Eylan found himself in a place between dream and reality. A vast black void stretched endlessly in every direction, dotted with countless stars. Between them, innumerable strands of silvery light intertwined, forming a beautiful network of unimaginable complexity, filled with nexuses and constellations. It was, without a doubt, a breathtaking sight.
This was the inner domain of the Nightmare Spell.
It was interesting to think about—when the Weaver created the Nightmare Spell, did he also give it some form of consciousness? It was a valid question. However, Eylan was in no state to ponder matters beyond his understanding.
He was euphoric, overwhelmed by the thousands of possibilities before him.
He could gain all kinds of powers—elemental control, physical strength, mental abilities. The thought alone left him ecstatic.
Still, what he was most anxious about was the rank of his Aspect. To truly have a place in this world, he needed at least an Ascended Aspect, something valuable enough to be recognized by the great clans.
When the Nightmare Spell finished its evaluation, a voice echoed through the void:
"Aspirant, your judgment has concluded."
---
At that point, his memories became blurred. That was his Flaw.
All he could remember was the ending:
[...And so the little shepherd finally reached the promised land. His pain and suffering were not in vain. At last, he was able to rest.]
---
"You have slain a Dormant Beast: Abyss-Wing."
"You have slain a Dormant Human: name unknown."
"You have slain an Awakened Devil: Phantom Eye."
"You have received the blessing of the Goddess of Storms."
"You have achieved the impossible!"
"Final evaluation: Glorious. Your morals and will know no limits or barriers."
"No way!" Eylan shouted in disbelief.
He had seen this before.
It was similar to Sunless's evaluation—a bearer of a Divine Aspect.
How did this even make sense?
Countless Awakened had faced their Nightmares, yet the number of those who possessed Divine Aspects could be counted on one hand. The odds were so low they were practically nonexistent.
Confusion filled his mind. Even if he had saved those people, it wasn't something that should have altered the currents of fate.
There was no great feat worthy of such praise.
Was he forgetting something?
In the end, he brushed the inconsistency aside. It didn't matter right now. What mattered was that he was a Divine Aspect holder—something far beyond his expectations.
"I can't even put into words how I feel right now… this changes everything!"
Then the voice echoed again:
"Dreamer Eylan, receive your blessing."
At that moment, he finally understood how deep the joy Sunny must have felt.
"You have received a True Name:
Tyrant of the Unreachable Sea."
A True Name, on top of everything else.
He was stunned.
Having grown up in a relatively peaceful society, Eylan had always believed he wouldn't adapt well to the Nightmare world. Compared to people who had fought for days on end, he was basically a child.
And yet—here he was. A proud bearer of a True Name.
Only the absolute elite were worthy of such an honor.
Then came the reward he had been waiting for the most.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve.
Evolve Aspect?]
With a grin stretching from ear to ear, he answered happily:
"Yes."
[Dormant Aspect: Sailor is evolving…]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Divine.]
His grin widened even further, sparks seemingly dancing within his irises.
[Aspect Name: Tyrant of the Storm]
A Divine Aspect… both a blessing and a curse. But if I use it right, it'll be enough to change the entire story.
Eylan was shocked, but since he already knew what to expect, it wasn't enough to make his knees buckle.
He began evaluating the possibilities—what this meant for himself, and for the future of the story itself. Gaining a Divine Aspect was far beyond his expectations. Anything above Awakened would've already been a win.
And yet, deep in his soul, something felt terribly wrong.
A chill ran down his spine every time he tried to think too deeply about it.
In the end, there was nothing he could do about it for now.
"Well… fate provides, but everything it gives comes at a cost. The real problem is when that cost will be paid."
Pushing the thought aside, he focused on the present.
'At the very least, this Aspect is intriguing. Its Flaw doesn't seem that bad…
At least I get to choose who I swear loyalty to—and I get the final say.'
After briefly assessing his Aspect, he couldn't help but think about how unlucky the world's protagonist, Sunless, truly was—bound by chains he never chose. Unlike him, Eylan could openly speak his True Name without fear of being controlled.
"Now comes the real tragedy… let's see what my Flaw is," he muttered.
The Spell whispered:
"The first seal has been broken."
"Awakening dormant powers…"
Something stirred within him.
With a startled cry, Eylan clutched his chest and stared into the darkness, trying to understand what was happening.
The sensation wasn't painful or unpleasant—just completely different from anything he had ever felt. It was as if his soul itself was awakening, infused with a strange new energy.
But the energy didn't come from outside.
It welled up from within him, as though it had always been there—merely asleep.
In moments, it spread through every part of his being.
His emotions exploded—joy, anxiety, anticipation blending together.
Then his body began to change.
It felt as though a miniature star burned at the center of his chest, sending waves of warmth outward—reaching his stomach and shoulders, then his arms and legs, and finally his hands and feet.
Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs, and veins were reforged and revitalized. Eylan felt as if he were being reborn—stronger, faster, overflowing with vitality.
The experience was pure euphoria.
With every passing moment, his transformation grew more complete. Determination and pride took root in his heart.
…He had survived.
He had reached the same level as the survivors of this dark world.
He was no longer weak or defenseless.
With his powers awakened and his will tempered by the horrors of the First Nightmare, Eylan had become someone you wouldn't want to face.
After some time, the burning star in his chest finally cooled. The heat was replaced by a refreshing, icy breeze that washed away all pain and fatigue. It rose to his head—then to his eyes.
His vision doubled.
He could still see the endless void filled with stars.
But he could also see something else.
A turbulent sea lit by wandering lightning, and at its center, a radiant light—like a sun.
Yet its core was made of silvery light, surrounded by water so clear it resembled the finest jewel—a sapphire reflecting the entire world.
Floating alone above the raging waves.
A gentle breeze brushed against his skin, not unpleasant at all. If anything, it brought calm and serenity.
'So this is my Soul Sea…'
As he examined the sun-like sphere, he noticed it was translucent, like a reflection on water—constantly shifting and changing.
Then he felt a chill.
There was something in the depths.
Something vast.
Something watching.
A powerful will.
Every time he tried to look back, the sensation vanished—only to return when he looked away.
'Is this something like Sunny's Aspect? Where the shadows of the creatures he kills go into his soul? But that doesn't make sense… I'm not blessed by the Shadow God.'
'So what is it…?'
After a brief moment of thought, he made a decision.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Ignoring his instincts, he looked again at the sun of his Soul Sea—and noticed an object orbiting it like a whirlpool in the ocean.
There it was: his first—and only—Memory.
[Necklace of the Sea]
He had a vague idea of where it came from. From what he remembered, it involved the Awakened Demon he had defeated with great effort and assistance. Its description was simple:
Memory Description:
[The sea hides countless secrets in its depths. Like a guardian of the land, it protects it from enigmatic horrors. This necklace holds the essence of the sea, shielding its bearer from malicious intent…]
Eylan found it intriguing.
Simple, yet fitting—almost too fitting for his Aspect.
As he tried to recall more, the Spell's voice suddenly pulled him out of the Soul Sea.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
'Alright. This is the key moment.
Divine or not, his immediate future depended on this first Aspect Ability. If it was combat-focused, he'd belong on the front lines. If it was magic-based, he'd be powerful—but fragile at range. If it was utility, he'd be invaluable behind the scenes in the Dream Realm—and extremely valuable in the real world.'
'We're talking about a Divine Aspect here. If it's like Sunny's, I'll have a wide range of abilities. If it's like Nephis's, I'll be a solid fighter. But if it's like Mordret's…
Yeah. Let's not think about that. I really don't want to be forced into becoming a psychopath.'
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name:
Water Control]
After briefly checking the description, Eylan reflected on how absurdly advantageous a Divine Aspect was. Seven Soul Cores and power on this level—it was practically cheating.
Especially in a world like Shadow Slave, where strength is justice and weakness is a sin…
At least the people here still have a chance. Not like the inhabitants of the Storm Goddess's divine realm, who watched their world be consumed by the Dream Realm—helpless, with only Daeron left as their supreme.
As his inner monologue ended, the solemn voice returned.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: …]
Eylan read the runes, his light-brown eyes widening. In an instant, relief turned into shock.
He reread them, again and again.
But no matter how many times he looked, they said the same thing:
Flaw: [What was it again?]
Effect Description:
[Your memories are blurred, details incomplete.
Forgotten knowledge may be mundane—or critically important.
Your memory is very poor.]
At the heart of the void, a low, distorted laugh broke the silence.
It started faint—almost a whisper—but grew stronger, echoing through the depths like something awakening.
Moments later, it became a full, piercing laugh—impossible to ignore.
Then, without warning…
Silence.
The laughter stopped abruptly, leaving behind an even heavier void.
Eylan clenched his fists, gritting his teeth in anger.
"Fuck! That's gotta be a joke, right? How the hell does this shi—"
Before he could finish, the Spell spoke, its voice thunderous.
[Awaken, Tyrant of the Unreachable Sea!]
Like a whirlpool, the void twisted—and vanished.