The second morning in the forest came with a kind of biting silence, heavier than the first. The chirping of birds had quieted, and even the rustling of trees seemed muted, as if the forest itself were holding its breath.
Kaito stretched, his limbs sore from the night spent inside the hollowed tree trunk. Despite its discomfort, the shelter had protected him from the cold and the creeping creatures of the night. He felt every inch of his seventeen-year-old body—lightweight, lithe, but untrained. That had to change. Quickly.
His memories of Earth were still intact, vivid as ever—training montages from martial arts movies, tactical survival guides from YouTube, old scout tips buried deep in the back of his brain. Now those fragments of knowledge had become lifelines. He would have to rely on them… until he became something more than human.
The stream he'd found the previous day still flowed nearby, and he took a long drink before splashing cold water across his face. As he rose, something shifted in his awareness—an itch in the back of his skull. It wasn't pain or sound. It was… presence. Something watching.
He froze, listening. Nothing.
But it was there.
Turning slowly, he scanned the trees, eyes narrowing at every flutter of leaves. Then, suddenly, a System Notification flared to life in the air before him—an ethereal text, softly glowing in blue.
🔹 [Skill Acquired: Predator's Intuition]
You are being hunted.
Passive effect: Slight increase in sensory range when in danger.
Origin: Threatening presence within 40 meters.
Kaito's heart skipped a beat.
Skill… acquired?
So it was true. This world operated on rules. Like a game. He could acquire skills not through training alone, but by experiencing danger and adapting.
"Okay," he muttered, backing away from the tree line. "So I am being watched."
Another rustle, closer this time—he dove to the side just as a flash of brown muscle and teeth tore through where he'd stood.
It was massive.
A beast with the body of a lion, but patches of rough bark growing from its back like armor plates. Its jaws dripped with venom, and its amber eyes locked onto Kaito with intelligent hunger.
🔹 [Forest Alpha – Level 8]
Classification: Magical Beast
Traits: High agility, bark-like hide, venomous bite
Status: Aggressive
Level 8? Kaito didn't even know what his level was, but this thing was clearly not the kind of opponent a newly reincarnated teenager should be fighting.
The beast growled, low and threatening. But Kaito didn't run. Not because he thought he could win, but because a second System Notification appeared.
🔹 [Unique Trait Activated: Spell Copy – Passive]
You are eligible to record magical traits from enemies.
Requirements met: Close proximity to a Magic Beast for 60+ seconds.
Copying trait: [Venom Gland Adaptation]…
Progress: 12%...
Kaito's eyes widened.
He was absorbing skills?
This changed everything.
But to finish copying, he had to stay alive.
The beast lunged again, and Kaito leapt backward, feet skimming across the mossy ground. His movement was untrained, desperate, but instinct and adrenaline carried him through. He grabbed a thick branch, broken but solid, and jabbed it forward as the monster came again.
It wasn't much, but it deflected the creature just enough to avoid its snapping jaws. He rolled to the side and scrambled to his feet, gasping for breath.
The system flickered again.
🔹 Copying in progress… 31%...
Time. He needed time.
The beast circled him, tail swishing, growling low. It was playing with him now.
And then—a glimmer of memory. His past life. The tactical rule: small predators rely on mobility and terrain to overcome size. He couldn't fight this thing head-on, but maybe… he could out-think it.
He broke into a sprint, weaving between the trees, using the thick roots and fallen logs to create barriers. The creature gave chase, faster but bulkier, crashing through obstacles. Kaito leapt over a creek, ducked under hanging vines, and finally dove into a narrow crevice between two boulders.
The beast snarled and tried to squeeze in—just as he'd hoped. It was too big.
🔹 74%...
The minutes dragged. The creature howled, scraping the stone, snapping its jaws inches from Kaito's foot. The ground trembled with its frustration.
Then—finally.
🔹 Copy Complete: [Venom Gland Adaptation]
Ability stored in dormant state. Future evolution options available.
Trait recorded from Forest Alpha.
The monster suddenly jerked back, ears twitching. It sniffed the air, growled—and then bolted into the trees.
Kaito remained in the crevice, heart pounding, for several long minutes.
When silence returned, he pulled himself out and collapsed against the stone, chest heaving.
"Holy shit," he whispered. "I almost died…"
But he hadn't.
And now he had something new inside him. A piece of the monster.
He opened the system panel with a thought. The interface shimmered into view like a translucent HUD.
Name: Kaito
Age: 17
Race: Human (Reincarnated)
Level: 1
Mana: 73/100
Skills:
– Predator's Intuition (Passive)
– Spell Copy (Unique Trait)
– Venom Gland Adaptation (Dormant)
Titles:
– [Otherworlder]
– [Survivor of the Forest of Death]
Condition: Bruised, Low Stamina
Status: Unknown Magic Affinity – Analysis Pending
It was real. All of it.
And he had just survived a fight far above his level using nothing but wits and patience.
A laugh escaped his lips—half relief, half disbelief.
His journey had truly begun.