Ares opened his eyes for the third time, hoping that this time, there wouldn't be another nightmare waiting for him. A breath of relief escaped his lips as he realized that the nightmarish world had not followed him. Instead, he found himself staring up at an unfamiliar armored ceiling. His body was restrained by something, though it felt more like a soft bed beneath him than anything threatening.
He kept calm, scanning his surroundings. The steel walls were sturdy, and the atmosphere was sterile, almost too pristine. Not far from him lay another empty bed, a cheap plastic chair beside it, all evidence of an industrial, impersonal space. His gaze then shifted to the steel door across the room, where the sound of footsteps grew louder, signaling someone's approach.
The door opened with a soft creak, and a woman entered. The instant their eyes met, Ares knew she was the most captivating—and dangerous—woman he had ever seen. There was something about her presence that was commanding, unlike anyone he had encountered before. She had short, raven-black hair and piercing icy-blue eyes. Her flawless, pale skin seemed almost otherworldly.
She wore a dark blue uniform, adorned with silver epaulets, and black leather boots that clicked against the floor with each step. Her jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a dark tank top that somehow accentuated her frame. A distinctive insignia with three stars on her left sleeve caught his eye.
Military or government, definitely, Ares thought. She was sizing him up as much as he was taking her in. Her sharp gaze met his before she spoke, her voice cool and measured, "Like what you see?"
Honestly? Yes, but he wasn't about to admit it.
A cough escaped him before he could think, "Sorry, but who are you? And where am I?"
She clicked her tongue, clearly unimpressed, but answered with a slight sigh. "Ascended Jet. You were in a nightmare earlier, so we had to restrain you in this police bunker in case you... failed. And you are?"
Her tone was authoritative, one that brooked no argument. Ascended? Must be some kind of high rank.
"My name is Ares... Honestly, that's all I remember," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
She gave him a look of pity, though it was brief. "Must've been one hell of a nightmare," she muttered, then undid his restraints and gave his shoulder a light pat. "Go wash up. You reek of the spell. Come to the cafeteria afterward for a briefing."
Without another word, she turned and left him alone in the sterile room.
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Ares stood under the stream of hot water, letting it wash away the lingering remnants of his ordeal. The station's showers were empty, which meant he could take his time. The water felt soothing against his skin, and he allowed himself a few moments of quiet enjoyment.
After a few minutes, he turned off the tap and stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack. As he passed the mirror, he caught a glimpse of his reflection.
"...Jeez, no way that's me."
The man staring back at him had a perfectly symmetrical face, healthy pale skin, and flowing crimson red hair that looked as though it were aflame. His pupils were unnaturally red, intense, and commanding attention, as if they held a secret fire within. His body was sculpted, the kind of physique made for battle—muscles defined yet fluid, the form of someone born for conflict. He stood at around 185 cm, taller than the average man, and his appearance was so striking that he couldn't help but feel that the transformation, as painful as it had been, had been worth it.
"You know what?" he murmured to himself with a wry smile. "That pain was totally worth it."
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A few minutes later, Ares found himself in a police tracksuit, heading toward the station cafeteria. As he approached, he saw Master Jet and another girl sitting at a table. The girl was eating hungrily, as though she hadn't seen food in ages.
He made his way toward the table, but as he walked, he could feel the weight of numerous gazes on him. What? Never seen a red-haired guy before? he thought, his expression unreadable as he continued forward.
The petite girl with a stuffed mouth finally took notice of Ares as he sat down.
COUGH COUGH. She choked on her food the moment she saw his face, looking a lot like a small raccoon or a squirrel struggling with a too-big bite.
Ares couldn't help but glance at her more closely. She was pale, but not the healthy kind of pale—more like malnourished, weak. Yet, behind that fragile appearance, there was something treacherous, an undeniable will to survive, no matter the odds.
"Princess finally decided to show up," she mumbled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You sure are a sight... lucky brat, not even a master, and yet..." she whispered the last part, but loud enough for him to hear.
Ares scratched his head sheepishly, trying to deflect, It wasn't for free, you know?
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said with a half-smile, trying to keep things light.
Master Jet, sensing the shift, didn't waste time. "Alright, since we're tight on time, I'll do the briefing while you two eat." She glanced at both of them. "As I was telling your sleep buddy, Sunny here, I'm obliged to inform you of a few things. It's mostly a formality. First of all, regarding your first nightmare..." She sighed, pausing as if the words were a heavy weight. "You are entitled to free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experiences you've encountered, there's no shame in asking for help. Your mind is just as important as your body. It's only right to keep it healthy. Any of you interested?"
Sunny and Ares both shook their heads.
Jet nodded, unsurprised, and continued, "As you wish. But you could always talk to me. Was it very hard?"
Sunny thought for a moment, then responded vaguely, "It was both worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I expected." She sounded proud of the answer.
Jet turned her gaze to Ares. "And you, Ares?"
Ares sighed, a shadow crossing his expression. "It was hard. It's not easy being hunted by a rabid dog. But the sucker got what it deserved."
Both Jet and Sunny knew it wasn't as simple as Ares made it seem, but neither pressed him further. Everyone had their secrets.
"That's a nice attitude," Jet remarked. "I won't pry. Us outskirt rats are more resilient than people think."
Sunny, surprised by this revelation, raised an eyebrow. "Master Jet... did you say you grew up on the outskirts?"
Jet smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "What? Can't you tell from my exquisite manners and polished exterior?"
"I couldn't tell at all," Sunny muttered, her gaze shifting back to Ares. "And you're telling me he is from the outskirts too?" She emphasized the "he," clearly struggling to reconcile the Ares in front of her—tall, good-looking—with the image she had of someone from the outskirts, a place of hunger and deprivation.
Ares raised an eyebrow at her. The outskirts must be pretty bad if she's reacting like that.
Jet responded casually, "Truth be told, I found him passed out in the outskirts, naked. Pretty sure city folk don't wander in those parts. And there's no trace of him in the government system."
Sunny's mouth dropped open at this confirmation. "Of course, he didn't look like this before. He was just a scrawny brat, just like you."
pfft Ares couldn't hold back a laugh. Wait, that means me, too!
"What are you laughing at, giant?" Sunny shot him a glare.
"Better than being a munchkin, in my books," Ares quipped back.
"What the hell's a munchkin?!" Sunny demanded, genuinely confused.
"Alright, you two," Jet interjected, clearing her throat. "I'm not done talking."
She continued, her voice steady. "There aren't many of us from the outskirts in the Awakened community. In fact, you could count them on one hand."
Yikes, that's not a good sign, Ares thought.
Sunny, however, seemed encouraged. "Is that all?"
Ares asked through a mouthful of food, "So what's next?"
Jet checked her communicator, grimacing at the screen. "Well, your luck is exceptionally bad. There's not a lot of time. First off, you're free to do whatever you want. No one's forcing you to make a certain decision. You can prepare on your own—or not prepare at all. Party until the lights go out."
Yeah, no thanks for offering, Ares thought.
"However, I would advise against that. As a Sleeper, you are also entitled to enroll in the Awakened Academy. You'll be provided with food, lodging, and a wide range of preparatory classes. I'll be honest, this late into the year, you won't learn much. But it's better than nothing."
She paused, clearly weighing her next words. "More importantly, you'll get to meet most of the people who will enter the Dream Realm with you. Some of them might become your companions for life."
Dream Realm? Ares thought, his mind racing. And monsters aren't the only thing I should be worried about, apparently.
Jet's gaze shifted to Ares, her expression serious. "You'll get all the details later. There's just not enough time."
"So, what do you say? Do you want me to take you to the Academy?" she asked.
Sunny thought for a moment, her eyes brightening at the thought of free food and lodging. "Yeah, I want to go to the Academy."
I could smell the poverty on her, Ares thought, but not that he was in a position to judge.
Seeing that this was Ares's only viable option—his only chance to understand what was happening—he swallowed his food and replied with a grin, "What the munchkin said."
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and that's my first ever character interaction, tell me how I did Xd