Last night, I thought I would have trouble sleeping since I was on the ground just covered with straw. But my worries were unnecessary; I slept like a rock, and before I knew it, I was waking up with the first rays of the sun.
Stepping out of my makeshift house, I witnessed something spectacular. The sound of the stream seemed calmer, dew sparkled on the green grass, and the orange rays of the sun touched my skin through the gaps between the large trees.
I still hadn't fully accepted my new reality; it felt like a dream. This wonderful vision, this silence... these were things I could never even dream of in my previous life.
Today, I need to solve the food problem. I'm thinking of trying to catch some fish I saw along the river. I'm not skilled in making traps, nor am I a hunter.
But first, I need tools. I have nothing to cut with, which means I urgently need a knife.
From the television shows I watched, I remember they used sharp stones to make a primitive knife. That's what I'm going to look for now.
I hope to find something useful quickly. Today, I don't want to waste much time since I have a lot of work to do.
Leaving my home, I walked about forty meters to the river's edge, crouched down, and washed my face.
I didn't notice it yesterday, but I look better. I was never really ugly, but I could only be considered average. I think there must be a god's hand in this.
Looking at my reflection in the water, I'm a little enchanted. With black hair, brown eyes, and a very kind face, I look like a typical, handsome Asian.
I realized I'm a bit taller now. Before, I was about 1.70 meters tall, but now I think I'm 1.85 meters. If I were in my previous world, I would be a great basketball player.
My muscles are more defined now, which must be why I have more strength. Yesterday, when I was carrying the materials to make my shelter, I noticed this.
I walked along the riverbank looking for some sharp stones. It's not easy to find something ready-made.
I collected some that I thought could be used. My method was to look for a flat stone with a sharp edge, but it's not that simple.
I gathered about ten stones that more or less fit the pattern. They came in all shapes and sizes. One of them caught my eye for being the most beautiful. I picked it up and immediately tried to use it to cut something.
On the first try, it broke in half. I guess beauty isn't everything.
I abandoned the useless stone and started testing the others.
One didn't break, but it wasn't sharp either.
Another was sharp, but couldn't withstand impact.
I tested them one by one until only the last one remained.
I saved this black stone for last. Its shape didn't look like a knife; it was triangular.
I tested it anyway.
I tried using it to cut a small tree branch. It cut through it as if it were butter.
I then tried hitting a sturdier trunk with it. There was no damage to the stone, and it left a deep mark on the tree.
I think I found my knife, but... this shape is a bit strange. I found it difficult to hold.
I decided I needed to improvise a handle for the knife. I found a piece of sturdy wood and carefully carved a groove where the triangular stone could fit. Using vines, I tied the stone firmly to the wooden handle, ensuring it was securely fastened. The result was a rustic but functional knife.
...
With my knife in hand, it was now time to try to catch some fish.
My first idea was to set up traps, something that would capture the fish and not let them escape.
Well, the idea was good, but I didn't know how to do it.
I tried several times using sticks and vines. I created a simple structure with sticks, positioning them in a funnel shape in the water to direct the fish into a small enclosed area where they would be trapped.
But it didn't work, and I had another problem with this idea: I didn't know how to attract the fish to the trap.
Result: I gave up.
...
My next idea to catch the fish was a spear. I wanted to take advantage of the clear surface of the river for hunting.
I used my knife to cut a stick about two meters high and sharpened the tip to be like a stake.
I went to the river and started the hunt.
Result: I gave up.
At times, I could swear the fish were laughing at me.
I didn't have enough skill with the spear, and the fish were incredibly fast in the water.
On television, it seemed super easy to do this. I think I was deluding myself.
...
Now I'm sitting on the riverbank, looking at the fish.
I feel like I'm in front of a restaurant and don't have the money to go in. It's frustrating.
"Damn fish, wait, one day I'm going to eat you!"
I was on the edge of my patience, and I could swear these fish were mocking me. They would come up to me and seem to say, "You won't catch me!"
"I'm a little sorry I didn't ask the god of creation for magic..."
"Wait... Magic..."
Yesterday, when I was making a fire, something strange happened. I was already frustrated and starting to get angry, and out of nowhere, fire appeared.
"Is that magic?"
I tried to remember what I did yesterday. I was so focused on lighting the fire that I didn't even notice that something had happened.
I tried to do the same thing as yesterday...
"BURN!"
When I said the word "Burn," a fireball appeared in the palm of my hand.
I was happy at that moment, and also terrified. There was fire in my hand, and I didn't even notice that I didn't feel pain. I jumped into the river to extinguish it.
"This is dangerous; it could cause a forest fire."
After getting out of the river, I noticed that my hand was intact, not a sign of a burn.
Does this fire not burn me?
For safety, when testing again, I entered the river, in a part where the water reached my waist.
"BURN!"
A fireball appeared in my hand again. This time, I didn't freak out. I looked at it for a while, not feeling the heat of the fire. I think that's because I created it.
I tested it several times and tried to increase and decrease the size of the fireball.
The results of my tests were:
I could control the size freely. From a fireball the size of my palm, I managed to make one a meter in size. It was quite scary.
"If I can create fire out of nothing, could I create water?"
"WATER!"
A ball of water appeared in my hand. Like the fire, I didn't feel the temperature of the water. It must be something related to me creating it; I'm not sure.
I did the same tests. I could change the size freely and use it inside the river. Unlike fire, the water wouldn't go out.
...
Half an hour later, I was returning home with a big smile on my face.
Why was I so happy? No, it wasn't because I could use magic. It was because I finally caught those damn fish!
After learning that I could control water, it was super easy to catch them. I spent about ten minutes laughing like a maniac in the face of the fish.
That was my revenge!
...
I went back to my house and used fire magic to light the fire again. Now that I know how to do it, it's a piece of cake.
I used my knife to open and clean the fish. It was the first time I did this, but I didn't feel any disgust when removing their guts.
After cutting them, I used water magic to clean everything. I made some skewers and put them over the fire.
Finally, I would have a meal.
After roasting, it was time to eat. I took a big bite and...
"Without salt..."
I had forgotten that I didn't have salt here. The fish was still good, but... for someone used to salt...
I would have to get salt somewhere. There must be salt stones. Now, where are they?
Is there salt in the forest?
It was with the thought of salt that I ended the day.
[Today's result:
Skill learned: Fireball Magic.
Skill learned: Water Ball Magic.
Acquired stone knife.
Captured fish.]