Sooho had a dream. It was the dream of a toddler being piggybacked on the back of an ant.
The baby in the dream was giggling and laughing with happiness. Whenever the baby laughed, the ant laughed along with it.
The two were always there wherever the baby went.
An ant that tied an apron and fed the baby a bottle.
A man with golden avian eyes that helped with counting and studying numbers.
“Young master. I, Xiao, vow to protect you for eternity. If you find yourself in trouble… speak my name. Anywhere. Anytime.”
An ant that covered the baby with a small blanket and napped together…
If two were nowhere to be seen, the baby cried. Then, they would appear, shaking toys and soothing the baby, and the baby would stop crying and smile again as if he had never cried.
Then the ant with the apron approached the baby with wide eyes as if it would shed tears at any moment.
While the golden-eyed man stood behind the ant with an irritated look.
[My little king, when did you grow up so wonderfully? I, Beru, am deeply moved.]
“Stop this childish act, you demon. You’re a black warrior have some dignity.”
And two would begin having a fierce argument while the baby watches, giggling.
…!
In the blink of an eye, the baby suddenly grew up and stood before the ant as a 22-year-old Sooho.
Beru. Xiao.
Beru, the ant, looked at him proudly, tears welling in his eyes.
“Originally, the purpose of coming here was to release his seal, but it seems he has already unsealed himself. Indeed, he is our prince.”
Sniff, sniff.
Beru was so moved that tears flowed from his eyes like a faucet.
[Sniff, sniff. However, the seal is not completely lifted. The most important things are kept here.]
Beru took out something from his bosom.
Ding.
[You have obtained ‘Item: Key to Shadow Dungeon’.]
‘Shadow Dungeon? What is this?’
Suddenly, a message popped up in Sooho’s mind, and he felt puzzled.
But this place was a dream. His voice couldn’t reach them at all.
The ant firmly held the key in his hand and Xiao spoke.
“Young master. Whenever you are ready, please feel free to use this key. Inside are all the things that were initially meant to belong to you.”
Saying that, Beru knelt down on one knee and grabbed Sooho’s shoulders with both hands.
[However, please remember one thing.]
With a solemn tone and gentle touch, contrasting emotions were clearly felt in his eyes as he looked directly at Sooho.
[In great power, one must have a suitable vessel. When someone who is not prepared receives an unbearable amount of power, the weight of that power may break the vessel.]
Great power, great vessel.
Sooho mulled over these words in his mind.
“In short, you must raise the level of the vessel.”
Xiao’s eyes narrowed, and he smiled mischievously.
Beru stood up again and respectfully bowed his head.
[Then, my little king, our mission ends here. Although I would like to stay by your side a little longer, my comrades are waiting for me desperately, even at this moment.]
Then he winked with one eye.
Xiao shuddered and grumbled something he couldn’t understand.
[Because I’m a good healer despite my looks.]
‘A healer? Did he say a healer?’
It was the most absurd thing Sooho had heard recently.
“Then, We shall take our leave now. Until the day we meet again, please take care. Young master.”
Please be healthy…
Beru’s faint voice gradually echoed.
“Wait! I still have questions to ask…!” Sooho urgently called out to him, but no voice came out of his mouth.
At that moment, Sooho woke up.
“Uwah!!?” Sooho, who woke up abruptly, quickly looked around.
The walls were pure white and smelled of disinfectant.
The calm air surrounded him.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
The nurse who was grinding IVs looked at Sooho.
“This is…”
“You’re at the hospital. Don’t you remember? There was a dungeon at school.”
‘…Was it all a dream?’
Although he woke up from sleep, Sooho had a blank expression for a while.
‘Where does the dream start and end? The ant? The strange man? The dungeon? Or the leveling up?’
Everything was confusing.
‘Then, were the dreams I had when I was young also real?’
Sooho finally realized.
Memories of playing with giant ants and the golden eye man in his childhood. How could he have forgotten those joyful moments until now?
As Sooho recalled the ant named ‘Beru’ and the man named ‘Xiao’ from his dream, he felt a sense of regret.
‘They left without even having a proper conversation.’
Sooho raised his head. Texts had been floating before him since earlier, waiting for him.
[You have completed ‘Quest: Rescue the Survivors’.]
[The quest completion reward has arrived.]
[Do you want to check the reward?] (Y/N).
‘Check’
Without hesitation, Sooho selected to check the reward. He had almost died several times, so it was only right to at least check the reward, no matter how unfair it felt.
Without hesitation, Sooho selected to check the reward. He had almost died several times, so it was only right to at least check the reward, no matter how unfair it felt.
[The following rewards are prepared.]
Reward 1: Ability Points +5
Reward 2: Strength Stat Points +3
‘Giving 8 stats?’
Sooho’s eyes widened at the more generous rewards than he had expected.
It seemed that with each level up, all stats increased by 1 point each. So, the additional stats of 8 points were much more than leveling up once.
‘It’s worth risking my life for doing good deeds.’
Sooho immediately checked his status window.
[Status Window]
_________________________________________
Name: Sung-Park Sooho
Level: 3
Job: None
Title: None
HP: 140/140
MP: 14/14
_________________________________________
[Stats]
Strength: 15 Stamina: 12
Dexterity: 12 Intelligence: 12
Sense: 12
(Available Ability Points: 5)
[Skills]
Passive Skills: None
Active Skills: Dominator’s Touch Lv.1
_________________________________________
Compared to his dream in high school, many more functions were added. Back then, only the level was displayed, and there was no detailed status window or anything like that.
‘Hmm, which stat should I increase?’
The 3 stat points for strength were automatically applied, and Sooho hesitated on where to invest the remaining stat points. He carefully examined other stats without hastily investing the remaining stat points.
Then, an information window popped up in front of him.
[Information]
Strength: Increases strength and speed. Increases attack power.
Agility: Increases visual acuity and physical reaction speed. Increases reflexes and evasion rate.
Stamina: Increases maximum HP and HP recovery speed.
Intelligence: Increases maximum MP and MP recovery speed.
Sense: Increases sensory perception. Increases crisis detection ability.
As Sooho looked at the stats, they all seemed important.
‘I should think about it more and decide later.’
After turning off the status window, Sooho realized his throat was dry. Come to think of it, he had been unconscious for two days without even taking a sip of water.
He opened the door of a small refrigerator next to the bed in search of water.
Clunk.
And inside it…
“… Huh?” Sooho’s eyes widened in surprise.
Surprisingly, inside was a tiny, adorable version of Beru and Xiao, peeling an apple with their mere fist-sized body.
“Y-you…!”
[Kehehe.]
[Don’t look. Young Master.]
[Beru] Lv.1 Pawn Grade.
[Xiao] Lv.1 Pawn Grade.
For some reason, Beru, and Xiao who used to have a majestic body, had become incredibly small and cute. Beru offered the rabbit-shaped apple with a shy expression.
While Xiao had his back turned to him. Refusing to face him. Xiao looks more like a baby bird now.
[We couldn’t go because we ran out of mana.]
“…”
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