"C-Contract?"
Wait. Why does the strongest person in this Endless Dream want to sign a contract with me?!
Contracts. In this Endless Dream, the higher beings can sign a contract with the lower beings—i.e., the dreamers. There are four types of contracts:
Divine Contract, Demonic Contract, Dreamer's Contract, and lastly, Void's Contract.
Divine Contract is the most common, signed between the Seven Deadly Sins and a dreamer.
Demonic Contract is signed between a Demon King and a dreamer.
Dreamer's Contract is signed between dreamers.
And lastly, the Void's Contract—as the name suggests—is signed between the Void and any being: god, Demon Kings, Sins, or dreamers. Literally anyone.
Void's Contract is the most difficult to get your hands on.
"You mean Void's Contract?"
[ Yes ]
In the original Endless Dream, there were only two beings who were able to get the Void's Contract:
God and the Main Protagonist.
[ You seem to know a lot. You already know about Void's Contract, which means you probably know about the other three too ]
"Yes, that's right."
[ See? That's what made me interested in you. ]
"What do you mean?"
[ You're just a beginner in this dream, yet you know a lot. It makes me question you... Just what in the world are you, Kang Hong? ]
I took a deep breath.
"A dreamer who's trying to survive."
[ Is that all? ]
"Yes."
What are his real motives?
"I really can't understand why you're interested in me. I only read a novel regarding an Endless Dream with the same concept and characters... In simple words, I read a book which has the whole fate of this dream written."
The Void didn't seem surprised by my words. Well, it made sense—he never trusted anyone's words. He has a lot of trust issues because of the betrayals he experienced in the past.
[ And can you prove that book is real and not your imagination? ]
Here we go. Maybe I'll have to say something about him.
"Yeah, I can prove that."
[ Prove it. ]
"The Void... how does it feel to be betrayed by your most trusted com—"
"Guhk—!"
There was nothing between me and the Void, yet I was lifted into the air by an invisible force that seemed to have grabbed my throat.
The Void hadn't lifted a finger or his hand. He didn't do anything to activate any skill, yet I was lifted.
The system didn't even warn me about any skill activating.
"Hrk!"
He was looking at me... with sharp eyes, full of killing intent.
[ Know your place. You're just a lower being. I didn't give you any permission to talk about my past. ]
The force lifting me up vanished and I fell onto my seat.
"Ngh!.. Khh...khhak...!"
I felt alive again.
I looked at the Void again. He was looking at me like he was disappointed in me.
Why did he even ask me to prove the book if he was going to get angry?
"Haaah... so do you believe me now?"
[ You're... a prophet..? ]
"Kind of."
[ What type of answer is that? ]
"I don't know. Stop asking me these things and just tell me... do you believe the book now?"
[ How'd you get the book? ]
He's totally ignoring my question!
"It's a book available for everyone. You can find it in marketplaces or on the internet."
[ Can I access it? ]
"...Probably not."
The Void and other beings are just a part of the novel, so maybe they can't access the story. As for other dreamers—maybe they also can't, because now they are a part of the story. Well, it's not even the same world anymore. It's the world written in my novel, which means everyone, including me, is now a part of it.
My fate might also be written in the novel. I killed Han Seeyoung, which gave me a good part of the story. All I need to do now is meet the Main Protagonist and join her team. After that, I'll be recognized as a side character.
A message popped up on my screen.
[ STATUS - NPC ]
[ IN ORDER TO GET A HIGHER ROLE YOU NEED TO DO YOUR ACTIONS PROPERLY ]
Woah. It has unlocked?...Wait, does that mean...
Day 4 has already started?!
I quickly stood up.
[ What happened? I'm not done yet ]
"How much time has it been since I'm here?!"
[ Huh... why are you as— ]
"Just shut your mouth and tell me..!"
The Void's expression didn't change.
[ It has only been 30 minutes. ]
"And how much time has passed on the planet I came from?!"
[ I don't know about your time system. I know one thing—that this is their final day before Dreamer's Delusion begins. ]
My blood froze. I stood still, my eyes widened completely in shock.
How could I forget that in this place... time works differently? How could I make such a simple mistake?
Time moves slowly in this place, which resulted in me skipping both days. Now it was Day 4—the last day. I was absent for the quests too...!
Will I even be allowed to participate in Dreamer's Delusion?
I looked down and put my left hand on my face.
Shit! Everything is ruined... What about Chaeyoung and Seonyeon?! I completely left them...!
...I need to go back. I need to do it fast.
I looked at the Void.
",Sorry for that."
[ I don't mind. Sit and answer my questions now. ]
I sat back.
I can still go back there at the beginning of Dreamer's Delusion. I need to do it fast—I don't know when this day will pass too.
[ Why can't I access the book? ]
"Let's assume that you're a character in a book. Then tell me—how can you get to know about the whole future of the world?"
[ I don't know, is it even possible? ]
"It is, but you need a cheat."
[ What do you mean? ]
"Let's say that the book is being sold in the real world and a person picks it up and reads it. Multiple people read it. Some drop the story, and some continue. And then, what if the real world gets transported into that book's world?"
[ Those who read the book would know the future ]
"Exactly. Now the readers of that book will tell the characters about the knowledge they have. With that knowledge, they'll try to survive the book."
The Void's expression changed.
[ Wait... is it the same case here? ]
"Yeah."
[ So... are you the reader or the writer? ]
I took a moment to answer.
"I'm a reader."
The Void looked at me doubtfully.
The Void's left eye showed red sparks coming from it. It could only happen if—
[ THE VOID HAS ACTIVATED LIE DETECTOR ]
Lie Detector, an SS-rated skill used for detecting lies and truth. I'll get caught at this rate..!
The red sparks in the Void's left eye burst like a firecracker. He was startled by it and got up.
[ LIE DETECTOR GOT CANCELLED ]
How is it even possible?! A skill getting canceled?!
[ Huh…?! ]
The Void looked at me with a surprised and slightly murderous expression. A sword suddenly teleported into his hands. It was the 'Vow of the Fallen,' a sword that could even slay monarchs.
He lifted the sword and pointed it at my neck. Basically, it was touching my neck.
"K-Kh...!"
[ I must eliminate you here. You are a mere lower being, yet you're fooling around. ]
I mustn't panic.
I raised both my hands as a sign of surrender. I need to do this calmly; otherwise, I'll die... wait, I'm already dead.
...
Never mind.
"V-Void, listen to me!"
[ You people who know the future must be eliminated ]
[ You are the reason why everything is getting ruined ]
Void was right. The future is being rewritten, and the one responsible for it is none other than me—the writer and the read—wait, are my readers also trying to do the same thing as me?
"...Lie Detector got canceled because I know how to do it!"
[ What do you mean? ]
"I'm talking about the glitch! The glitch in the system that helped me to cancel any skill!"
The Void seemed surprised at my words.
Well, why wouldn't he be? There's nothing more dangerous than a human who knows multiple glitches in the system. And this time, it isn't just one human. There are thousands.
[ How'd you know such a gl— ]
The Void fell silent.
He put his sword down.
[ You know it because of the book? ]
"T-That's right!"
[ Just how much do you know? ]
"Unfortunately, before I was able to complete the book, I fell into this endless dream."
[ How many chapters did you read? ]
I smirked.
"I've read till Chapter 547."
[ How many chapters are there? ]
"1855."
[ You don't know much. ]
"That's right, but I'm the only one with this much knowledge. Everyone other than me dropped the story."
[ How'd you know that? ]
"Because I saw everyone dropping this story and calling it 'boring.'"
[ Didn't you find it boring? ]
I always wondered. What if I were the reader of this story? Then how would I have pursued it? Would I have also found it boring?
Probably.
I need to give a proper answer.
"Yes, I did."
[ Why? ]
But why would I hate the story? What would make me say "I hate it"?
The comments of my readers flashed through my mind. They said I killed too much.
Killing a character feels too good for a writer, but for the readers, it's just heartbreaking.
Maybe I can relate a bit.
"...killed"
[ Hm? ]
"Everyone was killed. No one survived."
That's right. I need to give a proper answer.
I'll merge both lies and truth.
[ What about me? ]
"... Dreamer's Delusion, Divine Delusion, Demon's Delusion. Everyone is a part of it. No one can escape from it no matter how much they resist. You're a part too."
There are multiple delusions going on in different realms.
Demon's Delusion in the demon realm, Divine Delusion in heaven, Dreamer's Delusion in the human realm, Heavenly Demon's Delusion in Murim.
All of this happens only for one reason:
To eliminate everyone. Of course, the Void won't be excluded.
[ Aren't I free from these delusions? ]
"Corrupted Delusion."
The Void's eyes widened at my words.
Corrupted Delusion is for the Void and the corrupted souls devoured by him.
It starts after the Third Dreamer's Delusion. So there's still time before it happens. The Void was the only survivor of this Delusion, so there's nothing for him to worry about.
But I'll make him worry about it.
The Void looked up at the sky.
[ Aren't those always the same? I clear them every time, so won't it be easy? ]
I smirked.
I knew. I knew you would say that.
"It won't be the same this time."
He looked at me. Expressionless.
[ Then what will change this time? ]
"Everything."
[ I don't know if I should trust you or not. Lie Detector won't even work on you, so how would I confirm that you're telling the truth? ]
"Things don't stay the same, do they?"
[ It stays the same in my case. ]
"It won't anymore."
That's right. I'll change it. I'll change this whole dream.
The Void felt bored with the world because everything was the same. People dying, no one surviving... everything was the same.
The Void wanted to see someone actually survive.
But will it stay like this now?
Of course not.
"Everything will change."
[ How? ]
"I, the reader of that book, will change the whole dream."
[ And how? ]
"The author of the book is the only one who knows the whole fate of this dream and will definitely try to keep it the same."
[ Why would he do that? ]
"Because he loved the ending."
Lie.
"He loved the ending and the whole book, so why would he let it change?"
Lie.
"He knows everything, so he will use every glitch, every hidden quest—literally everything—to stop his readers from changing this dream."
True.
"The readers hated the whole book, so they will try to change everything, and the author will oppose it by... killing the readers."
Void made an interested expression.
[ So what you mean is... ]
"Yeah, I'll kill the author."
[ How would you do that? You're so weak. ]
"That's why I need your help."
[ Don't tell me... ]
"Yeah, sign a contract with me! Help me find the author and let's create a dream that will entertain you!"
[ A dream that can entertain me? Hahaha, you're delusional. ]
"I'm serious right now... I killed a person backed by the Demon King."
The Void looked at me with a surprised expression.
[ How? ]
"I killed him because of the knowledge of this story... you can use Lie Detector for this."
[ THE VOID HAS ACTIVATED LIE DETECTOR ]
I won.
[ LIE DETECTOR HAS CONFIRMED THAT YOU'RE TELLING THE TRUTH ]
How did it work this time?
[ I'll accept your words. ]
"So you—"
[ Will it be different this time? ]
"It definitely will be different! Trust me. I won't let the author make this dream the same. I'll create a dream that won't bore you."
The Void made a satisfied smile.
[ I trust your words. I'll sign a contract with you. But don't you dare think that you're at the same level as me just because you signed a contract. You're a lower being and will always be a lower being. ]
"Yeah. I'm the weakest lower being you've ever met."
[ CONTRACT ]
[ — THE VOID WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO KANG HONG ]
[ — THE VOID WILL PROTECT KANG HONG ]
[ — THE VOID WILL PROVIDE 2000 COINS PER WEEK TO KANG HONG TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT HIM ]
[ — KANG HONG WILL SHOW LOYALTY TOWARDS THE VOID AND WON'T SIGN ANY OTHER CONTRACT WITH ANYONE IN HIS LIFE ]
[ — KANG HONG WILL DIE IF HE MAKES THE VOID BORED ]
[ — CONTRACT WILL BE BROKEN IF KANG HONG DIES OR THE VOID ATTACKS KANG HONG ]