Tenebrous Wolf-Chapter 35: Tree of Nightmares

, it was a foreign term that Klaus knew nothing about.

He already had a general understanding of the Shadow Realm and the creatures within, but Chaos was an entirely different matter. At the very least, he didn't understand it. According to Briar, it was considered an infection that slowly consumed the minds of those with awakened fates.

But was that really all there was to it?

Of course, it would be far more useful to hear it from someone who had actually been to the Shadow Realm. So, Klaus made sure to listen attentively.

Lancer Jet began his explanation:

"Most of you are already aware of the dangers of the Shadow Realm. If you perish and fail to clear the First Shadow World, the monsters dwelling within the Darkness World will be free to cross the boundary and invade this reality."

This was just basic knowledge. It was main reason why ordinary people weren't permitted to enter the Shadow Realm at any cost.

Only thoroughly trained Awakened were allowed entry.

"However, this isn't the full story. In the first place, do you know why gates to the Shadow Realm can even open in this reality? I'm sure most of you have had strange dreams where you were forced to fight for your life or struggle for survival, correct?"

That was certainly the case. Klaus hadn't forgotten the eerie dream where he had battled a strange wolf in complete darkness.

"Naturally, this isn't a natural phenomenon. It's the result of Chaos taking root in your souls. Some of you probably believe you received your abilities at random from Omega. However, that is a simple misconception. While the Omega units are the Sanctuary's greatest technological achievement, they do not actually grant abilities. At best, they stimulate your soul and awaken the powers already dormant within you."

That made sense. If Omega truly bestowed abilities, then everyone would possess some kind of power.

"The real reason you were able to awaken dormant abilities, the reason you can enter your Soul Stream, the reason you experience those strange nightmares, the reason the Shadow Realm even exists, It all stems from Chaos."

Klaus inadvertently swallowed.

Disregarding his unease, Lancer Jet continued:

"Now, what exactly is Chaos? To be completely honest, nobody has the full answer. However, we do know that it's a disease that takes root in the minds of Awakeners. Those strange dreams some of you have experienced at different intervals? Those are Nightmares conjured by Chaos. Each Nightmare is unique, shaped by the individual afflicted. If you manage to overcome them, you'll be rewarded in some way. And don't worry, even if you die in those Nightmares, your real body remains unharmed."

At that, multiple sighs of relief erupted from the crowd.

Perhaps those were the Aspirants who had failed their trials and perished within their assigned dreams.

"However..."

Hearing the ominous word, the Aspirants immediately began to sweat nervously.

"There are cases where failing a Nightmare results in something far worse, madness. It's a gradual process and completely unnoticeable at first. But as time passes, the afflicted begin to lose their grip on reality and sees things that aren't there.

"You already know where this story leads. The affected Awakened eventually lose all control and attack anything in their vicinity. When that happens, other Awakened, along with MaxTech forces, are deployed to eliminate the threat.

"Even so, by the time we intervene, the destruction is often catastrophic and the civilian losses are immense."

That's... not good.

Considering the situation, It was one thing for monsters to breach the world through the gates, but the idea that even Awakened could succumb to insanity and wreak havoc was far more terrifying. These were two completely different threats. Unlike monsters, the insanity of an Awakened couldn't be predicted.

Speaking of which, not long before Klaus was born, a rogue Inquisitor had razed an entire city to the ground. Fortunately, he was eliminated before the damage could spread further.

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To the public, he had been nothing more than an enemy and a threat to humanity. But now, it seemed far more likely that he had failed some hidden trial and lost himself to Chaos.

"Of course, such incidents are incredibly rare, so once again, you have no reason to worry. As long as your Attribute Rank is lower than Mythic, you are safe from the Nightmare Penalty."

Wait... doesn't that mean that if your Attribute Rank is higher than Mythic, you're more susceptible?

Deeply troubled, Klaus began to panic. His Attribute Rank was [Primordial], a tier which hadn't been discovered by humanity. If what Lancer Jet said was true, then having a rank above [Mythic] meant the risk of insanity increased significantly. And in his case, he fit that category perfectly.

What would have happened if he had failed to defeat that Shadow Wolf at that time?

A cold chill crawled down his spine as he imagined the worst-case scenario. He hadn't just been risking his life in that Nightmare. If his rank truly made him more vulnerable to Chaos, then failure might have meant something far worse.

Like transforming into a Shadow Creature right in the middle of the Imperial City. Or even worse, having his body and identity hijacked by an unknown entity.

The fact that he was this close to getting killed shook him to his core.

Inadvertently, Klaus awakened from his reverie as Lancer Jet's loud voice snapped him back to reality. He raised his head.

"Moving on, while the true origins and purpose of Chaos remain unclear, we do know that it is both a deadly poison and a double-edged sword which grants people with abilities, yet at the same time, curse them if they fail to overcome its trials. I don't need to explain Echoes and Attributes, do I? Chaos allows you to use runes to analyze your data and abilities, as well as acquire weapons from Fragments of Memories known as Echoes."

"Additionally, it acts as a gateway between this reality and the Shadow Realm which contains countless fractured worlds. As such, you can refer to Chaos as a Tree of Nightmares. Each Shadow World is different from the last. This First Fractured World will not be the same as the previous one. That's why using past data as a reference point to predict the next Shadow World is completely pointless."

"Simply put, the Shadow Realm and Shadow Worlds (Fractured Worlds) are two distinct entities. Shadow Worlds are countless fragmented aspects existing within the Shadow Realm itself. You can think of them as branches of a massive tree, with its roots and endpoint unknown. And if you don't sever those branches, they will continue to release monsters into this world."

"From this, you can see that the Shadow Realm, the Shadow Worlds, and Chaos are all deeply connected, yet inherently different. If the Shadow Worlds are the destination, then the Shadow Realm is the pathway, and Chaos is the giant tree that connects both."

Lancer Jet's expression slowly grew somber.

"Everything considered, it wouldn't be wrong to say that it is the duty of Ascendants to challenge the Shadow Realm and eradicate the worlds within. Once a particular Fractured World is cleared, it won't vanish immediately. For those few hours while it remains stable, the Riders aboard the Angelion Units, along with the exploration team, will enter to extract resources or investigate the ruins."

"We are led to believe that the Shadow Realm is dead, empty, and devoid of life, aside from Hollows, corrupted ecosystems, and so forth. But that wasn't always the case. Through our previous explorations, we have uncovered traces of several lost civilizations."

"However, we have yet to determine whether these remnants are real or mere illusions. In truth, nothing within the Shadow Realm is original. Everything you see there has existed before. Therefore, they are simply replications of past events reconstructed from the depths of space and time, created as one of Chaos's constructs based on history."

'Fair enough. I'm already aware of this truth,' Klaus thought with a wry smile.

Even so, he couldn't suppress his curiosity about these lost civilizations. Were they primitive? More advanced than humanity? Or perhaps they had developed beyond science, into the realm of mysticism? And the most important mystery of all, how did they meet their end?

Perhaps, at some point, they were all destroyed by .

Knowing it was a foolish thought, he couldn't help but wonder if something like a dragon existed? Who knows? If they were lucky, they might stumble upon the skeletal remains of a fallen dragon and put it on display in a museum.

Dragons had always been a major part of myth, culture, and storytelling. Humanity had already deduced that dinosaurs once walked the Earth, long before the birth of humankind.

What kind of event would unfold if they were to discover the skeleton of a dragon?

"That will be all. I assume you've already read the information hub you received when you first awakened, yes? In that case, I won't bother explaining the differences between the Fractured Worlds and the Shadow Realm. If you have any questions, you can simply reread the information hub in your free time."

"Before that, I'd like to emphasize one thing, be extremely careful in the Shadow Realm. There's no concept of fairness, so there's no limit to the kind of creatures you might encounter. For example, you could face an enemy one rank above you..."

"... And if you're unlucky, you might even stumble upon a Great Calamity and die before you even realize what hit you. That said, I suppose a quick death is better than being eaten alive."

You don't say? Klaus sneered.

How was that any better when the outcome was the same? He couldn't understand the logic. Preferably, he would rather not die in the first place.

"In any case, be cautious while exploring the Shadow Realm and stick to regions with enemies on par with your rank. It's not a complete guarantee and you can still dying to said monsters, but at the very least, it lowers the chances of being silenced in an instant."

After saying that, Lancer Jet quickly added:

"When the time comes, the gate will open, and you'll be drawn into the First Fractured World. The exact location where you'll appear can't be predicted in advance, but there's a high chance many of you will find yourselves in close proximity to each other. Band together and proceed to search for the Secondary Gateway."

"Once you reach it, you'll be able to return. In most cases, you can leave them open so the Riders can enter and help you destroy the core."

Klaus nodded.

This was the common method used by the Awakened when conquering Fractured Worlds.

Gateways were special portals that served as bridges between two worlds. They usually appeared randomly, but thanks to the mental power of psychics, the military had developed the ability to predict their arrival and, at times, even force them to manifest elsewhere.

Of course, they couldn't spawn them just anywhere. Gateways were typically placed in military-guarded and well-protected fortresses, such as the secured spawning site within the academy.

Unfortunately, once someone entered the Shadow Realm, the gateway would close until the core was destroyed.

However, it was possible to exit the Shadow Realm using the Secondary Gateway, which allowed one to return. Doing so would trigger the evolution of an Awakened's Soul Core, unlocking their second mysticism ability.

In such cases, the fracture would remain intact until the world core was destroyed. Fortunately, while monsters were unable to pass through the Secondary Gateway, humanity could.

Without a doubt, this was one of the most effective methods for clearing Shadow Worlds.

Seemingly finished with his long explanation, Lancer Jet regarded them on final time:

"Thank you for listening. That concludes the induction ceremony. Follow the instructors, they will lead you to your assigned dormitory. Once you settle in, you can use this time to take a tour around the academy or head to the cafeteria for some late supper. But don't go overboard and make sure to get some night's rest. Your training starts tomorrow."

With that, he gave them a short nod and left the stage.