Now then... what to do?
I'm currently falling from about 3 kilometers in the air. In a few seconds, I'll crash into the trees below and, with a high probability, die.
However, I can't die just yet. I still have so many things I want to accomplish.
So... I need to act.
In mere seconds, I concocted a plan. It was a bit crazy, but it was my only option.
"Dominator's Hand!"
I activated the only external skill I possess and waved it as if slapping the air.
The impact altered my trajectory, shifting me slightly away from the forest. But it wasn't enough. I kept slapping the air, almost as if trying to flap a single wing to fly.
With each flap, my trajectory changed.
And with that change, my fate of death was rewritten.
"AAAAGH!"
I roared, casting Dominator's Hand as many times as I could until I finally spotted my target below: a river, a stream flowing down from the mountain toward the sea.
Since it flows, I can use it to navigate through the forest faster. But right now, it's my only ticket to survival.
The river was approximately 300 meters away from my current position.
In short... I'm still too far.
Ten seconds to impact. I decided to go all out and spammed Dominator's Hand as much as possible. My target was already set, after all.
Five seconds left, only 100 meters away.
Will I make it...?!
The sound of wind rushing past my ears was deafening, and my heartbeat pounded so loudly that I could barely hear my own voice. Still, I didn't stop.
"RAAAAAA!!!"
At long last, I reached my destination.
Of course, crashing into the river at my current speed would still result in death. Luck is useless if the outcome is certain. So, at the last moment, I used Dominator's Hand to slap the water's surface, reducing some of my momentum before crashing into the water.
"GLUB! BLUB BLUB..."
The river was quite deep, thankfully.
But the currents were strong—dangerously so. And it was far from safe.
Large, ferocious fish darted around me, baring their teeth at the "prey" that had fallen into their territory. These were... piranhas the size of an adult man?!
Dominator's Hand isn't affected by water, so I can wield it without any issues. However, being surrounded means one hand isn't enough.
I need to think of something else!
Fortunately, my enemies are fish, and we're in river water. As someone with modern knowledge, the answer seemed as obvious as the sun in the sky!
"(LIGHTNING...!)"
Although I can't "fire" attack magic, that doesn't mean I can't cast it.
And Lightning, a blend of water, fire, and wind attack magic, has always been one of my favorites. Thanks to my unique constitution, I can't cast it like a conventional mage, but I can at least summon it around my body, creating a sort of protective armor.
However, when submerged, the dynamics change.
While I can't directly launch my spell, the effect still manifests. Consequently, electricity surged from my body, targeting the fish surrounding me.
In an instant, they were all electrocuted.
Death was their only fate.
"GLUB GLUB GLUB...!!!"
Now that I had eliminated the immediate threat, I faced the next challenge: air. Naturally, I can't breathe underwater like a typical human. With the strong currents, swimming to the surface was nearly impossible.
In this case...
"(Dominator's Hand...!)"
I had to utilize what I had.
Grabbing the river's edge with Dominator's Hand, I pulled myself upward, bursting out of the water like a flying fish and landing on the riverside.
I... somehow survived once again.
Gasping for breath and coughing up the water that had filled my lungs, I scanned my surroundings.
Only tall grass surrounded me.
Yet, I couldn't misinterpret my instincts. There were at least two nearby presences, and they felt dangerous...
As soon as I regained my strength, I fortified myself with all the buffs in the book and took off running.
My sole objective was to find my way out of this forest; I had no interest in engaging every monster I encountered. If I followed the river downstream, I should reach the exit soon enough!
At least, that was my hope.
But three days later, I still found myself trapped in the heart of the forest.
What? Too fast? No, it definitely wasn't! The first night, I couldn't sleep at all, constantly on edge, worried that a monster might attack me at any moment!
Thanks to my small size, I managed to dig small caves where I could hide and sleep for the past two days, so rest became less of an issue.
Water was easily accessible from the river.
Boiling it? Do I look like I care? Of course I care. But I have no means to actually boil it and let it cool.
As long as I hit the water with my Lightning, any bacteria or parasites should be neutralized; I'm confident of that. If you ask me whether the water is "clean," well... it won't kill me, at least.
For food, I could gather the fruits available around me. Meat? That was merely a distant dream. The fish in the river were all poisonous, after all.
Of course, I had to limit myself to those fruits that were edible, as indicated by my Appraisal skill.
After some time, I started to adapt; it wasn't so bad...
But for someone raised in civilization, a civilized toilet is essential.
I'm tired of doing my business in the river...
My daily routine now consists of running along the river, avoiding predators, and running some more. It was monotonous and exhausting, yet oddly satisfying.
Five days in, I finally reached the edge of the forest.
How did I know?
Well, I had reached the ocean, after all. It was surprisingly connected to the forest. There was no "buffer" zone, which took me by surprise.
"Already done?" Master's voice echoed, as if shocked by my speed. "You still have two days... I guess the difficulty this time is a bit low."
Low... difficulty?
In what part of my misadventure does it say it was "low difficulty"?!
I wanted to curse, but I bit my tongue. Doing that would only backfire, as she might keep me here until her one-week promise was over.
Just as I was waiting for her to take me out of this place...
"Anyway, I plan to stay here for two more days. If you're done, then come and join me."
"Huh...?"
Two more days...? Join...?
I couldn't grasp what she meant.
"Over here. Turn to the right, my disciple."
Only when she said that and I followed her instructions did I realize.
This old hag was lying on the beach, sunbathing and reading a book. A parasol was nearby, serving as her shelter from the heat if needed.
Her figure was the epitome of someone enjoying a vacation in a summer paradise...
"SWIMSUIT, YEAH!!!"
Though my mouth often got the better of me, I couldn't help but shout what was on my mind.