Academy

Hearing Jet's explanation, Max sighed with anguish.

He was not the only son of The Last Monarch and Illusara; he had a brother too. His younger brother was sent away from him after his parents' deaths; his brother was only 2 at that time, so he might not remember anything about him.

Even Max did not know how his parents arranged for something like this. The only memory he had of it was his butler coming and taking his brother away.

While saying that it wouldn't have been safe for him and that he was going to bring him to a safe place. He also couldn't question him about his brother's whereabouts because he had killed himself the next day. The official story was that his brother had died in an unexpected category 2 Gate.

Max was fairly certain the reason Jet had not mentioned his brother, was because she didn't want him to be downcast.

The only person who knew the truth was him; even Neph believed that his brother had passed away.

Max decided to search for his brother right after returning from the Dream Realm.

....

'Ahh, I don't understand why people don't do this anymore'

Max was currently enjoying a hot shower,

Master Jet had sent him to clean himself, saying that he "reeked of Nightmare". The unnatural slumber of the Spell would slow down the body's metabolism, and the medical apparatus he had been strapped into was supposed to take care of the rest.

But Max knew he couldn't rest because he had a few things to think about.

'Why did I get an Awakened Memory instead of a Dormant one when I killed that Dormant Monster'

Max thought a lot about this and could only come up with one answer. His attribute [Child Of Dreams]

Its description read that the dreamscape recognized him as one of its own. He theorized that this allowed him to manipulate the dreamscape in a minor way.

The second he came to this conclusion, he could instinctively feel that this could not be done again. Well, until he met a few conditions.

Max immediately cursed out loud, this could've been his trump card. But, now, the only way he could use it was by meeting those conditions, meaning he had evolved his attributes.

'That sucks, darn it why can't things go my way for once'

Max did not know how one could evolve an attribute; even though he read it, he couldn't remember how Sunny had done it.

'Well whatever, now why did I get an Awakened Memory instead of an Ascended one'

Max only had one theory, the beast was in the process of evolving into the Fallen rank. That also explained why it attacked the fortress, it was because it wanted more food to saturate its core, and also why it was hellbent on trying to kill Max.

It also explained the rank inconsistency. At the time he transmigrated, the essence left behind was also a few hours old which caused him to mistake it for an Awakened Terror.

The final time he saw it, it was close to breaking through to the Fallen Rank, which caused him to again mistake its rank.

'This means I'm pretty shit at sensing essence, God I have to get better'

...

A few minutes after that, Max wore a long sand-colored trench coat, the belt of which he leaves untied. Under it was a black vest over a striped dress shirt that was light blue in hue. He also wore a bolo tie, which was held by a brown ribbon and a turquoise pendant. He donned beige pants and dark brown shoes and started heading for the cafeteria.

Master Jet and Sunny were waiting for him at one of the tables, with three trays full of steaming synthetic food in front of her.

He could see Sunny wolfing down the food as if they hadn't eaten for almost four years.

Coming to the table, he heard Master Jet say

"Help yourself"

Glancing down at the cheap gruel, Max did not mind about how it looked and tasted or about his manners.

Max sprinted without food and water for almost eight hours, with a monster on his tail. Even though he didn't look hungry, he still had an appetite to eat an Elephant

He didn't care about his status as the Patriarch of the Darkholmes Clan.

After a few minutes, Jet started speaking

"Are you all done with your food? You were all eating like there was no tomorrow, so I didn't want to interrupt you"

"Oh thanks, yeah I'm done"

Max nodded

Sunny too nodded

"Then I'll begin. As per protocol, I am obligated to inform you of a few things. It is mostly a formality. First of all, concerning your Nightmare…"

She glanced at him and sighed.

"You are entitled to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body — it's only right to keep it healthy. Are you interested?"

Both of them shook their heads. Jet shrugged and continued

"As you wish. You can also talk to me. Was it very hard?"

"It was simultaneously much worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I expected."

Sunny replied first, Max thought for a bit before shrugging his shoulders and responding

"Eh, it was not what I expected"

Jet nodded at their words, before turning to Sunny

"That's a good attitude. I won't pry any further. Us outskirt rats are way more resilient than people think."

Sunny was bewildered for a few seconds.

"Master Jet… you grew up in the outskirts?"

He asked in a surprising voice.

She grinned.

"What? You can't tell because of my exquisite manners and polished exterior?"

Sunny blinked a couple of times, surprised.

"I couldn't tell at all."

After thinking for a while, Sunny added:

"Are there a lot of people like us among the Awakened?"

Jet's smile disappeared.

"No. There's not. In fact, they can be counted on one hand."

...

Looking at Sunny's face, he could see a new determination, but throughout the entire conversation, Max felt he was a third wheel.

He didn't even know what to respond with, so Max decided to break the ice by saying

"What else are you obligated to tell me?"

Jet leaned back, looking at the both of them, and answered

"That's basically it. There are some additional hoops to jump through, mostly having to do with your family, but… well. I've read your file, so I know it doesn't apply. The only thing left is to decide how you will be preparing for your first journey into the Dream Realm."

She then looked at her communicator and grimaced.

"I must stay; both of your luck are exceptionally bad. There's not a lot of time at all. First of all: you are free to do what you want. No one is forcing you to make a certain decision. That is to say, you can choose to prepare on your own, or not prepare at all. Party until the lights go out."

"However, I would advise against that. As a Sleeper, you are also entitled to enroll in the Awakened Academy. You'll be provided with food, lodging, and a wide choice of preparatory classes. This late into the year, you won't be able to learn a lot. But it's better than nothing."

She was silent for a few seconds, then added:

"More importantly, you will get acquainted with most of the people who will enter the Dream Realm with you. Some of them might become your companions for life."

Max knew that was a like if horse shit. In a decade most of their companions would try to end their lives.

"So, what do you say? Do you want me to take you to the Academy?"

"Yeah, I'll take it"

Max decided to take up the offer. He knew Neph was going to be there and it would be a good place to reunite and come up with a battle plan

Even though, the people who died wasn't his parents. Max still wanted to kill the Supreme's as a form of payment to the old soul, for taking over his body.

Sunny looked undecided, but looked steeled himself and answered

"Yeah. I want to go to the Academy."

"Well, since the both of us are going to the academy, do you want to be comrades"

Sunny immediately shot down the idea

"No thanks, I want to be on my own"

Hearing his words, Max was saddened because of he wasn't close to Sunny he might not be able to get that plot armor.

Slugging my hand across his shoulder, I said in an excited voice

"Well I don't care, we're going to be the best of buddies. Our friendship is going to be legendary"

Sunny tried to escape but he was not able to lift Max's arm.