Murky felt his heart race with fear as he prepared himself mentally to face an unknown scary nightmare soldier in the real world even though he was assured he wouldn't turn into a catalyst being.
He was really shuddering because he knew this encounter could be the end of him.
After all, what if an undisciplined soldier shoots him? But when he looked around, he was shocked to see not just one soldier, but a whole group of soldiers pointing their guns at him.
And to his surprise, there was another group of nightmare soldiers nearby, starting to change their shape.
A lot from them!
Surrounding only him, aiming their guns at him.
"What's happening?"
Murky asked nervously, his voice shaking.
He didn't understand why so many people were coming towards him and surrounding him. He was really confused and didn't know what to make of it.
This was not what Murky expected.
He thought he would only have to face one nightmare soldier as a result of his transformation into a catalyst being like one he saw in the news.
He thought it would be a simple and straightforward experience, like when someone gets sick and goes into the hospital near the school.
Just when Murky was at his most anxious, an old voice echoed through the air, saying, "Hold your fire!"
Surprisingly, both the soldiers and nightmare soldiers listened and put their guns down for a moment.
Murky turned his head towards the voice and saw he was in a large room, up above him and the others, inside a glass, there was a man in a military uniform with more badges than the other soldiers.
There were also people in white lab coats standing next to him, all looking at Murky.
"What's been happening while I've been away?"
Murky wondered out loud, feeling uncertain and confused.
Before he could fully understand the situation, a mechanical voice interrupted his thoughts and asked, "Murky Smilodon, are you okay?"
The question made him feel uneasy, and as he looked around, there were indeed a lot of people, and it sent shivers down his spine.
Just what is happening?
Soon, memories of the start of the nightmare movie called, 'Taming hundred thousand of Dragons' mixed together in his mind, and then, like there was a branch in his head, it cracked!
"It's the start of a new era," Murky's wiener as he acknowledged the thought silently, his words echoing in his head.
Realizing he hadn't answered yet, Murky saw the soldiers pointing their guns at him again.
He was afraid for his life, with his primal instinct, he quickly raised his hands to show he surrendered.
"Wait, I'm okay—I'm okay and not crazy, I'm not crazy," he said, with sweat forming on his forehead.
Deep down, he knew this was a new era, which explained why there were so many people around him.
Although Murky had only experienced one new time in this future world, he understood what it meant.
He remembered that when failing in the new era, the nightmare world would turn people into powerful catalysts.
These beings were said to be incredibly fierce and strong, different from regular ones that would appear if someone died in the nightmare.
In this new era, people who already went into the past nightmare worlds could die for real in the real world too if they entered this new era nightmare. But if they survived, they could enter a new world full of resources and fragments of life.
Even though it was dangerous, many people were willing to take the risk for the new opportunities it offered.
"What did you see in the nightmare?" asked the general, staring at Murky without looking away, waiting for his answer.
The question surprised Murky, leaving him momentarily speechless as he tried to find the right response. But amidst his thoughts, a spark of inspiration lit up inside him, guiding him towards a clever plan.
With a hint of surprise on his face, Murky was about to say that it was not their concern. But he quickly changed his approach, realizing the possible consequences of defying their question.
A better idea formed in his mind, prompting him to speak.
"When I was forced into the single-player mode, I suddenly found myself in a lively Viking village," Murky started, his voice filled with a mix of fear and wonder.
"In that busy place, brave people were fighting against big winged lizards that breathed fire. The battle was so big, and I felt so small, that I hid in the shadows and moved through the maze-like paths.
"It was there, in a hidden underground passage, that I discovered something mysterious. A spooky voice came from the depths of the underworld and said, 'I can send you back to the real world, but it will cost you your life.'"
Knowing that avoiding the question wouldn't work, Murky decided to give an answer, but one that would keep his true experience hidden.
He understood that he had to be careful with his response, sharing some truth while protecting his own secrets.
"By Odin! At that moment, I felt such relief, I knew that voice was the nightmare system," he confessed, speaking with urgency and impatience.
He stretched his arms out, as if symbolically letting go of his troubles.
"Since I'm not a dangerous catalyst being like the others, I think it's fair for me to leave, right?"
The room fell silent, and everyone realized that Murky's lack of special abilities made him harmless and he's not a catalyst being so it would be safe, but why would they just let him go?
In the midst of the tense silence, someone gently tapped the general's back, and a deep voice came from behind Murky.
"What did you get from that scary place?"
The voice asked, sounding authoritative and curious.
Anticipating the question, Murky quickly prepared his response.
He spoke confidently and without hesitation.
"What did I get? Well... I didn't really get anything tangible," he admitted, sounding resigned. "But there was a strange message the nightmare said to me, it warned me that leaving the realm would mean losing normal rewards and only receiving temporary fragments of life, enough to sustain me for two months."
Murky paused and looked around the room, making eye contact with each person.
With some determination, he continued, "I don't really know what that meant, but why shouldn't I choose to go back to reality? If each of you experienced the horrors I faced, I believe any reasonable person would want to find comfort in this safe place."
He noticed a door that was unguarded, with soldiers not paying attention.
A glimmer of hope sparked within him, urging him towards the chance to escape.
"In that dreadful nightmare, I saw children, innocent souls like me, turned into liquid and shattered by giant creatures," Murky shared, causing gasps from those present.
Seizing the opportunity, he rushed towards the door, driven by his strong determination.
"Sigh... I just want to find peace. I'm leaving now. Goodbye, everyone!"
The witnesses stood there, unable to believe what they had just seen and heard.
Did he say he just gave up anything inside?
Did he say that he accepted death with only two months to live?
How come they never heard of that?
Normally, if he chose a normal dream, he would only last five days, but the nightmare gave him a month?
Their minds struggled to catch up with the quick succession of events.
The soldiers looked at the general, seeking guidance on what to do next, but the general remained silent, captivated by the mysterious person standing beside him.
With an air of indifference, the person watched as Murky disappeared, speaking with a mix of scorn and finality.
"He's just a family disappointment. Let him go, his existence doesn't matter," the person declared, their words sounding decisive.
The mysterious person doesn't really care about Murky, he couldn't sense an improvement of genes to Murky, and was used to his personality, so he decided to not bother.
As Murky vanished from sight, the person turned away, dropping the microphone they held, which made a loud thud as it hit the ground.
"Inform me right away if anyone else wakes up and tells a similar story," he ordered, his voice filled with no urgency and lack of intrigue.
"Ha-ha-hay, why do I have to work on this pathetic child."
With that, they turned their back to the room, leaving their subordinates to carry out his instructions.