After that, there was no choice but to accept the current situation and move forward. No matter where he was, wasn't surviving the most important thing? For now, what he needed were fire and food. Having already lived in harsh environments in his past life, adapting to this situation wasn't too difficult. However, food and water were vital. In ordinary places, one could hunt animals for meat, but here, with all these strange and unfamiliar creatures, eating them became a challenge.
Without overthinking it too much, he decided to build a fire first. Starting a fire wasn't too hard. In an abandoned city like this, it was even easier than doing it in a forest or mountain. Among the ruined houses, he simply had to search for metal scraps and useful materials. Soon enough, he managed to gather a few bits of scrap metal, a short machete, and some wood. With an ordinary body, carrying this much would have been easier, but with his current childlike physique, it was quite a struggle and took time.
Once he gathered enough firewood, he struck the metal pieces together over dry tinder to start the fire. It took effort, but eventually, a small flame appeared. A single gust of wind almost put it out, but after a long struggle, the fire finally caught and grew strong. The process had taken a toll on him—he was exhausted and thirsty.
He dipped a finger into the pond beneath the water basin and touched it with his tongue. Safety came first in this ruined place, where corpses were decomposing all around—anything could pose a danger. Once he felt confident the water was safe, he cupped some in his hands, drank, washed his face, and freshened up.
As he sat by the fire and reflected, the pangs of hunger returned. Judging by how his body felt, it seemed he hadn't eaten in days. While his mind, trained by past experiences, was resilient, this young body was not cooperating.
Staring at the strange creature corpses, he became torn. Finally, he made a difficult decision. Picking up his machete, he approached one of the larger beasts that resembled a human-sized monster and hacked off a limb. Despite sharpening the blade with heat, cutting through wasn't easy—he had to use a lot of force to get through to the bone. After many hacks, he finally separated a thick, purplish, bloodied limb.
Removing the unnecessary parts, he began roasting it over the fire. As it cooked, a sharp, pungent smell filled the air—something like burning wire. The odor made him hesitate about eating it. But after about 30–45 minutes of roasting, the outer skin shriveled, and the meat became tender. He pulled off a piece and cautiously tasted it. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad—slightly gamy but similar to beef. Starving, he pinched his nose and forced it all down. He began to feel strength return to his body.
After eating, he lay down next to the fire, deep in thought. What should he do after tonight? Where should he go? Why did he end up in this world? The situation was beyond what any normal person could comprehend, and survival required adaptability. He realized he needed to learn about this world and its languages. Only then could he understand why the people of this city died.
Once he had thoroughly explored the city, he planned to leave as quickly as possible. He wasn't the type to flee from the unknown in blind panic. People feared things they didn't understand—but if he could understand them, he'd be able to make better decisions about whether to run or fight.
That night, he decided to stay awake and observe. The city was eerily silent, with only the faint crackling of the fire breaking the stillness. The firewood burned slowly, turning to ash. The moonlight gradually faded, replaced by the glow of morning. Nothing unexpected happened by dawn, and he felt a sense of relief.
But having stayed up all night, his muscles were stiff, and his eyes were red. He stood up and stretched, then picked up his weapon—a one-meter-long wooden spear with a beast's claw attached to the end. For someone like him, creating a weapon from materials around him wasn't hard.
Now he needed to look for more food and water. He couldn't keep eating rotting meat forever, and his drinking water wouldn't last more than three or four days at most. He only drank a sip or two at a time. Searching through the ruins for something useful, he reminded himself that in another world, language was crucial. Communication would be key when he met others. Even just finding a book could help him learn.
Unfortunately, up to this point, he hadn't found anything. After searching for nearly an hour, he began to feel exhausted. For a child's body, searching through ruins like this was physically draining. He took a sip from a long, wooden bottle he'd fashioned from carved wood.
Everything happening now wasn't just unfamiliar—it was a struggle to survive. He was lucky that none of these massive beasts, like the one he'd eaten, were still alive. If any showed up, running would be his only option—and even then, with their size and speed, he'd be devoured in seconds.
> "What kind of god-forsaken place is this…"
he muttered loudly in frustration.
Wasn't it true that when others got transported to other worlds, they received magical powers and were surrounded by cute girls? For someone like him who enjoyed reading novels during his free time, such stories were cliché by now. But up to this point, he hadn't developed a single magical power. Not to mention cute girls—he hadn't even seen a single living person. Worst of all, he didn't even know who he was anymore. At the very least, couldn't someone have sent him somewhere with people?
In the end, there was no god to rely on—only himself.
Suddenly, RUMBLE!
A loud, echoing roar was heard.
He turned toward the sound and realized it was coming from the center of the city. Without hesitation, he ran toward it. There, in the middle of the ruins, he saw a monstrous creature with greenish-blue armor-like scales and a strange body covered in geometric patterns. One look, and he could tell—it was hungry.
The creature had razor-sharp claws and a long, snake-like tail that writhed behind it. As he observed, the monster sensed him.
> "GAAARRR! GRAAAHH!"
the beast roared in fury and charged at him.
There was no time to think. He turned and ran. If those claws even brushed him, he'd be dead. Sprinting with all his strength, he desperately tried to figure out how to survive. But he couldn't keep running forever.
The beast was closing in fast.
Suddenly, instead of continuing straight, he darted into the ruins on the side. The creature, sensing its prey slipping away, lunged in pursuit, determined to crush the only human it had seen.