SWNOVELXO Chapter 3: Welcome Dream Realm
The golden-eyed boy watched as the sleepers gathered in front of the giant screen.
Cassie turned her head toward the commotion. "What's going on?" she asked.
Ivan hesitated before answering, his voice low. "It's a list of everyone's chances of survival in the Dream Realm."
Cassie's voice barely just above a whisper. "I'm at the very bottom, aren't I?"
Ivan glanced at her with a mix of sympathy. "Yeah."
Cassie's bangs fell over her eyes. She forced a pained smile.
"It's to be expected there is no way a blind girl makes it far in a place like this."
As her pessimistic words hung in the air, Ivan moved swiftly, his hand suddenly appearing at her lower abdomen.
Cassie stiffened, her breath catching as his touch was deliberate, almost jarring.
She let out a stifled moan, a mix of surprise and discomfort, as he pinched and massaged the pressure points around her stomach with surprising skill.
"W-What are you doing?!" Cassie stammered, her face flushed deep crimson as she pulled back sharply, eyes wide with shock.
Ivan smirked but didn't let her go. "Just trying to break you out of your self-pity spiral."
Cassie balled her fists and swung them toward him in a hasty punch, but the motion was more comical than anything.
Her small, uncoordinated strike barely made contact, and Ivan burst into laughter.
"come on, Cass. You've gotta do better than that."
Cassie scowled, though the redness on her puffed cheeks didn't quite fade. "You're insufferable."
Cassie asked again, "Why hasn't the commotion died down yet?" She turned her gaze in the direction of the gathered sleepers.
Ivan answered, his tone steady. "It's about the number one sleeper, Nephis of the Immortal Flame Clan, and her true name—'Changing Star.'"
"Is it even possible for a sleeper to have a true name?" There was clear surprise and awe in her voice.
"Yeah, it's definitely possible. But they have to be extraordinary."
Ivan's gaze flickered briefly, he knew Nephis isn't the only sleeper here with a true name. In fact, there are three sleepers with a true name and a divine aspect… two of whom would go on to shape the world with their adventures."
***
After the breakfast period was over and the sleepers were all heading back to their quarters,
Ivan offered to help Cassie get back to her room, and Cassie didn't deny it—she accepted his offer.
Taking her hand, Ivan guided her through the hallways, their conversation light. After a few minutes of chatting and giving encouragement, he finally led her to her door, where they parted ways. Ivan then made his way back to his own quarters.
Sitting on the bed, his eyes devoid of any emotions.
Pulling out his runes
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Name: Ivan
True Name: Adam
Description: ???
Rank: Sleeper
Class: Devil
Soul Cores: [4/7]
Soul Fragments: [23/4000]
Attributes: [spectator], [Secrets Suppliant], [Sailor], [Bard], [Reader]
Aspect: [Visionary]
Aspect Rank: [Divine], ???
Description: [The Visionary is a master of thought and imagination, you are able to shape the flow of time and history itself through foresight. With unparalleled clarity, they can perceive and determine the emerging trends of the world, moulding the future with their will.]
Innate Ability: [Envision]
Attempts: [6/7]
Attempt Reset: [4:24:00 remaining]
[Envision]
Ability Description: [You possess the power to shape reality by envisioning it. You can create grounds, objects, and even powers from your imagination. What you see in your mind will come to life, transforming the world around you, though each creation is limited by your mental strength and vision. Your imagination holds the key to the future, and the future bends to your will.]
Flaw: [Unravelling Mind]
Flaw Description: [Every time you reshape reality, a piece of your mind slips into madness. The more you create, the more you lose control—visions become nightmares that torment your psyche, and you risk becoming a prisoner of the abyss of madness that not even gods can escape, forever trapped in endless suffering.]
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Letting out a tired sigh, he recounted everything that had happened.
"I've got Cassie on my side now, and with time, she should develop a deeper trust in me. Her mental state was more unstable than I thought, something that wasn't explored in the novel. It's surprising how she even managed to survive everything. No wonder she trusts Nephis so much after Nephis saved her on the Forgotten Shore. In a place where death is constantly looming, being saved in that situation would undoubtedly make her trust the savior more than anyone. That's why she chose Nephis over Sunny."
Dismissing the runes, he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling with a stoic expression.
"With the help of the psychiatrist's ability, I've resolved almost all of her mental and emotional problems. As the only person who has talked to her, listened to her, and joked with her, she will undoubtedly rely on me more. I am her saviour, her light in this dark world that has abandoned her."
Turning onto his side, he continued, "This will give me greater control over how things progress. This isn't like reading a novel that only highlights the important aspects of the story. There will be a lot of things that weren't mentioned in the story."
Getting up again, Ivan glanced at the clock on the bedside table.
"Classes will start soon. I should keep a low profile."
Now that I have Cassie on my side, I should focus on the most important problem right now: surviving the dream realm.
Taking out the paper with a list of classes, he scanned through the options.
Choosing the most common classes chosen by most sleepers, I have no reason to go for wilderness survival. My aspect is basically the Swiss Army knife of surviving the dream realm.
Though I might be blinded by my aspect, the reality is that I have no experience in survival—gathering food, water, all of it can be handled by my aspect.
But what about fighting? I am no legacy, I haven't even had my first nightmare. I need to learn how to fight.
And what better way to do that than by going to combat classes? My [reader] attribute should give me near-perfect memory, making it easier to learn -copy- from the sleepers and awakened instructors.
Finalizing his thoughts, Ivan pushed the papers aside, a sense of determination settling in. He stood up, stretched, and headed for the shower. After a quick bath, he got dressed, with one last look at his room, he left for the first class of the day.
***
The classes were decent, and the facilities provided were among the best. Ivan had made the most out of everything available to him, from learning the combat styles of others to gaining information about the dream world through the [reader]. Ivan was feeling proud of himself.
"I've never been this productive in a long time. Who am I kidding? I was never productive in my old world." As he thought about his past life, a melancholic smile spread across his face. He looked out the window at the city. Even though this was a dystopian world, it still had plenty of good things.
Ivan continued walking.
It had been several weeks, and today all the sleepers would finally enter the dream realm—only a few would survive. Cassie's mental state had improved a lot over the past couple of weeks. The multiple sessions of placating and constant interaction had helped her, and now she no longer needed to close herself off as a defence mechanism. She had begun expressing her pain, sorrow, worries for her family, likes and dislikes, and everything that weighed her down.
As for Sunny, aside from the interaction that should have taken place between him and Cassie, which I interrupted, he moved exactly as he did in the novel. Wilderness survival classes took up most of his time, and the rest was spent spying with his shadow. I still don't understand how he got away with it.
Turning his focus back to himself, Ivan practised using his abilities and realised he had been overlooking his [Sailor] power. Not only did it grant increased physical strength and aquatic abilities, but it also provided night vision. This was a valuable skill, especially for the Forgotten Shore, where water at night could be their worst enemy.
As he arrived at Cassie's quarters, he noticed the blonde girl walking out, using the wall to navigate.
Ivan quickened his pace, closing the distance between them, and called out to Cassie. "Hey, Cass!" She turned her head toward him, her fingers still lightly pressed against the wall to guide her steps.
Taking her hand and guiding her to the hall where the sleepers were being gathered.
Ivan asked "Didn't you sleep much last night?".
A small yawn escaped her mouth.
"I slept just fine, I feel sleepy despite it."
Cassie asked a question in return "Don't you feel sleepy?"
Ivan eyebrows narrowed, right the sleepers should be very drowsy due to the winter solstice but even though i feel sleepy, the feeling is just not strong enough, without keeping cassie in the wait he answered "yeah i feel like sleeping as well".
They had a brief conversation while walking, and when they reached the main area where the sleepers were waiting, Ivan scanned the surroundings and spotted Sunny and Nephis, who were already there.
Ivan and Cassie waited until Instructor Rock finished his speech and his warning to do their best to survive.
Ivan helped Cassie reach her sleeping pod. As she entered it, he stayed nearby.
He didn't placate her or use any psychiatric abilities but instead offered genuine encouragement.
Even without his [Spectator] ability, he could tell she was scared. Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a confident voice:
"Cass, whatever happens, don't worry. If we meet, we'll survive and make it out. And even if we don't… never give up. You're much stronger than anyone here. I'm sure you'll make it out."
Without the help of a psychiatrist's abilities, Ivan couldn't offer encouragement tailored to a specific problem, but he gave his most genuine words yet.
With that, he left the room.
Cassie, who had been lying down in her pod, fought to hold back her tears and fears. The fact that there was someone who believed in her, despite everything, gave her strength. To the very last moment before entering what felt like hell, she couldn't give up. Suppressing her fears, she closed her eyes.
Ivan lay down in his pod and waited. Several minutes passed as he waited to be pulled into the Dream Realm. The drowsiness was there, but it was weak. He should have fallen asleep immediately.
After waiting a few more minutes, Ivan finally closed his eyes, only to be immediately greeted by vast darkness, as the strangely familiar voice of the Nightmare spell echoed in his ears.
[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Ivan.]