The next day unfolded much like the one before, with the first light of dawn filtering softly through the trees.
She awoke to the same eerie stillness, though she forced the unsettling thoughts to the back of her mind.
"Alright, let's see... What's on today's list?"
Gathering herself, she rolled up her wedding dress at the waist and slipped off her heels and socks, already strategizing how to tackle the day.
Her first task was to check on the mud bricks she had left to dry. To her relief, they had hardened nicely in the sun, their surfaces smooth and firm. Still, they would need a few more days to fully cure before they could be used.
"...Hm..." She drifted into thought, mentally retracing the steps of her plan as she lay on the green field, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky.
Her priority was to strengthen the shelter by raising the floor with logs or large stones to stay above the damp ground and avoid potential flooding.
She also intended to craft new tools from the bamboo she had found—tools that would be crucial for her upcoming projects.
But...
"...I guess it's time to face the truth."
Her thoughts came to a sudden halt as she raised her hands to eye level, studying them intently as if seeing them for the first time.
For too long, she had been ignoring the strange abilities of her new body,
brushing aside the inhuman aspects it seemed to possess.
Super strength, speed, agility, and stamina... Even when hunger gnawed at her stomach, thirst parched her throat, or exhaustion weighed down her limbs, her body remained inexplicably refreshed—ready to endure, as if it could go on forever without any of those needs.
And then there was the peculiar nature of her dress.
No matter how dirty, torn, or soaked it became during the day. By morning—or sometimes even sooner, depending on her distractions—it would be perfectly clean, restored as if by magic.
The fabric, though deceptively delicate, was incredibly resilient. It hugged her form so comfortably, like a second skin, that she often forgot she was wearing it at all.
"Well then..."
Standing barefoot in the open field, she had grown accustomed to the feel of the earth beneath her feet. The cool, uneven ground felt more natural than the high heels and long white socks she inexplicably woke up wearing each morning—despite going to bed without them. Were these clothes cursed?
The thought lingered briefly before she pushed it aside. There were more pressing matters to address.
She needed to test the limits of her new body. To survive and possibly thrive in this strange world—one she might spend the rest of her life in—she first had to understand the body she would likely inhabit for the foreseeable future.
The first test was simple.
"Ready... GO!"
Without hesitation, she bolted forward, throwing all her strength into the motion.
A speed test...
But—
"Eh?"
She hadn't braced herself for the sheer force of her own acceleration.
It was like handing the keys of a high-performance race car to someone who'd never driven before and telling them to floor it.
The sudden burst of speed was overwhelming, the wind slamming into her like a solid wall.
"Damn it!"
The speed was beyond anything she had ever imagined. The sheer power of her strides sent an exhilarating rush through her, but it quickly spiraled into chaos. The force of her own acceleration threw her off balance.
Before she could steady herself, her legs faltered, flailing in a desperate bid for control.
The ground surged toward her, and she stumbled forward, tumbling head over heels. The world spun in a blur, her body rolling uncontrollably until—
SPLASH!
She crashed into the river, the cold water engulfing her with a jarring shock.
"Akh..."
Breaking the surface, she gasped for air, her hair plastered against her face as rivulets of water dripped from her soaked clothes.
"I should've thought this through better before trying that," she muttered, brushing her hair aside and pulling herself to her feet in the shallow water.
Dripping and disoriented, her gaze wandered downward to what she thought might be the source of her predicament.
"Having these attached to my chest is already troublesome..."
With a mix of frustration and bemusement, she cupped her breasts, lifting them experimentally, feeling their weight and shape.
"Shifting my center of gravity has made it hard enough to move like I used to as a man," she mused aloud, "let alone run with these supernatural athletic abilities."
She sighed, shaking her head in resignation as she stepped out of the river, wringing out her soaked dress, the water cascading down in small streams.
"But that gave me a glimpse of just how fast Iam..."
Her gaze wandered to the starting line, still faintly marked by the impressions left from her recent sprint.
"About a kilometer in less than five seconds... Am I already the fastest man alive—or rather, the fastest woman? No, wait—human. How fast are the fastest animals again? No, no, scratch that. I should be comparing myself to human-made machines, like planes."
She paused, placing a hand under her chin.
"The speed of sound is about 343 meters per second, and I ran around 200 meters per second... Hmm?"
The realization made her blink in astonishment.
"Wait a second... If I push just a bit harder, I might actually break the sound barrier. Would that mean I'd create a sonic boom? Hm..."
Her musings were interrupted once again. As her thoughts wandered, she noticed her clothes magically drying, returning to their pristine state as if nothing had happened.
"Well, I'm not going to complain. These clothes save me so much trouble," she muttered with a faint smile.
"Anyway, for the next test..."
For the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon, she focused on exploring the various capabilities of her new body.
"Jumping..."
After experiencing her incredible speed earlier, she approached her jumping ability with caution. The thought of leaping too high and ending up in space crossed her mind—not realistic, but unsettling enough to make her wary. So, she opted for a small jump.
With minimal effort, she propelled herself into the air, soaring nearly five stories high—about 18 meters (59 feet). She landed softly, the ground barely feeling her impact.
"Strength..."
With nothing ideal nearby to truly test on, she worked with what was available. Spotting a massive boulder, she walked over and, without much thought, lifted it above her head. The boulder, easily weighing a ton, felt as light as a pillow in her hands.
"I could probably lift much more... but this is a good start."
Carefully, she lowered the boulder back down, making sure not to damage it or the ground beneath.
"Next up... endurance."
She decided to run laps around the field, not at full speed, but at a steady pace. Hours passed, yet she didn't feel the slightest bit tired or winded.
"Definitely not normal... Next up... Durability."
With all the accidents she'd already encountered, she had a pretty good idea of just how tough her body was.
She figured she could probably take a heavy gunshot to the head from point-blank range and not even be scratched.
"...As for stamina and agility..."
These were off the charts as well. The fact that she hadn't felt a shred of fatigue after running for hours was proof enough. And her agility—she remembered the way she'd dodged branches and leaped over rocks during her earlier run, and how effortlessly her body moved like a fish in water when she was searching for land in the ocean.
"Well, I guess that's enough for today," she said, her voice a quiet murmur as the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of gold and amber.
By now, she had a much clearer understanding of her new body's extraordinary abilities—superhuman speed, strength, and endurance—along with the strange, almost magical, self-cleaning clothes.
Before heading back to the cave, she decided to check on the building materials and assess the progress of the base she had been constructing.
"Everything seems fine," she noted aloud, running her hand over the sturdy framework. "I should gather some bamboo and other materials to make tools when I get back."
Despite the extraordinary gifts her new body offered, her mind remained grounded in its humanity. And humans, she knew, had a deep-seated need to stay busy—anything to stave off that gnawing sense of emptiness or boredom.
She had spent most of her life in the countryside, far from modern distractions. Yet, even then, she always found ways to stay occupied—whether tending to household chores or spending time with her Kids...
"..."
Her thoughts came to an abrupt stop, and she raised a hand to rub her eyes.
The sun had already begun to set, casting long shadows that stretched across the land.
"Let's just take what I need and head back."
Usually, she would take her time, enjoying a slow, thoughtful walk across the island. But today, something felt different. Urgency tugged at her.
She moved quickly through the dense jungle, gathering the necessary materials with practiced efficiency before hurrying back to the cave.
By the time she returned, the sun had fully set, leaving the night sky adorned with stars that glittered like scattered jewels.
She knelt beside the fire pit, using the ash to gently coax the dying embers back to life. With a few soft breaths, the flames hesitantly flickered, then grew, casting a soft, comforting glow around the cave.
She fed the fire dry twigs and leaves, watching the flames steadily take hold, their warm light flickering against the stone walls.
Once satisfied, she set down the materials she had collected and allowed herself a moment of rest.
She was old enough to know the value of solitude. Unlike most, she had long grown accustomed to being alone. Boredom didn't faze her anymore; after all, she had spent a significant part of her previous life lying motionless in bed due to sickness, doing nothing but staring at the ceiling all day.
Back then, she survived on the illusion of accomplishment, clinging to a sense of satisfaction that her life had meant something. But now...
She can't anymore...
With a deep breath, she pushed the thought aside and turned her attention to the task at hand.
She grabbed a few pieces of bamboo she had gathered earlier. Its strength and flexibility made it ideal for crafting the tools she needed. Alongside the bamboo, she had sharp stones, vines for binding, and dried leaves.
First, she focused on making a simple spear for fishing. She selected a straight bamboo stalk, cutting it down to the length of her arm.
With one of the sharp stones she had forged, she carefully split one end of the bamboo into four sections, carving each one into a fine point.
To ensure the points stayed apart, she wedged a small piece of wood between them and tied it in place with vines. The spear, simple but effective, was ready for use.
Next, she turned her attention to crafting a basket.
She chose thinner bamboo stalks for this, cutting them into long, flexible strips. Starting from the base, she tightly wove the strips together, forming a sturdy foundation.
As she worked her way up the sides, she left them a bit looser, allowing the basket to expand and hold more. Finally, she reinforced the edges with vines and created a strong handle.
After that, she moved on to making a digging tool—something that could help her plant seeds, dig up roots, or loosen soil. It was a simple design, but effective for her needs.
"Is this how my life cycle will spin from now on..."
Her hands worked, but her mind wandered. The repetition of her tasks seemed to mirror the thoughts circling in her head.
Being alone could be a blessing if solitude didn't turn into loneliness. But was this really the case with her?
What would happen after she finished making the tools?
She would start building the new house.
And after that?
Begin cultivating a small farm to save time and secure her food supply.
And after that?
Fish and hunt to provide meat for her meals.
And after that?
Devise a more reliable water collection system.
And after that?
Figure out a way to craft new clothes.
And after that?
...
And after everything was done—after she completed all the tasks, built her shelter, secured her food, and achieved the comforts of a self-made life—would she finally feel satisfied?
Would she... forget?
"!"
The whirlwind of thoughts abruptly stopped, and so did her hands. Frozen mid-action, she stared blankly at the bamboo in her grip.
Not because the task was complete, but because her grip had tightened unconsciously, snapping the bamboo in two with a sharp, jarring crack.
Her hand instinctively flew to her head as the thoughts she had been desperately avoiding flooded in like a breaking dam. They surged relentlessly, each one heavier than the last, and she felt powerless to stop them.
"I can't... I can't think about this now..."
Her fists clenched tighter, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the broken bamboo.
"No!"
With a sharp motion,she flung the splintered pieces, standing up abruptly.
She took deep, unsteady breaths, trying to calm her trembling body. Despite the fire flickering beside her, an inexplicable chill crept over her, wrapping around her like a cold shadow.
"Oh no... please, no..."
She began to pace around the fire, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso, and hugging herself tightly.
"It was a joke... she was just joking... I am... yeah... that's how she always was..."
Her voice trailed off as she neared the cave wall. Then, without warning, her fist struck the rough stone with a hollow thud, followed by her forehead leaning heavily against it.
"That man was just a liar..."
She didn't care about the massive crack that splintered across the cave wall or the tremors that reverberated through the cave as if it were on the verge of collapsing.
...
And she certainly didn't notice the shadowed creature creeping closer, drawn by the disturbance.
"Please, God, I'm not a bad person..."
Her legs trembled beneath her, and she sank to her knees, her forehead scraping against the rough stone.
"I-I'm not a bad person..."
Good people leave us early because they've already passed the test... they've fulfilled their life's purpose. That's what his mother had told him to soothe his tears when he was little.
Is that why I'm left alone? Because I'm the only one who failed...?
Suddenly, something brushed against her shoulder. Too drained to react, she stayed curled up, resting her head on the wall.
All she wanted was to sleep, to let the weight of everything drift away.
"Huff! Huff!"
A sound broke through the haze of her exhaustion—sharp, rhythmic. Barking?
She turned slowly, her movements sluggish as she blinked rapidly, trying to focus on what she thought she had heard.
The fire's glow behind her cast a flickering light on the shape in front of her. A dog?
No... not quite—at least not one she recognized.
It certainly resembled one—its tongue hung out as it panted excitedly, its tail swishing eagerly behind it.
"What in the...?"
It was green. Not just in color, but in essence. This creature wasn't made of flesh or bone; it was a plant, shaped like a dog, and it was alive.
She blinked, her mind struggling to comprehend the sight before her. The creature stood there, watching her with eyes that glowed faintly in the firelight. Leaves and vines twisted and coiled where fur should have been, and its bark-like skin creaked softly as it moved closer.
Her breath caught in her throat, a mix of awe and fear rooting her to the spot.
It sniffed the air, as if trying to catch her scent, then tilted its head in a strangely familiar way, like any dog would when curious.
But this wasn't a dog.
The branches along its spine rustled, and she could hear the faint whisper of wind moving through its leafy body.
She didn't move. She couldn't. What was she supposed to do with... whatever this was?
Her heart raced as the creature took another step closer, its glowing eyes locked onto hers.
A thought flickered in her mind—Should I run?
But where could she go? And would it follow?
The plant-like creature let out a soft whine, breaking the tense silence as if sensing her hesitation.
It lowered its head slightly, tail wagging slowly, its movements unnervingly gentle for something so... unnatural.
She swallowed hard, her hand twitching at her side. "What... are you?" she whispered, though she doubted it could answer.
The creature blinked slowly, its glowing eyes flickering with a strange, almost knowing intelligence.
It was waiting.