Winds whistled through the trees, and the sweet sound of birds chirping filled the surroundings. The morning sunlight penetrated the forest, falling on the ground and warming it gently.
The direct sunlight hit my closed eyes, waking me from my dreams. I barely opened them, and a stiff feeling covered my whole body, as if it had been years since I last moved. Everything about this body felt… off, and the environment around me looked like something out of a fantasy.
I arched my stiff back as I sat up, leaning against the closest tree trunk. Light filtered through the leaves, casting moving patterns across the forest floor.
Memories came flooding back to my mind… everything. From the moment I had talked with Ryo — saving that kid from getting run over — to the dreamlike death that had followed.
Never in my dreams had I imagined I would risk myself for a child, and yet here I was, in this strange new reality.
I was lying under a massive tree, its branches swaying gently above me. Birds were singing. Squirrels were… probably plotting against each other. Whatever. My eyes swept over the surrounding forest. It looked… normal. Not magical. Not weird. Just green, leafy, and very much like the forests I had seen in every fantasy anime ever.
I sat up carefully, brushing dirt off my clothes. My new body felt fresh, like it had never known fatigue or injury.
From feeling like I had been working for hours to suddenly feeling like I had been born anew, it was definitely something I had never experienced before.
Weird. Comfortable. Terrifying.
And just then — a sudden chime broke through my thoughts, making me dazed.
[System Online: Arya. Your first quest is assigned.]
I froze. "A quest?"
A holographic display shimmered before my eyes, and the task appeared. Simple, yet terrifying — and generously rewarding.
[Task: Find civilization. Utilize your knowledge and logic to navigate. Reward upon completion: 1 gold coin, 10 silver coins, and 100 bronze coins. Failure grants death! Proceed with caution.]
The task seemed simple enough for a beginner: locate a place where humans lived… or elf girls, if luck was on my side.
And the reward? Money. Practical, useful money. In a new world, it would help me secure basic necessities: water, food, and shelter.
But the risk… failing to find civilization meant certain death. Simple logic. Either I found people, or I died.
I nodded to myself, steeling my nerves. "Alright… Arya, step one: survive. Step two: find civilization. Step three: make money. Step four: level up. Step five: harem. Step six: world domination."
Daydreaming for a moment, I imagined strolling into a village like a hero in an anime. The townsfolk cheering, dramatic music playing, maybe a cute shopkeeper girl handing me a drink. The wind blowing through my hair like it was a training montage.
"Yeah, totally realistic," I muttered, shaking my head. "Not going to get eaten or attacked at all. Perfect plan."
Plop! Baam!
"Ugh!" A sudden painful jolt shot up my leg, snapping me out of my fantasies.
Ahead of me was… a slime.
The most adorable little blob, the kind that looked like it couldn't harm a fly. But as soon as it fired small, rock-like projectiles at me, my daydream evaporated. One of the stones collided with my shin. Pain flared, and a stream of blood flowed down my leg.
Jolting upright, I ducked behind the massive tree I had been resting under. The slime followed, sliding and squishing across the forest floor toward me.
Dodging its attacks wasn't difficult, but even the smallest hit scraped me badly. Blood oozed from the wound, reminding me that this world wasn't some anime with invincible protagonists.
A twig fell from a nearby branch. Instinctively, I snatched it up. I ran in circles around the tree, careful to keep the slime in my sights.
Timing it perfectly, I swung with everything I had, connecting with the slime from behind. It squelched under the force, and I expected the twig to break. But when the sticky creature collapsed, I realized it had been enough.
[Killed a Stone Slime. EXP gained: +10]
The chime confirmed my suspicion: the slime was weak, yes, but dangerous enough to seriously injure a newbie like me.
And gaining the extra experience reward... it's certainly welcomed. I have no use for it right now, but if I have it then there should be a good use for it.
"Hehe…" I let out a small, nervous chuckle. My pulse still raced, but surviving my first encounter gave me a strange, invigorating energy. Each breath, each heartbeat, anchored me in this new reality.
Shaking off the remnants of fear, I pressed forward from the base of the tree. The jungle wasn't impossible to navigate; large roots jutted from the ground, shrubs and creepers blocked my path, but sidestepping and finding narrow gaps made it manageable.
Following the river that cut through the forest, I reminded myself of the old advice which i had learned from lots of survival anime: humans tend to settle near water. It provided food, irrigation, and a natural barrier against wandering predators. Every step along the river felt purposeful, each decision a small victory.
The forest pressed around me, dense and unyielding, but I moved carefully, cautiously, aware that one careless step could undo all my progress. And yet, I felt… alive. Truly alive, for the first time since waking in this strange new world.
One step forward. One challenge survived. One path cleared.
Killing a small slime was certainly not a big win, but every hero starts from small. Every victory is a victory.
And in that quiet, green wilderness, I allowed a single thought to anchor itself in my mind:
If I wanted to rise, to grow, to become more than just a background character… I had to weave my path to greatness, one careful, calculated step at a time.
The world is waiting for witnessing, I, the Great Emperor Arya, to rise above all and show them the power of a WEEEB!!!
"End of Chapter 2"
Note: Thanks for reading it till here, I will be waiting for you guys on the other end of this journey (*_*) !!