I wake up with a crushing pain in my head, as if my eyes are about to burst from their sockets. These are Karo's memories—sleep has charged him somehow, and now his past, his knowledge, his experiences surge into me like a river flooding its banks. Memories I never lived, women I never touched, places I never walked, they all rush into my skull and try to fuse with me. Faces I do not recognize flash before my eyes, sounds echo in my ears, the touch of hands that are not mine, lips I never kissed—it all swirls together until I feel I might lose myself. It is exhausting, overwhelming, but I know it will help me survive. After what feels like endless waves, the pressure fades. Slowly, I understand: my quick adaptation to this world is not just my strength—it is Karo's guidance. He is with me, and his life is now woven into mine. That thought both steadies me and frightens me.
Now that my mind is clear, it is time to take the boar. I grip my spears, tie a cord of bark and fibers around my waist, and head toward the water. Each step presses deep into the earth, my body heavier but steadier than before. My heart pounds like a drum, each beat echoing in my chest as I crouch low, slowing my breath until it comes in measured bursts. The silence of the morning wraps around me, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of unseen birds.
And there it is. The boar. Massive, thick-shouldered, drinking at the water's edge. The sound of its snorting rattles the surface of the pool, sending ripples outward as though the earth itself trembles at its presence. The sight of that hulking body makes me feel a surge of power within my own—my legs tense, my shoulders coil, my new body radiates strength. I crouch deeper, the wind brushing my skin like a cloak of silence. My lips curl in determination.
I take the first spear, every muscle in my arm stretching taut like a bowstring. My fingers tighten around the shaft, the rough wood biting into my skin. I throw with all the force in me. The weapon slices the air and buries itself deep in the beast's neck. A violent cry shakes the air, low and guttural, echoing through the trees. The sound makes the ground beneath me seem alive. But the monster does not fall. Its body sways, its eyes flare with rage, and panic stirs in me—it is stronger than I imagined.
It turns toward me, foam and blood spilling from its jaws. My throat tightens, but I refuse to back down. I seize another spear. My body draws tight again, chest and arms working in unison, and I hurl it with everything I have. The beast lurches, dodging with brutal speed, the spear grazing its thick hide and clattering to the ground uselessly. My heart races, sweat stings my eyes, dripping into my mouth with the taste of salt and iron. It is powerful, but I refuse to give in.
I snap a branch across my knee, splitting it into a jagged edge that feels like a crude axe. The sound of the wood cracking seems to shake the air. With a grunt, I fling it to the side, stealing the creature's attention for a heartbeat. Its eyes dart, nostrils flaring. That is all I need. I surge forward, every muscle burning, and drive the broken spear shaft into the opposite side of its throat.
The impact jolts through my arms. A crunch—like fibers tearing, bones cracking. Hot blood sprays my arms, warm and metallic, coating my skin. The boar screams, thrashes, tusks raking across my flesh. A sharp sting cuts into my arms, red lines forming, but I hold on. Pain sears, but adrenaline carries me, filling my veins with fire. The beast staggers, foam mixing with its blood, its eyes rolling back. My breath comes in ragged bursts, my body trembling with exertion. With a final heave, the animal collapses at my feet, earth trembling beneath its weight.
I stand above it, chest heaving, covered in blood. The metallic tang fills my nose, heavy and sharp, mixing with the musk of the beast. My legs tremble, but I remain standing. Victory is mine, carved with blood and willpower.
[+90 XP]
Strength +3
Endurance +1
New Skill Unlocked: [Butchering Lv.1]
I drag the carcass, too heavy to carry, binding it with the cord at my waist. Each tug strains my arms, sweat dripping from my forehead, but pride flares in my chest. The body is mine, the victory mine. And then, movement in the brush. My eyes snap up. Two women stand there, half-hidden by leaves, watching.
They are naked, like me, but their presence is unlike anything I expected. Their skin glows with the light, hair tangled but wild, their eyes wide and unblinking. They are beautiful in a raw, untamed way—more alluring than anything from my old world. Their gazes lock with mine. Fear and fascination war in their eyes. They don't approach, but they don't turn away either. For a heartbeat, I feel their eyes strip me bare even more than my nakedness already does. Desire stirs in me, sharp and urgent. I imagine them trembling, yielding, their breaths mixing with mine. The thought burns like fire in my veins. But not yet. They step back into the shadows, still staring. Their attention clings to me as I turn away. Not yet. Soon.
I haul the boar back to my cave. At Ragno's Haven, I sever its head and place it as a trophy at the entrance, a warning to any who pass. Flames roar to life as I strike a fire, sparks crackling into embers. I skewer slabs of meat on my spearheads, holding them over the flames. The fat drips into the fire, sizzling, hissing, the smell rising thick and heavy into the night air. My stomach growls, and my mouth waters as the aroma surrounds me.
I carve out the stomach with care, fingers steady despite the exhaustion. The flesh resists, slippery and stubborn, but I persist. I wash it, turn it inside out, scrape and rinse until it is clean. I will shape it into a pouch, a vessel for water. The act feels instinctive, like I've done it before. Perhaps Karo has. Perhaps both of us. The knowledge slides into place naturally, a whisper of memory guiding my hands.
[+40 XP]
Intelligence +1
New Skill Unlocked: [Primitive Crafting Lv.1]
I eat until I am full, meat hot and savory, juices running down my chin. The fire paints shadows on the cave walls, the light flickering across my skin. I lean back, stomach heavy, but my mind restless. The faces of the two women return to me, their eyes lingering, their bodies etched into my imagination. The thought tightens my chest, fills me with a hunger beyond food. My new body throbs with vitality, each muscle alive, each breath thick with desire. Not only for survival. For more. For everything.
Night comes, wrapping the land in silence. The fire fades into embers, glowing faintly. I place my spears across the cave entrance like guardians, their sharp edges catching the dim light. I stretch out inside Ragno's Haven, the stone cool beneath me. My chest rises and falls, exhaustion tugging at me, but inside, ambition smolders hotter than ever.
There's one last thing I have to do before sleep overtakes me. I sit at the mouth of the cave, staring into the dying embers, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders. My mind drifts back to the hunt, to the struggle, to the moment the boar finally collapsed at my feet. Every muscle in my body still aches from the effort, every cut on my arms stings with the memory of survival. I let the fire's warmth fade across my skin and listen to the silence of the night, broken only by the distant calls of unseen creatures. I lean back against the stone, chest rising and falling heavily, exhaustion seeping into me with every breath. It has been a brutal day, one that tested both strength and will. Tomorrow will demand even more—new challenges, new dangers, perhaps new enemies. My eyes grow heavy as I wonder what lies ahead, and I fall asleep with the thought that this world is only beginning to reveal itself to me.