Dreamer

…Anyway.

Now was the time to choose.

And his choice was swift.

Without hesitation, Ashen selected Sloth.

What? He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

No matter how much he complained, 97% compatibility was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

His life and, more importantly, his family's lives were on the line. Letting pride or stubbornness get in the way of survival would be peak idiocy.

Hell, if it came down to it, he'd even shake hands with the devil.

Embracing his laziness?

Child's play.

The system hummed in acknowledgment before shifting to the next phase:

Thema Selection.

A new screen materialized, displaying Greek words, most of them grayed out.

Ashen exhaled, scanning the list while recalling what he knew about Themas.

In short, they were like classes in video games except fancier.

Each Thema acted as a specialized pathway, determining how the system would structure his growth.

The first available option was:

Bellator, which symbolizes a warrior's path, centered around combat mastery.

The second option:

Aquila… a path of heightened perception and agility.

Ashen frowned. That was it? Just two choices?

He felt a twinge of disappointment but quickly pushed it aside.

Unlocking a Thema wasn't a matter of random selection… it was tied to experience and innate talent.

And while Ashen had talent, his experience was… well, swinging a spear at monsters on the outskirts. Not exactly impressive.

"Having two choices is already generous," he muttered.

Yet, despite his own words, he found himself scrolling down the list.

Even if most were locked, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer number of Themas.

The system had crafted these pathways as a way to organize its infinite knowledge, like a vast library, with each Thema acting as a book on a different shelf.

What was displayed here?

Just a fraction of the Themas he could potentially unlock in the future.

And this wasn't a one-time decision.

A person could choose another Thema later, at the third stage of advancement.

However, they could only have one Thema at a time.

So, if he chose another one later, his current Thema and the new one would fuse, evolving into a superior version that combined both strengths and that could even cover their weaknesses if they had good synergy.

With that in mind, Ashen let go of his greed and turned his attention back to the two options before him.

He weighed the decision carefully.

Aquila was tempting, but it felt… narrow.

It would lock him into a specialized path of agility and perception, sacrificing everything else.

Bellator, on the other hand, had versatility. It wouldn't restrict him as much and may have greater fusion potential later on.

With that, his decision was made.

Bellator Thema selected.

The system hummed for an instant, as if processing his choices, before shimmering out and returning to his status window.

This time, there were some obvious changes.

The Path area was gone.

In its place, two new entries and two new skills had appeared.

==============================

[1. General information]

Name/Arrival date: Ashen Hart - 2025/02/11

Sex/Age: Male / 26

Height/Weight: 187 cm / 79 kg

Current condition: Medium circuit damage

Pathway: 7th Step Dreamer

Thema: Bellator

Affiliation: Atlas Defense (Temp)

Title: None

[2. Traits]

Brilliantly Restless

Strategically Idle 

Loved by Time

[3. Physical Level]:

Strength: F | Endurance: F | Agility: F | Perception: E | Stamina: F | Mana: F-

[4. Abilities]

4.1 Innate Powers: 

Weaver's Eyes

4.2 Path Skills:

Lucid Dreamweaving (Entry-), Trance (Entry-)

4.3 Other skills:

Spear Thrust (Entry+), Spear Slash (Entry), Spear Parry (Entry-), Recall (Basic), MistForge Breath (Entry+), Mana circulation (Entry)

[5. Cognitive Depth (Thoughts, Mindset, Disposition)]

Intrigued / Persevering / Defeatist Escapist

==============================

Ashen's eyes locked onto the Pathway entry.

7th Step Dreamer.

He exhaled.

The steps ranged from seventh to first, with seventh being the lowest. No surprise there.

What caught his attention was the word beside it… Dreamer.

Most people advancing through their pathway had numerous ways to embody their sin, so the system offered a hint at each step, essentially a title that represented the best way to grow.

But Dreamer…

That one stumped him.

Was he supposed just to sleep all day and hope his brain conjured something useful?

Or did it mean having dreams, as in ambitions and goals?

"No…" He tossed the thought aside.

Furrowing his brow, he rubbed his chin.

'My Sin is Sloth, so it has to be connected to that… meaning it probably refers to actual dreams.'

That put him in a dilemma.

Should he stop training altogether and just sleep his way to power?

Unacceptable.

There had to be something he was missing.

…Does daydreaming count?

Instead of dwelling on it, Ashen refocused on his status window.

"Well, let's check my new skills. Maybe something useful popped up."

As he scanned the skill descriptions, realization smacked him in the face.

==============================

Lucid Dreamweaving

Allows the user to enter lucid dreams while asleep.

Grants limited control over dreamscapes.

Improves rest quality.

Heals mental and emotional wounds with continued use.

==============================

Ashen stared.

Then he chuckled, exasperated.

"I'm an idiot."

The solution had been right there, and he'd wasted time overthinking.

With this, he could train during the day, dream at night, and fulfill his embodiment requirements.

Hell, if lucid dreaming worked as he suspected, he might even be able to train inside his dreams.

And on top of that, there was better rest and even mental healing?

His eyes gleamed.

But then—

No, no, don't tempt fate.

He didn't want to let his imagination go wild only to be disappointed later if the skill wasn't up to par.

He took a deep breath.

"I'll judge after trying it once. Then I can get excited."

Nodding to himself, he turned to the next skill.

==============================

Trance

In moments of extreme focus, the user may enter a state of trance.

During this state, the body moves subconsciously in the most efficient way to accomplish a task.

Higher chance of triggering in life-threatening situations.

==============================

Ashen's eyebrows rose.

"Well, not bad. So… something like 'entering the zone'?"

It wasn't as flashy as Lucid Dreamweaving, but it was the kind of life-saving skill that could mean the difference between living and dying.

It also aligned with his Bellator Thema.

If he had picked Aquila, he might have gotten heightened intuition or even some kind of dream divination instead.

Either way—

He was satisfied.