CHAPTER 22
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Leaving behind Hana and Taera's concerns, Jehee drove to the creature's residence with a sense of purpose. He effortlessly carried the unconscious Chorok, who was roughly his height, and gently laid him down on an empty bed in the guest room. I stood by, feeling somewhat lost and unsure of my role in this situation, merely observing.
Yet, this didn't mean there was nothing for me to do. Before leaving the house to gather information on Nightmares or to find someone capable of curing the status ailment, Jehee asked me to monitor Han Chorok's condition.
With Jehee's departure, a profound silence enveloped the house. The only sounds punctuating the quiet were my occasional movements and the subtle rhythm of Han Chorok's breathing.
In the oppressive silence, I studied his face, eerily still as if lifeless. Previously, I only saw him with furrowed brows, clutching a knife, but now, his face retained a hint of youthful innocence. To someone who only knew him from the game, his real face appeared oddly unfamiliar.
Was this incident a wake-up call, urging me to grasp the situation's seriousness? I had been too casual, treating this as merely a game world. Over a month since my arrival, and it still didn't resonate as reality, revealing my lack of realism.
In the game, I could restart when things went awry, but I've learned reality doesn't conform to those rules. Here, the only person with that power was Lee Jehee.
If he takes his own life...
I might have felt less burdened if it had occurred in a dungeon Jehee had coerced him into. Yet, regardless of circumstances, it was a dungeon I entered for my own reasons. In there, I was useless, like a fool.
Shouldn't I act now? Do everything in my power. Standing idly by, lost in thought, wasn’t an option.
"Why are you just standing there?"
I knew who it was the moment the front door opened and footsteps headed directly toward this room.
Jehee, having just returned, leaned against the door, his gaze lingering on Chorok. His face was etched with fatigue, his voice rough and subdued, a stark contrast to his usual deliberate speech.
Was this weariness recent, or had it built up over repeated regressions? This thought sparked a twinge of empathy for him, who might face another regression. He, who repeatedly put himself in dire straits...
"Lee Jehee," I called out.
At my gentle call, he shifted his gaze to me. It was the first time I had addressed Jehee by name instead of "Master" or "Hunter." Such was my desperation.
"There's something I want to try."
"..."
"My level is low, so the outcome might not be as expected, and I might fail. But I still want to give it my all."
Jehee remained silent, just gazing at me with dark, intense eyes. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice, laden with exhaustion, breaking sharply. "How much do you think I can trust what you say in this situation?"
...So he doesn't trust me.
Understandable, considering we've only known each other for a week. Expecting trust so soon would be unreasonable.
I nodded. "That's true. I get it. We can't exactly read each other's minds."
"..."
"Any success on your end?"
"A different supporter is arriving tomorrow afternoon. If that doesn't work, there are still other options."
Securing a supporter with the skills to counter an S-class monster's status ailments is challenging. Firstly, the number of people with a supporter class is limited, and among them, high-grade ones are exceedingly rare.
Then, as Hana suggested, our only option might be to defeat an S-class monster. If we can quickly form a team and succeed in clearing the dungeon, Chorok will recover.
And if we fail, Jehee is ready to regress, committed to saving Chorok, even at the cost of his own life. Restarting from the beginning is hardly an ideal option for him, but he's willing to do it for Chorok.
Han Chorok would be touched to know this. The thought unexpectedly made me laugh.
"Then, before you resort to your method, may I try mine? There’s nothing to lose. I assure you, I have no intention of harming Chorok. Given my low level and my role as a supporter, I couldn’t cause harm even if I wanted to. Isn't that why you sought me out?"
Jehee didn’t voice any objections, but his piercing gaze lingered on me, as if scrutinizing my true intentions. He gradually stood up from leaning against the door frame and walked over with a measured pace.
"Explain your method. I’m listening."
Encouraged by his return to a formal tone, I quickly lifted the information display restriction on the information window. Since we were still in a party, it seemed appropriate.
"Please, take a look at my skill window."
[Party leader 'Lee Jehee' is viewing 'Yeon Seonwoo’s' information.]
As I brought up my skill window, I glanced at the familiar notification message. My gaze drifted down to the skill name at the bottom.
"It’s a skill I recently acquired. This will be my first attempt using it."
"..."
"I believe it’s worth a shot."
Lee Jehee stood with his arms crossed, his fingers tapping rhythmically as if immersed in deep thought. I observed him anxiously, though I strived to maintain a relaxed demeanor.
"Dreamer..." he muttered.
It was a success. My smile grew confident as his voice echoed, casual yet deliberate. Lee Jehee was convinced. It was a permission granted not out of trust, but as a gamble. Nonetheless, achieving my aim was all that mattered.
The skill 'Dreamer' came into my possession on the day Jehee forcibly brought me here. Overwhelmed by the realization that I had indeed entered another world, I hadn't properly explored its capabilities. Since then, it had slipped my mind, never receiving a second glance.
[Active Skill: Dreamer]
[Level 1 Effect - Establishes a connection with the dream of a sleeping target.]
[Level 2 Effect - Allows you to craft a specific dream for the sleeping target. (Unavailable due to level restrictions)]
[Condition: The skill ‘Dreamer’ can only be activated on a target affected by the ‘Sleep’ status ailment.]
While Jehee momentarily stepped away, I scrutinized the skill, seeking to understand why Chorok's status ailment remained unaltered. It was the only action I could take in this harrowing situation.
That's when I stumbled upon ‘Dreamer’. An unfamiliar and unexpected find, it offered a glimmer of hope amidst the despair.
"I probably won't be able to sustain it for long. The skill drains a significant amount of mana."
"That's true. It does consume more mana than most skills."
"Yes, and that’s why I'm uncertain about what I can achieve in the limited time. I might end up accomplishing nothing, but... I'm determined to give it my all."
Lee Jehee's responses were characteristically brief. However, unusually, his reticence didn't unsettle me. My mind was too preoccupied to register such nuances.
With a mix of determination and anxiety, I took Chorok's hand. Its warmth suggested he was merely deep in slumber, whispering to me not to lose hope.
[Party member 'Yeon Seonwoo' has activated the support skill ‘Dreamer’.]
[Yeon Seonwoo, we wish you a successful journey.]
A successful journey, huh?
The status message's odd wording left me momentarily stunned, but before I could express my bewilderment, drowsiness overtook me. The activation of the skill had swiftly induced sleep.
I wanted to voice my frustration, but the overwhelming heaviness of my eyelids won. My head sagged forward as darkness swiftly enveloped my sight.
The first sensation I experienced in this bizarre realm was the movement of my fingers, like suddenly awakening from a deep slumber with a mind crystal clear.
Upon regaining consciousness, a cacophony of voices filled my ears. Curious, I opened my eyes to an extraordinary scene.
Is this... inside Han Chorok's dream?
I found myself in the midst of a circular staircase spiraling endlessly into the unknown. Looking around, I was met with dim walls projecting scenes reminiscent of an old movie, casting hazy images akin to snippets of a film.
This explained the noise that greeted me upon awakening. The sounds from each scene overlapped, creating a dissonant symphony.
That must be Han Chorok.
As I examined the images on the walls, it became clear that the central figure in these blurry vignettes was consistently the same person. There were depictions of a very young Chorok, barely recognizable, a slightly older version, and finally, him as he is now.
I was indeed inside Chorok's dream.
With this realization, I shifted my gaze from the wall and peered up the staircase. It spiraled upwards endlessly, mirroring its downward counterpart. This place was nothing more than the staircase and the walls reflecting Chorok's life.
It seemed evident that I needed to descend this infinite staircase. I let out a brief sigh and began to move slowly. Gradually, my pace quickened, and soon I was almost running down the stairs, barely glancing at the images.
"There's no time."
Thankfully, the space wasn't shrouded in darkness. The light reflecting off the walls provided enough illumination to navigate the steps safely.