[This chapter may seem a little dark, but don't worry, it will change completely in the coming chapters. Also, I added some comedy that probably won't make you laugh… anyway, it made me laugh.]
[From the perspective of the external narrator]
"Beep… beep… beep…"
Inside the emergency room of a public hospital, the monitoring machines produced steady sounds. The body lying on the white bed barely looked human.
A young man in his twenties was wrapped in bandages from head to chest.
[A horrific traffic accident.]
A car had hit him with enough force to throw him dozens of meters toward a construction site, where a sharp iron pillar fell right beside his head, completely shattering the bones in the lower half of his body.
Even the fighting dragon and guardian of the pit of infinity—Protector the lower part of his body—didn't escape without suffering painful fractures.
It was a miracle that he survived.
But miracles don't last in this world.
The trainee nurse who entered to change the IV solution was exhausted, and she injected him with the wrong shot.
"Beep… beep… beep..."
The monitors began screaming. The doctors tried to resuscitate him, but the heart stopped. Then a weak pulse returned. Then it stopped completely.
---
[From the protagonist's perspective]
"Ah…"
I woke up suddenly, gasping for air.
All I could remember was that I had been in a traffic accident… a car hit me hard… I was flying through the air… and then I died, I think.
"AAH—"
Before I could even look around to see where I was, an intense pain exploded in my head. I tried to raise my hand to my head, but I couldn't. The pain continued for a moment before finally stopping.
"Hah… hah…"
My head hit the floor as I panted in pain.
"Damn it… where exactly am I?"
I was kneeling on a cold stone floor. There were no walls, no ceiling—only darkness.
And around my neck, shoulders, and waist… thousands of chains. Rusty iron chains, some thin like spider silk and others thick like shackles. All of them were connected to something on the other end, but I couldn't even see the walls because of the dense darkness.
But the problem wasn't here.
The problem was what was behind me.
The chain wrapped around my neck had its line pressing against my butt.
"Is this harassment or what?"
I struggled to move, trying to shift the chain toward my thigh. Even though it hurt, my dignity pushed me forward.
After finally protecting my dignity as a man, I tried to stand up. But the chains yanked me violently backward, forcing me back into a kneeling position. I tried to scream, but only a whisper escaped my dry throat.
Dead…?
"Did I really die?"
If so… was it possible that I would remain like this forever?
"I won't stay like this…"
I screamed in my mind and gathered every ounce of willpower. I pushed against the ground with both hands, trying to stand.
But the moment my muscles tensed, a wave of pain swept through me unlike anything I had ever experienced. It wasn't just physical pain—it felt as if the chains were draining my energy.
I collapsed again, my face smashing against the hard stone floor.
"Hah… hah…"
My breathing was heavy, but something felt strange. Despite the unbearable pain, and despite the fact that I had been practically dead moments ago, I felt a strange power flowing through my limbs.
My muscles seemed denser, and my senses unnaturally sharp.
"What the hell is happening?"
I gave up for several minutes—or maybe hours. I didn't know. Time here…
I stared into the darkness, watching the chains wrapped around my neck.
Suddenly, out of pure anger, I grabbed a medium-sized chain that was pulling on my left shoulder and pulled with all my new strength.
Crack!
The chain snapped, and its rings scattered into the darkness.
A brief surge of victory filled me—but it lasted only a single second.
BOOM!
A metallic explosion echoed through the place. From the heart of the darkness, ten new chains shot out—massive, thick, and pitch black.
They wrapped around my body with doubled force, tightening around my neck and chest until my bones groaned.
"Damn… is this hell?" I laughed bitterly.
"What kind of justice is this? Was I really such a villain that I deserved hell before I even started my new life?"
Sure, I used to enjoy dunking my brother-in-law's head in water when he came home from work, or taking money from him under the excuse of "developing the country." I even scared my sister's kids until they wished I'd be locked in a dark place.
But did I really deserve this?
"Yes, honestly I deser—… no."
I shook my head strongly.
I'm a noble person. The only place for me is paradise.
"Seriously… did those little dogs' wishes come true?"
I thought for a moment.
I clenched my teeth and wished I had beaten them before leaving for work. At least that would have made my heart feel a little better.
While I was drowning in my doubts, a thick white gas began leaking from the ground, covering the place at an incredible speed. It had no smell, but the moment I inhaled it, a cold sensation spread through my lungs, and my consciousness began fading.
My vision drowned in white, and I lost contact with reality again.
When I partially regained consciousness, I found myself still in that darkness—but the chains had completely disappeared.
I was free… for a moment.
In front of my eyes, amid the fog and thick darkness, I noticed something shaped like a plate. On it was what looked like food. I couldn't see the details, but my survival instinct pushed me toward it.
"Ugh…"Damn this survival instinct. This is far worse than my sister's cooking, man.
The taste was terrible—bitter as poison, as if it were made from dirt.
But I ate it.
And the moment I finished, the place didn't give me even a second.
The white gas rushed in again, covering my face and choking my breath. I felt my body collapsing, and just before my consciousness completely faded, I heard that cursed sound again:
Clang… clang…
The rattling of chains returning to wrap around my neck and shoulders, forcing me back into a kneeling position—alone in the darkness, trapped in an endless cycle of torment.
But once again, the problem wasn't here.
That damned chain was pressing against my butt.
"Damn it… I swear I'll slaughter whoever did this—even if it's a god."
After about five minutes, I managed to move that cursed chain toward my thigh, and my entire mind focused on only one thing.
"What the hell am I supposed to do now, seriously?"
---
Alright, hello… I want to make it clear that I greatly appreciate criticism, even if it's harsh. But comedy is a red line.
Nah, man… do you realize it took me two whole minutes to try to make the darkness in this chapter feel natural? And don't forget to read what's below—it's important.
"Author's nonsense"
..
..
I tricked you.....wold you really expect someone as great and noble as me to say some nonsense?
"Yes, I will say some nonsense, which is: support me, support me, you miserable creatures searching for entertainment."