Ethan walked slowly under the canopy of large trees in this new world, still adjusting to a place that felt both unfamiliar and familiar to him.
Every step felt heavy, though his wounds had begun to heal, pain and soreness still enveloped his body. He was no longer bleeding, but the weakness and heightened alertness kept him on guard.
As he walked, Ethan muttered, his voice nearly drowned by the whispering wind.
"For what purpose did that dragon bring me to its world? And why... why do I feel more comfortable here than on Earth?"
There was something strange he couldn't ignore. The longer he stayed here, the better his body felt, as if an invisible force was seeping into his pores. His breathing was lighter, his pain lessened, and the energy within him seemed to be growing again.
"There's something here," he thought, "something that's making my body recover... but where is this power coming from?"
Ethan paused for a moment, closing his eyes and feeling the gentle breeze around him. This new world had a different air purer, more alive.
He could sense how every passing second made his body feel stronger. "Is this a sanctified world? Or maybe... a place where creatures like dragons gain their power?" he wondered, trying to connect the clues he had gathered since arriving.
But before he could delve further into his thoughts, a sudden sound caught his attention. Movement in the bushes and trees nearby made his heart race.
His survival instincts immediately kicked in. "Be careful...," whispered a voice in his mind, "there's a predator stalking you."
Ethan tensed up. Slowly, he scanned his surroundings, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Anxiety crept over him, even though nothing was clearly visible among the shadows of the trees. Everything went silent for a moment, but his instincts whispered that he was not alone.
"It seems like there's more than one," he thought as the sounds of movement began to come from different directions.
The bushes rustled softly, small branches snapped in the distance. Ethan's breathing grew heavier. Was it wolves? Wild dogs? Or perhaps something more dangerous in this world?
Ethan tensed his muscles, preparing for a fight that seemed inevitable. He might still feel weak, but he had no intention of becoming an easy target.
In his mind, he recalled how the dragon had destroyed anything in its path. Ethan didn't have that kind of power, but he had to survive.
"This isn't Earth... I have to adapt or die," he muttered, carefully stepping back, trying not to make too much noise.
The movement between the trees was clearer now, as if the creatures were deliberately surrounding him. They seemed in no hurry, like they were stalking their prey.
Quickly, Ethan grabbed a large branch from the ground, something he could use as an improvised weapon. It might not be enough to kill, but it could help him defend himself.
"Wolves, or something bigger?" he wondered.
But whatever it was, Ethan knew he had to fight to survive. Cold sweat began to form on his forehead, and his breathing became steady, though his heart was pounding.
He sharpened his ears, listening to every detail the rustling leaves, the faint footsteps among the trees, and the heavy breathing of the creatures around him.
"They're watching me... waiting for the right moment," he thought nervously.
"Alright," Ethan whispered, "if they want a fight, I'll give them one." He adjusted his stance, spreading his legs slightly to keep his balance, his eyes sharp, scanning for the slightest movement.
In the tense silence, Ethan prepared himself for whatever was lurking in the shadows of the forest. Gripping the large branch in his hand, he knew this fight could be his first real test in this mysterious and dangerous new world.
Ethan stood still, his body still sore, but adrenaline was now surging through him. From the moving bushes, a figure emerged that made his eyes widen.
It wasn't an ordinary wolf as he had initially guessed it resembled a wolf but was nearly as large as a lion or tiger on Earth. Its muscles were taut, and its fur shimmered under the dim light of the forest.
The massive wolf stared at Ethan with sharp eyes, intensifying the tension. Without warning, the wolf lunged at him with swift and brutal speed, its jaws wide open, ready to swallow Ethan's head whole.
Its large, razor-sharp teeth looked deadly, but Ethan, with survival instincts honed on Earth, quickly rolled to the side, avoiding the lethal attack.
"Damn it!" Ethan shouted as he hit the ground, his body slamming into the dirt. His mind raced, but as he saw the giant wolf targeting him again, fear and awe mixed in his thoughts.
"A creature this big shouldn't be able to move that fast," he thought. But the fear slowly turned into a wild laugh. "I've killed hundreds of wolves on Earth, and you'll be just another one of them!"
Ethan grabbed the large branch he had taken earlier, holding it tightly like an improvised weapon. With a mad laugh echoing in the night, he took a step forward, his hunger and ambition overtaking his mind.
"I'll eat you!" he shouted, losing control as his survival instincts and overwhelming ambition took over.
The wolf attacked again, this time more cautiously. Ethan, though still wracked with pain from his injuries, felt something strange.
His movements felt lighter here.
Maybe the energy of this world was granting him strength he didn't fully understand yet. He stepped forward with more confidence, swinging the tree branch hard toward the wolf.
However, the wolf was too agile. Despite its enormous size, the creature leaped to the side with grace, dodging each of Ethan's strikes.
"What is this?" Ethan muttered in frustration, as his attacks failed to land. His eyes locked on the wolf's massive legs. "Look at those muscles... how can it move so fast?" he thought.
Ethan knew he had to think quickly. The wolf, despite its size and strength, wasn't just relying on its physical power.
There was intelligence in its movements, as if it was assessing its opponent's strength. "Damn it! It's not just a wild animal... it's more than that," Ethan thought.
The wolf's next attack came faster than Ethan anticipated. With long strides, the massive creature charged at him again, its jaws wide open, ready to tear Ethan apart. But Ethan, though feeling cornered, refused to give in.
With all his remaining strength, he raised the tree branch and swung it at the wolf's open jaw. The hard wood collided with the wolf's teeth with a loud crack, causing the creature to back off a few steps, growling angrily.