Tell Her I’m Sorry

I never considered the possibility that the Plan B might backfire.

If it didn't happen, I might be able to maintain the status quo for a while longer, I would be able to fight the D-Ranks and try to pull off a sneak attack on the immortal Alpha Snake. Now that the Alpha was mad because I was burning down his home, it wasn't possible for me to that anymore.

Breathing became more difficult, the Alpha was charging at me, and the remaining D-Ranks followed his lead and launched their attacks too.

This was the perfect moment to practice one of the oldest and most effective strategies in the survival book.

I ran away.

'Dante, go hide in a safe place and ran away when you can.'

'I did that a while ago…'

'You left me at the first chance you had!?!?!'

'It's a strategic retreat… it's not like I abandoned you I'm still in the forest, I wouldn't go in that direction by the way…'

The advice came too late, an oversized crocodile was blocking the path. I had to dodge the tail, that was followed by the attack of two weaker snakes. Even without me using adrenaline burst I could feel the familiar feeling spreading in my body, the fear, the unwillingness to die, and the desire to see the people I love one more time, pushed my limits.

I could hear the trees break and fall as the Alpha was trying to catch up to me. I killed one of the minor beasts and ran to the edge of the forest.

This situation made me recall the scorching forest from my dream, fire-snakes in a relentless pursuit as I ran away from them, this time I was running towards the flames seeking a potential ally to help me kill the Alpha.

The beasts kept appearing, I'm not sure how to explain it, but it was like I was in a trance. Try to breathe, kill a beast, avoid an attack move forward. The notifications started to pile up as the fire started to kill beasts too. At least I had something on my favor, it might have been used too soon, but the plan B, in the end, gave me a good chance in the fight with the Alpha.

Despite the opportunity, it gave me it was a double-edged sword. My eyes were tearing, my throat felt as it was on fire. My skin was still holding for the moment thanks to all my defensive abilities and the jacket I got from the system, but I don't think it is going to last long enough.

I was getting dizzy, my overall stamina and lung capacity might have been enhanced by my perk but breathing the smoke while running and fighting wasn't something that a human was supposed to do. I was already near the fire and managed to create some distance between the beasts and me.

I had to use this chance to solve the smoke problem.

Detoxification…

*Cof cof*

Just as I used Detoxify, a bitter taste came to my mouth, a black liquid came out from my lungs showing the things that I have been breathing all this time, the taste almost made me throw up, but I was able to control it. I had to spit a couple of times, but I still felt the taste on my mouth.

Luckily Detoxification worked. My dizziness didn't disappear instantly, but it became easier to handle and was slowly subsiding. I follow up by using time healing on myself, the pain on my throat and skin was lessened thanks to that.

I might not have the time to do this again later, so I used the faster solution that I could think off.

25 system points… that was the cost of the mask I got to prevent the same situation from happening again. It was enough to cover my face, my breathing was better, and my eyes slowly got on their top condition again, the mask got in the way a little, but I could see better now that there were no tears on them.

I was already between the flames, the orange from the fire was in every place that I saw, and after running around fighting and dodging, I wasn't sure where I was or the right direction to run anymore. The only signal I could use was the source of the cracking sound from the falling trees and the constant attacks from especially resistant beasts that could handle the fire a little bit.

[Skill Obtained Heat Resistance Lv. 0]

At this point, the skill has yet to have an effect as it was still at Lv.0, but sooner or later the level will go up, in this place, it should go up fast.

Just like me, the beasts weren't immune to the fire either, the snake-man was having a hard time, so I use the chance to deal a critical blow in an ambush. I wasn't able to kill it in just that attack but it it was just a matter of time for it to die.

Everywhere I see there are more beasts either dying or trying to take their chance to attack me. There was no use to keep running, just as everything else the Alpha should be burning too…

*HISSSS*

I don't know what that order meant, but a toad that was about my size appeared at my flank and started to spit fire in my direction.

I was barely able to dodge the fireball that was coming to me. The toad was on its element.

As I avoided the long-range barrage of attacks, I noticed…

The Alpha had a burn mark in his side, the burn looked as if it was starting to boil. A bulge began to grow at the side. The snake's skin was stretched until it wasn't able to hold it anymore, the protuberance burst open as it was a newborn and a 5th head appeared on the side…

Pieces of scales and blood fell on the flood. The newborn snakes didn't last long in the fire.

The snake was mad and lunged in my direction. I was ready to dodge again. The barrage of fireballs coming from the side sealed my new retreating path. I moved to the side instead, but one of the heads at the right was close enough to attack me.

The poison was too troublesome to handle, so I had to at least avoid those fangs at any cost.

Right now beside the Alpha attacking me I had a bigger problem.

After what happened with the burning wound on the Alpha's side, I was dispirited, there was a moment that I thought that I had found the solution but seeing what just happened let me understand that I wasn't even close to defeating it.

What was I supposed to do?

I have no way to burn it down instantaneously.

It doesn't seem to be affected by the smoke either.

The jacket on my body was resistant, but it wasn't made to handle this. There were a lot of holes already on it, and I prefer not to talk about the current situation of my pants.

I was out of ideas.

There was a moment that I thought that I could be able to fight it until it was burnt down, but now I know that it wasn't possible.

I had no way to fight it…

If my rank was a little higher, I might use the Infusion to prevent it from recovering from the burns, but I wasn't able to affect it to the degree that it was possible for me to do that.

I thought for a while as I avoided and was slowly cooked by the forest flames.

I had an idea…

I looked at the system points again…

535… the fire has killed a lot of beasts.

If I let it eat me and I use all of it in fuel, I might be able to blow it up from the inside… even if some parts of it survive the fire in the forest should be enough to burn them before they regrow… of course, I will die with it…

'Dante… Escape from this place and tell Rose that I love her… and I'm sorry.'

'…Spence!! don't do anything stupid~.'

Dante tried to talk me out of it… he knew my plan as soon as it came to my mind.

'Tell her yourself idiot~! There has to be something else we can do~! Don't do it~!'

'Sorry… I wasn't up to the task this time… take care of them for me, please… If you can manipulate them and make them forget about me, it would be even better….'

'Don't say that! We can solve this, we might achieve resonance this time~… I'll go there wait for me.'

'Stay where you are, I made my choice…'

It's worth it…

All of them can be safe if I do this…

The snake was ready to jump at me…

A warm feeling came from my chest…

I was at peace…

This should work… it has to work…

The head in the center of the Alpha opened his mouth… I was ready, and I closed my eyes with that feeling growing inside of me…

When I opened my eyes, for a second it was as if the time was stopped around me. The scene in front of me didn't make sense…

My heart stopped beating when I saw the blonde ponytail moving in front of me.