Chapter 2.1 Survival:First day

One hour after the challenge began, I moved through the bushes, observing the other children from a distance. I wasn’t interested in those who were weak or careless—they were just waiting to be eliminated. My focus was only on those who had a chance of surviving.

My eyes locked onto a large-built boy. His muscles looked solid, his posture firm. If this challenge ended in a physical fight, he would undoubtedly be a troublesome opponent.

As I observed him, he suddenly moved. Without any warning, the boy sprinted at an unbelievable speed for someone of his size. Instinctively, I followed, but the distance between us kept growing.

"That fast?"

I quickened my pace, but in the blink of an eye, he had already vanished behind the trees. I frowned, hiding behind a large tree trunk, regulating my breathing. I had assumed he would be an easy target due to his weight—turns out, I was wrong.

"Never judge something too quickly based on appearance alone."

I scanned my surroundings. Many other children were still wandering around, either searching for a safe spot or hunting those weaker than them. I needed to be careful.

Suddenly, the sound of a snapping twig came from behind me. I held my breath, my body instinctively lowering as I prepared to disappear into the bushes. Slowly, I peeked in the direction of the noise.

A girl.

She was thin, her hair disheveled, and she clutched a sharp wooden stick as if it was her only protection. Her eyes were wary, restless—like a small animal cornered by a predator.

Not a threat. But—she could be useful.

I stepped out of my hiding spot, intentionally making a slight noise so she would notice my presence before panicking.

"Hey, you."

The girl flinched. Her dark eyes widened, her grip on the stick tightening, her body tensing up.

"I’m not going to hurt you," I said flatly. "But if you keep moving around carelessly like that, you’ll be dead before nightfall."

She bit her lip. Hesitant. But she didn’t run away, which meant she was considering my words.

"Do you have a plan?" I asked.

The girl shook her head.

I gave a small smirk. Good.

"Then, how about coming with me?"

---

I led the girl toward the foothills. I was certain that the hilltop, the riverside, and the caves had already been occupied by other children.

Meanwhile, the deep forest was too dangerous—the terrain was narrow, surrounded by trees, and too flat to be used for surveillance.

"Hey, come on," I said, climbing over the rocks.

"Wait... don't leave me behind!"

The girl rushed after me but tripped over a rock instead.

A loud thud made me turn around.

"Are you okay?" I asked, slightly panicked upon seeing her fall.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine," she replied, though she was clearly holding back the pain.

Without a light source and no food, we continued climbing. Night was approaching fast, leaving no time to find food—meaning I would have to endure hunger tonight.

"Oh right! I forgot to ask her name," I muttered.

"You... what's your name?" I hesitated, unsure how to ask. She looked weaker than me—quiet and timid.

"I..." She looked uncomfortable.

"Abel."

Without looking at her, I simply nodded and kept walking.

"I think this will do," I said, stopping at the steep edge of the hill. "This rocky ledge and that large boulder can be used for scouting."

I climbed onto the boulder and sat down.

"We'll take turns keeping watch. I'll sleep first, and when you get tired, wake me up. But just because I said that, don’t wake me up for no reason." I felt slightly annoyed at my own words.

"Wake me up when the moon is up there," I pointed toward the sky, estimating around 2 or 3 AM.

Not long after, I drifted into sleep, leaning against the large rocks. In my dream, I saw glimpses of my past life—blurred, but I seemed happy. For just a moment, I felt a warmth that touched my heart—the warmth of the people who had once been important to me.

A heart that now belonged to this child's body—a heart as cold as stone.

"Wake up."

A voice? From where?

Oh right, we were supposed to take turns keeping watch.

"Please wake up... help me."

Why was she—Abel—standing in front of me? My head felt dizzy.

I caught a glimpse of the light from a torch in Abel’s hand.

"Why 

does my neck hurt?"

I collapsed, my voice fading into whispers, trying to move—but I couldn’t.