I saw a child sitting atop a jagged rock, blood dripping down his forehead. All around him were the lifeless bodies of fallen monsters and knights, their armor stained crimson and glinting dully beneath the dying sun.
I lifted my right hand—and to my shock, I could see straight through it.
"Wow," I whispered. My voice echoed faintly, as if it came from another plane. My entire body shimmered with a faint transparency.
When I shifted my gaze right back at the boy, I couldn't begin to fathom the kind of expression on his face. It wasn't sadness. Nor was it rage. It was something far more hollow. His eyes were wide open but empty. Cold. Void of emotion. He didn't flinch, not even as the mountain wind rustled his blood-matted hair. He just sat there in stillness, surrounded by death.
I watched him for what felt like hours. Then, as the orange sun dipped below the snowy cliffs, he finally moved.
He stood slowly, silently, and began to walk.
I followed.
'He can't hear me… nor see me,' I thought. 'I'm a ghost.'
We passed through a dense, bushy trail, the boy pushing aside thick leaves that blocked his view. Then, emerging from the foliage, I saw a dark carriage resting just beyond the trees. Its wheels were covered in frost, and two pale, muscular horses stood motionless at its front.
A tall, regal man stood beside it. He wore a sleek black mask, his body encased in obsidian plate armor adorned with dark blue lining and sigils that shimmered faintly.
"We were waiting for you, Atom," the man said, his voice deep and devoid of warmth.
The boy—Atom—remained silent, his face unreadable. He walked toward the carriage, his steps slow but unwavering.
Just as he reached the carriage, I heard the sharp hiss of something slicing through the air.
Crack!
A loud snap echoed through the woods. The masked man had drawn a long whip—multiple wires braided together and ending in hooks. He brought it down across Atom's back. Blood sprayed across the icy ground.
I flinched. It was brutal. Unbearably cruel. But the boy didn't scream. He didn't wince. He simply lifted his left leg and climbed into the carriage, taking his seat in silence.
I followed, stepping inside the carriage and sitting beside him.
The night was still and bitterly cold. The only sound came from the carriage wheels as they creaked along the jagged mountain path. The horses' hooves crunched over stone and snow.
Then, at one point, the sound of wheels against ground stopped.
I leaned out of the carriage window—and my breath caught.
We were floating.
The carriage soared through the air, moving steadily forward. Below us, clouds stretched like oceans, and far ahead, glowing softly in the darkness, was a land unlike anything I had ever seen.
Suspended in the sky was a massive realm built atop golden clouds. Towers of crystal spiraled upward, their tips piercing the stars. Lush gardens bloomed on floating terraces. The entire place radiated peace, as if time itself slowed to a gentle rhythm.
Then I saw it: a colossal gate forged from radiant gold. Its surface was etched with ancient markings, symbols that pulsed with soft light.
From a distant watchtower, a trumpet blared.
The warriors are back! Open the gate!
The gates burst open.
As our carriage passed through, a voice echoed in my mind, calm and omnipresent:
"You have entered the Upper Realm of the Dream World."
I looked around, startled. "Who is it?!"
The voice chuckled. "Chill. It's me—Observer."
My jaw tightened. "You were there all along and didn't say anything? Why?"
"I wanted to let you figure it out yourself," Observer said lazily. "But since you're a numb-nut, I couldn't risk leaving you alone. Anyway, listen carefully: from now on, every time you use the Soul Extraction skill, you'll fall unconscious. And during that state, you'll be forced to live through that person's backstory—all the way up until the moment you killed them."
"What? What about the others? What will they think while I'm out?"
"Don't worry about them. It'll only take four hours in the outside world. No matter how long you stay here, it'll always be just four hours back there."
"So... this is part of the skill now?"
"Yup. Welcome to the advanced level. You'll learn more as you go. For now… I'll be leaving. You've learned the basics. Continue with your mission."
There was a pause. Then:
"Good luck, Master."