Sasaki opened his eyes.
He didn't move.
For several seconds, he simply stared upward.
There was nothing there.
No sky.
No clouds.
No sun.
Nothing.
Sasaki slowly looked down.
There was nothing beneath him either.
He was floating.
Just—
Floating.
He turned his body slightly.
Nothing.
He looked behind himself.
Still nothing.
In every direction, an endless white space stretched beyond what his eyes could see.
There was no horizon.
No walls.
No ground.
No indication that the place even had an end.
Sasaki slowly raised a hand and waved it through the empty air.
"...Okay."
He looked around again.
"Where am I?"
His voice echoed.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
Silence.
Sasaki frowned.
"Great."
He crossed his arms.
"Either I'm dead..."
He looked down at himself.
"...or this is the weirdest room I've ever been in."
A sound came from somewhere in the distance.
Sasaki froze.
His eyes narrowed.
Something was there.
Far away.
A tiny silhouette stood in the middle of the endless white.
Sasaki stared.
The figure didn't move.
Neither did he.
For a few seconds, they simply watched one another.
Sasaki slowly reached for the sword at his waist.
Then paused.
"...I don't have a sword."
The figure suddenly disappeared.
Sasaki's eyes widened.
"What the—"
"Looking for this?"
A voice came from directly behind him.
Sasaki nearly jumped.
He turned around.
Sivarnte stood there.
Floating.
Completely calm.
Sasaki stared at him.
"...You could've announced yourself."
Sivarnte smiled.
"Hello, Incarnation."
He spread his arms.
"Welcome to your Dream Space."
Sasaki blinked.
"...My what?"
"Dream Space."
Sivarnte turned around and began floating away.
Sasaki watched him.
Then followed.
"Wait."
He caught up.
"What exactly is a Dream Space?"
Sivarnte looked over his shoulder.
"A place where your imagination, thoughts, desires, and wonders can take form."
Sasaki looked around.
"So..."
He pointed at the empty space.
"I made this?"
"In a way."
"Then why is it empty?"
"Because you haven't imagined anything yet."
Sasaki stared at him.
"...Oh."
They continued floating.
Sivarnte raised a hand.
"The Dream Space is completely under the control of the person inside it."
Sasaki's eyes widened.
"So I'm in control?"
"Yes."
"Completely?"
"Completely."
Sasaki stopped.
He looked around.
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
"So I can make anything?"
"Yes."
"Anything?"
"Yes."
Sasaki thought for a moment.
Then—
"Can I make food?"
"Yes."
A table suddenly appeared.
It was covered with food.
Sasaki's eyes lit up.
"Oh."
He immediately grabbed something.
He took a bite.
His expression changed.
"...This is actually good."
Sivarnte stared at him.
"Of course it is."
Sasaki swallowed.
"Can I make money?"
"Yes."
A mountain of gold appeared behind him.
Sasaki turned.
"...Huh."
"Can I make a castle?"
A massive castle appeared.
Sasaki looked at it.
"Can I make a dragon?"
A dragon appeared.
Sasaki stared at it.
The dragon stared back.
Neither moved.
Sasaki slowly pointed.
"Make it smaller."
The dragon shrank.
"Smaller."
It shrank again.
"Smaller."
It became the size of a cat.
Sasaki nodded.
"Perfect."
The tiny dragon growled.
Sasaki picked it up.
"...You're cute."
The dragon bit him.
"Ow!"
Sasaki dropped it.
The dragon vanished.
Sasaki looked at Sivarnte.
"Okay."
He rubbed his hand.
"That was unnecessary."
Sivarnte shrugged.
"The Dream Space responds to imagination."
Sasaki looked around.
"So I really can do anything."
"Almost."
Sasaki immediately turned toward him.
"Almost?"
"There are restrictions."
Sasaki frowned.
"Like what?"
Sivarnte didn't answer.
Sasaki stared at him.
Then smiled.
"Okay."
He thought for a moment.
"I know."
He pointed at himself.
"Kill myself."
A notification immediately appeared in front of him.
[Unauthorized Request: Rose]
Sasaki stared at it.
Silence.
He slowly looked toward Sivarnte.
"...Rose?"
Sivarnte said nothing.
Sasaki pointed at the notification.
"What does that even mean?"
Sivarnte sighed.
"Some requests cannot be fulfilled."
Sasaki crossed his arms.
"You said I could do anything."
"I said almost anything."
"You conveniently left out the important part."
"Yes."
Sasaki narrowed his eyes.
"Seems like you lied."
Sivarnte smiled.
"You are already dead."
The smile disappeared from Sasaki's face.
"...What?"
Sivarnte floated closer.
"Incarnation Sasaki."
He looked directly into Sasaki's eyes.
"You are already in a state of death."
The atmosphere changed.
The white space suddenly felt colder.
Sasaki stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
Sivarnte didn't answer.
Sasaki stepped closer.
"How am I dead?"
Nothing.
"Why am I here?"
Silence.
"What happened?"
Still nothing.
Sasaki's expression hardened.
"I have a lot of questions."
Sivarnte looked at him.
"I know."
"Then answer them."
"In due time."
Sasaki stared at him.
"...I hate that answer."
"I know."
Sasaki sighed.
"Of course you do."
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Then Sivarnte turned away.
"First..."
He looked over his shoulder.
"We need to awaken your potential."
Sasaki blinked.
"My potential?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Sivarnte shrugged.
"Easy."
He pointed at Sasaki.
"Think about it."
Sasaki stared at him.
"...That's the entire explanation?"
"Yes."
"You're terrible at explaining things."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
Sasaki sighed.
"Fine."
He closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
"Alright."
He spread his arms.
"Bring it."
Sivarnte watched.
Sasaki's expression became extremely serious.
"Full potential..."
He clenched his fists.
"...UNLOCK!"
Nothing happened.
Silence.
Sasaki remained frozen in his pose.
A second passed.
Two.
Three.
He slowly opened one eye.
"...Did it work?"
Sivarnte stared at him.
Then slowly shook his head.
Sasaki opened his other eye.
"...Seriously?"
Sivarnte sighed.
[The Coalescence shakes his head in disappointment.]
Sasaki looked around.
"Did you just narrate yourself?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I thought it would make the moment more dramatic."
"It didn't."
"I disagree."
Sasaki pointed at him.
"You're really annoying."
Sivarnte smiled.
"And you're really gullible."
"Shut up."
Sivarnte floated backward.
"Give me a second, Incarnation."
Sasaki lowered his arms.
"What are you doing?"
Sivarnte brought his hands together.
His fingers formed a strange symbol.
The Dream Space immediately changed.
The endless white began to darken.
Not completely.
Just enough.
A faint gray spread across the distance.
Sasaki looked around.
"...Siv?"
No answer.
The air began vibrating.
A low rumble echoed through the empty realm.
Sasaki slowly looked behind himself.
For a brief moment—
He thought he saw something.
A shadow.
Standing far away.
Watching them.
He blinked.
It was gone.
"...Did you see that?"
Sivarnte continued forming the sign.
"See what?"
Sasaki stared into the distance.
"...Never mind."
Golden light suddenly appeared around Sivarnte.
The light grew brighter.
Brighter.
Then—
BOOM.
An enormous surge of energy erupted.
It rushed toward Sasaki.
His eyes widened.
"Wait—"
The energy slammed into him.
Sasaki's body jerked.
His eyes widened.
Power flooded through him.
He fell backward.
"Cough!"
He grabbed his chest.
"W-What the hell was that?!"
Sivarnte lowered his hands.
"I gave you my Essence."
Sasaki slowly stood.
"...Your Essence?"
"Yes."
Sasaki looked at his hands.
Energy moved beneath his skin.
His fingers trembled.
Sivarnte looked at him.
"Your Essence was a complete mess before."
Sasaki looked up.
"...Thanks."
"I don't know how you survived with it."
"Thanks again."
"You're welcome."
Sasaki stared at him.
"You really don't know when to stop."
"No."
Sasaki sighed.
He raised his hand.
A small sphere of energy formed above his palm.
He stared at it.
Then concentrated.
The sphere grew.
Larger.
Then larger.
Sasaki's eyes widened.
He pushed his hand forward.
The energy exploded outward.
A massive wave swept through the Dream Space.
Sasaki stood there in silence.
"...Incredible."
Sivarnte nodded.
"You have gained my energy."
Sasaki looked at him.
"But not your powers."
"Correct."
"So..."
Sasaki looked at his hand.
"What exactly did I gain?"
Sivarnte smiled.
"Better control."
Sasaki frowned.
"That's it?"
"And potential."
"Oh."
Sasaki nodded.
"That's slightly better."
Sivarnte reached behind himself.
He pulled out a sword.
Sasaki stared.
"Where did you get that?"
"From here."
"From where?"
Sivarnte gestured vaguely.
"Here."
Sasaki looked around.
"...This place is stupid."
Sivarnte held the blade toward him.
"This will assist you on your journey."
Sasaki took it.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt—
The blade pulsed.
A strange sensation traveled through his arm.
Sasaki looked at it.
"What journey?"
Sivarnte didn't answer immediately.
Sasaki looked at him.
"Am I not going back to the Architects' Domain?"
Sivarnte's expression changed.
Just slightly.
"Ah."
Sasaki immediately became suspicious.
"...What?"
"About that."
"What?"
"No."
Sasaki stared.
"No what?"
"You aren't going back."
Silence.
Sasaki's grip tightened around the sword.
"...Why?"
"Once you awaken..."
Sivarnte paused.
"Your memories will be wiped."
Sasaki's expression slowly changed.
"What?"
"You will awaken in the outside world without remembering this place."
Sasaki stared at him.
"So I'll forget this."
"Yes."
He looked around.
"The Dream Space."
"Yes."
Sasaki looked at Sivarnte.
"You."
"Yes."
Sasaki looked down at the sword.
"And everything I'm about to do?"
"Yes."
Sasaki was silent.
Then he looked up.
"...That's incredibly inconvenient."
Sivarnte nodded.
"Very."
Sasaki sighed.
"Can I at least leave a message?"
"Of course."
Sasaki straightened himself.
"Ahem."
He cleared his throat.
"Dear Architects."
His voice echoed through the Dream Space.
"I will no longer be one of you."
He paused.
"Not physically."
Sivarnte listened.
"I ask you to remember me."
Sasaki's expression softened.
"And please don't fight one another."
He smiled.
"I hope you all have wonderful lives."
A pause.
Then—
His smile became mischievous.
"Also, don't let Mao near my office or room."
Sivarnte slowly turned toward him.
Sasaki continued.
"Because I have some things in there that she probably won't want to see."
Sivarnte's eyes narrowed.
"Such as her spare umbrella."
Sasaki grinned.
"And the fact that I actually have a magic crystal that watches her all the time—"
"Cut."
Sasaki stopped.
"...What?"
"I said cut."
"I wasn't finished."
"I don't care."
Sasaki crossed his arms.
"That's rude."
"It's already been sent."
Sasaki froze.
"...What?"
"The message."
"Already?"
"Yes."
Sasaki's expression slowly became horrified.
"You sent the entire thing?"
"Yes."
"...Even the crystal part?"
"Especially the crystal part."
Sasaki covered his face.
"Oh, no."
Sivarnte smiled.
"You should've thought before speaking."
"You could've stopped me!"
"I tried."
"You said 'cut'!"
"Exactly."
Sasaki groaned.
"This is going to be terrible."
Sivarnte turned away.
"Moving on."
Sasaki sighed.
Then he noticed something.
"Wait."
Sivarnte stopped.
"How long have we been here?"
"Not long."
Sasaki looked around.
"It feels like we've been here for hours."
Sivarnte nodded.
"Time behaves differently here."
Sasaki looked at him.
"How differently?"
Sivarnte turned.
"Nine years have passed in the outside world."
Sasaki froze.
"...What?"
"Nine years."
Sasaki stared at him.
"No."
"Yes."
"Nine?"
"Yes."
"Years?"
"Yes."
Sasaki looked around the empty Dream Space.
Then back at Sivarnte.
"You mean..."
He swallowed.
"While we've been standing here talking..."
"Nine years."
Sasaki's face went blank.
"...Mao."
Sivarnte said nothing.
"Kural."
Nothing.
"Nexus."
Still nothing.
Sasaki slowly lowered his head.
"Nine years..."
Then—
He looked up.
"Wait."
Sivarnte raised an eyebrow.
"If nine years passed..."
Sasaki pointed at him.
"How much time do I have before I wake up?"
Sivarnte smiled.
"That's the interesting part."
Sasaki immediately became suspicious.
"I don't like that smile."
"You shouldn't."
The Dream Space began to tremble.
Sasaki looked around.
"What are you doing?"
"You control this realm."
Sivarnte raised his hand.
"So change time."
"How?"
"Think about it."
Sasaki stared.
"...Again?"
"Again."
Sasaki sighed.
"Fine."
He closed his eyes.
He imagined time slowing.
Then speeding up.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
The entire Dream Space distorted.
The white horizon stretched.
The air twisted.
For a moment—
Sasaki saw something.
A face.
Far away.
Pale.
Watching him.
Sasaki's eyes snapped open.
"What was—"
It was gone.
Sivarnte was looking at him.
Sasaki pointed into the distance.
"Something is watching us."
Sivarnte remained silent.
"...Siv?"
Nothing.
Sasaki narrowed his eyes.
"You know what that was."
Sivarnte smiled.
"Focus."
"That's not an answer."
"It wasn't meant to be."
Sasaki sighed.
"You're incredibly annoying."
"Thank you."
Sasaki closed his eyes again.
The Dream Space shook harder.
Then—
Everything became still.
Sivarnte looked around.
"There."
Sasaki opened his eyes.
"What happened?"
"Time inside this realm is now moving two times faster than the outside world."
Sasaki stared.
"Two?"
"Yes."
Sasaki looked at his sword.
Then toward the endless white.
"So..."
He smiled.
"That means I have a lot of time."
Sivarnte smiled back.
"More than enough."
Sasaki raised his blade.
"Then let's get started."
Sivarnte floated backward.
"Oh."
Sasaki looked at him.
"What?"
Sivarnte's smile widened.
"You might want to know one more thing."
Sasaki lowered his sword slightly.
"What?"
Sivarnte pointed into the darkness behind him.
"You aren't the only thing that can exist in the Dream Space."
Sasaki froze.
Slowly—
He turned around.
Nothing was there.
Just the endless white.
Sasaki looked back.
"...That's supposed to make me feel better?"
Sivarnte smiled.
"No."
The lights of the Dream Space suddenly went out.
Sasaki's eyes widened.
"...Siv?"
Silence.
Then—
Something whispered from somewhere in the darkness.
"Sasaki..."
His grip tightened around the sword.
"...Who said that?"
No answer.
A second voice whispered from farther away.
"Sasaki..."
Then another.
And another.
And another.
The voices surrounded him.
Sasaki slowly turned in place.
His breathing became quieter.
"Okay."
He raised his sword.
"This isn't funny anymore."
From somewhere behind him—
A pair of golden eyes opened.
Sasaki turned.
Nothing.
The lights suddenly returned.
Sivarnte was standing exactly where he had been.
Calm.
Smiling.
Sasaki stared at him.
"You saw that."
Sivarnte tilted his head.
"Saw what?"
Sasaki pointed behind himself.
"The eyes."
Sivarnte smiled.
"Perhaps you should start training."
Sasaki stared.
"...You're terrifying."
Sivarnte laughed.
"Good."
He raised his hand.
The Dream Space began transforming.
The endless white disappeared.
Mountains rose from the ground.
A massive forest spread across the horizon.
Dark clouds gathered overhead.
And somewhere in the distance—
Something screamed.
Sasaki stared at the landscape.
"...What did you just create?"
Sivarnte turned toward him.
"Your training ground."
Sasaki tightened his grip around the sword.
He stared into the dark forest.
Then sighed.
"Nine years..."
He looked at Sivarnte.
"You're making me work for it, aren't you?"
Sivarnte smiled.
"You wanted your full potential."
Sasaki raised his blade.
"...Fine."
He stepped forward.
"Let's see what this place can do."
Behind him—
Something moved between the trees.
Sasaki didn't notice.
But Sivarnte did.
And for the first time—
His smile disappeared.