Chapter 137 : Dream Weaver
Chapter 137: Dream Weaver
Levi discovered that the Annie inside the dream gave him a rather different impression from her usual self.
When she was awake, Annie wasn't incapable of speaking.
She simply spoke very little.
She was somewhat like an NPC in a game.
To put it bluntly, if no one initiated a conversation with her, she would never start one herself.
Levi remembered that the only few times Annie had ever approached him on her own seemed to have been regarding the dissection of the Sea Monster and the duel aboard the train.
At the time, Levi had thought that aside from being rather quiet, there wasn't anything particularly strange about her.
But now...
Perhaps because people tended to speak their true feelings in dreams...
Levi realized that not only did Annie behave rather mechanically, but even her way of thinking was difficult to describe.
Still...
Everyone was entitled to their own thoughts.
Levi certainly wasn't bored enough to interfere with something like that.
The biggest problem now...
Was how to leave this dream.
“I don't know much about dreams.”
Annie readily admitted that this wasn't an area she specialized in.
“But generally speaking, if a person encounters a fatal threat inside a dream, they may wake up in reality.”
“Mm. Normally that's true.”
Levi understood exactly what Annie meant.
Most people had probably experienced something similar.
For example...
Dreaming of falling off a cliff.
Or missing a step on a staircase and suddenly plummeting downward.
Instinctively kicking both legs...
Then waking up in fright the very next moment.
He vaguely remembered reading some scientific study claiming that this was simply the body growing while asleep.
Whether that was true or not...
Was another matter entirely.
“So...
Should we find a cliff and jump off?”
“That would work for ordinary dreams. Considering the circumstances of this world, however, I think we should proceed cautiously.”
If this were an ordinary nightmare...
Annie's suggestion might genuinely succeed.
But Levi knew the Phantom Killer possessed the ability to kill people inside dreams.
Since this place was somehow connected to the Phantom Killer...
It was entirely possible that dying here meant dying in reality as well.
Moreover...
The system still hadn't triggered a mission.
That suggested the truth behind this dream world might run even deeper than he had imagined.
After several previous experiences, Levi had also discovered something else.
The system didn't function like a video game where every random question mark on the street automatically became a quest.
Instead...
It only activated after Levi gathered a sufficient amount of evidence.
For example...
If Levi accidentally bumped into a woman on the street, the system wouldn't trigger anything.
However...
If Levi became suspicious of that woman, followed her somewhere, and discovered she was secretly a member of a cult...
Then the system would immediately issue a mission.
From that perspective...
Its method of triggering missions truly suited his profession as a 【Detective】.
At the same time...
Levi could also use this rule to eliminate false leads.
For example...
Right now, despite clearly being trapped inside an extraordinary supernatural incident, the system hadn't reacted in the slightest.
That meant he was still very far from the core of the incident.
He hadn't even found any real clues yet.
From a certain point of view...
This was also a way of ruling out incorrect directions.
The problem was...
Where was he supposed to find those clues?
Just then...
A soft chuckle echoed through the forest.
“Hehehe... You seem rather troubled. Do you need some help?”
The instant he heard the voice, Levi reacted immediately.
Spinning around, he raised his pistol toward the source of the sound.
Then he saw...
Perched upon a nearby tree branch...
Was a strangely dressed woman watching him with a broad grin.
Strictly speaking...
She wasn't a human woman.
She resembled the laboratory animals that had surrounded Annie earlier.
Only this time...
The figure was entirely feline.
Like a cat, she rested her head upon her crossed arms.
Her graceful body, covered in smooth fur, stretched elegantly along the branch.
A long tail swayed lazily behind her.
“Who are you?”
Levi stared at the cat woman as he quietly asked.
She merely giggled.
“Me? I have many names. But for now... I should use one you know.”
“My name is the Cheshire Cat.”
“But you're not the Cheshire Cat.”
Levi immediately became more vigilant.
After all...
This world didn't even have Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Logically speaking...
The Cheshire Cat shouldn't exist here either.
Yet the cat continued smiling.
“That's right. But this is your consciousness. Your thoughts. You wished for someone capable of answering your questions and solving your problems.”
“And within your consciousness, such an image already exists.”
“So I merely borrowed that appearance.”
“You see?”
“It's that simple.”
“Who exactly are you?”
“I'm one of the inhabitants of this world...”
The Cheshire Cat grinned even wider.
“I truly never expected that in this era... I would encounter a Dream Weaver.”
“How interesting.”
“A Dream Weaver?”
“That's right.”
The Cheshire Cat lazily swayed her tail.
“For ordinary people, dreams are chaotic things beyond control.”
“They're like waves upon the sea.”
“One can only drift along with them.”
“However...”
“There are a rare few blessed with extraordinary talent.”
“Instead of being controlled by dreams...”
“They create and control dreams themselves.”
“Even during the ancient age when the gods still walked among the world...”
“Dream Weavers were exceedingly rare.”
“Let alone now...”
“Are Dream Weavers really that uncommon?”
“Of course.”
The Cheshire Cat smiled once more.
“Controlling dreams isn't an easy thing.”
“In dreams, everything exists.”
“But to you...”
“Does it naturally deserve to exist?”
“Dream weaving isn't the same as imagination.”
“Although we often call fantasies daydreams... dreams and reality are still connected.”
“You must know it.”
“Understand it.”
“Accept it.”
“If you cannot...”
“You cannot create it.”
“Nor control it.”
Before she had even finished speaking...
The Cheshire Cat suddenly vanished.
A moment later...
She reappeared beside the Velociraptors, curiously examining them.
The Velociraptors immediately became wary.
“How fascinating.”
“So vivid.”
“So distinct.”
“Does a creature like this exist in the outside world?”
“I can tell.”
“It left an extraordinarily deep impression upon your mind.”
As she spoke, the Cheshire Cat cautiously reached out a paw.
The leading Velociraptor instantly snapped at it.
Caught off guard, the Cheshire Cat's paw was bitten cleanly.
Yet the next instant...
She flattened into a simple line drawing before disappearing into thin air.
Then...
She reappeared atop the tree branch.
“See?”
“How interesting.”
“You must have truly seen such adorable creatures before.”
“They left an unforgettable impression upon you.”
“And because you believe they're your companions...”
“They appeared here.”
“Really, Mr. Levi?”
Annie stared at the Velociraptors with shining eyes.
“So they really existed in reality?”
“Mm...”
“They certainly did exist.”
Levi wasn't lying.
After all...
That was simply the truth.
“But that's not important.”
“Do you know a way for us to leave this world?”
“Of course.”
The Cheshire Cat smiled.
“Dreams can accomplish anything.”
“So long as you yourself are omnipotent...”
“You can naturally leave this world.”
“The prerequisite...”
“Is believing it with all your heart.”
“………………”
Annie frowned.
“That isn't logical.”
After thinking for a while, she shook her head.
“There is no evidence proving that we can leave this world.”
“Furthermore...”
“How do we determine whether we're even capable of leaving?”
“Without evidence...”
“Isn't that merely fantasy?”
“Because this is the Dream World.”
The Cheshire Cat's smile became even more delighted.
“This was never a world governed by your reason or logic.”
“Or rather...”
“The Dream World possesses its own logic.”
“We can discuss that later.”
Levi had no intention of continuing that line of discussion.
Deep inside...
He already had an idea.
“For now, our priority is rescuing the others.”
“Since you're one of this world's inhabitants...”
“Do you know where my companions are?”
“Of course.”
“This world hasn't received visitors in a very long time.”
“Fresh flesh...”
“And fresh souls...”
“Quickly attract attention.”
“The animals from earlier as well?”
By now...
If Levi still couldn't understand what the Cheshire Cat was implying...
He would have been an idiot.
“That's right.”
“However...”
“They're merely lower lifeforms within the Dream World.”
“Like me...”
“They can only borrow images from another person's consciousness.”
“Then they consume that person's body and soul...”
“Then what about you?”
Naturally...
Levi wasn't about to ignore the implication in her words.
“Are you interested in my soul as well?”
“Of course.”
“How could anyone dislike a rare Dream Weaver?”
“But unlike those foolish creatures...”
“Building a good relationship with a Dream Weaver would only benefit me.”
The Cheshire Cat licked her paw.
The smile on her face never changed.
Or perhaps...
It had never changed from the beginning.
The sight was rather unsettling.
“Then can you take me to find them?”
“Certainly.”
“Please follow me.”
Although this Cheshire Cat was equally untrustworthy...
Levi currently had no other leads.
Thus, he could only follow her.
Along the way...
He questioned her about the Dream World.
Or rather...
About the inhabitants of this world.
The Cheshire Cat answered every question.
According to her...
The Dream World's inhabitants were divided into different levels of strength.
The lowest level consisted of creatures like the Velociraptors Levi had summoned.
Like the Cheshire Cat herself...
They weren't genuine Velociraptors.
Instead...
They were lifeforms native to this world that had assumed forms from Levi's memories.
Such lower lifeforms possessed almost no self-awareness.
Most of the time...
They simply acted according to the Dream Weaver's intentions.
That was why Levi could control them.
The animal doctors Annie encountered...
Were a level higher.
They possessed independent consciousness.
They could actively assume forms drawn from another person's subconscious...
Then exploit those forms to attack their prey.
However...
Their strength remained limited.
Or rather...
At that level, their power depended entirely upon how powerful humanity subconsciously believed them to be.
Since ordinary people generally couldn't imagine truly terrifying monsters...
Their actual strength remained quite weak.
Neither of those two types of dream creatures posed much danger.
However...
The next level was entirely different.
Not only could they appear in forms taken from one's subconscious...
They could also alter one's consciousness itself.
Guiding dreamers into trusting and approaching them...
Before devouring their souls and power.
“This world isn't isolated from humanity.”
As they walked through the jungle, the Cheshire Cat spoke.
“The Dream World and the real world are closely connected.”
“Everything here...”
“Is created from the dreams of those living in your world.”
“Look.”
As she spoke...
The Cheshire Cat nimbly leaped onto a tree branch, gesturing for them to follow.
Levi and Annie climbed up beside her and looked into the distance.
Immediately...
Their eyes widened.
Until now...
Dense jungle had surrounded them on every side.
Nothing unusual had been visible.
Only after emerging above the treetops...
Did they witness the astonishing sight before them.
Stretching out ahead...
Was an endless black ocean reflecting countless stars.
Scattered across its surface...
Were innumerable islands.
Some shone with dazzling brilliance.
Others emitted only dim glows.
Still others blazed with towering flames.
Thunder roared.
Hurricanes raged.
How should one describe it...
It was as though countless floating islands drifted throughout the universe itself.
“Every island here.”
“Every point of light.”
“Is a dream.”
The Cheshire Cat spread her arms.
“The Dream World is boundless.”
“We wander endlessly through it.”
“Searching for interesting dreams.”
“Enjoying them.”
“Admiring them.”
“Of course...”
“Many among us greatly prefer nightmares.”
“Why?”
“Because they're far more exciting.”
The Cheshire Cat licked her paw.
“Happy dreams are rare.”
“The troubles of ordinary people are dreadfully boring.”
“Compared to those...”
“Nightmares are wonderfully stimulating.”
“They allow us to truly feel something.”
That made sense.
Compared to romance films or everyday slice-of-life dramas...
Horror movies certainly stirred emotions much more intensely.
“We are immortal.”
“We shall remain here forever.”
“Even those creatures you destroyed earlier merely lost the bodies supporting them.”
“They didn't truly die.”
“For beings like us...”
“Within this endless and tedious existence...”
“The only joy left is experiencing dreams.”
“But if that's the case...”
“Why attack the people who come here?”
“Simple, boy.”
The Cheshire Cat narrowed her eyes.
“We love dreams.”
“But we cannot choose what people dream about.”
“No matter how powerful we become within this world...”
“We cannot influence people living in reality.”
“Nor can we determine what dreams they experience.”
“But visitors who enter here are different.”
“We may freely make them experience anything we desire.”
“And through them...”
“We create whatever dreams we wish.”
“Ah...”
“I see.”
Levi finally understood.
He recalled an old movie he'd once watched.
In it...
A novelist was injured in a car accident.
A woman took him into her home to nurse him back to health.
However...
She was actually the novelist's biggest fan.
She absolutely adored his latest novel.
Unfortunately...
She despised the ending.
So...
She forced the novelist to burn the original manuscript.
Then she broke both of his legs.
Finally...
She imprisoned him and forced him to rewrite the ending exactly as she wanted.
Before...
The woman had lived thousands of miles away.
No matter how much she protested...
She could never change the novel.
But now...
The novelist had fallen into her hands.
Naturally...
Everything became her decision.
Clearly...
Those of them who had accidentally entered this world were like that unfortunate novelist.
And the creatures inhabiting this world...
Were those obsessive “biggest fans.”
Next...
They would simply lock everyone in a basement...
And force them to "create" whatever dreams they desired.
What a strange world.
Levi silently sighed.
“Now comes your first challenge... Dream Weaver.”
The Cheshire Cat stared directly at Levi.
“How do you intend...”
“To leave this place?”
(End of Chapter)