Ch.0Prologue – Wow, I’m Not Dead

“Wow, I’m not dying.”

As I inhaled, air heated to its limit rushed into my lungs, creating the sensation of my windpipe and lungs cooking simultaneously.

My skin was burning away in real time, and my clothes had fused to my skin, mixing horribly with already charred tissue in a grotesque state.

Heat waves rising from the ground distorted the surrounding landscape, making the scene seem almost surreal.

Small flames could be seen throughout my body, using clothes and human flesh as fuel to maintain their existence.

Despite almost nothing remaining unmelted, I couldn’t help but laugh hollowly as I watched the flames still licking at my skin, burrowing inward as if there was still something left to burn.

Thud. My right forearm, its bones melted to the point it could no longer support its own weight, fell to the ground.

But in this situation where even the air was scorching, how could the soil be any different? The moment it touched the ground, a sound like meat being placed on a hot grill accompanied the gray smoke.

Clutching what remained of my right arm, now empty below the elbow, I raised my head.

The dragon still seemed unable to quell its rage.

The massive creature, confirming that its target was still standing on two feet, positioned itself to unleash its fury once more.

It slammed its two front legs into the ground as if to shatter it, raised its neck high, and tilted its head back as enormous magical power slowly gathered along its spinal scales toward its mouth.

Then its head pointed downward.

In that split second before the dragon opened its mouth to release its breath, I could clearly see the inside of its mouth, lined with teeth nearly the size of an adult woman.

Soon after, the interior of its mouth brightened, and from deep within its throat came a heat that could only be described as hellfire.

—!!!!!!!

With a roar that shook heaven and earth, a waterfall of flames flew toward me as if determined to leave not even a fragment of bone this time. As I watched it approach, I closed my eyes and was certain:

I wouldn’t be able to die this time either.