Reinhard opened his eyes.
The armored ceiling of the police station's vault hung above. The moment he laid his eyes on it, a wave of relief washed over him.
Even though there was little in this world he truly liked and was attached to, it was still infinitely better than the hell he had just escaped.
He expected to feel drowsy and maybe even have a headache upon waking up, but that wasn't the case. Instead, his body thrummed with life; after rising from a three-day slumber, he felt as though he could run a marathon without breaking a sweat.
For the first time in his life, Reinhard truly understood how good it felt to have a healthy body.
He tried to sink back into the pillow, savoring the sensation, but only then noticed the restraints binding his wrists and ankles.
He groaned internally.
Oh, come on!
Turning his head, he searched for someone who could free him.
His gaze landed on a man sitting beside the reinforced medical bed, slouched in a cheap plastic chair.
He looked to be in his late twenties, dressed in a dark blue uniform with silver epaulets and polished black boots. His jacket hung open, revealing a tight black shirt stretched across a well-built torso.
The man was quite muscular with broad shoulders and...
That's when Reinhard realized he was observing another guy too intently; the thought left him vaguely unsettled. He quickly averted his gaze.
He was probably more than a decade older than Reinhard too—
Wait, that didn't even matter!
He frowned.
Maybe because I haven't seen another normal human since the nightmare started.
Then after a pause.
Hm, yeah, that's the reason.
The man hadn't noticed him waking. A magazine rested over his face, rising and falling slightly with each slow breath.
He's asleep?
Reinhard frowned.
Wasn't this guy supposed to be monitoring him?
From what Reinhard understood, Awakened were far stronger than normal humans, with vastly sharper senses. Still, that hardly justified dozing off while guarding someone undergoing their first nightmare.
If Reinhard had failed and transformed into a monster, most of the police station would have been wiped out.
That would be the death of more than twenty people at least.
Not that Reinhard cared, since if he woke up, things wouldn't turn bad, and if he died... then why would he even care about anyone else's life?
His gaze drifted back to the man's shoulder, where a small insignia caught his eye.
Three stars.
Oh.
That meant the guy was actually an ascended!
Reinhard felt a little stupid now. Dealing with a dormant beast would be pretty easy for an ascended.
So… how was he supposed to wake him?
Before Reinhard could decide, the man stirred.
As if sensing Reinhard's gaze, he exhaled softly and lifted the magazine from his face. A relaxed smile spread across his features as he straightened.
"You're awake? Welco—"
To Reinhard's confusion, a look of mild surprise flickered across the handsome master's face as his gaze fell on Reinhard, and then, breaking the pause, he continued.
"Woah, your hair turned red."
***
"Huh?"
What did he mean, his hair had turned red?
If there had been a mirror in the room, Reinhard would have checked immediately. Unfortunately, between the restraints and his position on the bed, he couldn't move enough to see anything.
A soft chuckle reached his ears. It came from the Ascended watching over him.
The bastard was relishing his confusion!
"Relax," the man said, amusement evident in his voice. "Hair color changes after a nightmare are quite rare, but not unheard of. It's happened a few times before."
Then, with a faintly mischievous smile, he added, "You probably got a pretty impressive Aspect, didn't you? Let me guess—Awakened rank? Or maybe... Ascended?"
He paused.
"Or don't tell me… something even higher?"
Reinhard grew a bit uncomfortable; he didn't know how to reply to that.
He didn't think the man was serious. The playful tone made that clear. Still, the Ascended's easygoing, intrusive manner unsettled him.
"Hm. I guess I did," Reinhard replied flatly, offering no enthusiasm.
The man chuckled again.
"Serious type, huh?" he muttered, clearly not expecting an answer. "Well, I was just joking anyway."
Then he straightened, his tone shifting as he spoke more clearly.
"Putting that aside, welcome back to the land of the living, Sleeper Reinhard. Congratulations on surviving your first nightmare."
***
Sleeper Reinhard.
That's what people would call him now. He'd gone from being an unknown outskirts rat to a survivor of the first nightmare and was now a sleeper.
Alright, that wasn't special enough. But he had a divine aspect of all things!
As far as Reinhard knew, no one in recorded history had ever possessed one. Even Ascended-ranked Aspects were exceedingly rare. Anything beyond that existed almost entirely in myths and speculation.
After all, humanity itself had not climbed very high. It had been little more than a decade since humans had finally conquered the Third Nightmare, gaining the ability to evolve their cores to the Transcendent rank.
And yet, he had received a Divine Aspect.
That alone made him special.
Then there was the True Name.
Not even all saints possessed one. For a Sleeper to gain a True Name was nothing short of miraculous.
'Beacon of Accord.' That sounded pretty cool. And being able to form attributes through a dormant aspect ability was no small thing, either.
Not to mention his innate ability.
Actually… what exactly was an innate ability, anyway?
Reinhard had heard of attributes and Aspect abilities before, but never something called an innate ability.
Was it unique to him?
Maybe a byproduct of having a Divine Aspect?
Well, He was currently enjoying a hot shower in the police station's showers.
Master Cline was the man who had watched over Reinhard's body during the first nightmare. After unfastening his restraints, Cline told him to take a shower since he "reeked of the nightmare."
The unnatural slumber induced by the spell had slowed his body's metabolism, and the medical apparatus he'd been strapped into was meant to handle the rest. Still, he had been asleep for three whole days.
Even if only in his mind, the scent of bloodshed and despair still clung to him.
Now he stood beneath the shower, letting the streams of hot water wash over his skin.
In that quiet, he studied his summoned runes in silence.
A Divine-ranked Aspect was not something one received every day.
He wanted to understand exactly what he had gained.
So, for the third time that day, Reinhard began reading his runes from the very top.
Name: Reinhard.
True name: Beacon of Accord.
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul core: Dormant.
Soul Fragments: [0/1000].
Memories: [Pain Eater] [Bright Fury] [Ranger's Cloak]
Echoes:
Attributes: [Fated] [Battle Master] [Favored by Fate]
[Favored by Fate] attribute description: ["Fate shows preference towards you."]
[Fated] attribute description: ["The strings of fate wrap tightly around you. Unlikely events, both good and bad, are drawn by your presence. There are those who are blessed, and there are those who are cursed... but rarely both." ]
[Battle Master] attribute description: ["You are proficient in all forms of combat."]
Aspect: [Instrument of Inevitability]
Aspect Description: [You were created as Fate's most obedient anomaly — a conscious fracture within its perfect design. A human mind woven directly into destiny's loom. Though you possess thought, desire, and resistance, none of them are truly yours. You are allowed to stray only because your deviation itself serves a greater purpose. Fate does not bind you out of cruelty, nor shield you out of mercy. You exist as its living instrument — aware enough to suffer, human enough to struggle, yet bound to fulfill what must be.]
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Innate ability: [Scarred Adaptation]
Innate ability description: [Your soul and body adapt to conditions you have endured.]
Aspect Abilities: [Oathborne]
Aspect Ability description: [Attributes form at your command.]
Flaw: [Bound To Light.]
Flaw description: ["You are a hero, and a hero is all you will ever be."]
As Reinhard read through his runes, a faint frown formed on his face; it was the same expression he had worn when he first discovered them within his soul sea.
The first problem arose in his attributes.
Battle Master was straightforward enough.
His biggest doubt, however, arose when he looked at the remaining two attributes and, by extension, his Aspect name and description.
Why am I so 'entangled' with fate?
When his First Nightmare had begun, he possessed [Fated] and [Noted by Fate]. The latter had evolved into [Favored by Fate] once he survived.
[Fated] was a little concerning, but he should have been happy by [Favored by Fate]; it practically made him a favored existence in Fate's eyes.
And yet…
His Aspect.
Being described as an 'instrument' was unnerving, to say the least.
But after a moment, another thought surfaced.
Isn't everyone in this world an instrument to fate, in some way?
The difference, perhaps, was that Reinhard had been granted influence over it, however limited and conditional that influence might be.
A leash, but a longer one.
I guess I have a love-hate relationship with fate.
The thought drew a faint, humorless smile to his lips.
However, thinking about this was giving him a headache, so he preferred moving on.
Aspect ability was clear, and he knew his innate ability was also quite useful, just not as direct as his aspect-ability.
His gaze instead landed on his flaw.
Flaw: [Bound To Light.]
Flaw description: ["You are a hero, and a hero is all you will ever be."]
Is all you will ever be...
A virtuous, morally righteous hero was the very last thing Reinhard would ever call himself.
And yet, his flaw dictated that he would be forced into one; he didn't even know how!
Just why is my luck so bad?!
Reinhard lampooned.
***
After a few moments, Reinhard reluctantly shut off the tap.
As he stepped toward the towel rack, his gaze drifted to the mirror mounted along the wall.
What greeted him was a slender frame featuring an array of well-toned muscles. Bright crimson hair framed sharp features, contrasting against deep blue eyes.
Even he had to admit it.
He looked good.
No, more like extremely handsome!
A smug smile crept onto his face.
"Now that's what you call good-looking."
He spent a few more moments flexing and admiring himself before finally tearing his gaze away and grabbing a towel.
It was truly fortunate no one had walked in, or that would've been awkward as hell.
Minutes later, dressed in a clean police-issued tracksuit, Reinhard made his way to the cafeteria.
Master Cline was waiting for him at one of the tables with a full tray of steaming synthetic food in front of him.
"Finally out of the showers, huh?" Cline analyzed Reinhard for a few moments. "Damn, man, I bet you'll attract quite a number of girls at the academy—if you decide to go there, of course."
"Thank you," Reinhard said, sitting across from him. But followed it with an uncertain look about the latter part.
Master Cline chuckled.
"Good game. That polite demeanor only adds to the charm." Then his tone softened a bit. "Don't worry about that for now. First eat your food; I will explain it all after."
He gestured toward the plate.
"Okay."
Reinhard looked down at the food and sighed inwardly.
It wasn't much different from what he used to eat in the outskirts.
This is a police station cafeteria, he thought. Couldn't they serve something better?
So much for climbing the ladder of life. Becoming a Sleeper hadn't instantly elevated his status, at least not where food was concerned.
Still, food was food. He didn't complain further and picked up his spoon.
But just then, the spell's voice rang in his mind.
[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Flavour Grace.]
What the fuck?
He didn't show any change in expression outwardly, but his mind was racing.
So I wished for tastier food... and got an attribute for it?
That was unexpected but also kind of amazing. He certainly wasn't about to complain.
Furthermore, at least he didn't need to wait to test his aspect ability; he was already seeing its effects.
Noticing Reinhard staring at his plate, Cline raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?"
Reinhard glanced up at him and replied.
"No. I was just thinking."
Without wasting any more time, he started eating.
As he took the first bite, flavors burst across his tongue.
Even if it was just cheap synthetic food, it tasted like a five-star meal. Not that he'd ever had one to compare.
He barely resisted the urge to devour the entire tray like a starving man, forcing himself to slow down. No matter how good he looked, how he carried himself still mattered.
When he finally set the empty bowl aside, Cline leaned back slightly.
"Alright. Now that you're done," Cline began, his tone turning professional, "there are a few formalities I'm obligated to cover."
Reinhard straightened.
"First of all, concerning your nightmare, you are entitled to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body—it's only right to keep it healthy." He paused. "Are you interested?"
Reinhard shook his head.
Cline nodded, accepting the answer easily.
"Fair enough. There's also paperwork concerning family matters, but I already checked your file, so I know that doesn't apply." He paused, then added lightly, "On the bright side, at least you won't have to change your ID photo because of your hair color."
A brief silence followed.
Then Cline smiled. "You know. Since you didn't have one before anyway."
Reinhard stared at him.
Are you serious?
"…Yeah, I guess," he said after a moment, a reluctant smile forming.
Cline laughed softly.
"Hah. Anyway," he continued, "now we get to the important part—your preparation for the Dream Realm."
He folded his hands on the table.
"From here on, you're free to do whatever you want. No one's forcing your choices. But as a Sleeper, you're eligible to enroll in the Awakened Academy. They'll provide food, lodging, and preparatory classes." He grinned. "And the food's about a hundred times better than this. Or anything you had in the outskirts."
Then his tone softened.
"Don't take this as pressure. Just advice from a senior." He studied Reinhard for a moment. "I've got a feeling you'll go far, kid. And since you're from the outskirts, I'm guessing you don't have many other ways to prepare."
"If you do, ignore me. But if you don't—even one month before the winter solstice can make a massive difference in your survival odds."
What makes you so confident in me anyway?
Reinhard had no intention of dying; heck, he was going to do anything it took to survive and grow stronger. But still, he was a little confused by Cline's good nature. Reinhard had a feeling he could be trusted, though; most of what he said was standard procedure, so perhaps his caution didn't make sense anyway.
Cline paused, then asked, "So, what do you say? Do you want me to take you to the Academy?"
Reinhard considered the offer for only a few seconds.
Cline was right; coming from the outskirts, he had no other realistic way to prepare. The Academy was, without doubt, the best possible option.
"Yes," he said. "I want to go to the Awakened Academy."
***
Reinhard sat quietly in Cline's PTV.
After agreeing to attend the academy, Cline had immediately driven him there. And true to form, the man hadn't stopped talking for even a moment since they had left.
Only after a long stream of commentary, and when they were nearly at their destination—did he finally fall silent.
Now Reinhard simply stared out the window, watching the scenery blur by in silence.
Eventually, boredom crept in, and he summoned his runes.
His gaze drifted to his attributes, and he noticed something new.
Attributes: [Fated] [Battle Master] [Favored by Fate] [Flavour Grace]
Hmm, so I keep the attributes I create forever? he thought. Well, that's cool. At least there's no time limit or anything.
He had planned to test his abilities later when he was alone, but excitement got the better of him. There was still time, and curiosity was too strong to resist.
Let's see... what kind of attributes can I get?
He thought for a moment, glanced around, then turned his eyes to the world outside the PTV window.
Oh yeah. An idea flickered in his mind. That should suffice for now.
And just like before, the Nightmare Spell's voice echoed in his head:
[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Clear Sight.]
Suddenly, the world brightened.
Holy fu—
He could pick up far more details than before; even the text on distant signs was now crystal clear.
He tested the ability for a while until the novelty began to wear off.
Looking back inside, he summoned his runes again and checked his attributes.
To his surprise, the list had changed.
Attributes: [Fated] [Battle Master] [Favored by Fate] [Clear Sight]
So it replaces the old one automatically.
He frowned slightly.
To confirm, he focused again.
[New attribute acquired.]
[Attribute Name: Flavour Grace.]
Attributes: [Fated] [Battle Master] [Favored by Fate] [Flavour Grace]
Welp, that's disappointing, he sighed inwardly. That meant he couldn't keep more than one self-created attribute at a time.
Leaning his elbow against the car door, he rested his chin on his hand and thought it through.
So, based on what I know... there's no cooldown after summoning an attribute, but I can only hold one at once. I could switch them depending on the situation, though... Still, stacking them together would've been a lot more useful.
***
Reinhard stood before the massive crimson gates of the Awakened Academy.
They towered overhead, seemingly indestructible.
The Academy itself was a city within a city—built like a fortress.
With a high wall made of hard alloy, deep moat and numerous large-caliber turrets which were placed in certain positions to create a deadly air-suppression dome. No nightmare creature, not even colossal titans, was supposed to be able to break through its defenses.
The scale left him momentarily breathless.
I'm really going in there…
Still, none of that mattered. Preparing for the Dream Realm was all that mattered.
Snow drifted softly from the sky, settling on the stone before the silent gates. The air was cold and still.
Reinhard stood alone.
Cline's parting words echoed in his mind.
***
After Reinhard had settled into the PTV, Cline had glanced at him before starting the engine.
"I'm in a good mood today," he'd said lightly. "So I'll give you a few pieces of advice. Pay attention if you want to."
Reinhard looked at Master Cline, waiting.
Why do I feel like the 'being in a good mood' reason is just a lie?
"First, whether in the Dream Realm or the real world, humans can be just as dangerous as nightmare creatures. The easiest way to kill someone is to know their aspect, their abilities… or their flaw."
Cline's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Given your past, I think you're smart enough to understand what I'm saying."
Reinhard did.
Even if Cline hadn't said it, he would have followed that rule instinctively.
What one person knows, everyone eventually will.
"Yeah, I understand." He replied.
"Good. Now, second," Cline continued, "kids who've been attending schools already are ahead of you. So during this one month, your main focus should be gathering as much knowledge as possible related to survival in the wild."
He paused, then elaborated.
"For example, knowing how to start a fire is one of the most important survival skills. Beyond that—how to procure food, build shelter, find water, and treat wounds. All of it matters."
Reinhard nodded. That was quite obvious, yet he doubted he would have reached that conclusion so clearly on his own, so he silently thanked Master Cline in his mind.
"Third: no one can survive in the Dream Realm alone. That's not an opinion—that's a fact. Try to get along with your peers, even if they don't treat you well, which I highly doubt would happen, but still," he added, a faint smile touching his lips, "it might save your life."
Just then, the PTV slowed and came to a stop.
Reinhard looked up.
The towering gates of the Awakened Academy loomed before them.
Cline stepped out, and Reinhard followed.
Before Cline could speak, Reinhard bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you for the advice, Master Cline."
Cline chuckled.
"It's nothing. I've got a feeling we'll meet again someday. So—good luck, Reinhard."
Reinhard nodded.
With a final wave, Cline returned to his PTV and drove away.
***
No one survives in the Dream Realm alone.
As Reinhard stood before the towering gates, those words echoed in his mind.
Until now, he had relied only on himself.
And he intended to continue doing so.
It wasn't that he opposed cooperation. If he found capable companions, working together would be beneficial.
But being told it was an absolute law unsettled him.
We'll see.
The thought carried a faint edge of defiance.
A metallic rumble snapped him from his thoughts.
A massive bridge descended from the wall, locking into place with a thunderous clang.
Exhaling slowly, Reinhard stepped forward.
And passed through the gates of the Awakened Academy.
***
Damn, I'm so smart…
Reinhard thought, standing alone in a corner of the vast hall where more than a hundred Sleepers had gathered.
Before entering, he had decided not to get involved with anyone.
But due to his good looks and the fact that most of the Sleepers seemed eager to talk and excitedly share their experiences of the first nightmare, he quickly realized that staying completely under the radar would be difficult.
So, as a countermeasure, he'd created an attribute called [Gloom Veil].
As the name suggested, it made him less noticeable in the eyes of others.
And now, there he was, standing alone menacingly, watching everyone else chat in groups.
Boring.
He sighed.
Standing by himself had gotten boring.
Just at that moment a tall man in a dark-blue uniform stepped onto the stage. Tall wasn't even the right word—the man was practically a giant.
He had broad shoulders, an athletic build, and a gorgeous brown beard. His eyes were calm and serious. After reaching the center of the stage, he gave Sleepers a long look.
"I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy."
Everyone listened in complete silence.
"In less than a month, you will be summoned to the Dream Realm. Some of you might think you're well prepared. You're wrong. The Spell is merciless and cunning. The moment an Awakened begins to think too highly of themselves, they die. I've seen countless Sleepers like you lose their lives. I've seen Masters fall. Even Saints are not guaranteed to survive."
Get to the damn point.
"In the next four weeks, we will do everything we can to increase your chances of survival. You'll train under some of the best instructors in the world. But don't be fooled by their reputations — in the end, whether you return from the Dream Realm alive depends on only one person: you. The responsibility to survive is yours, and yours alone."
Except for the Legacies, most of the Sleepers exchanged nervous glances, fear slowly taking root in their eyes.
Awakened Rock continued:
"You are not children anymore. It's a shame, because you ought to be. But the Spell has decided otherwise. You have been to the First Nightmare, so you already know what it's like. Your parents, your teachers and your friends can't help you anymore…"
Can't say I don't know how that feels already.
Now that Awakened Rock had successfully fucked the mood, he finally moved on to the important part.
"Now, let's talk about the difference between Nightmares and the Dream Realm…"
***
That was something Reinhard was keenly interested in.
He knew that the theories and general knowledge ordinary people possessed about the Awakened world were probably flawed, exaggerated, or outright wrong. Normal civilians had no business knowing secrets deeper than what directly concerned their lives, after all.
So, Reinhard focused on Awakened Rock's words with complete attention.
Awakened Rock began to speak.
"Most people are aware of what nightmares are—because they have an impact on the real world and their lives. All of you have been warned before entering the First Nightmare that, should you perish there, a Nightmare Creature would be allowed to cross the threshold and enter reality."
Yes, that was the reason Master Cline had been tasked with watching over his body.
But as that thought passed, another question surfaced in Reinhard's mind, one he hadn't paid much attention to before.
Wait. Why was a Master ordered to watch over a dormant beast threat, anyway? Awakened should be able to deal with them as well.
While not as rare as saints, masters were still far too valuable to be considered expendable. They certainly shouldn't be tasked with watching over aspirants—at least, that was what Reinhard thought.
As he finished that line of reasoning, Awakened Rock continued delivering more information.
Reinhard learned many things he hadn't been aware of before.
All in all, it was a fruitful opening ceremony.
***
After it ended, the Sleepers were dismissed.
Everything related to Sleepers was located within the same massive building. Reinhard followed the instructions sent to his communicator and quickly found the dormitories, which were situated on one of the lowest levels.
He had a whole room to himself.
It had a bed with a soft mattress, a table, a dresser, and even a separate bathroom! The materials were new and aesthetically pleasing, and the air, crisp and sterile. It was warm inside, and the outer wall was equipped with a hidden screen that seamlessly imitated a wide window, opening to a picturesque vista of a snowy park.
There were even several sets of clothes with the Academy emblem provided to him for free.
For someone who had been from the outskirts, all this was like living in a palace for him.
So I've finally moved up in the world, huh?
After properly inspecting the room, Reinhard picked up one of the academy uniforms and put it on.
He studied his reflection in the mirror.
With nothing else to do for the moment, he sat down on the bed and summoned his runes.
His gaze settled on his memories.
He already knew roughly what his sword and cloak did, so after creating an attribute to see the exact usage of memories, he focused on his armor.
Memory: [Pain Eater]
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: VI
Memory Type: Armor
Memory Description: [There once lived an executioner who believed pain was a sin that should not be wasted. On battlefields, he gathered the suffering of the dying, binding their agony into blackened armor. Each scream was etched into the metal, and every tear hardened its surface. Over years of relentless work, the executioner poured his craft, obsession, and cruelty into the armor until it learned to recognize pain as nourishment.]
Memory Enchantments: [Enhanced Durability] [Pain Eater]
[Enhanced Durability] Enchantment Description: [Increases the physical resilience of the memory, allowing it to withstand high impacts, pressure, and destructive forces.]
[Pain Eater] Enchantment Description: [Consumes the pain experienced by the wearer, converting it into restoration and empowerment.]
Not bad at all!
Both enchantments on the armor were highly useful. From the limited experience Reinhard had so far, he knew that memory descriptions were largely meaningless to him. For ordinary awakened humans, they could offer insight into the nature and workings of a memory.
But with his newly created attribute, Reinhard already understood those mechanisms.
To him, the description served little purpose beyond offering a glimpse into the twisted history behind the armor's creation.
***
Reinhard had just realized something—the moment he received his Flaw, he had been royally fucked.
He had known that his flaw forced him to act like some kind of hero. But until now, he hadn't truly understood how it worked.
A part of him had clung to a desperate hope that it wouldn't be too bad.
But now, he knew better.
"Forced to be a virtuous hero..." he muttered under his breath. Then, louder in his head: What the FUCK?! This isn't FAIR!
He raged internally, pacing circles in his mind.
His flaw didn't even allow him to lie. Or kill—unless he genuinely believed the person or creature deserved it.
Bound to Light? More like bound to slavery!
Sure, he'd been thrilled to have a divine-ranked aspect. But now, that excitement was crumbling fast.
Is this what Slave of Fate meant?
This isn't even a flaw—it's five or six glued together!
He groaned, rubbing his temples.
It took a while, but eventually his frustration dulled. The anger soon ended; food seemed like the only good idea left.
He left his room, locking the door behind him, and headed toward the cafeteria, still muttering curses under his breath.
The moment he walked in, though, his nose was hit by the smell of actual, real food—not the synthetic trash from the outskirts. For a brief second, he forgot about everything else.
Reinhard's stomach growled.
He filled his tray to the brim and found an empty table in the corner. As he ate, some of the tension in his shoulders eased.
By the time he got to dessert, the emotional turmoil had almost disappeared.