The forest was too quiet. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
My heartbeat pounded like war drums in my chest as the shadows between the trees began to move—slowly, heavily. Then it stepped into the fading light.
The black bear.
But this was no ordinary bear. It was colossal—bigger than any grizzly I'd ever seen or imagined. Its fur was darker than night itself, swallowing every glimmer of light until it looked more like a living shadow than flesh and bone. When it turned its head, two burning amber eyes locked onto mine, and the air left my lungs.
It rose on its hind legs, towering above the clearing, muscles shifting beneath its thick coat like waves beneath black water. Each breath it took sounded like thunder; each step made the earth tremble beneath its weight. I wanted to run. To scream. To do something. But my legs refused to move—they felt carved from the same stone beneath my feet.
The bear's gaze pinned me there, as if it already knew I couldn't escape. For a moment, the world shrank to the sound of its breathing and the hammering of my heart. Then it exhaled—a deep, rumbling growl that rolled through the forest like the voice of a mountain.
I never imagined my tutorial would start like this.
What should I do?
My brain froze for a second, panic drowning all thought—until instinct screamed: Sword!
I reached for the blade strapped to my wrist and drew it.
The metal shimmered faintly in the dying light.
…Except there was one problem.
I had no idea how to use it.
This was the first time I'd ever even held a sword.
The bear began closing the distance, each step shaking the ground. My hands trembled around the hilt.
Okay… I can't win this fight, I told myself, forcing a shaky breath. Then there's only one option.
I lowered the sword, slowly.
My fear dulled into something colder, sharper. I met the beast's burning gaze head-on.
For a brief moment, it hesitated. It sensed something had changed—the boy who had frozen before was gone.
Then I moved.
The bear tensed, ready to strike.
But instead of attacking… I ran.
I turned and sprinted through the trees. The bear froze in confusion for half a heartbeat—then bellowed a roar that made my spine vibrate and thundered after me.
"I'm not stupid enough to fight a bear head-on!" I shouted over my shoulder.
The forest blurred.
I was running faster—much faster than I ever could back on Earth.
Right. My Agility stat… E-.
Still low, but far beyond a normal human's speed.
Even so, I knew I couldn't just run forever. The heavy pounding of paws was getting closer—closer every second.
Think, damn it! There were ways to survive a bear attack: play dead, shout, make yourself look big—but that was for brown bears. A black bear wouldn't hesitate to finish me off if I tried that.
Then I saw it—a massive tree ahead.
I can climb!
I leapt, grabbing a branch and pulling myself up. To my surprise, I moved almost effortlessly, hopping from branch to branch.
Wow. My body… it's lighter.
Still, I couldn't rely on that alone. Bears could climb trees too. I needed to reach higher ground—fast.
Then came a thunderous CRACK!
The bear wasn't climbing. It was smashing through the trees—obliterating everything in its path.
"Oh, come on!" I yelled, scrambling upward. "It's supposed to be slower!"
I jumped to another branch—
Creak!
And fell.
"Fuu—!"
I crashed into the ground hard, pain exploding in my leg. When I looked up, the bear was right in front of me.
It swung.
Instinct took over—I raised my sword just in time.
The impact sent me flying ten meters backward.
Pain exploded in my arm and chest. "Aaagh! That hurts! If I didn't block, I'd be in two pieces!"
I struggled to my feet, gasping, my right leg throbbing and my left arm screaming in pain. The bear roared again and charged.
I raised the sword—but froze when I saw it.
Broken. The blade had snapped in half from the impact.
"How can he send me here like this?" I muttered between ragged breaths. "Does the 'God of Transmigration' want me dead before I even start!?"
The bear closed in. I could feel the ground shake with every step. My heart was hammering again—but this time, not from fear. From defiance.
I charged forward.
The bear swung.
I jumped.
It roared as I soared over its massive shoulders and landed behind it, snatching up the broken half of the blade I'd dropped earlier.
It turned and swiped again, faster this time. I lifted the jagged sword to block—but its teeth sank into my arm instead. The pain was white-hot, blinding.
"AAAHHHH!" I screamed, feeling the bear's teeth dig deeper. My vision blurred, and instinct took over. I shoved the second half of the blade—straight into its eye.
The bear howled, thrashing wildly, smashing into trees, trying to dislodge the blade from its skull. Blood and fury sprayed through the clearing.
I was thrown aside, slamming into a tree. My ribs felt like fire. I spat blood, groaning. "Heh… got something in your eye?"
The beast howled again, tearing at its ruined face.
Pain and exhaustion flooded my body. My limbs felt like lead.
This is hell… I wish it was a dream.
The bear finally tore the broken sword from its eye, blood pouring down its face like black tar. With a furious roar, it turned toward me — blinded in one eye, yet more terrifying than ever.
It started charging, each step a drumbeat of death.
"Yeah… it's not the first time I'm dying," I whispered bitterly while remembering my final movement where morris cut my neck.
Feeling the strength drain from my body. I'd lost all hope. The bear knew it too — it could see I had nothing left.
It loomed over me, its shadow swallowing me whole. One glowing eye glared down in rage, the other a ruined, bleeding socket.
It raised its paw — claws gleaming, ready to end me.
Can I get a second chance?
No… probably not.
Dying to a bear, less than an hour after transmigrating… what a joke.
The bear roared and brought its paw down.
But this time, I moved first.
I wasn't running. I wasn't hesitating. The broken sword in my hand — now short like a dagger — fit perfectly in my grip. I tightened my fingers, pulled every shred of strength I had left into one motion, and lunged.
The beast's paw missed me by inches.
And my blade found its mark.
I drove the jagged edge upward — straight through its neck and into its brain.
Hot blood splashed across my face, and for a moment, the world fell silent. The bear twitched, eyes wide in shock, then collapsed beside me with a thunderous crash.
Even after it stopped moving, I kept cutting, hacking at its neck until its massive head finally fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
I staggered back, trembling, breathing hard. "I… I did it. I actually won…"
My vision darkened. The last thing I saw before collapsing was a faint blue light.
Ding!
[Side Quest Complete: Defeat the Forest Bear]
[Reward: Affinity Unlock]
Then everything went black.