Chapter 6 - Surviving in the Forest
After two hours of using his Relaxed Breathing Technique, Zaboru felt his stamina returning and his wounds healing rapidly. However, the hunger clawing at his insides had grown unbearable. The peaches he had eaten earlier weren't nearly enough to sustain his powerful body.
'I need to hunt,' he thought, his stomach growling in agreement. 'My body needs real nutrition. Should I just fish in the lake? Nah, I don't have a rod, and making one would be a hassle. Finding a decent branch and some kind of wire would take forever. Hunting deer it is.'
Zaboru stood and cautiously ventured back into the forest, this time taking care to stay alert for signs of prey. His eyes scanned the ground and his surroundings for any clues. After about eight minutes, his effort paid off.
'Deer tracks. And a broken branch. It's nearby.'
Following the trail, Zaboru spotted his target: a deer calmly nibbling on leaves beneath a tree. He crouched low, observing its movements.
'I need to strike quickly and precisely to break its neck. I've done this countless times in Rising Live. Hopefully, it works the same in real life.'
Moving stealthily, Zaboru positioned himself for an attack. Coating his legs with Internal Energy, he lowered into a dash stance. With a burst of speed, he launched himself toward the deer. His fist, powered by Strike Breathing, connected solidly with its side, sending the animal crashing into a tree. The impact dazed it, but the deer was still alive.
"No time to waste," Zaboru muttered. He quickly wrapped his arms around the deer's neck and twisted sharply, breaking it with a sickening crack. The deer's body went limp in his grasp.
'Sorry, little guy, but I need to survive.'
Carrying the deer over his shoulders, Zaboru retraced his steps back to the large boulder by the river, gathering firewood along the way. Once there, he set the deer down and unsheathed the axe he'd taken from Oswald. While his trait prevented him from wielding weapons for combat, nothing stopped him from using them as tools.
'Skinning animals in Rising Live was easy, but this is the real world. Still, it can't be that different.'
He started the process, clumsily at first. The axe was awkward in his hands, and real skinning proved messier and tougher than the streamlined method he knew from the game. Yet, with persistence, he managed to remove the hide and section the meat into manageable portions. He even salvaged the innards, knowing their nutritional value.
Zaboru brought the meat to the river, washing it thoroughly before returning to the boulder. Arranging the firewood into a neat pile, he prepared to ignite it using the only magic he could perform: Lighter. A small flame flickered at the tip of his finger, igniting the wood.
"Even this little spell is a pain," he grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow as the fire crackled to life.
Zaboru skewered the venison onto sharp sticks and placed them over the fire. As the meat sizzled, the rich aroma filled the air, making his mouth water. Cooking was one of his hidden talents, honed in Rising Live through various side jobs—chef, tattoo artist, doctor, and even alchemist. His adaptability and intelligence had always been his greatest strengths.
When the meat was finally done, Zaboru wasted no time digging in. His strong body, with its high energy demands, reveled in the much-needed nourishment.
"Damn, this is delicious! Even though it's just plain meat, I guess hunger really is the best seasoning," he said, devouring piece after piece.
By the time he finished, the entire deer was gone. Zaboru leaned back against the boulder, patting his stomach in satisfaction.
'That was exactly what I needed. Now, I can focus on training, i think i will learn taekwondo this time'
The system interface appeared before him, displaying the requirements to re-learn Normal Taekwondo:
Martial Art: Normal Taekwondo
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆☆
Requirements:
Strength: 2 (Achieved)Agility: 2 (Achieved)
To Master:
1,000x Front Kick1,000x Side Kick1,000x Roundhouse Kick500x Back Kick500x Crescent Kick500x Hook Kick500x Axe Kick500x Scissors Kick2,000x Taekwondo Step1,000x Jump Kick
'That's a lot of kicks,' Zaboru thought, scrolling through the list. 'But I can handle it. My body is way stronger than it was back on when i was just reincarnated. Plus, I've already learned kickboxing and boxing, so this will be a breeze.'
He stood, stretching out his legs. Activating his Basic Enhancement Breathing Technique, Zaboru began practicing the kicks, each move pushing his muscles to their limits. The technique not only increased his physical strength but also made every movement slightly more challenging, accelerating his growth.
Each strike was deliberate as Zaboru worked through the list, focusing on perfecting his form and power. Sweat poured down his body, his breathing steady and controlled.
'This is tougher than Rising Live, but it feels… real. Every kick matters.'
For the next two hours, Zaboru pushed himself, each completed technique bringing him closer to mastering Taekwondo. Though exhaustion nipped at his heels, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
"This is it," Zaboru muttered between breaths. "Step by step, I'll get stronger. No matter how long it takes."
Two hours passed as Zaboru practiced tirelessly, and by the end of it, he had successfully re-learned the fundamentals of Taekwondo. His kicks were sharp, his movements fluid, and his body hummed with the satisfying ache of hard work.
'I've got it,' he thought, wiping sweat from his brow. But there was no time to celebrate. The forest was still dangerous, and sleep was a luxury he couldn't afford just yet.
Sitting by the dying embers of his fire, Zaboru began deploying the Relaxed Breathing Technique once again. The steady rhythm of his breath filled his body with a calming energy, accelerating his recovery while allowing his mind to stay alert.
After an hour of this, Zaboru decided to continue his journey, hoping to find a road or some other sign of civilization. Packing up what little he had, he ventured back into the dense forest.
For an hour, he moved cautiously, weaving through the thick underbrush and listening intently for any signs of danger. Then, as he pushed through a cluster of low-hanging branches, he stumbled upon a clearing with the remains of an old campsite.
'Whoa! A camp!' he thought, crouching low to inspect the area. The ashes of a fire pit were long cold, and a few discarded items lay scattered around. 'No one's here now, but this means I'm close to a settlement or town!'
Excitement surged through him as he scanned the area for tracks or trails that might lead him out of the forest. His confidence renewed, Zaboru pressed forward, moving more quickly now.
Ten minutes later, a blood-chilling roar echoed through the forest.
Zaboru froze. The sound was deep, guttural, and uncomfortably close.
Suddenly, the underbrush exploded as a massive Silverback Gorilla charged at him with terrifying speed. Its silver fur glistened in the dappled sunlight, and its muscular frame was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
"SHIT!" Zaboru cursed aloud as he narrowly dodged a powerful swing from the beast's massive arm.
'Of all things, it had to be a Silverback Gorilla!' he thought, heart pounding. 'I can't outrun this thing. Unlike the Rock Bear, this guy is built for speed—especially in a jungle. I have no choice. I have to fight.'
Zaboru took a deep breath, calming his nerves as he shifted into a fighting stance. His muscles tensed, ready to spring into action.
The gorilla roared again, pounding its chest with a thunderous rhythm before charging at Zaboru with terrifying speed.
'Here it comes!'
As the gorilla closed the distance, Zaboru leapt into the air, twisting his body into a Spinning Jump Hook Kick. His foot, coated with Strike Breathing and enhanced by Internal Energy, slammed into the gorilla's face with devastating force.
"BAM!" The impact made the massive creature stumble back, momentarily stunned.
But then it roared again, louder and angrier than before. Its eyes glowed with raw fury, and its breaths came in heavy, primal grunts.
'Damn it! Big guy's pissed now!' Zaboru thought, taking a step back.
With a wry grin, Zaboru raised his hands in a taunting gesture.
"Come on, big guy! You stink!" he shouted, his voice dripping with mockery.
The gorilla's rage boiled over. It bared its teeth, roaring so loudly that the trees seemed to tremble, before charging again, faster and more ferocious than before.
Zaboru braced himself, a determined smirk on his face.
'Let's finish this.'