Point of View: Christopher Roosevelt
I stood there, forcing my mind to work. For anyone who's ever watched the American series Naked and Afraid, the first thing to do in a situation like this is to find water. The human body can endure malnutrition longer than dehydration.
Checking my body, I noticed I had more muscle mass than before. Maybe this was some kind of bonus for traveling between worlds? Another interesting detail was the absence of body hair; my skin was as smooth as a baby’s.
The forest around me was filled with a variety of sounds: crickets chirping, frogs croaking. But the sound I really needed to hear was that of water flowing—either crashing against rocks or running through a river. I also considered looking for animal trails—animals usually create paths to rivers that leave marks on the vegetation. Worst case, I could end up shredded by some unknown creature in this place.
As time passed, I felt my irritation growing. Why couldn’t this be a standard isekai? I was fine, happy, enjoying my life. And now? Here I was, in the worst possible situation: in an unfamiliar world, naked, wandering aimlessly through an unknown forest. I swear vengeance on the thief who caused my death.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Lost in thought, I kept wandering through the forest.
When I finally found the riverbed, after what felt like several hours, I realized the sun was already beginning to set. It was getting colder, and if I caught a cold here, I’d be in serious trouble. Civilizations generally form near rivers, which meant that if I followed the river in either direction, I was likely to find a road or even a town nearby.
But there were two problems... I was completely naked, and I had no idea how long this river stretched or how far I’d have to go to find a town. The best course of action, then, was to focus on making cutting tools and finding a safe place to sleep. Without wasting time, I searched for two stones and began striking them against each other, trying to create a rudimentary blade.
By nightfall, I was perched high in a tall tree near the riverbed. Using braided fibers from the giant leaf of a palm tree I’d found, I made an improvised rope. I tied my torso to a thicker branch and leaned against the tree, creating a makeshift shelter to spend the night.