"...I’m tired."
After collecting the dream fragment from Viola’s dream, I visited two more dreams back-to-back.
The third dream I entered was, like the first one, overflowing with the dreamer’s desires.
The moment I stepped inside, I was met with a dazzling sight—a lavishly decorated room glittering with gold and silk. A man dressed in luxurious clothes greeted me, his every movement oozing pretentious elegance. His words were laced with self-importance, but oddly enough, his attitude toward me was warm, almost reverent.
Thanks to that, I was able to move freely through his dream without any resistance.
He guided me with a proud smile through his extravagant mansion until we arrived at a grand bedroom, more ostentatious than any royal chamber. Velvet curtains, gold-trimmed furniture, a chandelier sparkling like a crown—and on the enormous bed lay the man himself, smiling blissfully, lost in his perfect little world.
A dream filled with fulfillment and self-indulgence.
Still, I didn’t hesitate.
I quietly stepped toward the corner of the room, where the dream fragment glimmered faintly like a shard of moonlight.
"I’m sorry," I murmured.
Then I reached out and took it.
Light burst out instantly, swallowing the man’s peaceful expression as he continued to laugh, unaware that his paradise was fading.
I didn’t stay to watch.
As the light wrapped around me, I left that dream behind and stepped into the next.
And immediately, I regretted it.
"Shit—why are there dinosaurs here all of a sudden!?"
The fourth dream was... chaos.
An open plain stretched endlessly beneath a blazing sun, the ground trembling under the thunderous steps of massive creatures.
Dinosaurs—actual dinosaurs—were everywhere. Towering Tyrannosaurs roaring in the distance, agile Velociraptors darting through the grass, and even stranger beasts I couldn’t name, with horns and crests unlike anything I’d seen before.
The dreamer must’ve been a hardcore dinosaur enthusiast.
I barely managed to dodge a swinging tail the size of a carriage as I ran for cover behind a fallen tree.
Still, a part of me couldn’t help but wonder—did dinosaurs exist in this world’s ancient past too?
Considering this world was shaped by an author from Earth, maybe its roots weren’t all that different from the world I once knew.
The thought lingered as the ground shook again—this time, much closer.
For a moment, I was awestruck.
Dinosaurs—creatures I’d only ever seen through CGI on a screen—were now thundering across the ground right in front of me, every movement vivid, every vibration real.
But that awe didn’t last long.
Because when a creature the size of a building turns its head toward you and starts running, fascination quickly gives way to pure, unfiltered terror.
"AAAAARGH!!"
Right now, I’m sprinting for my life, chased by a full-grown Tyrannosaurus. Its shadow looms over me, its massive jaws snapping shut just inches from my back. I barely dodge to the side before those jagged teeth can crush me.
I know it’s a dream—at least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
Even if I won’t die here, I’ll definitely feel it.
And I really, really hate pain.
So, naturally, I’m running like my life depends on it.
"Kiyoyoyoyoyo!!!"
I almost trip mid-sprint. What... was that sound?
The T-Rex roars again, and I swear the noise sounds less like a terrifying prehistoric beast and more like someone strangling a seagull through a broken speaker.
"Kiyoyoyoyoyo!!!"
Yeah. Definitely not what I expected.
The creature is terrifyingly realistic—the texture of its scales, the heat of its breath, even the glint in its eyes looks too real—but that cry ruins everything.
I can’t help but think the dreamer who created this scene must’ve known what dinosaurs look like, but not what they sound like.
Then again, to be fair... neither do I.
Still, I’d really prefer not to find out what kind of sound a Tyrannosaurus makes when it finally catches me.
Anyway.
"Where on earth is it? It’s like I’m in some kind of Jurassic Park."
I muttered under my breath as I sprinted through the vast, shifting landscape. My eyes darted around restlessly, searching for even the faintest glimmer of the dream fragment—or its owner.
By now, enough time had passed since I entered this dream, yet there was still no sign of either.
That didn’t make sense.
Usually, the dream’s owner appeared somewhere within their own dreamscape, whether they were directly participating or just watching from afar. But no matter how far I ran, no matter how many times I turned corners or scanned the horizon—there wasn’t a single human in sight.
’Wait a second...’
A sudden realization struck me.
When I was a kid, my dreams used to run wild—fantastical, nonsensical, and endlessly vivid.
Sometimes, I’d dream of soaring through the sky like Superman, punching holes through clouds with my tiny fists. Other times, I’d become a massive robot, defending the world from alien invaders with laser eyes and rocket fists.
But out of all those dreams, there was one I loved the most.
For a kid obsessed with dinosaurs, what could possibly top—
"...A dream of becoming a dinosaur," I muttered under my breath, realization dawning.
It suddenly made perfect sense.
Maybe the dream’s owner hadn’t vanished at all. Maybe they were still here—just in a different form. Something enormous. Something ancient. Something now barreling toward me with thunderous footsteps.
My heart skipped a beat as I slowly turned my head.
Behind me, a Tyrannosaurus roared, its primal cry shaking the very ground beneath my feet.
"Kiyoyoyoyoyoyo!!"
The sound hit like a shockwave, rattling through my bones and stealing the air from my lungs. Dust and debris whipped past as I looked up at the towering beast—its scales glinting, its eyes burning with raw, animal intensity.
And then I saw it.
There, wedged between the ridges of its skull, was a faintly glowing stone.
A dream fragment.
My eyes widened, and a grin slowly tugged at the corners of my mouth.
"Of course... you were the dreamer all along."
The realization settled over me like a spark catching fire.
Without another thought, I dug my heels into the ground, skidding to a stop. The earth cracked under my weight, and dust billowed around me. I turned sharply, locking eyes with the monstrous dinosaur charging my way.
Its roar tore through the air once more.
And I—smiling despite the tremor in my chest—faced it head-on.