The Peregrine cast a glance at what moments before had appeared to be a vortex of thousands of colors.
He realized it was no longer a vortex, but an iridescent golden crystal sphere that seemed to expand to infinity, forming something like a three‑dimensional kaleidoscope lens.
— Mmh...
The images within the sphere moved almost imperceptibly, emitting waves of light that expanded into the surrounding void and projected geometric shapes that appeared and disappeared in a continuous cycle.
Each shift in shape created a new dance of colors, as if space and time fragmented and reorganized in an endless spectacle.
Ariandel watched, feeling that the structure before his eyes defied any logic he knew.
The Spell's voice suddenly pulled him from his trance.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
"This is the moment of truth," the Peregrine told himself, a blend of excitement and nervousness in his voice.
Divine or not, his immediate future depended on the first Ability of his Aspect and the Flaw he would receive…
If it were a combat Ability, Ariandel could become more useful on the front lines against the Nightmare Creatures.
"That wouldn't be good news for someone used to safety."
If tied to sorcery, he would likely become a powerful, though fragile, fighter.
"Being fragile in close combat isn't exactly ideal."
If it were a utility Ability, it could make him a vital asset behind the scenes in the Dream Realm, a role also valued in the real world, where the Awakened kept many essential systems running.
"A pseudo‑immortality like Mordret's would keep me alive until I adapted to this new reality."
'After all, GuiltyThree's Amon was so persistent he survived a Supreme while still just an Awakened.'
'… But at first, he was powerless too. And he always relied on immense cunning to become the psychological terror he is in the novel.'
— Humm…
'No. I can't say which is best. Reality isn't an RPG.'
Becoming a healer would help him survive, but still leave him powerless, relying solely on his dexterity.
'I think I'll just trust in the versatility and potential of a Divine Aspect.'
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability name: Dream Being.]
Ariandel summoned the runes, swept by a wave of emotion.
He wanted to go straight to the description of his new Ability, but first decided to check the general information of his strange core.
===
Name: –
True Name: Ariandel
Rank: Dreamer
Class: Monster
Dreamlike Soul Cores: [2/7]
Dreamlike Fragments: [0/2000]
===
"Yes, it's here! But… what is this! How can I be a Monster!?"
"Let's calm down! Calm down! I say!"
Where his soul core's rank was listed, the mysterious adjective 'Dreamlike' also appeared. Ariandel stared.
"My core is made of dreams?"
And also…
He saw the counter for 'Dreamlike Fragments'.
Normally there would be an indicator for consumed soul fragments, but here it showed another 'dreamlike'.
"I can confirm I have a completely different progression path than other Awakened."
The idea was both thrilling and frightening. Not having to compete for resources with others was a huge advantage, since most human society in the Dream Realm revolved around collecting soul fragments.
If he didn't need to gather them to evolve… he could become far more powerful at incredible speed and entirely self‑sufficient.
On the other hand, he had no idea how to acquire these creamlike soul fragments. Even so, he had already obtained a thousand of them… simply… somehow…
"I dreamed and killed a creature that fed on dreams."
Yes, there was something there. Whatever he needed to do, he had done it in the First Nightmare.
"I just hope that, by receiving a core saturated with "grace", fate doesn't give me a path with fewer resources than Sunless's."
The Peregrine sighed to chase away worries and keep his spirits up.
"Let's see this Ability at once."
===
Memories: [Ariandel's Maturity Arc], [Dream of the Deep Heart].
Echoes: –
Attributes: [Peregrine], [Soul Watcher], [Light of Divinity].
Aspect: [Thread of Dreams]
Aspect Rank: Divine
Innate Ability: [Kaleidoscope]
Aspect Ability: [Dream Being]
Ability Description: [You gain mastery over the heart's and mind's perceptions, and your body is sustained by soul essence, transcending biological needs].
===
"Let's ignore that Arc and focus on this Ability…"
Ariandel blinked.
"What does this mean?"
He held his breath and began reading the description again, but at that moment a new set of runes appeared below. Simultaneously, the Spell's voice echoed in the black void.
[Every power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: Immaculate Prism.]
Ariandel read the runes hovering in the air, his eyes narrowing. The expression that crossed his face was a troubling mix of fascination and concern.
===
Flaw: [Immaculate Prism]
Flaw Description: [You must act according to who you truly are.]
===
He blinked slowly, as if trying to digest the words meaning.
"This… seems simple. And at the same time, complicated."
He knew the Spell never chose its words lightly, and that phrase carried more weight than it first appeared.
"Be genuine," he murmured. "Be myself… What does that imply? That I can't omit anything? Or that… I can't act outside what I feel and believe?"
The problem wasn't honesty; he already valued truth. But there was a thin line between sincerity and tactlessness.
Ariandel ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath.
Doubt weighed heavier than any certainty. How exactly would the Flaw affect his actions? For now, he could only hope the price of being true to himself wasn't more than he could pay.
[Awaken, Dreamer Ariandel!]
And with that, the void vanished.
***
The Peregrine opened his eyes.
The station chamber's armored ceiling stretched above him, but at that moment the surroundings were irrelevant. His focus was on himself.
He felt incredible. His body radiated surreal power, his mind was sharp, and his vision expanded. Colors seemed more vivid, details sharper—he could even see dust motes floating in the air.
Then, at the edges of his awareness, he noticed something new: a wholly different sense.
Ariandel concentrated, and suddenly the world revealed itself in a new way. It was as hard to describe as explaining darkness to someone born blind—an absence rather than something seen.
He could sense himself, others, and the space around without needing his eyes, guided by a kind of pressure each presence exerted on his mind.
Instinctively, he withdrew that pressure radiating around him, nearly touching Master Jet's. Strangely, Jet didn't seem to notice he was awake.
When he retracted his presence, something else revealed itself within him.
"I'm… 'seeing' myself?" Ariandel murmured, genuinely surprised.
Iridescent eyes, pupil‑less, filled with dancing kaleidoscopic patterns.
Long, wavy white hair contrasted with his reddish‑brown skin that radiated vitality.
Still slender—though newly developed muscles from the Awakening were noticeable… He still stood an "impressive" 1.70 m tall.
He was strikingly beautiful, blending gentleness and stoicism, much like classic illustrations of a Tolkienian elf.
He had never minded his limited masculine virility, but couldn't help reflecting on how easy it would now be to become the target of someone of the same sex.
The idea was, at the very least, intriguing…
"Focus. It's not appearance you want to see."
There lay what he sought. In the depths of his soul, beyond body and heart, rested his cores.
"Now it makes sense. That's why I saw only one core in my Soul Sea… they were overlapped."
With this new understanding, he could distinguish them—something impossible before.
"Can I touch them?"
Focusing on them, he felt the same strangeness as staring into a black hole. His heart raced; he swallowed, breathed deeply, and murmured:
"Let's… do this."
As he dove deeper into his soul and touched the cores, a line of runes glowed in the air before him.
[Transform dreamlike soul core into a Refraction?]
"Refraction?"
"Oooh… is it that easy?"
A comparison came to mind:
"Would it be like the Prince of Nothing's ability?"
Although refractions and reflections didn't share exactly the same essence, they must have similarities.
The runes trembled seductively before him, but he hesitated.
"I need to explore my Flaw first. And it definitely wouldn't be wise to test separating one of my cores here in the station."
Besides, there was another problem:
"Besides… I'm still strapped to this bed that feels more like a torture device."