"Oh, wait. How can I be so obtuse? Why didn't I contemplate this before? Utilizing lucid dreams could be the key to unlocking the system—a realm where time and space lose their conventional meanings," Alex pondered, a glimmer of excitement illuminating his eyes.
Alex's mind raced as he contemplated the potential of lucid dreaming. "In the dream world, time is distorted. Eight hours in reality could equate to nearly eight days in the realm of dreams. If I immerse myself in a lucid dream for an entire day, I could gain the equivalent experience of twenty-four days! Ha-ha! I am truly a genius," he exclaimed, elated by his newfound revelation.
He swiftly made his way to his room, procuring a pen and paper to leave a message for Yuhi outside his door.
"Dearest Sis,
I regret to inform you that I will be unable to attend school tomorrow due to a crucial software project that demands my unwavering attention. This endeavor holds great professional significance and has the potential to yield substantial financial rewards. Perhaps it is time for me to consider establishing my own company, which would facilitate the management of copyright issues.
Please rest assured that my studies are of no concern, as my intellectual capabilities far surpass the average individual. Should you harbor any doubts, I encourage you to test my knowledge upon your return. I am immensely grateful for your hospitality and would kindly request that you procure a computer for me, leaving it outside my door before your departure.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Alex : )"
Affixing the note to his door, Alex retreated into his room. He indulged in a refreshing bath, sipped warm milk infused with Ashwagandha, and prepared for slumber. Mindful of his plans, he set an alarm for three hours later. As the clock struck 8 PM, Alex embarked on his journey into the realm of dreams.
The jarring sound of his alarm clock yanked Alex from his deep slumber. He glanced at the time, noting it was 11 PM. Hastily rising from his bed, he proceeded to follow the instructions provided in the video.
Strolling through the mansion's corridors, opening and closing doors, Alex chanted the prescribed words. Five minutes elapsed as he meticulously adhered to the ritual. Unable to venture outside for a walk, he substituted it by traversing the mansion's interior for an additional five minutes. As time slipped by, he returned to his room.
Lying back on his bed, Alex surrendered to the embrace of sleep, capitalizing on his previous drowsiness. The dream world unfurled before him as he regained control, fully aware that he was within the realm of lucid dreaming.
"Ah, finally! The dream state where the laws of reality bend to my will. My excitement knows no bounds," Alex remarked, his mind striving to maintain a calm demeanor.
His first thought focused on the daily mission, realizing that dreams offered him a conducive environment to fulfill it effortlessly. He accepted the mission of staying with Yuhi, rejecting Rain Cloud University, and embarking on the path of establishing his own company.
Summoning the mansion Yuhi resided in, he conjured a dream version of Yuhi, gently placing her on his bed while he commenced his daily workout. "A stroke of genius, indeed. By combining my workout and staying with Sis, I can accomplish two missions simultaneously," he remarked, a sense of accomplishment illuminating his face.
However, a sudden realization dawned upon Alex. He pondered the potential consequences of his actions and the ramifications they might have on the system. The figure of the Rain Cloud University dean materialized before him, accompanied by a person holding a contract.
"Alex, I, the dean of Rain Cloud University, have come to extend an invitation for you to join our esteemed university," the dream version of the dean announced.
"Mr. Alex, the company you wished to establish has successfully passed the review phase. You only need to sign this contract to officially become its owner," the lawyer added.
Alex, having summoned these figures to aid him in completing the missions, looked at the dean and declared firmly, "I have no interest in joining your insignificant university. Begone!"
The dean's figure slowly dissipated, as did the lawyer's presence, once Alex had signed the contract. He couldn't help but revel in his newfound independence as the owner of his own company. "Congratulations, Mr. Alex. Your company is now established," the voice of the lawyer confirmed.
Alex, brimming with confidence, dismissed the lawyer with a casual remark, causing his figure to fade away.
With almost twenty-four hours having elapsed, Alex had successfully completed the mission of staying with Yuhi. A sense of achievement washed over him, but his elation was short-lived.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing all the basic missions. Your rewards will be distributed.]
[Ding! You have received the reward "Unwavering Confidence": a skill that enables you to remain composed and confident in any situation.]
[Ding! Reward received: Mind Coding - You can write lines of code through the power of thought. Note: This skill consumes mental energy, so it is advised not to use it for more than six hours.]
[Ding! Reward received: Basic Company Management Skill.]
[Ding! You have received +3 to Stamina, Strength, and Agility.]
Alex could barely contain his excitement at the rewards bestowed upon him. However, his enthusiasm was soon overshadowed by another system notification, which caused his expression to darken.
[It has been detected that the host utilized unfair means to complete the missions. Any mission accomplished within the dream realm is considered invalid. As a punishment for your actions, you will be unable to undertake any missions, including the daily mission, for one month.]
"No... I thought I had outsmarted the system, but I underestimated its vigilance. Sigh," Alex sighed in disappointment, acknowledging the consequences of his actions. Resigned to his fate, he decided to redirect his efforts toward expanding his knowledge.
He retrieved a collection of programming books, including titles on various languages such as C, C-sharp, C+, C++, Python, Java, PHP, Ruby, JavaScript, SQL, and HTML. Ranging from beginner to advanced levels, he possessed a total of fifty books.
"Wait, perhaps there's another way," Alex's intellect came into play once more. With a flash of inspiration, he transformed the books into video files, instantly accessible on the laptop he conjured into existence. Astonishingly, the combined length of the videos reached a staggering one hundred hours.
"What on earth... One hundred hours? How am I supposed to complete this? Well, having grown up watching Asian MeTubers, I've developed an immunity to fast speech. During exam times, I used to watch their videos at twice the speed. I should be able to do the same with this," Alex contemplated.
Applying his knowledge of Asian MeTubers' rapid speech patterns, he adjusted the video speed to match their average tempo. As a result, the total duration decreased to forty hours. Eager to expedite the process further, Alex pushed the boundaries by increasing the speed to four times, then five times, and finally, six times the normal speed.
"This... This is truly incredible! I can comprehend and absorb a hundred hours' worth of material in just 5.7 hours," Alex marveled at his newfound efficiency.
Amidst his excitement, he noticed a change in the system interface. The experience system had vanished, replaced by a requirement to spend points to level up. Furthermore, the ability to gain experience points through lectures had been eliminated.
[After unlocking the Emotion State, the Experience system has been removed. You must now utilize points to increase your level. Additionally, gaining experience points through lectures is no longer possible.]
"What? No more experience points? And I can't even buy the RTX 9040Ti with my points? Can't I at least build an incredible computer now?" Alex exclaimed, his disappointment evident.
"system show me my current points" Alex said.
[Current points: 50,000]
"WHAT! perhaps the change wasn't too bad" Alex smiled a bit.
"System, upgrade the Student profession to its limit," Alex commanded, hoping to make the most of his situation.
[Ding! 50,000 points have been spent. Student level raised to Level 10.]
Alex felt a surge of intelligence and knowledge flowing through him as he acquired mastery over high school subjects, granting him an additional 20 points in intelligence. Additionally, his Absolute Concentration skill had reached expert level, allowing him to utilize it for five hours per day with a cooldown period of 24 hours.
"This is fantastic! I only need five hours to master programming now. I thought I'd have to use the skill continuously for five days, but I can achieve it in a single session," Alex rejoiced.
"Absolute Concentration, activate."
With a cold, determined gaze, Alex locked his eyes onto the video playing before him. As the knowledge flowed into his mind, he absorbed and comprehended the intricate concepts of object-oriented programming, classes, variables, Python, Java, Unity Engine, and more. What would have taken him a hundred hours to learn now fit within a mere five hours.
[Ding! It has been detected that the host once again utilized unfair means to advance. From this point forward, the host is prohibited from using any skills within the dream realm. As a punishment, you will be banished from the dream realm and confined to the nightmare realm for fifteen days.]
"What? Noooooo!" Alex's anguished scream reverberated within the dream realm as his body dissipated, forcibly ejected from the realm he had come to cherish.
In the ensuing days, nightmares plagued Alex's sleep. His dreams transformed into a labyrinth of terrors, haunting his every moment. Night after night, he endured torment and fear, longing for the day he would be free from this horrifying ordeal.