The Spoils of Battle

Looking at the corpse again after regaining some strength, I noticed something shining in the exposed chest area. Determined to investigate, I approached the body, confident that no other beasts would come near anytime soon, given the terrifying roars of the tiger that had scared away all the animals around.

As I got closer, my stomach rumbled, demanding food after catching the scent of the cooked meat from the powerful tiger. While examining the shining object from a closer distance, I discovered a round green ball the size of a marble emitting a weak glow. I wasn't sure what it was, but I suspected it to be the source of the beast's magical claw ability due to the green light on its claws when it used the ability.

As I approached, my body started trembling, and a strong urge to swallow the object engulfed me. Before I knew it, I had already eaten it. Soon after, a powerful energy flowed through my body, bringing my tired form back to peak condition. I felt that I was becoming stronger every second; the sensation lasted for what felt like 20 seconds, leaving me amazed. It seemed that swallowing the power source of other beasts was the way to gain strength in this world.

I couldn't dwell on it any longer; my stomach was urging me to eat, and I knew I had to hurry before a more powerful beast arrived. The meat was delicious, a hundred times better than the eggshells I had eaten before. Even compared to the memories of food from my past life, it didn't come close to this taste.

After devouring more than half of the body, my stomach stopped demanding food, and I ceased eating. It was time to go; the sky was already showing signs of getting dark. I had to find a place to sleep for the night as I didn't know how dangerous this forest was at night, and I wasn't strong enough to investigate.

With a full stomach and increased strength, I made my way through the thick forest, still paying attention to my surroundings. A few hours passed, and night was about to set. I hadn't found any suitable places, and those that seemed promising revealed signs of movement from some kind of beast. I didn't want to test my luck with them.

Growing anxious, I spotted a big tree with its roots sticking out and coiling around, forming a small hole. It looked like a good place to spend the night, but I needed to check for any creatures inside. Approaching cautiously, I made some sounds with my feet to alert any potential inhabitants. As I neared, no response came. I stopped several times to check until I finally reached the hole.

It was empty. It seemed like this would be my resting place for the night.