The forest greeted Joe with silence.
Tall trees towered above him, their thick canopies blocking most of the sunlight. The air felt damp, heavy with the scent of moss and earth. Every step he took was cautious, his small feet sinking slightly into the soft ground.
"So this is my new world, huh…"
His voice sounded strange to his own ears—higher, softer. He still wasn't used to it.
Joe clenched his tiny fists.
"Get it together. Panicking won't help."
He moved slowly, alert to every sound. Leaves rustled somewhere nearby, and his body tensed instantly. In his previous life, he had been nothing special—just an ordinary guy trying to survive. But here, in a child's body, every sound felt like a threat.
First rule, he thought. Stay alive.
His stomach growled loudly, breaking the tension.
"…Right. Food first."
He scanned the ground and trees, trying to remember what little survival knowledge he had picked up from watching documentaries and anime. He spotted clusters of red berries hanging from a low bush.
Joe crouched and stared at them.
"Bright colors usually mean poison," he muttered.
He picked up a small stone and threw it at the bush. A bird suddenly flew out, startled, but nothing else happened.
"That doesn't prove anything…"
Still, he wasn't desperate enough to gamble his life. He moved on.
After walking for what felt like an hour—though his small body made time hard to judge—he found a shallow stream. Clear water flowed gently over smooth stones.
Joe's eyes widened.
"Jackpot."
He rushed over and dipped his hands into the water. It was cold but refreshing. He cupped some in his hands and hesitated.
Parasites. Bacteria.
"…Screw it."
He drank.
The water tasted clean. No strange smell. Relief washed over him.
Joe splashed water on his face and looked at his reflection.
Messy black hair.
Sharp but soft features.
Dark eyes that didn't belong to a child.
"…So this is me now."
He touched the locket again, feeling its weight against his chest.
Monkey D. Joe.
The name echoed in his mind.
"If that 'D' means what I think it means…"
A strange feeling stirred in his chest—something like excitement mixed with unease.
"Let's not jump to conclusions."
As he followed the stream, he noticed something unusual: claw marks on trees, snapped branches, footprints that were definitely not human.
Joe swallowed.
"…Okay. Definitely not Earth."
Suddenly—
Snap.
Joe froze.
Footsteps.
Heavy ones.
His heart pounded as he ducked behind a tree, peeking out cautiously.
From between the trees emerged a wild boar—huge, easily twice the size of any boar he'd ever seen. Its tusks were curved and scarred, its eyes sharp and aggressive.
Joe held his breath.
The boar sniffed the air.
"…Please don't smell me."
The animal snorted and took a step closer.
Joe's instincts screamed.
Run.
He bolted.
Branches whipped against his face as he ran, his small legs burning almost instantly. The sound of heavy hooves crashing behind him made his blood run cold.
"Why is my first enemy always a boar?!" he yelled.
He darted between trees, barely avoiding roots and rocks. His lungs burned, but adrenaline pushed him forward.
Ahead—light.
Joe burst out of the forest and stumbled onto a cliff overlooking the sea.
"Dead end—!"
The boar charged.
Joe turned, eyes wide, heart racing.
Then—
A loud bang echoed through the air.
The boar screeched as a bullet struck the ground near its feet. It skidded to a halt, snorted angrily, then retreated back into the forest.
Joe collapsed onto the ground, gasping.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
A shadow fell over him.
"Well, ain't you a strange sight."
Joe looked up.
A man stood there—tall, muscular, with tanned skin and a thick beard. He wore a long coat and carried a rifle over his shoulder. His eyes were sharp but curious.
"A kid… coming out of Greyveil Forest alone?" the man said. "You've either got guts or no sense."
Joe stared.
A human.
"…Am I dreaming?"
The man laughed. "Guess the boar scared you half to death, huh?"
Joe nodded weakly.
The man crouched down. "Name's Rook. I hunt around these parts."
Joe hesitated, then spoke.
"Joe."
Rook raised an eyebrow. "Just Joe?"
"…Yeah."
Rook studied him for a moment, then sighed. "You got no parents around?"
Joe shook his head.
"…No."
Something softened in Rook's eyes.
"Tch. Figures."
He stood and extended a hand. "Come on. There's a village not far from here. You won't last a day alone."
Joe stared at the hand.
In his past life, he had learned to be cautious of people. But right now—
He took it.
Rook lifted him easily.
"You're light," Rook said. "You eating at all?"
Joe laughed bitterly. "Not yet."
As they walked, Joe took in everything—the strange birds flying overhead, the distant sound of waves, the unfamiliar yet vibrant world around him.
"Hey, kid," Rook said. "You don't look scared enough for someone who almost got turned into lunch."
Joe smiled faintly.
"I guess I've already died once."
Rook chuckled. "Weird thing to say."
Joe gazed at the horizon.
This world is dangerous.
But it's alive.
For the first time in his life—or lives—he felt something real stirring inside him.
Excitement.
Freedom.
Adventure.
This time, he thought, I won't live in chains.
And somewhere deep within him, something unseen stirred—as if the world itself had acknowledged his resolve.