Unrivaled in another world

[: 1st POV :]

I was cold, wet, and shivering.

The current had carried me through twists of riverbank and mud until, eventually, I was pulled out roughly by a pair of hands.

"Oi, boss! Another baby! Guess the river’s coughing up trash today!"

Trash?

I couldn’t speak, but something in me wanted to scream.

I had just been born into in this world, and now I was being called trash?

I was lifted upside down and slapped on the back to get the water out of me.

My small body coughed and wheezed instinctively.

"Damn, he’s still alive. Lucky little bastard."

I opened my blurry eyes to see the man’s scarred face, half his teeth missing, and a jagged smile that made my infant instincts tremble.

"Looks healthy. Might fetch a price in a few years if we keep him alive," another muttered.