A tall humanoid figure descended from the sky, soaring through the air like a god from the Heaven.
Bang!
He landed on both feet with a thunderous impact, sending dust and debris flying in all directions.
For any ordinary human, that landing alone would have shattered bones. But the figure stood tall, unfazed. He casually brushed the dust off his dark uniform as he stepped forward.
He was humanoid in shape, but the differences were unmistakable.
Two sharp antlers protruded from the top of his head. His skin was a deep, unnatural blue, marked with black patterns etched like war paint across one side of his face.
His build was thick and powerful, with a presence that radiated strength. An invisible heavy pulsed around him, suffocating, and undeniable.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Instantly, the crowd erupted into applause, welcoming the Master with wide smiles and rehearsed enthusiasm.
The Master, a powerful individual from Skadi Civilisation, nodded slowly. He was here act as the Overseer of this beginner's Dive.
He looked quite pleased by the response of the slaves.
"Aachhoo!"
Suddenly, a sneeze broke through the uniform rhythm.
One boy in the crowd had sneezed, loud and abrupt. His eyes widened in horror as he clamped his hands over his mouth.
Everyone around him knew what had just happened. So did he.
His body stiffened as the Overseer's gaze locked directly onto him.
Though the applause continued without missing a beat, those nearby shot him pitying glances. Silent condolences written in their eyes.
But none dared to step froward. Instead they moved away from the boy, leaving him all alone.
Buzzz!
In the blink of an eye, the boy's head burst apart in a spray of blood and bone.
A searing red laser had pierced through him, leaving behind nothing but a collapsed body and silence in that spot among the spectators.
The Skadi Overseer's eyes, now fading from a glowing red, returned to their usual cold blue as if nothing had happened.
The crowd was struck silent, paralyzed by fear. An oppressive hush fell over the field, so absolute that even the wind dared not blow.
The Skadi finally turned his gaze to the line of participants and spoke,
"First of all, congratulations to all of you young humans for being chosen for the path of a Dream Diver.
Do not take this opportunity lightly. This is your one chance to rise above the mediocrity of your kind… to become one of the elites, worthy of joining the Skadi Civilization by contributing valuable resources from the Dream Worlds."
His eyes scanned them one by one, finally resting on Adrian at the very front, giving him a nod of approval. It was a nod recognition as if seeing a rare talent.
Then he turned to others and continued,
"Now, stand in line and proceed forward. Each of you will receive your beginner's gift—an honor granted only to those with exceptional potential.
And don't forget, you can get access to beginner Dream World only once. So think twice before Quitting."
Upon hearing the command, the participants quickly formed a long line, anticipation rippling through them like static charge.
Ahead of them, an extraordinary barrier shimmered in the air, seemingly indestructible. It marked the sacred threshold, the indestructible passage only the chosen ones could cross to enter the Dream Dungeon.
But what truly drew their eyes was what lay just before the entrance: a massive, transparent structure shaped like a gleaming eggshell. It radiated a soft, mystical glow.
It was enormous, almost the size of a dragon's egg, and inside it were dozens—if not hundreds—of luminous, multicolored eggs.
These were the beginner gifts, mysterious objects said to be bestowed only upon the most gifted or fortunate Dream Divers. Their exact contents were unknown, but legends spoke they contains various Mystical Abilities.
As they stood before it, excitement replaced fear in many of their eyes.
The moment of truth was drawing near.
"Huh, why is he here?"
"What's he up to now?"
Just as the Dive was about to begin, a wave of whispers and astonished murmurs spread through the crowd. They seemed surprise and awestruck.
"What now?" one of the young Dream Divers muttered, clearly irritated by the sudden disruption.
But the moment they turned around to see the cause of the commotion, their expressions shifted into surprise—then scorn.
"What the hell? Isn't that the Crippled Young Master?"
"Yeah, it looks like him… But what is he doing here? Don't tell me he came to spread bad luck again?"
"Tch. Damn it! Why did we have to see his cursed face today, of all times?"
The crowd also began whispering as they made away for the wheelchair moving between them.
"Hey, isn't he the same Young Master from the Calamity House? The one whose brother died because of him? What was his name again… Digor or something?"
"No, his name's Igor. Igor Calamity. The only crippled heir of House Calamity. Ha!"
"Oh right… the fallen Calamity House. Now that you mention it, their downfall was really pitiful."
"Yes indeed. And the reason for that downfall is probably him. Ever since this cursed child was born, nothing went right for them."
"It's almost hard to believe that the leading House of the Four Noble Representatives brought to such a state. Their descendants and heirs died, like a plague swept through them."
"And now only that boy remains. As if, he must have cursed his own bloodline to extinction."
"He's pure misfortune. They should've killed him at birth. Maybe then, the mighty House Calamity would still be standing today."
Unfazed by their vicious words, the wheelchair rolled forward, pushed gently by an old man with grey hair and a solemn expression.
Seated in the chair was a young man, around 18 years old. He had tousled black hair and cold, deep-set eyes that seemed to hide more than they revealed. His fists were clenched tightly, knuckles white, as though silently enduring every stabbing word coming from the crowd.
"Are you okay, Young Master?" the old man asked softly, a little concerned.
"Yes. I'm fine," Igor replied without even a flicker of emotion.
But just as they reached the entrance to the participants' area, two human guards stepped forward, blocking the path.
"What's the rush, oh Young Master?" one of them said mockingly, a crooked smile tugging at his lips.
The other added with a smirk, "Don't tell me you're actually here to join the Dive. Shouldn't you be watching from a safe little corner?"
Frowning, the Skadi Overseer's eyes narrowed at the sight of Igor, as did the gazes of the four young heirs and heiresses.
The two heiresses, Aluna and Daisy, looked visibly surprised, though there was a flicker of unknown emotion in their eyes.
Aluna and Daisy observed him with extra interest, while Adrian and Lucius looked extremely furious and disdainful at the sight of Igor.
It appeared as if there was something more going on between Igor and them.
Igor, however, didn't say a word. Instead, he silently took out a black and gold medal and showed it them.
The black and gold shiny surface etched with with western dragon instantly caught their eyes.
At the sight of it, the guards instantly stiffened, and so did the Master.
"The Black Dragon Medal!"