Episode 2: Who... Am I?

Leaping from the cliff, I surrendered myself to the fall, struggling to angle my body toward a spot as far from the waterfall basin as possible. I hit the water almost immediately with a tremendous impact, but I didn’t strike the riverbed, nor did I lose consciousness.

Surfacing safely without getting sucked into the waterfall’s vortex—just as planned—I let the river’s current carry me downstream. Fortunately, I didn’t feel like I had sustained any major injuries.

Once my posture stabilized in the water, I looked up at the cliff. The bear was standing there, watching. It seemed it wouldn’t be pursuing me further. Having finally escaped the bear, I felt a heartfelt wave of relief. This must be what they mean by “a narrow escape from death.”

When the river curved behind a rocky outcrop and the bear vanished from sight, I swam toward the shore. Climbing onto the bank, I let out a huge breath. Since waking up, it had been a continuous stream of terror and tension; finally, I could take a moment to calm down.

Examining my soaked body, I saw scrapes and bruises all over. Considering I had been attacked by that gigantic bear, getting away with just this much should be considered lucky.

However, looking at my body again, everything felt wrong. I had felt a sense of incongruity—like I wasn’t myself—even while fighting the bear. But now, calmly inspecting my own body, I saw that my skin color was different from a Japanese person’s; it looked more Caucasian. The skin was smooth and taut, radiating youthfulness.

More than anything, the physique was completely different. My arms and legs were thick and muscular, and my potbelly was replaced by a ripped eight-pack. And my “junior,” the symbol of my manhood, was covered in sparse, brownish pubic hair and sheathed in foreskin.

I shouldn’t have been uncut, but the glans was mostly hidden, with just the tip peeking out. I took hold of the foreskin and pulled it back; it peeled back smoothly to reveal a glans like a flesh-colored sausage. Good, it wasn’t phimosis. Still, it belonged to a boy, retaining a sense of innocence. I was this cute when I was a boy, too. Touching it, it was still sensitive and stung a little.

It seems my body has rejuvenated. Fearfully, I peered into a stagnant pool in the river. Reflected there was a completely unfamiliar boy. He looked about 16 or 17 years old, with brown hair and sweet, somewhat deep-set features like an American. His eyes were a deep green.

I waved my hand, and the reflection waved back. It was definitely me.

What is this?! What on earth is going on? Why am I in the body of a stranger? I can’t make sense of any of this.

Looking around, forests stretched out on both banks across the river. But the trees growing there were all unfamiliar species. At the very least, this wasn’t the Japanese forest I was used to.

Thinking back to everything since I woke up, it was all strange and full of inconsistencies. Starting with being in a capsule, and that bear that attacked me—it looked like a bear, but also not quite. It had the aura of a bear, but its face was somewhat lion-like.

Then there were those primitive human-like corpses I saw in that laboratory-like place, and the small, dwarf-like bodies that weren’t quite human. If those were real, they were entities far removed from everyday life.

And the event on the magic circle-like platform that seemed like teleportation, or the bear changing direction in mid-air—events that defied the laws of physics as I knew them were just too baffling and mysterious.

There didn’t seem to be any other living humans besides me. Were they killed by the bear? Or, and this is a terrifying thought, were the dwarf corpses scattered around the circle the humans of this place…?

Thinking that way makes the situation seem consistent, but if that’s true, then this isn’t Earth.

I dismissed the idea as too much of a leap. I’ve been reading too many sci-fi novels and manga. I admit I like that stuff, but it’s no use for an old man past sixty to confuse reality with fiction. Anyway, there are just too many things I don’t understand.

Thinking about things I can’t understand is a waste of time. If I have time to worry, I should think about my next move. This is a lesson I learned painfully well from my ex-wife, who always complained that I worried too much and never took action.

First, I need to do something about my wet body and the injuries on the soles of my feet. It’s not freezing cold, but staying wet will eventually sap my body heat. I looked around for something to dry myself with or use as a substitute for clothes.

Just then, I saw a black shadow in the water. Something emerged, opening a huge mouth to attack. I dodged at the last second and instantly jumped backward. Amazing! This young body reacts quickly and moves well.

Distancing myself, I observed the opponent. It was a creature resembling a crocodile, nearly 7 meters long with a torso about a meter in diameter. Moreover, attached to its thick, one-meter tail was a slender, whip-like appendage that extended another 5 meters.

It differed from a normal crocodile not just in its tail, but also in its skin. Instead of rugged croc skin, it was covered in scales like a giant freshwater fish—an arowana or pirarucu. Is it closer to a lizard…?

At the very least, I don’t know this creature, nor have I ever heard of it existing in Japan.

It crawled onto land and approached with swift, slithering movements. I backed away again to keep my distance as a precaution, but then I heard a cutting sound, and a black shadow grazed past my face.

Immediately after, a spray of water droplets flew at me like stone pellets. The water stung as it hit my body, but I could endure it. The problem was the black shadow that had just missed me.

It was the whip-like appendage at the end of its tail. It moved freely, as if it were a separate living creature with a will of its own. Just as it seemed to flex like a whip, the tip shot toward me at a speed my eyes couldn’t follow.

Crack! A sharp report rang out.

I had moved in anticipation, so I barely dodged it, but it felt like the sound followed the action. Did it break the sound barrier? Pain flared after it passed; the skin on my chest split. Blood spurted, but the wound was shallow.

Even a whip wielded by a human can break the sound barrier, but if I took a direct hit from a tail attack launched by that massive body, I’d be dead instantly. Why do monster-like creatures like this exist? I didn’t have time to ponder that. I leaped back with all my might to gain distance before the next attack.

I scanned the area for anything I could use as a weapon. This was a rocky riverbank, with stones the size of bowling balls scattered here and there. I picked one up and hurled it at the creature. Normally, a stone of this size would weigh 10 to 20 kilograms, but my body tossed it as lightly as a softball.

The stone flew with considerable speed, but just before hitting the creature’s body, it was deflected by the whip-like tail. Its tail seemed to be formidable, serving both offense and defense. Its body moved fast, creeping closer with an eerie, slithering motion. I threw stone after stone, but its tail moved wildly, batting them all away.

What the hell is this thing?! First the bear, now this pseudo-croc—these creatures are unbelievable.

I backed away further, then on an impulse, threw five or six stones high into the air. As the stones rained down, the creature knocked them away with its tail. With its attention focused upward, I hurled a single stone skimming just above the ground. It struck the creature’s head perfectly, stopping its movement for a moment. As its body convulsed, the last stone I had thrown upward fell, crushing its right front leg.

“Gugeeeehhh!!!” leaking a scream-like breath, the creature writhed in agony. Perhaps due to the pain, its movements eventually ceased, and the whip-like tail swung aimlessly in random directions.

Seeing my chance, I lifted a large rock, about 50 centimeters across. I felt like I could lift it, so I tried, and up it went. Approaching cautiously, I brought the rock down with all my might. As intended, it crushed the creature’s head flat.

It twitched for a while but soon died and stopped moving. At that moment, I thought I saw a black mist-like substance leave its body, but it vanished quickly.

It seems the defensive power of the scales, evolved for speed, was surprisingly weak. I was relieved, but I couldn’t let my guard down; there might be others. I looked around and waited quietly, but nothing moved, and I sensed no presence. I was truly glad I hadn’t been attacked while in the river.

Having somehow protected my life, I took a breather. My mental state was rapidly wearing thin from these consecutive battles with monsters. I’ve never even been in a proper fistfight, yet here I am, fighting monsters in life-or-death struggles.

My heart was still pounding from fear and excitement, but the surrounding scenery stood as if nothing had happened. The river murmured gently, and distant bird calls created an idyllic atmosphere.

I stared blankly at my surroundings. Seriously, what is… this place? Have I ended up deep in the Amazon or Africa?

I approached the pseudo-croc carcass to examine it. It was definitely dead, but it was a creature I’d never seen. I’m not exactly a biology expert, but I felt somehow that this wasn’t a creature from the Earth I knew. It had a body like a crocodile, but the scales felt more fish-like than lizard or snake-like.

I tried peeling off a scale from its back. It felt more like peeling a fish than skinning a hide. The single scale was fan-shaped, about 5 centimeters across. When I applied force, it flexed like a plastic guitar pick, showing flexibility. It was a dull silver color, but when bent, it reflected light, shimmering with iridescent colors.

The whip-like tail was densely covered in fine scales, tapering toward the tip where layers of scales overlapped to increase strength. The very tip was a lump of scales as hard as stone. In any case, it was a strange, unseen creature.

Thinking it might make a weapon, I decided to cut off the tail. Finding a sharp, pointed stone, I bashed it repeatedly until I finally managed to sever it. It was about 4 meters long. The grip section was 6 to 7 centimeters in diameter—a bit thick—but when I swung it, it behaved exactly like a whip.

I tested it on the pseudo-croc’s belly; the scales and flesh split, revealing bone. The power was excellent. Now I had at least some means of attack against approaching creatures. Whether I could win or not was another matter, but it provided some mental reassurance.

Well, back in Japan when I was attacked by the Asian black bear, I was a coward who couldn’t use my knife or bear spray at all, though.

Still, this body is truly amazing. Checking again, I have the body of a finely honed boxer. I seem to be over 180cm tall, with an ideal physique.

My movements are fast, reacting instantly to anything. It feels like my body moves before I can think. Did this body undergo some special training?

Or rather, whose body is this? Was it created in that laboratory-like place? My consciousness and memories are the same as before, but the body has been swapped.

Is this a memory transplant, or a brain transplant? Questions bubble up one after another. If I went back to that lab-like place, I might find out something, but I don’t want to face that bear again. I didn’t think I’d survive another encounter.

I became curious about the extent of this body’s physical abilities. I tried a vertical jump with about half my strength and think I cleared nearly 2 meters. I was surprised to jump so high with so little effort. My injured feet hurt upon landing, so I stopped trying to jump with full force.

I ran at considerable speed while fleeing the bear, but how fast could I go if I sprinted all out? I get the feeling I could easily surpass Olympic-level athletes.

I decided to challenge a large rock nearby. It was about a meter in size, so it should weigh over a ton. I couldn’t lift it, of course, but I was able to move it easily.

Not wanting to burden my feet too much, I decided to use my arms and threw a stone the size of a golf ball. The stone, hurled with a pitcher’s windup, flew at tremendous speed and vanished into the distant trees, too fast for the eye to follow.

Doing the same thing, I aimed at a tree about 30 meters away. The stone embedded itself completely into the trunk. I was shocked by the power, but at the same time, when I strained my eyes to see where it hit, my vision zoomed in and magnified the spot.

What is this?!

As a test, I looked at a distant mountain peak. The ridgeline, which had been blurry, came into faint view, revealing the shapes of the rocks. Acting on a hunch, I strained my ears. I could distinguish distant bird songs and the rustling of leaves, grasping their general locations.

Strange! This is definitely strange! My current body is definitely not a normal human! Is this body a cyborg or an android of some kind? I felt creeped out by my own self.

Or, perhaps… could it be that assuming this place isn’t Earth but another world, planet, or future Earth, the humans living here naturally possess these physical abilities?

The bear and the pseudo-croc earlier possessed extraordinary abilities. If so, it wouldn’t be strange for humans to have extraordinary abilities too. …I feel like.

Hmm, I don’t really know, but at least I don’t seem to be a robot. I don’t feel anything mechanical in my body, and I bleed. The pseudo-croc I defeated was made of bone, muscle, and skin, so it was definitely an animal… I think.

Sigh… No matter how much I think, I won’t know what I don’t know. Thinking any further will just lead to philosophical ponderings, so I stopped.

It couldn’t be… surely I haven’t come to an “otherworld fantasy” like in those anime I’ve seen a bit of before.

You know, the stories where a young guy or a middle-aged man meets a god, gets sent to another world, becomes young again, and goes on adventures using magic or special abilities. If this is one of those convenient worlds made for kids, that would be the worst. I haven’t the slightest idea how to live in a world without proper ethics or where physical laws are broken.

Besides, I have no memory of meeting a god. A world where a god actually exists would be nothing but hell. If the world can be destroyed or restored on a whim, the lowly humans would have no choice but to go insane.

Just in case, I tried chanting “Status Open” and several similar phrases. Nothing appeared. I felt relieved.

I was genuinely relieved that this wasn’t a world where human abilities were simplified into numbers like a game. Especially if skills or classes were arbitrarily assigned—that’s no joke. If that actually happened, there would be no freedom of choice, and you couldn’t live like a human being.

Well, there’s no use thinking about things that are impossible in reality. Anyway, I have the ability to fight monster-like creatures. For now, let’s welcome that.

Back to the topic at hand: I need to do something about the wounds on my feet. Also, I can’t stay stark naked forever.

I don’t think anyone will come, but if by some one-in-a-million chance a young “mountain girl” hiker came by and saw me, what would she think? No need to think; she’d assume I’m a perverted nudist. I’d like to avoid that if possible.

Even without that, having lived over 60 years, I have a mountain of dark history I want to erase. I don’t want to add to it. So, would it be okay if it was an older mountain lady? Well, I wouldn’t really care. She’d probably just think, “Oh my,” and that would be it.

So, clothes. Looking around, there’s only nature. At best, I could use tree bark or leaves. I didn’t think skinning the pseudo-croc would yield anything wearable.

I tore some vines from a tree in front of me and gathered a lot of broad leaves to make a loincloth. Since these are unfamiliar plants, I pray my skin doesn’t break out in a rash or blisters. With this, I’ve hopefully upgraded from nudist to primitive man.

After that, I washed my feet in the river to clean off the dirt. For now, that’s all I can do for the wounds.

I arranged small twigs to make a footprint shape, filled the gaps with crushed bark to create a flexible sole, wrapped it in layers of leaves, and finally cut strips of the pseudo-croc hide—scales and all—and tied them to my feet with vines. I can’t say they’re comfortable, but they’ll serve as shoes to protect my feet. My feet glittering is… eerie, though.

Well, I think I’ve reached the level of “perverted native” with a slight scent of civilized man. The old man evolves.

I sliced off a bit of meat from the pseudo-croc, wrapped it in leaves, and put it in a pochette I made from leaves and vines. I was hungry and thought about eating, but if I stayed here too long, other pseudo-crocs might attack, and there was no guarantee the bear wouldn’t circle around the waterfall to get here.

Thinking about it now, that bear’s hostility seemed abnormal. Normal animals I know wouldn’t chase someone that relentlessly. It felt less like the bear was seeking food and more like it harbored hatred.

I started walking aimlessly.