Alex woke up at dawn, still lying in the clearing where he had faced the giant wolf. The creature's body was still there, limp, but no longer a threat. The fresh forest air filled his lungs, and the morning sunlight streamed through the treetops, creating an almost peaceful landscape.
Except for the fact that he was still in a strange world and had no idea how to get home.
"Okay, Alex, think... This isn't a dream. You have a weird soul that looks like it came straight out of a video game, and you just defeated a giant monster with a rock. What's next?"
He struggled to his feet, still feeling the adrenaline residing in his body. In front of him, the floating panel reappeared.
UNLOCKED ABILITY: Advanced Analysis
Allows you to obtain more detailed information on objects, creatures, and people.
Energy cost: Low.
New Mission: Survive the next three days.
Objective: Find shelter, food, and basic weapons.
Reward: Inventory Upgrade.
"Quest? Do I really have to earn a whole damn inventory?" Alex sighed. "Well, at least I have something to do."
He stood up and looked at the wolf's body. While he wasn't exactly an expert at survival, he knew he couldn't let resources go to waste. He remembered that some video games let you harvest materials from defeated enemies, so he decided to give it a try.
"Analysis," he muttered, looking at the wolf.
The panel instantly updated:
Available Materials:
Wolf Hide: Strong and insulating. Great for light armor.
Wolf Fangs: Sharp and durable. Can be used as weapons or tools.
Wolf Meat: Consumable. High risk of poisoning without cooking.
"This could be useful... if I knew how to use it."
With no tools or experience, it took Alex longer than he expected to get anything usable from the corpse. He managed to cut a piece of skin and pull out some fangs, though he ended up covered in blood and feeling more like a butcher than a hero.
With his makeshift button, he decided to find a safe place before nightfall.
The forest was dense, but it didn't take long for him to find a stream of crystal-clear water. After taking a sip and making sure it wouldn't kill him (at least not right away), he followed the stream, hoping to find signs of civilization.
I wasn't prepared for what I found.
On the riverbank, a figure rested. It was a woman, or so it seemed. She wore light leather armor, but her body was covered in cuts and bruises. Beside her, a broken sword lay on the ground, and her breathing was ragged.
Alex stopped short. "Is she alive?"
He approached cautiously, looking into her soul for answers. The panel automatically appeared:
Name: Lyria Ardent
Occupation: Errant Knight
Status: Seriously Injured, Exhausted
Level: 12
Current Weakness: Lack of medical treatment and blood loss.
"Shit! She's worse than I thought."
Not knowing exactly what to do, Alex crouched down next to her. He wasn't a doctor, but he understood that if he didn't do something soon, she would probably die.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," he said quietly, even though she was unconscious. He looked around and noticed some herbs that looked familiar. In his childhood, he had read about medicinal plants thanks to his grandfather, who always insisted that one day they would be useful to him.
He took the herbs, crushed them with a stone, and applied them to Lyria's most serious cuts. Although he wasn't sure it would work, it was better than doing nothing.
"Please don't die. I can't be the only sane human in this place."
After a few minutes, the woman's breathing steadied slightly. Alex let out a sigh of relief and decided to stay close until she woke up.
As the sun was about to set, Lyria finally opened her eyes. Her gaze was cold and analytical, but also tired. As soon as she saw Alex, she tried to get up, though her body didn't respond the way she wanted it to.
"Who are you?" she asked in a raspy voice, forcing herself to stay alert.
"Calm down. My name is Alex. I found you by the river. You were... pretty bad."
She looked at him, as if trying to decide whether to trust him or not. "Are you a thief? Why did you help me?"
Alex blinked, surprised. "Thief? No, of course not. Why would I help you if I wanted to rob you? I don't even know how to get here!"
Lyria frowned, clearly confused. "You're not from this kingdom?"
"Uh... we say I'm a special case." Alex decided not to complicate things with unnecessary explanations. "For now, the important thing is that you're alive. You need to rest."
Lyria watched him for a few more seconds before nodding weakly. "Thanks... for now. But if you try anything strange, I'll kill you."
Alex excitedly said nervously. "Great. I think we're going to get along great."