Day 3

Fast forward a little bit. It was the third day of my new life in this fantasy world, and so far, things had not turned out like the grand adventures I'd read about in books. I had settled in Murkwell Town, a small settlement between hills and dense forests. But unlike the shining, clean towns in the fantasy stories, Murkwell was... a mess. The streets were far from the pristine paths I'd imagined.

Instead, they were covered with mud, filth, and... well, the stench of waste. Everyday, people walked through the muck, some barefoot and others in tattered shoes. Their expressions were always grumpy. The air smelled of sweat and unwashed bodies! I couldn't help but pinch my nose every time I stepped outside. This wasn’t the grand medieval fantasy I expected. It was a gritty, raw world where survival came at a cost.

Luckily, I had found a job. Not in some glamorous tavern or as a knight’s squire, but as an assistant to a hunter named Kelby. He was a tall man with a permanent scar etched on his face, his clothes patched and stained from years of hunting in the wild. He spoke little, but taught me what he knew about hunting and survival.

For the past few days, I’d been hauling arrows, skinning animals, and butchering meat. The work was hard, but it paid well enough. At least enough for me to think about the future. I dreamed of saving up enough money to venture beyond this town, and write about my journeys in a journal so that I could tell the world. Maybe, just maybe, I could leave behind this filth and discover places worth telling stories about. But for now, the only way out was through sweat and hard work.

Mr. Kelby and I went into the forest again. As we trudged deeper into the woods with my bow slung across my back, my mind drifted to the wish I had made when I stood before that strange god. Unmatched strength... wasn't that my wish? Yet, here I was, struggling with tasks that any average person could handle. Was I scammed?

"Stop daydreaming and keep up!" Mr. Kelby shouted, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Yes, sir!" I replied. I couldn't afford to slack off if I wanted to keep this job and get my paycheck. Sadly, the hunt wasn't exactly a success. My aim could have been better. Some arrows missed their mark, and some hits weren't clean, leaving the animals struggling.

Still, I took down a few deer and rabbits. "Not bad," Mr. Kelby said gruffly, slinging a deer carcass over his shoulder. "Let's haul these back to the village." Just as I was about to respond, a loud roar echoed through the forest. A colossal brown bear emerged from the trees. Its massive frame threatened like a nightmare.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It reared up on its hind legs while its snarling maw and razor-sharp claws were fully displayed. At this point, my blood turned to ice because of fear. "Take the carcasses and run!" Mr. Kelby shouted as he drew his bow and stepped between me and the beast. I immediately grabbed the nearest carcasses.

My adrenaline gave me the strength to pull the sacks and sprint. I heard the bear's roars and Kelby's shouts echo behind me as I ran, but I didn't look back. The smell of fresh blood must have drawn the bear to us, and I wasn't about to stick around to find out how it would end.

Bursting into Murkwell, breathless and wild-eyed, I stumbled into the tavern where two of Mr. Kelby's hunter friends were drinking. "Mr. Kelby's in trouble! A bear attacked us in the forest!" I choked out. By then, I was tired, and my throat was parched. I felt my heart was about to go right out of my mouth. The men grabbed their bows and followed me back to the forest.

When we finally found Mr. Kelby, he was on the ground, bleeding. I saw deep gashes across his chest and arms while the bear loomed over him, growling and menacing. The scene was terrifying. "Mr. Kelby! I brought backup!" I yelled, though my voice cracked. The hunters didn't hesitate and began taking aim. Arrows flew, and one struck the bear in the eye.

It then let out a roar, thrashing wildly before retreating into the forest's shadows. I quickly rushed to Mr. Kelby's side to see if he was still alive. Sure enough, he is. "You're one stubborn bastard," one of the hunters muttered, half-laughing as they began patching him up.

That night, as I sat on the creaky wooden bed in the dimly lit inn. I couldn’t shake the memory of how I had sprinted all the way back to Murkwell while hauling heavy carcasses behind me in just a few seconds. Even now, my arms and legs don’t ache how they should have after such a feat.

Sure, adrenaline could push someone to their limits. But this... This was something else. My body wasn’t trained like an athlete. I’d barely done anything more physical than running to catch a bus. Yet somehow, in that moment of panic, I had moved with a speed and strength that defied reason. Could it be…? My wish may have been granted after all.

But if it was true, why hadn’t I felt it until now? And why didn’t it seem constant? My daily struggles were not sudden bursts of invincibility or overwhelming strength. Everything felt normal—until it didn’t. If god had indeed granted my wish, how did this power work? Did it need to be triggered by something? Was it tied to danger or desperation?

I didn’t know. Not yet. But I had to figure it out. If this strength was real, I couldn’t afford to waste it. This world was dangerous, and next time, there might not be anyone to protect me like Mr. Kelby had. Then, my gaze shifted to the journal on the small table beside the bed.

I picked it up, flipped a blank page, and began writing about what had happened that day. If I wanted answers, I needed to test this power, experiment with it, and understand its limits.