Episode 7: Animal Secrets and Sexual Desire

The Lycaon-pseudo probably weighed around 70kg; it was lean and light for its size. Of course, that’s just how it felt to this body, so I don’t know the actual weight. Still, being able to think of it as “light” is something to be grateful for.

Even while carrying the carcass, three lizard-like creatures jumped me from the trees. They were about a meter long. I bashed the first one with my spear to kill it, then grabbed it by the tail and swung it around, smashing the other two to death with it. Scales and flesh tore apart every time the lizard bodies collided, scattering blood everywhere. In the end, three lizard corpses lay on the ground, reduced to lumps of meat. I thought it was cruel of me, but I was irritated that enemies kept popping up, preventing me from making any progress.

On top of that, “Junior” down there had been raging hard for a while now and wouldn’t calm down. Maybe it was the excitement after the battle, but it was rubbing against my stomach with every step, creating a desperate situation. Perhaps because it’s a young body, stimulated by “Junior,” agonizing thoughts kept bubbling up one after another. Images of naked women swirled around in my head. I told myself now isn’t the time for this, but Junior’s excitement showed no sign of subsiding.

I sighed. It seemed better to let it out and clear my head. I couldn’t bear the thought of being attacked by a beast while in this distracted state, and I had stopped being able to dodge the falling leeches effectively.

I looked around. There was no one around, obviously, but embarrassment made me check for people anyway. I moved behind a tree—well, there were only trees around, so “shade” was relative—but I moved to a spot that was hidden from view.

Checking that there were no beasts overhead about to attack, I undid my loincloth and bared my lower half. In short, I was stark naked. I took my first look at my enlarged Junior.

The Junior of this swapped (?) young body was quite impressive. Heh, you’re packing some good stuff. Comparing it to my old one, girth aside, I felt like it was two or three centimeters longer. Along with a twinge of jealousy, a sense of pride in my new Junior welled up.

Still, jerking off at my age is pretty pathetic, I thought, as I gave it a light rub.

Oh… Whoa…

I was shocked by the incredible sensitivity. I don’t know if this body is a virgin, but it certainly hasn’t been used much; it reacted sensitively to the slightest stimulation. Remembering that I was like this too when I was young, I expelled my essence.

However, whether due to youth or the incredible nature of this body, releasing once didn’t calm things down at all. I had to release three times in succession. Even then, it wasn’t fully settled, and I was exasperated with this body. But I couldn’t stay here indulging in this forever, so I forcibly suppressed my somewhat subsided libido and left the area.

Fighting off beasts that attacked one after another and dodging insects as I walked, I came across a small river, or rather, a stream. It wasn’t a constantly flowing river, but more like a flow that would dry up in the rainless season.

The water was clear, so I washed my hands and wounds, then scooped it up to quench my thirst. For a moment, I thought drinking raw water was a bad idea, but if I’m going to live here, I can’t be too picky. If I get a stomachache, I’ll deal with it then. It was a reckless thought, but the continuous fighting had worn down my sense of caution. The cold, smooth water was delicious and healed my fatigue, if only slightly.

I built a fire here and set about skinning the Lycaon-pseudo. Like with the weasel-pseudo yesterday, I have no experience butchering animals. I was relying on vague memories of videos I’d seen or things I’d heard, so honestly, I was winging it.

I wasn’t making a product for sale, so the quality didn’t matter. As long as I made something to protect my body from the cold and scratches, that was enough. The bonfire just needed to ward off beasts.

I brought some vines, wrapped them around the Lycaon-pseudo’s neck, and hung it from a thick tree branch. Being a primeval forest, vines that wrapped around other trees symbiotically were everywhere, so they were easy to get. This was helpful.

I used my stone knife to make an incision in the belly of the hanging Lycaon-pseudo. Along with a massive amount of blood, intestines and the stomach spilled out, hanging down. I cut them away and threw them into the stream. Honestly, it wasn’t a pleasant sight, but I had seen this kind of work to some extent as a child, so I had some tolerance.

When I was a kid, the neighborhood butcher would cut chickens’ necks in the back to drain the blood before butchering and selling them. So, even eating that meat, I never thought it was gross or cruel. Still, when it’s a creature like the Lycaon-pseudo, nearly 2 meters long and bigger than myself, it does have an impact.

Once the blood had drained to some extent, I made circular incisions around the legs and neck, then cut from the neck down to the belly. After that, I carefully peeled the skin, using the blade to ensure I didn’t cut the hide. It was tedious work, but I did it patiently.

When I peeled the skin back to the nape of the neck, I felt something hard. I tore open the meat and, sure enough, a gem-like stone appeared. It was slightly thicker than a thumb, significantly larger than the one from yesterday’s weasel-pseudo. The color was red around the edges, turning bluish toward the center.

Deep inside the transparency, I could see a fine mesh pattern. Observing it closely without removing it, it looked like the mesh pattern was connected to the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the stone. When I pinched the stone, it tore away easily, and I was able to remove it.

What on earth is this? It seems like part of the nervous system, but I can’t imagine something this hard functioning inside a body.

Just as I was getting lost in thought, I heard a rustle and hurriedly turned around. Four weasel-pseudos were watching me. I was relieved they weren’t large predators.

I fired a “finger flick” and sent my will. It hit one weasel-pseudo in the nose; it thrashed around before losing consciousness. The others attacked, but I swung my spear horizontally, tearing through all three at once. The sharp spearhead did a good job.

On a sudden impulse, I restrained the unconscious weasel-pseudo so it wouldn’t thrash, then made an incision at the back of its neck, near the medulla. Waking up from the pain, the weasel-pseudo screeched, but apologizing mentally, I opened the incision. There, I found only a thick nerve bundle surrounded by bone.

Apologizing again, I smashed its head with a stone, killing it. Shortly after its heart stopped, its tongue and mouth turned purple with cyanosis. At the same time, the nerve bundle surrounded by bone seemed to melt, merge, and harden.

In less than a minute, it turned into a bright red lump, and as the body temperature dropped, it became transparent and transformed into a gem-like stone. I was captivated by the strange sensation, like watching a magic trick. Taking it out and comparing it to yesterday’s, they looked mostly the same, but the shape and hue were slightly different, suggesting individual differences.

The stone isn’t there as a stone from the start; it hardens into a stone after death. And it seems the part that does this is near the brain or considered part of the brain.

I have no idea why this phenomenon occurs, but I suspect it’s the organ related to the ability like Telekinesis—changing movement in mid-air or manipulating objects from a distance. My own neck throbs or stings in the same spot after I use Telekinesis. That means I likely have a similar nerve bundle inside my body.

My guess is that all vertebrates in this world possess this nerve bundle and can use supernatural powers like Telekinesis to a greater or lesser degree. It’s no longer a “super” power, but a common ability.

If that’s the case, have intelligent humans, or creatures similar to them, developed this ability to build something like a “Psychic Civilization”? The laboratory-like place where I woke up suggested a civilization with advanced science, but was that teleportation-like event on the magic circle a glimpse of that Psychic Civilization?

What would happen to me if I met humans who could manipulate supernatural powers at will? I feel fear, but also excitement. If they treat me clearly, I might undergo unimaginable experiences that no Earthling has ever had. Just thinking that such sci-fi novel events could happen makes my heart dance with excitement.

On the other hand, the worst case is being eliminated as a foreigner or erased by murder, but if that happens, it can’t be helped. I died once already; living now is like a miracle. I’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes. Of course, that’s assuming there are beings I can call “human.” In my current situation with no one else around, it’s just a delusion.

Suppressing my racing thoughts, I resumed the skinning process. I desperately want to move forward and get out of this forest quickly, but haste makes waste. First, I need to prepare properly to survive.

When I was young, I repeated the same mistakes over and over because of haste and paid the price. It’s hard to practice even if you understand it in your head. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties that I keenly felt the importance of groundwork and preparation.

Beasts appeared a few times while I worked; I ignored those that didn’t approach and mercilessly shot down those that did with thrown stones. I disposed of the bodies in the river each time, but the interruptions were annoying. I did secure one rabbit-like animal that looked edible.

Finally, the skinning was done, and I threw the Lycaon-pseudo meat into the river. Since the water volume was low, it got stuck here and there as it flowed away. I couldn’t bring myself to eat this thing, but if it becomes food for other beasts, attacks on me might decrease. I skinned the rabbit-pseudo and kept the meat.

The work took longer than expected, and the sun was dipping into the afternoon. I was hungry, so I wanted to secure a place where I could rest somewhat calmly. It was too open here for eating or resting; the danger level was too high. There didn’t seem to be a place to sleep, and it was better to keep stops short.

I took a burning piece of wood from the bonfire to use as an ember and departed carrying the skinned furs. I headed upstream along the river.

Having finished skinning, I reached a stopping point, and my tension faded slightly. Immediately, the quiet Junior started getting excited again. What a nuisance. It seems that whenever there’s a gap in my mind or after a fight, it flares up, requiring considerable effort to calm down.

I tried to focus on other things or think about something else, but once it gets like this, it seems it won’t settle until I expel the essence. This is a sensation I had completely forgotten in my old age. When sexual desire spikes, aggression increases, dulling my thoughts and scattering my attention to the surroundings. This is a very dangerous sign.

My libido was strong in my teens in my old body, but I don’t think it was ever this bad. Truly, what a mess… I had no choice but to take a short break.

Whew…

Walking again along the river, I came to a place with a small-scale rockslide. Rocks of various sizes were scattered about, useful as tools for building a sleeping space and providing an unlimited supply of throwing stones. Gratefully, there was a spot where water fell like a shower from gaps in the piled-up rocks. It looked like it could serve as a shower.

I wanted to wash my sticky body immediately, but securing safety came first. I built a bonfire before my ember went out to ensure fire. Beasts in this world seem to have a tendency to fear fire too.

I chose a space created by overlapping large rocks as my bed and filled the gaps with smaller stones. I brought a rock to block the entrance, securing my sleeping quarters.

Then, I arranged several bonfires to surround the area. I placed one inside the sleeping space to scatter insects and sterilize the rock surface. Looking at my feet, small creatures like spiders and river crabs were crawling everywhere. Nature being abundant is good, but it’s annoying and gross.

With a certain degree of safety and a bed secured, I soaked the skinned furs in the flowing water for a while to remove dirt along with parasitic mites and fleas. In the meantime, I took a shower.

Stripping naked and hitting the falling water, the cold made me jump. But as the dried sweat, leaf sap, and stuck spiderwebs washed away, I felt refreshed. I didn’t have soap or shampoo so I didn’t feel completely clean, but wiping away the unpleasant sensations felt good. If possible, I’d like to soak slowly in a bath, but there’s no point asking for what I can’t have.

After washing my body and drying off by the fire, various animals watched me from a distance. There didn’t seem to be any large predators, just small animals resembling rabbits, squirrels, and mountain rats. Perhaps fearing the fire, they didn’t approach, so I left them alone. Killing them poorly might attract scavengers, which I wanted to avoid.

My body was dry, so I started preparing a meal, but before that, I retrieved the furs soaking in the water. I wrung them out with all my might to remove moisture and hung them on tree branches to dry. Once dry, I would smoke them to increase preservation. That should remove a lot of the smell too. Of course, since I can’t do proper tanning, they’ll end up stiff and rugged.

I roasted the meat of the rabbit-pseudo I killed earlier and ate it. It was a bit dry but surprisingly tasty. Similar to the rabbit I ate in Japan. My stomach was full for now, but it certainly wasn’t healthy. I wanted to eat vegetables if possible, but I didn’t know what was edible. I’d have to test things little by little to find non-poisonous ones.

Salt intake is especially important, but I don’t think I can get salt in this forest. I don’t know how long this vagabond life will last, but if it drags on, I’ll be in trouble. I hope I can find a human village or settlement as soon as possible, but if not, I’ll have to try the worst-case method.

I remember reading somewhere that the Masai in Africa drink raw cow blood to replenish salt, and raw deer blood is said to be a tonic. I don’t know if that really replenishes salt, but if signs of salt deficiency appear, I’ll have to drink it. I’d rather not if I can avoid it. I haven’t seen deer or cows yet, but surely there are at least deer in the forest. I just hope the deer and cows of this world don’t have parasites.

Fortunately, this body is far superior to my old one, and wounds heal quickly, so I assume it excels in resistances too. I just have to hope so. Of course, finding a human living sphere would be best.

After filling my stomach, I prepared for survival in the forest. I cut down some bamboo-pseudo and processed it, leaving one node intact to make three canteens. I carved a hole that could be plugged, so I could carry water without spilling. One canteen holds about 500-600cc, so with three, it should last a day.

They are bulky and heavy, so I want to make a knapsack out of the rabbit-pseudo fur to carry them on my back. Lacking needle and thread, I can’t sew, so I have no choice but to bind it to my body with vines. But being able to carry a certain amount of luggage is crucial.

Once the Lycaon-pseudo fur dries, I plan to make a poncho-style garment, arm guards, and shin guards. A poncho is the simplest clothing. Fold the fur in half, cut a slit in the fold for the head, and it covers the body completely. Cut it at knee length and tie the waist with a cord, and it’s done. With this, I won’t get scratched running through the forest, and I think it will offer some defense against animal attacks.

I was satisfied making weapons yesterday, but today I learned that enhancing defense is actually more important. This body is built tough, but it must have originally been active while clothed. The skin itself is no different from my old body; it scrapes and cuts easily. It heals fast, but it’s not steel skin. Pain sensitivity is normal too. In short, it’s not extremely inhuman.

anyway, it will take time for the furs to dry and finish smoking. I have to make them tomorrow. Even so, they’ll just be stiff, rugged things, but I think they’ll make moving around much safer than now.

I also made spare shoes. Since they aren’t store-bought shoes, they fall apart after a day of walking. If I get into a fight, they might break right then. Better safe than sorry. I have to put that into practice.

While being careful not to let the fire die, I spent the remaining daylight hours training my Telekinesis. The more freely I can manipulate large objects, the higher my survival probability. I decided to do this every day without fail.

When night fell and it got dark, I expelled my essence many times in my bed. The naked bodies of lovers from my bachelor days and my wife when she was young crossed my mind. I want a woman! I thought desperately.

Is this strong libido due to my superior physical abilities? Thinking that I have to fight against this from now on made me feel depressed. Fighting my inexhaustible sexual desire was hard, but it seems I eventually exhausted myself and fell asleep.

Thus, my first day in the forest passed. I still have resistance to accepting the current situation as reality, but I have no choice but to do what I can.