Chapter 1

Head pounding in agony, I gingerly touched the sizable lump on my crown, grimacing in silent torment.

Is there anyone more wretched than I? Striding along the path, even the heavenly sun conspired to strike me with a bolt of lightning. How woeful.

Surveying my attire once again, I sighed in relief. Fortunately, the branded garments acquired through a month of toil remained unscathed. Otherwise, the loss would have been substantial.

Having examined myself, I cast my gaze upon the surroundings. Good heavens, where am I? I distinctly recall being struck by lightning at my doorstep, and yet, how have I found myself amidst this vast, desolate expanse?

This must be a dream; it has to be. Otherwise, how could I endure a lightning strike unscathed? This is a reverie.

Engaged in soliloquy, a thunderous explosion jolted me. "Curses, who dares disturb my pleasant dream? Don't they realize I am the notorious malefactor of Transcendent High School?"

Abruptly, two figures materialized before me, startling me profoundly.

A string of profanity escaped my lips, and only after savoring the catharsis did I direct my attention to these two dream-disrupting individuals.

Oh? They are two elderly gentlemen, clad in peculiar attire, with copious beards and peculiar expressions. Evidently, they have become acquainted with my proficiency in the art of invective. Haha, serves them right. Who asked them not to provoke the foremost delinquent of high school?

The older, bearded gentleman spoke, "Impudent lad, how did you trespass into our enchantment? Speak swiftly."

Enchantment? What on earth is that? Casting a gaze infused with pity upon these two elderly gentlemen, it's evident their minds are somewhat befuddled—perhaps victims of senility. As one who respects the elderly and cherishes the young, I relent; I shall spare them.

The other red-bearded gentleman suddenly exclaimed, "You scoundrel, what nonsense are you harboring? Who has senility?"

Huh? How did he know?

A sudden pang on my head, and my surroundings plunged into darkness. I faintly heard one of the elderly gentlemen saying, "This lad is peculiar; let's take him back for further scrutiny."

Indeed, today is truly ill-fated; I am even subjected to bullying in my dreams. With resentment in my heart, I contemplated as consciousness waned.

At that moment, little did I know, my destiny was about to undergo a profound alteration.

When the light once again entered my eyes, I cursed as I shook my heavy head and sat up.

Surveying my surroundings, I found myself in an eccentrically decorated room, replete with exotic charm.

"Could the dream still persist? Am I yet within its realm?" Musing to myself, I gazed out of the window, revealing a landscape surrounded by towering trees and lush grass, resembling a vast forest.

Descending from the bed, I exited the building. Looking back, I noticed it was a wooden cabin constructed entirely from logs, with three similar structures in the vicinity.

The sound of flowing water reached my ears, filling me with joy. Intent on experiencing the sensation of bathing within a dream, I followed the sound.

Soon, a serene and beautiful lake unfolded before me—an unimaginable sight for someone accustomed to the urban landscape. However, what truly astonished me was—a maiden?

A perfectly sculpted, snow-white figure gracefully swam in the lake, seemingly imbued with the essence of the entire body of water.

Indeed, I am no ordinary individual. Even in dreams, I conjure up such a beautiful maiden for a naked swim. I wiped the drool from my mouth, ardently appreciating the beauty in the lake. After all, she is my creation; there is no harm in scrutinizing her.

Alas, my vision was somewhat distant, making it challenging to discern the maiden's features clearly. Stealthily advancing, a sudden "crack" underfoot revealed my inadvertent breaking of a dry twig.

The maiden in the lake, possessing exceptional hearing, immediately turned, discovering me with a face flushed from excessive drooling.

And what about me at this moment?

Naturally, I continued admiring the perfect figure of the maiden.

Her turn finally allowed me a clear view of her. Truly, she was stunning, with damp golden hair cascading behind her, prominent bosom, and a slender waist that could be circled with one's hands.

Just as I reached the height of excitement, a burst of red light suddenly emanated from the maiden's hand, hurtling towards me like a giant fireball.

What on earth?

I watched the fireball approach, striking me and then...

Good heavens, it burns! Wasn't it said that dreams shouldn't cause pain? Why do I feel such intense pain? It hurts terribly.

Struck by the fireball, I was instantly engulfed in flames. Unable to bear it, I lay down, rolling around in agonizing pain. Amidst the excruciating torment, I couldn't help but think: If only there were water.

As this thought arose, a massive pillar of water suddenly shot up from the lake a few meters away, cascading down on me and promptly extinguishing the flames.

What in the world is happening?

The maiden in the lake swiftly donned a white garment, displaying a surprised expression as she witnessed the water extinguishing the flames. Seeing me struggling to rise, she raised her delicate eyebrows and, in a flash, darted towards me, delivering a forceful punch to my head.

Good heavens, why another blow to the head? Once again, I descended into darkness, vaguely sensing that all of this might not be a dream—not a dream.

Finally, for the third time on that day, I awoke in the same room, opening my eyes to the sight of the red-bearded and long-bearded old fellows.

"Good morning, gentlemen," I greeted them politely.

"Morning, my foot! Impudent lad, daring to peep at my daughter bathing," declared the red-bearded one, clearly filled with rage, delivering a fierce punch to my head once again.

Perhaps due to frequent blows to the head recently, I had grown accustomed. This time, I didn't faint. Touching the new lump on my head, I plaintively said, "What exactly is going on? You are merely characters from my dream. How can you, as my dream personas, strike your own creator?"

The red-bearded one's eyes suddenly lit up with a brightness akin to a 500-watt light bulb, fixated on me, evoking a hint of fear in me.

After a moment, the radiance in the red-bearded one's eyes faded. Speaking to himself, he said, "No wonder, no wonder. How could it be like this?"

The long-bearded one inquired, "Yulis, what did your 'Mind's Eye' perceive? Who is this lad, and how could he enter our and Liviya's enchantment?"

The red-bearded one chuckled, "Linca, do you remember the 'Otherworldly Thunder' magic I employed?"

"Of course, I remember. Unexpectedly, you used such an advanced thunder magic to attack me. Consequently, I summoned the 'Mirror Turtle,' reflecting your 'Otherworldly Thunder' back at you. Strangely, the 'Otherworldly Thunder' vanished after the reflection," Linca replied.

Yulis explained, "The 'Otherworldly Thunder' is an extraordinarily unique magic. Upon impact, it inflicts no harm but transports the target to another dimensional world. This lad doesn't belong to the Sacred Demon Continent; he hails from another world. The rebounded 'Otherworldly Thunder' reversed its effect, bringing him from his world to the Sacred Demon Continent."