Crackle.
A fire was burning as several pieces of meat hung around it.
In the middle above the fire hung a bucket.
Alex had felled an entire tree with his sword and had hollowed out a big part of its trunk, creating his bucket.
Then, Alex had felled an even bigger tree, creating two round bowls.
The sharpness of Alex's sword was what allowed him to achieve this feat.
Alex had filled the bucket with pig blood and hung it above the fire.
Alex put one of the bowls over the bucket and put a long branch on it, which led to the side.
The bowl would catch the evaporating water, and when enough water gathered, it would trickle down to the lowest edge of the bowl, where the branch was.
The branch led the trickling water to the side, to a different bowl.
This was how Alex would solve the issue of water.
Sadly, this would be distilled water, and he also couldn't wash his tools since he didn't have any water to begin with.
The water in the other bucket didn't look refreshing or delicious, but it was water.
Strewn around the clearing were the remaining parts of the hog.
Alex couldn't finish the entire thing on his own, even if he ate for several days, and the meat would go bad anyway.
So, Alex decided to cut the pig apart and scattered the pieces around the clearing.
Why?
To ward off predators.
Sure, the smell of blood would gather many of them, but predators were also just animals.
If they could get food for free, they wouldn't want to fight.
If a predator came to the clearing, they would see a black creature of unknown size, thanks to the coat, sitting beside a hot fire.
Every normal predator would grab one of the pieces of the hog and would run away, leaving Alex alone.
While Alex's food and water were being prepared, Alex decided to get some more training in.
Alex put his coat away and climbed the tree.
BOOM!
As Alex hit the ground, a loud slam echoed throughout the forest.
This sound would also deter any animal from coming to this spot.
After all, only something big and powerful could make such loud sounds.
After three jumps, Alex heard some rustling.
His entire body hurt, but all of the pain was forgotten as he realized something else was close.
In the light of the fire, Alex could see two eyes in the dark.
They weren't very high up, and the animal was looking at Alex warily.
However, it didn't look at Alex with fear.
It was more like an evaluating expression.
Alex looked back.
After a bit, Alex could see the owner of the eyes.
It was the green lizard that had killed two of the four wolves.
After a bit, the lizard bit down on one of the pieces of meat and fled.
When Alex saw the lizard retreating, he amended his plans.
Alex grabbed his coat and put it around himself before he continued training.
Why?
Because the lizard had the ability to shoot fireballs. If one beast could shoot fireballs, it was possible that other beasts could do the same. However, the coat of the creature should offer some protection. Even if it caught fire, Alex could always ditch it.
Alex's masochistic training continued, and after a couple of jumps, Alex concentrated on healing himself with Mana.
Alex always looked forward to this part of his training since this was the part that increased his power.
On top of that, it wasn't as painful as the other part.
Thunk! Thunk!
Alex heard rhythmic, loud sounds.
Alex looked in the direction of the sounds but couldn't see anything.
They came from too far away.
'What's making that sound?' Alex thought.
Thunk! Thunk!
The sounds continued, and Alex only looked in that direction.
Spring! Spring!
The sound of something elastic being stretched and snapping back into place could also be heard.
Eeeeeh! Creak! Creak! Snap! Snap!
The sounds of bending and cracking wood joined in the cacophony of sounds, and the sounds were getting louder.
Alex's eyes widened.
Something big was coming!
Alex immediately abandoned everything and climbed the closest tree.
When he found a good spot, he stopped moving and grew silent.
The sounds continued and grew even louder.
Snap!
Eventually, Alex saw what created these weird sounds, and his eyes widened.
It was an absolutely humongous beast!
pᴀɴdᴀ nᴏveʟ It was probably four meters high, excluding its needles.
Needles?
Yes, this was the green hedgehog Alex had seen when he had arrived in this world!
The loud thumping sounds were its footsteps.
The creaking sounds of wood were its flexible needles getting hung up on the trees.
The snapping sounds were its flexible needles jumping back into place after passing a tree.
The forest and trees seemingly moved with the hedgehog as it bent all of the trees while passing.
It was moving slowly and in a relaxed manner towards the place Alex had stayed.
Then, it slowly bent down as it consumed a huge part of the hog!
'I totally forgot! Even though hedgehogs are cute, they are also technically omnivores. They eat a ton of insects! A hedgehog of that size obviously also eats meat!' Alex thought as he remained completely silent.
This monster was far above his ability!
The creature Alex had killed by luck was nothing in comparison to this hedgehog!
As the hedgehog came closer, it ate all the pieces of the pig, including the ones that were being cooked.
After it reached the fire, it stopped above it.
Alex was confused for a second, but he realized what the hedgehog was doing.
It was warming its belly!
The sizzling fire directly below its belly didn't even bother the hedgehog!
This was an absolute monster!
Alex kept his breath as he watched the hedgehog warm itself.
Thunk!
Apparently, the fire wasn't warm enough, so it lowered its belly and lied down.
Sadly, this suffocated the fire.
After some seconds, the hedgehog stood up again, displeased.
It scratched the fire with his hind leg in displeasure but continued eating.
'Well, there goes food,' Alex thought.
After the hedgehog was done, it turned its head slowly.
And it directly looked into Alex's eyes.
Alex's entire body shivered as he realized that the hedgehog had known where he was the entire time!
Otherwise, its gaze wouldn't have homed in on him with such accuracy!
Alex didn't dare to move.
Creak! Creak! Creak!
The humongous body of the hedgehog slowly shook as its needles swayed back and forth.
Plonk! Plonk! Plonk!
Some things fell off the hedgehog's needles.
Alex still didn't dare to move!
After the hedgehog shook itself a little bit, it continued walking.
After the hedgehog was a couple meters away, Alex jumped down from the tree and looked at his campsite.
The hedgehog already knew that he was there, so it made no sense to keep hiding.
Everything was destroyed.
All the meat was gone, the fire was out, and the water was spilled.
Nothing had been spared.
Alex had to sigh when he saw that.
However, Alex's eyes spied something new in the clearing.
It was a round object, but Alex couldn't see it clearly in the dark.
Alex walked closer and inspected it.
'Is that a fruit?' Alex thought with surprise. 'Where did that come from?'
Alex remembered how the hedgehog had shaken itself and that he had heard several sounds of things falling to the ground.
'Did these things come from the hedgehog's needles? Since when do hedgehogs grow fruit?!' Alex thought.
Alex looked at the hedgehog in the distance, and sure enough, after looking closer, Alex saw some round objects on the hedgehog's needles. They shone a bit under the moonlight.
Alex remembered how the hedgehog had eaten everything, had looked at him, and had then shaken its body.
'Is this a kind of trade?' Alex thought with surprise. 'Is it familiar with humans? Could it be possible that it gives humans fruits in exchange for meat? I mean, the hedgehog is big and cumbersome. Everything probably flees from it, making it surprisingly hard for it to hunt.'
Alex gathered the fruits, but before he got to the last one, something happened.
HSSSSSSS!
The loud sound of hissing came from Alex's front, and he jumped back out of reflex.
Snap!
The animal quickly grabbed the fruit, turned around, and fled into the distance.
It was that lizard again!
It had intimidated Alex and took that opportunity to run with one of the fruits!
However, Alex's eyebrows furrowed as he scratched his chin in thought.
'It could have launched a fireball at me, but it didn't. Instead, it hissed at me, grabbed the fruit, and ran. It's probably wary of my power, but the fruit was enticing enough for it to take the risk,' Alex thought.
Alex looked at the fruits with more interest.
'Anything coming from such a fearsome beast couldn't be simple! It's a risk, but I think it's worth trying to eat the fruits!'
Alex climbed a tree and ate one of the fruits.
As soon as he swallowed the first bite, something happened.
A burning pain shot throughout Alex's body!