He opened his eyes slowly as the light dazzled him viciously. As the light faded away, he saw the vigorous crowd.
His ears that seemed non existent a few moment ago slowly coming back, the bustling crowd noises entered his ears.
The building that screamed victorian era. The men that wore a gentleman suit and women with their humble dress.
Carriages flowing on the street. Gallops could be heard with a once in a while neigh.
"Where am I?" He looked his surroundings in shock. He was certain he's sleeping in a cave, yet why is he in the middle of a victorian era city?
'That's right, before I get here.'
He swayed his hand to the left and a holographic panel materialized.
[Gather materials.]
Time Limit: 23:58:34
He pinched his chin, 'Dreams are usually depicted as gateways to another world or realm, huh? Akira, your theory is a bullseye. Still, this doesn't seem like a dream. If not for System and Akira, I might think I have been transmigrated.'
Shun pinched his cheek, "Woah, neat stuff. The pain isn't any different in the real world. Wait, don't tell this is one of those cliche tropes where if you die here you die in the real world."
[You've received item 'Realm 101' from the Tower Master!]
As he said those words, a panel appeared. After a glance, he opened his inventory and materalized the item.
"Let's see."
It was a scroll medieval times used to deliver messages. He unpatched the scroll that is neatly tied with a blue ribbon and began to read as his eyes slowly moved downward.
The scroll filled with guidance and rules from the Tower Master. One of the many rules are you can leave the dream realm as much as you can, and dying in the dream realm won't kill you, but it will leave a permanent injury on the spot where you are killed.
The injury can be healed if you managed to find a potion master somewhere within the dream realm.
Shun then put the scroll back into his inventory. There are a lot of content in it, but it didn't seem worth to mention.
'When I think about it, the town is awfully familiar.'
He then took a stroll, and after a few blocks, he realized.
'It's the same town in the waking world.'
The market, the street, the buildings! They're all the same!
'Speaking of that town, it was being rebuilt by some kind of strange magic. Are the fruits we took return to its original spot?'
They did ransacked a fruit stall, after all. Well, whatever happened, happened.
He continued walking. As he walked, he noticed the diversity of species here. Beast kin, elves, ogres, dwarfs. All walking in harmony, and devoid of hatred to one another.
Soon enough, he arrived at the market. He looked for the fruit stall he and Akira destroyed.
His eyes widened slightly when he didn't find the stall. He approached the stall in a hurry.
'Why is it gone? What the heck!'
Many questions flashed through his mind until the aunties next to him whispered to one another.
"Poor guy, some delinquents bring his stall to the entrance before destroying it."
"Yes, truly, how unfortunate. He has a daughter and a sick son too."
'Thank you, NPCs that comes out of nowhere and explained the situation to me!' He exclaimed before falling into deep thought.
The actions he made in the real world will affect the city dream too. He must thread this carefully, one wouldn't know what would happen if he do as he pleased to the town.
After which, he went to the entrance where the crowd was gathering.
Slipping through the group of people, he reached the front seat. On the ground, an old man was crying next to the destroyed stall.
His tears seeped into his shirt, dimming the color of his clothes. His damp shirt that no different from being exposed by rain.
Shun could only watch in silence. It was unknown what went through his mind.
After which, he stepped back from the crowd and walked back to the city. If he remembered it correctly, the location should be around here.
After jumping a fence, he arrived at a packed populated area with poor housing. The ground filled with holes and there's still water in them.
Even though the other part of the city was clean and smooth. God knows this water comes from rain from when, maybe five months ago from its dull color.
As soon as he arrived, he received malicious gaze from the adult. The children on the other hand were staring curiously.
Shun took a leisure stroll. He bumped with someone once in a while and they clicked their tongue in annoyance.
Shun sneered as he formed his aura into a long tentacle and quietly snatched the man's money.
This occured multiple times that he stopped counting after 30 pouches.
*
After crying for more than four hours, the old man finally get the spirit to get up. He walked back to his home.
With his home on the west side, he had to go through the market. His eyes were empty and barren. He walked with his body swaying to the left and right slowly.
With how pale his complexion is, someone might mistook him as an undead. People took a step away from him, clearing his path.
As he walked, he stopped and turned to his right, where his stall should be, but now, it was just an empt–
"?!"
He froze.
"H-how?"
Before him was a brand new stall that's built by the help of people in robe, possibly mages. With their magic, his wooden stall was completed in an instant.
The mages nodded at him before walking away.
The old man grabbed one of the mage's sleeve, "What is going on?"
"We don't know, we were told to build a store here."
"Who told you?"
"That's confidential." The mage pulled his sleeve in a jolt before walking away.
The old man stood silently, before kissing his forehead on the hot pavement.
"Thank you! Thank you."
On the distance, Shun watched silently before smiling. He then walked away.
"Man, I'm hungry."
*
He was sitting on a tavern, eating a mysterious fried meat with salad and french fries. The food was delicious.
As he was eating, he reminded of something that slipped from his thoughts.
It was known what happened in the waking world will affect the city, but it turned to debris because of a trap in that doll.
So why is the city still standing? Is there a specific kind of rule? Shun could only put his confusion to the edge of his mind. Thinking furher wouldn't bore any fruit anyways.
After eating, he wondered his next move. He'd need information on where to get building materials. According to the mages he hired, they recommend him to find someone named Alden.
He turned his head to the waitress passing his table.
"Excuse me, miss."
"Yes, sir?"
"Do you know Alden?"
"Yes, no one in the city doesn't know him. What's wrong?"
"Where can I find him?"
"You can try by visiting his office just three blocks from here, but don't be disappointed if you can't meet him." The waitress go as far as drawing a map and gave it to him.
"Alright, thanks missy." Shun received it and gave her a tip.
"Your welcome." She accepted the tip and walked away.
Shun paid and left the tavern. He followed the waitress' map.
After minutes of walking, he arrived. He looked around the building. His eyes stopped at a certain building.
There was a sign hanging but it was in a language he didn't know. However, next to the sign was a wood emblem. Even a five year old knew what's the building about.