forest seemed eerily still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
Once the coast seemed clear, Sai crept toward the river, his steps slow and deliberate. He avoided the spot where the beast had been drinking, opting instead to move upstream to a safer stretch of water. The river glistened under the sunlight, its calm surface betraying the mysteries hidden beneath.
Kneeling by the edge, Sai cupped his hands and brought the cool water to his lips, savoring the refreshing taste. It was a brief respite from his days of hunger and exhaustion.
After drinking his fill, he waded into the shallows, the water lapping at his legs. He washed himself quickly, mindful not to stray too deep he couldn't swim and had no idea what might be lurking beneath the surface.
Every ripple made him uneasy, but he forced himself to clean the grime from his body. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt a rare moment of relief.
Sai didn't linger long in the river. With some extra skin, he fashioned a simple pouch, filling it with water from the stream and slinging it over his shoulder. He also secured the bone weapon he had crafted earlier, a jagged shard lashed to a sturdy stick. Taking a deep breath, he continued his journey, his senses alert to every sound and shift in the air.
The forest remained unnervingly quiet. The air felt heavy, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something. Sai's steps were measured and careful, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow, searching for any signs of danger.
Then, it came a low, guttural growl from his left.
Sai's fear surged as the massive wolf lunged, its jaws wide, fangs gleaming with murderous intent. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to run, but he held his ground, tightening his grip on the crude bone weapon as if his life depended on it—because it did.
Desperation drove his hand. He swung hard, aiming for the beast's head.
But the wolf was faster.
In a blur of motion, it twisted midair, jaws snapping shut around the bone with a sickening crunch. The weapon shattered instantly, splintering into two jagged pieces. A sharp jolt of pain shot up Sai's arm as the force nearly wrenched the weapon from his grasp. His fingers went numb, barely holding onto the remnants. Then came the claws.
A blur of silver-gray fur, then searing pain—four deep gashes tore across his chest, ripping through his makeshift clothes. He stumbled back, gasping as hot blood spilled down his torso, his vision blurring for a moment. The wound burned, a reminder of just how close he was to death.
The wolf growled low, sensing its victory. Its powerful muscles tensed as it prepared to finish him off.
Sai didn't think he reacted.
Fueled by raw survival instinct, he clenched the jagged bone fragments in both hands. The beast leapt, its hulking body blotting out the sky as it descended upon him. Sai moved.
With a desperate, upward thrust, he drove the sharp end of the broken bone into the wolf's throat.
The impact sent a shudder through his arm. The creature let out a guttural, gurgling snarl as blood spurted from its wound. But its momentum carried it forward, slamming into Sai with full force. The two crashed to the ground, the beast's body twitching violently on top of him.
Sai gasped, pinned beneath the weight of the dying predator. Its breath came in short, ragged wheezes, each one wet and bubbling with blood. Its amber eyes, once burning with hunger, dimmed as the last of its life drained away. Then stillness.
For a long moment, Sai didn't move. His entire body ached, his wounds throbbed, and his breath came in ragged bursts. The scent of blood filled his nostrils, thick and metallic.
Slowly, painfully, he pushed the lifeless beast off him, rolling onto his back. His chest rose and fell in uneven gasps as he stared up at the sky.
He had survived.
But he knew one thing for certain—this world wouldn't let him rest for long.