I lunged at the Dobeki with all my strength. I had no time to think—only to act. However, just as I was closing the distance, the damned monster grinned, revealing its sharp teeth.
—Tch! —I clicked my tongue as razor-sharp spikes shot out from its wet, dark hair, launching toward me at impossible speed.
I moved as fast as I could, barely dodging them. Each one sliced through the air with a terrifying sound, as if tearing through space itself. But just when I thought I had avoided them all, the Dobeki appeared right in front of me in the blink of an eye.
—What… that fast? —It was all I could say before its fist slammed into my stomach.
The impact was so brutal that the air was forced out of my lungs. I felt my body fold over its arm before being hurled upward, spinning uncontrollably in that damned infinite void. I tumbled several times, struggling to regain my balance.
—Damn it! —I growled as I steadied myself in midair. I looked around—the false world continued to distort. Nothing made sense here.
My heart pounded, and a terrifying thought crept into my mind.
—No… if I die here… this could be really dangerous. —My eyes widened, a chill running down my spine—. I could die in real life…
I had no time to dwell on it. The Dobeki was already charging again. Its hair elongated, transforming into wet, black blades that flew toward me at an absurd speed. They were so fast it seemed like they were teleporting.
—Not so fast! —I shouted, dodging by a hair's breadth. My body moved side to side, leaping from strand to strand. The creature laughed as its attacks grew more intense.
I found an opening and lunged with a spinning kick.
—Take this!
My foot struck—at least, I thought it did. The Dobeki blocked my attack with insulting ease. Not only that, but it started dodging every one of my moves as if it could see the future. Punches, kicks, flips—nothing landed.
—Damn you…! —My teeth clenched in frustration.
In an instant, it barely brushed its fingers against me, and an invisible force struck me like a truck. My body was sent flying backward, rolling over and over in that endless void. I managed to stop myself, digging my feet into the nothingness.
—This is really bad… —I admitted, breathing heavily—. It's way harder than I thought. I can't beat it like this… I can't even get close to the Dream Core. —I looked up, where the core shone like a cursed beacon—. It's too fast… too instinctive…
I couldn't afford to lose. If I did, my world… my reality… everything would end.
—Come on, think, Jiro! —I shouted at myself.
I decided to launch myself again, but the world began to spin. Everything twisted, shifting shapes and perspectives. The ground became the sky, the sky became the sea, and angles distorted like a damn kaleidoscope.
—What the—?! —I lost my balance, stumbling forward. My body twisted, falling in directions that shouldn't exist. Nausea hit me hard, but I couldn't afford to vomit now.
Somehow, I managed to steady myself and deliver a quick kick. My foot landed straight on the ugly Dobeki's face, sending it rolling backward.
—Yes! Take that! —I cheered, but my smile faded as I saw it stand up as if nothing had happened.
—No way… —My hands trembled slightly—. It's like it's infinitely superior here… —My eyes narrowed—. If I had my spear… I'd end this in seconds…
I sighed, punching the air in frustration.
—Damn it! —I growled, staring at my empty hands—. I can't have it… because I'm in a world built by my dreams…
My dreams…
—Wait! —My eyes suddenly lit up.
I looked around, the false world trembling, distorting like smoke in the wind.
—That's it… I'm in a fake world… —A smile began to form on my face—. But at the same time, I'm dreaming!
I touched my head, feeling the pulse of my consciousness.
—I'm inside my mind… here, in dreams… I can do whatever I want! —I said, a tingling sensation running through my skin—. I can break the limits and alter reality as I please! Here, there is no logic… unless I want there to be!
The Dobeki stared at me with an expression of surprise, its eyes glowing with uncertainty.
At that moment, a memory surfaced in my mind.
(Flashback)
I was floating in space, facing a massive planet. But… I was even bigger than the planet. I could see it slowly rotating before me, its continents and oceans tiny.
—Chocolates, come to me! —I shouted excitedly.
Immediately, all the planets in the solar system turned into giant chocolates—even the sun became a massive, glowing ball of candy. I grinned from ear to ear as I started devouring them one by one.
(Back to the present)
—Ha! —I exclaimed as I recalled that strange dream—. Of course! I remember when I dreamed of eating the planets of the solar system!
—Alright then… —I said, placing a hand on my chin, pretending to think deeply—. If I can break the rules here…
The Dobeki started sweating. Its eyes widened, its feet stepping back, its body trembling with unease.
I pulled a strand of hair and let it fall to the ground.
—Come on… work!
A cloud of red smoke enveloped the strand, and from it, an identical figure of me emerged, sporting a confident grin.
—You did it, bro! —The clone spoke, crossing its arms with a smug expression—. Hahaha!
—Yesss… I did it! —I laughed out loud, feeling the excitement rush through my body.
The Dobeki started sweating even more, taking a step back as its face twisted in fear.
—This is getting interesting… —I murmured as I prepared for the next round.
—You'll regret using a fake image of my father, you ugly bastard! —I shouted with rage, a vengeful smile on my face, mirrored by my other clone.
—No one mocks my father! Got it?! NO ONEEEE! —I emphasized, my anger rising even further.
—YOU WON'T LIVE TO TELL THE TALE, WET-HAIR! —My second clone responded, playing along.
The Dobeki looked at me in horror, unable to comprehend what he was witnessing. My clones and I lunged at him without hesitation. The confusion on his face was so intense that I almost felt sorry for him... Almost.
The Dobeki raised his hands toward the sky, and reality itself bent as if it were a sheet of fabric. He pulled it with force, distorting the world around him. But I already knew that cheap trick.
—That cliché move? Please, I've seen that before, you idiot! You won't pull it off! —I shouted with a defiant grin.
Clone number one got the signal. He grabbed my foot and hurled me toward the Dobeki with all his strength. I took advantage of the momentum, feeling the rush of speed whip against my body as I closed in on him. At the same time, more strands of my hair fell to the ground, transforming into crimson smoke that gave birth to even more clones.
We surrounded the Dobeki. Without pause, we unleashed a storm of punches and kicks. He tried to defend himself, summoning shadow blades that sliced through reality with a deadly whistle. But one of my clones caught the shadow as if it were a physical object and shaped it into a tray.
—Here goes! —the clone shouted, smashing the shadow tray against the Dobeki's face. The dull sound of the impact echoed as the monster staggered, completely dazed.
His gaze turned furious, his wet, dark hair whipping wildly as he created a massive suction hole in front of us. The wind began pulling us toward its abyss.
—Not that easy! —I shouted, planting my feet firmly on the dreamlike white ground.
My clones did the same, forming a chain by grabbing onto my legs. I turned to them and nodded decisively.
—Multi Jiro Spinning Strike! —I yelled at the top of my lungs.
—WHAT?! —Clone number two looked at me as if I had just said the dumbest thing in existence. —That's the name you came up with?! It sounds like something a five-year-old would say!
But there was no time to argue. The chain of clones began spinning at an incredible speed, creating a storming electric tornado. The crackling energy illuminated the false world as the whirlwind surged toward the suction hole, erasing it as if it had never existed.
The Dobeki was sent flying by the impact, his body spinning uncontrollably. I watched as he disappeared into the endless world.
—Damn, he went flying far, hahaha! —Clone number one laughed. —Looked like a home run!
—Hey, Original Jiro! —Clone number two pointed at me, clearly embarrassed. —What was that ridiculous name you gave our attack?! It sounded like a little kid made it up!
—If you don't like it, then just drop it! —I replied, feeling offended by his remark.
—Stop arguing over stupid things! —Clone number three intervened. —Let's go after wet-hair before he gets away! Don't forget we need to get out of here!
I smirked. They understood how my mind worked perfectly... After all, they were me. I pulled out more strands of my hair, and crimson smoke once again filled the space, multiplying the number of clones infinitely.
The entire false world became a sea of Jiros. We were so many that we covered the sky, the white ground. The laughter of my clones echoed everywhere—a mocking, deafening laughter that made the Dobeki tremble.
The monster backed away, his eyes filled with terror, as enormous tears streamed down his face.
—GRUAAAAAAH! —he screamed desperately, his voice distorted by fear.
I grinned. Here, in this dream world, imagination had no limits. I looked at my clones and nodded.
—Let's go! —I ordered, raising my fist.
The Jiros formed massive fists from their own hands. An unimaginable number of fists aligned in the sky, all aimed at the Dobeki.
—Here, imagination has no limits! —I shouted as the fists launched at him with overwhelming force.
—I'm getting the hell out of here, wet-hair! —I mocked him one last time.
The Dobeki tried to defend himself, raising the Dream Core in his hand, but it was useless. The fists struck him again and again, shattering his body and the core at the same time.
The world began to fracture. The walls of the false infinity cracked like shattered glass, and everything started collapsing. The sky splintered, the ground vanished beneath my feet, and the colors blended into a chaotic spiral.
—At last... we've destroyed this false dream world... —I murmured as everything faded away.
I closed my eyes. I felt a gust of cold air on my face, and when I opened them again, I was back in the real world.
My body was drenched in sweat, my breathing heavy. I looked at my trembling hands, then at the clear sky above me.
—That... was way too intense...
But I had won. I had defeated the Dobeki and escaped that dream world.
I opened my eyes suddenly. My body felt heavy, my muscles stiff, and my breathing ragged. I could still feel traces of the dream world dissipating from my skin. But there was no time to process it.
I was back in the Shadow Forest. The air was dense, filled with a sinister energy seeping from cracks in space. Deformed monsters emerged from them, writhing like living shadows, ready to devour everything in their path.
In front of me, fighting those creatures with fierce and calculated movements, was Kogorō, the Spirit of Destruction. His silhouette floated in the air, cutting through enemies with terrifying precision. As soon as he noticed I was awake, he let out a relieved laugh.
—YOU'RE AWAKE, JIRO… THANK GOD! —he exclaimed, never ceasing his attacks on the monsters still pouring out of the fissures. —Well… I won't ask how you managed to do it.
I forced myself to stand, shaking off the remnants of that forced slumber. I watched Kogorō in the middle of battle, his fluctuating essence clearly weakened.
—Hey, Kogorō... —I asked as I approached, my voice still hoarse. —How long have you been here protecting us from those monsters?
Kogorō clicked his tongue, dodging a creature's attack with ridiculous ease.
—What a stupid question... —he scoffed in annoyance. —If I let you die here, who the hell is going to free me from the seal with the spear?
I smirked slightly. His usual tone—dry and arrogant—but this time, I could sense something different behind his words.
—I think you were worried… —I said, looking at him with a knowing expression.
Kogorō huffed but didn't deny it. Instead, he pointed toward the fissures with his head.
—There's no time to talk! —he growled, slicing down another monster. —Stop talking nonsense and help me already! I'm disappearing!
I looked around. Ardan and Saria were still unconscious, completely motionless on the shadow-covered ground.
I quickly knelt beside them and murmured:
—Hang in there… Once this is over, I'll wake you up.
My eyes landed on the Crimson Spear, resting near Saria. I grabbed it tightly. The instant my hands wrapped around it, a deep vibration surged through my body.
The air around me shifted. My horns began to glow, turning an intense crimson red. A surge of energy crackled across my skin, and I felt my power rising. From my cheeks, two luminous red markings emerged, as if someone had painted mystical feline patterns on my face.
My grip on the spear tightened.
—Enough of this, Kogorō… —I muttered, as red electricity crackled around me.
Before I could even think, my feet moved on their own. Like a lightning bolt, I launched myself toward the fissures. My strikes were swift and merciless. Each monster that emerged was struck down or impaled without hesitation. The dark spirits attempting to flee were sliced in half by my spear's blade.
—SHUT UP ALREADY! —I roared, spinning mid-air as a crimson blast erupted from my spear, obliterating the shadows.
The dimensional fissures flickered and began to close one by one. The space stabilized, reality returned to normal—as if nothing had happened.
When it was over, I turned to Kogorō. His floating body slowly descended until his feet touched the ground.
—Ughhh… —he exhaled in relief. —I thought I was going to disappear from exhaustion… Damn it…
I also took a deep breath, trying to recover. Then, I shifted my focus back to Ardan and Saria. Their bodies still weren't reacting. Their expressions were peaceful, as if they were trapped in some deep trance.
I frowned.
—How am I supposed to bring them back…? —I murmured. —I need to wake them up… or they might stay like this forever.
Kogorō crossed his arms, looking thoughtful.
—I could enter their minds and pull them out… —he said in a monotone voice. Then, he let out a heavy sigh. —But there's a problem… I'm too exhausted. I used up almost all my spiritual energy.
—Damn it… —I muttered, running a hand through my hair. We couldn't leave those two like this. There had to be another way.
Then, an idea struck me like a thunderbolt.
What if… I entered their minds myself?
My eyes gleamed with determination.
—Kogorō… what would happen if I went into their minds?
Kogorō raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
—Enter their minds? —he repeated, looking at me incredulously. —And how would you do that?
I stayed thoughtful for a moment, but then answered with confidence:
—Mmm… I remember when I fought you that time at the temple, when we first met. Right before you tried to attack me by surprise… I could hear your thoughts.
Kogorō's eyes narrowed with interest.
—Hear my thoughts?
—Yes, though it was only for an instant. —I crossed my arms, recalling that moment more clearly. —It was as if a voice echoed in my head just before you moved.
Kogorō clicked his tongue and sighed.
—So that's what happened… —he murmured. —I knew something was off back then. It was impossible for you to react ahead of time…
I lifted my gaze and looked at him with determination.
—If that was real, then there's a good chance I can also enter their minds… into their dreams.
Kogorō crossed his arms, his expression still doubtful.
—You have to understand something, Jiro. —he said seriously. —That time, you only read my thoughts telepathically. But that doesn't mean you can consciously enter another person's mind. Those are two completely different things.
—What do you mean?
—First, there's reading and seeing thoughts, and then there's entering dreams. —he explained patiently. —The latter is something far more advanced.
I bit my lip. So it wasn't possible? No… I had to try.
—I don't care. I need to find a way, no matter what.
Kogorō looked at me with his bright eyes and sighed.
—Haaah… well, I guess I'll have to use a bit more of my spiritual energy to help you.
I looked at him, surprised.
—You really will?
—Yes, since this is a critical situation… I don't have many options. But listen carefully, Jiro… —he pointed at me with his finger. —Don't waste this chance I'm giving you.
I smiled confidently.
—Kogorō, you're the best.
. . .
Kogorō floated in the air, observing Ardan and Saria. He looked tired, but still maintained his strong presence.
—I'm going to transmit your consciousness into Ardan's dream first. —he said firmly. —Then we'll see what to do with Saria.
I lay down near Ardan and gave a thumbs-up.
—Understood.
I closed my eyes. Kogorō extended both hands and touched my forehead and Ardan's at the same time.
—Now…
Suddenly, a strange sensation enveloped me. My body felt light, as if I were floating. Everything around me became blurry, as if I were sinking into water.
—It's working…!
In an instant, I fell into a completely white and infinite space.
I opened my eyes.
—Where…?
There was no ground, no sky, no walls. Just an immaculate void.
I looked around and clenched my fists.
—I'm inside… Now I need to find Ardan.
Without wasting any more time, I started running.
The infinite white space stretched in all directions. There was no sky or ground, just an endless void.
I ran aimlessly, feeling the desperate pressure in my chest.
—Damn... in this vast place, it'll take me forever to find Ardan. —I murmured as I kept moving forward. —I hope he didn't enter one of those doors...
My voice didn't echo. It was as if this place swallowed up any sound.
I kept running, shouting his name.
—Ardaaan! Where are you?!
But there was no response.
I didn't even know how much time had passed.
—There's no sense of time...
After walking for a while, exhaustion started to weigh me down.
—Ardaaan... —I gasped, my throat dry. —Where... are you...?
Suddenly, an explosion shook the void.
My eyes snapped open.
—What was that?!
I turned my head to the left and saw a flashing light in the distance. Without thinking, I ran toward it.
...
When I arrived, I was met with an unexpected scene.
Ardan and Saria were fighting...
Against a Dobeki.
Both of them were gasping, exhausted.
Saria, with her horns faintly glowing, was struggling to stay on her feet.
—It's too powerful... —she whispered, breathing heavily. —It absorbed too much vitality...
Ardan gritted his teeth, swaying.
—I'm so tired... —he said in a hoarse voice. —If this keeps up... we're going to die.
My heart pounded hard.
Without thinking, I shouted at the top of my lungs:
—I finally found you, Ardan!!
Ardan, surprised, turned his head.
—Not now, Jiro... —he replied automatically. —Can't you see we're in danger?
He looked back at the Dobeki.
But suddenly, his expression changed.
He slowly turned back toward me.
His gaze filled with disbelief.
—Wait... what is Jiro doing here?
His body tensed.
—This is impossible... we're in our dreams... He doesn't have this kind of ability...
Saria also looked at me, stunned.
—Ardan... I think it's our Jiro.
Ardan and Saria exchanged confused looks.
Then, they both shouted at the same time:
—WHAT? HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?!
I sighed and approached them.
—Now's not the time to be surprised by things like this. —I said firmly. —Let's just defeat this Dobeki and get out of here once and for all.
The two nodded slowly.
But then... I saw it.
The Dobeki wasn't like the one I had faced before.
This one was bigger. More muscular.
Its wet hair dripped dark liquid, and its malevolent aura vibrated with overwhelming intensity.
The white ground of the infinite trembled.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
—Haaah... Damn... this one really hit the gym, didn't he?
Saria, breathing heavily, murmured:
—He... was smaller when we first started fighting him...
Ardan clenched his fists.
—The Dreamer's core absorbed too much vitality... and it absorbed it in turn... taking on this form.
My eyes widened.
—You mean that...?
Ardan nodded, his voice deep.
—Since then, he's far surpassed us... and now the Dreamer's core is inside him.
I processed all the information in seconds.
The air felt heavy. The Dobeki's aura distorted the very place.
But I wasn't going to back down.
I exhaled slowly.
—Well... it doesn't matter now.
I stepped forward.
—I'm here to help you now.
I clenched my fists.
—Let's defeat him. No matter what happens.
The Dobeki watched us, its dark aura vibrating intensely.
It was bigger, stronger.
We knelt before it, ready to fight.
Suddenly, its arms stretched out with terrifying speed.
—Now, dodge that! Ardan shouted.
I jumped to the side as Saria and Ardan did the same.
There was no room for error.
Taking advantage of the opening, I propelled myself forward and launched a powerful aerial kick toward the Dobeki.
But its black aura hit me before I could even touch it.
I was sent flying through the air.
—Damn...! I growled as I spun in the air. —Its mana is too much...!
Before I could recover, Saria attacked with her pink fire.
Ardan reinforced the attack by launching spiritual barriers that shot toward the Dobeki.
But it was all in vain.
The Dobeki swallowed the attacks.
And with its mouth, it returned them in the form of an amplifying wave.
—Damn...! I muttered, grabbing Ardan and Saria and pulling them out of the way.
The wave collided with the ground, creating an explosion that shook the entire white world.
Fragments of the world itself began to float as if it were crumbling.
—This can't be...! I said, breathing heavily. —This is much more powerful than the previous Dobeki...
—Obviously. Ardan frowned. —Yours must have been weaker, but this one absorbed the Dreamer's core.
Saria, with sweat dripping down her forehead, added:
—We tried using our imagination to alter this false world... but the Dobeki is much more versatile in this.
I gritted my teeth.
—Damn... I think I'm going to have to use everything I have.
I didn't know if it would work here, but I had to try.
—Hey... what are you going to do? Saria asked as she saw me put my hand to my head.
Without answering, I ripped a strand of my hair and tossed it into the air.
—Why are you pulling your hair out? Ardan raised an eyebrow. —Going bald isn't going to get us out of here...
Suddenly, the strand of hair was engulfed in red smoke... and from it, an exact copy of me emerged.
—Tada! I smiled.
Saria blinked.
—What the hell?! There are two Jiros...!
Ardan stared at the clone in awe.
—It cloned itself... but from what I see, this ability works because dreams allow it, right?
I nodded.
—Yes... I used it when I fought a Dobeki before. It reminds me of the stories my grandfather used to tell me...
I smiled to myself.
—The Monkey King could also clone himself with his hair strands...
But before I could explain more, the Dobeki roared in fury.
A wave of dark energy exploded from its body, shaking the void.
Without wasting time, I ripped more strands of my hair and created more clones.
The red smokes spread, and in the blink of an eye, an army of Jiros filled the place.
—Let's go, let's get Ardan and Saria out of here! I shouted.
The clones surrounded Ardan and Saria and pulled them out of the impact zone just in time.
The Dobeki roared again and launched a gust of wind with its mana.
The clones were sent flying, dissipating into red smoke upon impact.
—Damn it...! Ardan said. —We need to help him!
Ardan extended his hands, creating spiritual barriers in the shape of cubes around the Dobeki's limbs.
Saria used her pink fire to tie it with a burning rope.
I seized the opportunity.
I ripped more strands of my hair.
I created a chain of countless Jiros, all holding hands.
The Jiro at the far end grabbed the Dobeki by the feet.
—Now!
The chain of Jiros threw it with brutal force against the ground.
The impact shook the entire dream world.
The Dreamer's core inside the Dobeki cracked.
Cracks began to form in the white space.
The false world was collapsing.
—Now! I shouted, charging crimson power into my fists.
I jumped high, fist ready.
I hit the Dobeki directly in the chest.
The dream world exploded into a distortion of light and shadows.
The Dobeki's eyes clouded over.
Everything collapsed.
The false world began to collapse.
I felt the tremor in the air itself.
This place was about to disappear.
—We have to destroy this world to get out of here! I shouted.
Everything went black.
...And for a moment... everything was silent.
The air was cold and dense when I opened my eyes.
The dream world had disappeared.
Now, we were on the ground of the Shadow Forest.
I slowly got up, feeling the earthy, damp scent of the grass.
In front of us, Kogorō, the spirit, was watching us with his arms crossed and a calm expression.
—Hmph... I thought you wouldn't make it. —His voice sounded relaxed. —But you've woken up now.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to process what had just happened.
—That was... a little terrifying.
Beside me, Ardan and Saria also stood up.
—Let's get out of this forest before it puts us to sleep again. —Ardan said, shaking the dust off his clothes.
I bent down and picked up my spear.
But then, something made me frown.
—There's still mana in this forest...
A reddish glow suddenly appeared on the crimson spear.
The glow intensified, pulsing as if it were absorbing something.
—Now what? —Kogorō asked, frowning.
The mana of the forest began to be absorbed by the spear.
Dark energy currents emerged from the trees and the ground, flowing directly into the crimson spear.
And then, in an instant, the spear exploded with a wave of power.
An energy field spread throughout the forest.
The change was immediate.
The blackened, twisted trees regained their vitality, their leaves turning green and lush.
Beautiful flowers bloomed from the ground, spreading a sweet fragrance in the air.
Fruits began to grow from the branches, vibrant and juicy.
The dry rivers and lakes filled with crystal-clear water.
The oppressive shadows disappeared, replaced by warm, peaceful light.
The animals, once hidden, started to emerge, free and unafraid.
The entire Shadow Forest… had been reborn.
My mouth dropped open in astonishment.
—Did I do that?
Ardan, with a slight blush, nodded.
—Yes... you did that.
Kogorō exhaled slowly.
—Hmph... you revived the whole forest.
I remained silent, still processing it.
Beside me, Saria had tears in her eyes.
—It's beautiful... —she whispered.
I looked up, seeing how the sunlight finally managed to pierce through the treetops.
All this time...
The forest had been trapped in a dream...
And now, it had woken up.
—It seems... I think the forest needed to wake up from its dreams too.
Kogorō turned to us with his arms behind his head.
—Well, guys, after this, I feel relieved. But I think we need to head to the next Loom Temple, don't you think?
Ardan shrugged, trying to hide his excitement.
—He's right... the forest just changed color, that's all. Let's go.
I smiled.
After a while, we left the forest behind.
In front of us, a long path stretched toward imposing mountains.
We continued walking, talking, and laughing.
From time to time, I teased Kogorō, and Ardan got fed up, growling for me to leave him alone.
But deep down...
We all felt safe.
We knew that, no matter what happened, if we worked hard, we could change our lives.
Just like we did with the forest.
Because dreams always come true... when you fight for them. And most importantly... is never forgetting who you are and what defines you.