Part 1: Fate
Haruto didn't react immediately to the voices echoing through the cosmic void.
He remained calm on the dark throne and asked Oujuro what would happen if he grabbed their spirits, and how he could perform such a feat.
Oujuro lowered his massive head slightly and explained in a heavy, resonant tone.
"For now, your power is limited, my Lord."
"When you sit upon this throne, you gain full authority over the core space of the Dream World."
"You can manipulate the mysterious mist and alter the physical constructs within this realm."
"However, you cannot fully command or control all the Dream Spirits dwelling across the outer mist yet."
"You must grow stronger in the material world to unlock greater authority over this realm."
"As for those calling out to you... you can pull their spirits directly into this space simply by issuing an absolute command."
Haruto leaned back against the high throne, pondering what steps he should take next.
He realized something fundamental was strange about his current situation.
Oujuro addressed him as Master with total devotion.
Yet, Haruto had never met or known Oujuro in his life.
Furthermore, he had suddenly gained complete domain authority over an ancient cosmic realm like the Dream World.
Wasn't this entire setup unnervingly strange?
Haruto looked down at the massive entity and asked him directly about these contradictions.
Oujuro bowed his head deeper, his six floating arms folding across his chest as he replied.
"My deepest apologies, my Lord... I cannot answer that, for I lack the fundamental knowledge and ability to address that question."
Haruto listened without changing his expression.
He understood that this mystery was likely tied directly to Hermit Zero or the true trajectory of his own destiny.
He knew that as long as he survived and progressed, he would naturally uncover the answers later on.
For now, he simply needed to act composed and maintain total control over his presentation.
Before pulling the spirits of the two calling voices into the realm, Haruto decided to prepare the environment using his sovereign authority.
Sitting upon the dark throne, he extended his spiritual sense into the thick surrounding fog.
Within the swirling, mystical mist, he wove the thick clouds into a solid, colossal structure.
A massive, perfectly geometric hollow ring table took shape before the throne, resembling a giant polished doughnut carved from dark, stone-like mist.
The scale of the table was immense, spanning across the misty floor.
Next, Haruto reached into the fog again and pulled forth ornate, throne-like chairs carved with ancient motifs.
He placed the giant table directly in front of his central position.
Then, he arranged the chairs neatly around the circular perimeter of the ring table.
In total, there were 37 distinct chairs placed around the table, excluding his own central throne.
Haruto then issued a calm instruction to Oujuro, ordering him to construct a massive, mystical clock forged entirely from shimmering crystal.
He instructed Oujuro to suspend the clock high in the cosmic sky of the Dream World.
It needed to be positioned at an optimal seeing distance so that anyone sitting at the table could look up and clearly observe the ticking hands.
Oujuro complied instantly, weaving high-grade mist and ambient starlight together.
A grand, translucent crystal clock materialized high above, its glowing gears turning silently against the backdrop of distant galaxies.
Next, Haruto instructed Oujuro to manifest specific garments for the future participants.
He ordered the creation of a total of 12 distinct cloaks.
Each item was designed as a full-length, intricate, multi-layered battle-robe rendered in deep black.
The main body of the cloak was a textured, pitch-black fabric, complemented by prominent geometric, segmented outer plates and torso panels in matching matte black.
All original trims, intricate edge patterns, and borders were rendered in a vibrant, polished gold, providing a stark, elegant contrast against the dark base.
A central vertical stripe running down the torso and the detailed patterns running along the bottom hem were lined in pure gold.
The inner tunic, loose sleeves, and fitted pants were made of a simple, charcoal-black material.
Ruffled fabric accents visible along the flanks and lower edges were colored a subtle dark grey.
A specific golden emblem was fixed directly at the center of the torso, while patterned golden bands spanned across the upper chest plates.
Positioned at the bottom right, a large, ornate heater-style shield hung rendered in burnished silver, detailed with intricate gold filigree.
Beneath the shield, fine black script was inscribed directly above a silver-handled blade design.
The deep hood was pulled forward, casting a dark, absolute shadow over the wearer's face, completely concealing their features.
The green gem accent from the original design was entirely removed, leaving a clean, ominous finish.
Oujuro executed the command without delay, weaving the 12 full-length battle-robes out of pure spiritual density.
Haruto then directed Oujuro to equip one of the cloaks onto his own body.
Oujuro focused the surrounding spiritual energy toward the throne.
The moment Haruto's mind connected with the concept, his spirituality naturally expanded and wrapped the detailed battle-robe around his form.
Simultaneously, one of the 12 floating cloaks vanished from the air.
Haruto looked down at the dark, gold-trimmed fabric covering his hands and asked flatly.
"Is this cloak manifested directly from spirituality?"
Oujuro bowed and replied respectfully.
"Yes, my Lord."
"The moment you focus your intent upon the garment, your spiritual strength automatically manifests it around your soul form."
"And as a result, one of the 12 physical spiritual cloaks in the realm disappears into your presence."
Haruto noted the underlying mechanics quietly.
He then commanded Oujuro to take the remaining 11 cloaks and float them high up into the cosmic sky above their heads.
He instructed them to arrange themselves in a slow, circular orbit around the giant crystal clock.
The 11 hooded cloaks rose into the air, taking their designated places in a silent, rotating ring around the glowing crystal clock.
Haruto then looked down at Oujuro and stated in an emotionless voice.
"From this moment onward, you will address me by a different title when others are present."
"You will remain here and listen to everything that occurs."
"Once the assembly concludes, you may ask me any questions you have."
"However, during the active conversation with the guests, you must remain silent and refrain from asking anything."
Oujuro bowed low and asked.
"My honor... by what name shall I address you before them?"
Haruto remained quiet for a brief moment, looking up at the rotating cloaks and the vast cosmic sky.
"You will see when the time comes," Haruto replied without any inflection.
The faint, echoing calls of the two distant voices resonated through the realm once again.
Haruto took a slow, deep breath, maintaining complete composure.
He focused his intent upon the two spiritual signatures drifting in the void and exerted his authority to drag their spirits into the Dream World.
A brief ripple of distorted light flashed across the misty expanse.
When the mist settled, two distinct soul projections stood side by side in the distance.
One of them was a young woman featuring bright blonde hair, light skin, and soft lipstick, dressed in clean black attire.
Standing beside her was a man with the rugged appearance of a sea adventurer captain.
He wore a blue and white captain's coat over brown trousers.
His deep blue hair fell long down to his neck, matching the shade of his sharp blue eyes.
Due to the heavy, thick white mist swirling around their ankles and waists, neither of them could see the other clearly, nor could they discern where they were standing.
Haruto instructed Oujuro to project his voice through the surrounding space so it would resonate directly into their minds.
Using the realm's authority, Haruto began to speak in a cold, distant tone that echoed from every direction.
"Welcome to my realm."
"My domain..."
"The world of majestic constructs."
"The world of pure imagination."
"The Dream World."
"In an ancient era, I used to be a supreme Lord."
"However, due to a massive, ancient calamity... I lost the vast majority of my true powers, authority, and memories."
"Only a fraction of my lingering power remains anchored within this Dream World."
"My objective is to reclaim my lost authority and restore my original standing."
"However, my true form is currently trapped within a distant, sealed world, preventing me from exerting my full capabilities."
"Therefore, I require reliable assistance in the material world to aid my future endeavors."
"In exchange for your cooperation in fulfilling my goals, I will grant you guidance and ensure the protection of the world from impending threats."
"To facilitate this, I am establishing an order..."
"A secret cult dedicated to the preservation of humanity."
"You may view this as a hidden organization, but its ultimate purpose serves the survival of all human life."
"I stand above the ordinary, second only to the absolute realm."
"If you wish to join this order and receive my backing, select one of the floating cloaks above."
Following his words, the 11 dark battle-robes descended slowly from the sky, hovering before the two figures.
The blonde woman and the blue-haired sailor looked around the vast, cosmic expanse in complete bewilderment.
Hearing the cold, echoing speech about ancient calamities and sealed lords left them even more confused and apprehensive.
The blonde woman looked up into the mist and asked cautiously.
"What will happen to us if we refuse to join this cult?"
Haruto responded instantly, his voice entirely devoid of warmth.
"Your memories regarding this domain and this encounter will be wiped completely."
The sea captain narrowed his blue eyes and voiced his own concern.
"If we choose to join... can we ever leave the organization later on?"
Haruto answered without a second of hesitation.
"No."
Both of them remained silent for a moment before asking for the entity's true name.
Haruto maintained his flat, unreadable tone and stated.
"Agree to join my order first. Only then will you receive that knowledge."
The blue-haired captain hesitated, his mind racing as he weighed the immense risks.
Entering an unknown, mystical realm that didn't exist in any official records felt incredibly dangerous.
His real name was Aliger, a seasoned sailor used to evaluating hidden hazards.
Beside him stood the woman, whose real name was Sora.
As Aliger wavered in deep thought, Sora made her decision without further delay.
Recognizing the incomprehensible scale of the domain, Sora stepped forward and accepted Haruto's proposal to join the secret order.
Seeing her agree without fear, Aliger gritted his teeth and pushed past his own hesitation, agreeing to join as well.
With their choices made, both of them reached out toward the hovering garments.
The moment their intent locked onto the robes, their spiritual energy automatically reacted, manifesting two of the dark, gold-trimmed battle-robes directly around their bodies.
Two more floating cloaks vanished from the air, leaving exactly 9 cloaks orbiting high above.
The moment the cloaks wrapped around them, their soul projections were instantly pulled across the mist and teleported directly into the central assembly area before Haruto's throne.
Their spiritual forms were guided forward, automatically taking seats at the giant ring table among the 37 chairs.
Haruto watched them take their seats without moving a muscle.
He extended his spiritual control and pulled three massive stone pillars directly out of the deep mist.
The giant pillars rose into the air, floating silently above the ring table.
Aliger and Sora looked up in absolute shock, stunned by the casual display of spatial control.
The three floating pillars descended slowly, landing firmly behind three specific seats—one behind Haruto's throne, one behind Sora's chair, and one behind Aliger's chair.
Immediately after, three distinct stars descended from the cosmic sky above, dropping onto the tops of the three pillars.
As the star touched the pillar behind Sora, the stone surface shifted, etching a detailed, glowing symbol onto its front.
The symbol was constructed around a stylized, vertical watchtower composed of a stack of thick, overlapping mystical books.
Each horizontal layer formed a tier of the structure, narrowing slightly as it reached the peak.
Haruto looked at the detailed emblem and assigned its title calmly.
"Watchtower."
Next, the second star landed upon the pillar positioned behind Aliger.
The stone surface warped, carving another intricate emblem into the pillar face.
The core structure was formed by a vertically positioned, stylized anchor.
The main shank ran straight down the center, ending in a pointed crown at the base.
Two curved, hook-like arms extended outward and upward from the bottom.
A distinct horizontal crossbar marked the upper shank, while the top bar and outer accents featured sharp, jagged angles resembling lightning bolts.
Smooth, sweeping curves were seamlessly integrated into the frame, suggesting churning ocean waves and gale-force winds.
Haruto named the symbol without emotion.
"Sea Traveller."
Finally, the last star descended upon the massive pillar standing directly behind Haruto's throne.
The symbol carved into his pillar was defined by a cold, abstract representation of a pair of indifferent, unblinking eyes.
The design was framed within a diamond-shaped starburst motif, complete with geometric, razor-sharp rays radiating outward in all directions.
The sharp boundary lines of the eyes blended seamlessly into minimalist esoteric linework, forming a localized mystic crest.
Haruto established the fundamental rule of their titles within the domain.
Their assigned pillar symbols would serve as their official codenames within the Dream World.
Sora's designated title was Watchtower.
Aliger's designated title was Sea Traveller.
And looking over the cold, indifferent eyes carved into his own pillar, Haruto established his own title within the order.
"The Watcher."