Morning came.
My back was sore, stiff from sleeping on cold stone, but pain meant I was alive—and that was already a win in this world. I forced myself upright and stretched carefully.
"Okay, Leo," I muttered. "New day. Don't die."
First objective: food.
On my way up from the cave entrance, I remembered passing a strange tree the day before. It had thick branches and clusters of oddly shaped fruits hanging high above the ground.
Maybe edible… maybe poison, I thought.
Either way, starving wasn't an option.
I scanned the surroundings. About fifteen meters ahead stood the tree, tall and smooth-barked. Too smooth.
"…This is going to suck."
I tried climbing.
Bad idea.
The bark was slippery, offering almost no grip. My hands slid. My feet lost purchase. I nearly fell twice, barely catching myself on branches that scraped my arms raw.
"Fuck—!"
I clung there, heart pounding, muscles screaming as I struggled for what felt like hours.
Then something changed.
A familiar warmth spread through my limbs, followed by a sharp click in my mind.
Climbing – Lv 3 (Ordinary Class)
Instantly, images flooded my thoughts—hand placement, foot angles, weight distribution. My body adjusted without conscious effort.
I climbed.
Not awkwardly.
Naturally.
Within minutes, I reached the upper branches and plucked several fruits. They looked like a strange mix between a mango and a pear.
"Well… here goes nothing."
I bit into one.
"…Holy shit."
Sweet juice flooded my mouth. I devoured the flesh, drank the fluids, even gnawed on the softer bark without hesitation.
I hadn't realized how badly I was starving until my body stopped screaming.
The system panel flickered.
Climbing – Lv 3
Maneuvering against vertical and uneven surfaces through optimized limb coordination.
I stared at it in awe.
"All it took was easing a barrier," I murmured.
Yesterday I couldn't climb at all. Now I felt like a beginner expert.
Next step: a weapon.
I snapped off a thick branch and spent time sharpening one end against stone. Crude, ugly—but deadly enough.
"A makeshift spear," I nodded. "Better than bare hands."
Water came next.
Moving through the jungle was exhausting. Every step felt watched. Every sound made my grip tighten.
Just as I was considering resting on a large rock, I heard it.
Flowing water.
My head snapped up.
"Yes…"
A river lay not too far ahead. Relief washed over me as I approached the bank and knelt down.
I scooped water with trembling hands.
Then—
ROAR.
The surface exploded.
A massive reptilian shape lunged out—something like an alligator, but wrong. Bigger. Faster.
I dodged instinctively, barely avoiding snapping teeth that closed where my head had been.
"SHIT!"
I rolled, came up hard, and without thinking thrust the spear forward.
Spearmanship – Lv 1 (Ordinary Class)
The motion felt guided.
The spear struck true, jabbing straight into the creature's eye. It screeched, thrashed violently, then retreated back into the water, blood clouding the river.
I collapsed onto the riverbank, breathing hard, hands shaking.
"…I almost died."
My whole body trembled as the reality sank in.
I stood slowly, backing away from the river.
"I need to move," I whispered. "Now."
Clutching my spear, I returned toward the cave, every sense on edge.
"This world is a jungle," I said under my breath.
Then my eyes hardened.
"But I'll conquer it."