The Dreamers' Scheme

"Though I entered this world at a young age, it was because of my grandfather, who trained me rigorously and even gave me his third eye," the great sage said, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. "So, you mean… he might be…" As she spoke, she accidentally knocked over a glass, the sound echoing through the dimly lit room filled with powerful figures—people whose wealth and influence could spark a global conflict. Where did Taro get himself?

Among the others in the room were arch dreamers, the elite of the dreamers. "Haha, are you all scared of a mere child? Should I take his head, nice and clean?" Shin Nakamura laughed, one of the biggest names in the anime world. He was both a writer and a celebrity, his arrogance almost palpable. "You're such a fool, Shin," the great sage said, clearly irritated by his bravado.

Roy Bernards, a kingpin in the political realm, leaned back with a smirk. "Let the child dance. We'll see what happens. No one will believe him if he claims he visited a 'special world' in his dream. They'll call him crazy—or we'll make him one! The media still exists, you know!" He took a sip from his drink, a grin spreading across his face. "And if he ever becomes a problem, we have the dream assassins to deal with it." The dream assassins were elite shadow dreamers tasked with keeping the existence of the dreamworld secret from the general public. Their ability to eliminate threats in both dreams and reality earned them the nickname "the swift."

Lee Xi'ang, a member of a secretive clan, stood up and left without a word. The tip of his sword scraped against the floor, sending sparks that made even the great sage flinch, along with the other dreamers. "Bastard," Roy whispered under his breath. Lee came from a family known for its unique abilities and deep-rooted traditions; he valued honor over power unlike many of the others in the room. "Lee, just listen…" the great sage called after him, but he was already gone.

Meanwhile, Taro was sound asleep in his bedroom, blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding in the dreamworld. It was the weekend, after all; who wouldn't want to sleep in? "Taro… it's noon! Don't you want to eat something?" Ochan called, busily tidying up Taro's room. "If what Lee said is true, I should be more cautious now," he murmured, gently stroking Taro's hair as he slept. "This fool…"

Ochan, known to Taro by that name, had a real name that remained a mystery—Kaito. His connection to the Xi'ang family was unknown. Was Lee a friend? What had happened to the shadow dreamers sent by the great sage?

But Taro just kept sleeping while chaos brewed in both worlds. "Damn it! Dispatch the black corps!" the great sage ordered her associates, as somewhere else in the world, papers and a bag flew up in the air. It was Monday, and Taro was late again. "Tarooo…" Ochan sighed.

Years ago in the dreamworld, a powerful Don lived a life of luxury. This might sound clichéd, but trust me; it gets interesting. The Don loved his wife so much that they chose to remain childless, believing children would ruin their love. That was until tragedy struck—a car accident left the Don on the brink of death. Or was it a carefully planned murder? His wife died, and he slipped into a coma for a year. Many healers and sages tried to save him, but none succeeded. When he finally awoke, he longed for a child who shared the traits of both him and his late wife. Why hadn't he thought of this while she was alive?

"There's a man…" one of the Don's followers panted as he rushed into the room. "B-but, he needs the second jewel of the snake king in return." Laughter erupted in the room, the Don's brother scoffing. "That's just a myth! That stone in the museum is just a piece of modern art." But the Don whispered, "Get him whatever he wants." His sudden command shocked everyone, and they hurried to fulfill it.

In a dark, old house, an elderly man with half-burned hands was brewing something—it wasn't soup. He poured a strange concoction into a clay mold shaped like a baby. Once the mold set, he took the figure to the basement, where statues of the twin dream gods, Cassian and Astra, loomed tall. As he prayed, the eyes of the gods bled, and a twin soul was infused into the clay model.

He handed that child over to the gang members and received the king's jewel as heavy rain poured down, with thunder rumbling in the sky. They flew back to the hospital on the storm clouds, while the old man returned home and locked his doors.

Dreamlanders couldn't travel to the real world without something known as a "switch," but legends spoke of an exception. "The real world is at the tip of the snake king's tail." The snake king's scepter was a gateway for dreamlanders to enter the real world, but it required two jewels. Now, the old man had both jewels and the scepter. He gazed at an old chart on the wall and chanted, raising the scepter. "The one who collects both jewels shall awaken the king's scepter and lead his army into the real world." The snake's eye lit up, and in an instant, the scepter transformed into a massive snake, swallowing the old man and vanishing completely.

At the hospital, the Don saw the face of his child—or should I say children? That child was extraordinary, hosting two souls and two bodies in one form, a twin sister and brother. He named them Kai and Nyx before passing away peacefully.

As he died, the brother's eyes sparkled with ambition. "Now it's my turn to rule! Why should some kids take my place?" he thought. He had prepared everything, including assassins, to eliminate that child as the light faded. But when the light returned, he looked at the cradle with a grin, only to find it empty—not a drop of blood remained. Someone had stolen the child or perhaps saved them. "Sakura!" he roared in rage.

This all happened 15 years ago; now, that child is the same age as Taro.

"Kai, today's my day to come out," Nyx said. "Nah, look at the calendar, Nyx! It's still my time to shine!" Kai replied. The twins could communicate telepathically, and when they switched authority, their bodies transformed to reflect their new identities.

Nyx grew up to be a striking young woman with healing abilities, while Kai possessed incredible strength and endurance. Most dreamlanders had only one type of power, but these twins had a unique combination in a single body. If that's not impressive, what is?

Taro entered the dreamworld again, this time in secret. The girl from before had helped him; she was kind. Taro had heard whispers of the twins who shared one body. "Twin fools?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice. She facepalmed, exasperated. "No, twin souls in one body, you fool!" Meanwhile, from somewhere else in that world, Kai sneezed.