For their parts, Juno and Sunny had found the rankings board considerably less surprising than the room around them had been.
Sunny was also a True Name bearer, even though nobody besides Juno knew that, and he had a divine Aspect. Juno knew all the important events that were going to happen within the Academy, so he also had no reaction. The one he was surprised about was the feeling he had at the moment.
He sat down with his tray and began eating, his movements unhurried, his expression calm. Outwardly, nothing about him had changed. Inwardly, however, something was different.
There was a warmth spreading through him.
It was not the kind of warmth that came from food or comfort. It felt deeper, as though it originated somewhere inside his soul. It was pleasant, almost soothing, and carried with it a strange sense of satisfaction.
Juno paused slightly, chewing more slowly as he turned his attention inward.
It did not take him long to understand.
'It's my Flaw.'
There was no other explanation that made sense.
The moment the others had learned that he possessed a True Name, this feeling had appeared. Not gradually, but immediately. Recognition, admiration, attention — all of it fed into that warmth, strengthening it.
'My Flaw is centered around my greed and desires, specifically magnifying them. I thought this just made me greedier, but clearly I was wrong. Yesterday at the police station, I was compelled to brag about myself to Jet and Sunny. It felt like I had multiple days' worth of desire put into me all at once. When I acted upon it, the slight pain I felt stopped.
Now that I've revealed to my fellow Sleepers that I am super cool and awesome, I feel really good. So good, it is like I just drank from my [Away from Home] pouch. How… interesting. I have never heard of a Flaw like mine. It works passively on my greed: when I don't act on it, it hits me in critical moments; when I do, I feel good. This is… going to be very dangerous, isn't it?'
Absent mindedly, Juno continued to ponder and shove food in his mouth. Soon, Sunny arrived, sat down, and also ate. His face was doing the careful neutral thing it did when he was privately pleased about something and had decided not to show it.
They watched Caster approach Nephis from across the room. The small bow, the introduction, the careful warmth of someone who had prepared for this specific interaction and was executing it with precision. Nephis received it with the mild perplexity of someone who hadn't prepared for anything because she hadn't needed to.
Juno smirked faintly and looked at Sunny.
"Lady Sunny," Juno said, mirroring the tone and voice Caster used on Nephis to Sunny.
Sunny blinked.
"Lady Sun Chaser," he replied dryly. "…Is that a new trick?"
Grinning, Juno nodded. "I worked it out yesterday. Listen."
"Firstly, I used my hearing and memory to identically replay a voice I've heard before. Then, with my amazing brain, I manipulated my vocal cords to sound exactly like the voice I knew." Now, Juno sounded like Sunny. After a quick pause, though, he continued. "I've heard that everyone can do stuff like this, it just takes some time."
'Aren't I a Genius?'
Sunny stared for a moment longer, then shook his head.
"…You're weird. Brilliant, but weird."
Juno didn't argue.
By the time he looked back, Caster's conversation with Nephis was already ending. She was returning to her coffee as if nothing had happened, her attention drifting elsewhere. The cafeteria gradually settled, though the tension remained.
A few minutes passed, then Caster approached their table.
He stopped in front of them and gave a small, polite bow.
"Sir Sun Chaser," he said, his tone measured. "Caster, of the Han Li clan."
Juno looked up at him calmly.
"I just wanted to com-" Caster started, clearly trying to say the same things he did to Nephis, but he was quickly interrupted by Juno.
"Sir? Whoa there, man, slow down. Why do you think I am a sir? I, actually, identify as a woman. Ain't that right, Sunny?"
Sunny didn't even look up from his tray.
"No, you don't."
Juno let the silence hang for a fraction of a second, then huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
"Yeah, no. I don't," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Just messing with you."
He glanced back at Caster, expression easy, almost careless.
"No need for the 'sir.' Juno works fine."
Caster had paused, just briefly, the interruption breaking the rhythm of his prepared speech. But it lasted no more than a moment. His expression smoothed out, the polite smile returning as though nothing unusual had happened.
"Of course," he said evenly. "Juno, then."
He continued without missing a beat.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your results. A True Name in the First Nightmare is… an extraordinary achievement."
Juno watched him quietly, his gaze steady but relaxed.
"Thank you."
Caster inclined his head slightly.
"I look forward to seeing what you're capable of."
A short pause followed before he spoke again.
"My table would be honored to host you. The company there is considerably more… suitable."
His eyes flicked, briefly, toward Sunny this time. It was open hostility and hate. A lot of disgust, too.
'Wow, these Legacies sure hate us kids from the outskirts. Doesn't he know I am registered as someone from the outskirts too?'
Juno set his spoon down.
He didn't rush his response.
"Suitable, you say?" Juno repeated, tilting his head slightly. "I don't know… I'm just a lowly outskirts rat myself. Not sure I'd fit in with you esteemed legacies."
He paused, watching Caster closely. It didn't take much to notice the tension creeping into the other boy's posture.
A faint smile tugged at Juno's lips.
"You know," he continued lazily, "I always figured us outskirts rats should stick together. Stay out of the way of all you… clean individuals."
His smile widened, turning just a little off.
"And besides—"
His hand shot out suddenly, landing on Sunny's back before he could slip away.
"This one," Juno said, patting him once, "is my sworn brother."
Sunny went still for half a second.
Then, slowly—
"...What?"
Juno didn't even blink.
"You heard me."
Sunny stared at him for a moment, then let out a quiet breath and looked away, as if deciding it wasn't worth the effort.
"…Unfortunate."
Caster's polite expression didn't crack, but it tightened just enough to notice.
His gaze lingered on Sunny for a fraction longer this time, the disgust no longer subtle. Then it returned to Juno.
"I see," he said evenly.
There was a brief pause, as if he were reconsidering something and adjusting his approach.
"That is… commendable."
The word sounded carefully chosen.
"But still," Caster continued, "my offer stands. I believe you would benefit from associating with people of a similar… standing."
Juno leaned back slightly in his chair, studying him.
Similar standing.
He almost laughed.
Instead, he smiled.
"Yeah," Juno said lightly. "I'm sure I would."
He tilted his head just a little.
"But I don't really care."
The words weren't sharp. They weren't aggressive.
They were simple.
That made them worse.
Another pause followed.
Caster held his gaze, searching for something—mockery, hesitation, uncertainty.
He found none.
After a few seconds, he inclined his head slightly.
"Of course."
The smile returned, perfectly measured.
"I hope we will have the opportunity to work together in the future."
"Maybe," Juno said.
Caster gave a final nod and turned, leaving without another word.
For a few seconds, neither Juno nor Sunny spoke.
Then Sunny glanced sideways at him.
"…Sworn brother?"
Juno picked his spoon back up.
"Be honored. You are now the big brother of me, Juno, the Sun Chaser!"
Sunny snorted quietly.
"You're going to get stabbed one day."
Juno shrugged.
"Probably."
He took another bite, completely unbothered.
Across the cafeteria, Nephis remained where she was, calmly drinking her coffee, as if none of it had ever mattered.
…
The following month passed by quickly. In the original novel, Sunny described his time in the Academy as difficult and hectic. It made sense from his point of view, but Juno was different. For him, all the many things he did during this month were like a breeze. He was a genius now, and geniuses don't struggle.
The Academy allowed students to choose their own classes, and most spread themselves across different subjects. Juno and Sunny did not. On Jet's recommendation, they chose Wilderness Survival and committed to it fully.
The class had only two students.
Julius did not complain.
If anything, he seemed pleased.
What had been intended as a general course quickly turned into something closer to focused instruction. There was no need to slow down or repeat things unnecessarily. They spent eight to ten hours a day in that classroom, learning everything Julius considered essential for surviving in the Dream Realm.
Juno absorbed everything with ease. The concepts were not difficult for him, but the specifics mattered, and Julius provided those relentlessly. Sunny learned differently, slower at first, but once something clicked, it stayed. Juno helped when necessary, offering just enough to bridge the gaps.
One day that stood out was when Julius called them over with unusual excitement and began breaking down Juno's True Name into its runic meanings.
Burning Heaven. Boundless Autarch. Apostate of Avarice.
Juno remembered the way Julius had paused on the last one, the subtle shift in his expression.
"You are going to be either extraordinarily important… or extraordinarily dangerous," he had said.
Then, after a pause, he smiled.
"Most likely both. How wonderful."
Juno had agreed. From that statement alone, Julius was propelled to become Juno's fourth favorite person. Jet had the third, Sunny the second, and Juno himself was his own favorite person.
"If I were not Diogenes, I would still wish to be Diogenes, or something along those lines. What a great man, that one.'
Outside of class, Juno spent his time in the library, focusing on everything to do with swords and fighting. Swordsmanship, theory, martial arts, blacksmithing, known users, Dreamscape champions, and even the history of the blade. His Aspect was literally [Godless Blade], so he should obviously know as much as possible.
He used this information and his Piercing Mind to build frameworks. Though he didn't suspect they were all too good, just imagining these things in his mind helped massively. He could practically feel the way to punch or to swing a sword.
He also studied all the known texts on Natural Awakening and Ascension. The information was incomplete, but he read it twice anyway before returning it to the shelf. He knew some stuff from the Novel, but it was never explained in much detail, so if he wanted to ever use this knowledge, he would have to be a pioneer.
There were also nights when Juno did not sleep. Too much to think about, or too important a book to read.
On one of them, after he was kicked out of the library, he entered the dojo.
It was empty.
He had heard about it from the other Sleepers and also questioned Sunny on what he had seen inside it. The poor fellow was so confused about how Juno knew he looked at one of the classes, but he got no answer from Juno.
Almost everything went the same way it did in the novel. Nephis got a 16, Caster actually got a 23, not a 21, Nephis beat all the Sleepers, and Caster beat Nephis. It was all very boring to learn about, but not to practice.
At one of the sides of the dojo, there was the punching machine. Juno approached the testing machine and stood there for a moment before throwing a simple punch without much thought. The machine hummed and displayed a result.
Fourteen.
Juno looked at it quietly.
Then he stepped back.
The problem wasn't strength. It was a technique.
'From my Aspect and Attributes, I know I got a lot of strength boosts. So, obviously, how could I get a simple fourteen?'
Using the knowledge he had gained from the library, he adjusted his stance, shifting his weight and aligning his body. This time, when he moved, there was no wasted motion. His perception sharpened, every detail of the movement falling into place with perfect clarity.
His fist struck the plate again.
The machine trembled slightly before displaying the new result.
Nineteen.
Even though Juno's fist was now hurting massively, he couldn't help but smile. A nineteen without any physical augmentation was an amazing score. Sure, he literally used 100% of his strength with a perfect setup, but still.
The final day arrived quietly.
Juno woke up feeling… off. Not tired, not exactly, but heavier than usual, as if something was pulling him downward from the inside. It took him a few seconds to recognize the sensation.
'It's probably the pull on my soul to enter the Dream Realm. The next time I fall asleep, I'm going to end up on the other side.'
He lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, then exhaled slowly and got up. There was no point in delaying it. Everything that could be done had already been done.
By the time he entered the cafeteria, most of the Sleepers were already there.
It was quiet.
Not completely silent, but close enough. Conversations were short and subdued. Even the usual tension between groups had faded into something more restrained. Everyone understood what was coming.
Sunny was there too, sitting in his usual place.
Juno grabbed something to eat and sat nearby, not bothering to say anything at first. There wasn't much to say.
After a while, Cassie suddenly spoke. Even though she had been sitting with them for the whole month, none of them had spoken.
"Happy birthday."
Juno paused, glancing briefly in Sunny's direction before returning to his food. He already knew the context. Still, he couldn't help but think—
'She really is unsettling.'
Sunny muttered a quiet thanks, clearly caught off guard.
Juno said nothing.
Understanding someone didn't mean liking them.
After finishing his meal, Juno left the cafeteria without lingering. There were no classes today, but that didn't stop him from heading toward the Wilderness Survival classroom.
Julius was there.
Of course he was.
The old man seemed unusually tense, even before Juno said anything. Their conversation was short, but not light. Julius gave advice—too much of it, repeating himself more than usual—and though he tried to hide it, there was something behind his words.
Concern.
Juno listened, nodded, and left.
There was nothing more to do.
By the time the sun began to set, the Sleepers were gathered and led outside.
The cold air bit at Juno's skin as they walked through the snowy grounds. Other groups were doing the same, all heading in the same direction.
The medical center.
It didn't look like a hospital.
It looked like a shrine.
Inside, the atmosphere shifted immediately. The place was filled with a strange mixture of advanced technology and something older, something less tangible.
Juno didn't pay much attention to it. He also didn't really care about the Hollows shown or the speeches given.
Juno didn't react.
He had already made his decisions, and he didn't care about the extra words.
…
Not long after, they were brought to the pod room. Each person was then guided to their own pods and was left there. Somehow, Juno and Sunny ended up close to each other, so instead of standing quietly like the rest of their batch of Sleepers, they talked with each other. Soon, it was time to get into their pods.
Juno smirked faintly, realizing that his time to make a decision was almost up.
'I guess it's Fate, but just in case…'
"Be ready to swim," he said.
Sunny frowned.
"…What?"
"And head toward the fire."
"That's not an explanation."
Juno shrugged.
"It's enough."
Sunny stared at him for a second longer, then exhaled.
"…Fine."
Juno turned away.
He needed to make sure Sunny survived. Brother to brother, after all.
With that, he stepped forward and climbed into the pod.
In the vast echoing darkness, he heard:
[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Juno!]
…
Juno hit the surface hard, the cold crashing into him instantly. His body reacted before his mind fully caught up, already moving, already orienting itself.
The water was completely still.
The sky was dark.
Not night—something else. The light was faint, distant, unnatural. The ocean stretched endlessly in every direction, silent and unmoving.
Then he saw it.
Land.
A dark mass in the distance.
Juno didn't hesitate.
He began swimming toward it, sprinting as hard as he could. He knew what would happen if he didn't hurry.
Eventually, he reached the shore and pulled himself onto solid ground.
The air smelled of salt and something faintly rotten. The ground beneath him was wet, dark, uneven.
Juno stood still, taking it all in.
Waiting.
Observing.
As the sky slowly began to change, the darkness gave way to a dim, gray light. Then, gradually—
The sea began to recede.
Juno watched it carefully.
There was no doubt.
When the Dark Sea was finally fully gone, Juno stood up and shoved his hands into the air.
"BITCH I'M HERE. FORGOTTEN SHORE, HERE I AM! I, THE SUN CHASER, HAVE ARRIVED"
'How corny.]
(End of Volume 1, Part 2 - House of the Rising Sun)
(End of Volume 1 - Rude Awakening)