He surrounded the flame with a ring of stones—not just to contain it, but also to help retain heat through the night.
> "Now, traps…"
He took a vine-like plant he'd seen growing along the trees—strong and flexible—and cut a few long strands. Using small branches, he fashioned a crude but functional snare trap. He placed it near a trail of disturbed grass, guessing small animals might pass through at night.
Next, he braided the vines into a makeshift net and tied it between two low-hanging trees near the riverbank—perfect for catching fish in the early morning.
> "Primitive, but it should work."
To finish off, he used the sharpest stone he could find to carve a short spear. With a long, sturdy branch and some effort, he fastened the blade with more vine, creating a basic weapon—just in case.
Back at his camp, he boiled water using a hollowed-out piece of bark and heated stones from the fire, cycling hot rocks into the water until it was sterilized.
As night fell, Aiden sat near the small fire, wrapped in his coat, the hollow tree shielding him from the wind.
> "Not bad," he whispered. "Not bad at all."
His body was still unfamiliar, but his mind was sharp. And in this world—just like the last—knowledge was power.
He closed his eyes, letting the warmth lull him to sleep, the quiet crackle of fire and the chirping of insects his only company.
The camp was crude, but solid.
He'd gathered dry branches, twigs, and a few thick logs to form a stable fire pit, carefully arranging them in a teepee shape with a pile of dried grass and bark at the center as tinder. A firesteel he'd found in the pouch of his new body made ignition easier — a few strikes, and the dry tinder caught flame. He added small sticks first, then gradually thicker logs to build a steady, controlled fire.
Next, he'd chosen a large tree with an exposed root system and a natural hollow beneath it — not quite a cave, but enough for decent shelter. Using a large stick and a broken rock as a crude shovel, he cleared out leaves, dirt, and bugs, then padded the ground with layers of dry moss and ferns for insulation.
> "Not perfect… but beats sleeping on bare ground."
He reinforced the front using a few large branches leaned up against the roots to act as a partial windbreak. He even tied some leafy vines between them for privacy and camouflage.
For water, the river nearby flowed slow and clean. He carved a small depression near the edge using stones, forming a kind of natural basin to collect water more easily. He'd boil it later just to be safe, but for now, it would do.
Then came the fish trap — a classic funnel trap. He stripped long, flexible branches and wove them into a cone shape, narrowing at one end. Stones held it down at the river's edge, and he baited it with crushed insects and bits of moss.
> "Let's see if you work."
Finally, he hung his slightly damp shirt near the fire to dry and took a deep breath. Smoke rose steadily into the sky, keeping insects away and signaling a bit of life in the wild.
The forest around him was calm, but not silent — birds chirped, insects buzzed, and small animals rustled in the undergrowth. It felt alive. Peaceful. For now.
Aiden sat down on a large root, stretched his legs, and looked up at the sun peeking through the canopy.
> "Still half the day left…"
His stomach rumbled slightly. He hadn't eaten since waking up in this world. Hopefully the trap would work.
But for now, he had a fire, water, and a shelter.
That was enough to start with.
Now, I just had to wait.
The fish trap was set, secured under a shaded bend of the river where the current slowed just enough to funnel anything swimming by. I sat back under the cover of a nearby tree, the warmth of the sun on my face. My eyelids grew heavy—too much had happened today, and I had used more mana than I realized.
Just a quick rest.
I must've dozed off, because when I opened my eyes again, the sun had shifted slightly in the sky. I stretched and stood up, blinking away the last bits of sleep, and made my way to the river.
Three fish.
Not bad for a first try.
I cleaned them downstream, far from where I set up camp. In both this world and my old one, the smell of blood could attract the wrong kind of attention—animals, monsters, or worse. After gutting and rinsing the fish, I made my way farther from the campsite before building a second fire using dry sticks and bark scrapings I had pocketed earlier. A couple of flat stones over the flame served as a makeshift pan.
Crispy skin. Soft meat. Protein.
My stomach growled in anticipation. It wasn't gourmet, but after everything today, it felt like a feast.
Once the bones were tossed far from the area and the fire was buried, I returned to the main camp.
Now, the real grind begins.
Most people in this world underestimated healing magic. They saw it as something reserved for clerics or support mages—secondary, dependent, niche.
But to me?
It was a cheat code.
The forest was rich in ambient mana—maybe because it had been untouched for years. Based on what I knew from the novel, it boosted passive mana regeneration by about 30%. That meant I could burn through healing repeatedly and still recover quickly.
Perfect conditions for training.
I took a deep breath, removed my shirt, and began my workout. Just like back home. Push-ups, pull-ups from a sturdy branch, dips between two thick roots, core exercises on the ground, explosive squats, and isolated calf raises. Each muscle group got its share. Form mattered more than speed.
Sweat ran down my forehead. My breathing grew heavier. My arms burned with that familiar fire from failure reps—but this time, I smiled.
Because now, I had healing.
I closed my eyes and chanted softly, "Heal."
A cooling sensation swept across my body. The soreness faded. The fatigue lifted. I didn't just recover—I grew. The micro-tears in my muscles mended rapidly, reinforced with mana-fueled regeneration. And with the fish I ate earlier, packed with protein and natural fats, my body had what it needed to rebuild.
Back in my old world, building a decent physique took me years.
Now? I could do in weeks what once took years.
This wasn't just about strength. It was about mana control, physical synergy, and pushing my limits.
And I wasn't wasting a second of it.