Erin, grateful for the absence of other people in this desolate place, recognized that his bloodied face, particularly his mouth, would have made for a striking headline about a zombie outbreak. Alternatively, the government might have taken an interest in him due to the peculiar jewel embedded in his right hand.
His throat felt parched, reminding him of his initial objective in returning to the creek. This time, he ventured downstream for approximately twenty meters, searching for a shallower section where the creek bed was fully visible. Reflecting on his experiences, he realized that if there were many of those colossal eel-like creatures in the water, he would have met his demise long before waking up within the river itself.
'It must have been a local predator.'
Taking the time to clean himself, Erin realized that after his series of jumps, rolls on the ground, fights, and devouring of the beast, he was in dire need of hygiene. Scooping water while maintaining a vigilant outlook, he swiftly scrubbed his body with his hand, mindful of every possibility. Quenching his dry throat, he took a few satisfying gulps, silently praying that the water contained minimal bacteria.
"That's so refreshing."
Returning to the beast with the knife in hand, Erin clumsily began to butcher the creature. The precision of his cuts was of little concern to him; his primary focus was obtaining meat. However, he soon pondered how he would transport the meat with him.
Looking around, his gaze shifted back to his hand where the knife, a product of the enigmatic jewel, remained. Its previous transformation into a glove-like form led him to wonder if it could be altered into multiple objects.
"Can it be transformed into two separate things?"
Realizing that he wouldn't require such a large knife for most tasks, he concentrated on envisioning a smaller, pocket-sized knife and a thin rope-like structure resembling a steel wire. Given his physical limitations, he could only carry a few kilograms of meat, making a compact solution essential.
The black jewel, shaped like a rhombus, emitted a soft, eerie glow as it responded to his thoughts. In front of Erin, a piece of rope materialized, thin yet flexible, akin to a thick fishing line. Its origin from this ungodly jewel instilled a sense of trust in its strength.
An idea sparked in his mind. If the material provided by the jewel was indeed incredibly strong, he could optimize the design of the knife by removing unnecessary parts. Exploiting the morphing capabilities of the metallic substance, he returned to his initial assumption.
"I'll hollow out the inside, leaving a thin grid-like handle. As for the blade, I'll keep only the sharp edge. It will be incredibly thin, but as long as it can cut, it's fine."
This method would save material by eliminating all of the parts that are typically designed to reinforce balance and strength in a traditional knife.
"While it is too light, I don't require a lot of force, so it is not a concern."
Although an axe would have been a more effective option due to centripetal force, the knife's metal was simply too light for such a purpose.
As Erin experienced his strength wanes once more, he couldn't help but notice that it wasn't as severe as before. The further away the metal appeared to be to the jewel, the more energy it seemed to drain from him.
"Maybe that's why I nearly passed out when I reached the limit earlier. So, it's the maximum distance."
He mused, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"I don't know the exact distance, but it's probably around 20 meters. But if I throw it once, I'll faint. And it also forcefully pulls back the metal and leaves me feeling weak... It's like a double-edged sword."
Erin collected large pieces of meat from the beast's back and threaded the string through them to carry them around. He cleaned the flesh in a shallow section of the creek further downstream before making his way toward the woods, leaving the rest of the creature on the shore. To his surprise, there was still a substantial length of wire remaining. Far more than he had anticipated.
He was confident that there were still roughly 8 meters of cordage left based on his height, which should be around 130–140 cm. Given the metal's exceptional properties, it should be as strong as, if not stronger than, steel. He recalls towing a common-use sedan with a 4mm steel wire back then.
Erin scanned the surroundings, passing by the first tree, which had a conical shape and was unsuitable for his purpose, in search of one with a more spread-out shape where he could settle. The otherworldly forest stretched ahead of him, a maze of trees, shrubs, and strange flora. He once again felt the need for footwear to protect his feet as he walked a little further.
"This will be enough for a few days."
He muttered as he located a suitable tree and hung the meat from one of its branches.
Erin touched the portion of the metal cordage he didn't need right now and willed it to separate from the rest, curious about the capabilities of the metal cordage. He was pleased to see that it responded flawlessly. The shape-changing metal appeared to be under his complete control; it didn't begin to sap his energy until it broke up into particles.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Realizing the necessity of a fire to cook the unappetizing raw meat, Erin decided to employ a more efficient method than the traditional friction-based techniques seen on TV shows.
Given his current condition, a bow drill would be the easiest and fastest option compared to a hand drill.
He had the shapeshifting metal that could morph into a curved stick, as well as the cord. All he required was a rock or piece of wood for a bearing block, a straight wooden stick for a spindle, and a fairly flat piece of wood to carve a notch into, namely the hearth plate. The friction created by rotating the spindle above the notch with sufficient force would eventually form an ember.
"All I need is the wooden stick and the piece of wood. The bearing block's sole purpose is to keep the stick in place. That can be made by the metal."
Erin realized this as he thought about a more efficient way to make a fire-starting tool.
Recalling the encounter with the giant eel, he couldn't help but notice that he hadn't felt the usual tactile feedback from the metal. A thought sparked in his mind.
"Maybe..."
Intending to test his hypothesis, he envisioned the metal transforming into a thin glove, but without transmitting any tactile feedback. To his satisfaction, he discovered that he only felt a sense of touch through the deformation and elasticity of the material.
"So, it behaves normally if I want it to."
Erin marveled was the versatility of the metal. He then proceeded to forage for materials.
Finding materials to start a fire in a forest can be relatively straightforward, considering the abundance of combustible elements. However, lacking a lighter, Erin needed to rely on specific primitive tools to ignite the fire.
With determination, he went for a short walk and swiftly returned, clutching a straight stick to serve as a spindle, another stick to act as a hearth board, and a collection of fibers obtained from dry tree bark, dead grass, and fallen leaves.
As for fuel, he stuck to a sizeable number of dry branches and twigs he found along the way. He imitated a bonfire preparation he’d seen many times, and although it didn’t look perfect, it shouldn’t be a problem for a simple campfire.
After meticulously mushing the mix and preparing it as tinder, he had it ready. The next step was to create a small notch on the piece of wood that would generate an ember. With the razor-sharpness of the metal, this task required only minimal effort.
He carefully cleaned the stick that would be used as a spindle, peeling away the outer bark and taking the time to straighten it. To his surprise, upon removing the outer bark, he discovered a pale purple hue on the inner part of the stick.
"Will it still work?"
With such strange color, he couldn’t help but have questions regarding the flammability of the material. Regardless, he decided to proceed and give it a try. The other branch he acquired had the typical appearance of wood. After cleaning the fairly straight stick, he commanded the metal to transform into a small bow with grooves at both ends, allowing him to secure a place for the string to be tied.
Although the bow was remarkably thin, the peculiar metal did not disappoint, exhibiting flexibility comparable to a much thicker material, making it strangely challenging to bend. Even though he didn't require it to bend significantly, as there would be minimal tension applied to the string. For now, at least.
He carefully shaped one end of the spindle stick to a sharp point, reducing the contact surface, while the other end was slightly modified to fit the divot on the plank.
He tied the string to the bow, willing the remaining portion of the peculiar metal to transform into a hard, dented piece under his palm. After getting everything ready, he secured the spindle to the bow's string and started moving the bow side to side while holding the spindle in his palms, making it spin smoothly.
*Fwoosh fwoosh*
Erin carefully maintained the steady motion, resulting in the formation of dark brown dust with a burnt smell.
After a few moments, he was finally rewarded for his efforts.
The plank emitted even more smoke as the bow moved sideways and the spindle spun on the notched wooden surface, indicating the formation of an ember.
He swiftly took hold of the bundle of tinder he had prepared, created a small indentation within it, and somewhat clumsily deposited the smoky dust into the hollow. With careful but steady breaths, he blew gently to disperse the embers. His eyes followed as the flames gradually engulfed the branches, causing the bonfire to grow in intensity. He proceeded to gradually feed the fire, commencing with smaller branches and twigs and progressively introducing larger ones.
Erin chose a piece of monster meat hanging from a nearby tree as the fire grew. He fashioned a simple 40-cm skewer out of the ever-adaptable metal. The anticipation of the upcoming meal grew alongside the intensifying flames, fueled by the metal's constant morphing to meet his needs.
He firmly inserted the other end of the skewer into the ground next to the bonfire, creating a makeshift cooking station. Erin leaned against the sturdy trunk after finding a comfortable spot on one of the tree's roots. A wave of sleepiness washed over him, tempting him to surrender to exhaustion, but he resisted. It wasn't yet time for rest. With a growling stomach and the need for shelter, he didn't want to sleep out in the open, especially after his encounter with the giant eel.
Taking turns to rotate the skewer, he ensured that every side of the eel pieces cooked evenly over the crackling flames. After what felt like an eternity, but was merely 40 minutes, the meal was finally ready. Although not skilled in culinary arts, Erin knew the basics of preparing food.
As he took a bite of the now less repugnant eel, a fleeting sense of relaxation washed over him.
"Still lacking in flavor," he muttered, acknowledging the absence of spices or seasoning. With the relaxation came a wave of soreness, his right arm and middle finger throbbing from the previous struggle, his head pounding, and his weary feet aching relentlessly. Even his cut earlobe had started to form a scab, the dried blood a testament to the recent battle.
Yet, despite the physical toll, a determined expression surfaced on Erin's face, emanating from the depths of his soul. He glanced at the jewel embedded in his right hand, gently caressing it as he nibbled on the uninspiring meat. Then, his gaze shifted to the surrounding environment and eventually to the vast expanse of the sky above.
He rose to his feet.
“Throw whatever you have at me. I’ll run, I’ll crawl, I’ll bite, I'll scratch… I’ll survive.”