Chapter 69: Second Dream
ㅤI’m having a dream again.
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s not like today is the first time I’ve had a nightmare that makes my past trauma throb.
ㅤBut, today’s is exceptional.
ㅤIt’s very similar to the time when that incomprehensible thing called a Dream Weaver appeared.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Vanish.”
ㅤ
ㅤI erase the nightmare with my magic word that’s only effective within dreams.
ㅤ
ㅤJust as I was about to fall back asleep, the Dream Weaver appeared again.
ㅤ
ㅤProbably a man, wearing a white hooded robe.
ㅤHis face is hidden by the hood, and I can only see his mouth.
ㅤHis purple, leech-like lips are strangely glossy.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Hello. I’ve come again.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Vanish.”
ㅤ
ㅤI chant without a moment’s delay, and the Dream Weaver is blown backwards with great force.
ㅤ
ㅤ”W-Wait.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I don’t need to care about other people’s circumstances in my own dream.
ㅤVanish—”
ㅤ
ㅤ”If you don’t wait, I’ll go to someone close to you!”
ㅤ
ㅤI involuntarily shut my mouth.
ㅤ
ㅤThe Dream Weaver grins.
ㅤ
ㅤ”For example—yes, the magician named Arne that you remember. She’s susceptible to magic, so she’s an easy target for me. I’ll appear in her dreams and give her power. A tremendous power that a human vessel can’t handle.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s a boring bluff.”
ㅤ
ㅤI said in a cold voice.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You would have done it already if you could. You’ve only appeared in my dreams since I entered this forest. The range of your power, even with a generous estimate, is only within the Mist Forest, isn’t it?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Fufu. Minato is clever.
ㅤBut, unlike you, you’re not suppressing your anger. It seems you really, really hate having your memories probed and being threatened with harm to your acquaintances.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”…It seems this isn’t just a dream after all.”
ㅤ
ㅤI reluctantly admitted it.
ㅤI thought it was just a new variation of the nightmares I see, but it seems the Dream Weaver really does exist.
ㅤ
ㅤ”What’s your purpose?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I want to give you power. You can become even stronger than you are now. And I want you to use that power under me.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What if I say no?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Someone will die. Someone will awaken to an unreasonable power, get carried away and rampage, and as a result, many people will die.”
ㅤ
ㅤI consider the Dream Weaver’s words.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You’re not going to give me this so-called unreasonable power, are you?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I wouldn’t do anything so wasteful. Wasting such talent, that’s…”
ㅤ
ㅤI fall silent for a while.
ㅤAnd then I say:
ㅤ
ㅤ”I understand a few things.
ㅤDream Weaver. Your power can’t be given to just anyone. You said 『awakening』 earlier, but all you can do is interfere with other people’s dreams and awaken their dormant powers.
ㅤMoreover, you can’t choose just anyone. You used Arne-san as an example earlier because she has the aptitude. Shizu-san, that girl with Stone Fever, Hamuto-san, and Toruta-san don’t have the aptitude.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”…Hee…”
ㅤ
ㅤThe Dream Weaver gives a reply that’s neither affirmation nor denial.
ㅤ
ㅤ”And even if they have the aptitude, you can’t make them do anything. All you can do is awaken them, and you can’t control their actions after they awaken. So, all you can do is make them go berserk and cause damage.
ㅤIt’s a surprisingly insignificant power, isn’t it?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wha… What…”
ㅤ
ㅤHis purple lips tremble slightly.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You might be pulling strings from the shadows, acting like a mastermind… but all you can cause are sudden incidents.
ㅤI was killed by my own Otou-san. People go berserk and kill others even without you.
ㅤWhat do you want to achieve by making me your subordinate? World domination? It’s impossible with your power. At best, you can only confine yourself to the Mist Forest and occasionally drive people who enter mad. You’re just a slightly more troublesome monster to deal with.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”N-No…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”You can threaten me, but you can’t make me obey you face-to-face, can you? The proof is that you’re trying to use innocent people as hostages to force me to accept your petty demands.
ㅤCan you just disappear? You’re a nuisance.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Y-You…!! You think you can get away with mocking me…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’ll also give you a prediction.
ㅤYou’re not acting on your own will. You have a 『superior』, and you’re trying to sabotage things by following their orders.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”…! W-Why do you think that?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”You’re originally the type to work alone. It’s a little difficult to have subordinates with the Dream Weaver’s power, and if you keep people close, they might learn about the effects and limits of your power. A Dream Weaver should hide themselves in a place where no one knows and use their abilities.
ㅤAnd yet, you want to make me your subordinate.
ㅤThe reason is that you have a 『superior』 that you can’t disobey right now, and you have to follow their orders.
ㅤThat’s why you’ve started to push yourself beyond your original range of activity.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”T-That’s not evidence at all!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, I’m not going to ask you if I’m right or not.
ㅤBut you know, I’m not interested in you or your 『superior』 at all.
ㅤSo, please leave me alone.
ㅤThen, I’ll leave you alone too.
ㅤYou and your 『superior』 are almost certainly villains, but I don’t care as long as you don’t cause any actual harm to me or those around me.
ㅤThe world is full of bad guys, and I’m not the type of person who can’t rest until I’ve crushed them all.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe Dream Weaver falls silent at my words.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, I’ve said what I wanted to say.
ㅤThough, it would be embarrassing if this was just a dream I’m having…”
ㅤ
ㅤThat possibility is not insignificant.
ㅤAfter all, it’s a dream.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Are we done?
ㅤVanish.”
ㅤ
ㅤWith my words, the Dream Weaver disappears without a trace.