Solas was still struggling to process everything.

A pair of rough hands suddenly swung up before the eyes, tracing chaotic arcs through the air.

With the gestures, a low, panicked growl—
“Uu… uuh…”—rose right beside the ears.

The view lurched violently, the angle twisting into dizziness.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A sharp knocking sound.

Before there was time to think, the creature that had been crouched in the grass sprang upright and lunged straight into the field of vision.

Up close, the form loomed tall and oppressive—
heavy-boned, skin darkened like scorched earth under the sun.

The body was covered entirely in coarse hair, faint gray-black sheen catching in the light.

A thick brow ridge jutted out like a raised shield, throwing half the face into shadow.

High, rigid cheekbones; a wide, heavy mouth; a forehead sloping backward, as though the entire skull were being pulled rearward.

His hand shot out, gripping the wildly flailing wrist—
firm, yet unexpectedly gentle.

Low, murmuring sounds crossed back and forth.

Like reassurance.

And with those murmurs, the rapid, chaotic heartbeat slowly began to ease.

The rhythm softened, little by little.
Breathing shifted from ragged to steady.

Solas held his breath and watched, analyzing rapidly in his mind.

Did I startle him by speaking?

He can hear my voice, but I cannot control his actions.

Thoughts flowed, pushing reason back into control.

I seem to be able to share only this body’s vision and heartbeat,
but I can’t interfere with its movements… is this parasitism?

Or a form of consciousness inhabiting another body?

That violent shaking just now was probably him hitting his own head.

A slight frown, trying to catch any signal of pain—
nothing but blankness.

Only a cold, residual echo of touch,
like that of a detached observer.

A low sigh, quietly self-mocking, rose within.

…Sigh. There really isn’t anything else to go on right now.

As the view gradually steadied with the host’s movements,
the tightly drawn mental tension slowly eased.

Otherwise…
just keep watching a little longer.

After several days of observation and mediated perception,
the daily rhythms of these existences were gradually pieced together.

Based on visible physical characteristics,
a provisional label was formed in thought—ape-men.

The group numbered roughly fifteen individuals,
with roles loosely divided by age and build.

The males appeared responsible for hunting and defense.
They often set out in groups of three to five,
carrying thick wooden clubs and stones,
leaving their shelter at dawn or during the fading light of dusk.

The females, by contrast, more often remained near the edges of concealed woodland,
watching over the young,
occasionally foraging along the ground for food or roots.

Solas still held a measure of uncertainty regarding the females’ activity patterns.

Because the body he was inhabiting
belonged to a young adult male ape-man.

And at this very moment,
that body was participating in a small-scale hunting foray.

This time, all of the males in the group had mobilized.

Five of them, each gripping a rough wooden club,
waists lowered, muscles drawn tight,
lay low and silent within grass that rose to half a man’s height.

As the host’s body lowered into position, Solas followed with it.

The field of view was sliced into stripes by fine blades of grass.
In the distance, a gray shape flickered in and out among the shrubs.

It was a small yet agile creature,
its body covered in coarse gray-black fur,
lean in form, limbs drawn taut like bowstrings.

Its round eyes flashed with alertness between the bushes,
short horns catching a dull arc of light beneath the sun.

Each bound was like a meteor streaking across the grassland.

Through the host-bound perspective,
Solas analyzed calmly:

With nothing but these primitive wooden clubs,
how could they capture a species this nimble?

This method lay beyond every prior understanding
of hunting and tactics.

Yet in the very next moment,
the ape-men answered him with action.

The five who had been clustered together began to slowly spread apart.

Each lowered their bodies, moving soundlessly into position,
step by step forming a simple yet lethal encirclement.

Through the host’s field of view,
the target was clearly visible—head lowered, foraging,
utterly unaware.

After a brief stillness—

One of the ape-men quietly picked up a palm-sized stone,
dropped his shoulder,
gathered force,
and in an instant hurled it forward.

Whoosh—!

A sharp tearing sound split the air.

The stone struck the prey squarely in the hind leg.

In that moment,
it was as if some invisible signal had been ignited.

The remaining four erupted almost simultaneously,
bursting from their hiding places at once.

The view jolted violently.

Grass tore into streaks of green afterimages,
mud and sand flew with each stride,
wind rushed past from all sides.

Everything stretched suddenly into flowing light,
with only the agile figure ahead remaining sharply defined.

The heartbeat pounded fast and heavy.

That explosive drive could be felt surging from deep within the chest,
like wildfire—
racing forward, hurling itself toward the prey.

The prey sensed something wrong and bolted in terror, accelerating desperately—but it was already too late.

As they rapidly closed the distance, Solas caught the motion of a companion on the left in that single instant—

muscles swelling,
the short club raised high.

The next second,
the wooden club swept through with a heavy rush of air, crashing into the forelimb!

Bang!

The dull, jarring sound of bone striking flesh was unmistakable.

The creature let out a pained cry, lost its balance, and slammed heavily into the ground, its body rolling and skidding several meters across the grass from sheer momentum.

The impact was almost tangible.

Before the prey could even come to a complete stop, the others were already swarming in—

clubs raised, slamming down violently,
again and again,
crushing its fragile skull.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The muffled impacts followed one after another,
made brutal and primal beneath the blazing sun.

As the fallen shape in the pool of blood ceased struggling,
the ape-men gathered around it in excitement.

Panting, they touched one another’s shoulders and arms,
as if celebrating their victory.

Solas stared blankly at the prey lying on the ground,
his mind emptied of all thought, leaving only shock.

The scene replayed again and again within his mind—
the explosive burst of speed,
bulging muscles,
raw, instinctive drive.

Pure.
Savage.
And yet, strangely—beautiful.

An impact never encountered through formulas or instruments
slammed straight into his heart.

His eyes widened slightly,
and he barely dared to breathe.

…Is this…
nature?

They retraced their path.

Light steps,
imbued with a plain, uncomplicated sense of joy.

—Tonight, they would finally be able to sleep in peace,
no longer on an empty stomach.

Back at the temporary shelter,
a crude windbreak built from piled stones and low brush.

Instinctively, Solas continued to observe, maintaining the mindset of an observer.

He considered how they would handle this hard-won spoil.

What followed, however, made his brow knit unconsciously.

The ape-men simply picked up stones, or used wooden clubs, and split the body open.

Blood seeped out.
Chunks of flesh were then wrenched free with brute force, pieces scattering across the ground.

And then—

without the slightest hesitation, they shoved the raw meat straight into their mouths.

Teeth grinding against flesh, sinew, and bone stood out with harsh clarity in the stillness of dusk.

The smell of raw meat and blood nearly broke through consciousness, seeping into the sense of taste.

Civilization once taken for granted
now felt impossibly distant.

An indescribable discomfort
spread deep within awareness.

…They don’t use fire?

The thought struck like a faint current of electricity,
cutting through what had been unadulterated observation.

If I taught them to use fire,
what would happen?