A cold wind brushed against my cheek. My hazy, drifting consciousness slowly returned. I opened my eyes little by little.
"Where am I…?"
A clear, piercing blue sky spread out before me. It looked like I had returned to reality. This wasn't the pure white space from before — I could tell I was now standing on solid ground.
Was it all a dream? For a moment I thought that, wondering if I had simply passed out and never actually died. But that didn't seem to be the case.
The sky was beautifully clear. When I lowered my gaze from the cloudless blue expanse, I saw a vast carpet of clouds below me. If I were still in Japan, I would have been moved by such a breathtaking panorama. But now it only hammered home the undeniable truth — I had really come to another world.
Because flying through that sea of clouds were countless enormous creatures flapping massive wings.
"Hahaha… So this really is another world. I'm actually seeing dragons with my own eyes."
Yes, the giant creatures flying in front of me were unmistakably dragons.
Isn't this bad? If something that huge spotted me, I'd either get crushed or swallowed whole.
"Eh?"
While I was spacing out at the surreal sight, I finally noticed one of them flying straight toward me.
"GURAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"Gyyyyaaaaahhh! It's coming this wayyyy!"
Wait a second!
That thing is clearly targeting me, isn't it!?
"GYAOOOOOOO!"
"Nooooo!! It's heading straight for meee!"
I broke into a full sprint without looking back.
You've got to be kidding me! Why is this like starting Radahn and immediately getting jumped by a dragon!?
Coming to another world and facing a dragon right away is way too impossible, you damn loli goddess!
I cursed the giggling face of that childish goddess in my mind as I ran desperately.
I was just an ordinary salaryman until recently. There was no way I could outrun a creature flying at that insane speed.
"Uwooooooh! I can't die right at the start!!"
I ran at a speed that would put professional sprinters to shame.
Hm? Oh, surprisingly I'm not getting caught. Are dragons not that fast?
"GURUAAAAAAAA!"
"Uhyiii! Still scary though!"
Apparently I was running faster than I thought.
Driven by the mortal danger behind me, I kept sprinting. I was surprisingly fast, but the dragon's flight speed was still overwhelming.
I could feel its overwhelming presence closing in on my back. My brand-new otherworld life already felt like it was racing toward a dead end.
"GAOOOOOO!"
A sharp pain suddenly tore through my shoulder and back.
"Ugaah, that hurts!"
The dragon had slashed me with its claws. To the dragon it was probably just a light swipe, but thanks to the massive size difference, that single blow nearly killed me.
Thankfully my arm was still attached. But the pain was so intense that my legs tangled and I fell over.
"GARURURU!"
The dragon glared at me with a face twisted in sadistic pleasure. It seemed to be enjoying watching its prey squirm in terror.
It had some intelligence, but its personality was the worst.
"Huh?"
I noticed something strange about the dragon's face. For some reason, it looked like it was in pain.
I had no idea why I thought that. I shouldn't have had the luxury to think about such things.
But that thought was instantly blown away when I saw its wide-open mouth descending toward me.
"I'm done for… it's going to eat me…"
Just as I was about to give up—
――――『Gift "Creation God's Blessing" installation complete. Support for Master Sadojima Tōya will now begin.』
"Eh?"
A mechanical, feminine voice echoed inside my head.
In that instant, an overwhelming amount of information flooded into my mind.
――――『Attack Skill release preparation complete.』
――――『Support Skill release preparation complete.』
――――『Body Enhancement Skill release preparation complete.』
――――『Attack Magic release preparation complete.』
――――『Recovery Magic release preparation complete.』
――――『Support Magic release preparation complete.』
――――『Life-threatening danger detected. Considering Master's current mental state, Auto Counter-Support Mode activated. Emergency acquisition of select magic and skills.』
While I was panicking, whatever was inside my head kept moving things forward on its own. My body suddenly moved against my will, turning to face the dragon head-on and raising my hand.
"Flame Smash!"
Words I didn't know poured out of my mouth. A basketball-sized fireball shot from my palm.
"GUGYAAAAAA!"
The dragon, which had opened its mouth wide to swallow me, took the fireball directly inside and was blasted backward. Its massive body slammed into the ground with a thunderous crash.
What the hell!? How am I doing this!?
My confusion only grew. My body moved again on its own.
―――『Enemy attack reaction confirmed. Continuing Auto Counter Mode.』
I — or rather, my body that was moving by itself — leaped forward and took an attacking stance. But when I punched the dragon with my bare fist, its rock-hard scales bounced my hand right back.
"Guuuh, it's hard…"
『Insufficient attack power detected. Activating Attack Skill.』
"Aura Blade!"
A chuuni-sounding phrase left my lips. Suddenly, my right hand grew intensely hot.
When I looked, a blade-shaped band of light was extending from my hand. It looked like a glowing light-blue blade had grown out of my palm.
"Oooooooooohhhhhh!"
In desperation, I gave myself over to my body's autonomous movements and leaped toward the dragon.
『Enemy Search activated. Displaying enemy weak points.』
Part of my vision was overlaid with a filter, showing a net-like pattern over the dragon. A bright red point glowed in the center of its body. Instinctively, I knew that was its weak spot.
"Piiiiiiiierce ittttt!!"
I twisted my whole body, building up power, then thrust the glowing blade forward like a released spring.
"GYAOOOOOOOOOO!"
The dragon's agonized scream shook the surroundings.
『Enemy attack reaction confirmed. Additional attack activated.』
The moment the dragon's glaring eyes turned toward me, an even more powerful heat erupted from the blade still embedded in its body.
In an instant, flames burst out from the dragon's eyes, nose, mouth, and every gap in its scales.
"GA...…"
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The dragon, which had tried to roar one last time, collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut and stopped moving completely.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
D-Did I… make it…?
The moment I realized I had escaped the threat of death, all strength left my body.
I collapsed onto the huge back of the dead dragon and couldn't move anymore.