DXD: MY SUMMONERS WAR DIMENSION

"Whoosh!"

By a hair's breadth, I dodged the bear-werewolf monster's claw, my heart freezing as cold sweat broke out. The monster's claw struck a tree almost as thick as the one I had been punching earlier, toppling it.

"Craack-crack-snap-thud!"

I kept running, but I knew that if this continued, it wouldn't be long before I got hit.

'This isn't working. I need to do something...!'

"Hu, huma, human!" The monster's deep and distorted voice echoed: "D-Del... Delicious! No. Run!"

Its way of speaking was strange and confusing, but I roughly understood what the monster meant: Delicious human, don't run!

"ROARR!"

With a roar, I panicked as I saw something leap over me. Forcing myself to stop running, I saw the bear-werewolf monster jump in front of me, blocking my path.

Turning toward me, its mouth oozed with slime, its massive tongue hanging limply to the side.

Its long arms extended forward, slightly hunched toward the center. I felt an indescribable sense of menace as the setting sun's light illuminated the beast's claws, making them gleam dangerously.

"NO. RUN!!!"

As it shouted those words, I felt a gust of wind manifest as slime flew from the beast's mouth.

I had removed one of my gloves and threw it in the beast's direction.

Of course, it wouldn't hurt, but in the moment the beast used its hand to swat away the glove, I ran sideways, weaving through a sea of trees.

"ROAR!"

That seemed to irritate the beast, which charged after me, knocking down trees in its path.

Discarding the other glove, I simply dropped it on the ground, doubting the same trick would work twice.

"Whoosh!"

"Bang!"

Just when I thought I had gained some distance from the beast—its footsteps growing fainter—before I could even sigh in relief, my heart nearly exploded in my chest as I saw the beast standing right in front of me, wearing an extremely cruel expression.

I didn't even have time to react. Its massive hand reached out and struck me sideways.

The world spun.

"Urgh!"

I felt myself spinning as I was hurled through the air, crashing into several tree branches.

"Ahhh!"

My screams echoed through the forest as my world spiraled.

"Crack!"

My left arm struck a tree, dislocating my shoulder and possibly breaking a bone—I heard a loud snap of something breaking the instant my arm hit the tree. I fell to my right, rolling on the grass, until my head slammed into another tree.

My whole body hurt.

The pain in my arm was unbearable.

I tried to open my eyes but couldn't open my right one; something seemed to have pierced it as I was thrown.

"Bleahh!"

Suddenly, I vomited blood.

A lot of fresh blood spilled from my mouth.

I was gasping for air.

My mind was spinning; even while staying still, my world felt as though it were whirling like I was severely drunk.

Colors faded, and everything turned black and white as I gazed through my good eye.

I saw the beast taking slow steps toward me, seeming to enjoy my suffering as it approached leisurely.

'Am I going to die here?'

As thoughts of death crossed my mind, memories of Mom, Dad, and even Ai-chan, the new member of the family, flashed before me.

'At least Mom and Dad will have Ai-chan when I'm gone...'

I was already beginning to accept my death.

I mean, what else could I do in this situation?

I couldn't even feel my legs. My arm was wrecked. Even my good arm was hard to move, gravely injured by the beast's blow.

'Will I become a monster's dinner?'

I wasn't one to cry, but I felt something warm streaming from my eyes, down my face.

The truth was, I didn't want to die—not now, not here!

My good hand clenched into a fist on the grass, squeezing with all its might, but I found myself incapable of doing anything.

I closed my eyes tightly, tears streaming down my face. A bitter thought crossed my mind: 'Damn the moment I thought it was a good idea to come to the forest to train...'

"Kekeke!" The beast's abnormal laughter echoed, reverberating through the forest. The bear-werewolf, colossal and intimidating, loomed over me, its shadow completely enveloping me. Its words, clear and unexpected, left me in a mixture of fear and confusion: "The game is over, human!"

The tone of its voice was deep and terrifying.

I saw its massive mouth open after it spoke fluently. Before I could react, it lunged at me.

I remember trying to throw a makeshift dagger of grass and sand, but it was useless. I still felt its sharp fangs tearing into my body and the acidic slime corroding my head before the end.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

[Wednesday, 6:59 a.m.]

"Cough, cough, cough!"

My body was hot, absurdly hot, and my strength seemed to drain with every passing second. The weakness of a severe cold overwhelmed me as uncontrollable coughing tore through my throat.

"Son, son...!"

Mom's voice echoed near me.

"We're almost there. Hold on!"

'Mom died too?'

This thought arose, confused and bitter, quickly followed by another: 'Do the dead get sick too?'

My eyes felt heavy, and I didn't even have the strength to open them.

"Urgh..."

I groaned in pain, recalling being eaten alive by that deceitful beast.

I was nothing more than a toy in its claws. From the beginning, the beast had pretended to be confused. Just to strike me and then watch me writhe, enjoying my pain, before devouring me...!

"Aunt, he's crying..."

Why can I hear Ai-chan's voice too?

What's happening?

And why do I feel the vibration of movement... Am I in some kind of vehicle?

Confused, my mind was foggy and slow.

My reasoning couldn't process everything properly.

Did I survive?

It was foolish hope.

How could I have survived?

I was eaten!

My body must have been shredded by that monster!

Damn it! Can someone please explain what's happening??

My mind grew weaker and weaker...

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

"He's fine. Don't worry."

I heard a gentle, distinctly feminine voice, though I still couldn't identify who it was.

I felt irritation in my eyes. Even without opening them, I knew I was exposed to a bright light.

'Am I in one of those white rooms to meet God?' I thought, with an absurd touch of humor.

With effort, I began to open my eyes, very slowly. The white light seemed intensely aggressive.

'Can someone turn this off, please? Thanks.'

Even thinking that, no words came out.

I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the brightness.

"Cough, cough..."

Suddenly, an uncontrollable urge to cough overcame me. My chest ached as I curled forward, tears welling up in my eyes while my dry throat burned like fire.

"Son, son!"

Mom's voice sounded again, and I felt a firm hand holding mine.

Confusion overwhelmed me.

What was happening?

Forcing my eyes open again, everything was blurry. The only thing I could see was the overwhelming whiteness around me.

But gradually, my vision began to clear. I blinked a few more times until I could make out figures—four in total. Three adults and one child.

[Doctor Lucca]

I read the name on a badge hanging from the coat of one of them.

'Am I in a hospital?'

The idea seemed absurd, but... 'Did I survive?'

What other explanation could there be?

But how was that possible?

"Where..." I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but my voice came out weak, almost a whisper.

"Calm down, son."

Mom spoke with a gentleness I had never heard before. Her hand squeezed mine, conveying a comforting warmth.

"You had a very high fever. We're in a hospital now."

'Fever?'