p.s. It seems like many people are having difficulty with the joints part, so I’ve adjusted the content to better suit the Beasts. Episode 4.
1. Everything is always hardest the first time. Everything is always hardest the first time. #3
“The words ‘You’ve gained experience’ appeared, followed by ‘You’ve leveled up.'”
I recalled the floating words I had seen before. Regardless of how it happened, it seems that when a certain amount of experience is gained, leveling up occurs and physical abilities increase.
But how do I actually gain this experience?
I quickly came up with various hypotheses and guesses.
The most plausible was that just like in games where you k*ll monsters or animals for experience, I might need to k*ll the beasts around me to get stronger. This is the classic, mainstream system used in most games.
The next plausible idea was the hypothesis that eating other creatures might grant experience.
With the slime, killing and eating happened simultaneously, leaving no time to determine, but in the case of the wolf, the words appeared not at the moment I broke its neck, but when I bit into its body and drank its bl**d.
“I need more samples. Something that I can k*ll or eat…”
I looked up at the tree from which I had fallen. Hanging from a branch was a spider with eight red, menacing eyes glaring down at me.
I’ve always disliked insects with too many legs, which made me hesitant to take on this one.
Even though the three-eyed wolf resembled a dog and could play on the ground with me, the thought of struggling with a spider made goosebumps rise all over my body. I shuddered just imagining its legs touching me.
“What should I do?”
While pondering, I remembered a documentary scene I’d watched before. It was about ancient humans throwing stones and spears at animals to survive in the wild.
I recalled the narrator saying that humans’ ability to throw objects greatly helped their survival in the wild.
No matter what I look like on the outside, my inner self was a tool-using human. There was no need to go hand-to-hand with the spider.
I picked up a large pebble from the ground.
I’m not sure whether to call them fingers or front toes, but the jointed parts on my limbs allowed me to grip the object easily.
I looked back and forth between the pebble in my paw and the spider in the tree, then quickly threw the rock at it.
The weighty stone flew close but missed the spider by a hair.
—zzzZUH.
It raised two of its forelimbs and gnashed its fangs at me, showing aggression. However, from a few meters away, I didn’t feel threatened by it.
—zzzZUH!
—What’s your problem, dude? If you’re mad, try being human! And jeez, I can’t hit it. Could you just stay still for a second?
My pitching accuracy was terrible. Every time the flying stones were about to hit the spider, it skillfully dodged.
All my throws did was break the spider’s webs tangled in the tree.
—zzzZUH!
The spider raised both of its forelimbs and made an unpleasant noise. Even though we didn’t share a language, it seemed to mock and taunt my poor throwing skills.
My eyes scanned the dark forest floor. That’s when I noticed a nicely sized, round pebble next to the dead wolf’s body.
It fit perfectly in my grip as if tailor-made for me. Clutching it firmly, I prepared like a pitcher in a crucial game situation.
With muscles bulging, I hurled the rock with all my might, like a cannon firing a cannonball.
“It feels good!”
Wooooosh!
The rock pierced through the air, hitting the tree trunk with a distinct THWACK. The impact shook the tree, causing something to fall to the ground.
—zzZ.
—zzzZUH.
—Huh?! Wh-what is this?
I was shocked at what fell like dust from the tree—a mass of black spiders, each roughly the size of a hand.
Even though they weren’t as large as the one perched above, these were still the size of a tarantula from my previous life.
—Get off me!
I frantically swiped at the spiders clinging to my body and started running like a madman towards the nearby stream.
I felt I needed to roll around in the water to wash off any trace of these disgusting creatures.
“Ugh, this is so gross!”
Submerged waist-deep in the icy stream, I vigorously scrubbed myself, ignoring the freezing temperature in favor of the bug-free sensation.
After vigorously rubbing my skin raw, I climbed out, shivering. With no towel to dry off, like a wet dog—or a wet cat—I shook myself dry, splashing water everywhere.
“Ugh, it’s cold! Can magical beasts even catch a cold?”
—
A loud howling noise echoed through the forest. It felt like something—or someone—was watching me.
I remembered the saying that predators often gather near water sources. Since most creatures need water to survive, predators hide near water and attack small animals coming for a drink.
This rule applied even in the jungles of my past life—it could equally work in this world.
“I’d better move away from the water.”
I crouched low, trying to minimize any sounds as I heightened all my senses. Even the faintest rustle of leaves got my attention as I distanced myself from the water’s edge.
I clung to a hope that my water-soaked body might cover any smell of bl**d or other animal odors that could attract predators.
Survivalists always said it’s crucial to maintain hope and positivity in every situation.
I used to watch those survival reality shows for entertainment, dismissing them as exaggerated. But now, those words felt like a talisman or a faith-based guideline.
After walking a while, the sound of flowing water disappeared. I must have distanced myself decently from the stream.
The wind brushed against my still damp fur, making me shiver.
“It’d be nice if I could make a fire.”
I let out a dry cough—hak, kahk—secretly hoping fire might suddenly spew out of my mouth but only felt a wave of disappointment.
“What should I do now?”
It would be hours until daylight.
“Since I defeated the wolf that harassed me for days, I guess I’m safe to sleep a little.”
Exhaustion had made my eyelids feel incredibly heavy since waking up from the egg.
Still, sleeping carelessly would be like committing s*icide.
Sleeping on a tree like last night seemed unwise after my encounter with the spiders.
“I probably need to create a den or some kind of shelter.”
Even in the daytime, there must be rabbits and other animals hiding somewhere. If they can hide, so can I. Of course, my hideaway would need to be a bit larger.
During my military days in Gangwon-do, I dug trenches bigger than anyone else while serving in the engineering corps. Digging dirt became one of the few things I was confident about.
I clenched my tough claws and prepared. Oh right, one of my skills reminded me, was Tough Claws.
“Let’s give it a shot.”
I dug into the earth with both front paws. Occasionally, I hit rocks and roots, but with some effort, they broke easily.
Eventually, a deep enough hole, resembling a trench or a fox hole, was formed.
“These claws are better than I thought!”
I gathered leaves and soft grass to line the bottom of the hole for comfort. Using fallen branches from nearby trees, I camouflaged the entrance, making it a decent hideout.
I crawled inside and covered the opening with branches. I curled up, and the shelter felt cozy despite the quick and rough construction.
“From tomorrow, I should use daylight to prepare for safe nights.”
*
I only meant to nap, but when I awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. Climbing out of my hiding spot, I stretched luxuriously.
Looking at the makeshift shelter where I spent the night, I couldn’t believe I had slept there.
The bright daylight revealed just how precarious my hideout had been. Despite using twigs and leaves for camouflage, its emptiness was glaringly obvious. If a nocturnal animal with good night vision passed by, it would surely have been an easy target.
“Today, I need to find food and create a better, safer hiding place.”
I quickly decided on my plan for the day. Without wasting even a moment, I set out.
First, I headed back to where the wolf we fought yesterday was. Last night, I hadn’t thought about it, but using my claws or sharp stones, I could skin the wolf and take its flesh.
The forest trails looked similar, so I retraced my steps toward the stream until familiar trees and landscapes appeared.
—Huh? What is this?
I froze, looking at the wolf on the ground. Its body, which was intact last night, was now torn apart—a bloody mess scattered across the forest floor.
Flies swarmed the decomposing flesh, and my appetite disappeared instantly.
Only an extremely powerful beast could have shredded the wolf’s thick hide and dismembered its body so casually.
Tracks of uneven, heavy-footed prints surrounded the area. It could’ve been a bear or tiger—or, given this strange world with three-eyed wolves and slimes, possibly some terrifying monster I couldn’t even imagine.
Whoever it was, it was clearly stronger than me with sharper and stronger teeth.
—Who did this?
I looked up and saw the same spider from last night busy weaving its web on the same tree.
—zzzZUH.
—zzZ.
In this bizarre world, spiders don’t talk, I guessed awkwardly scratching my face. I decided to leave the area.
“There might be a monster nearby that tore apart the wolf. Let’s try somewhere else.”
Following the stream, I resolved to change my home base.
If I head downstream, I might encounter people. Who knows? There might be someone who can help me.
“This world probably still has people or some form of civilization, right…?”
At first, I worried, but soon, lost in thought while following the endless stream, all concerns slipped away.
“Where am I anyway?”
As I felt curious, words appeared before my eyes: 【Ma Kyung: The Ancient Nest】.
Reflexively, I swatted at the words with my paw but hesitated. Maybe these words contain important clues or hints.
Ma Kyung (魔境) often refers to abandoned radioactive cities or haunted locations that humans can’t live in. In games, it describes dungeons underground, or dangerous forests, or mountains filled with monsters.
Then, “The Ancient Nest,” probably describes the name of this forest.
“The Ancient Nest”…
I silently repeated the strange name. Given the prefix “ancient,” this forest might have existed for centuries.
So what does “Nest” mean in this context?
To me, nests are what birds and similar animals use to lay eggs and live.
Like how the sea is called a treasure trove of life, maybe this forest, teeming with creatures, is also referred to as a “nest.”
—Tock, —Tock.
As I walked contemplating, a noticeable sound reached my ears. It sounded like someone hitting a flat piece of board with a stick.
The sound was unlike anything natural and had an artificial, rhythmic quality.
I hadn’t seen another living soul for days, so my heart leapt at the possibility. Without thinking, I headed toward the source of the sound.
As the dull thuds grew louder, I realized I was in a clearing in the thick woods where a giant, flat rock structure stood surrounded by trees. Even if I accepted it as a natural rock formation, the statue nearby was unmistakably human-made.
“Of course, there were people here!”
—Tock, —Tock.
The rhythmic sound came from between the rocks and the statue.
I crouched low in the bush, ready for anything.
