A harsh cold wind was blowing in the streets and children along with their parents were going back to their homes after a long day of school while jumping and laughing.
This scene was so peaceful and serene that even someone going through a bad day would feel at ease. Although that didn't mean every child was a happy, in one corner of the road there was lovely boy with raven black hair and blood colour eyes was walking with such a serious look that it was comical at face of an eight years old.
And why wouldn't he?
He was an unfortunate soul of young man who was just shy away from getting into his dream college who got stuck in the body of a young boy.
'Curse me, what did I do wrong to be end up in this godforsaken world? Did it happen because this book was the one I read frequently or something else was at play or is it that all of this is a dream but considering how vivid and clear it is, it doesn't seem like it.
I could have gone in any world even L**d of Mys***es would have been fine at least I know how it would end. I was even reading a pornhwa when I was going to sleep, I could have gone in there happily.
But NO, it had to be Shadow Slave of all things!!
Looking around with all the children running and laughing who would think that this a Post Apocalyptic world with a few decades left before it's destruction. '
"Murph! Murph!"
A cheerful and slightly shrill voice resounded and brought Murphy out of his thoughts.
Yes, this young boy's name was Murphy.
'Murphy really, Murphy!! What, was everything that was supposed to go wrong would go wrong in my life or what!?'
"Yes, speak. What happened?"
"Wow, what a cold shoulder. But anyway we are thinking of going to Aria's house to play. Wanna come?"
"Hmm, sorry, I have plans to go out with my parents tonight."
A common and an effective lie used by everyone if they want to avoid someone. An adult would have understood it but for a child it would be feasible enough.
"Oh, It's fine. You don't have to apologize."
For some reason she looked dejected if Murphy's not wrong. She and Murphy's original body never had any point of contact except for being in a same class. But oh well, children are fickle minded.
Right now, Murphy's age is around that of 8 or 9 years old and considering that children started learning things like combat and survival around this age and have a chance of being affected by Nightmare Spell by around 15 years of age. There are at least 7 to 10 years of time.
The Nightmare Spell infects young people, usually around fifteen to eighteen years old. After being infected, those chosen by the Spell experience an overwhelming desire to sleep. Once they succumb to this feeling, they are transported to the First Nightmare.
No one knows why this happens and what purpose spell trying to achieve.
Although that doesn't mean Murphy doesn't. As an avid reader of this novel Murphy know it's purpose at the very least but the problem is that Murphy doesn't have any idea how to prevent its destruction.
Because the author didn't even write it yet.
And what's worse is that this world is completely random. Random gates could appear anywhere in the world even on this road or somewhere else. Although Obel's Scale should be pretty accurate if the world is few years before the original novel but even this can't guarantee a hundred percent success.
This novel's setting is pretty bad to say the least.
The Nightmare Spell first appeared in the world a few decades ago. Back then, the planet was just starting to recover from a series of devastating natural disasters and subsequent resource wars.
At first, the emergence of a new disease that caused millions of people to complain about constant fatigue and sleepiness did not attract a lot of attention. But when they started to fall into an unnatural slumber, with no sign of waking up even days later, governments finally panicked. Of course, by then it was already too late — not that an early response could have made any difference.
When the infected started dying in their sleep, their dead bodies turning into monsters, no one was ready. Nightmare Creatures quickly overwhelmed national militaries, plunging the world into complete chaos.
No one knew what the Spell was, what powers it possessed, and how to fight it.
In the end, it was the Awakened — those who survived the first trials of the Spell and came back alive — who put a stop to its rampage. Armed with miraculous abilities earned in their Nightmares, they restored peace and created a semblance of a new order.
Honestly speaking Spell is not that bad if one were to look at the grand scheme of things but for an ordinary person this is a catastrophe.
For an average person, being chosen by the Spell was as much of a risk as an opportunity. Kids learned survival skills and fighting techniques in school, on the off chance of being infected. Well-to-do families hired private tutors to train their children in all sorts of martial arts. Those from the Awakened clans even had access to powerful legacies, wielding inherited Memories and Echoes in their first visit to the Dream Realm.
The richer your family was, the better your chances of surviving and becoming an Awakened were.
Thankfully, Murphy's parents were well to do and if he were to request their assistance, they would surely hire a private tutor for him.
They would surely be able to get an awakened tutor for me or if his luck is good even an ascended one could tutor him.
The humans of this world go through the Path of Ascension from:
Dormant, Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Supreme, Sacred to Divine.
Although no one in this world have gone past transcended officially, commonly known as Saints.
Just like humans ascend toward divinity, Nightmare Creatures descend toward profanity. Their corrupted Soul Cores also have seven Ranks of power:
Dormant, Awakened, Fallen, Corrupted, Great, Cursed, Unholy.
For now, these are Murphy's goals to complete
I will have to search at exactly which time period I am at. If it is before the main cast appeared then I will have time to prepare for their eventual arrival but if it is later then I am doomed either in that frozen hell or the scorching one. Depending on how things go it could be the easiest or the toughest challenge Next, I will try to ask my parents to use their connections to get an awakened tutor. Also find out if there are others who got transported or if he is the only one. Lastly, I must decide how much I should interfere in the story. Should I interfere and completely change the plot or let it flow like how I want.
Honestly there are atleast seven years for his awakening so he doesn't need to fret at all.
But Murphy couldn't have known how wrong he would be and how much the incidents of the next few days would rewrite the fate of the world as well as his own.