Rebirth

Max clutched his chest. It felt like something was being born inside his soul. It wasn't painful or pleasant. His soul felt like it was going through a metamorphosis

The energy did not come from anywhere. It seemed like it was always within him. Slumbering waiting to be awoken.

The energy filled every fiber of his being. Max felt his emotions becoming clearer and sharper. Then, his body began to change, too. He felt as though a miniature star was burning in the center of his chest: waves of heat were radiating from it, slowly reaching his stomach and shoulders, then his arms and legs, then his hands and feet.

Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized. Max felt like he was being reborn. He was becoming stronger, faster, healthier.

It was euphoric.

With each passing second the transformation became profound. Max was filled with confidence, he was no longer going to be a nameless extra like in his previous life.

He was going to carve a name for himself. He was would to leave a mark on history. He was not going to be weak for much longer.

After some time had passed, the star burning in his chest finally cooled down. The heat was replaced with a soothing coldness. That coldness washed over Max's body, taking away all the aches and discomforts that had been accumulated. Then it moved up, reaching his brain and, finally, his eyes.

His vision strangely doubled.

He could still see the void populated by an endless pattern of stars. But he could also see something different.

A silent, calm gold sea illuminated by a lonely red sun.

From his previous life, Max knew that this was his so-called Sea of Soul. But he also knew that it was supposed to look quite different.

For starters, it should've been much more lively. The star hanging above — the visual representation of his soul core — was supposed to be burning with bright light, filling the Soul Sea with a warm, blinding shining.

However, Max's soul Core looked like what a person would see after he smoked 10 tons of weed.

"That's strange"

He took a look at the red sun. At a closer examination, it felt like it was an illusion.

Max also felt like there were forbidden creatures and people moving around but he also thought it was his imagination.

Max then looked at the red sun and saw two stars orbiting it. A grin appeared on his face

This was supposed to be his hard-earned memories. The memories being [Titans Edge] and [Asclepius Bandage].

Max wanted more of these stars, tens and thousands of them.

The Spell's voice suddenly pulled him out of the Sea of Soul.

[Awakening Aspect Ability…]

"This is the moment of truth"

Even though Max had a divine aspect, it would mean horse shit if he didn't have a good aspect ability.

[Aspect Ability acquired.]

[Aspect Ability Name: Kyōka Suigetsu.]

Max hurriedly summoned the runes. He wanted to go to the description of his new ability right away but then decided to give his overall information a look first.

Name: Max Darkholmes

True Name: - The Almighty

Rank: Dreamer

Imagination Core: Dormant

Imagination Core: [45/1000].

Oh, so I have a special core like Sunny. Max wondered about the special abilities it granted.

Max then decided to explore the rest of his runes.

Memories: - [Asclepius Bandage], [Titan's Edge]

Echos: -

Attributes: [Ordained], [Mark Of Divinity], [Prodigy], [Child Of Dreams] [Manipulator]

Aspect: [Illusory Sovereign]

Aspect Rank: Divine

Innate Ability : [ Essence Domination]

Aspect Ability: [Kyōka Suigetsu]

Aspect Ability Description: [You have the ability to command all five senses of any being]

'Nice, I'm pretty sure I have the same powers as that guy that blew up 40 years ago. What was his name? Yeah, I forgot.'

Simultaneously, the Spell's voice resounded in the black void.

[All power has a price.]

[You have received a Flaw.]

[Your Flaw is Shattered Mind's Edge.]

Flaw: [Shattered Mind's Edge].

Flaw Description: [You will suffer mental exhaustion while using this power. Prolonged use would cause disorientation, confusion, and loss of focus]

'Oh fuck me!. This is basically Neph's flaw except it causes mental exhaustion which is worse'

His Flaw prevented him from overusing his abilities. Which would limit a lot of his options.

If Max lost focus amid battle, he might fall to the icy hands of the reaper.

Max thought could only think of some ways to prevent this.

Either by getting a memory related to mental exhaustion or somehow adapting.

He just wanted to scream out loud. But sadly, at that moment The Spell spoke

[Wake up, The Almighty!]

The black void spun and disappeared.

...

Max opened his eyes.

He saw an armored ceiling that seemed to be a police station.

Before he could wonder what it was, he screamed out in pain.

'Ah, my fucking head!'

Max clutched his head in pain, it seemed like someone was implanting something in his head.

Through his blurry vision, he could make out that someone was approaching him.

She had raven-black hair and icy-blue eyes. Her flawless skin was smooth, supple, and as white as snow.

"Are you fine"

Hearing her words, Max wanted to rip her head out. Did he look fine

"No, do I look okay!"

Then the pain came back, it felt like a thousand needles punctured into his head.

It was a while before the pain receded. Standing up, Max felt an assortment of memories gushing at him.

He saw himself in what looked like to be an amazing black-and-white castle. With spires atop that seemed to pierce through reality itself.

He saw his parents, Alastor Darkholmes and Amanda Darkholmes.

Max could feel the sheer amount of effort and dedication his previous self put through.

Finally, he saw his friendship with Nephis, how they trained together and played together, and how his parents were a part of the Broken Swords cohort.

Max felt a part of himself change by viewing all of these. He also got a rich experience in swordsmanship.

He didn't know if he was Max from his other world, or the Max of this world. Maybe he was a combination

...

Finally waking up, Max saw two people looking at him curiously. One was the raven-haired woman he had seen before, and the other was a frail-looking young man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. He was unhealthily thin and pale.

He knew them; one was Jet, and the other was the main character, Sunny.

Looking at the pristine floor below. Max wanted to scream out in joy. But he didn't know why he couldn't. He could only utter a few words in a bland tone

"Good, the scars have healed."

Looking around, Max could understand the people around him were engaged in conversation before he awoke.

Max looked at the Ascended and said

"Thanks for not killing me while I was going through that."

Hearing his words, Jet smiled and replied

"Well, if I killed the only son of The Last Monarch and Illusara, I think I'll be hanged.

Plus if you're going to turn into a nightmare creature. You would immediately mutate not cry out in pain. So, I just thought you were going through some stuff"

Hearing her words Max laughed. Looking at the other person in the room, Max had a subtle smile before saying

"Max Darkholmes, it a pleasure to meet your acquaintance"

The boy scoffed at him and coldly said

"Sunless"

The Ascended then added

"Welcome back to the land of the living. Congratulations on surviving your First Nightmare, Sleeper Max. I'm Jet."

...

Sleeper Max.

That was how people would address him now, at least in the short span of days until the winter solstice — after that, he would either return from the Dream Realm as an Awakened or not return at all.

Actually, the correct term was "Dreamer". But humans had their own set of words for those infected by the Nightmare Spell. Carriers who had just finished their First Nightmare were called Sleepers because of how they interacted with the Spell.

Once his spirit enters the Spell, his body was going to fall into slumber. That slumber would continue for days, weeks, or even months — however long it takes him to escape the Dream Realm. Hence the term "Sleeper".

Once he escapes and becomes an Awakened, he would live his life normally during the day and return to the Dream Realm every time he falls asleep. The Awakened were called the same by the Spell and the humans. That word was also sometimes used as a general term for all carriers.

Max thought for a bit before adding

"Master, I thought it would only be an Awakened who'd come"

Jet gave him a dark look, before sighing

"As I explained to this brat before, recently there's a lot of gates opening in this sector. Most of the Awakened are either injured or dead.

That and the fact that you're the son of The Last Monarch and Illusara. I'm pretty sure most Awakened wouldn't be able to handle you."

Max smiled at her words, but Sunny was confused. Coming from the slums, he didn't know much about the world.

"Who's The Last Monarch and Illusara."

Max gave him a puzzled look before sighing. Jet then spoke up

"Well, The Last Monarch and Illusara were in a cohort with Broken Sword. They were one of the first Saints with broken sword and his cohort but they unfortunately died in a death zone with Broken Sword."