Théoden kept walking at a slow pace in one direction hoping to find the light at the end of the tunnel. It was of little hope but there was nothing else he could do besides waiting to be rescued. That condition depended on where he was, thus, that possibility was close to null. He was on a battlefield in the middle of nowhere with not a single survivor except him.

He willed himself not to lose hope, for when he did that, it would be the end. In the span of walking, his body had gotten used to the terrain, and he could navigate without too much focus on the ground. With nothing, but himself, his thoughts began to wander. The mysteries he had faced could not be well explained yet. Like how he was alive? What caused his body to live? Why didn't he possess someone much more fortunate? Why did the system he could only read about in fantasy novels possess him?

With all the unanswered questions, his head began to ache. The sun shone brightly in the sky thus it was hot and he was sweating profusely. Théoden found some shade behind a hilly place and lay down to replenish his energy under its shade.

[Gained strength: 1 ]

[Gained stamina: 1 ]

[Status: Fatigued and dehydrated]

He drank a bit of water and forced down a food grain in his mount before taking a mouthful of water again.

'How did things come to this?'

He still vividly had the memories of his former life, despite still retaining the former host's memories. They didn't align at all. He still felt like he was himself at all times. He slowly remembered the memories he had when he was on Earth. His name was the same just the surname was excluded. Maybe, because it was a family name? He had no clue.

Théoden was a quiet kid growing up who liked being at home. He loved games and anime and reading fantasy. He could drown himself in folktales and mythologies of all kinds. He loved imagining the impossible.

'Maybe my life has turned into a fantasy. How Ironic.'

Théoden never got to meet his father. He was raised in a single family by his mother. His mother loved and cared for him dearly. He wished he could have acknowledged it sooner before she died, leaving him in an endless loop of depression.

This memory haunted him for a long time but he kept living. Trying to find meaning in life. This was the last wish left for him by his mother. "Live. No matter what. Just live." She looked at him and said it with such a pained expression. She still smiled at the end so the last memory was her radiant smile.

That was before she never came back. She disappeared and left him. Her last words were a curse that tied him to the desire to live. Thanks to that he strived to live. A life she would be proud of.

He grew up to be a middle-aged office worker otaku. He led a stable life with only the things he needed. He fell in love multiple times, but never married. His life always felt somewhat empty. He gave up on ambition and led a life in the majority class of the capitalistic community. He didn't have huge riches but he wasn't poor. He achieved the ideal lifestyle of any middle-aged man.

Théoden had no regrets about his former life. This was because despite being social, he never made any personal connections with others. At most he had acquaintances. He liked being a lone dog.

He wasn't isolated as many may think. He was popular due to his handsomeness and excellent social skills. Théoden simply never cultivated anything to a serious level. He built high walls that no one ever managed to cross. Maybe this was his form of defense.

Thinking more about his life, he felt pathetic.

'I wasted my sweet youth.'

However, now he had another chance. He wasn't going to make wasteful choices anymore. He thought more about it and it would be a lie to say he could have climbed up the social circle. With his wits and qualifications, it wasn't hard to be the richest or the most influential person back on Earth. He had avoided it in his past life, but there was nothing wrong with ambition despite the high-risen walls of his heart.

'Let's make the best of this life. First of all, I have to survive in this wilderness.'

After having rested enough he got up.

[Status: weak/normal]

The status was a bit too accurate. He was very weak at the moment as the body was not well taken care of. He was missing a lot of essential muscles to partake in the long journey ahead of him. His bones were visible and his fingers were very thin. Théoden pushed himself with a great will to move with each step. All while carrying a heavy sack of necessities.

The sky had grown darker and he was able to see mountains from afar. They seemed to have some vegetation. Maybe he could get some food there. Anything, other than the dry and unappetizing food grains.

With the new motivation, he began to walk faster with much more steady steps. His scrunched expression softened a bit. The sun set very fast. It was evening and only a bit of rays from the sunlight illuminated the area. They caused shadows to be elongated twice as much. He needed to find a safe place to make camp as it was no longer in his capabilities to see at night.

The sky despite being beautiful, was nothing more than that. The ground remained pitch-black and one could only see a short distance from oneself. With that in mind, he searched and found a huge rock that could make up for a resting pillar. As well as a blockage to the wind.

Grrrrr! Ah! Grrrr!