38 Wide Awake
[8:01 PM, Saturday 6th of May, 2023]
~DING!~
"Urghh... yeahh...?"
I groaned, slowly waking from my slumber, my body weighed down by exhaustion.
As I sat up, confusion washed over me. Memories of the intense battle with five apparitions flooded my mind, yet a gap, a void, remained in my memory.
I glanced across the room, half-expecting to find traces 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 my imagination at play.
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 tangible reality and empowering me to defeat my seemingly insurmountable foes.
"So, I won, huh? That was close. Thank goodness I don't have to start from scratch."
Unfortunately, this realization came with a sense of unease.
<Nightmare> came at a cost, a toll on my Life Force.
Each use of the Skill exacted a price, and I couldn't help but wonder what repercussions awaited me for invoking it a second time.
'How much would be removed? Why am I not dead yet, though? I only have... two... hold on…'
Memories from my time in <Nightmare> rushed back, and I realized 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 even opening my Status Window. Fear and dread paralyzed me, and I could only hope I hadn't just lost 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, right, the Special Event!" My eyes widened as I saw the System Panel appear before me.
The last time I received rewards, I got some great gifts. I wondered what I would receive this time.
It was exciting, honestly. But...
'I don't feel the same way about the System or these rewards anymore. After they used my trauma against me in that Special Event, I'm just pissed...'
Whoever was behind this scheme had exploited my vulnerabilities, and I found it deeply distasteful.
"Unfortunately, I still have to play along for now, to survive."
I gritted my teeth, frustrated by my own powerlessness, and made a resolution to improve, to become stronger. According to the System's words, it seemed I was one of the few who could achieve what I did, so I had to leverage on that.
"I'll use this as a stepping stone to propel myself even further!"
I had to become strong enough not only to survive but also to truly live my life.
'I think that will be my goal for now.' It might be a selfish goal, but it was all I had left.
It was all that truly 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]
"Hmm... I see." A slow, knowing smile crept onto my face as I gazed at the rewards now in my possession.
The Epic Treasure Chest held a tantalizing promise.
"I suppose an Epic Treasure Chest might beat a Rare one. Only one way to find out, though."
I knew I had to open it, but first, I needed to consider my other rewards. My Currency had increased significantly, a much-needed boon for my journey ahead. The Level-Ups, too, were impressive, likely a result of my hard-fought battles against five different foes.
There were no <You Have Leveled Up> messages in the "Nightmare," so they must have been included in my rewards.
'That means I'm at Level 20 now. Impressive!' I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment wash over me.
Yet, among everything, one thing that intrigued me the most was my newest Non-Exclusive Skill, <Fallen Foe>.
Its name held an air of mystery, and I couldn't wait to uncover its capabilities.
On another note, my outfits were already in tatters, a sign that their durability was nearly exhausted.
I had to acquire new gear or perhaps merge them for added strength. A better item from the Treasure Chest would be a welcome sight too, but all of that could wait.
First...
"Status Window," I whispered, eager to explore the newfound depths of my abilities.
[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.
"Seems like <Nightmare> drained 6 Stat Points. It's more than I expected, but considering all the work it did, it was well worth it."
Without those points, I might have died. Now that I'm slowly recalling the details, I can see how effortlessly I defeated my foes.
A power like this surely comes with great costs. I can only wonder what might have occurred if I had no Stat Points to rely on.
'This is why I should always keep Stat Points in reserve,' I thought to myself.
Sitting amidst the remains of the penthouse, I realized that my journey was far from finished. There were still countless challenges, adversaries to conquer, and mysteries to unravel
How long would this continue? How much more suffering would I have to endure? Was survival guaranteed?
Instead of despair or frustration, an inexplicable laughter welled up from within me.
"Hehehe...hahaha..."
Initially a quiet chuckle, it soon spiraled into a maniacal, uncontrollable laughter.
The sound echoed through the shattered penthouse, a mad symphony to the uncertainty of my path.
"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.
13:45
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"
The laughter consumed me, shaking my entire being.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"
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.
"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Tears rolled down my cheeks while the laughter persisted, blending with the dust and rubble all around me.
The world seemed to crumble in tandem with my sanity, creating a surreal landscape where emotions and destruction merged into a chaotic symphony.
This laughter held a mix of sweet victory and the sting of sacrifice. The world around me blurred, fading into insignificance as my laughter became the only sound that mattered.
At that moment, I embraced the chaos within me. It was a release, a cleansing expression of the wild spirit burning in my soul.
It served as a reminder that, even in the face of challenges and uncertainty, I wouldn't surrender to despair. I'd rise above it all, harnessing the darkness as my own weapon.
As the scene faded, my laughter echoed into the abyss, a haunting symphony of determination and madness.
I'd confront the challenges ahead, armed with the knowledge that I had become something incomprehensible.
The laughter faded, leaving a determined silence. I stood there, ready to face whatever awaited me, a twisted grin on my face.
"This still feels like a dream, but... I've never been more awake." With every heartbeat, I could feel the pulse of my newfound power, a testament to the extraordinary journey that lay ahead.
*
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[A/N]
Has Mikey begun his descent into madness? Is he the same person we once knew? Or has something changed?
We shall see.
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.
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Thanks for reading. Cheers!
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