After walking a bit, I arrived at a river. It was about ten meters wide and didn't seem very deep, perhaps one and a half meters at its deepest point.
I reached the bank and washed my face; the water was at a pleasant temperature, perfect for a bath. This place seemed ideal. There was a clearing about fifty meters away on the riverbank, followed by the forest.
So far, I hadn't seen any living creatures around here; this place didn't seem very frequented. That was strange, considering the scenery was beautiful. There should be at least some animals nearby.
I lay down on the grass near the river and reflected on my situation.
I had only been in this world for a few minutes. I didn't know where I was or if there was any civilization nearby. As far as my eyes could see, there were only trees and other plants.
Considering my preference for a quiet and solitary life, the absence of civilization could be a blessing. I wanted to live peacefully and simply, without getting involved with other people. I had had my fill of humanity, and most of the people I had met were selfish and self-centered.
I wanted to take advantage of this second chance given by God to live without being bothered by human deceit or schemes.
...
After reflecting a bit, it was time to plan my next steps.
I already had an ideal place to live. I hoped it wasn't someone's territory and that they wouldn't come to kick me out later. Well, I would deal with that if it happened. For now, I needed to focus on the practical aspects of survival.
My survival here depended on three main factors: water, which I already had in abundance; food, which I would need to find; and shelter.
The river would provide me with water. I wasn't worried about potability since the water was crystal clear, and I could see the fish swimming at the bottom.
Besides, I had the blessing of the goddess of health. I didn't think drinking this water would harm me.
Food could be a challenge. I had never hunted in my life. There were fish in the river, but I wasn't confident in catching them. Fortunately, the blessing of the goddess of wisdom allowed me to distinguish edible herbs and fruits, which could be useful.
I would need fire. I would try the primitive method of lighting a fire by rubbing dry sticks together.
Now... a place where I could spend the night. I hadn't seen other living beings around here, but I didn't want to take any chances. It would be best to build a safe shelter.
At this point, what I needed immediately was shelter. There were many trees around and some vegetation that I could use for that purpose. I just needed to choose a good spot and start.
...
I walked along the riverbank, looking for a good place to build my shelter.
Everywhere I looked seemed suitable, but I wanted the best.
I saw some natural elevations that would make construction easier, but I thought I could find something better if I looked closer.
I was really intrigued by the lack of other living creatures around here.
At least there should be animals around since this was the riverbank; I imagined they would come here to quench their thirst.
After walking a bit, looking here and there, I still hadn't found my ideal spot.
I would keep looking a bit more, and if I didn't find anything satisfactory, I would settle for a random place.
During my walk, I found several herbs. Intuitively, thanks to the blessing of the goddess of wisdom, I knew they were medicinal.
It was strange. I didn't have memories of these herbs, but somehow I knew what they were and what they were used for.
...
My patience was running out. I had walked for an hour and still hadn't found my ideal spot.
I knew it was an hour because of the blessing of the god of time. Although confusing, it was useful.
I still didn't fully understand the utility of these blessings, but they were convenient.
Thanks to the goddess of wisdom, I knew medicinal herbs. With the blessing of the god of time, I could tell the time. And, thanks to the goddess of health, I didn't feel tired.
Really convenient. When I had time, I would make a temple to thank them.
Just as I was thinking of making a shelter in some random place, I saw something that caught my attention.
A huge tree, different from the others I had seen so far. This one stood out.
Besides being much taller than the others, its trunk was exceptionally thick.
I estimated it to be about eight meters wide. The height I didn't dare calculate, but it was immense.
Its trunk formed a natural 'C'-shaped relief, perfect for a shelter. This would save me a lot of work.
...
Walking around the large tree, I found some convenient bushes, vines I could use as ropes, and large leaves that could be useful.
At the moment, I didn't have anything to use as a knife. I couldn't cut branches and trees, so I had to settle for the wood I found on the ground.
After an hour, I gathered several usable materials.
I spent a lot of time carrying them to the big tree.
I noticed that my strength had increased. I managed to carry huge logs and stones. I didn't know which god gave me this strength, but I was grateful.
I gathered all the materials. Now it was time to build.
I had never done anything like this before; my construction experience was minimal. But a temporary shelter shouldn't be a big problem.
...
Somehow, I managed. It wasn't the prettiest thing, but it was habitable.
It looked like a mix of a tribal hut and an igloo. For a first construction, I was satisfied. I made the base with stones I found and used other stones to support the wood.
Definitely laborious. I knew that tools would be more convenient.
But, I was the one who asked to go to a place without civilization.
I didn't regret it.
...
After "building" my shelter, my next goal was fire. I would need it to cook, warm up, and scare off unwanted animals and insects.
I spent thirty minutes rubbing sticks together...
It didn't seem like I would manage to light a fire this way.
It seemed easy on television.
But, in reality...
"Damn it! Burn! Burn! Burn!"
I was frustrated and started talking to the wood. I don't know if it was some god answering my prayers, but suddenly a palm-sized flame appeared on the dry sticks.
I didn't think much about it. I was thrilled to have fire.
With my magnificent fire lit, I felt a bit relieved.
The late afternoon and early evening had arrived. It was great to have managed to light a fire before it got completely dark.
I ended the day.
With my house and a fire, I was much more comfortable.
Earlier, I had arranged some dry grass to cover the floor of the house. I didn't think it would be possible to fall asleep without it.
Somehow, I felt comfortable. Tomorrow, I would try to find food.
Today, I chewed on some herbs I found along the way.