The Dreamer's POV

{3 Days later}

<Day 4 of the Tutorial>

[2:48 PM, Wednesday 3rd of May, 2024]

It was agony.

"H-haa… a-aa…. haaa…aaa…"

The pain was excruciating.

"... p-please..."

My vision was blurred, but I couldn't focus on that. Not with the relentless hunger tearing at my stomach, and the parched torment of my dry, tongue.

Pain. A relentless, unyielding pain that kept pushing me toward unconsciousness.

I'd grown skinny enough to free myself from the tight restraints on the bed, but my body lacked the strength to do much else.

In the suffocating darkness of the room, I felt the weight of the days pressing down on me. Three agonizing days had passed since my last meal. The gnawing hunger inside me had become an all-consuming torment. Each moment brought a new wave of hunger, and my body weakened, unable to sustain itself.

As the days dragged on, my energy dwindled drastically. A terrible weakness washed over me, like a heavy shroud draped over my limbs. My muscles ached, and my once-steady hands trembled uncontrollably.

The absence of food had taken a toll on my body and mind. My thoughts became foggy, and a persistent haze clouded my mind. Concentration slipped away, and my ability to focus vanished. I drifted in and out of delirium, where reality blended with vivid hallucinations.

My body began to betray me in unimaginable ways. My once-smooth, supple skin grew pale and clammy. My cheeks hollowed, and my eyes, once bright and vibrant, dulled and sunk into their sockets. Bones protruded from beneath my skin, a stark reminder of the unyielding hunger consuming me. I had become a human scarecrow.

With each passing day, my body fought for survival in desperate ways. My metabolism slowed to a crawl, preserving every ounce of energy. My heart rate dropped, and my blood pressure plunged, leaving me lightheaded and dizzy when I attempted to stand. Thirst was an unrelenting companion; dehydration parched my mouth and cracked my lips.

As day turned to night, sleep remained elusive. Restless nights filled with discomfort and pain haunted my weakened body. The hunger intensified, twisting my stomach into knots. Each hour seemed like an eternity, my body growing frailer with every passing moment.

In the depths of my despair, memories of better times danced at the edge of my consciousness. The taste of warm, delicious meals. The refreshing coolness of water. The simple joys of life that I had taken for granted.

But those memories were fading, like distant stars vanishing into the night. The present was a relentless onslaught of hunger, weakness, and pain.

Then, in the midst of this dark abyss, something shifted. I could feel the feeble flicker of life within me fading, as my body reached its limits. Weakness consumed me entirely, and I slipped into unconsciousness, surrendering to the merciless grip of starvation.

******

[10:53 PM, Wednesday 3rd of May, 2024]

"H-haaaa... haaaa… please…"

I'd already pounded on the door, my pleas for help echoing in the cold, damp room where they held me captive. The rage and resentment I'd harbored had slowly ebbed away, replaced by a growing desperation. But unfortunately, no one answered.

In the end, I realized it was a futile waste of energy. So I simply curled up in a corner, gasping for breath, my hope waning with every labored breath.

But how could it end?

Death would only mean reliving this nightmare one day earlier. Even the thought of ending my own life seemed unbearable. Both options were equally terrible.

Yet, as my eyes fell upon the gleaming knife within arm's reach, temptation began to whisper in my ears.

Maybe death would be preferable to this torment.

~CREAK~

The door slowly swung open, and I wearily raised my head, yearning to see a savior emerge from the shadows.

Someone. Anyone. Please. Help me.

My thoughts and prayers boiled down to this simple plea.

Unfortunately, the person who stepped into the dim light was none other than Jake.

"Still wallowing in misery, huh?" he sneered. "I pity you, you know? Unfortunately, this is just how the world is going to be from now on. The weak get trampled, and the strong get it all… even the ladies. Get used to it."

Just like the day before, Jake began his boastful tirade, his condescending grin cutting through the darkness. I struggled to focus on his face through blurred vision, but his malevolent delight was crystal clear.

"Unlike you, I've got four girls in my Harem now. Planning to add more, of course," he snickered. "You should've seen what Lisa and I were up to yesterday. It was... mind-blowing. Get it?"

Why was he telling me all this? Why did he feel the need to torture me beyond the extreme pain I was currently experiencing?

I couldn't understand the cruelty of some people.

"Lisa..." The mention of her name brought forth memories of the girl I once trusted. The anger I'd almost forgotten surged within me, but my feeble frame could no longer act upon it.

I was powerless.

Yesterday, when I'd tried to attack Jake, he had effortlessly overpowered me. Even now, with a knife tantalizingly close, I lacked the strength to act. I could only watch and listen, hovering on the blurred boundary between consciousness and its absence.

"I can't wait to add even more girls to my collection once this Tutorial ends," Jake continued, seemingly unaware of my suffering. "They're asleep now, so I can tell you this. I'm aiming for at least a thousand. Like King Solomon, right?"

"P-please," I croaked, my voice barely audible. "Just a little... food."

"Food?" Jake's tone shifted, almost apologetic. "I'm sorry, but we're almost out. We have to ration what's left or it won't last the week. It's tough for all of us, you know."

My food, my water, my house, my resources – he spoke of them all as if they belonged to him.

I felt like stabbing him so desperately, but I could hardly move. Even if I mustered enough strength, I wouldn't be able to take action fast enough to guarantee success.

In the end, I couldn't do anything. The room closed in around me, a prison without walls, a torment without end, and the cruel laughter of my captor echoed in my ears, mocking my desperation.

"Why not just end it all yourself and put an end to the suffering? Lisa spilled the beans about your abilities. Wouldn't it be better to take that route?" Jake's words were like a venomous sting, pushing me closer to the abyss of despair.

This bastard was basically telling me to die.

I wasn't surprised that Lisa had betrayed my trust so easily, but hearing it from Jake's lips intensified the unbearable ache in my heart.

"You've got that knife, don't you?" Jake's voice echoed in my ears, taunting me. "Just do it."

My mind was clouding over again, and through my blurred vision, I saw Jake making his exit, callously leaving me to my misery.

"Thanks for the food, Mikey," he said casually as he walked away. "Though, with your abilities, you could have done so much more. But don't worry; I'll make sure to remember you!"

He left, once again consigning me to the wretched solitude of that room

"F-fuck…"

Despite the pain, rage, fury, hatred, and justified frustration swirling inside me, I couldn't help but entertain the idea he planted in my mind.

"Maybe I should just end it..."

How I wished I could have my revenge. To kill those bastards. To personally slaughter the traitor, Lisa. To be the one to slit that arrogant prick in the throat. How pleasant those things would have been.

'But… I can't take it anymore…'

There was no future waiting for me. There was no reason left to cling to this cruel existence.

In the end, I could only tread this path of despair.

And so, I gripped the knife, using both trembling hands to position it dangerously close to my throat. I'd never attempted anything like this before, and my body shook with fear.

Surprisingly, though, the fear lasted only a fleeting moment. Almost as soon as the cold blade touched my skin, an eerie calm enveloped my entire being, and my precision sharpened to a razor's edge.

It felt almost... natural.

"Haa... what a wretched life," I whispered, slicing through my carotid arteries in one swift motion.

"This is the end."

[SYSTEM WARNING]

<Your Life Force Has Dropped Below 5 Percent.>

{You will soon die…}

I felt only a tinge of pain before my consciousness slowly faded away.

[You Have Died]

<Dream Sequence Has Been Disabled>

{You have intentionally taken your life, therefore Exclusive Skill: <Dream>, will not be activated}

<The Conditions Have Been Met>

<New Exclusive Skill has been unlocked>

{Exclusive Skill: <Nightmare> has been initiated}

[Nightmare will now commence]

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[A/N]

Alright, this was one hell of a crazy chapter. Things are about to get a lot more interesting in the later chapters.

Thanks for reading this far. I hope you're enjoying the story, despite its slow pacing.

Cheers!