Chapter 3

Contemplating My Path

I sat on the sturdy branch for another thirty minutes, deep in thought. What should I do first? How do I build my future in this world?

After careful consideration, I settled on two major objectives:

Create a Multistory Trading Hall – A massive, multi-floor hub where traders from all over can buy, sell, and exchange goods. It would function like a mall, offering a centralized space for commerce. To make it a reality, I needed money, resources, and information—three things I currently lacked.

Fill My Dimensional Space with Beasts and Plants – If I could capture and breed native animals, I wouldn’t have to travel long distances for resources. Additionally, cultivating medicinal herbs and plants would be crucial for both sustenance and trade.

At present, my dimensional space only contained basic resources from my home planet, but nothing native to this world. That needed to change.

Setting Off into the Unknown

With a clear plan in mind, I took a deep breath, gathering my resolve for the adventures ahead.

I carefully descended from the tree, making sure not to make any sudden movements. Once I reached the ground, I scanned my surroundings, ensuring no predators were lurking nearby.

Satisfied that the area was safe, I chose a direction at random and began walking.

My progress was slow and steady, each step taken with caution. The memory of the previous host’s death was still fresh in my mind—I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.

After about two to three hours, a new problem arose—I was thirsty and hungry.

I recalled that my inventory contained unlimited fresh water, so hydration wasn’t an issue. However, I still needed to find food.

Finding Food in the Wild

I spent fifteen minutes searching, keeping my eyes peeled for anything edible.

Then, I spotted it—a tree bearing fruit.

The fruits were plentiful, hanging from the branches in clusters. I considered the best way to gather a large quantity at once.

That’s when I remembered my Nature Magic.

There was no need to hoard fruits when I could cultivate them freely. One was enough.

I reached up and plucked a single fruit from the tree.

Appraising the Mysterious Fruit

Using my Appraisal skill, I identified it instantly.

[Dasphorus Fruit]

Appearance: Round like a small ball

Texture: Smooth outer skin

Internal Structure: Unlike dragonfruit from Earth, it contained only two large seeds instead of multiple small ones.

Taste: Sweet and similar to dragonfruit

Satisfied, I took a bite.

The flesh was soft, mildly sweet, and juicy, refreshing after hours of walking. The two round seeds rolled on my tongue, reminding me of small pearls.

As I swallowed, a thought crossed my mind—why not plant this in my dimensional world?

If I could cultivate it, I’d never have to search for food again.

With that decision made, I finished the fruit and carefully saved the seeds for later planting.

This was just the beginning of my journey.

Exploring My Dimensional Space

Summoning the gate to my personal dimensional space, I took a deep breath. Before stepping through, I focused on a single thought:

Please take me to a location suitable for planting this tree, with a fresh water source nearby.

Closing my eyes, I crossed the threshold.

A warm breeze greeted me the moment I entered. Opening my eyes, I was astonished by the change in scenery.

Where I had been in a dense forest moments ago, I now stood in a vast open field. The sky stretched wide above me, the wind whispering through the tall grass. For a few moments, I simply took in the view, enjoying the peacefulness of this untouched land.

Then, I turned around—and my heart nearly stopped.

The gate I had just stepped through was gone.

Testing the Dimensional Gate

Panic surged through me. Had I trapped myself inside my own dimension?

Forcing myself to stay calm, I concentrated and summoned the gate once again. To my immense relief, the shimmering portal reappeared. I quickly stepped through and emerged back at the tree in the real world.

I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

It must be some kind of safety measure, I reasoned.

If I had to guess, this auto-closing mechanism was likely installed by the system or whatever agents had created this space. That was the only viable explanation I could come up with.

Wanting to test a theory, I opened the dimensional gate once more and stepped through—this time, without focusing on a specific destination.

The moment I emerged, I realized something was different. Instead of the open plains, I was now standing on the rocky slopes of a mountain.

Curious, I thought back to the previous location where I had first arrived and summoned the gate again. Stepping through, I was back in the grassy plains exactly where I had first appeared.

A wide grin spread across my face.