Adaptation #009
“Ahh... I'm so full.”
Yi Cho-rin rubbed her belly with a satisfied expression, though she seemed a bit regretful that she couldn't eat any more. Anyone hearing her might think she'd gorged herself, but her slim stomach showed no sign of it. Instead, thanks to her ample breasts, her smooth, flawless abdomen jiggled her chest with every stroke. Even restrained by her bra, the motion wasn't too wild, but the sway of those voluptuous symbols of motherhood had an irresistible allure that could captivate any man's gaze in an instant.
No matter that he was a regressor—Gaon was still a man, and he couldn't resist the temptation. As his eyes drifted to her breasts, Cho-rin sensed it and flinched. Their eyes met, and she quickly looked away, rolling her eyes nervously before slowly withdrawing her hand from her belly and stammering out a question.
“G-Gaon-ssi. Now that we're full, shall we get going again?”
“...Yes, let's do that.”
“Okay!”
Gaon's mind might be seasoned, but his body was that of a fresh twenty-something. Naturally, being around an attractive woman like Cho-rin made his blood run hot. He chided himself briefly for failing to suppress his rising urges, then turned from the peach tree and started walking.
He wanted to take a few peaches with him, but he had no bag to carry them in. He could improvise with leaves and tough grass, but they'd just get crushed. Better to leave them than let the juice leak everywhere. Besides, the lake came first. There would be fish there—no need to fixate on fruit. Peaches were delicious, but their nutritional value was limited. Fish was the smarter choice.
With her belly now properly filled, Cho-rin's steps brimmed with energy. Gaon quickened his pace seeing how well she kept up, and they reached the lake in less than thirty minutes.
“Wow! It's the lake! Gaon-ssi, the lake! Look at the lake!”
Cho-rin bounced excitedly at the sight. Her skirt flipped up, revealing her stocking-clad thighs and black panties, but she was too thrilled to notice.
Unexpected.
Given her subtly introverted personality and usual demeanor, he'd imagined modest underwear—but no. The lacy black set was blatantly seductive, the kind worn to be seen.
Gao glanced at her panties for a moment before looking up at the lake.
“It's definitely a lake.”
Sunlight gleamed off the pristine surface. The water was so clear it could be mistaken for a mirror, washing away any lingering unease with its refreshing purity. Fish swam in the depths, visible enough that a mirage-like reflection formed—not perfectly, but clearly. Clean enough to drink straight from.
He already knew this from his pre-regression memories, but seeing it confirmed the fact anew. Still, no room for complacency. Orcs frequented this spot; they could show up anytime. Gaon scanned the surroundings, confirmed no orcs, then pulled out his canteen and approached the water.
Bubbles rose as he submerged the leather flask. Once they stopped, he retrieved it.
“...This'll taste good.”
He'd just tucked it away when Cho-rin's voice came from beside him. Turning, he saw her mesmerized by the fish swimming beneath the surface. How soon after five peaches could hunger return? She had a bigger appetite than expected. Or maybe those massive breasts made it natural.
Gaon nodded to himself while eyeing her chest, then quietly picked up his spear and moved aside. He broke off tough grass, twisted it into a rope, and tied it securely to the spear's end. It wasn't indestructible, but it could handle a few throws.
Prepared, he returned to the lake. Cho-rin, still smacking her lips at the fish, turned to him.
“Ah! Gaon-ssi? What's that...?”
“Modified it for spear-throwing. It's a stretch, but it should reach.”
The lake's shallows were only about three meters deep. He could dive for fish without it, but orcs interrupting would be disastrous. Hence this method.
“Hup!”
A bit away from Cho-rin, Gaon took a deep breath, then hurled the spear with all his strength.
Whoosh—!
Like a downward strike from above, the spear cleaved the air with its full weight and power, plunging into the water. Infused with spear arts' profound principles, its force concentrated on a single point, minimizing water resistance. It pierced the gills of a crucian carp idling on the bottom. In the clear water, its blood spread visibly.
“Gaon-ssi, you're the best! Amazing!”
One throw, one hit—Cho-rin cheered. Of course, she immediately covered her mouth and glanced around.
Gao pulled the grass rope to retrieve the spear, then examined the impaled carp. The gills were torn, blood dripping—not pretty, but if it tasted good, that was fine.
“Good... Cho-rin-ssi, take this. I'll catch a few more.”
“Sure!”
Her face lit up with a beaming smile as she took it without hesitation, inspecting it closely. Her skilled handling suggested she knew her way around cooking—maybe even professionally.
Discovering this unexpected talent, Gaon figured he could leave meals to her and continued spearing fish.
“Ow... I'm beat. Think this place is okay?”
“Should be fine. Looks like a bear lived here recently, but no fresh traces for days.”
This cave was about thirty minutes from the lake. He'd planned to head back to neutral territory, but couldn't risk an open fire in a tree hollow, so he rerouted. With sunset approaching, he convinced her night travel was too dangerous. Thankfully, trust had built up; she followed without much question.
Gaon glanced at Cho-rin slumped on the ground, panting, then used pre-gathered firewood to build a small campfire frame. With leftover twine from spear-making, he fashioned a bow drill from a stick.
Fire from scratch took too much effort without tools. That was the key difference between humans and beasts.
He pulled out two wooden blocks. Carved a V-notch in one with his spear and set it on the ground. Wrapped a branch around the bowstring, positioned its sharp point in the notch like an awl. The other block braced the top; he gripped the bow and shook it sideways.
Scritch—scritch-scritch—
As the string twisted, the branch spun. Friction heated the base block, sparks emerging gradually. Gaon didn't rush, shaking steadily to build and maintain heat.
Cho-rin, resting nearby, approached.
“Gaon-ssi, let me help!”
“...Then hold the top one.”
“Got it!”
With both hands free, Gaon frictioned faster. Soon, an ember glowed. It flickered perilously in the wood shavings.
“Hoo—hoo—”
He blew gently, adding dry leaves. The process flowed smoothly. The flame caught, growing steadily. Satisfied, Gaon shoved the blocks into the fire pit, kept blowing like a bellows, and added fuel. Soon, the campfire roared to life.
“Gaon-ssi, incredible!”
One of Cho-rin's strengths: great reactions. Routine for him, novel for her—her bright responses kept loneliness at bay.
But she wasn't just cheerleading. See now: her campfire praise short and sweet, she skewered the cleaned carp on branches.
Five fish skewered in seconds, she headed to the fire.
“Gaon-ssi, rest now! I'm confident in cooking.”
“Then I'll leave it to you.”
Gaon wasn't superhuman. His mind might be sharp, but his body was an average adult male's. Fatigue accumulated; muscles screamed even now.
He accepted her consideration without protest, leaning against the cave wall to rest.
Time to start the next phase...
One goal achieved, but no rest—on to the next. Shelter, food, water sorted; time to advance. Survival wasn't just enduring a month; plan beyond. This world was survival of the fittest. To live, grow stronger. The key: monsters.
Karma. Or industry—intangible yet real resource. All beings had it, monsters included. The Transcendent System everyone in the Union possessed used karma to empower users. Kill monsters, grow stronger.
But incomplete alone. Strong body useless against mana attacks. So hunt monsters, accumulate mana, raise realms simultaneously.
How to explain to Cho-rin, teach her to fight? Pondering this, a savory aroma wafted to his nose. Turning, he saw the skewered fish golden-brown.
His stomach growled instantly.
“Gaon-ssi, fish is ready. Eat while hot—it's best that way!”
A smudge on her cheek from cooking, but she smiled innocently, offering a skewer.
Gaon approached slowly, sat by the fire, took it, and expressed thanks.
“Thanks for the meal.”
“You're welcome! Dig in!”
Her encouraging gaze urged him first. He bit into the tender belly. Perfectly cooked: crispy skin, moist and flaky inside, rich flavor. No salt, but still impressive for fish-meat.
“Nom! Tastes great.”
Cho-rin, biting her own, nodded happily.
“Yes. You're good at this.”
“Hehe! Thanks. Mom ran a side dish shop. Helped out, got hooked, even got certifications!”
“I see.”
Her face stayed bright at his curt reply. With food, shelter, water met, she was adapting to life here. Ready for the next step.