Birth Of D.K

Hunger and Instinct

Ainz sat on the damp jungle floor, staring at the burned corpse of the Dire Wolf. His small hands trembled, still sticky with blood. The scent of scorched fur and raw meat filled the air, making his stomach churn.

But there was no time to think about the weight of taking a life.

His stomach twisted painfully. Hunger. A deep, aching emptiness gnawed at him.

I need food.

He looked down at the charred remains of the wolf. The idea of eating a monster repulsed him, but in this world, he had no luxury to be picky.

Swallowing his disgust, he used a sharp rock to slice through the thick hide. Steam rose from the flesh as he peeled away the burned outer layer, revealing raw meat underneath.

It was bloody. Wet.

His throat tightened.

On Earth, he had struggled to afford meals, but even then, food had been clean. Cooked. Safe.

But here…

This was his only choice.

With shaky hands, he ripped off a chunk of meat and shoved it into his mouth.

The iron-like taste of blood flooded his tongue. The texture was chewy, tough, bitter. He almost gagged—but forced himself to chew.

Eat or starve. Live or die.

Every bite felt like swallowing his humanity. But this was survival.

Then—

SNAP.

Ainz froze.

His heart hammered against his ribs.

Something was watching him.

The Hunt Begins

The jungle was too quiet. The usual chirps of insects and distant roars of monsters had vanished.

Ainz's skin prickled.

Then—movement.

The bushes rustled. Leaves quivered.

Then, out of the darkness, three pairs of glowing yellow eyes appeared.

Three lean wolves stepped into the clearing. Their fur was gray and matted, their ribs visible beneath thin skin.

Hunger gleamed in their sharp, carnivorous eyes.

Ainz's throat went dry.

The status window flashed.

[Lesser Wolves - Level 2]

He was level 2 now, but there were three of them.

And he had no mana left.

The wolves spread out, forming a circle.

Their bodies were tense, ready to pounce. They weren't attacking blindly.

They're hunting me.

Ainz gritted his teeth. He had no weapons—only a rock, his hands, and his mind.

One of the wolves snarled and leapt forward.

Ainz dodged, but a sharp claw grazed his arm.

Pain flared. Blood dripped.

Then, almost instantly—the wound sealed itself.

His Regeneration had activated.

The wolves hesitated.

They had seen him bleed… then heal.

They were smart enough to be wary.

But that didn't mean they would stop.

A Battle of Wits

Ainz's mind raced. He needed a plan.

He couldn't outrun them. Climbing a tree might delay death, but he couldn't stay up there forever.

His eyes darted around.

Then, he spotted it—a massive tree root jutting out of the ground, forming a natural barrier.

An idea sparked.

Ainz bolted.

The wolves chased after him, their growls filling the air.

Just as the first wolf lunged, Ainz dove forward—rolling beneath the tree root.

The wolf collided face-first into the bark with a painful thud.

It yelped, stunned.

Ainz didn't stop. He grabbed a thick, heavy branch from the ground.

The second wolf lunged.

Ainz swung with everything he had.

CRACK!

The branch smashed into the wolf's head. The beast staggered, legs wobbling before it collapsed.

One down.

The third wolf circled him, cautious now.

Ainz gripped the branch tightly.

Come on… just a little closer…

The wolf snarled and leapt.

Ainz dropped to the ground, rolling underneath its body. As he came up, he jammed the sharp rock into the beast's side.

The wolf howled, thrashing.

Ainz used the moment to grab another branch, this time with a sharp end.

With a desperate cry, he drove it straight into the wolf's throat.

The beast gurgled… then went still.

The jungle fell silent.

Ainz staggered back, panting.

[You have defeated Lesser Wolves.]

[EXP Gained.]

[Level Up!]

His arms trembled. His legs ached.

But he had won.

He looked at his hands—bloodstained, shaking.

In his past life, he had struggled against bills, loneliness, exhaustion.

Here, he was fighting for something simpler.

To exist.

For the first time, he whispered words he had never dared to say before.

"…I want to live."

The First Shelter

The jungle was dangerous.

He needed a safe place to sleep.

Ainz scanned his surroundings.

There—a hollow tree trunk. Large enough for him to squeeze into, hidden among thick vines.

He dragged the dead wolves into the bushes to avoid attracting other predators.

Then, exhausted, he crawled inside the hollow tree.

The air was damp, the ground hard. Bugs crawled nearby.

But it was better than nothing.

He curled up, hugging himself.

His mind replayed the fights, the pain, the kill.

He had survived Day 1.

But the real test was only beginning.