The Dreamer's POV

[8:01 PM, Saturday 6th of May, 2024]

~DING!~

"Urghh... yeahh...?"

I stirred from my slumber, my body heavy with exhaustion. As I sat up, a sense of disorientation washed over me.

Memories of the intense battle against the five apparitions flooded my mind, yet there was a distinct gap, a void in my recollection.

I scanned the room, half-expecting to see the remnants of the fierce confrontation, but to my surprise, there were no enemies in sight.

"H-huh...?"

Confusion gnawed at me. What had just happened? How had I emerged victorious? I rubbed my temples, trying to piece together the fragmented memories that flickered at the edge of my consciousness.

It felt like a dream, but there was a lingering certainty that it had been more than just a figment of my imagination.

Then it struck me like a lightning bolt.

'The dream... was real?' The realization hit me with a mix of awe and trepidation.

'Haa... so that's what happened!'

My Skill, <Nightmare>, had been activated, turning my dreams into a tangible reality, empowering me to defeat the seemingly insurmountable foes.

"So I won, huh? That was a close one. Thank goodness I don't have to start from scratch..."

Unfortunately for me, this realization came with a sense of unease.

<Nightmare> came with a price, a toll on my Life Force.

Each use of the Skill exacted a cost, and I couldn't help but wonder what repercussions awaited me for invoking it a second time.

'How much would be removed? How come I'm not dead yet, though? I mean... I only have t-two... hold on...'

Fragments of memories from my time in <Nightmare> started rushing back, and I could tell that I had allocated 9 Stat Points for my Life Force.

'S-shit! Does that mean it took all 9 Stat Points as compensation?!'

There was only one way to find out, but at this point, I dreaded opening even my Status Window. The fear and dread paralyzed me, and I could only hope I didn't just lose 9 Stat Points... just like that.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

<The Special Event Has Ended>

{Congratulations, User! You are among the few who were able to complete the Special Event in the world, and the only one who was able to do so in your Zone.}

<User's accomplishments have been recorded>

<You will be rewarded for these achievements>

"Oh, yeah. The Special Event!" My eyes widened as I watched the System Panels appear before me.

The last time I got rewarded, I received many sweet gifts. I wondered what I would get this time.

It was exhilarating, to be honest. But...

'I no longer feel the same way about the System, or even about these rewards. After they pulled that shit in the Special Event, I'm just pissed...'

They had to use my trauma against me, whoever the bastard behind this scheme was. It was something I found extremely distasteful.

'Unfortunately, I still have to play along for now. To survive...'

Gritting my teeth, frustrated at my own powerlessness, I resolved to be better. To be stronger. From the words of the System, it seemed I was one of only a few who could pull off what I did, so I had to leverage on that.

'I'll use this as a ramp and propel myself forward even more!'

I had to be strong enough not to die... and also strong enough to live my life.

"I think that will be my goal for now." It was an extremely shallow and selfish one, but it was all I had left.

All that really mattered in this world.

~DING!~

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

<Here Are The Rewards Given For Your Achievements>

~One Treasure Chest (Epic)~

~1,000 Currency~

~New Non Exclusive Skill: <Fallen Foe>~

~Additional Level Up (5 Levels)~

[END OF INFORMATION]

"Haa... I see..." A smile slowly formed on my lips as I watched the display of rewards that now belonged to me.

'I think an Epic Treasure Chest should be better than a Rare one. There's only one way to find out, though...'

I would have to open the Treasure Chest. But first, I had to also consider my other rewards.

For one, I had more Currency, which was amazing. And the Level Ups were crazy. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I defeated five separate entities?

I didn't see any <You Have Leveled Up> in the <Nightmare>, so it must have been calculated as part of the Rewards.

'That means I'm in Level 20 now. Amazing!'

However, out of everything I saw, there was one thing that caught my eye the most. It was the newest addition to my Non Exclusive Skill.

'<Fallen Foe>, huh? I wonder what it does...'

On one other important note, though, my outfits were already tattered, so I could tell that the durability of my enchanted wears was very close to expiring. I either had to get a newer Item, or perhaps merge them.

If I could get a better item from the Treasure Chest, that would be much appreciated too. All of that could wait, though.

First...

"Status Window." I whispered.

[STATUS WINDOW]

- Name: Mikey Rael

- Race: Human

- Level: 20

- Life Force: 5/5

- Energy Level: 8/8 (+2)

- Combat Ability: 8/8 (+3), (+12)

- Stat Points: 35

- Currency: 2,250

- Role: <The Dreamer>

- Authority: <Dream/Nightmare>

- Titles: <Visionary>, <The One Who Saw The End>, <Chosen One>, <Survivor>

- Skills (Exclusive): <Dream>, <Nightmare>, <Visualize>

- Skills (Non-Exclusive): <Sprint>, <Focus>, <Fallen Foe>

- Items Equipped: <Energy Rock>, <Enchanted Shirt, Trouser, and Sneakers>, <Energy Recovery Necklace>, <Tower Pass (F1)>

- Alignment: Neutral

[Additional Information]

You can see the future and past by living it. It is a coveted power worthy of desire, but a scary one to possess.

"Looks like <Nightmare> took 6 Stat Points. It's higher than expected, but considering all the work it did, I suppose it was well worth it."

I would have died otherwise, and now that I was slowly remembering the details, I could see how I had demolished the enemies with ease.

Such a power was bound to have immense costs. I could only imagine what would have happened if I had no Stat Points to substitute for.

'This is another reason why I should always leave Stat Points on standby.'

Sitting amidst the remnants of the penthouse, the realization dawned upon me that my journey was far from over. There were still countless challenges ahead, enemies to vanquish, and mysteries to unravel.

How long would I have to do this? How long would this continue? How much more pain would I have to endure? Was it guaranteed that I would survive?

But instead of despair or frustration, inexplicable laughter bubbled up from within me.

"Pfft! Hihihihihihi... kekekeke..."

At first, it started as a quiet chuckle, escaping my lips in fits and starts. But as the weight of my journey settled upon me, the laughter grew, morphing into a maniacal, uncontrollable force.

"Hahahahahaha...!!!"

It echoed through the desolate room, filling the air with a cacophony of madness and release.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"

The laughter consumed me, shaking my entire being.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"

It was a mix of elation, madness, and defiance.

I laughed at the absurdity of my situation, at the countless battles I had fought and the countless more that lay ahead.

I laughed at the trials and tribulations that had molded me into something unrecognizable from the person I once was.

"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

Tears streamed down my face as the laughter continued, intermingling with the dust and debris that surrounded me.

It was a laughter tinged with the bittersweet taste of triumph and sacrifice. The world around me seemed to blur, fading away into insignificance as my laughter became the only sound that mattered.

At that moment, I embraced the chaos within me.

The laughter was a release, a cathartic expression of the untamed spirit that burned within my soul.

It was a reminder that even in the face of adversity and uncertainty, I refused to succumb to despair. I would rise above it all, embracing the darkness and transforming it into a weapon of my own.

As the scene began to fade, my laughter echoed into the abyss, a haunting symphony of determination and madness.

I would meet the challenges facing me head-on, armed with the knowledge that I had become something beyond comprehension.

The laughter subsided, leaving behind a resolute silence, and I stood there, ready to face whatever lay in wait with a twisted grin etched upon my face.

"This still feels like a dream, but... I've never been more awake."

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading.

The next chapter will be the final one for the first volume. I can't wait till we proceed to the next arc.

There'll be quite a good reveal in the next chapter, so anticipate it.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.Com