1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

145. The Skull of the Dream Demon (3)

Awareness in dreams is always ambiguous.

Even when one dreams of being beset by a ghost, it’s unclear whether they are dead or alive, yet they do not awaken, slipping instead into the next dream.

Even if strangers become family, if one does not recognize the strangeness of it, they regard it as trivial.

A vague sensation, as if this were the way of life all along.

Leana must be in such a state now.

She scattered her foes as she charged toward the armored knight.

Clang!

With a sword that shattered armor as if to deny the enemy any approach, she was the very embodiment of a knight.

Once she had finished her task, Leana murmured softly.

“A strange dream…”

It seemed she had come to realize it was a dream.

Even so, there was little cause for concern.

Looking at the outcome, I had worried inwardly that she might think something dreadful like, “It’s just a dream, so it’s fine to kill!”—but that was merely my anxiety.

The reason for her demeanor was not entirely clear to me.

Yet, if I were to speculate, perhaps for someone as steadfast as her, to slay a being that appeared favorably would contradict her chivalric spirit.

Even if all of this were a dream, such an act would be a betrayal of her own beliefs.

Thus, my task was…

“Your father would surely be pleased. He has always favored strong women.”

A statement that would never escape the lips of a sworn enemy like Hessel, creating a dissonance with reality.

To keep reminding her that this was a dream…

If it were ever revealed that all of this was real, that blade would surely find its way to my throat.

“Pardon? Ah… that’s good news.”

Leana’s eyes widened in surprise, as if taken aback.

A favorable reaction.

It seemed to evoke a sense of rejection due to how different this was from the Hessel she knew, but it would soon lead her to conclude, “Ah, it’s just a dream.”

Now, it was time to conclude my business.

My goal was to reach the hidden room safely, escorted by this woman.

“Everything is in order here as well. Let us move on to the next location.”

“The next location?”

When Leana asked, I blinked in feigned surprise.

“Have you forgotten already? We came to reclaim the stolen gifts.”

“Oh, right.”

Leana nodded, as if she had easily accepted the nonsensical tale spun in mere three seconds, perhaps thinking it was all a dream.

As I pointed the way and we shifted locations, Donathan scolded me.

‘You wretched little con artist…’

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

Even I thought this was indeed a romance scam.

* * *

On the outskirts of Frost Heart lies a wondrous place where the whirlpool of mana endlessly swirls.

A current of mana so difficult to handle that it is hard to even contain.

The previous faculty had deemed it suitable for training, and now it has been transformed into a sealed mana chamber, available only to the chosen students of the Adel Hall.

Rockefeller wielded his staff like a conductor, slowly taming the chaotic speed of the mana.

Then, he cast a satisfied smile at the students huddled in the rather cramped space.

‘Hmm, they’re doing well.’

The first-year students of the Magic Department in Adel Hall were all burdened with discomforts.

Those who had awakened their sight were blindfolded, while the ones with heightened hearing wore earplugs.

Touch was restricted to breathing through a single straw, confined within a tank.

Rockefeller shifted his gaze from Belman, who was pinching his nose like a dog.

‘It would have been nice if one more had awakened their sense of smell…’

A bit disappointing, but this was something to be satisfied with.

Belman, who showed exceptional talent in barrier magic, and Edina, who wielded the special elemental transformation magic—both were already entering the awakening stage, just as expected from two individuals coveted even by the prestigious Wisdom Academy.

‘Just a little more, and they might reach that level.’

The suppression of their primary senses was merely a restraint to aid the awakening of other senses.

If the random mana swirling within them could stimulate their nerves, perhaps this opportunity would lead to success.

Then suddenly, Rockefeller became aware that there was one more talent of this caliber.

“Hmm, I need to quickly create a spot for Rix Don Orian. Which fool should I flunk…”

“P-Professor. I think I heard your inner thoughts.”

“I meant for you to hear it.”

Rockefeller tore his gaze away from the student.

Clank, clank.

In that moment, a strange metallic sound echoed. It came from outside.

Could it be those knights passing by? But the intruder had the audacity to bang on the door of the magic chamber.

“Who dares!!”

With a nervous expression, he opened the door with telekinesis.

What stood revealed was not a student, but an armor with a hollow visage.

‘…What in the world is that?’

The armored knight lunged forward.

In an instant, Rockefeller crumpled the armor like a heap of scrap metal with his telekinesis.

Crack!

Gripping his staff tightly, Rockefeller approached the doorway.

“Continue your training.”

He opened the door slightly to glimpse the situation outside.

The distance between the magic chamber and the fortress was not far at all.

Rockefeller levitated himself with telekinesis, landing atop a tree.

Then, he conjured a massive telescope with visualization magic to survey the fortress.

Students wandered about as if under the influence of some potion.

The professors, too, meandered aimlessly, giggling and swaying.

The knights he had seen earlier were patrolling as if on reconnaissance.

‘Something is definitely amiss.’

Rockefeller hurried back to the magic chamber.

He released the uncomfortable bindings from the students and freed those trapped in the water tank.

“This is an emergency. It seems something has happened at the academy once again. Arm yourselves immediately.”

Belman let out a small sigh and asked, “Is it happening again?”

“Yes, it is indeed happening again.”

Though he spoke as if it were of little consequence, in truth, Rockefeller was utterly weary of the current situation.

Just when it seemed the weighty events had come to an end, they erupted anew, one after another.

Now, he was on the brink of neurosis.

‘…Honestly, I want to throw in the towel.’

This year, it was clear that misfortune had taken root.

* * *

The scenario would be easily cleared under Rockefeller’s command.

He would cast a purification spell on Rix in the Shulafe coffin, breaking the hypnosis, and gradually expand their forces to destroy the core of the “Phantom Nightmare Irte.”

Before they could clear the scenario, he had to hasten to find the hidden item.

Tatatatak.

The place he arrived at was the lobby of the fortress’s first floor.

Here, the grandfather clock concealed a hidden location within the dungeon.

He hurriedly turned the clock hands to twelve.

Clang!

Leana was preoccupied with felling the armored knights that charged in.

Click.

The clock’s bell rang out frantically, dinging and donging in a mad cacophony.

At last, the front blurred, revealing a portal that seemed to swirl with bizarre colors, as if mixed from strange paints.

He grasped Leana’s wrist in urgency.

“This way.”

“Ah…”

Leana stiffened for a moment, then threw herself into the portal alongside him.

The world beyond the portal was filled with columns etched with vertical stripes.

Weeds sprouted sporadically between the tiles of the stone floor.

And in the pastel-hued sky, enormous birds soared through the heavens.

Leana swallowed hard.

“What is that…?”

“Don’t worry. They won’t attack us.”

“Where on earth are we?”

This place was the manifestation of Irte’s trauma.

—

Well, to be honest, I shouldn’t say it…

“It’s the thieves’ hideout.”

“I see.”

I pointed to the end of the long, stretched stone floor.

There stood a colossal temple, towering above all.

Of course, that was the very place where treasures lay hidden.

But to reach it, I had to deal with the Dream Knights.

And those knights, guarding their secrets, were on a different level than mere armored soldiers, much like trauma is a memory one wishes to keep hidden from others.

First, I should check on Leana’s condition.

“Wait, stand still.”

“…Yes.”

As I examined her closely, Leana let her gaze drop.

I rolled up her sleeve, revealing the bruises that marred her forearm.

These were the marks left from recklessly dispatching foes without armor.

“You’ve taken quite a beating.”

As I spoke, Leana shrugged it off, as if it were nothing.

“But it doesn’t hurt.”

Those who fall into the realm of dreams do not feel pain.

If they did, it would only be a matter of time before they realized this place was reality.

I took out my staff and cast a healing spell.

“Still, it’s not good to leave it be.”

The bruises faded as if washed away.

Leana gasped in surprise, hastily pulling down her sleeves.

“I’ll walk you again once this is over.”

Wounds remain even when the dream world unravels.

As long as there’s a chance they could serve as evidence, it’s best to leave them be.

“…”

Leana suddenly whipped her head around.

Had the Dream Knight already appeared? I hurriedly conjured an inventory spell.

But there was nothing there, only a slightly trembling voice echoing in the silence.

—

“Thank you…”

“To express gratitude is one thing—no, ahem. It’s only natural. If there are bruises when wearing the dress, that will linger as an unpleasant memory in its own right.”

…I almost spoke as I usually would.

With quick thinking, I avoided the crisis, and having used my inventory magic, I drew the magic sword.

『Shadow Blade of Weakening』

When infused with magical energy, its sharpness amplifies.

It weakens the opponent’s armor, inflicting additional damage.

One spell can be inscribed upon it.

Unlike the armored knights outside, the dreamlike knights were not many in number.

When Leana draws their attention, using the ‘Mana Blade’ wrapped in hundreds of gold will be a great help.

In a pinch, I could rely on my physical enhancement, which I don’t often use.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As I walked, my footsteps echoed against the stone floor, and a knight wielding a spear charged at me, his helmet with a charred red crest.

Leana deflected the spear with her sword, but he quickly regained his stance, igniting the red glow from within his helmet.

Perhaps sensing that Leana was no easy opponent, she let out a faint sigh, steadying her breath.

The first strike belonged to the dreamlike knight.

He thrust his spear with a speed akin to lightning.

Leana barely managed to parry it, the blade glancing off at an angle. Sparks flew from the friction of metal.

Kakakak—

The knight’s spear wobbled from the force of his thrust.

Seizing the opportunity, Leana confidently closed the distance, ready to strike within range.

The knight swung his spear horizontally.

Leana quickly ducked to evade.

Thud.

As Leana stepped closer, she unleashed a flurry of strikes against the knight’s armor, producing a sound like a machine gun firing.

Kakakakakakang!

As the knight desperately swung his spear, Leana struck his arm to halt him. When he attempted a kick, she retaliated with a slash aimed at his thigh.

True to her status as a top-tier protagonist, her attacks showed no signs of slowing.

Donathan watched in awe.

‘As my wrist becomes supple, the recoil flows easily. Fatigue does not accumulate, so the end is nowhere in sight.’

‘Huh?’

‘The conclusion of a flurry of strikes largely depends on breath, muscle overheating, and how much strain the wrist can endure. When these three elements harmonize, the knight will falter before the final blow is struck.’

At least my stamina is innate enough to pass the test.

It seems that by reinforcing the only weakness of my wrist, such rapid-fire attacks have become possible.

Clang!

At last, the knight’s hand relinquished the spear.

In that moment, when Leana’s eyes sparkled with fervor, the knight’s armor began to clatter down in pieces.

In this manner, Leana passed through the dreamlike knights all on her own.

There were times she considered offering assistance, but the conditions for growth were simply too favorable.

She seemed to revel in it herself, and she didn’t want to hinder her own strengthening for no reason.

Yet, the final dream knight guarding the treasure.

If that one appeared, she would have to lend her aid without fail.

* * *

Sila sat in the café of the Adel mansion, her face a mask of indifference as she surveyed her surroundings.

What reflected in her eyes was still the grand ball.

Yet, no one approached to invite her to dance.

‘Is my popularity only this much?’

She was the eldest daughter of the Ryan Hart family.

Moreover, she always shone brightly among her peers, her appearance enough to stir the hearts of many a young man.

Such a thing could never happen.

Realizing the dissonance with reality, Sila pinched her cheek.

“Ugh.”

Her cheeks stretched like elastic dough.

But it didn’t hurt.

“Phew. Indeed, this is a dream.”

In that instant, the scene that had only appeared as a ball transformed into a burning painting, fading into a dark interior where ash swirled.

The carpet, the curtains, and the furniture all bore an antique design, yet curiously resembled the structure of the Adel mansion café.

‘What a strange dream this is.’

Then, the music that had only been heard as a sweet orchestra morphed into the grating sound of pigs being slaughtered.

“Creeeak! Creak!!”

Sila clamped her hands over her ears, grimacing.

Even in her dazed state, the grotesque timbre was unbearable.

She fled the café as if escaping a nightmare.

‘Ugh! That tone-deaf fool.’

Outside, armored knights roamed the streets.

Students trailed behind them, giggling and whispering.

It was a bizarre sight, yet the strangeness felt oddly familiar.

Sila, intoxicated by a warm sense of comfort, craved the coolness of the outside breeze.

As she descended the stairs, a familiar voice pierced the air.

“Ugh, Serda. Why would you abandon me?”

“Shut up, you idiot. I’ve been putting up with that disgusting tone just for the sake of money.”

Limberton, clutching at her skirt and sniveling, was met with the sharp kicks of a woman from the Burger clan.

Sila snorted in amusement.

“Heh heh heh, I knew she’d act like that.”

Just as she was about to ignore them and continue down the stairs, the woman’s furious high-pitched voice rang out.

“Know your place. Honestly, what do you have to be proud of? You’ve just been trailing after Hessel, leeching off him. Without him, you’re nothing. Do you understand?”

Limberton had indeed gained some popularity lately.

But the truth was just as she said.

A pathetic creature, scuttling behind the successful, hoping to snatch up the crumbs.

‘How pitiful. Not even realizing it, and look at the mess she’s in.’

That fool would remain a fool, Sila thought, tearing her gaze away from the two.

Yet, for some reason, her feet felt heavy, reluctant to move.

Suddenly, the memory of that moment flashed in her mind.

The time she had been caught by the Luon gang during the practical magic session.

The one who could have left her behind, yet stood there, loading his bow, uttering those words toward the chained three-headed wolf.

– But, unlike you lot, I am a woman.

It was a moment that made her blood boil.

With a furious stride, Sila approached the woman, her eyes narrowing fiercely as she spoke.

“There, you. Even if that fool is a simpleton, he’s not that much of a fool.”

After all, it’s a dream.

When I wake, it will fade away like a passing breeze.

This time, Silah decided to admit, if only for a moment, that the guy had been somewhat cool back then.

* * *

Leana gasped for breath.

No matter how far beyond the ordinary her stamina stretched, it seemed too much to take down the dream knights one after another all alone.

Yet, those were all nourishment for growth.

Having devoured them all by herself, she would surely emerge stronger after this battle.

“The temple… We’ve finally arrived.”

Leana pointed to the entrance.

I stepped forward, crossing the threshold.

What lay before us was an enigmatic man and the phantom steed, Irte.

And now, the ‘Dorothian from the future’ was a far cry from the Dorothian I knew.