5: A Date

Being ejected from my soul sea, I could only lament the fact that life would only get harder.

Atlas opened his eyes, monitors had been set up around him to detect his heart rate and other vitals. Numerous empty IV bags were connected to his arms, which were now packed with muscles on his once malnourished body. In fact, besides his new muscular physique, he also felt heavy in an unnatural way, like a weighted blank was covering every inch of his body.

Noticing my shifting, a beautiful woman spoke out while looking me up and down.

"Whoa, almost a month in the first trial. That has to be a record of some kind, and judging by your new improvements, it was a fruitful expedition."

She had short, raven-black hair and icy blue eyes. Her flawless skin was smooth, supple, and as white as snow.

This was, of course, Master Jet, one of the strongest Masters in the series. She had the ability to turn her weapon intangible and directly damage the soul of her opponent. Her flaw, though, killed her and kept her alive through the slaughter of enemies to fill her core with essence. A tragic existence on the level of people like Sisyphus or Cassia (before becoming an Awakened).

Noticing my stare, she introduced herself, thinking that would clear up the confusion of her identity. I totally wasn't hypnotized by her stunning looks.

"I am Ascended Jet. You can call me Master Jet. These past twenty-seven days, I have been on watch duty due to your nightmare. I am assuming you have some questions, so feel free to ask."

With that last part, she stood to undo my restraints, and soon I was free, well, of the mundane shackles. I still had the Heavens, my innate ability, bearing down on me.

'Wait, I was in there for twenty-seven days? I was barely there for two or three hours, let alone twenty-seven days. It must be my missing memories; there are no other explanations for the time difference. That also means I have less time at the academy to learn the essentials of survival.'

Gathering my thoughts and rubbing my sore wrists, I had something I needed to ask first. It was of utmost importance that I got it out of the way.

"Will you go on a date with me?"

Stunned, she sat in silence for a second before bursting out in laughter.

"That is really your first question? Right after your Nightmare Trial no less. Hmm, you are a little too young for me, although you are quite handsome. I'll tell you what: when you become a Master, you can take me on a date."

With all of my dreams coming true and more, a bright smile spread across my face.

With a cough, I brought the conversation back around.

"Very well, I will do my best to achieve that as soon as possible, so you won't be kept waiting too long. For my next question, are there any channels to acquire dormant rank memories of the tool, garment, and charm variety with next to nothing to my name?"

Dropping her smile, she quietly pondered my question. It was a weird ask, but I had limited options. I couldn't use armor or weapon memories due to my flaw. If I could get something like the Shroud of Graceless Dusk that Sunny gets, I would be well off.

"There are no places that sponsor Sleepers for free. I can recommend the ones with a better reputation, but they will expect something as well. Even with my recommendations, it won't be cheap; they are essentially investing in you coming back alive and providing some services to them."

Seeing my down-trodden expression, she added,

"I would recommend weapon and armor memories; they are much less rare and thus would require less commitment from the sponsor themselves."

Sighing lightly, I thanked Master Jet in my heart.

"I wish I could, but my flaw removes my ability to summon weapons and armor."

Hearing that her eyes widened, memories were essential to everyone that was infected with the Nightmare spell. Without the ability to summon weapons and armor, I would have no luck in receiving sponsors, especially because I would more or less have to reveal some facets of my character and flaws to get a chance with them.

"That is quite a terrible flaw. I am afraid you wouldn't be able to receive a sponsor unless it was one of the Legacy Clans or the government. And like I said, they would have strict requirements. But a life of servitude is much better than death. I would know best."

Brushing her hair back, she murmured that last part, but I was still able to hear it thanks to my enhanced senses. Staring at her figure, she eventually turned her gaze back toward me.

"We can resume the questions later; I am sure you are hungry and in need of a shower. You reek of the Nightmare, more so than any Sleeper I have come across."

Standing up, she made her way to leave, but not before pointing out a newly issued police tracksuit for me to wear after my shower.

Closing the door behind her, I was left alone again. Swinging my legs off the edge of the bed, I just about face planted. Before, I was around six feet tall, yet I now stood around six foot eight. Striding into the bathroom, I hunched down to avoid the door frame before admiring my image in the mirror. My clothes were tightened around my hulking figure, as they were previously meant for a malnourished young man.

Ripping the old clothes off, I stared at my musculature. I was like a marble statue come to life. My skin was glowing a healthy, tanned color, and my hair seemed to have a supernatural sheen to it. My piercing, dark green eyes traced my figure one last time before I hopped in the shower.

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My god, was that shower needed. I feel much better now than I have in a long time. The tracksuit hugged my form as I made my way out of the room.

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I felt an odd desire to wield something. I just felt defenseless, not having anything to use in case of an emergency. Thankfully, strength permeated my body like nothing I had ever felt before. I had a feeling I could take on a few Soul Eaters at once in my current state.

Following the signs, I made my way to the cafeteria, taking my time getting used to my newly enhanced body. The feeling of the Heavens may have seemed to weigh me down, but it was all in my head... I think.

I wasn't entirely sure, but my Innate ability seemed to cause my body to place a limit on itself. Why the limiter was placed could be an effort to protect my body from too much strength all at once, like when Sunny exploded trying to oversaturate himself with essence. It could also be as simple as the God who reincarnated me wanting to make my life a little harder.

Regardless, I was pretty happy with everything that had transpired so far, namely my guaranteed date with Jet. Forget the month-long trial which I don't remember ninety-nine percent of, I would much rather go out with Jet than try to recall something I had no idea about.

Still wandering the halls in search of food, I settled on summoning my runes, perusing them for the very first time since I became a Sleeper.

Name: Atlas.

True Name: [Pillar of Heaven]

Rank: Divine.

Soul Core: Dormant.

Memories: [Blood Glider], [Elara's Starlit Circlet].

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Pinnacle], [Mind and Body], [Prodigy].

Aspect: [Titan].

Aspect Description: [Of strong body and constitution. Capable enough to withstand the weight of the world—two worlds in fact.]

Innate Ability: [Heavens].

Ability Description: [The weight of the Heavens rests on your shoulders. The restriction can be temporarily lifted, unleashing your true strength at a fatal cost.]

Flaw: [Heavens Decree]

Flaw Description: [The heavens forbid your use of weapon and armor memories, sealing them within your soul.]

Attribute Descriptions:

[Pinnacle] Attribute Description: Unless directly killed, you will eventually return to your pinnacle.

[Mind and Body]Attribute Description: Your body and soul have fused, damage dealt to your body is shared with your soul and vice versa. Able to cause damage to immaterial beings with your body.]

[Prodigy]Attribute Description: You can learn and implement new ideas/concepts much faster than a regular person.]

Aspect Abilities: [Surge].

Aspect Ability Description: [The might of the old gods flows through you.]

With another thought, I summoned [Elara's Starlit Circlet].

A mesmerizing and delicate headband appeared in my hands. It was made of silver and sparkled like the stars in the sky, an ornate sapphire gem was the centerpiece. The gem itself seemed to contain a thousand stars within. But its enchantments drew my attention more than its decorum.

Memory: [Elara's Starlit Circlet]

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Type: Charm.

Memory Enchantments: [Celestial Insight].

Enchantment Description: [When worn, the circlet grants the wearer enhanced perception and clarity, allowing them to foresee potential dangers and uncover hidden secrets.]

Memory Enchantments: [Starry Shield].

Enchantment Description: [The circlet can generate a protective shield of starlight that absorbs and deflects a limited amount of damage from attacks. This shield can be activated once per day and lasts for a short duration.]

Dismissing the Starlit Circlet, I finally arrived at the cafeteria, greeted by the sight of a beauty munching on an apple.