It’s been a damn week since I dragged my ass into this forest, and while things are looking better, I'm still not quite where I want to be. My hand’s healed up fine, thank the gods, and I’ve managed to get a decent handle on my magic.

But—goddammit—my body’s still as fat as ever. It’s like my body refuses to cooperate. Yeah, sure, I can move faster, and I’m feeling a hell of a lot lighter, but the size? Still the same. Fucking frustrating.

Anyway, I’ve been getting sick of just surviving. It’s time for a little self-care. You know what I need? A swim. Nothing beats the crap out of me like the thought of being stuck in the woods and looking like a stuffed turkey.

So, I head to the massive crater I made when I went all Solar Flare on that damn red bear. Turns out, it’s a perfect spot for a lake. I use my water magic and—bam—turn the blasted crater into a lake. Water swirls around, filling up the giant hole like I’ve got control of the entire damn ecosystem.

I strip off the ragged clothes I’ve been stuck in for days—seriously, I’m starting to smell like old meat—and step into the water. It’s cold as hell, but in a good way. My muscles relax, and for the first time in a while, I feel... human. Kinda. A little. Whatever. You get it.

I float there for a while, feeling the water lap around me, just letting myself be. But, of course, just when I’m starting to relax, I hear it.

A noise. A snap of twigs, followed by some rustling in the bushes.

I stepped out of the lake, the cool water dripping off my body, but I wasn’t in the mood for a relaxing dip anymore. My senses tingled—something was off. And sure as hell, I wasn’t alone.

I heard voices approaching from behind the trees, and when I turned, I saw them: four women, all dressed in the standard adventurer gear—light armor, boots, and carrying weapons, though none of them looked particularly threatening.

The first one, a blonde with a short ponytail, looked at the lake and raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, look! A big lake,” she said, half to herself. “Wasn’t supposed to be here.”

The second one, a redhead with a sharp gaze and a serious look about her, nodded. “You’re right. We should report it to the guild.”

“Maybe it’s related to the blast we heard earlier,” the third one added, a younger girl with green hair, scanning the area like she was looking for something—or someone.

The fourth one, a tall woman with dark hair and a scar across her cheek, suddenly grinned. “Hey, if I remember correctly... wasn’t this the place near where that fat piggy prince was exiled?”

That hit me like a ton of bricks. My fucking luck.

The first one let out a short, amused laugh. “He must’ve died out here. Serves him right if he did.”

Oh, hell no. I grit my teeth. *Fat piggy prince?* She didn’t know shit.

The second one chimed in, her face lighting up like she was reliving some happy memory. “I was so happy when he was exiled. That whole event in the kingdom? Best day ever. People cheered for hours. It was so much fun!”

I could feel my blood boiling. If I wasn’t stuck here with a broken hand and a body that refused to slim down, I would’ve found a way to punch one of them by now. Instead, I just muttered under my breath, “You have no idea, you little—”

The third one, oblivious to my simmering rage, sighed. “Yeah, let’s bathe here. We’re all dirty after that quest anyway. Then we can report this weird-ass lake to the guild.”

“Agreed,” they all said in unison, as if nothing in the world could possibly ruin their day.

Man, I sure am hated. I just stood there, watching those adventurers get all excited about the *big lake*, barely even aware of the fact that a freaking exiled prince was standing right in front of them. I mean, sure, I looked like some wet, pissed-off guy who'd had a shitty day. Not the best impression, but come on, they didn’t need to laugh about my damn exile.

As tempting as it was to sneak a peek at them bathing—God knows I haven’t seen any kind of human interaction in days—I decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. I didn’t need to get tangled up with some adventurers and get my cover blown. That would just add more bullshit to my already fucked-up situation.

So, I turned around and headed back to my shelter. Damn, I needed a plan. I couldn't just stay in this little forest forever. I needed more power—*more food*. Time to unlock that damn Gluttony skill and become an absolute beast. I wasn’t gonna let my strength stagnate just because I had a broken hand and a fat-ass body that refused to shrink.

I pulled up my status menu. It was time to eat something stronger than that red bear. That poor bastard didn’t even stand a chance against my Solar Flare... but I needed *more*.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

And so, I decided on my next destination: **Cursed Wood**.

It had the kind of vibe I was looking for—dangerous, dark, and filled with monsters that could actually help me level up. I wasn't looking for a leisurely stroll, I was hunting.

I wrapped myself in a full-body cape, covering myself as much as possible. No way I was letting anyone recognize me out here. I couldn’t risk running into any more adventurers. Not yet, at least. I’d take my time and grind in peace.

After a week of marching, the air around me grew heavy, the trees more twisted and gnarled. The map on my status screen blinked with the ominous name—**Cursed Wood**. As soon as I crossed the border, I felt it. A tingling, spine-chilling sensation that crawled up my back like ice water. The kind of feeling that told you, *Yeah, you might wanna turn around now.*

But of course, I wasn’t the type to back down.

“Huuuu… this place sure gives me the creeps,” I muttered to myself, adjusting my hood tighter over my head, letting it shield my face. I wasn’t here for sightseeing. *Grinding is grinding*, I told myself. “So, let’s go.”

The forest was silent, eerily so, like it was holding its breath. I stepped deeper into the darkness, and every step felt like it was pulling me further from sanity. But I had a goal. I needed strength. I needed food—big, ugly, monster food. Gluttony, here I come.

I stepped cautiously into the **Cursed Wood**, eyes darting around, senses on high alert. The place was thick with the scent of damp earth and rot, like the forest itself had been corrupted by something ancient and evil. Perfect.

As I moved deeper, I spotted a massive figure ahead. There it was—an **orc**. Huge, ugly, and completely knocked out cold, snoring away like it hadn’t a care in the world. Its chest heaved with every breath, and I could practically taste the free meal coming my way. Jackpot.

"Hell yeah," I muttered to myself, a grin creeping across my face. Free meal, no effort, and an orc at that. The fat bastard looked like it could feed me for days.

I wasn’t about to get all fancy. Magic was my best bet, but I didn’t need to burn half the forest down to get my grub. No, I’d just give it a little *spark*.

I raised my hand and muttered, “Let’s keep it simple.”

**[Inferno Maelstrom]**

A fiery storm of swirling flames erupted from my palm, twisting and turning like a tornado of fire, engulfing the orc. The bastard screamed in pain, thrashing around, but it didn’t last long. Within seconds, it collapsed into a pile of sizzling, blackened meat.

Nice.

I walked up to the now-charred remains, licking my lips. The skin was tough as hell, but the inside? Oh man, it was fatty, juicy, and surprisingly tender for something that just got roasted alive. I dug in like I hadn’t eaten in days—which, to be fair, I hadn’t.

“Damn,” I muttered between mouthfuls, chewing down on a piece of the orc’s flesh. It wasn’t gourmet, but it wasn’t bad. Kind of like overcooked steak but with a weird, earthy tang. Yeah, I could get used to this.

**[Screen pops]**

**[Gluttony Skill Progress 10/100 to unlock]**

I paused mid-chew, staring at the progress bar. *Bruh.*

"Just 10%?!" I groaned, spitting out a chunk of meat.

I looked down at my body and rubbed my stomach. “What the hell’s going on with this body of mine? Just *10%*? For real?” I grumbled, squeezing the fat on my belly. "Am I just a fat man with air inside me? What the hell do I have to do? Fart to become slimmer or something?"

Honestly, I didn’t have the energy to dwell on it. The orc meat was decent, and I was damn hungry.

“Fuck it,” I muttered to myself, tearing into another piece of the orc’s flesh. "Let's munch. I’m hungry as hell."

I just kept eating, shoveling down whatever I could, while trying not to think about how much my body was clearly *failing* at being anything other than a damn balloon.

At least the **Gluttony** skill was making progress—kind of. If this is what it took to level up, I was all in. Bring on the monsters.

Just as I was enjoying my well-earned meal, a shadow loomed over me. My instincts screamed, and I barely dodged a massive club that came crashing down, missing my head by a hair’s breadth.

"Huff... Huff... Fucking hell," I muttered, heart pounding. *That* was way too close. One second slower, and I'd have been a smear under that club. I looked up, catching my breath, only to find myself face-to-face with four more orcs, each one looking angrier than the last. Their furious grunts practically rattled my bones.

"More orcs? Really? I’m just trying to have lunch here," I muttered. But hey, it's the law of the jungle, right? I took one down fair and square, which made him my prey. But these idiots didn’t seem to get it.

I clenched my fists, glaring back at them. "Oh, you’re *really* gonna regret interrupting my meal." Without a second thought, I called up the water magic I’d been itching to try out.

**[Aqua Coffin]**

I lifted my hand, and a ball of swirling water formed above each of their heads. In seconds, the orcs' faces went from angry to horrified, clawing uselessly at their throats as they choked on the water bubble trapping them. One by one, they crumpled, suffocating as the magic drowned them in place.

When the last one dropped, I let out a deep breath, feeling oddly satisfied. “That’s what you get for ruining lunch.” I shook off the last bits of fatigue and pulled out my wind magic.

**[Wind Slicer]**

A quick slice here, another there—clean cuts through orc meat like a chef with a fresh slab. I was feeling pretty damn proud of my butchering skills, slicing off chunks of meat to add to my stash.

And then it hit me. *Wait... what the hell am I supposed to store this in?*

I looked down at the neatly sliced orc meat, then at my empty hands, and back again. Damn it! I didn’t have any kind of spatial magic, no bags, no enchanted storage item. Nothing.

"Just perfect," I muttered, eyeing the pile of orc meat with a mix of annoyance and hunger. Here I was, practically starving, a *feast* right in front of me, and no way to take it with me.

I scratched my head, thinking hard. Maybe I could make some kind of makeshift container out of earth magic? That could work. Sure, it might be a bit of a hassle lugging it around, but better than leaving it all here. Or worse, letting *more* orcs come sniffing around my stash.

With a sigh, I clapped my hands together, deciding that Earth Shaping 101 was about to get real creative.

“Fuck, let me think, let me think,” I muttered, pacing in a circle. Then it hit me—back in the forest, I’d survived on fruits I’d grown with earth magic. If I could grow food, why not preserve it?

“Hell yeah, that’s it!”

**[Earth Encasement]**

I summoned up dense earth and clay, layering it thick around the orc meat to trap in freshness. It was like creating a natural fridge out of mud and stone. The earth shielded it from air, pests, and all the other nasty stuff that could spoil it. I’d seen something like this once on TV—some survival show where the guy used mud and clay to store food in the wild. Honestly, I never thought that random bit of info would save my life out here. Guess that show was worth the hours I spent binge-watching it.

After sealing up the meat, I used **[Wind Magic]** to levitate my makeshift box.

Could I have flown myself? Sure, but I wanted to get the *real* feel of the forest from the ground. Only a few minutes in, though, I was already regretting that idea. After all, there was only so much “real experience” you needed before convenience started looking pretty damn good.

That’s when I saw it—a towering mountain scraping the sky.

“Damn, that’s one big-ass mountain.” From up there, I could probably get a clear view of the whole forest.

Opening my map, I saw that it would take ten hours on foot. Ten hours? Hell no. I was not dragging my ass across the forest for half a day just for the view. Maybe I was a little ambitious with that “on foot” thing.

**[Flight]**

I shot up, catching the wind with magic to lift me faster toward the peak. Half the time, way less effort—now *that’s* what I’m talking about. All I had to do was keep a steady flow of mana, and I’d be up there in no time. Soaring through the air, mountain-bound, I felt pretty damn good. If I was going to be an exiled prince, I might as well be an airborne one.

"Yawn… Yawn…" I blinked, my vision blurry, and stretched my arms. Only… wait a damn second.

I was lying in a massive nest. And right next to me, this giant, beastly bird-thing was snoozing away, its claws big enough to make me look like a snack.

“What… what kind of bird is this? And where the hell am I?” I muttered, rubbing my temples. The last thing I remembered, I was flying up the mountain, feeling drowsy. And now… here I was. Did I seriously fall asleep while using *flight magic*?

“Hell no,” I groaned. “I fell asleep while flying.”

But then it hit me. If I was in this nest, that meant this thing actually picked me up. I glanced around, and horror struck me. “Ahhhhh! My meat!” The precious box of orc meat I'd packed was cracked open and scattered all over. I could see chewed bits and pieces in the nest. “That goddamn bird ate my stash!”

As if on cue, the creature stirred, flexing its enormous wings and letting out a deafening roar that rattled my eardrums. A notification screen popped up in my vision.

**Status Notification**

**Name: Skyrend Aegiron

**Danger Level: Max

I froze, my heart pounding. Max? What the hell kind of monster had I pissed off this time?

“Oh, hell no… I am so screwed."

**Skyrend Aegiron** is a colossal, monstrous bird-beast, towering over 100 feet tall with obsidian feathers, dragon-like horns, and a razor-beaked, eagle-like head. Its vast wings create shadows over the land, and its talons can cleave through rock and bone. Known as a harbinger of chaos, it wields terrifying abilities like the **Abyssal Shriek** to paralyze prey, **Eclipse Dive** to create devastating shockwaves, and **Skyshard Barrage**, raining razor-sharp feathers. Feared as a dark force of nature, the Aegiron is a creature of legend, blending into shadows and striking terror into all who encounter it.