E walked at a steady pace, eyes scanning the horizon, his expression calm but thoughtful. "We need to consider food," he said finally. "Shelter, too. And we have no idea where we are. Staying in one place too long isn't safe."
Wu snorted, flicking his tail irritably. The muscles along his arms and back flexed with restrained energy, betraying his impatience. "Food, shelter… I've eaten worse and slept outside plenty of times," he said, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He glanced at E, then at Mark, shrugging. "We'll manage. We just need to keep moving. Find something worthwhile along the way."
Mark walked lazily a few paces behind, hands brushing along the tips of tall grass. His elven ears twitched, picking up every subtle shift in the environment—the rustle of leaves, the distant call of a bird, the faint hum of wind over the terrain. Then his ears perked sharply. "Water," he turned towards sound "Follow me."
E's gaze shifted to Mark, noting the confidence in his tone despite the unknowns around them. Wu's tail flicked once, curiosity mixed with amusement. Without another word, the trio angled toward the faint sound, moving through the uneven terrain with a sense of purpose that contrasted with the weight of their worries.
Sunlight filtered through scattered clouds, casting shifting patterns on the ground. Each step brought the crunch of gravel or the soft give of moss, every sound amplified in the quiet of the morning. Hunger and the uncertainty of shelter tugged at the edges of their thoughts, but the prospect of water—a simple, tangible necessity—kept them moving forward.
As they pushed through the bushes, the sound of running water grew clearer, urging them to move faster. Branches scraped against their clothes, leaves brushing past their arms as they broke through the last stretch of undergrowth.
When they reached the river, all three slowed at once. Relief was immediate. Without a word, they knelt down by the riverbank, the cool air rising from the water soothing after the tense walk.
Each of them shaped their hands into a cup and drank, letting the clear water spill through their fingers. It was cold, fresh, and unmistakably real. For a brief moment, hunger, worry, and the uncertainty of being lost faded into the background.
This—at least—was something they could rely on.
As the trio drank from the river, the calm moment lingered, the soft sounds of flowing water and rustling leaves.
Then Wu's expression shifted. He turned toward E, his tone suddenly serious. "E… your race is currently Demon, right?"
E paused mid-sip, setting his hands in the water and turning his gaze toward Wu. "Yes," he replied calmly.
Wu's tail flicked once, the playfulness gone. "What's the probability," he asked carefully, "that this world… hates the demon race? Or that it's at war with them?"
Mark, who had been kneeling on right side of E, looked up lazily, ears twitching. "I didn't even think about it," he admitted.
E slurped water from his hands and held it for a moment, thinking. The ripples of the river reflected his new body. It was the first time E truly saw himself in this form.
His face was humanlike, refined and unfamiliar, framed by whitish hair that caught the light. His skin was pale, typical of Nordic features, and his eyes were whiter.
"Well," he finally said, his voice calm as ever, "most isekai worlds tend to treat demons as enemies of the world. Usually they're at war with humans, elves, or just about every other race. So… there's a high chance my new body will cause problems sooner or later."
Wu and Mark exchanged a brief look, the weight of the thought settling in. The easy mood from earlier faded, replaced by quiet caution. Mark stood up fully, brushing water from his hands onto his sleeves as he thought it over.
"Then we don't advertise it," Mark said. "Until we know how this world actually works, your race stays quiet."
Wu nodded, tail swaying once before going still. "Agreed. Starting trouble this early would be stupid. We'll keep an eye out, and if anyone asks, we control the story."
E listened without interrupting, his gaze drifting back to the river for a moment before returning to them. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips.
"Understood," he said. "Then that's how we'll handle it."
E stood up, brushing the water from his hands onto his sleeves as he thought. The river would serve as a reliable source of water for the time being. The ground nearby was flat enough to allow for at least a decent night's rest, and the surrounding trees offered natural shelter from rain. Firewood would not be difficult to gather, either.
It wasn't ideal, but it was workable.
His thoughts moved quickly, organizing priorities. They should also check the MENU system more thoroughly. There was a chance it held something useful—skills, crafting options, or information they hadn't noticed yet.
His gaze shifted briefly to Wu. He was the largest of them and most likely the strongest. Gathering firewood would be easy for him. Mark, on the other hand, had sharp elven ears—well suited for hunting or tracking—but no weapon to speak of.
That was a problem.
There wasn't much they could make with what they had. No tools. No blades. Just their bodies, the environment, and whatever the system decided to give them. For now, survival would depend on using what little they had efficiently.
E exhaled slowly.
E clapped his hands together, drawing Wu's and Mark's attention at once. The momentary tension broke as both of them looked toward him.
"Gentlemen—we'll camp here for the time being. We need to learn how our new bodies work and what abilities we actually have."
He gestured briefly toward the surrounding area. "The river gives us water, the ground is good enough for rest, and the trees will cover us if the weather turns."
E turned to Wu first. "Wu, you're the biggest and strongest. Get us firewood. Enough to last the night."
Wu straightened, nodding without complaint. "Got it."
Then E looked at Mark. "Mark, your ears give you the advantage. See if you can find food—berries, fish, anything edible. Don't go too far."
Mark gave a relaxed salute. "On it. I'll be careful."
Finally, E gestured to himself. "I'll stay here and go through the MENU properly. Figure out what it actually offers us."
He paused, then added, almost dryly, "And don't worry. I'll do my fair share of manual labor too."
Wu smirked. Mark chuckled softly.
Wu walked into the forest, thinking how he could test his new body while gathering firewood at the same time. Plan is to make campfire we could make Swedish torch it would limit the light and last longer. For that, I would need a very dry log, along with tinder, kindling, or dried grass. But how would we light it; As Wu though he stared toward the sky as sunlight passed through the leaves. He placed his hand on a nearby tree, then checked the soil beneath it. "Dry." he muttered. This tree would work.
He stood up. I hope this works.
Wu clenched his hand into a fist, drew his arm back, and struck.
The impact echoed through the forest like a muted crack of thunder. The tree shuddered, then gave way entirely, collapsing to the ground and taking several smaller trees with it in a cascade of snapping wood and rustling leaves
Wu stood still for a moment, staring at his hand.
No pain. Not even a tremor.
A slow grin spread across his face."Good," he muttered. "Didn't break my hand."
He looked down at the fallen trunk, satisfaction settling in."This body," Wu added quietly, almost reverently, "is something else."
On the other side of the river, Mark settled himself on a patch of soft grass, eyes scanning the trees and undergrowth. His elven ears twitched, picking up faint movements—leaves rustling, distant bird calls, even the subtle sound of insects shifting in the grass.
Food, he thought, something simple. Berries, roots… maybe fish if the water is shallow enough.
He crouched low, examining the soil and the plants nearby. Some berries looked ripe but were unidentifiable. Others were shriveled. Better safe than sorry, he reminded himself. Knowledge meant survival, but mistakes here could be dangerous.
Mark leaned closer to the riverbank and studied the shallow currents. Small fish darted under the surface, glinting as sunlight touched them. He tapped the water gently with a stick, testing reflexes and distance. Not much difficulty catching one if he had a net or trap—but improvisation would be needed.
Glancing up, he watched Wu in the forest, the large figure moving with controlled power. That one will handle the heavy work, Mark noted internally. I just need to focus on precision.
He smiled faintly to himself. Calm, methodical. The world was strange, yes—but he could work with it. One step at a time, one careful choice, and they would survive tonight.