Theo woke up to the taste of dirt and regret.

His body ached in ways that were becoming disturbingly familiar—like he had been drop-kicked by the world itself and then politely rolled in gravel for extra effect.

His vision flickered as his implant adjusted to the light, highlighting every jagged rock, twisted root, and, of course, the bug corpses he had left behind from last night’s lovely assemblage.

He swallowed against the dryness in his throat, his stomach cramping from emptiness. The hunger wasn’t just a dull ache anymore—it was a sharp, twisting thing, making his body feel hollow, weak.

His muscles protested, screaming for energy that wasn’t coming. Even his thoughts felt sluggish, like his brain was trying to process everything through a thick layer of fog.

That was when his eyes landed on the nearest bug carcass.

He hadn’t really looked at them before—not with the intent of consumption. Last night, they were just enemies, monsters that had tried to rip him apart. Now, they were… something else.

Food?

Theo grimaced at the thought but didn’t immediately dismiss it. His instincts told him he needed something, and there wasn’t exactly a convenience store around the corner. If he didn’t eat soon, he’d start making real mistakes, and mistakes got you killed here.

“Okay,” he muttered, forcing himself to crouch near one of the bodies. “ let’s pretend this is a totally sane idea for a moment.”

He studied the insectoid corpse, analysing it like Erasmus would—cold, clinical. Break it down into pieces. Figure out the process.

The outer shell was thick, almost like hardened chitin, its glossy surface still reflecting bits of the morning light. The thing had multiple limbs, each jointed and ridged, ending in sharp, jagged pincers. The abdomen was swollen, segmented, and uncomfortably fleshy beneath the light armour plating.

The legs were useless—all hard exoskeleton, no meat. The chest? Maybe something inside there. But did he really want to find out?

Theo hesitated, his stomach twisting. There were too many unknowns.

* Was there anything inside that was edible? Or was it all just bug goo?

* Was it safe? What if it was toxic? Poisoned? Parasites? He had zero knowledge of this species beyond the fact that it had tried to kill him.

And even if the meat inside was technically edible, how the hell was he supposed to cook it?

Theo glanced around the barren landscape. No fire. No fuel. No way to sanitize whatever nightmare fuel was lurking inside this thing.

The thought of biting into raw alien bug meat made his stomach churn harder than the hunger did.

He exhaled, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“I can’t believe I actually just considered this.”

With a final look at the corpse, Theo forced himself to stand. Nope. Not happening. Not today. He wasn’t starving yet. He still had options.

Water first. Then real food. Something that wouldn’t cause nightmares for the rest of his days.

Brushing the dirt off his arms, Theo started moving.

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For hours, Theo pushed through the fantastical terrain, following his gut—or rather, his rapidly dehydrating brain—toward what he hoped was civilization. Or at least something not actively trying to eat him.

Then he heard it.

A low, steady rush in the distance. That had to be water.

His pace quickened, muscles burning, but adrenaline carried him the last few steps to the riverbank.

It was… stunning. Not just water, but a wide, flowing river, its surface rippling with streaks of shimmering bioluminescent algae that pulsed in rhythm with the current. Huge, jagged black rocks jutted out in places, creating areas of churning rapids. Further down, calmer pools stretched lazily along the bank, reflecting the eerie, unnatural glow of the alien vegetation overhead.

Theo dropped to his knees at the edge, peering into the crystal clear liquid before cupping handfuls of cold water. He drank greedily before splashing some over his face and neck. Instant relief. His body felt like it had been running on fumes, and now—finally—he had something to refuel with.

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It was only after his pulse settled that he noticed he wasn’t alone.

Across the river, on the opposite bank, a group of creatures were drinking—deer-like in shape, but their bodies were armoured with sleek chitin plating, their legs bent at strange angles. Their mandibles clicked softly, tearing up strange glowing plants that sprouted from the water’s edge.

They were… peaceful. Non-threatening. Perfect prey.

Theo’s stomach twisted at the thought.

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He needed food. That wasn’t up for debate. But could he kill something that wasn’t attacking him first?

Fighting for his life? That was easy. He had done that since the second he was born. But this was different. This wasn’t self-defence. This was taking a life for his own survival.

He also maintained a profound kinship with animals. Forging bonds with people was tough during his formative years, before he found popularity in the fighting world really. Animals couldn’t care less that he didn’t have any money or friends though.

Theo swallowed hard. His implants flickered, mapping the weak points on the creatures, highlighting potential attack vectors—all the things Erasmus had drilled into his head. A perfect hunter’s overlay for a fight he wasn’t sure he wanted to start.

He exhaled, clenching and unclenching his fists.

If he waited any longer, they’d leave. And if they left, his next meal might be something much, much worse.

“Come on, man… just do it,” he whispered to himself.

But he didn’t move.

Too slow.

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The deer-like creatures flicked their ears, sensing something Theo hadn’t. They tensed, eyes shifting beyond him.

A low, guttural growl rumbled behind him.

Theo froze. Upon turning his head, the implant flickered red, alerting him to three shapes moving in from the jungle edge behind him. His jaw clenched as he turned his body—slowly.

A pack of scavengers, roughly the size of wolves, but with elongated jaws and multiple rows of serrated teeth, stalked toward him, their segmented cat-like eyes locking onto him. Their spined tails flicked with anticipation.

Excellent. Looks like Theo’s back on the menu boys, Theo thought sarcastically as a sense of futility crashed into him.

They weren’t hesitating.

Theo had lingered too long, letting his own indecision make him the prey.

The lead scavenger lunged.

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Theo dove sideways, the suit’s energy reserves flaring to life as he triggered a burst of movement acceleration. It wasn’t natural reflexes—his body wasn’t moving faster on its own—but the stored kinetic charge in the mesh lining his muscles amplified his momentum, driving his body harder and faster than it should have been able to go.

Claws raked the air where he had been standing a second ago.

He landed awkwardly, stumbling as his body struggled to keep up with the sudden burst of speed, but it bought him space. He always managed to maintain a certain level of calmness in his training, safe in the knowledge that the encounters wouldn’t be lethal. However, life-and-death combat is not something that can truly be simulated.

Sure, he had been in many fights where the stakes were high. It was harder to gauge the right amount of force to use when every fibre of your being was screaming for escape.

The pack circled, testing him. The leader prowled forward, exuding the predatory confidence of something that knew it had the upper hand.

Theo scanned the area, brain working overtime. No Erasmus. No weapons. Just him, the river, and a pack of super murder-mutts ready to rip him apart.

His options were garbage.

* Run? The scavengers were faster—he wouldn’t make it far, even with the suit’s kinetic boost.

* Swim? No idea what was in that water.

* Fight? Maybe, but it didn’t look good.

His breath steadied. He had to analyse the situation and make it favourable. He had to control the fight using the stored energy, not just react—his suit could make him hit harder, move explosively, but only if he used it efficiently. Once his reserves depleted, he would have to rely entirely on getting hit. Judging from the gnashers on these beasties, relying on endurance was not going to be his favourite strategy.

As the leader prepared to strike, Theo made his move.

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Dodging wouldn’t cut it. He lunged instead—catching the beast’s jaw mid-strike and wrenching sideways, using its own momentum against it. He caught the beast’s jaw mid-lunge, twisting hard. His mesh armour absorbed the impact, dispersing energy through his body instead of shattering his bones.

The scavenger snarled in surprise, thrashing—but Theo held firm.

He pivoted his stance, using the creature’s own momentum to slam its head against the jagged river rocks, channelling a huge chunk of his mesh energy reserves to reinforce the blow and ensure devastation.

CRACK.

The sound was sickening. Final.

The pack hesitated. The balance of power had shifted.

Theo stumbled back, panting, staring down at the motionless body beneath him. His chest heaved, and something deep, raw, and unsettling curled in his gut.

It had been him or the scavenger, and he had won.

But that didn’t mean he liked it.

The energy reserves within the mesh were below half. There wasn’t exactly a meter he could read—more of a sensation reverberating through his spine.

The pack stood before him. The pack stood before him. If they attacked, he would be done for.