My Death Deals a Critical Blow to the Boss

【This story features Cthulhu Mythos, absurdity, and exploration】 〔Death = a cheat code? What’s it like to be crushed like an ant by an avatar of a god from the start?〕 Mannisa figures he must have stumbled into a nest of gods. The tin box in his hometown devours moonlight, a magician’s trick takes root in his veins, and the figures in missing-person posters split their mouths from ear to ear… Later, he discovers that every brush with death is a chance to get rich. If a shadow stabs him, he steals its authority. If molten rock burns him alive, he steals its star-like heat. People call him a “mad dog.” When Winfield’s emissary delivers an invitation to the Sulfur Sea, only Mannisa is smiling: “Why don’t you kill me one more time? I could use another ability.” You see, death is a business that always pays, and even the Supreme Gods have become his backup credit cards. (This isn’t a pure power fantasy. He is somewhat led around by the nose in the early stages.)