Mark carefully climbed down the jagged mountainside, his fiery limbs gripping rock and ash with unsteady determination.
"Does falling even hurt when you're a walking bonfire?" he muttered. Still, he wasn't about to test it. His newfound resolve to survive made him cautious, even if his fiery body gave him an edge over his old, flesh-and-blood self.
By the time he reached the bottom, a small sense of pride flickered in his molten chest.
"At least I didn't break anything—assuming I even have bones now," he mused. But his triumph was short-lived as he froze mid-step.
"Why didn't I study my surroundings from up there?" he groaned, realizing he had no clue which direction to take. Staring at the fiery wasteland stretching endlessly before him, the thought of climbing back up quickly vanished.
With a resigned sigh, he picked a random direction.
"When one page closes, you open another... isn't that how the saying goes? Close enough."
The wasteland was bleak, with rivers of molten lava snaking across charred ground, and pillars of fire bursting sporadically like geysers. The heat would've been unbearable for any living creature—but for Mark, it felt oddly comforting.
"At least I don't need sunscreen anymore," he quipped, trying to lighten the oppressive silence.
Not long into his trek, something new broke the monotony: a creature.
In the distance, it resembled a dog—or maybe a wolf—but its charred, crusty skin flickered with flames, and its glowing eyes burned like embers.
Mark's eyes lit up with excitement.
"A flaming dog! I always wanted one of those... well, without the fire. Close enough."
He approached with misplaced confidence, recalling his boss's questionable wisdom:
"If you wanna tame an animal—or a woman—you've gotta show it who's boss."
Straightening his fiery back and radiating an air of authority, Mark marched toward the creature.
"Yeah, I got this. It's just a big dog."
But as he crossed the 5-meter mark, a status tag floated above the creature's head. Mark's confidence shattered like glass.
---
HELLHOUND PUP
LEVEL 10
DANGER LEVEL: ☠️☠️☠️
---
"HOLY SHIT!" he screamed, spinning on his heels and sprinting in the opposite direction.
The Hellhound Pup snarled, flames licking its fangs, and took off after him.
"Oh dear lord! I'm sorry if I've offended you! Save me now, and I'll lead a crusade in your honor!"
Mark's panicked thoughts raced as fast as his legs. Fighting wasn't an option—not when the beast was 10 levels higher.
"Ten times stronger... That's ten too many in my book!"
His clumsy, flame-like body didn't help. He tripped and stumbled repeatedly, the Hellhound closing the gap with every misstep. Just as Mark began to lose hope, salvation appeared: another fire elemental.
Standing in the distance, the figure radiated fiery intensity, its humanoid form crackling with power.
"Oh, thank you, divine flame gods!" Mark cried, veering toward his newfound comrade.
"If one flame man isn't enough, then two will—" A sudden thought stopped him. "Wait, what if it's weaker than the dog?"
As Mark drew closer, a familiar analysis popped into his mind.
---
FIRE ELEMENTAL (YOUTH)
LEVEL 5
DANGER LEVEL: ☠️☠️☠️☠️
---
Mark didn't hesitate.
"Well... bait it is," he muttered, zooming past the other elemental and leaving it to face the Hellhound.
"Don't worry, comrade. Your sacrifice won't be in vain. I'll make sure to avenge you once I'm stronger. Maybe even domesticate that mutt in your honor," he saluted mentally, not looking back.
Explosions erupted behind him as the Hellhound clashed with the elemental. But curiosity gnawed at him. Should he stay and watch?
"On one hand, I should witness my comrade's bravery. On the other... what if the mutt kills it and comes for me?"
After a brief debate, his stupidity won. He turned to watch the fiery showdown from a safe distance.
Contrary to his expectations, his elemental comrade was holding its own.
The Hellhound lunged, but a flaming wall erupted, knocking it back. Every swipe of its claws was met with a fireball straight to the face. It wasn't a fight—it was a massacre.
Mark stared in awe as the elemental dominated. In mere minutes, the Hellhound let out a final, defeated wail before collapsing into a smoldering heap.
A notification popped up before Mark:
---
SUPPORT EXP: 2,500
(Helped in leading the Hellhound into a trap)
SKILL CREATION: 30%
---
"What the hell... That's possible?"
For the first time since his fiery rebirth, Mark smiled. Maybe this new life wasn't so bad after all.