Evolution might sound like a good thing at first, thanks to the word's connotations and how the media portrayed it, but in many ways, it wasn't. If evolution took a strange turn, it could even threaten your life.

For that matter, evolution was something that happened over successive generations. Nobody knew what effects genes altered now might have in the future, and predicting how they might change again was difficult.

Evolution changed living things to suit their "environment." The problem was that you couldn't view it as an unqualified positive.

'Evolution, huh...'

I narrowed my eyes at Allfather's hypothesis. Hearing someone else's opinion directly like this hit differently. It had been strange that I'd sensed mana straight away when I wasn't the protagonist of a novel or comic.

Allfather's hypothesis was right: my body was changing to suit the Forest of Four Seasons. Earth had been a civilization built on steel alone, without even mana, let alone magic.

That doesn't sound entirely reassuring.

Does that mean I could turn into something hideous?

Allfather

Your overall shape should remain humanlike.

But as you've seen with the shark giant, you could change in bizarre ways.

What are people with an affinity for mana usually like?

Their bodies don't get all twisted out of shape, do they?

Allfather

They retain their human form throughout.

Most of them are especially well-built, too.

You need a good vessel to hold mana in the first place.

I was around 175 centimeters tall. As average as average got. Living on instant noodles had also left me skinny-fat, with a load of fat around my organs.

But lately, perhaps because I'd been through so much, I could feel that fat gradually disappearing. That made sense. What didn't make sense was the muscle that had been buried underneath becoming visible.

'Normally, fat should be far more useful for survival, shouldn't it?'

I'd heard somewhere that obesity had only become a social issue within the past hundred years. Before that, humans had lived by storing fat, because it helped them survive. And evolution was closely tied to "survival." It didn't add up.

Could that be why I'm losing weight and gaining so much muscle...?

I don't understand.

Isn't fat more important for survival than muscle?

Allfather

You aren't adapting to the Forest of Four Seasons of your own free will, Grylls. The Forest of Four Seasons is reshaping you to suit itself.

Is that even possible?

Feels like everything I know is getting blown to pieces...

Allfather

It's only a hypothesis.

Nothing about the Forest of Four Seasons has been established.

I'm merely analyzing what you show me.

I rubbed my face. Things felt increasingly complicated. But one thing was certain: my survival was under threat.

It wasn't just a matter of replenishing my food supply and protecting myself from threats nearby. This forest itself was threatening my life at every moment.

'Nothing's confirmed yet, but...'

The evidence suggested my body had changed. It had suddenly developed an affinity for mana. My physical abilities had begun growing almost unnaturally powerful. Even my skin had peeled away, with fresh skin growing beneath it. None of that could have happened without the "evolution" Allfather had mentioned—evolution to suit the environment, no less.

'Did the speed-sloth evolve this way too?'

I glanced at the speed-sloth still clinging to my back, wearing its usual carefree expression. Couldn't it be considered another product of "evolution"?

'The mature mandrakes are the same.'

It wasn't just animals. The plants were the same. Whether because they absorbed enormous amounts of mana or for some other reason, they grew abnormally fast.

Allfather

As I've repeatedly stressed, nothing is certain.

We'll need more evidence.

Evidence... I suppose I'll need to explore first.

Thank you for your help.

Allfather

I haven't done anything to help.

You've done all the hard work, Grylls. I wish you strength in everything you're facing.

I'm feeling pretty conflicted, but I'll try.

My conversation with Allfather ended there. The moment it did, I sighed. Was this what it felt like to understand something you didn't want to understand? All the signs I'd seen so far hardened into certainty, breeding anxiety.

People always harbored a fear of the unknown. I was genuinely afraid of how this forest might change me.

'I don't need to know the cause. I just need to escape...'

Realizing that merely surviving wasn't enough left me utterly deflated. It almost made all my suffering so far feel pointless.

'All the more reason I can't give up.'

I steeled myself again. It was too early to despair. At least the changes to my body had been positive so far. Allfather's hypothesis was only a hypothesis, after all. Nothing was certain.

'I'll need more evidence before I can be sure.'

Before that, though, there was something more important. I turned my gaze to the cast-iron pan sitting there, empty and abandoned. That fish the shark giant had gobbled up. The fish I'd gone to the trouble of coating in oyster sauce.

'Let's eat first.'

Koreans ran on rice. I didn't have any rice, but food was important regardless. I used up the last little bit of oyster sauce, too. It was delicious. Unlike before, when I'd only gotten one bite, this time I ate the whole thing.

'It's so damn good it's annoying.'

Maybe it was the bad news, but even a full stomach didn't improve my mood. Still, I needed to shake this off quickly. Negative thoughts sapped your willpower. Like I'd said before, nothing was confirmed yet. Who knew? Maybe the shark giant I'd killed existed outside the forest, too.

After eating and finishing my cultivation practice, I prepared to go exploring. This time, I'd head upstream rather than downstream. There would be plenty to see there.

'With any luck, I might find another branch of the river.'

Please, let that happen. Please, don't crush every last hope I have. I made thorough preparations, wiping the blood off Heavenly Demon's sword with oiled paper and so on. When your mind was a mess, putting your body through its paces always helped. It was a time-tested remedy.

Heading out to explore!

Wild Grylls

(Photo holding a sword and shield)

Going upstream this time. Wish me luck, everyone!

└Heavenly Demon Stay strong. Know that I am always cheering you on.

└Sword Masta Haven't forgotten anything, have you?

└Heavenly Demon Your conscience?

└Sword Masta I was asking Grylls, you know? Haha.

└Heavenly Demon I was merely teasing.

└Sword Masta If you're bored, debate swordsmanship with me.

└Heavenly Demon Just what I wanted. Show me those paltry skills of yours.

└Starlight Lady It's important to be careful at all times. It's all right if you break your arms or legs, so please be careful.

└Wild Grylls That IS supposed to be encouragement, right...?

└Starlight Lady Did that sound strange? I meant you needn't worry, since you have Elixir.

└Wild Grylls Thanks...

└Look at her saying weird shit because it's not her problem lol

└Isn't she only saying that because she survived?

└Pretty suspicious~

└Starlight Lady You really are nasty people.

└All Hail the Sun Huh? What? Where'd the shark go? Don't tell me you gave it away?

└Wild Grylls Yes. Didn't really have any use for it, so I did.

└All Hail the Sun Ah, shit. Something came up and I missed it. I wanted it for display.

└Wild Grylls Why would you display something that hideous...?

└All Hail the Sun It's a rare animal. Perfect for a collection.

└Wild Grylls ...

As soon as I posted on the forum, the comments filled up with encouragement and teasing in equal measure. Same as ever, I thought with a chuckle, then set out with my two animal companions... or not.

"Speedy, take good care of Roundfur, okay?"

"..."

Breakfast was one thing, but Roundfur always slept after lunch. He was still a cub, so there was no helping it, but I wasn't too worried.

'The iron fence is up, and Speedy's here. Perfect.'

It looked like I could leave now. I took a look around the cave.

'I should ask for more barricades.'

The shark giant had come through a gap in the barricades. I'd left it a little wider so I could go to and from the river, and the thing had fit through perfectly. Well, given its size, it probably would have smashed its way in even if there had been a barricade.

'It'll be inconvenient, but I'll have to live with it.'

I roughly picked out places for the barricades by eye, then set off.

ROOOOOSH!

When I reached the river, its current was still powerful. I stared at the water for a while, then looked up. This time, on the far bank was none other than...

"Wow. Is that a volcano?"

A volcanic region. Far in the distance, I could see a volcano belching lava. Thankfully, it was too far away to affect me, but I was still amazed. Not a blade of grass grew on the deeply cracked ground, and lava flowed through the fissures. This forest really never failed to amaze. It was driving me fucking insane.

'Let's get used to space being a total mess.'

I turned and headed upstream. The roar of the current and the sound of a distant volcano erupting. Just wonderful. I'd decided to get used to this sort of thing. All I could do was marvel and move on.

'That bear from yesterday isn't going to show up, is it?'

That didn't mean I was letting my guard down. A massive beast could appear at any moment, so I stayed alert to everything. There were bound to be animals coming here for water.

SPLASH!

Like the one I was looking at right now. Except... on second glance, this one hadn't come for a drink. Something had flown out of the forest and plunged straight into the river. What on earth was it?

It bobbed to the surface. Soon, I could make out what it was as it floated on the rushing river: a four-legged beast with spots and a long tail. I didn't know enough to tell whether it was a leopard or a cheetah, but it was definitely a carnivore.

'... What the hell hit it hard enough to send it flying?'

The animal drifted helplessly downstream. It appeared to be unconscious. Was there something in there like the deer that had taken down the bull shark?

Dreading the possibility, I turned to look beside me. The trees were particularly dense there. Best not even think about going in.

OOH! OOH-OOH! OOH!

Because I could hear what sounded like monkeys in there. Or maybe something other than monkeys. Worse, it wasn't just one making those sounds. There were several. I quietly walked past. I wouldn't dream of going in there. Even ordinary monkeys were far stronger than humans.

"... Huh?"

After following the river for ages, I spotted something odd on the path. An animal with eight legs and a body rising like a lump above them. An aquatic creature with a smooth-looking exterior.

"... Why is there an octopus here?"

It was an octopus. One covered in purple spots, at that. It looked venomous at a glance, but there was something more puzzling than that.

'Don't octopuses usually... live in the sea?'

Why was an octopus here? As far as I knew, they lived in the ocean. I didn't know whether freshwater octopuses existed, but nothing I knew suggested they did. Maybe this world had octopuses that lived in fresh water.

'... No. Surely not.'

I steadied my nerves and kept heading upstream. The farther I went, the more a certain scent assailed my nose: a breeze thick with salt. As that smell grew stronger, anxiety steadily filled me.

My steps grew faster and faster, and I pressed on without paying attention to my surroundings. Finally, when I reached the end of the river and the end of the forest, what greeted my eyes was...

SHHHHH...

An ocean, broader than anything else and endlessly blue.

Seeing it, I couldn't help swearing.

"... Fucking bullshit. Goddamn it."