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I have always looked up to my mother.
Her hand, larger than my head, would gently cradle mine as she smiled down at me.
Despite her towering stature and intimidating appearance, Mom has a remarkably kind heart.
She often took me to the forest or mountains, encouraging me to explore nature and release my inner dragon instincts. She would play along, chasing me through the trees, and I would giggle whenever she caught me hiding and tickled my belly.
My early years, my childhood... were not so bad.
I received abundant love and attention from Mom, though not as much from Dad. Still, Gustaf was present most of the time.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Obsessively documenting everything he observed.
Whenever I asked why father didn't join our games, he would offer a faint smile and say he wasn't fit to run around.
While Mom always made time to spend a full day with me, Dad never did. He worked from dawn until night, barely sleeping.
Yet Mom loved him dearly and supported his efforts whenever she could, always striving together with him to build a better world.
My childhood remained joyful until I began to realize I was not quite like Mom or Dad.
I never awakened any powers. My Esper abilities never surfaced, and my dragon heritage manifested only as a pair of small horns on my forehead.
Still, Mom remained optimistic. She helped me train in her own ways, secretly hoping I might one day transform.
But I couldn't help feeling I had disappointed her time and again, never meeting anyone's expectations.
I had the body, strength, and reflexes of an ordinary human. The only trait I inherited from Mom, beyond physical features, was immunity to Fantasium.
I vividly remember the day my parents finally gave up trying to help me awaken my powers.
I was ten years old. In dragon culture, hybrids born between a dragon and another race often had their powers sealed until the age of ten.
At that point, we could awaken by receiving our dragon parent's Draconic Energy into our Dragon Heart.
It was a peaceful, harmless ritual. Mom, having lived over fifty thousand years, had witnessed it hundreds of times.
Every relative with a hybrid child had joyfully helped them awaken at this age. Their children would claim their powers and soar into the skies with their dragon parent.
"Mom! Mom! Today's the day, right?" I had been so excited, bouncing around adorably. My long golden locks and bright yellow eyes made me look like a little angel, too cute to resist. "Uncle Drakda said I'll finally awaken my dragon powers at ten! I'm so excited!"
"Yes, my dear," Mom replied, caressing my head with her large, blue-skinned hand and smiling gently. "Today is the day."
Together, we walked toward a grand altar in her Divine Realm, surrounded by nature and dozens of guests.
Dad stood among the Espers who had come to witness the event, while many dragons from Yggdrasil had also gathered.
The Dragon King himself did not attend. Mom had explained why a year earlier.
"My father cannot cross the boundaries of Yggdrasil. His power is the pillar of that world. If he leaves, both he and Yggdrasil will perish. He became forever tied to that realm after saving it from a cataclysm fifty thousand years ago."
I longed to visit my grandfather and the rest of my dragon kin, but my frail body made it impossible.
Dad had sternly told me that the only way to survive Yggdrasil's atmosphere, rich in Fantasium, was to awaken my dragon transformation.
Otherwise, I would die before taking a single step into the realm of magic and gods.
So I trained diligently: roaring like a dragon, clawing at objects, running on all fours, and leaping like flying animals, all in hopes of channeling my "inner dragon" and awakening at ten.
Now, the moment had arrived. Surrounded by humans and dragons, Mom and I approached the Altar of Dragon Awakening.
I recognized many familiar faces among the dragons, uncles and aunts who had visited over the years.
The tallest and most imposing was Mom's younger brother, Drakda, the Abyssal Dragon of Calamity.
Even in his Dragonoid form, he was a formidable figure, said to possess three heads and the size of a hundred mountains in his true dragon form.
I admired Uncle Drakda. He felt more like a father than Dad, always playing with me, sparring, and teaching me magic.
Meanwhile, Dad remained distant, relentlessly focused on his work. I still remember how he forgot my birthday the previous year and hadn't attended the party Mom had prepared.
The next morning, he acted as if nothing had happened, even as Mom cried in bed.
Over time, I began to resent Dad, not just for being absent, but for making Mom cry.
"Did you know, Louis?"
"Hm?"
I looked up at Mom. Her gentle smile and bright yellow eyes soothed my anxious heart.
"Uncle Drakda and I are hybrids too. In fact, aside from two of our younger siblings, all of the Dragon King's children are hybrids."
"Huh? I… I didn't know."
"Yes. The blue skin your uncle and I have comes from our mother, Belladaan. She was a member of the Ice Giant Tribe of Yggdrasil."
"Oooh! That's awesome! So I have Ice Giant blood too?!"
"Well, who knows? Maybe you'll awaken it someday."
"I can't wait! So you couldn't transform when you were a kid either, Mother?"
"Ah, no. I was the opposite. As the Dragon King's first child, I was born in my dragon form. It took a few years to channel my Dragonoid form."
"Oh, so it was reversed…"
"Yes, it can happen that way. But I'm glad you were born in your Dragonoid form—it made it easier to blend into human society."
"Ah, well, I guess so…"
I wouldn't have minded being a dragon forever.
I would have gladly left this sorrowful world to join my dragon family in Yggdrasil and meet my legendary grandfather.
But things rarely go the way we hope.
When the ritual began, Mom gently infused Draconic Energy into my body through my head. I squirmed and screamed in agony.
"Gaaahhh! Aaaagh!"
"Resist it, Louis! You can do it! Grit your teeth like I taught you!"
Uncle Drakda, full of hope, cheered from among the other dragons, who mostly watched in silence.
"Wait, does it hurt? Should I stop, Louis?"
"N-no…! No! I can keep going! Uugh!"
I dropped to my knees, trying to summon my "inner dragon" and reveal my true form—to finally prove my worth to Dad.
"GAAAHHHH!"
RUMBLE!
The ground trembled and the skies darkened. Everyone watched in awe.
My true dragon form was emerging.
My eyes glowed, becoming reptilian.
Faint, crystal-like scales appeared on my hands.
My horns grew longer, and a tail seemed ready to sprout.
And then—
"Ugh…! Ngaaah…!"
I vomited blood and collapsed, convulsing violently.
"Louis! No!"
Mom panicked, halting the ritual and healing me with all her magic. Dad summoned nurses, who rushed me to the organization's hospital.
Drakda and the other dragons stared in stunned silence. Some mocked me, laughing that the Dragon King's eldest daughter couldn't produce a proper heir. Drakda punched them but also seemed disappointed, walking away without a word.
I never saw my dragon family again. They returned to Yggdrasil, and the chance to join them was lost.
When I awoke in the hospital, my parents were at my side, their faces filled with worry.
It was the first time I had seen Dad cry.
"Louis! You're awake… please don't overexert yourself," Mom said, gently caressing my hand.
"Mama… I couldn't do it…" I sobbed. "I'm sorry… I disappointed everyone… I just wanted to be a dragon like the rest of you… why can't I do it?"
Mom shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She hugged me tightly and stroked my hair.
"There's nothing to apologize for, my dear son. It's not your fault. We love you no matter what—even if you can't become a dragon," she said. "Right, Gustaf?"
"Yes," Dad replied.
♢♢♢♢
I awoke in a large hospital bed; tubes connected to my body. A machine hummed quietly behind me, supplying purified Fantasium.
This was the tenth time I had dreamed of those events since eight years ago.
It felt as if my own mind were tormenting me, forcing me to relive the pain and question my worth.
The voices are gone.
My eyes were clearer now. The madness that had consumed me seemed to have vanished.
I didn't take any of that into consideration…
I sighed, removed the tubes, and sat on the edge of the bed, reflecting on everything that had happened.
Now that I had time to think, I began to process the flood of emotions and information.
And among the many questions swirling in my mind, one loomed larger than the rest:
Who is this Entity helping me regress?
From what I could gather, it was someone who despised my grandfather, the Dragon King, and sought to use me as a weapon to destroy the entire royal bloodline.
To think I ended up with one of that old man's enemies lodged inside my head…
I had heard countless tales about my grandfather from Mom, stories of the vicious foes he had vanquished to protect Yggdrasil and rise to power. Yet no one had ever sounded quite like this Entity.
I sighed. There was no way to communicate with it now. The Entity only spoke to me in death. I had tried reaching out before but received no response.
It was as if life itself suppressed the Entity's existence, while death gave it voice. I remembered how it had once bloomed grotesquely from my body, an image I could never forget.
Is it a parasite inside my soul? How do I even get rid of this thing?
I clenched my teeth, biting my lip until it bled. My eyes reddened with fury and frustration. Nothing enraged me more than feeling powerless, unable to resist fate.
And once again, the answer was clear.
I have to grow stronger…
Only through strength could I seize control of my destiny and confront the enemies ahead.
Only with power could I purge the parasite from my soul and escape the endless loop of regression, a cycle that felt both like salvation and torment.
I don't know the aftereffects of regression… I haven't suffered anything yet. But I can't take it for granted, not if it's tied to a monster that wants to slaughter my entire family.
With a clearer mind, I resolved not to rely on regression. I would grow stronger by my own will. If I continued dying just to fix small mistakes, my life would lose all meaning.
…Wait, the voices?
My eyes widened. I turned toward the door.
Nothing.
Yet for a moment, I felt it again, that eerie sensation of being watched.
A chill ran down my spine. I quickly dressed and began planning, now that I had absorbed a vast amount of knowledge from William's memories.
The existence of William was a mystery in itself. It was as if, upon death, another soul had tried to enter my body before my own had fully departed.
Both souls wrestled for control and ultimately merged, but my mind remained dominant, absorbing William's emotions and memories.
My father said I had a mental illness… How could I forget something so important?
Confused, I stared at the pills beside me. The door behind me creaked open, putting me on high alert, only to reveal a small spider-shaped robot.
"Greetings, Prince Louis. I have been sent to monitor your condition. Your father recommends that you remain in bed for a day or two to fully recover."
Resisting the urge to kick the machine, I asked, "What happened to me? Why am I here?"
"Your father had to immobilize you because your schizophrenia reached critical levels. According to him, you were experiencing hallucinations and auditory delusions."
"So I have an illness like that… Why wouldn't I remember something so important?"
"I am not equipped to answer that, Prince Louis. I apologize for my limitations."
"…"
"However, your files indicate that you tend to experience memory loss when overexerted or exposed to trauma. Some suggest it is your mind's way of protecting you from memories better left forgotten."
"What?"
"That is what the records state."
"…"
"Professor Gustaf noted that since you awakened a Fantasy Heart and obtained a Spiral of Madness, your symptoms may have worsened. He recommends taking your medication daily."
"…Then why doesn't he come here and tell me himself? Why send a robot? Is he afraid of me?"
"Professor Gustaf is likely occupied. I apologize on his behalf."
I suppressed the urge to crush the robot underfoot. Perhaps William's memories had helped stabilize my mind and made me less impulsive—at least sometimes.
"Forget it. I'm going back to my room. Move aside."
"But your father instructed—"
"Move. That's an order."
"Yes."
The robot scurried out of my path as I walked through the depths of the VPI. I had too much to think about and too many plans to make. Sitting idle was not an option.
"The smell of disinfectant in this place makes me sick."
I despised the VPI headquarters. It was a cold, ominous facility where I constantly felt watched. Cameras were everywhere, and the unsettling presence likely came from Anomalies and Entities contained in the lower levels.
While heading back to my room, I reviewed classified files about the hidden power system of Sinners Academy: the Spiral of Madness, also known as the Spiral of Incarnations.
Those who used the first term viewed it as a curse that could drive its wielder insane.
The second name came from those who saw it as humanity's last hope against the Dimensional Convergence and the Entities it unleashed.
This power was considered more dangerous than Esper Psychic Abilities because it was tied directly to a person's darkest emotions, obsessions, and delusions.
To obtain a Fantasy Heart, one had to let Fantasium flow freely through their bloodstream and embrace their own "Fantasy," attempting to impose it on the world.
That was why I had found myself tested by my own memories; I had to embody my delusions and obsessions as reality.
By devouring my own madness, the Fantasy Heart would manifest the Spiral of Madness: clean, empty, and blank.
It would remain without a specific Incarnation unless the person awakening it was a unique being, such as a Sinner, someone born between humans and Anomalies, Entities, or Grievances, like me.
But what is my Spiral called?
I couldn't recall ever hearing its name.
{The Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm}
"…?!"
A voice whispered in my mind. It sounded almost like my own, but twisted.
It spoke the name of my Spiral.
"Ashen Wyrm…"
I searched the database and compared it with William's knowledge of Spirals and their Incarnations. There was no record of the Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm, and William's memories offered no insight either.
This can only mean one thing: this Spiral is my own creation.
Spirals of Incarnation could take many forms based on a person's obsession, though they often followed similar patterns. Multiple people could awaken the same Spiral.
So far, twenty-four Spirals were registered in the database. William also knew of six additional "DLC Spirals" that could be unlocked using Spiral of Madness Stones, purchased with real-world currency.
But this isn't a game anymore. Those limitations no longer apply.
Most importantly, something unprecedented had occurred: I hadn't died or turned into a zombie.
I had used the immense Fantasium within the Resonance Heart to awaken my Fantasy Heart.
The future had already shifted and might continue to diverge from William's memories.
So I've discovered the thirty-first Spiral…
I looked at my palms. A spiral of white ash emerged, displaying nine circles. Only the smallest, the ninth, was active and glowing red.
Spirals were ranked by the position of the Ring of Madness within these circles. The red ring marked my current level: Tier 9, the weakest.
If I grew stronger, I could ascend to Tier 8, then 7, 6, and so on, up to Tier 0. Tier Zero Awakened were akin to gods. Only two had ever been recorded. When they awakened, the surrounding area transformed into a Fantasy Realm, and the Laws of Reality were rewritten.
At Tier 0, one could impose their Fantasy upon the world, reshaping it entirely. This was how Earth's two Fantasy Realms were born: The Blinding Crucible and The Weeping Nest.
The Great Headless Venerable of Nine Suns reshaped most of Asia into a realm of eternal daylight, illuminated by nine suns, each replacing one of his heads. His Eyes saw all things.
The One-Hundred Limbed Fallen Abyssal Mother transformed Africa into a realm of perpetual shadow and sorrow, ruled by her grief and despair.
This is why my father feared the Spiral of Madness… At its peak, it can turn you into a monster. Reaching the pinnacle means nothing if you lose control.
These two Venerables were once celebrated heroes. Nine Suns had been a renowned Esper, and the Abyssal Mother a powerful Sinner. They fought to protect the world from the Dimensional Convergence and its horrors.
But at Tier Zero, they ceased to be themselves. They became the embodiment of their Spirals, merging with their Incarnations.
Their true names were erased from the archives, as they carried the power to drive people mad.
Nine Suns had practiced the Spiral of Enlightenment, mastering Holy Light, Fire, and Sunlight, along with the absorption of knowledge. The Abyssal Mother had wielded the Spiral of Compassion, specializing in healing and absorbing others' pain.
I sighed and dismissed the files that only deepened my melancholy. I turned to the technical classifications.
"There it is."
I found the names for each Spiral stage:
Spiral Tiers
Origin Realm, The Lost (Tier 9–7): Awakening phase. The Fantasy begins as one loses themselves.
Adept Realm, The Fallen (Tier 6–4): Powers deepen and become thematic. The Awakened fall too far into their Fantasy to return.
Elite Realm, The Enlightened (Tier 3–1): Near-divine mastery. Reality bends around the Incarnation.
Mythic Realm, The Worshipped (Tier 0): The Incarnation becomes a living archetype, rewriting the world with their Fantasy.
Each Spiral had unique names for its Tiers. I had heard my Spiral's Tier 9 name: Flicker of Ash.
It was said that those who reached the Mythic Realm became immune to the Dimensional Labyrinth. Some believed the two Venerables would one day leave Earth with their Fantasy Worlds, saving only those they chose.
"To resist the Dimensional Labyrinth and the Convergence, one must embody their Spiral and create a perfect world. That was the 'Secret Ending' of the game."
In that ending, Mirai would awaken her Spiral, reach Tier Zero, and impose her Fantasy World—a peaceful realm free of monsters and despair.
But that ending never came to pass.
"There are also abilities tied to Spirals and spells linked to Elemental Affinities. I should be able to check my Status Screen, right?"
Though I knew this wasn't a game, there was an in-world explanation for the System's existence. A sentient A.I. named Andromeda, originating from Yggdrasil, had been granted to the Awakened by the Dragon King—thanks to Mom's pleas.
Status Display.
FLASH!
With a single thought, I summoned my personal information. My stats appeared, including Madness and Fantasium.
♢♢♢♢
Name: Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil
Classification: Sinner (Dragon–Human–Anomaly)
Spiral: Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm
Tier: 9 – Flicker of Ash
Fantasy Heart: Level 3/20
Vitality: 90
Strength: 60
Intelligence: 70
Dexterity: 100
Fantasium: 500
Fantasium Affinity: 87%
Madness Index: 43%
Bonds:
Dragon Family Bond – Mother Benladra (Level 10/10)
Elemental Affinities:
Ash Element: A Rank
Ice Element: A Rank
Void Element: S Rank
Incarnation:
Gravewalker – Tier 9 (Growth: 21%)
Known Abilities:
Ashen Frost – Tier 9 (Growth: 15%)
Potential Abilities:
Pending Spiral Resonance
♢♢♢♢
…Void Element?
I stared at the screen, surprised by the depth of information. My System Status revealed far more than I had expected. It detailed my stats, elemental affinities, and even tracked my levels of Madness and Fantasium Affinity, two metrics that fluctuated constantly.
The Madness Index measured how close someone was to losing control. If it reached 100%, the person would temporarily descend into insanity, and their Spiral could consume them. Sinners had to walk a fine line, resisting their own madness while drawing power from it.
Fantasium Affinity, on the other hand, was a measure of harmony with Fantasium itself. Reaching 100% triggered a Fantasy Awakening, which could grant new abilities, boost stats, or unlock new elemental affinities. It was what gamers called "Bonus Time."
Affinity didn't increase solely through high-quality Fantasium items. It also grew through forging bonds with others.
Sinners grow stronger by forming bonds… Did that mechanic really carry over into reality? How inconvenient.
Sinners Academy had been a dating sim at its core, wrapped in turn-based strategy and RPG mechanics. Romance and emotional connection were central to its progression system. In this world, those mechanics had translated into the power of Bonds.
My only bond was with Mom, a Family Bond at maximum level. It granted me passive bonuses that likely made me stronger than I would have been otherwise.
But deeper bonds, especially Romantic Bonds, could unlock entirely new abilities and boost stats. William's memories suggested that maxing out a bond with a Sinner could even awaken their Spiral.
Is that really possible? There's no mention of it in the registry…
I scoured the database but found nothing confirming that bonds could awaken Spirals. The absence of information irritated me. I decided to set the topic aside and focus on the rest of my Status.
Levels… just like in the game.
Sinners Academy had been a turn-based strategy RPG. Players controlled up to eleven characters on a grid-based map, moving units each turn while the enemy did the same. It wasn't an action game, so William's memories couldn't help me with combat techniques or weapon handling.
If anything, I considered William a pathetic figure, someone who had achieved nothing and died by being eaten by a television. I chuckled at the thought.
Then I felt guilty for laughing, as if I were mocking myself.
Having two egos and two sets of memories in my head is exhausting.
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