The next morning, the gentle sound of waves brushing against the shore echoed outside the cabin.
Marley Gibs stretched his arms and groaned as he sat up, his body sore from yesterday's training.
"Arghh! Every muscle hurts… I can't even feel my arms," he muttered, forcing himself out of bed. "But I need food, so… hunting it is."
He changed into a loose shirt and tied a simple sash around his waist, grabbing a small knife he'd found in the cabin's drawer.
"Alright… time to hunt. How hard can it be?"
He stepped out of the cabin with a confident grin.
---
The forest near his cabin was full of life. He could hear chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the distant roar of unseen beasts.
"Ah, wait for me!" he exclaimed excitedly.
As Gibs entered the forest, he spotted a large wild boar grazing in the distance.
Crouching behind a bush, he fixed his eyes on the four-foot-long beast a few meters away.
"Easy… steady…" he whispered, holding a crude spear he'd made earlier.
He lunged forward—
CRACK!
The spear snapped in half before even touching the boar.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
The boar turned, snorted angrily, and charged at him.
"WAIT—WAIT—TIME OUT!"
Gibs ran for his life, hiding behind a tree as the boar slammed into it with a thunderous thud!
"This boar has anger issues." he muttered, cold sweat dripping down his face as he peeked from behind the tree.
When the creature finally wandered off, Gibs sighed and fell onto the grass.
"Great start, Gibs. You're totally the next King of the Beasts…"
A few minutes passed.
Not one to give up easily—especially after watching so many motivational videos in his past life—Gibs tried again. This time, he spotted a large jungle bird, about half his size, perched on a rock.
"Okay, smaller target. Less chance of dying."
He crept closer, step by step… until he accidentally stepped on a twig.
CRACK!
The bird turned its head.
"Uh… nice birdy?"
The bird screeched and flew straight at him, wings flapping furiously.
"OW! OW! OW! WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING ME!?"
He flailed his arms, trying to defend himself from the feathery assault. After a minute of chaos, the bird finally flew away—leaving him covered in scratches and pride shattered.
> "I'm not really suited for hunting…"
Hours passed. With nothing but humiliation and a few bruises, Gibs trudged through the forest. Just as he was about to give up, he spotted a dirt path winding through the trees.
Following it led him to something unexpected—a small coastal settlement bustling with life. Wooden houses lined the road, smoke rose from chimneys, and fishermen shouted near the docks.
A weathered sign stood near the entrance:
"Welcome to Galaga Village!"
Gibs blinked.
"Finally! A village!"
He stepped into the village, trying to act natural—though his messy hair and torn shirt made him look more like a bandit than a traveler.
He approached a fruit vendor, an elderly woman with a bright smile.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Gibs said politely. "Do you know where I can sell some… uh, wild animals I hunted?"
The woman looked at him from head to toe.
"You mean those?"
She pointed at the small sack he carried, which contained one unlucky rabbit he'd managed to catch by tripping over it.
"Ahaha… yeah. This one."
She chuckled.
"The butcher's shop down the road will take it. You'll get a few hundred berries for that, maybe."
"That's good enough." Gibs said, smiling awkwardly.
He made his way to the butcher's shop, sold the rabbit for a small pouch of coins, and felt oddly proud.
"Work hard paids off."
With a bit of money to spend, Gibs explored the market square. He bought some spices, dried herbs, and cooking oil—anything that could make his meals taste better than burnt eggs.
At a stall selling tools, he found something even better. a small cheap whetstone and a hunting knife.
"Perfect. Next time, no more broken spears."
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, the air filled with the smell of grilled fish and the salty sea breeze. On his way back to the forest, Gibs watched villagers laugh and trade stories.
"Normal life it is," he murmured.
He smiled faintly, gripping the small pouch of spices.
"Tomorrow… I'll do better. Stronger hunts, better training. Step by step, I'll survive this world."
TO BE CONTINUE!