"45… 46… 47… 48… 49… 50!" My arms shook with exertion as I pushed myself off the forest floor one last time. Sweat clung to my skin like a second layer, sticking strands of hair to my forehead and neck. I dropped down onto the cool earth, panting heavily. Steam practically rose off me in the chill morning air.
"Huff… puff… huff… I'll do the run later. I need water."
Groaning, I sat up and wiped my brow with the back of my hand, smearing dirt across my cheek. The ground beneath me was damp, but not uncomfortably so. I lay there for a moment longer, letting the Gamer's Body do its work as my stamina slowly replenished. No soreness, no pain—just a gentle calm like after a hot bath.
Eventually, I stood and trudged back to my modest shelter—a cobbled-together wooden shack I'd reinforced with hardened nanite constructs. It wasn't fancy, but it kept the wind out and stored the things I'd gathered these past few months.
It's hard to believe a whole month has passed since I woke up in this world. No introductions. No tutorial. Just a small system window, a body far too young, and a burning need to survive. Every day since, I've followed the same pattern: wake up, train, hunt, eat, rest, and repeat. I haven't dared approach the penalty dungeon. I know I wouldn't survive it yet.
If not for [Gamer's Body], I probably would've collapsed from exhaustion by now. I push myself harder than anyone my age should—hell, harder than anyone should, period. But each night resets the pain. I'm not just grinding to get stronger—I'm buying my right to live in this world.
I've scouted the area a few times, hoping to stumble across some clue as to where or what this place is. Instead, I've found nothing but forest stretching endlessly in all directions. Rivers snake through rocky valleys, cliffs tower above ancient trees, and the skies remain eerily empty of birds or machines. The animals, at least, are familiar. Deer, rabbits, foxes—even the occasional boar. That gives me some comfort. Something Earth-like in all this alien sameness.
Hunting was rough at first. I fumbled through the underbrush, spooked prey with every snapped twig, and lost more meals than I care to admit. But with time came skill—and with skill, a reward.
[Skill Acquired: Sneak (Level 2)]
Silent Shadow
Erase your presence from detection. When active, enemies will find it more difficult to perceive you.
Detection Reduction: 10% | MP Cost: 50 / 5 minutes
A powerful tool, and one I've abused regularly to improve it. I stalk game like a ghost now, slipping through the undergrowth with barely a whisper. It's satisfying to feel invisible. If I level it enough… will nothing ever notice me again?
Rather than crafting crude bows or spears, I leaned into my gifts: [Omega-1 Nanites] and [Haki]. My nanites are like an all-in-one Swiss army knife, and with a little creativity, I rigged up an air gun modeled after the ones in Metro. I use pebbles and stones as ammo, compressing air inside a hardened nanite chamber to deliver lethal force.
At first, the shots only stunned prey. I'd have to finish the job with a makeshift knife. But now? Now the rocks pierce clean through, especially when I enhance the shot's pressure using [Armament Haki]. I can't coat the stones themselves yet, but reinforcing the air chamber is enough for a devastating punch.
My daily growth is starting to show:
[Status Screen]
Name: Esther Marie | Level: 2 (Exp: 53.13%)
Titles: [Transmigrated Soul]
HP: 180 / 180 (+10) | MP: 250 / 250
Strength: 15 | Intelligence: 20 | Agility: 15
Sense: 15 | Luck: 15
Skill Points: 0
I've poured my early points into Intelligence, boosting my mana pool and regen rate. Everything else grows steadily with training. It's a balanced build—one meant for long-term survival, not just brute strength. But my gifts… they're slower. I train Haki and Nanites daily, pushing them to their limit, but it's a crawl. Killing animals gives slightly more experience, but not enough to make a real leap.
Back in my cabin, I'm greeted by rows of dried meat and fresh pelts. A few skinned carcasses hang from the beams. It smells earthy—blood and woodsmoke and wild herbs. Crude, but mine. Water was a concern at first, until I realized my inventory could preserve liquids in stasis. One slot now holds 10 liters of fresh river water, and [Gamer's Body] purifies any toxins instantly.
I tear off a strip of dried meat and chew. It's awful. Tough, stringy, no salt. Still, I force it down.
[Consumed: Poorly-Seasoned Meat]
Buff: +10 HP for 10 minutes
Food buffs are real, and they scale. I imagine gourmet dishes must give serious boosts. I keep a few meals in my inventory in case I need emergency healing, and water to recover MP just the same. Even if they taste like cardboard, every buff counts.
Finishing my meal, I stare into the distance.
"It's been a month... and I still know nothing about this world."
That thought haunts me. Did the god send me to a fantasy world? Or somewhere entirely different? The woods feel Earth-like, but there's a sterile quality beneath the surface. Like it's meant to feel familiar. Too familiar. The idea festers in the back of my mind, gnawing at me.
If not for [Gamer's Mind], I might've cracked already.
Still, I'm not ready to explore just yet. I know the classic isekai pattern: protagonist stumbles into danger, barely survives, then gets stronger. But I'm not taking risks I don't need to. Caution isn't cowardice. It's insurance.
And so, I train.
[TWO MONTHS LATER]
Ninety-two days. That's how long I've been in this world. Three months, three dozen deer, and at least a thousand push-ups later. I've grown—physically, mentally, and statistically.
[Omega Nanite] training remains a mystery, but repetition works. I practice by building more complex constructs until I burn through all my MP. Swords, gauntlets, support frames—even a crude crossbow once.
Today, I stand before a lone tree, arm extended as nanites whirl into place. A solid blade hums to life, stretching to the length of my forearm. Simple, but deadly.
A month ago, this would've drained me. Now, I barely feel the strain.
[Omega-1 Nanite: Level 4]
The blade shimmers faintly in the light. I steady myself, angle my stance, and slash in one fluid motion.
Shing!
The tree falls, sliced clean through. The cut is precise. No cracks in the blade. No strain on my arm.
I grin.
Next, I face a boulder. Black Haki blooms across my right arm like oil, coating my skin in polished obsidian.
[Haki: Level 3]
I reel back my fist, exhale—and punch.
BOOM!
The rock shatters, fragments bursting out in all directions. My hand doesn't even sting.
Satisfied, I call my status once more:
[Status Screen]
Name: Esther Marie | Level: 5 (Exp: 3.57%)
Titles: [Transmigrated Soul], [Hunter]
HP: 300 / 300 | MP: 450 / 450
Strength: 30 | Intelligence: 50 | Agility: 20
Sense: 20 | Luck: 20 | Skill Points: 2
[Skills]
Gamer's Mind (MAX), Gamer's Body (MAX)
Haki (Lvl 3)
Omega-1 Nanite (Lvl 4)
Sneak (Lvl 3)
[Perks]
Intellectual Mind – "You learn faster and retain more. A cheat for tests, if you will."
I'm taller now—at least a foot over the notch I carved months ago. Muscles are forming, soft and lean. My hair shines under the light, no longer a tangled mess.
I'm not invincible. Not yet. But I'm ready.
"It's time to move out," I whispered to myself, fingers tightening into a fist.
A Gamer's journey never truly ends—but maybe today… it finally begins.