Chapter 7

"Well... I wonder if I can find something interesting."

Just as the sun climbed to its zenith, Yu left the base camp to gather food. The need for food had increased, so he had to collect ingredients over a wider area. His backpack, instead of daily necessities, was filled with a variety of ingredients. Regardless of taste, everything was non-toxic and genuine "ingredients," thanks to Yu's ability. As the weight on his back increased, Yu's mood improved. Although the effort required to gather food had become more challenging than before, Yu didn't feel tired. Unbeknownst to him, he was more energetic than when he first arrived in this world.

"That fruit looks like it's within reach."

Suddenly, he looked up at the tree and saw oval, red fruits. He moved his gaze to the tree without any particular reason, simply because he felt "somehow" curious. This was one of the abilities that had taken root in Yu. It was a kind of instinct for edible things. Not only could he determine whether something was toxic, but since coming to this world, he had become more aware of and more interested in food that was not just non-toxic but also edible.

"Hmm."

—He bent his knees and stretched his body. Throughout this, his gaze remained fixed on the red fruit about four meters up the tree. After his "warm-up," Yu loosened his body, aimed, and began to climb the tree. Or rather, he jumped up vertically. His body rose as if pulled by a string, defying gravity. Then— he grabbed the fruit, which was about four meters above the ground.

"Hehe, got it."

Without any run-up or special movements, just a vertical jump. With that alone, Yu had reached a height far beyond what a human could normally jump to. This was undoubtedly abnormal. Even top-class athletes in the world can only jump about 70 centimeters vertically. Reaching a height of about four meters from the ground, even with raised hands, was impossible. Let alone doing it effortlessly on unstable soil.

"Since coming to this world, I've been feeling really good. I guess I'm getting stronger every day... Maybe it's because of the delicious food I've been eating?"

Yu said this jokingly, but he hadn't yet realized that it wasn't a joke. Indeed, every time he ate, he grew stronger. So much so that he could easily jump vertically over two meters. The reason Yu hadn't noticed this abnormality was, for better or worse, because he was used to light novels where the protagonist suddenly finds themselves in another world.

"Hmm, it's delicious. It has a texture like an apple. It's a bit less sweet because it's wild, but..."

There was another, more significant reason. Yu hadn't noticed his ability to grow stronger by eating because his interest was entirely focused on the ingredients of this world.

"Oh, this is the blue leaf I saw on the first day. ...It doesn't seem to be poisonous."

Now, Yu's interest had shifted to another ingredient. This time, it was the "blue leaf" he had seen on the first day. He picked a leaf, which is generally not found in nature, and sniffed it. It had a tangy smell, and the fresh aroma made him smile. After brushing off the dirt, he took a bite of the leaf, and a strong sweetness spread across his tongue.

"Sweet...! It's like a fruit...!"

The taste was far from what he had expected, and his eyes sparkled. It was his first time experiencing a leaf with such strong sweetness. While sweet leaves do exist on Earth, Yu had never tasted them. Once he realized it was perfectly edible, he put the whole leaf in his mouth. Despite the slightly fuzzy texture that stuck to his teeth and tongue, the thick leaf was crisp and refreshing, and each bite released a refreshing aroma and strong sweetness in his mouth.

"This might make the kid happy. I'll pick a bit more."

Yu quickly picked the clustered blue leaves. While the quantity wasn't enough for a meal, it was plenty for a snack. After picking enough, he set off again to gather more ingredients. His face showed no signs of fatigue. The need to gather a variety of ingredients in larger quantities was, for Yu, an opportunity to see and eat more ingredients. He stuffed easily accessible fruits and mushrooms into his bag as he walked through the mountains.

"Wow... spectacular..."

Eventually, Yu arrived at a rocky area. The exposed rocks were yellowish and appeared to be covered in a layer of powder, reflecting the sunlight and shining brightly. The beautiful scene made him catch his breath, but his surprise was short-lived. He soon smiled and ran towards the rocks.

"Could it be...!"

It was very rare for Yu, who was primarily interested in ingredients, to show interest in a rock, no matter how beautiful it looked.

"Salt... rock salt!"

But this time, it wasn't so rare. The rock was a different color from the usual ones, and Yu recognized it, which is why he excitedly ran to the rocks. The taste on his tongue was a familiar one he hadn't felt in a long time.

—Rock salt. It was salt, the most important seasoning in cooking and a vital nutrient for living beings.

"I was thinking about getting it someday since there's the sea... but finding it in the mountains is lucky!"

Not only was it essential for a wide range of flavors in cooking, but it was also a necessary nutrient for life. Being able to obtain it without special means or a long journey was undoubtedly fortunate.

"It doesn't seem to be poisonous either. Now I can cook delicious meals!"

Salt was a familiar seasoning on Earth. But Yu was excited to find it in the mountains. He was thrilled not only by the prospect of richer meals but also by the sense of connection to a distant world.

"Well, I should head back...?"

However, Yu had already made up his mind to stay in this world. He used the word "return" unconsciously, but it was filled with a vague, floating uncertainty. This was because he had found a new "object of interest." On the rock salt, he saw several black spots. They were moving—

Yu cautiously approached the small objects. When he got closer, he saw...

"Snails...? Shells? In the middle of a mountain, on rock salt?"

It was a small creature with a shell. The name he used was that of a creature that lived in the sea on Earth. Yu picked up the shell attached to the rock.

"It doesn't look strange. It's not poisonous. It seems to be a shell."

After confirming its edibility, Yu observed the shell with a puzzled look. It looked like a shell, and there was nothing unusual about it, except for its presence on a mountain without water.

"Mountain snails... what do they taste like...?"

Just being on a mountain was enough to pique Yu's interest. Living on a mountain, even if it resembled a shell, the structure of this creature was likely different. If so, what would it taste like?

Unable to contain his excitement, Yu collected the temporary snail. Although it wouldn't move much, it was a living creature, so he put it in a lunch box.

"I've got a lot of things. I'll call it a day. I can't wait to see what it tastes like...!"

With a pleased expression, Yu set off on his way back.