Cold
That was the first sensation that Keitaro felt as he regained his consciousness. The biting chill of water enveloped him tugging him in all directions. His body felt heavy his limbs sluggish as the roaring sound of the river filled his ears. His eyes fluttered open only to be met with the blurry rush of churning water and distant rocks.
"I… I'm alive?"
Keitaro's mind slowly pieced things together. The cliff. The monster. The leap of faith. It all came back in a disorienting flood of memory. The last thing he remembered was jumping off the cliff to escape the gigantic predator, and then nothing.
Wait a second... I should be dead!
His body bobbed up and down in the rushing current, the freezing water making it impossible to think clearly. He gasped for breath as his head barely broke the surface before being pulled under again. With his arms flailing Keitaro struggled to keep his head above water. The powerful current was dragging him downstream and the further he went the more violent the river became.
"System!" he shouted between gulps of air and splashes of water. "I'm about to drown here! Help!"
The system chimed in, calm and indifferent as ever. "Warning: Drowning imminent. Recommend escaping the river immediately."
"Yeah, no kidding!" Keitaro spat coughing as another wave smacked him in the face.
He scanned his surroundings, eyes darting desperately for anything he could use to save himself. Jagged rocks jutted out from the water's surface, and the sheer speed of the current made it impossible to swim to the sides. The riverbanks were steep, lined with dense, sharp-looking foliage that didn't exactly scream "safety."
I need to get out of this water fast, Keitaro thought, panic starting to set in. Or I'm toast.
Another screen appeared before him as he fought to stay afloat.
New Quest: Survive the Rapids
Objective: Escape the river alive.
Rewards: 150 XP, Passive Skill Unlock.
Penalty: Death by drowning.
"Seriously? A death penalty again?" Keitaro groaned, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.
Desperately he kicked his legs and paddled his arms trying to make his way toward the bank. The freezing water sapped his strength quickly but he couldn't afford to stop. His body screamed in protest, muscles burning from exhaustion as he fought against the relentless current.
"Come on, come on!" he gasped, his breath ragged.
Then, out of the corner of his eye he spotted a large, fallen tree lodged between two rocks up ahead. The thick trunk was partially submerged in the river, forming a makeshift bridge across the rushing water. It was his only chance.
Without hesitation Keitaro angled himself toward the tree swimming with every ounce of strength he had left. His arms and legs moved sluggishly but inch by inch he closed the distance. The sound of the rushing water filled his ears growing louder as he neared the fallen tree.
With one last desperate push, Keitaro reached out and grabbed hold of the tree trunk. The force of the river nearly ripped him away, but he held on tight his fingers digging into the rough bark.
"Got it!" he shouted triumphantly, though his grip was tenuous at best.
He hauled himself onto the log his body trembling from exertion. His clothes were soaked through and his entire body felt like one massive aching bruise. But he was alive and for the moment that was all that mattered.
He lay on the trunk for a few moments gasping for breath as he let the exhaustion wash over him. The roar of the river continued below, but the immediate danger had passed.
"Okay," Keitaro muttered between gasps. "First day in a new world and I've already been chased by a monster thrown off a cliff and nearly drowned. I'm nailing this protagonist thing." He said sarcasticaly.
Once his breathing steadied he slowly pulled himself to a sitting position his legs dangling off the side of the tree. The river raged beneath him but at least now he was out of its deadly grasp.
He swiped a hand over his face wiping away the water from his eyes and opened his system menu.
Quest Completed : Survive the Rapids!
Rewards: 150 XP, Passive Skill Unlock: Endurance Boost (Level 1)
Congratulations! You have leveled up!
"Leveled up, huh?" Keitaro murmured, his body still aching from the ordeal. He quickly checked his stats to see what had changed.
Name: Keitaro Yamada
Level: 2
Health: 150/150
Mana: 60/100
Strength: 12
Dexterity: 14
Intelligence: 11
Endurance: 10 (+2 from Endurance Boost)
"Not bad, not bad at all," he said with a grin. "I could definitely use that endurance boost after all the running and swimming I've been doing."
Feeling a bit more confident he swung his legs back onto the tree trunk and stood up wobbling slightly as his balance returned. His clothes were soaked, and his hair stuck to his forehead in wet clumps but the cool air was a welcome change from the freezing water.
"Alright Keitaro time to figure out where you are", he muttered surveying the surrounding area.
The forest on either side of the river looked just as dense and foreboding as the Darkwood Forest he had started in. Tall trees with gnarled branches reached up to the sky, their leaves casting dark shadows on the forest floor. The river was his only clear landmark, and he wasn't too keen on following it much longer considering how it had nearly killed him.
He squinted up at the sky. The sun was still rising meaning he had the entire day ahead of him. He needed to find civilization fast. Preferably before another monster or some other form of trouble found him first.
The system's ever-punctual voice chimed in.
"New skill unlocked: Endurance Boost (Level 1). Increases stamina recovery and overall physical resilience."
"Nice. Guess that'll help me not die as fast when I run into the next giant monster," Keitaro said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
He hopped off the tree trunk and landed on the soft moss-covered ground. His legs felt steadier now and the chill of the river had faded slightly though he could still feel his soaked clothes clinging to him uncomfortably. With a deep breath he started walking along the riverbank heading downstream.
"Time to get moving. There's gotta be a town or village somewhere nearby. Hopefully one with food."
As Keitaro trudged along the riverbank the forest around him seemed to grow quieter. The distant calls of birds and the rustling of small animals had faded, leaving only the sound of the flowing river and the occasional crack of a branch underfoot. The eerie silence put him on edge, and every shadow seemed to shift and move in the corner of his vision.
"Man, this place is giving me major horror game vibes," he muttered glancing around warily. "Where's the safe zone when you need it?"
Despite the quiet Keitaro pushed forward. The terrain grew rougher with large boulders and steep slopes making the journey more difficult. His legs ached and his stomach growled angrily reminding him that he hadn't eaten since arriving in this world.
"I need food. And shelter annd maybe a hot bath," he groaned.
As if in answer to his complaints, the system chimed in once more.
"Host would you like to access the map function?"
Keitaro nearly tripped over a rock in surprise. "Wait, I have a map function? Since when?!"
"Basic Map Unlock was included in the reward for the previous quest."
Keitaro slapped his forehead. "Of course. I need to pay more attention to these quest rewards." He quickly accessed the system menu and selected the map function.
A new screen appeared in front of him displaying a simple but detailed map of his surroundings. The river was marked clearly snaking its way through the dense forest. There was a blinking dot indicating his current location and after zooming out Keitaro noticed a small icon further downstream a tiny village symbol.
"Finally some good news!" he cheered his spirits lifting. "There's a village just a few miles from here!"
With renewed energy Keitaro picked up the pace jogging along the riverbank toward the village. The promise of food, shelter and possibly some answers to his situation was more than enough motivation to keep him moving.
As he neared the edge of the forest the trees began to thin out and the sound of the river grew softer. The sunlight breaking through the canopy was brighter here, and Keitaro could just make out the distant shapes of wooden buildings ahead.
"Looks like I made it," he said with a relieved smile.
The village came into view as he approached, and Keitaro's excitement grew. Small wooden houses lined the dirt road, and villagers went about their daily business, carrying baskets of vegetables, tending to animals, and chatting with one another. Smoke rose from chimneys, filling the air with the comforting smell of cooking food.
For a moment Keitaro stood at the edge of the village taking it all in. It looked like something straight out of a fantasy RPG peaceful and entirely different from the dangerous forest he had just escaped.
"Well, this is it. Time to make my grand entrance," he said to himself adjusting his damp clothes and brushing the dirt off his pants.
As he stepped onto the village road several villagers glanced his way some nodding in greeting others giving him curious looks. He probably didn't look like the most trustworthy traveler given his soaked and disheveled appearance.
Keitaro gave them his best awkward smile and waved. "Uh, hey! Just passing through."
The villagers didn't seem too alarmed by his presence which was a good sign. It meant this world probably had plenty of travelers, adventurers and hopefully people who wouldn't freak out if they saw him pull off a Spirit Gun or summon a Shadow Clone.
He wandered further into the village searching for what mattered most food.
His eyes landed on a small tavern near the center of the village. A sign above the door read "The Rusty Dagger" and the delicious smell of roasted meat wafted from inside.
Keitaro's stomach growled in response. "Alright, let's grab a bite to eat and maybe get some information about this place."
He pushed open the door and stepped into the tavern. The interior was cozy, with wooden tables and chairs scattered around a large hearth that radiated warmth. A few patrons sat at the tables enjoying their meal and drinks while a grizzled man with a thick beard manned the bar.
Keitaro approached the bartender giving him a friendly nod. "Hey there do you have anything to eat?"
The bartender glanced up from polishing a mug and eyed Keitaro's soaked clothes. "You look like you've been through some hurdles boy. What happened? Fell in a river?"
"Uh yeah something like that," Keitaro replied sheepishly "Just a bit of bad luck with the local wildlife. But I'm still in one piece so I guess I can't complain."
The bartender chuckled "You're not the first traveler to get roughed up by the Darkwood that place is no joke but you made it out so you must have some skills."
Keitaro shrugged trying to play it cool "You could say that anyway what's the special today? I'm starving."
The bartender grinned and put down the mug and said "Got a fresh pot of stew cooking and we're roasting some boar. I'll get you a plate name's Garret by the way."
"Thanks Garret. I'm Keitaro."
Garret disappeared into the kitchen leaving Keitaro to take a seat at the bar. He glanced around the tavern observing the other patrons. They didn't seem particularly interested in him which was fine by him. The last thing he wanted was to draw too much attention right now.
After a few minutes Garret returned with a steaming plate of food a generous portion of stew and a slab of roasted boar.
Keitaro's mouth watered at the sight "Oh man, that smells amazing."
"Dig in" , Garret said with a chuckle setting the plate down in front of him.
Keitaro didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed a spoon and dug into the stew savoring the rich hearty flavor. After days of eating instant ramen and convenience store snacks back on Earth this was a culinary masterpiece. The boar was tender and juicy and the stew warmed him from the inside out.
As he ate Keitaro's mind wandered back to his situation. He had survived his first few hours in this world barely but there was still so much he didn't know. How had he ended up here? What kind of world was this? And most importantly what was his next move?
The system had given him a decent start but he knew that things were only going to get more dangerous from here monsters, magic, powerful enemies this world was full of threats he couldn't even begin to imagine.
And yet despite the danger a part of him was thrilled. This was what he had always dreamed of a world of adventure, magic and endless possibilities. Sure it wasn't exactly like the anime he watched but it was close enough.
Keitaro leaned back in his chair feeling the weight of everything starting to catch up with him.
"Alright, Keitaro", he muttered to himself, wiping his mouth "You've survived the forest, fought a wolf and didn't drown. What's next?"
Before he could answer that question the tavern door swung open with a loud creak. Keitaro glanced up his curiosity piqued.
A group of three figures entered the tavern their presence immediately commanding attention. They were clad in dark, travel worn cloaks but the faint glint of armor and the distinct aura of danger hung around them like a cloud. They didn't look like ordinary villagers.
The leading figure was a tall man with a scar running down the side of his face he scanned the room his sharp eyes locking onto Keitaro for a brief moment before turning to the bartender.
"We're looking for someone" the scarred man said his voice low and rough.
Keitaro froze spoon halfway to his mouth. uh hum this doesn't look good.
Garret raised an eyebrow "Who exactly are you looking for?"
The scarred man didn't miss a beat "An outsider new to the village, young, inexperienced came out of the Darkwood has anyone seen someone like that?"
Keitaro's heart sank. Oh crap They're looking for me!
Garret glanced over at Keitaro his expression unreadable. The tavern grew quiet and the tension in the air was quite stirring.
The scarred man's gaze followed Garret's landing on Keitaro once more. This time, he didn't look away.
"Well, well," the man said a slow grin spreading across his face. "Looks like we've found our outsider."
Keitaro gulped feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
Of course. It's never that easy is it?