The Dreamer's POV

[Time Left: 30 Days, 4 Hours]

<Current Number of Participants: 4,923>

The book looked dark brown, like a leather-like pouch.

Its size was pretty average, though a bit latger than what one would expect from a normal book. It looked like a journal to me.

Kind of like the one I kept as a kid and a growing teenager.

My legs seemed to move on their own as I traversed the blank hall and approached the black lectern and the book that sat on it.

It felt too instinctive to refuse, and I couldn't resist it even if I wanted to. Not that I wanted to resist in the first place.

I personally wanted to know… what this treasure was.

Finally standing behind the lectern, I took a closer look at the book. Just as I suspected, it really did resemble the journal I kept as a kid.

"Ah…" I reached out to it warily, having a longing to feel the texture of the book's surface even if just once.

The moment I touched it, an electrifying sense of familiarity washed over me.

"W-whoah!"

While I was still recoiling from this inrush of nostalgia, a ping echoed within my mind.

~DING!~

[System Notice]

<You Have Received The Book: Dreamer's Log (Vol 1) >

"Dreamer's Log? That is… my journal's name…" I murmured.

I kept a log of all the crazy shit I used to dream about inside my journals, and I compiled them under the title of 'Dreamer's Log'.

To think I would actually be reunited with the journals I had long lost.

~VWUUUUUUSSSSHHHHH!~

The book suddenly vanished, and I felt like something forcefully swept itself into my body, coursing through me rapidly.

"A-arrrghhhhhhh!!!" I couldn't help but scream as the sensation became overwhelming.

Suddenly, it felt like thousands of images per second were sending themselves into my head.

The past. The present. The future. It felt like I could see so many events at once, and they all rushed in unannounced.

I could feel my mind subconsciously try to subdue the pain, but the inrush was too much for it to do so successfully.

In the end, I remained in this state for at least a minute and a few more seconnds… before I was finally able to fall to my knees in exhaustion.

"Haa… haa…" Thick fogs spread from my lips as beads of sweat licked my skin.

My brain hurt, but I could feel it healing at a rapid pace.

'I-is it… all over…?' I wondered to myself.

No. It wasn't at all.

~DING!~

… Not even close.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

<Congratulations! You reached the Hidden Treasure Room!>

{A room hidden from sight, whose rewards belong only to those who find it, has been discovered by you. As a result, you will recieve your rewards}

~Exclusive Skill: <Dream Reading> has been unlocked.~

~Exclusive Skill: <Astral Projection> has been unlocked.~

~Exclusive Skill: <Dream Travel> has been unlocked.~

~Non-Exclusive Skill: <Fallen Foe> has evolved into <Demonification>.~

~You have recieved the Title: <Demon Commander>.~

[Once again, Congratulations… Mikey]

My eyes nearly popped out of my sockets as I saw the rewards I obtained.

'Three Exclusive Skills? <Fallen Foe> evolved? And I even recieved another Title? Unbelievable…'

Weren't this a bit too much? I hadn't even recieved my rewards for clearing the First Floor yet.

'Of course, I'm not complaining or anything…' My thoughts trailed.

But still, to think <Fallen Foe> had another upgrade—one that would change its name. I never saw anything like that in the <Shop>.

[Skill Details]

Name: <Demonification>

Ability List:

~Revives a previously living being that dies in the user's presence, making them their minion indefinitely.

~Fuse Essences that haven't been used yet with each other, to make more powerful Essences, or feed essences to his Minions to make them evolve or become stronger. (The more dominant essence will consume the lesser, altering the minion).

~Strenghtened connection with minions.

~Essence Storage can hold three hundred Essences.

{Note: Energy consumption will depend on how powerful the minion is. Current limit: 30 Minions/5 registered}

[See Minion List]

"Oh my goodness…"

A lot of the limits of my <Fallen Foe> Skill had been removed, and a number of new effects were added, making it even more viable.

This <Demonification> Skill was insane.

'I can now store as much as three hundred Essences. That's three times more than my usual 100. I can also feed the Essences to my minions to make them stronger. Finally, I can have as many as 30 Minions at once. That's a lot more than before.'

This Skill was just beyond belief.

'And I suppose te <Demon Commander> Title came because of the <Demonification> Skill…'

[Title Details]

Name: <Demon Commander>

Effect: It represents the user's ability to control and tame demons. Lesser Demons will recognize your authority, and your minions will revere you even more.

Continue reading on empire

[End Of Infotmation]

'Ah… this is also very good.'

I wondered why it was related to Demons, though. I mean, I could also raise humans and other monsters—like dragons and wyverns.

Yet, it was called <Demonification>.

'Must be the System's choice of words. How could I know all that?'

The important thing to note now was that I had gotten much stronger than before.

"I even have three Exclusive Skills! What's the deal with that?" Excitement coursed through me, and I could feel myself get giddy over the new goodies I had obtained.

It felt as if I was a kid ready to open my borthday present.

'What of Fitz…?' A sudden thought echoed in my head at that moment.

Who cared about that guy? He was just a System prop, right? He had fulfiled his role in holding the Boss off for me.

Right now, I had to focus on the more important things.

That is, my new Rewards.

"I trust you to get the treasure and come back for me…" Those words of Fitz echoed in my mind.

No. Those were his dying words.

There was nothing more to it.

"I can't hold it off for very long, so please… come back for me when you get them all." His other words echoed in my head.

And then I remembered his cheerful face, and the sad glint in his eyes that I hadn't noticed in the past.

'What am I thinking? He's just a prop!'

It made no sense for me to be concerned with Fitz or his sacrifice whatsoever. That was how things were supposed to go.

Unless…n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Ah, don't tell me—!' With my eyes widening in realization, I swiftly pushed my legs to move and ran out of the hall, passing through the corridors in a hurry.

A bead of sweat formed on my face as I grinded my teeth.

I hoped. I prayed. I begged. "Please let me make it in time!"

There was a reason why I couldn't let Fitz down. I had to heed his words to the letter.

And that was precisely because he was a System Prop.

He had specifically told me to come back for him once I was done with getting the treasures. As someone who understood the power of convenience, it was much safer to do exactly that.

When it came to Fitz…

"... His role isn't over yet!"

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[A/N]

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Cheers!