Baptism by Fire

The last thing I remember is the blaring horn of a truck. I had been crossing the street, my headphones blasting music, completely unaware of the speeding death machine bearing down on me. Then—pain. A moment of impact. And then… nothing.

Until now.

I wake up gasping for air, my body convulsing as if it’s rejecting existence itself. My skin burns—not from fire, but from the very air around me. It’s thick, heavy, and filled with something toxic. My lungs struggle, and I cough violently, trying to stand.

That’s when I see it.

The world around me is nothing but a seething, roiling expanse of molten rock. Rivers of lava stretch as far as my eyes can see, their crimson glow illuminating a sky thick with black smoke and ash. The ground beneath me is solid, but only barely—cracks of molten heat pulse underneath, threatening to break apart at any moment.

“What… the hell?” I whisper, my voice hoarse.

Then, something appears in my vision. A translucent blue box.

Welcome, new traveler, to the world of Eridion.
Initializing status…

Another screen pops up.

Name: Unknown
Race: Human
Class: Survivor
Level: 1
HP: 10/10
MP: 0/0
Skills: System assist (Basic resistance to the unfavorable conditions)

I blink. This is… some kind of game interface? Did I get isekai’d? But why here? This isn’t a fantasy kingdom with knights and dragons—this is hell.

A deep rumble shakes the ground beneath me, and my heart jumps. In the distance, a massive volcano erupts, spewing molten rock into the sky. Flaming debris rains down, some chunks landing dangerously close. I stumble backward, my bare feet barely avoiding a splash of lava.

Panic sets in. I need to move. I need to find something—shelter, food, water. But there’s nothing here but fire and rock. I glance at my status again, but it tells me nothing useful. No abilities. No buffs. Just Survivor, whatever that means.

Another notification pops up.

New Quest: First Steps in Hell
Objective: Survive for 24 hours.
Reward: ???

I swallow hard. Twenty-four hours? In this?!

The heat is unbearable. Every breath feels like I’m inhaling embers. My body is slick with sweat, but the moisture is evaporating too fast. If I don’t find cover soon, I’ll pass out from heatstroke.

I force myself to move, stepping cautiously over the cracked surface of blackened stone. Every few steps, I flinch at the hiss of lava bubbles bursting nearby. The landscape shifts constantly, like a living, breathing furnace.

Then, something shifts in the distance. A silhouette moving between the geysers of flame. It’s not human.

I freeze. My body screams at me to run, but I can’t tear my eyes away.

The creature steps into view—a towering, obsidian figure with glowing cracks running along its body, as if it’s made of cooled lava barely holding back the inferno inside. Its eyes burn like twin suns, locking onto me.

[Lava Warden] – Level???

My breath catches in my throat. My level is one. I don’t stand a chance.

The Warden lets out a deep, rumbling growl, and the ground trembles beneath me.

I do the only thing I can.

I run.