A Dream Recognized
‘Unbelievable.’
Eper’s eyes snapped wide open.
‘So you’ve awakened in your dreams?’
A ripple spread across the usually still pond of his heart.
Of course, if it had been a normal dream, lucid dreaming would not have been difficult. Anyone who had practiced the basics could do it.
But his Lucid Dream ability created a dream entirely under his control, so the act of realizing it was a dream was almost impossible. Eper knew that better than anyone.
Lucid Dream.
His Lucid Dream ability gave his dreams a special edge over others. Not only could he feel sight, but also touch, smell, hearing, and taste, making the line between dream and reality feel nonexistent. He could also dull his mind to let the flow of events in the dream unfold naturally.
Yet that single day, he had broken through every restriction and realized his exact situation.
‘I can’t believe it, but if his will is this unshakeable no matter what… well, it’s not impossible.’
The bigger issue, however, was the abilities Haru displayed while pushing through the trials inside the dream.
Even if Eper recognized he was in a dream, his Lucid Dream could not let him perform actions beyond the bounds of common sense. But Haru had immediately loosened the restraints the moment he realized he stood in a dream. Moreover, he had freely used the abilities of the great warriors he had personally witnessed, as if they were his own.
The word unprecedented was perfect for it.
‘Does this mean he will one day master all of those abilities? No, that’s even more impossible. What is this man…?’
While Eper stood frozen, unable to believe what he had seen with his own eyes, Haru woke from his sleep and reclaimed his true body.
“You…”
Haru shot to his feet in an instant and lunged toward Eper.
Whoom! Kwahk!
Before Eper could even blink, Haru closed the distance in a straight line and punched him with perfect form. Eper caught the fist without trouble.
“Hmm. I wonder what your sudden move is about. Do you know that this action could disqualify you?”
“Your ability seems to be one that controls others’ dreams at will. Am I correct?”
Haru’s eyes had turned cold and sharp, unlike before.
“I’ll give you only half credit. My Lucid Dream ability grants reality and freedom to other people’s dreams. By the way, this is the first time I’ve ever been seen through. My ability was read by someone else.”
“So that was your work after all… One more question.”
Eper’s hand, which had grabbed Haru’s fist, swung back and forth in the air, maintaining perfect balance.
“What is it?”
“Are all the events that happened in my dream of your own creation?”
“I’ll give you one excuse. What I can do with my ability is add sensory input to other people’s dreams, break the boundary with reality, and create an environment. That’s all. Didn’t I tell you that at the beginning?”
Eper hid his startled expression and spoke again with calm composure.
“When you fall asleep, that’s the start of the trial. I simply recreated the events you experienced to create a crisis. The rest was a natural flow created from information in your unconscious.”
‘…He doesn’t seem like the type to lie.’
Believing Eper’s confession without question, Haru simply withdrew his fist.
“Even if it is a trial, if you manipulated my precious people to use them as tools, I will never forgive you.”
“Is that so? Then I should be grateful you didn’t. And now, I have one more thing I’d like to ask. May I?”
“…Please.”
“Even though you knew you were in a dream, you did not hesitate to throw yourself toward others until the end. You must have suffered too, but I wonder why you did it.”
“Even if it was a false reality, I could not stay silent while my precious friends and innocent people were hurt.”
Eper’s mouth curved into a faint smile at Haru’s answer.
“As I said earlier, a Danju, in my definition, is someone who is prepared to sacrifice themselves without hesitation for others. Moreover, a Danju must be able to voice their resistance against injustice. Like when you punched me.”
Eper rose from the cushion and bowed politely to Haru.
“A Danju is one who leads. Every decision he makes can determine the lives of everyone beneath him. Therefore, a Danju also needs bold decisiveness and a firm belief in carrying out his will. You are the ideal image I have drawn. You have shown me what lies beyond. Congratulations, participant number 123, Haru. You have safely passed the first gate.”
* * *
“Huu…”
The first gate, short or long, had come to an end.
Leaving Eper’s dimly lit room, Haru was greeted by his comrades waiting outside.
“Oppa!”
“Oh, you’re finally here. Did you see it all?”
“Of course my brother passed. Right, brother?”
“Welcome. You worked hard.”
“I’m curious what the test content was.”
It hadn’t been that long, but they had gone through so much that it felt like seeing old friends. Haru let out a faint, involuntary smile.
“Hmm. Did everyone finish the test?”
“We all passed. What about you?”
“Of course I passed.”
Even though they had been told they had all passed early on, they had to wait here until the exams of all participants ended.
The test, which began before lunch, continued well into the next morning.
After the tedious hours passed and every participant’s exam finished, the six Danjus held a private meeting and granted the participants a short break.
After the first gate, the total number of participants had dropped by about thirty percent.
Yet in this place without the Danjus as control devices, a heavy, ominous silence settled once more.
Still, the number of gazes directed toward them had decreased somewhat from the early days.
That was because attention had been spread thin by the other participants who had stood out in the first gate.
Among the remaining applicants, the two strikingly masked individuals and the silver-haired young boy who looked younger than Maru were the most noticeable.
The masked pair waited calmly for the Danjus’ meeting to end without a care, even as many eyes watched them.
The silver-haired boy, driven by a child’s boundless curiosity, never stopped scanning his surroundings.
If he was that young, he was probably the youngest participant.
There had been no discussion of the examination method or examiners beforehand, so the six Danjus’ meeting ended quickly.
After the meeting, the Danjus returned to the podium they had climbed when they first appeared.
This time, instead of Eper, Feygal stepped forward with both hands in his pockets.
“Hmm. It’s getting late. Have you all eaten dinner? Well, since the wait has been long, you probably handled it on the way here and back.”
He reached one hand out, stroked his chin, and exhaled. Then, like a villain, he curled one corner of his mouth.
“You all know who I am, but since there are many who don’t, I’ll keep it short. I am Feygal, the sixth Danju in charge of the second gate of the Danju Selection.”
The moment Feygal stepped into the spotlight, Teraden beside him narrowed his eyes slightly and showed faint hostility.
“Why?”
“Ugh, shut up. That guy from earlier….”
“Hey, please be quiet. You need to listen to my explanation to navigate the upcoming gates smoothly.”
“Ah, sorry.”
With his eyes curving into a crescent moon at Haru’s apology, Feygal turned away from them and began his explanation.
“Depending on the circumstances, it may vary. As you all know, the Danju Selection is a test that selects seven Danjus by passing through seven gates over seven months.”
“Seven… how many gates are there? This is confusing.”
“Then, here’s a question for you. The Danju Selection spaces the gates at regular intervals. Do you know why?”
Feygal stopped pacing on the podium and suddenly turned to the participants below.
“To give you time to recover from the injuries you receive in the test, of course.”
One of the masked pair raised his hand and spoke calmly.
The moment everyone’s gaze turned to him, they were surprised by his clear and youthful voice.
“Correct. It was our consideration to let you take the test in the best possible physical condition. However, for those who passed the first gate this time, we have concluded that the overall level is high and the injuries are not severe. After a final urgent meeting, we decided there is no problem starting the second gate right away.”
The quiet around him was suddenly filled with murmurs at Feygal’s words.
Ignoring the noise, he continued.
“One hour. First, form groups of three. The test explanation will come after that.”
It was a bit ambiguous. They were five, and with Hyeondo and Dabang included, seven in total, yet they had to form three-person groups.
“Ah, if you cannot form a group within the time limit, you will be disqualified. But don’t just rush it. The groups formed for this gate will continue through the sixth gate.”
After adding a few more words, Feygal left with the other Danjus.
As the Danjus departed, participants began bustling to form groups for the one-hour window.
“Let’s do this.”
Before Haru could speak, Teraden took the lead.
“You group with Maru and that guy. I’ll go with Junior.”
“What about the last one?”
“Hmm, you figure it out in the time we have left? It’ll be tough, but—”
“Ah, if you don’t mind, maybe I can join you.”
At that moment, Hyeondo, who had been silent, stepped in.
“Hmm? There’s someone you’re with, right?”
Teraden jerked his chin toward Dabang. The boy, who had lowered his head, answered weakly.
“I… I failed unfairly… it was just a little short…”
Terup.
Teraden gently grabbed the hand of the dejected boy.
“What a shame.”
“…”
It felt like he was consoling him, but Teraden soon laughed with a wicked grin.
“Tsk, no choice. You worked hard. Take care on the way home.”
“You…! You bastard! So that’s how it is!!”
Dabang’s face flushed red as he pointed furiously at Teraden.
“Hahahaha!”