The next fourteen years were… amusing, to say the least.
Sunny and Rain were admitted to a proper school—something that would have been unthinkable in his previous life. Sunny soon found himself in the same class as Cassie.
Not because he was slow to learn, but because Cassie was smart enough to skip grades.
Eventually, when she skipped again, Sunny followed. He used his knowledge from his past life to ensure they remained together, carefully fostering a sibling-like bond from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, as the son of an Awakened, Sunny was placed under his father's personal training. It was the perfect setup for his growth.
Ezra wasn't concerned with bloodline glory or prestige. He simply wanted his children to survive. And now that he had awakened, he knew they would likely follow suit.
So he made sure they were ready.
---
Time passed, and cassie grew closer to Sunny.
They spent most of their time together at school—sparring during combat classes, studying side by side in theory lessons. It was an unspoken rule that they had each other's backs.
Him literally knowing her for years from a past life were incredibly useful for getting close to her too.
But there was one thing Sunny had been subtly steering her toward for years, gaslighting her masterfully
One of those conversations went something like this.
"You should try fighting without using your eyes," he suggested, pretending to have learnt it from an Awakened teacher.
Cassie frowned, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Why would I do that? I'm not blind, you know? I can just learn to fight with my eyes open."
Sunny smirked. "It's an ancient technique. Boosts your fencing skills."
"Honestly? Sounds like a disadvantage."
"So you can't do it, huh?"
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "Oh, shut up. I'll show you."
Sunny grinned. Mission accomplished.
Cassie was a great fighter on her own,before she became blind, but she still wasn't quite a match for him. That wasn't what he was looking for. He needed a true equal.
And he knew exactly where to find her, just not how to approach her.
---
When Sunny turned fourteen, Bolt, the renowned Awakened, announced his intent to challenge the Second Nightmare.
Six people answered his call.
Among them were Ezra and Jet.
This was a change from the original timeline. Originally, Jet would have attempted the Second Nightmare a year later, with different people.
She would've come back alone too, and without a true name.
Now, with Ezra at her side, the outcome was different.
The Nightmare was gruesome. Only three returned.
Bolt, Ezra and Jet.
But when they did, they were no longer just survivors.
They were legends.
Jet recieved her true name, it was simply her moniker: Soul Reaper. And bolt had become Binding nexus instead of dying to his Nightmare.
Though for the most part of the nightmare, Jet had kind of carried them, Similar to how sunny had carried effie and kai in their past second Nightmare.
And so similarly to kai and effie, Bolt and Ezra weren't weak, they had also become legendary, just not as much as Jet had.
This achievement was proof to sunless that the world was changing.
His actions had created a butterfly effect.
And humanity had gained an extra Master, one with the potential to become a Saint.
It was time to take the next step.
---
Years passed by as he grow , during those years he has deepend his bond with Cassie and Rain
He has also trained in all those years , strengthening and tampering his body
He also relearned various battle arts from his memories including the battle art he learned from nephis at forgotten shore
His appearance has also changed from his previous life , he was not short and scrawny anymore although his skin was still pale white , he was tall around 180 cm with lean and athletic build, not exactly muscular but there was signs of defined muscle here and there all over his body and he was fairly handsome thanks to his beautiful mother
His looks are comparable to when was awakened in his previous life
He had also trained with Cassie and tried to teach her how to fight with her eyes closed
She was reluctant at first but eventually started to practice fighting with her eyes closed , little did she know what fate has kept for her
And slowly but surely the cursed day arrived
The day he got infected with nightmare spell
---
Sunny spent hours just reviewing the worst moments of his previous life, soon the spell reacted to the surge of emotions he felt, just like it had done in his last life.
All he had to do was wait.
Sunny could feel it inside him now. Growing. Spreading. Infecting his soul.
The seed had been planted.
He informed his family, then settled in to wait. He had timed everything perfectly. His Nightmare would begin just as the solstice ended, giving him an entire year to prepare for the Forgotten Shore—or whatever cruel fate the Spell had in store for him this time.
But he had underestimated one thing.
His family's reaction.
To them, Sunny had been infected mere days before the solstice. If he faced his First Nightmare before the appointed time, he would have no period of adaptation. He would have to face the horrors of the Dream Realm with no prior experience, no refined skills, no second chances.
Panic spread through his household like wildfire.
His father stared to drill him with every survival tactics he know
His mother worrying over him non stop and was on the verge of crying and rain , the fourteen years old girl was panicking like crazy
Today a weak has passed such he got infected by the nightmare spell
Sunny told his family that he wanted to go alone to the police station, his parents were worried at first but reluctantly agrees. The reason for this , well he wanted to Go the same police station in his previous life because he wanted to make connections with Jet
He approached the police man on the same police station and said
As demanded by the Third Special Directive, I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The officer's expression instantly changed from irritated to wary. He looked the young man over once again, this time with piercing intensity.
"Are you sure you are infected? When did you start showing symptoms?"
Sunny shrugged.
"A week ago?"
The officer became visibly paler.
"Shit."
Then, with a hurried motion, he pressed a button on his terminal and bellowed:
"Attention! Code Black in the lobby! I repeat! CODE BLACK!"
Immediately after that he was taken to the basement and was straped to a metal bed and police officer started to explain him about the night mare
Soon the sleep came to him and with last of Sunny's thoughs went blank
Sunny finally slipped into a deep slumber.
Everything became black.
And then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]