Only I Can See The End

Chapter 16: Positive Development

<Day 5 of the Tutorial>

[7:30 AM, Thursday 4th of May, 2023]

"U-urgh..."

With a groggy murmur, I woke up, my body heavy with exhaustion.

Drool dribbled from the corner of my mouth as I stood up, gradually taking in my surroundings. It was a place that felt both strangely familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, which created a slightly disorienting effect.

"H-huh...? Where am I?" I mumbled, my voice quivering with surprise as I surveyed this new, yet oddly recognizable setting.

To my surprise, I realized I was inside a drugstore – but not just any drugstore, but the same one I knew all too well, the very place where a terrifying Demon had first appeared and ended my life.

Yet, there was no System Warning, no sign of any immediate threat. My mind, surprisingly calm, critically analyzed the situation instead of succumbing to fear, thanks to one of my Titles' effects.

"The pharmacy looks quite secure. The blinds are drawn, and that sturdy metal barrier seems impenetrable so long as no one is aware of my presence," I observed, reassuring myself of my safety.

Everything checked out so far, but there was one small, crucial detail gnawing at me. 'How did I even get here?'

My last memory was of a dark room, consumed by hunger and despair.

Or was there something else?

Yes, there was. Vivid images began to appear in my mind.

Hadn't I... taken my own life?

I should have been dead, but I was inexplicably alive, alone in this drugstore with empty food packets and discarded bottles of water and juice.

"Could it be that dream?" I slowly began to recall the strange dream that had visited me after my death.

It had felt oddly lucid as if I were myself but detached from my actual body. It was a sensation that could not be easily described, sort of like an out-of-body experience.

"Wasn't it a mere dream?" But, if it were just a dream, how had I escaped that nightmarish place and ended up here?

Also, judging from how everything felt, it didn't seem like I was dreaming any longer.

'I need to confirm this for myself.' Although I felt a slight ache all over my body, I still summoned the willpower to rise to my feet.

As I walked toward the beauty section of the pharmacy, I encountered shattered mirrors – evidence of the fact that the pharmacist had already transformed into a Demon, who had likely left to hunt for prey.

"Hm? It doesn't seem like I'm in a dream," I muttered, testing my newfound understanding of the <Dream> Skill. I knew that it was the only exception to the mirror trick.

Based on past events, my experiences should have simply dissolved into a dream for my past self.

'But it couldn't have been a dream. I killed myself. Besides, the way this is all playing out is in contrast to how <Dream> operates.'

That was the most baffling part.

"Unless..." My eyes widened as I recalled a certain System Notification that had appeared the moment I died.

"What in the world is <Nightmare>?"

There was only one way to find out.

"Status Window," I called out.

In response to my command, the corresponding screen materialized before me, revealing its contents.

[STATUS WINDOW]

- Name: Mikey Rael

- Race: Human

- Level: 1

- Life Force: 2/2

- Energy Level: 1/1

- Combat Ability: 2/2

- Stat Points: 0

- Currency: 100

- Role: <The Dreamer>

- Authority: <Dream/Nightmare>

- Titles: <Visionary>, <The One Who Saw The End>, <Chosen One>

- Skills (Exclusive): <Dream>, <Nightmare>

- Skills (Non-Exclusive): <Nil>

- Items Equipped: <Nil>

- Alignment: Neutral

[Additional Information]

You can experience the events of the world through the 'other plane'. It is a coveted power worthy of desire, but a scary one to possess.

[End Of Information]

"Ah, I see. So I unlocked a new Skill." I whispered as comprehension began to dawn on me.

As I thought more about what happened after I died, the details started to become clearer in my mind.

"Elaborate On Skills."

[Skills]

(Exclusive)

<Dream>: Allows the user to experience future events in the form of a dream. These future events are basically the user's experience. Trauma could be experienced as a result of this Skill. {Note: User may not take his own life or intentionally try to use this Skill. It will not activate.}

<Nightmare>: Allows the user to interact with the present/immediate future. Actions taken synchronise with reality, solidifying their effects. {Note: Using this reduces Life Force, so frequent utilisation of this Skill is not advised}

(Non-Exclusive)

<NIL>

"So that's what happened," I sighed, my hands trembling as they clutched my face. For some inexplicable reason, my shock and disbelief had disappeared.

Had I grown used to these emotions, or was it merely something I was already accustomed to?

It seemed that the <Nightmare> Skill was one with untapped potential. If used correctly, it could actually be as useful as <Dream>. Unfortunately, the drawback was intense.

"My Life Force, huh? It has reduced already." I murmured sadly.

I had already memorized the contents of my Status Window the last time I checked it. There was no way I wouldn't have noticed the subtle changes that had occurred.

"Life Force has dwindled from 3 to 2. That's quite severe," I noted, understanding the gravity of this debuff.

It was permanent.

'I'll have to increase it myself. Looks like this Skill is too dangerous to rely on.'

I could only imagine how dangerous the situation would be if my Life Force got cut down even further.

"Something tells me that this is one of those skills that takes more from you with each use."

Just because it took only one Life Force from me on my first try didn't mean it wouldn't take more later on.

The fact that the System never specified a definite value of deduction made me even more concerned.

This Skill was clearly dangerous.

"For now, I'll have to keep this Skill in the vault. Nothing good will come out of being reckless with my Stats."

Speaking of my Status Information, it seemed it wasn't just my Life Force that changed. Other than the new Skill I obtained, there was one final noticeable difference.

'My Alignment. It changed.' Previously Neutral Good, it had transformed into simply Neutral.

"I'm not surprised. After what those people did to me, there's no way I can be the same person I was before."

*

*

*

[A/N]

Thanks for reading.

Please voice your thoughts in the comments. It helps a great deal.