It is getting difficult to breathe.

My legs are hurting like never before.

I don’t know how much longer can I run for but if I don’t keep this up, then there will be no more late games for me. I keep looking left and right for a way to get the big guy off my tail. But I don’t have any idea what will get me out of this situation. You would need a tank to take this thing down.

While running for my life, I notice a tightly packed cluster of trees. Thinking of an idea that might work, I run towards the trees.

Using the last bit of strength I had in my legs, I reach the cluster, pass between the trees, and fall face up to the ground with my arms and legs spread open.

There was no way for the big guy to pass between the trees. Thinking that I close my eyes and try to catch my breath.

If anyone saw me doing this, they would call me stupid for thinking that some trees can stop a big monster like that. Normally they would be right but that is not the case here.

*Baaang*

The big guy collides with the trees but other than some leaves falling, nothing happened. The trees were still standing strong. This happened because the trees here are as strong as iron. I came to know that while I was running and bumped against a dark-ish brown tree. Seeing that the cluster of trees had the same color as the tree I bumped into, I took the gamble. I don’t know how the trees here work but still am thankful they are the way they are.

Finding no way to reach me, the big guy turns around and leaves me.

Huffing and puffing I question myself “How…huff…how do I level up here?”

A few minutes before

Even after some time had passed, I still could not believe the goal of my main guest.

God.

I never took the word “God” seriously in my previous world since I had never seen the guy and had nothing but stories to prove its existence. People believe in some higher power who made everything and is testing everyone’s faith in himself so they can go to heaven or hell.

No thank you I am good.

*Don’t read from here on if you get offended easily*

That kind of thing is only for the weak-minded people that need support and that someone is looking out for them.

“If I do good things then surely good things will happen to me too”.

“I just have to endure this and then things will get better for me”

“I can die in peace knowing God will keep my loved ones safe”.

Thinking this kind of stuff, everyone keeps themselves in a fake delusion that if no one helps them then god will. If no one cares then god will care. If they have faith, God will be with them.

The people of the past told many stories of different gods roaming the earth and living with people. Stories that are still fun to read and many find them interesting. Stories, that's all they are.

Since they were many inexplicable things happening in the old times, people called it the work of god because they needed a reason to explain the unknown. They needed it because people are scared of the unknown.

The people who thought they could use this fear to control people did just that. But many understood this concept and adopted the same idea. Hence many different religions came to be. Some good, some bad, and some straight-up crazy. The goal was simple and that was control. A person could not have full control over others and needed a restriction. That was God.

Not even a king of his own country was above God and that just made him weak. I think that everyone should just believe in themselves and do the things they can do. I’d rather believe in myself and the things I can do rather than wish for God to help me.

*Please Continue from here*

But this is a different world and reading the goal of the quest I can say for certain that there is a God here. And many of them at that. I might have been called here by one of those Gods.

I still try to convince myself that “God” might just be some monster or a big plant like “God Flower”. Since this is a different world, the word God could have a different meaning right?

But thinking that is just stupid.

I compose myself thinking that ‘we will cross that bridge when it comes and start moving in a random direction.

There were different kinds of trees everywhere. You could tell they were different from their shades and colors. Some were a darker shade of brown while others were a lighter shade. Some were green or yellow.

I was about to touch a green tree when I felt the ground start to vibrate. I look left and right in panic for the reason. When I finally look back, I see a big black giant beetle coming toward me.

The only thing I knew about beetles was that they were some kind of insects and had many different kinds. Never had the chance to see one in person and was not interested in them. So I don’t know what kind was the one in front of me, but it was coming fast.

Seeing that I turned around and ran full speed deep into the forest.

The Present

After catching my breath, I sit up and think about all the things I could get a glimpse of when I was running. Everything was big and looked dangerous. There were many giant versions of insects that I had seen in my previous world. There were big furry birds and reptiles too. They were also staying clear of the beetle's path so a glimpse is the only thing I got to get. Still, that was enough to tell me that things are bad. There was nothing weak looking there and even if by some miracle I hunt one of them, how am I supposed to eat them.

The “Devour” skill said that I could eat anything but what if I don’t want to eat that thing. With a sigh, I put these thoughts behind my head and start to move deeper into the trees. I had no certain destination and was just moving randomly in the hope to find someplace to spend the night as it was getting dark. I was feeling hungry and thirsty because of all that running so I just wanted to rest and fill my stomach with something.

After a while of walking, I notice a tree that was different than the rest of the trees. It was broader than the other trees and was completely black. I touch the tree and find it hard just like the iron trees. I can’t compare the two trees only by touching them but I can say that they both give a metal-like feeling.

I start walking around the tree and when I reach the other side I see a gigantic hole in the tree with three eggs in a nest. I don’t know what kind of thing made a hole in this kind of tree but I had no time to think about that.

I was hungry.

When I saw something that I could probably eat, I went for it. I broke one egg and started to drink from it. It was a weird taste but not something unbearable. After drinking from one I went for the other since I was still not satisfied. The same way I finished the last egg.

After finishing all of them I no longer felt hungry or thirsty. It was like my body was refreshed. Then I finally turn my focus to the screens that were popping since I started eating the first egg.

[Devour Activated]

[Stats Acquired]

Strength +10 Vitality +6

Strength +9 Stamina +8

Strength +11 Vitality +9

[Skills Acquired]

[Metal Scales]

[Metal Claw]

[Metal Bite]

[Endurance]

[Metal Handler]

[Title Acquired]

Metal Lover

[XP Acquired]

+12

[Level up]

[Beginner Skills Package Acquired]

“We f*cking scaling baby,” I say to myself in excitement.