The new day began with Emily's frantic knocking on Snowy's door.
Emily: "Snowy! Wake up!"
Despite her urgency, Snowy remained deeply immersed in his sleep. His unusual skill of reincarnation had once again woven its way into his dreams, rendering him unreachable. Inside the dreamscape, Snowy struggled to awaken, but his attempts were futile. The dream was too vivid, too real.
He found himself in an endless expanse, standing on a calm surface of water. Though the water appeared tranquil, Snowy's anxiety grew as the water began to churn ominously beneath him. His typical composure was replaced by a palpable fear. The surface rippled violently, revealing the massive, scaled hide of an enormous creature beneath.
Suddenly, the water surged violently, throwing Snowy through the air. He landed safely but knew he couldn't stay in this precarious place. As he sprinted away, the beast below broke through the surface—a colossal dragon, cloaked in shadows.
Snowy faced the dragon as it advanced towards him, its mouth opening wide. Just then, he awoke to Emily and Jim standing over him. Snowy was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
Emily: "Snowy, what happened?"
Snowy: "Nothing... just a strange nightmare."
Despite his attempt to downplay the situation, Snowy couldn't shake the unsettling feeling from the dream. He headed to the bathroom to freshen up while Emily and Jim waited outside.
As Snowy emerged, he glanced at Emily and Jim, puzzled.
Snowy: "What were you two doing in my room?"
Emily: "You weren't answering, so I came in. And Jim..."
Jim: "Hey, I'm just here to help. Saw she needed backup."
Snowy: "Right..."
Emily: "Anyway, we missed you at the party."
Snowy: "Party?"
Emily: "Yeah, the candidates who passed had a party to celebrate. They invited us because we helped them succeed."
Snowy: "Even with 15 missing?"
Jim: "Missing?"
Snowy and Emily: "Mind your own business."
Jim: "Okay, okay, chill."
Emily: "They wanted to show their gratitude."
Snowy: "Gratitude, huh?"
Emily: "Why so dismissive?"
Snowy: "I'm not being dismissive."
Emily: "Well, I cared enough to come by."
Emily's cheeks reddened slightly, but she quickly turned away, pretending to cough.
Snowy: "Is the party necessary? And did I pass?"
Emily: "Yes, you passed. The materials weren't required; you saved the candidates. That's more than enough."
Snowy: "Fair enough."
They headed to the party, but as they approached, Snowy suddenly collapsed. Emily caught him, her worry evident as his vision blurred and darkness closed in.
When Snowy awoke, he found himself back in the dreamscape. This time, the environment was different. He was in the first realm he had visited during the final exam, now engulfed in wild flames. A woman, surrounded by chaos, was shouting orders.
Woman: "We must leave! We have no time. If the dragon returns—"
Before she could finish, her body was engulfed in flames, consumed by an unseen force. Snowy's heart raced as he saw the people around her, their expressions of terror and their life structures—the Mana Nexus, Soulfire Well, and Chrono Spires—being absorbed by the shadow dragon from his previous dream.
The dragon's gaze locked onto Snowy. As it moved closer, Snowy was jolted awake, sweat-soaked and trembling. Emily, relieved to see him awake, rushed to his side.
Emily: "Thank God you're back! You scared me."
Snowy: "What happened?"
Emily: "You collapsed. It took three hours for you to come back. I was holding you the whole time."
Snowy, who thought the dream had lasted only minutes, was shocked to learn it had been hours. The memories of the dragon, the woman, and the fiery destruction were vivid in his mind.
Snowy, looking up at the darkening sky, whispered to himself, "What is that thing?"
The dream had left him with more questions than answers, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something dark and dangerous was looming on the horizon.