Raven POV:
I sat on the bed, holding my head with both hands.
No, don't misunderstand me. I wasn't in pain or anything like that… it was something far deeper.
"I'm broke."
Cold sweat ran down my back as I thought about my future. Forget entering the academy in three months—at this rate, I would become a beggar first.
"Hehehe…"
A mocking smile spread across my face as I came up with a stupid… yet brilliantly dangerous idea.
"A rift."
Yes. I had to enter rifts through illegal means.
Because I had no license. No identity.
Rifts were one of the results of the event that brought mana into this world.
More than two centuries ago, a meteor fell upon Earth. When the immense energy contained within it was discovered, nations rushed to determine where it had landed.
But what confused the world the most was that the meteor had exploded, scattering fragments across the globe.
As time passed, scientists studied the remnants of the meteor, yet none of them could explain the power it contained.
Because of that, the meteor was eventually forgotten.
And humanity overlooked something else entirely...
The true cause.
The thing that started everything.
One of the larger fragments had fallen into the ocean. Over time, it began to glow, illuminating the Mediterranean Sea.
Then every fragment across the world started to shine before crumbling into dust.
As a result, every living creature on Earth inhaled air filled with that energy… or absorbed it through water.
And then—
Humans began gaining enhanced physical abilities.
Some even awakened powers.
Chaos erupted. Humanity turned against itself.
"And that was one of the reasons the old continents were destroyed… and why the continent of Erthenia was born."
Those events had been mentioned in the novel.
But here, it was hidden history. Only a few people knew it.
There were also other events that had completed my knowledge of both worlds… and of this world's true past.
The meteor fragment that fell into the sea had also been explained in the novel.
It was the First Ruler.
"A ruler from the outer world… known as the Thousand-Faced Ruler."
I sighed.
This world was terrifying.
The Thousand-Faced Ruler had only been the beginning of what came after.
"Damn it. Stop thinking."
I shook my head quickly, forcing away the dark thoughts.
Right now, I only needed to focus on one thing.
The rift.
And money.
With that thought, I put on my coat, gathered my equipment, and left.
. . . . . . . . . .
The Wanderer's Tavern.
Yes.
I was now standing in front of a tavern.
An illegal tavern, run by an A-Rank classified individual.
And my plan to earn money began here.
I covered my face with a black scarf and lowered the hood of my coat.
I looked like an assassin now.
Black coat. Dark clothes. A scarf hiding my face.
Only my cold silver eyes were visible, staring outward without interest.
I pushed open the tavern door.
The loud creak echoed inside.
Voices continued for a moment… then silence swallowed the entire room.
I heard some people whispering.
"Hm? New face."
"Don't you think he looks like a movie star?"
"No, idiot. He's just trying too hard to look cool."
I ignored them.
Turning my head, I searched the tavern until I found the counter.
I took a deep breath, listening to the quiet murmurs and feeling the eyes watching me like prey.
One step.
The moment I took my first step inside, a terrifying pressure began to spread.
The air distorted.
Every voice in the tavern died instantly.
The gazes directed at me changed.
I mixed my killing intent with mana and released it, sending everyone a single message.
"I am not the prey."
Step by step, a faint purple aura wrapped around my body.
With my cold silver eyes, I must have looked like either a killer… or a lunatic no one wanted to challenge.
My little performance worked.
The greed in their eyes slowly turned into fear.
Some eyes remained unchanged, but I didn't care.
I walked slowly toward the counter.
Toward the owner of this illegal tavern.
The master of the Wanderer's Tavern.
He was an old man with white hair and a small scar on the right side of his lips.
His muscular body was massive.
I wouldn't doubt he could wrestle a bear barehanded.
But none of that stood out compared to his eyes.
Those strange green eyes.
They seemed unreal.
They were filled with vitality, energy… and something else.
Interest.
Analysis.
Those oppressive eyes stared at me directly.
The moment they met mine, I felt as if they pierced through my being and stripped away every secret I had.
And that was exactly what happened.
"You have a strong soul, child."
The old man spoke slowly while shifting his gaze to my chest.
"Yes?"
My body tensed instantly.
Cold sweat poured down my back as caution filled my eyes.
The man before me was—
The owner of the Wanderer's Tavern.
An A-Rank classified individual.
Marcus.
And his title—
Dream Wanderer.
"There's no need to be so tense, little one. I merely said you have a strong soul… or something like that."
Dream Wanderer narrowed his eyes with amusement.
Then I realized something.
Rather than seeing my soul…
He had seen my emotions.
Dreams were simply another expression of emotion.
And I was filled with countless intense and conflicting feelings.
The fact I remained standing was likely why he said that.
"Anyway, boy, what do you want? This tavern is for adults."
Marcus spoke again while polishing the glass in his hand.
I gathered my breath, activated my skill, and slowly the fear and tension inside me faded.
"I want to reserve a rift… an E-Rank rift."
I spoke calmly as my aura stabilized.
"An interesting skill you have there."
He muttered quietly.
But I heard him.
My body tensed again.
Instinct screamed at me to look away.
But before I could—
My silver eyes met his vivid green ones.
The scent of nature.
Moist air.
Fresh grass.
Towering trees.
They told me one thing.
I was inside a dream.
A dream, an illusion—whatever name one wished to give it.
I had been dragged into one.
The moment I looked into his eyes, my consciousness had been pulled elsewhere.
It was horrifying.
Fear returned immediately.
I had never expected him to attack me.
Then, without warning—
Darkness swallowed the forest.
The trees began to bleed terrifying rivers of blood.
The grass around me ignited with brilliant green flames.
I felt something.
Slowly…
I raised my head toward the sky.
Instead of the moon.
Instead of the sun.
There was an eye.
A green eye.
"I'm going to die."
I felt myself being crushed beneath that eye.
The pressure intensified.
The mana around me began choking me.
I knew this was an illusion.
I knew it was a dream.
Yet I was helpless.
My mind worked desperately to resist the fear as the pupil of the eye slowly lowered toward me.
The smell of blood.
The heavy air.
The pain that touched the soul itself.
My knees buckled beneath the sudden change.
My eyes lost focus from terror and shock.
Cold sweat drenched my body.
"I have to get out."
Images began flashing through my memory.
Some were of me lying in bed, reading novels.
Others were of me holding the hand of a woman with silver eyes.
The consciousness that had begun to fade slowly awakened inside me.
Then a powerful surge of emotion rose from within.
I felt it.
My calmness returned.
Stronger than before.
My mind began to think more clearly than ever.
"My skill evolved."
That thought crossed my mind just as all the pressure around me vanished.
Mana returned.
I felt my body again.
I was alive.
The cold sweat on my skin and the smell of alcohol in the tavern proved it.
"Hahaha! Well done, boy. I suppose you qualify for this request now."
The damned old man, Marcus, grinned with an irritating smile.
I wanted to kill him.
I swear…
One day, I would make him pay.
Later.