Carter leaned against the wall of the ship's corridor, a tired grin on his face.
"Ron, where the hell did you come from in the middle of a battlefield?" he asked, half-laughing.
Ron smirked. "I had something to take care of nearby. Picked up on your Ki and figured I'd drop by."
Carter chuckled. "Drop by and wreck an entire army? Thanks for coming. You've seriously powered up — especially your speed. I could barely track you out there."
Ron crossed his arms casually. "By the way… did you know those creatures drop an item called an 'ORG'? It's said to grant rare, destructive abilities. Some even say it can make you immortal."
Carter nodded. "I've heard the rumors. One of our objectives was to retrieve one. But if I'm not mistaken… only the boss drops it, right?"
"You're not wrong," Ron replied.
Before Carter could say more, footsteps echoed down the hallway.
"Excuse me," a calm voice called out.
Both of them turned.
A woman approached, wearing the uniform of Carter's division. She walked with confidence — sharp eyes, composed posture, short black hair.
She stopped in front of Ron and gave a slight nod.
"You must be Ron. It's an honor to finally meet you, sir. I'm Lia — same division as Carter."
Ron gave a small smile. "The honor's mine. You risk your life for Hero Town — that earns respect."
Lia smiled back. "Carter and I go way back. Seventh grade. We've worked together for nearly a decade now."
Ron let out a light chuckle. "Yeah… I've heard a lot about you from Carter."
Lia blinked, then glanced at Carter. "You… talk about me?"
Carter frowned. "I don't remember saying anything to Ron."
Ron smirked. "You two make a good pair."
He meant it casually — but both of them froze.
Their faces flushed slightly. They avoided each other's eyes, suddenly awkward.
Ron noticed immediately.
He didn't say anything more.
(So that's how it is…)
Deciding to give them space, Ron turned and stretched.
"Well, if you'll excuse me," he said. "I'm heading to my quarters."
He walked off, leaving Carter and Lia behind.
Ron's Quarters
Ron lay down on his bed, closed his eyes — and drifted into sleep almost instantly.
Then, everything went dark.
He found himself standing in an endless void.
Distant stars flickered faintly, but the space around him felt strangely alive. Tiny crystalline fragments — no larger than pen tips — began appearing in the darkness. They multiplied rapidly, stretching across the void like glowing threads.
Suddenly, a blinding white flash swallowed everything.
When the light faded, Ron was surrounded by floating pages — countless sheets of parchment drifting in every direction. In the center of it all, a single clear "window" opened in midair, revealing swirling galaxies, drifting stars, and endless creation.
Glowing words formed in the void:
[THOSE CRYSTALS ARE TIMELINES]
Ron tried to move — but his body wouldn't respond. Only his voice worked.
"Who are you? Show yourself! Why am I seeing this?!"
The text shifted.
[RON WANNA KNOW WHO I AM?]
"Yes! Ron wants to know. Now SHOW YOURSELF!"
[BUT RON IS NOT READY YET]
Ron clenched his jaw. "What the hell is this…"
Then — a soft voice spoke behind him.
"You're not ready. The power is too much for you to handle."
Ron turned.
A woman floated in midair, bathed in gentle, luminous light. Everything around her faded into darkness as she approached. Her presence felt deeply familiar — like someone from a distant past.
"So… you've finally awoken from your slumber," she said quietly.
"What slumber? And who are you?" Ron demanded.
She looked at him with a hint of sadness.
"I don't remember my real name. My memories are broken. But you can call me… Dream."
She drifted closer. "You went into slumber 800 years ago, Ron. I knew you wouldn't remember."
Ron stared at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about—?"
Before he could finish, Dream placed her glowing hand against his forehead.
A flood of visions rushed into his mind.
Scenes of destruction. Enormous power. Wings. Horns. Lightning crackling in the air. Telekinesis. Chaos. Screams. A violent past he couldn't comprehend.
It all passed in a second.
The sheer weight of it overwhelmed him.
Ron staggered, gasping.
Dream moved quickly, placing her hand on his face.
"I'm sorry… I knew you couldn't handle it. Your past… is terrible."
Her touch felt strangely warm — painfully familiar, as if they had shared something long ago.
Then, glowing text appeared again:
[RON IS WEAK]
"Shut up!" Ron shouted.
Dream's expression changed. "Ron, stop! You'll make him angry!"
[STUPID RON]
Ron struggled to stand. His voice trembled.
"Who… or what are you?! I'll tear everything apart if I have to!"
Then —
Everything vanished.
Infirmary — The Ship
Ron snapped awake.
He was lying on a medical bed. Carter and several others stood around him, looking concerned.
"What happened?" Ron asked hoarsely.
"You were screaming in your sleep," Carter said. "When we came in, you were in bad shape. We brought you straight here."
Ron let out a weak chuckle. "Sorry for the trouble."
Carter crossed his arms. "You have a nightmare or something?"
"Yeah… something like that."
Ron reached for his backpack and tossed it toward Carter.
"Here. Take anything you need. It has infinite space — just imagine the item and it'll appear. David Degg built it."
As Carter caught it, Ron suddenly noticed something strange in the air.
Glowing letters formed — only visible to him:
[SOMEONE IS TRYING TO LOOK INSIDE YOUR MIND]
Before he could react, a surge of electric energy burst from his body.
It slammed into Lia, sending her stumbling back across the room.
Her mental ability was instantly disrupted.
Everyone panicked and rushed toward her.
Ron stood up quickly. "Lia — are you okay?"
She looked at him in shock, her expression filled with disbelief.
Ron realized then — she had psychic abilities.
She was trying to read my mind, Ron thought
Carter rushed to Lia. "What happened?"
She steadied herself, avoiding Ron's gaze.
"Nothing. I just… need some rest."
Without another word, she turned and left the infirmary.