Chapter 1: The Awakening
Kazuki Amano was, in every sense of the word, a weakling. At 16, he was shorter than most boys his age, skinny to the point of frailty, and his endurance in gym class was a joke. He spent most of his time reading manga or watching anime, daydreaming of being transported to another world where he could finally be someone—strong, brave, important. But fantasies were fantasies, and real life was unforgiving.
Until, one day, he got his wish.
Kazuki woke up in a world completely foreign to him. The sky was a dull gray, the trees twisted and blackened, and the air smelled of smoke and decay. Panic surged through him as he realized there was no one around—no bustling city, no people. Just an ominous wilderness.
“What is this...?” he muttered, rubbing his eyes as if to dispel the illusion. But it was no dream. His body felt real, and the cold creeping up his legs was undeniable.
In his pocket, a small piece of parchment appeared, as if it had been placed there for him to find. It read:
"Welcome, Survivor. Your strength lies not in power, but in wit. Find a way to survive. The strong will hunt you. The world will break you. But if you endure, you may find the strength within."
Kazuki's heart sank. This wasn't the fantasy he had imagined. No swords, no magic powers, no companions. Just him, alone, weak, and terrified.
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Chapter 2: The Struggle for Food
The first few hours were hell. Kazuki had no idea where to go or what to do. He stumbled through the forest, hungry and exhausted. His body felt weak; he'd never been good at physical activity, and now, in a place where strength was paramount, his frailty was his worst enemy.
As night fell, the temperature dropped sharply, and his stomach churned with hunger. He had no idea how to hunt. The thought of killing something—even a rabbit—made him sick. But soon, it became clear that survival didn't care about his feelings.
The next morning, his desperate search for food began. He scavenged for anything that might be edible—berries, mushrooms, even insects.
"I can't eat that..." he groaned, looking at a plump, wriggling beetle.
But hunger gnawed at him, and with trembling hands, he swallowed the insect, gagging as it slid down his throat. It was repulsive, but his body needed energy. Over the next few days, Kazuki learned to stomach worse. Bark peeled from trees became his food. Leaves and wild herbs became part of his diet. Each meal was a test of will, and every bite tasted like dirt. But his survival depended on it.
There were close calls. On one occasion, he picked some berries that looked edible, only to end up violently sick for hours afterward, his body wracked with pain. He learned quickly to identify poisonous plants, forced to recall random details from survival shows and books he'd read in the past. In this world, a single mistake could be fatal.
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Chapter 3: Learning to Survive
Days turned into weeks. Kazuki's body grew leaner, his skin pale, but he had begun to adapt. He built rudimentary traps using vines and sharp sticks. The first time he caught a small rodent, he nearly cried. Cooking it over a makeshift fire, Kazuki tasted real meat for the first time since arriving in this world. It was tough and gamey, but to him, it was a feast.
But survival wasn't just about food. Kazuki had to learn to defend himself. Other creatures—horrific, mutated beasts that lurked in the forest—started to hunt him. Kazuki had no weapon, no training, just the raw instinct to run and hide. His small size, which had always been a disadvantage, became a blessing in this hostile world. He could slip through narrow gaps between trees, climb small cliffs, and hide in places larger, stronger predators couldn't reach.
Despite this, Kazuki knew he couldn't keep running forever. He needed something—anything—that could give him an edge.
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Chapter 4: The Discovery
It was during one of his foraging trips when Kazuki stumbled across a hidden cave. Inside, he found remnants of what looked like an ancient camp—a rusty sword, a cracked shield, and a torn journal. The journal detailed the survival of another weakling, long before Kazuki arrived, who had also fought to stay alive in this hostile world. The entries detailed traps, survival tactics, and the locations of rare, edible plants.
But more importantly, the last page mentioned something critical: the location of a hidden spring deep within the mountains. The spring was said to hold water with magical properties, capable of enhancing one's physical and mental abilities.
Hope sparked in Kazuki’s chest. If he could find this spring, maybe he wouldn’t have to be weak anymore. Maybe he could survive—not just by scraping by, but by growing stronger.
But the journey would be dangerous. Kazuki packed what little he had: crude tools, leftover food scraps, and the rusty sword that barely seemed usable. He set off toward the mountains, determined to survive, even if it meant facing dangers far beyond anything he had encountered so far.
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Chapter 5: The First Fight
The journey was grueling. Kazuki was cold, tired, and hungry, but his resolve kept him moving. On the fourth day, however, something changed. He encountered one of the terrifying creatures he'd managed to avoid until now—a massive, wolf-like beast with red eyes and razor-sharp fangs. It had caught his scent.
Kazuki’s first instinct was to run, but the beast was faster. In the past, he would have cowered, tried to hide. But something inside him snapped. He’d come too far to die now.
He raised the rusty sword, trembling, knowing it wouldn’t last more than a few hits. The creature lunged, and Kazuki barely managed to dodge. He swung the sword clumsily, landing a glancing blow on the beast's side. It yelped but wasn't deterred.
The fight was brutal and messy. Kazuki wasn’t strong or skilled, but desperation fueled him. He used every trick he had learned—the traps, the terrain, and his agility. The battle felt like it lasted forever, but eventually, the beast collapsed, its body falling still at Kazuki’s feet.
Panting and bleeding, Kazuki looked down at his trembling hands. He had survived.
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Chapter 6: The Journey Ahead
Kazuki's victory wasn't pretty, but it was his. With every battle, every hardship, he became a little stronger—not in the way he had imagined, with magic powers or superhuman strength, but through endurance, resourcefulness, and sheer will.
He was still a weakling, but now, he understood that survival wasn’t about being the strongest or the fastest. It was about outsmarting the dangers, learning from every mistake, and moving forward despite the fear.
With the spring still far ahead, Kazuki pressed on. The world was unforgiving, and he had many more challenges to face, but now, he knew he could survive—because weakness wasn’t the end.
It was just the beginning.