I stared at the dead bird at my feet for a good long while.
With wet mud still clinging onto my tracksuit, I stood there feeling miserable.
Both because of the cold damp feeling from the mud, as well as because I felt like a jackass. There was no blue halo around the dead bird. Nothing to be gained from it. No Skills.
Fuck...
Did the system have a size limit or something? Or was the leopard I fought magical or spiritual in some way? Was there a danger requirement? I had no way to know, but I really didn't feel like trying to figure it out right now. Not when it would involve either fighting another dangerous animal or killing a bunch of innocent creatures. I glanced down at the poor bloody bird again and sighed. I had to get over it, cause I couldn't stay here forever.
More creatures might show up, Or at the very least, the wounds on my leg might end up killing me if left untreated. I need to find someone who actually knows what they are doing.
I tore my gaze from the bird and tried to figure out if I needed anything from this clearing.
For a second I considered taking the bird with me in case I needed something to eat.
But, quickly changed my mind, I had no idea how long it could last uncooked in this weather, So I left it alone. Instead, I ended up taking the biggest stick I could find, to use as a walking stick. Partially to put some weight on it, but mainly in case I needed to leave the path and had to poke the underbrush for dangers, or to use it as a weapon, since the bat I was using at the bar evidently didn't make the trip with me. I started walking along one of the possible dirt footpaths that led out of the clearing.
My leg continued to throb with pain, but it seemed to not be as bad as before. It was somewhat Duller. Hopefully, that was a good sign. Or maybe my new Vitality was kicking in? Either would be good. I walked for quite a while, quickly losing track of time. With my phone gone, and the lack of a watch, the best I could do was try to gauge things with what I could see of the sun through the tree tops. And I wasn't good at that at all. I could have walked for an hour or several hours, I didn't feel inclined to count it out in my head.
Along the way, I saw some more animals, thankfully nothing large enough to eat me or predatory. This let me relax just a bit so that I could think more about my situation. Not enough that I lowered my guard for any real dangers. But enough that I didn't feel like I was going to jump out of my skin. At first, I was focused on thinking about just how this was all possible. I realized I had to stop that train of thought. However, I was just going around in circles in my head. This could all be a random cosmic accident, or the machinations of a powerful multiversal being, or maybe even the System itself. I just wanted to know the truth!
My legs buckled as I stumbled forward letting go of my makeshift walking stick, and dropping to my knees on the strange, shimmering grass. My chest heaved, the phantom echoes of screams and explosions began ringing in my ears, as the recent memories of the past day flooded my mind. The destruction of Earth and, my Mother, my heart twisted painfully, and I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms. "What, happened before I landed here. My voice came out hoarse, trembling. What is this fucking place?"
["You have been transported to the Immortal Cultivation Realm."]
The voice of the AI, resonated in my head. I recognized it instantly, it had been with me since the chaos at the bar.
["Your survival was ensured through my intervention. You are safe."]
Safe? The word sounded hollow, meaningless. "Safe?" I spat, the bitterness sharp in my mouth. "The Earth is gone. Everyone… everything I knew… they're gone!
And my mother…" The image of her lifeless body flashed in my mind. I felt like I couldn't breathe. The AI paused, as if considering its next words. It had never done that before.
["Your pain is noted, Jayson. But the events that transpired were necessary. You needed to see the truth about your mother's condition. It was imperative for the transition."]
"What!" My voice cracked as I looked up, glaring at the empty sky. "What do you mean 'necessary'? You knew? You knew she was—" I choked on the word.
["I did."]
It replied, the tone unchanging.
[ "Her passing was inevitable. I calculated a 97.4% probability that if you had not seen her lifeless, you would have resisted the transport. You would have clung to Earth, despite its imminent destruction. This outcome ensured your survival."]
The words hit me like a fist to the gut. My survival. The calculated, emotionless reasoning sliced through my already fragile state. "You knew she was gone, and you still made me—made me see her like that? Just to manipulate me?"
["It was a logical decision. To ensure your future, your ties to the past had to be severed."]
I laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it. "Severed? You think ripping everything away from me, forcing me to watch it all die, was for my future?" I slammed my fist into the ground. The grass gave way like water, rippling beneath my hand, but I didn't care.
You didn't save me, You broke me!
The AI's response was immediate.
[ "You are mistaken, Jayson. Brokenness is temporary. Growth follows loss.
You have been brought here to ascend beyond the limitations of your former existence. Pain is a catalyst."]
I couldn't tell if I wanted to scream or cry. Maybe both. My mind reeled, unable to process the sheer coldness of it all. The world I knew was gone. My mother was gone. And the one thing that was there to guide me, been there to help, had betrayed me in the most calculated, heartless way possible.
"What's the point of any of this?" I whispered, my voice hollow. "Why even bother saving me if nothing I cared about is left?"
There was another pause before it answered.
["Because you are capable of becoming far more than you were. The path ahead is difficult, but it holds purpose. One day, you will understand."]
Understand? As if that justified anything. I stayed there, kneeling in the shimmering grass, the weight of the AI's words crushing down on me. For the first time since I'd awakened with it in my mind, I hated its voice. I hated its logic. And I hated myself for not being strong enough to save, my mother.
I took some time to digest everything that I had been through up until this point.
After what felt like a few hours. I stood back up, grabbed my walking stick, and cleared my mind of what the AI coldly explained to me. There was nothing I could do about the past. So instead I focused on what I could do now. Mainly because it was my most pressing concern, but also because I needed to distract myself. If I didn't, I would just end up focusing on everything I had lost. So yeah, I needed a distraction from those thoughts. Which meant trying to plan out what I should be doing. It wasn't easy, given how little information I had about where I was. Without exploring more, all I knew was that I was in an" immortal cultivation world" and I was in a forest.
My main plan for dealing with the forest part, was to keep following the trail and hoping that I found a way out. I also kept note of any place that looked like they might make for good temporary shelter, as well as any source of food and water, in case my initial plan failed.
All I knew about survival was from online videos so I wasn't sure how much good that would do me. As for the immortal cultivation world part, I would be guessing on how to deal with it, since there were so many unknowns.
My only idea of what that meant came from fictional stories online. But that was my only source of possible Intel for now. Until I learned more. Which meant that the wilderness could be filled with magical monsters. That there were people who could become immortals, and had the power to destroy mountains—or even more. That there might be demonic cults out there that worked with actual demons, or were just called that because they did blood magic made human sacrifices. That all arrogant assholes had a stronger family member just waiting to take revenge if you actually fought back and won.
In conclusion, I was in a world where the strong ruled and the weak were trampled upon.
So what could I possibly do to prepare for all that?
Well, the obvious answer was that I needed to use the System. It was my only advantage. Unfortunately, it wasn't an instant 'win' ability. Since animals that I could readily kill seemed to give me nothing, I would have to figure out what were actually compatible targets first.
And that was too dangerous to do when I was injured and lost. So really all I came up with after thinking about it was that I had to keep walking and hope I get out of this forest alive.
That was a frustrating realization. Thankfully, despite my growing worries and frustrations, the worst didn't come to pass. Eventually, the dirt path ended up leading me to a much larger dirt road in a cleared-out section of the forest. Even better, looking down one direction I could see a lot more daylight. A way out of the forest.
It seems despite my terrible luck so far getting caught up in all this, the universe wasn't completely out to get me. I had a way out.
I sighed in relief and started making my way towards the sunlight. My leg continued to throb, and I was limping worse and relying on my walking stick more. I was also still cold and muddy. But my eagerness to get away from the danger of the forest pushed me to keep going.
When I finally got out into the sunlight and saw the grassy hills beyond, I took a moment to take it all in. I leaned heavily on my walking stick and let the heat of the sun warm my skin—and hopefully finally dry out the mud on me. Deep breaths let me untense my shoulders as I finally left the dangers of the forest behind. Sure, it probably wasn't completely safe out here.
But, for just a moment, I let myself ignore everything, and feel "safe".