Author's note: Posted earlier then it was supposed to be because I am busy with tution
But before Priya could even focus—
Before she could enter the dream—
The air around her shifted.
A sudden pressure.
Heavy.
Overwhelming.
Figures began to appear, one after another, moving with precision and urgency.
High-ranking members of the DHO had arrived.
Dream Hunters.
Dream Doctors.
And Dream Crafters.
Their presence alone changed everything.
The chaos didn't stop—but it felt… contained.
Controlled.
Like professionals had taken over a situation far beyond ordinary understanding.
Priya froze slightly, looking up at them.
"…They're here already?"
Among them were others too—
Less noticeable.
Less powerful.
But still important in their own way.
Dream Collectors.
Unlike Dream Hunters or Doctors, Dream Collectors didn't possess high combat ability. Their ranks rarely went above E, and many within the organization didn't consider them particularly important.
But that didn't mean they were useless.
Far from it.
They had a specific role—
To gather.
To retrieve.
To bring back what others might overlook.
Because within dreams—
There were more than just monsters.
There were items.
Objects formed from dream energy itself.
Some unstable.
Some rare.
Some incredibly powerful.
These items could be collected by Dream Collectors and passed on to Dream Crafters, who would then refine, enhance, or reshape them into usable weapons and tools.
And from there—
They would be given to Dream Hunters.
Used in battles.
In missions.
In survival.
Everything was connected.
Everything had a system.
And just like people—
These items also followed a ranking scale.
From the lowest—
To the highest.
S-Rank.
Rare.
Extremely rare.
Items of that level almost never appeared on their own.
Most were found near—or guarded by—Dream Monsters.
Powerful ones.
Dangerous ones.
The kind that could kill unprepared Hunters in seconds.
Though, on rare occasions—
An S-Rank item could appear without a monster.
Unprotected.
Unclaimed.
But those cases were few.
Almost unheard of.
Because in most dreams—
If you wanted something valuable—
You had to fight for it.
Or solve for it.
Puzzles. Traps. Trials.
Every dream was different.
Unpredictable.
And dangerous in its own way.
Standing there, surrounded by people far more experienced than her—
Priya clenched her hands slightly.
Her rank was low.
Her experience, almost nothing.
But even so—
"…I can still help," she whispered to herself.
Because right now—
Rank didn't matter as much as one thing.
Action.
And she wasn't going to stand still.
Priya didn't go unnoticed.
But she wasn't taken seriously either.
A few of the higher-ranking members glanced her way—some curious, most indifferent—but one in particular didn't even bother to hide her opinion.
Mi-ra.
A 27-year-old Dream Hunter, ranked A+.
Well-known. Respected. And, to many, intimidating.
Not just because of her rank—
But because of who she was.
The daughter of the co-manager of the DHO.
Her presence alone carried authority.
And she knew it.
Mi-ra stood a short distance away, arms crossed as she observed the situation with sharp, calculating eyes. Flames reflected faintly in her gaze, but her expression remained composed—almost bored.
Then her attention shifted.
Landed on Priya.
A child.
Small. Untrained-looking. Covered in ash.
"…What is she doing here?" Mi-ra said flatly.
One of the nearby members hesitated.
"She's… awakened."
Mi-ra raised an eyebrow.
"…Rank?"
"…E."
Silence.
Then—
A quiet scoff.
"Of course."
She didn't even try to lower her voice.
Priya heard it.
Of course she did.
Mi-ra stepped a little closer, her heels crunching lightly against broken glass and debris. She looked down at Priya—not with curiosity, but with clear dismissal.
"This isn't a place for beginners," she said. "Especially not children."
Priya tightened her grip slightly, but didn't look away.
"I can help," she said, her voice small—but steady.
Mi-ra studied her for a second.
Then sighed, as if already tired of the conversation.
"…No," she said simply. "You'll get in the way."
The words were blunt.
Cold.
Not meant to comfort.
Not meant to encourage.
Just… factual, in her eyes.
Around them, a few others exchanged glances but said nothing. No one stepped in.
Because Mi-ra wasn't wrong.
An E-rank, in a situation like this—
Was a liability.
At least, that's how they saw it.
Priya swallowed, her chest tightening slightly—but she didn't step back.
"…I can enter dreams," she said quietly.
Mi-ra paused.
Barely.
Then shrugged.
"So can everyone here," she replied.
That stung more than it should have.
Priya lowered her gaze for a second—
Then looked back up.
Determined.
Even if no one believed in her—
She wasn't going to just stand there.
Not when people needed help.
Mi-ra watched her for another moment.
Then turned away, already losing interest.
"Stay out of the way," she said over her shoulder. "That's the most helpful thing you can do."
And just like that—
She dismissed her.
Completely.
But Priya didn't move.
Didn't leave.
Because deep down—
She knew something they didn't.
Even if she was weak—
Even if she was underestimated—
She was still awakened.
And right now—
That was enough.
Back to Yeon-hwa
Yeon didn't stay inside for long.
Something felt wrong.
Too wrong to ignore.
After making sure his mother and sister were still breathing—still stable—he grabbed his jacket and rushed out of the apartment.
The moment he stepped outside—
He froze.
"…What…?"
The street was unrecognizable.
Cars were crashed into each other at unnatural angles, some with shattered windows, others completely abandoned in the middle of the road. Streetlights flickered weakly, casting uneven shadows across the destruction.
Debris was scattered everywhere.
Broken glass.
Bent metal.
Fallen signs.
And worst of all—
People.
Dozens of them.
Collapsed on the ground, motionless.
"…This is insane," Yeon whispered.
It looked less like an accident—
And more like the aftermath of something sudden.
Something that had hit everyone at once.
He took a few careful steps forward, his chest tightening as he looked around.
"…All of them…"
Unconscious.
Just like his family.
Just like the broadcast had said.
And yet—
He didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
Because even now, his mind was already moving ahead.
I need to help.
But before he could take another step—
A sharp sound cut through the silence.
The low, familiar rumble of a bike engine.
Yeon turned.
And there—
Riding straight toward him—
Was Jisung.
"…You've got to be kidding me," Yeon muttered under his breath.
Of all people.
Of course it was him.
Jisung slowed as he approached, stopping just a few feet away. He swung one leg off the bike smoothly, his gaze already scanning Yeon from head to toe.
Not casually.
Not lazily.
Carefully.
Focused.
"…You're injured," Jisung said immediately.
Yeon blinked.
"…What?"
Jisung stepped closer without hesitation, his expression tightening slightly.
"Your arm," he said. "And your side."
Only then did Yeon register it.
A dull ache.
Then a sharper one.
"…Oh."
Right.
The dream.
His sister's dream hadn't been dangerous—but it hadn't been harmless either.
Somewhere along the way, he had gotten hurt.
And in the rush—
He hadn't even noticed.
"…It's nothing," Yeon said quickly. "Just a scratch."
Jisung gave him a look.
A very clear I don't believe you look.
"…You're bleeding," he said flatly.
"…Lightly bleeding."
"That's still bleeding."
Yeon sighed.
"…Okay, fine. Maybe a little more than lightly."
Jisung didn't look convinced.
But instead of arguing further, his expression shifted—more serious now, more focused on the situation around them.
"…You saw the news?" Jisung asked.
Yeon nodded.
"…Everyone's asleep."
"Everyone who isn't awakened," Jisung corrected.
"…Yeah."
A brief silence passed between them as both of them looked around.
At the wreckage.
At the unconscious people.
At how wrong everything felt.
"…This isn't normal," Yeon said.
"No," Jisung replied. "It's not."
Then his gaze flickered back to Yeon.
"…You've already entered dreams, haven't you?"
Yeon hesitated.
"…Yeah."
"How many?"
"…Two."
Jisung nodded slightly, as if that confirmed something.
"…Get on," he said, gesturing toward the bike.
Yeon blinked.
"…What?"
"We don't have time," Jisung said. "This is happening everywhere. The DHO is already mobilizing."
"…And?"
"And you're coming with me."
Yeon stared at him.
"…That doesn't sound optional."
"It's not."
"…I hate that."
Despite that—
He didn't argue.
Because deep down—
He knew Jisung was right.
This wasn't something he could ignore.
Not anymore.
Yeon climbed onto the bike behind him, wincing slightly as his injuries protested.
"…If I fall, I'm blaming you," he muttered.
"You won't fall," Jisung replied.
"…That's not reassuring."
The engine roared back to life.
And within seconds—
They were gone.
Racing straight toward whatever chaos awaited next.
The further they rode—
The worse it got.
Every street they passed looked like it had been torn apart in seconds.
Shattered buildings.
Overturned vehicles.
People lying motionless across the roads.
It didn't look real.
It looked like the aftermath of something far beyond normal disaster.
Yeon tightened his grip slightly as the bike sped forward, the cold air biting against his face.
"…This is insane," he muttered.
Jisung didn't respond.
Then—
Suddenly—
The bike came to a sharp stop.
"—What?" Yeon said, nearly losing balance. "Why did you—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Because Jisung wasn't looking at him.
He was staring ahead.
Completely focused.
Completely still.
"…Jisung?" Yeon said more quietly.
No response.
Just that same sharp gaze.
So Yeon followed it.
And then—
He saw it.
"…What the hell is that?"
The unconscious people on the ground—
They started to move.
Not waking up.
Not stirring.
But something else.
Something wrong.
A dark, shadow-like mass began to leak out from their bodies—
From their heads.
Twisting.
Stretching.
Forming.
"…No way…" Yeon whispered.
The shapes grew clearer—
Taking form.
Limbs.
Claws.
Distorted figures.
Monsters.
Emerging.
"…They're coming out of them…" Yeon said, his voice tightening.
As if—
They were escaping.
Escaping from the dreams.
Jisung's expression hardened.
"…That's not supposed to happen."
No.
It wasn't.
Not at all.
Because Dream Monsters were meant to stay inside dreams.
Contained.
Controlled.
Not—
Breaking into reality.
"…This is bad," Yeon said.
A pause.
"…This is really bad."
The first creature fully formed, letting out a distorted, echoing sound that didn't belong in the real world.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds—
There were too many.
Yeon didn't hesitate anymore.
"…Fine. Guess we're doing this."
He reached behind him and pulled out his weapon.
A spear.
Sleek.
Elegant.
And completely unfamiliar in his hands.
"…Okay," he muttered. "I regret my life choices."
Because here was the problem—
Yeon had absolutely no idea how to use it.
He hadn't trained with it.
Hadn't practiced.
Hadn't even researched it.
He had bought it—
Randomly.
On a whim.
Because—
"…It looked pretty," he admitted under his breath.
Jisung glanced at him.
"…You're joking."
"I wish I was."
"…You don't know how to use your own weapon?"
"Nope."
"…Then why do you have it?"
"Because it was shiny."
"…That's not a valid reason."
"It was at the time!"
Jisung stared at him for a second—
Then looked away.
"…Unbelievable."
But that wasn't even the worst part.
Yeon tightened his grip on the spear, feeling the faint energy humming through it.
"…I didn't even check the rank," he added.
Jisung paused.
Slowly—
"…What rank is it?"
Yeon hesitated.
"…I checked later."
"And?"
"…S-rank."
Silence.
Jisung turned to him fully this time.
"…You bought an S-rank weapon randomly."
"…Yes."
"…Without knowing how to use it."
"…Yes."
"…Because it looked pretty."
"…YES."
A beat.
"…You're actually insane."
"I've been told that."
Despite everything—
The spear itself was powerful.
That much was obvious.
S-rank weapons weren't just rare—
They were dangerous.
Even in the hands of high-ranking users, they required skill, control, and experience.
Without that—
They were unpredictable.
Unstable.
More of a risk than an advantage.
"…This is a bad idea," Jisung said.
"I know."
"…You could hurt yourself."
"I know."
"…Or me."
"I will try not to."
Jisung sighed.
"…Try harder."
Another monster lunged forward.
That ended the conversation.
Yeon tightened his grip on the spear, forcing himself to focus.
"…Okay," he muttered. "How hard can this be?"
The spear flickered faintly with energy in his hands.
Unfamiliar.
Powerful.
And completely out of his control.
"…Yeah," he added under his breath. "This is definitely how I die."
The monster charged.
And Yeon—
Stepped forward.
The monster lunged.
Fast.
Way too fast.
"OH—!"
Yeon reacted purely on instinct, thrusting the spear forward with absolutely no technique, no balance, and zero dignity.
Somehow—
It worked.
The spear pierced straight through the monster.
There was no resistance.
No struggle.
Just—
Shhhk.
The creature froze for a split second—
Then shattered into fragments of dark energy.
Yeon blinked.
"…Oh."
A pause.
"…OH."
He looked down at the spear.
Then at the spot where the monster used to be.
"…I'm actually amazing."
"Don't get confident," Jisung said immediately.
"Too late."
Because unfortunately—
That was when three more monsters charged at once.
"…Oh no."
Yeon panicked.
Instead of stepping back—
He swung.
Wildly.
The spear cut through the air—
And released a burst of energy.
A wide, uncontrolled arc.
"WAIT—"
BOOM.
The ground cracked.
Two monsters were obliterated instantly.
The third was sent flying into a nearby car.
Which exploded slightly.
"…I did that," Yeon said.
"…You did that," Jisung confirmed.
"…I'm dangerous."
"…Very."
Yeon stared at the spear again.
"…Okay, maybe this isn't so bad—"
Another monster appeared behind him.
"—NEVER MIND."
It lunged.
Yeon turned too late.
He tried to block—
But instead of blocking, the spear flared with energy again, reacting faster than he could think.
The force pushed him backward.
Hard.
"—!"
He stumbled, nearly falling.
"WHY DOES IT DO THAT?!"
"You're not controlling it!" Jisung called out, already taking down another creature with precise, clean movements.
"I AM TRYING!"
"That's not working!"
"I CAN SEE THAT!"
Another monster rushed him.
Yeon panicked again—
This time, he threw the spear.
"…Wait."
"…Why did I do that."
The spear flew forward—
Spinning—
Glowing—
And then—
BOOOOM.
It hit the ground and released a massive burst of energy, wiping out everything in front of it.
Silence.
Smoke.
Destruction.
Yeon stared.
"…I meant to do that."
Jisung slowly turned his head toward him.
"…You threw an S-rank weapon."
"…Yes."
"…What if it didn't come back?"
"…It comes back, right?"
A pause.
The spear—
Shot back into Yeon's hand like it had a personal grudge.
"—OH!"
He almost dropped it.
"…Okay, it comes back."
"…You're unbelievable."
"I'm improvising!"
"That's not improvising, that's chaos!"
Another wave of monsters began forming.
More than before.
Stronger.
Closer.
Yeon swallowed.
"…Okay. Less chaos. More control."
He adjusted his grip.
Tried to stand properly.
Tried to remember anything useful.
"…Pointy end forward," he muttered. "That's all I've got."
One of the monsters charged again.
This time—
Yeon didn't swing wildly.
He focused.
Stepped forward—
And thrust.
Cleaner.
More controlled.
The spear responded instantly.
A sharp, concentrated burst of energy shot forward—
Piercing through the monster with precision.
It dissolved.
Not explosively.
Not chaotically.
Just—
Gone.
Yeon blinked.
"…Wait."
He looked at the spear.
"…Did I just do that properly?"
Jisung glanced at him briefly, mid-fight.
"…Yes."
"…Oh."
A small pause.
Then—
"…OH."
Confidence flickered.
Just a little.
"Okay," Yeon said, gripping the spear tighter. "Okay, I can do this."
Another monster approached.
He moved again—
Less panic.
More intent.
Still not perfect.
Still messy.
But better.
Way better than before.
Behind him, Jisung allowed himself the smallest glance.
Watching.
Observing.
"…He's learning mid-fight," he murmured.
And somehow—
Despite the chaos.
Despite the danger.
Despite the fact that Yeon had absolutely no idea what he was doing—
He was adapting.
Fast.
Too fast.
Back on the battlefield—
Yeon dodged another attack, barely missing a claw that scraped past his shoulder.
"NOT TODAY—!"
He spun—
Struck—
And this time, the spear followed his movement smoothly.
Controlled.
Powerful.
The monster shattered.
Yeon landed, breathing heavily.
"…Okay," he said between breaths. "Okay, I'm getting the hang of this."
A pause.
Then another monster roared behind him.
"…I spoke too soon."
But this time—
He didn't panic.
Not as much.
He turned.
Raised the spear.
And stepped forward.
Still chaotic.
Still reckless.
But no longer completely clueless.
And for the first time—
Yeon-hwa actually looked like a Dream Hunter.
The fight didn't last long—
But it was already taking a toll.
Yeon's breathing grew uneven, his movements slowing just slightly with each attack.
"…Wait," he muttered under his breath. "Why am I getting tired so fast…?"
At first, he thought it was just the chaos.
The adrenaline.
The fact that he was literally fighting monsters in the middle of the street.
But then—
He felt it.
That hollow, draining sensation.
Deep in his chest.
His grip on the spear tightened as the faint glow around it flickered.
"…No way."
His mana.
It was dropping.
Fast.
Too fast.
Of course it was.
Yeon hadn't registered with the DHO.
Which meant—
No official training.
No guided control.
No access to proper resources.
He hadn't built up his mana reserves.
Hadn't practiced managing energy output.
Hadn't learned how to regulate the flow between himself and his weapon.
And worst of all—
"…I don't even have potions," he realized.
Because why would he?
He never expected something like this to happen.
Not on this scale.
Not this suddenly.
Most awakened individuals stocked up on mana potions early on—basic supplies to keep themselves stable during extended dream activity or combat.
Yeon?
He didn't even have a single one.
"…Great," he breathed out. "That's just great."
Another monster lunged toward him.
He reacted—
But slower this time.
The spear still responded, still powerful—but the energy behind it was weaker, less stable.
His attack landed—
But not as cleanly as before.
"…This is bad," he admitted.
The problem wasn't just the lack of mana.
It was the lack of control.
Using an S-rank weapon without proper training already drained more energy than normal.
Pair that with his already limited mana capacity—
And he was burning through everything at an alarming rate.
"…I didn't train enough," he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
He had awakened.
And instead of preparing—
He hid.
Avoided it.
Pretended it didn't exist.
Now—
It was catching up to him.
Fast.
Another wave of exhaustion hit him, heavier this time. His legs felt slightly unsteady, his reactions just a fraction too slow.
Not enough to collapse—
But enough to be dangerous.
"…If I run out…"
He didn't finish that sentence.
He didn't need to.
Because in a situation like this—
Running out of mana didn't just mean stopping.
It meant becoming vulnerable.
Useless.
A liability.
And right now—
That wasn't an option.
Not with monsters still appearing.
Not with people still unconscious.
Not with this happening everywhere.
Yeon exhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus despite the growing fatigue.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Think. Don't waste energy."
Easier said than done.
Especially when he was still figuring everything out mid-fight.
His grip tightened around the spear again, even as the glow dimmed slightly.
"…Guess I don't have a choice."
Because whether he was ready or not—
He had to keep going.
The next attack—
Barely worked.
Yeon thrust the spear forward, but the energy that once surged through it now flickered weakly, like a dying flame.
The monster staggered back—
But didn't disappear.
"…Why didn't that—"
Before he could finish—
It lunged.
Fast.
Too fast.
Yeon tried to react—
But his body didn't move the way he wanted it to.
Slower.
Heavier.
Like something was dragging him down from the inside.
"—!"
The monster's claw grazed his side, sending him stumbling back.
He hissed, clutching his side as pain flared.
"…Tch—"
His grip on the spear faltered.
For a second—
Just a second—
The weapon almost slipped from his hand.
That had never happened before.
"…No."
A wave of dizziness hit him.
Sharp.
Disorienting.
His vision blurred at the edges, the world tilting slightly as he tried to steady himself.
"…I'm fine," he muttered.
He wasn't.
Not even close.
Another step back—
His foot dragged slightly against the ground.
Too slow.
Everything felt too slow.
The sounds around him became distant, like he was underwater. The monsters' movements, the crackle of energy, even Jisung's voice somewhere in the background—
Faint.
"…Why… now…" Yeon whispered.
He knew why.
His mana.
It wasn't just low anymore.
It was—
Gone.
Completely drained.
The faint glow around the spear flickered one last time—
Then disappeared.
Dead.
Silent.
"…No way…"
His hand trembled slightly as he stared at it.
"…It just—stopped."
Of course it did.
An S-rank weapon wasn't something you could use without cost.
And he had burned through everything.
Recklessly.
Carelessly.
Without knowing when to stop.
"…I can't even… hold it properly…"
His fingers tightened, but the strength wasn't there anymore.
Another monster approached.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Like it already knew.
Like it could sense he was vulnerable.
"…Don't," Yeon muttered weakly. "Not now…"
He tried to lift the spear again—
But his arm felt impossibly heavy.
It barely rose halfway before dropping slightly.
"…Move," he told himself.
Nothing.
"…Move."
His body didn't listen.
His knees buckled.
Just slightly—
But enough.
"…Shit."
The world spun.
His vision darkened further at the edges.
And for a split second—
Fear hit him.
Not loud.
Not panicked.
Just—
Cold.
Because he realized something.
I can't fight anymore.
The monster lunged.
And Yeon—
Couldn't react.
"…So this is how it ends," he thought, bitterly.
Collapsed in the middle of the street.
Because he didn't prepare.
Because he thought he could handle it.
Because he—
"—YEON."
A voice cut through everything.
Sharp.
Close.
The monster never reached him.
A blur of movement—
A precise strike—
And it was gone.
Destroyed instantly.
Yeon's body gave in completely after that.
The last bit of strength holding him upright disappeared.
He felt himself falling—
"…Oh."
But he didn't hit the ground.
Something caught him.
Firm.
Steady.
"…You're an idiot," Jisung's voice said, right above him.
Yeon let out a weak breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"…Yeah…"
His vision was fading fast now, everything blurring together into shadows and light.
"…I figured…"
Jisung adjusted his grip slightly, holding him up.
"…You pushed yourself too far."
"…I know…"
"…You have zero control."
"…I also know that…"
A pause.
Even now—
Even like this—
There was something oddly calm about Jisung's presence.
"…Don't pass out," Jisung said.
"…Not planning to…"
"…You already look like you are."
"…Rude…"
His voice came out weaker that time.
Fading.
"…Just… five minutes…"
"That's not how this works."
"…It should be…"
Jisung exhaled quietly.
"…Stay awake."
"…Trying…"
Another pause.
Yeon's grip on the spear loosened slightly.
His body felt light.
Too light.
Like he was slipping.
"…Jisung…"
"…Yeah."
"…If I die—"
"You're not dying."
"…Let me finish…"
"…No."
"…Wow."
Even in that state—
He almost smiled.
"…You're really bossy…"
"…And you're really reckless."
"…Fair…"
His eyes slowly started to close.
"…Hey," Jisung said, sharper this time. "Stay with me."
"…I am…"
"…Yeon."
"…Mhm…"
"…Don't fall asleep."
That word—
Sleep.
For some reason—
It echoed.
Louder than everything else.
And for a brief second—
Something about it felt wrong.
Dangerous.
But he was too exhausted to think about it.
Too drained to question it.
"…Just… a little rest…"
"Yeon—"
But it was too late.
His body finally gave in.
And everything went dark.
Jisung had no choice.
He carefully lowered Yeon to the ground, making sure his head didn't hit the pavement too hard.
"Stay here," he muttered, even though he knew Yeon couldn't hear him.
The moment his hands left—
Jisung turned.
Another monster was already rushing toward them.
There was no time to hesitate.
His expression sharpened instantly, all traces of earlier calm gone as he stepped forward and struck with precision.
One clean movement—
And the monster was gone.
Then another.
And another.
The number of creatures nearby had started to thin out. Compared to before, it was manageable now.
For someone like Jisung—
This wasn't difficult.
But then—
He felt it.
A shift.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
Jisung's body tensed.
"…No way."
His gaze snapped forward.
And there—
Standing among the remaining shadows—
Were two figures.
Not like the others.
Not weak.
Not unstable.
These—
Were different.
Their presence alone was enough to distort the air around them.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
"…S-Rank…" Jisung muttered under his breath.
Two of them.
At once.
"…That's not good."
Not good at all.
Even for him, facing one S-Rank Dream Monster in the real world was dangerous.
Two?
At the same time?
And with Yeon unconscious behind him—
That made things worse.
Much worse.
Jisung adjusted his stance slightly, placing himself between the monsters and Yeon without even thinking about it.
"…Of course it had to escalate," he said quietly.
The monsters didn't move immediately.
They simply watched.
As if assessing him.
As if deciding whether he was worth the effort.
Jisung's grip tightened.
"…Great. They're intelligent too."
Behind him—
Yeon lay still.
Unmoving.
Unaware.
Or at least—
That's what it seemed like.
Because what no one knew—
Not Jisung.
Not the DHO.
Not even Yeon himself—
Was that his body wasn't completely shut down.
Not entirely.
Even in that state—
Something was happening.
Something impossible.
His mana—
The energy that had been completely drained—
Was slowly returning.
On its own.
Naturally.
Without potions.
Without rest.
Without external help.
It was faint.
Barely noticeable.
But it was there.
Regenerating.
Rebuilding.
As if his body refused to stay empty.
Because Yeon wasn't just another Dream Hunter.
He wasn't even within the known system anymore.
S+++ Rank.
A rank so high—
It had never been properly studied.
Never documented.
Never understood.
Because there had never been anyone like this before.
No records.
No data.
No explanation.
Only assumptions.
And if anyone had known—
If anyone had truly understood what that rank meant—
They might have called it something else entirely.
Not just the highest.
But something beyond the system itself.
Something closer to—
A king.
Or even—
A god among Dream Hunters.
But right now—
None of that mattered.
Because Jisung was facing two S-Rank monsters alone.
And behind him—
The one person who could change everything—
Lay motionless on the ground.
Slowly—
Quietly—
Beginning to wake.
Jisung moved first.
One of the S-Rank monsters lunged, its form distorting as it crossed the distance in an instant. He blocked, barely, the force of the impact sending a shock through his arm.
"…Tch."
Even for him—
This wasn't going to be easy.
The second one began to circle, slow and deliberate, cutting off any space he could use to retreat.
Two S-Rank monsters.
Coordinating.
Watching.
Waiting for an opening.
Jisung adjusted his stance again, his breathing steady—but sharper now.
Behind him—
Yeon lay still.
Or at least—
That's what he thought.
Because suddenly—
There was movement.
Subtle at first.
Then—
Immediate.
Yeon's body jerked slightly—
And then he stood up.
Not slowly.
Not weakly.
But in one smooth, unnatural motion.
Jisung's eyes flickered for a split second.
"…Yeon?"
No response.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Yeon's posture was different.
Too straight.
Too still.
Like a puppet being held upright by invisible strings.
Then—
His eyes opened.
A faint glow pulsed within them.
Cold.
Unfamiliar.
Not his usual expression.
Not confusion.
Not fear.
Not even exhaustion.
Just—
Silence.
"…That's not him," Jisung muttered.
Because it wasn't.
Not completely.
Yeon took a step forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
Precise.
Nothing like the chaotic movements from before.
No hesitation.
No imbalance.
The spear in his hand shifted slightly—
Perfectly aligned.
As if he had been using it for years.
"…What the—"
Before Jisung could react—
Yeon moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
Faster than he should have been.
The first S-Rank monster turned toward him—
Too late.
Yeon's spear cut through the air in a clean, controlled arc.
No wasted movement.
No excess energy.
Just—
Precision.
The attack landed.
And for the first time—
The S-Rank monster reacted.
It staggered.
Actually staggered.
Jisung's eyes widened slightly.
"…He couldn't even stand a second ago…"
The second monster lunged toward Yeon from behind.
But Yeon didn't turn.
Didn't panic.
Didn't even look.
His body moved on its own.
A sharp step to the side—
A swift counter—
The spear pierced straight through the creature's form, forcing it back.
Clean.
Efficient.
Perfect.
"…That's not possible," Jisung said under his breath.
Because this—
This wasn't Yeon.
Not the Yeon who panicked mid-fight.
Not the Yeon who threw his weapon.
Not the Yeon who didn't even know how to hold a spear properly.
This—
Was something else.
Something controlled.
Something… calculated.
Yeon stood there, unmoving for a second as both monsters recalculated their approach.
The faint glow in his eyes flickered again.
Steady.
Unnatural.
And then—
A voice.
Soft.
Almost playful.
Echoed faintly.
Not out loud—
But there.
[Relax, I've got this~]
Jisung's expression shifted.
"…Your system," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Yeon—or whatever was controlling him—tilted his head slightly.
A small, almost amused motion.
Then—
He moved again.
And this time—
There was no hesitation at all.
What no one truly knew—
Or at least, what had never been properly recorded—
Was the true nature of the System itself.
To most within the DHO, it was simply a tool.
A guide.
A structured interface that provided information, tracked stats, and assisted awakened individuals in navigating their abilities.
Nothing more.
Nothing alive.
Nothing aware.
But that assumption—
Was never proven.
Because there had always been… anomalies.
Unexplained cases.
Moments where things didn't quite follow the rules.
There were Dream Hunters who survived encounters they shouldn't have survived.
Dream Doctors who managed to stabilize situations that were already beyond saving.
Dream Crafters and Collectors who escaped collapsing dreams with no clear explanation of how they made it out alive.
And every time—
The answer was always the same.
"I don't know what happened."
"I thought I was going to die."
"Something… just took over."
At first, these were dismissed.
Coincidences.
Adrenaline.
Luck.
But over time—
Patterns began to form.
Subtle ones.
Easy to ignore.
But impossible to fully deny.
Because in those near-death moments—
Something changed.
Movements became sharper.
Decisions became faster.
Abilities were used with a level of precision the individual had never shown before.
As if—
For just a brief moment—
They weren't the ones in control.
And yet—
No official report ever confirmed it.
No researcher could prove it.
Because the Systems themselves—
Never spoke.
Not clearly.
Not directly.
They followed commands.
Displayed information.
Responded when called.
But beyond that—
They remained… silent.
Unquestioned.
Unstudied.
Because no one had ever dared to consider the possibility that the System might be more than just a tool.
That it could—
Observe.
Decide.
Intervene.
And perhaps, in rare cases—
Even protect.
In Yeon's case—
That possibility was no longer theoretical.
Because right now—
His System wasn't just assisting him.
It was acting on its own.
Taking control.
Using his body.
Using his mana.
Fighting for him—
In a way he himself couldn't.
Not yet.
And whether that meant the System respected him—
Chose him—
Or simply refused to let him fall—
Was something no one alive had the answer to.