The blinking cursor on my computer screen was the only thing moving. I blinked a few more times, still trying to decide if I was truly awake.
The memory of the guild, Natsu's fire, the roar of battle, it all felt too real. I could still feel the weight of the guitar in my hands, it felt so real.
"Man... what a dream" I muttered, leaning back in my chair.
Then it happened.
Just then, a high-pitched beep echoed in my mind. A glowing screen materialized in mid-air in front of me.
I froze. It looked like something out of a futuristic RPG. But it wasn't part of any game I'd ever seen. This wasn't some app or program. And it was floating in front of me.
In shimmering white text:
Acquired:
Novice Composer
Acoustic Guitar +2
Vocals +1
Song Lyrics Memory +1
"…What the hell?" I whispered, taking a cautious step back.
The interface stayed silent. It just floated there.
I raised my hand hesitantly, when I hovered over "Acoustic Guitar [+2]," it chimed softly and displayed a description: "Enhances rhythmic fluency, finger speed, and subconscious tuning. Adapts naturally to emotional and combat-based compositions."
"Wha...?"
I tapped on "Song Lyric Memory [+1]." "Improves retention of lyrics and musical structure. Links rhythm to emotionally charged experiences."
My heart was pounding. Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the interface pulsed and dissolved into shimmering light, vanishing like mist.
I was alone again, lit only by the glow of my computer screen.
"…What just happened?"
Silence.
I leaned back in my chair, running both hands through my hair. My breath was shallow, like I'd just come off stage after performing in front of a crowd I didn't know I had.
I waited a bit but nothing else happened.
No second ping. No glowing lights. Just the quiet hum of my PC and the faint echo of the voices of Fairy Tail wizards from the dream lingering in my chest.
I turned my eyes back to the screen in front of me. There it was—my unfinished assignment:"What did the composer feel when creating this piece?"
Before, I had stared at those words like they were written in another language. But now... I didn't even need to think. I knew the answer.
I placed my hands on the keyboard and started typing.
"The composer carries more than a melody, he carries a cause. Each note surges with tension, loss, and hope. The rhythms aren't made to impress, they are meant to express something, happiness, sorrow, anger, glee. It is alive. The music doesn't just sound, it feels, like a battle cry."
My fingers flew, my chest swelling with each sentence. As if the memory of the battle in Fairy Tail still burned behind my ribs... Erza's and Makarov unwavering presence.
When I finally hit send, the little "assignment submitted" icon gave me a sense of closure.
I turned off the PC and looked over at the guitar resting in the corner of my room.
"…No way," I muttered. I picked it up.
The moment my fingers touched the strings, something clicked, literally. Not from the guitar, but inside me. The chords flowed easier. The transitions were smoother. My hands moved like they already knew what to do.
I was about to play when I remembered the time. I looked at the clock. Three hours left before class.
Now what about the glowing screen? I muttered, "Hey, system?" but nothing happened.
I tried again, this time inside my head: "System?"
Still nothing.
"Woah… was that fake then? I hoped to at least check a status screen or something."
At the mention of the word "status," the screen appeared.
⟡ STATUS OPENED ⟡
[Name]: Ren Cadence
[Occupation]: Student / Novice Composer
[Specialty]: Song Magic
[Tuned Instruments]: Guitar
[Skills]:
Acoustic Guitar [5 + 2] ➝ [7]
Song Lyric Memory [8 + 1] ➝ [9]
Vocal Technique [2 + 1] ➝ [3]
Magical Affinity: Sound / Emotional Rhythm
Harmonic Lines: Partially Unlocked
Synced Dimension: 3 (Fairy Tail), (???), (???).
I blinked. "...Wait, seriously?"I reached out instinctively, but my hand passed through the screen, it was just light.
I tried saying "Open skills," "Help?" but the system didn't respond. No voice, no menu options, nothing to press or navigate. It just hovered, pulsing gently like it was simply there to show me the facts.
"Well, guess it's not the talkative kind," I muttered. I said "Close?"
It flickered once, then faded like it had never been there.
"well that was it..." I could barely keep my eyes open.
"One hour and a half. Then up to shower, dress, and head out."
I set my alarm, placed the guitar back on its stand like it was some sacred relic, and collapsed onto my bed.
As my body sank into the mattress, one last thought floated through my mind:
If that dream really changed something in me… What happens next?
I was snoring almost immediately.