The Dreamer's POV

[9:33 AM; Saturday, 29th of April, 2024]

"You really should take it easy with the workouts, Mikey."

I was in the drugstore, finally done purchasing my painkillers from the cheerful pharmacist that always attended to me.

"Haha. Thanks…" I laughed lightly, bearing with the pain I felt growing stronger in my head.

It had been approximately two hours since I woke up from my nightmare, yet the pounding felt much stronger than it had during this point in the dream.

I exited the pharmacy and made my way toward my residence.

And, no, not my apartment complex.

My new place was just a stone's throw from the drugstore—a four-star hotel that boasted so many good services which I never really had the chance to enjoy before.

I pretty much spent all my savings and moved in this morning.

'The world is screwed anyway…' I sighed to myself, rubbing my head as I entered the lobby of the four-star hotel.

The sound of the grand piano playing in the background caught my attention. I stopped for a moment to admire the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, sparkling in the light of the late afternoon sun that filtered in through the tall windows. The place was bustling with activity, with guests checking in, others lounging on the comfortable sofas, and hotel staff busily going about their duties.

'In only a few hours, everyone will be…' I stopped thinking and decided to simply enjoy the moment despite the constant pangs in my head.

Making my way to the reception desk, I spotted the friendly secretary who had attended to me two hours earlier. I thought she was pretty cute.

"Oh, Mr. Mikey. Anything I can help you with?" She asked me the moment I approached her.

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I was surprised she remembered my name. But, upon deeper thought, she was just doing her job, wasn't she? There was nothing too special about it.

"I just wanted to ask if my goods have arrived." I gave a sweet smile.

Before leaving for the pharmacy, I ordered a lot of things with the remaining money I had. I ensured I spent it all.

"Ah, not yet. I'll be sure to inform you when they do. Your room number is in our logs, so I can call you."

"Oh… okay," I replied, wincing as my head pounded with greater intensity. "I'll be waiting, then."

I could only hope that my goods arrived before 11:00 AM. That was the time I deduced the whole 'End of the World' phenomenon occurred. To think that weird System thing called it Paradise.

It almost sounded like a terrible joke.

I used the elevators to go to my room on the first floor, still noticing the luxurious furnishings and tasteful decor of the hotel. The walls were adorned with elegant artwork, and the carpet underfoot was plush and soft.

The overall atmosphere was one of sheer sophistication.

Once I arrived on the first floor, I hurriedly walked to my room, inserted my key card into the slot, and the door clicked open. The moment I got in, I shut the door behind me, ensuring it was properly locked.

Perhaps I was being too paranoid, but if anyone had seen the horrors I experienced, they would definitely understand.

As I stepped inside, I was once again struck by the spaciousness of the room. The king-size bed dominated the space, and there was a comfortable armchair in the corner, perfect for relaxing after a long day.

The room was equipped with all the modern amenities, including a flat-screen TV, a mini-fridge, and a coffee machine. The bathroom was pristine, with fluffy towels and complimentary toiletries. The view from the window was stunning, overlooking the city skyline, though the curtains were currently covered so none of that was evident.

"First things first…" I took my painkillers, downing the tablets with the bottle of water lying around.

"Haa…" The pain hadn't really receded, but I felt a bit better.

'Maybe two more tablets will do the trick.' It would be considered an overdose, but I was desperate. And so, I took two more.

'Much better!'

Once I felt that wave of calmness wash over me, I plopped on my bed and closed my eyes, recollecting all that had led to the current reality I was living in.

*****

After dying in my nightmare and waking up, I was nearly caught in the same loop as always, before finally snapping out of it.

As always, I was greeted by the searing pain that accompanied the memories of my nightmares. This time, it felt even worse than before.

My headache was also unbearably more painful.

Despite everything, though, I knew I couldn't allow myself to die again. The trauma and the next pain I would most likely suffer would be worse. How could I punish myself that way?

'Am I in a dream? Am I just a dream?' I asked myself, but with no answer presented to me, I decided to take action.

The first thing to do was remember the key details of my nightmares, especially the System Notice that always came before my demise. According to my memories, I had to approximately set the time of that occurring to 11 AM, and then I proceeded to remember the contents of the System Window.

There was a bunch of nonsense about the 'Realm of Gods', 'Floors', and stuff that I didn't understand, but if there was one detail that was both relatable and memorable for me, it had to be the 'Tutorial' that was mentioned.

"I have to survive the Tutorial. All those times I was killed… it was the Tutorial." If I had to live beyond the nightmares I constantly suffered, I had to survive beyond the Tutorial.

The System Window also said the Tutorial lasted for 168 hours. That was a week. All I had to do was survive the Tutorial for a week.

With that in mind, I had to consider my best chances. I had to think of all my options, and I had to increase the possibility of my survival as much as possible.

'I can't stay in this apartment for a week!' I told myself.

Not only would the power outage be a problem, but it didn't feel secure enough. If I was going to survive, I had to choose an ideal location that guaranteed security, yet was in familiar territory.

That was how I settled for the four-star hotel.

It cost a lot, so I only paid for a day. That would be all I was going to need anyway. I intentionally chose the first floor because it would be easier to exit in case I got compromised.

I lodged into the hotel and quickly went to get my meds from the drugstore, but not before making one final decision that was equally as important.

I had to order resources for myself!

The traveling bags I brought into the hotel contained mostly foodstuff, with a bit of clothing and devices that I might need. However, my major concern for surviving for a week was sustenance.

And that was why I spent the last of my savings buying as many foodstuffs as I could.

Fast food. Junk foods. Canned foods. Soda. Energy Bars. Most of those things, essentially.

Ah, I also had to consider water.

However, considering the water supply of a four-star hotel was reliable enough, I didn't think I had to worry too much about it.

I would make this place my base, preparing for any and all issues that could arise during, and even after the Tutorial.

After all, if the mere 'Tutorial' phase was already this scary… how much of a nightmare was waiting ahead?

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[A/N]

I'm trying to be faster with the story now.

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