'You know what fuck it. Let’s see where this crazy new world takes me.'

* * *

Time slipped by, and Ray remained curled up in his makeshift pit, surrounded by the earthy smell of soil and foliage.

His mind buzzed, wrestling with the shock of it all. He wasn’t human anymore—that much he had confirmed. But now came the question: What was he supposed to do next?

'...'

A quiet sigh escaped him, though the sound that followed didn’t quite resemble a human sigh. He ignored it, focusing on his next moves like he did moments prior.

Every move he thought of earlier led to the same conclusion—he’d have to leave the safety of the thicket. Whether to scout, explore, or find a better place to hide, it all involved stepping out into the unknown. And the weight of that decision pressed heavily on his mind.

The reason for that was simple. He didn’t want to leave.

The flicker of resolve he had earlier—if you could call it that—had crumbled under a flood of hesitation influenced by fear.

'What if something is out there? What if something bigger, stronger, or hungrier lurked just beyond the trees?' The questions lodged themselves into his thoughts like a splinter.

Sure, everything seemed quiet now, but what could that mean? Silence could easily be a mask for something worse.

There were too many unanswered questions and too much uncertainty for him to be sure. The possibilities alone were enough to freeze him in place.

'I mean, I was literally born just a few hours ago!'

The shelter of the thicket, as crude as it was, had become more than just a physical cover—it was a fortress. A psychological barrier that gave him a false sense of security and control.

Just like the walls of his old room. But this wasn’t his old life. And because of that realization, he hesitated. He just couldn’t bring himself to leave.

Still, he couldn’t afford to stay here forever. If he did nothing now, nothing would change. He had to move.

Ray knew that much. Even knowing this, however, wasn’t enough to make his body cooperate. The fear simply outweighed the urgency to act.

Every time he considered moving, he mentally pushed it off. Later, he told himself. 'I’ll do it later.' Or 'I’ll move soon.'

Time slipped by—thirty minutes, an hour, then three hours—but he remained rooted. The logical part of his mind told him to act. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, his legs refused to budge.

And soon even the world itself urged him to move…

《Title: Cowardice… acquired.》

Ray blinked.

The words echoed in his mind like a mocking taunt, and for a second, he just sat there, staring at it.

'A title? Seriously?'

He wanted to scoff, maybe even to retaliate at the insult. But instead, all he felt was a strange knot tightening in his gut. Frustration swelled. Shame soon followed quickly after.

Cowardice. It wasn’t exactly inaccurate. Not when he sat frozen for hours, too scared to take a single step forward.

Taking a deep breath, Ray forced his six legs into action.

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At first, it was sluggish, like trying to move through thick mud. But eventually, his instinctual movements kicked in, and he found himself skittering out from under the shadow of the thicket, his body hugging the ground as he moved.

The moment he stepped out, a gust of cool air swept over his scales, sending an involuntary shiver through him.

'Cold.'

He had no idea where this breeze came from, but it felt like the world reminded him of how exposed he was now.

Ray paused, scanning his surroundings ahead. The forest, as big as it was, stretched out in all directions. Each towering tree was akin to a sentinel, ever watching and present.

As he took in the sights, his eyes locked onto distinct areas—a twisted tree branch here, a jagged rock there—that he used as markers to navigate through the expanse.

'Alright, I should remember these,' he thought, taking note of every detail.

Cautiously, he began to move. Each step he took was calculated, his body instinctively low and silent. His four eyes darted about, taking in every little detail as he traversed through the expanse.

It was a peculiar sensation—this newfound awareness—but Ray pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. Advancing forward, Ray took note not to venture too far—just far enough to create a mental map of the immediate area.

The world around him seemed alive in ways he hadn’t noticed before. The distant sounds of monsters mingled with the soft rustle of leaves, creating an overwhelming symphony that kept his senses on high alert.

Occasionally, Ray caught unfamiliar scents that left him puzzled. Nevertheless, he pressed on, committing key landmarks to memory.

Some included a shallow stream that tickled over smooth stones, while others included a patch of wildflowers that released a strange, sweet fragrance and trees marked with deep claw gouges in their bark.

'Better stay away from whatever made these.'

Ray didn’t allow himself to linger in one place for too long. The tension of being openly exposed kept him on edge.

When he felt he had ventured far enough, Ray turned back. Navigating through the familiar terrain, a small semblance of anxiety began to lift as he grew more confident in his ability to return.

By the time he slipped back into the thicket, a small sense of relief washed over him.

But that relief was quickly replaced by something else—hunger.

'I’m so hungry!'

The pangs hit him like a punch to the gut—the kind of hollow, gnawing ache that continuously lingered. He had been so consumed with anxiety and fear that he had neglected one of his most basic needs.

'Ugh, this feels like my stomach is cramping.'

'What can I eat here?'

The thought flashed through his mind. There had to be something edible nearby. Ray recalled the sweet fragrance of the wildflower he had passed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed something more filling.

What good would a few petals, which could be poisonous, do against the hunger that he felt?

As he lay there, his eyes fluttered shut and his body exhausted from the day’s tension. Ray pondered his options. About twenty-eight meters or so, he felt a semblance of safety. From what he could tell, there didn’t seem to be any signs of monsters nearby.

Of course, his exploration hadn’t covered the entire area, nor were his detection skills top-notch; however, he was certain that his immediate surroundings were safe. Beyond that point, there were clear signs of monster activity, ranging from the peculiar scents that he picked to the sounds that he heard ahead.

He could risk searching for food, but what if he found something worse?

'Grrrrr…'

His stomach growled in response, but his body felt too drained to act. For now, sleep was the only thing he could do.

'Just a short rest,' he reassured himself while closing his eyes. 'Then I’ll figure it out.'

And with that, Ray’s thoughts began to drift as the weight of his hunger pulled him into the darkness of sleep.