Chapter 5: The Beginning Dream (2)

* * *

Have you ever seen a rabbit as big as a wild boar? No matter how cute it looks, if it's as big as a wild boar, it's hard to feel its cuteness.

"Hey, you're slow on your feet?"

Ian, who was lying down in a comfortable position, poked the big jade rabbit's white, fluffy bottom with his toes.

The big jade rabbit, which had been dragged by Ian holding its ears, shuddered and trembled.

Currently, the big jade rabbit was working hard as a rice cake slave.

〈Main Quest of the Beginning Dream: Bright Moon, Bright Moon, Shining Bright.〉

After capturing the big jade rabbit and completing the hidden quest, the main quest changed to this.

This means all the conditions for the hidden reward have been met. Now, all that's left is to fulfill the doubled main quest conditions.

'Anyway, I'm not the one suffering.'

Thinking about the future, it was more advantageous to overwork the jade rabbits now. This way, when 200 fresh rice cakes are completed, they can be easily seized.

The problem wasn't the big jade rabbit that had been captured and made into a slave, but the small jade rabbit, which, despite its small size, displayed endless stamina and incredible strength.

'Is that guy not getting tired? He's been pounding rice cakes for almost two hours without a break!'

Ian had personally confirmed how heavy the pestle was. If he had pounded the rice cakes himself, he would have been exhausted in less than ten minutes.

Fortunately, the small jade rabbit didn't show any hostility. If it had appeared as an enemy from the start, it would have been a significant problem.

'It's fortunate that it currently recognizes me as its mate, but how will I snatch the rice cakes later?'

The original mate was undoubtedly the big jade rabbit. Ian had twisted the quest to make himself the mate and turned the big jade rabbit into a simple rice cake slave.

Because of this, the small jade rabbit showed no interest in the big jade rabbit and only focused on pounding rice cakes and Ian.

'With plenty of time, why not make 500 or 1,000 rice cakes? Then I can propose a deal to split them evenly.'

The big jade rabbit, sensing an ominous feeling, shuddered.

Ian, who was not pounding rice cakes himself, was already thinking about trading the big jade rabbit's labor.

With a devious smile, Ian approached the big jade rabbit and whispered, resting his elbow on its shoulder.

"Hey, big fluffy. You're a male, right?"

The big jade rabbit flinched, wary of Ian's intentions.

Ian then smacked the back of the big jade rabbit's head and growled in a low voice.

"Answer quickly when I ask you nicely?"

"Grunt!"

"What's a rabbit doing making a 'grunt' sound? Look at the small fluffy, it's so cute!"

"Quoong!"

The small jade rabbit, somehow understanding that it was being talked about, responded with a cute cry.

Noticing the small jade rabbit's reaction, Ian's smile deepened.

"Big fluffy, it's time for you to get married, right? There's a good mate here, too."

Ian pointed at the small jade rabbit. He didn't know if it was male or female but decided to assume it was female for the sake of the conversation.

"What do you know about a rabbit's gender?"

"These days, you need to have a lot to get a mate, right? Look at it, how much does it love rice cakes to work so hard without a break?"

"Grunt, grunt."

The big jade rabbit, swayed by Ian's gentle persuasion, nodded while puffing.

"I'll leave once I get 200 rice cakes. So, work hard and give me 200 rice cakes, and take the rest as a dowry for the small fluffy. How about it? It's a good deal, right?"

"Grunt, grunt!"

Perhaps swayed by the promise of 200 rice cakes and the idea of a dowry, the big jade rabbit nodded.

"Go, you can do it! Big fluffy! Fighting!"

"Grunt~"

Encouraged by Ian, the big jade rabbit started pounding rice cakes at a speed that couldn't be compared to before.

'At this rate, the 200 rice cakes required by the quest will be completed soon. Or, should I push it to the limit and start a rice cake business with the extra rice cakes?'

Fresh rice cakes were being made at an incredible speed. The rice cakes piled up quickly next to the mortar, and Ian waited happily, ready to eat.

* * *

Ian watched the two jade rabbits hop and pound rice cakes while lying down and eating rice cakes.

The rice cakes had already formed a mountain around the mortar, and a few more wouldn't make a difference.

'Hmm, the time limit is almost up, I think.'

After checking the time, Ian dusted off his hands and stood up.

Instead of going to the big jade rabbit, he approached the small jade rabbit.

"Small fluffy."

"Quoong?"

"You're my mate, right?"

"Quoong!"

The small jade rabbit, unaware that Ian had sold it to the big jade rabbit, sparkled with excitement.

"If you follow me, you can eat delicious rice cakes all the time?"

"Quoong! Quoong!"

Despite Ian's criminal-like dialogue, the small jade rabbit was delighted at the prospect of eating rice cakes every day.

Ian whispered to the small jade rabbit as if coaxing a child.

"But the big fluffy wants to be your mate. It says it will eat 200 rice cakes and leave. How ridiculous. It didn't even pound them itself."

"Quoong!"

The small jade rabbit made a grinding sound with the pestle it was holding with its front paws. The eerie sound made Ian flinch and step back.

Sure enough, the small jade rabbit leaped high towards the big jade rabbit.

"Quoong!"

"Grunt?"

Kwak!

Have you ever seen a rabbit beat up another rabbit?

Even Ian, who had experienced countless dreams, had never seen such a scene.

The small jade rabbit, holding the pestle, leaped high and landed on the big jade rabbit, relentlessly striking its head.

Once, twice, three times, four times...

Like pounding rice cakes, the small jade rabbit hopped and beat the big jade rabbit with the pestle.

The scene was so brutal that even Ian felt sorry for the big jade rabbit.

'...If I had stolen the rice cakes without knowing anything at first, it would have been a disaster.'

The big jade rabbit was beaten to a pulp and fell. The small jade rabbit, as if nothing had happened, made cute sounds and carefully gathered the rice cakes into a bundle.

Was it planning to take the rice cakes and run? While Ian watched, the small jade rabbit made a large bundle of rice cakes and approached him, rubbing its face against his leg.

"Quoong~"

'Wait, what does it mean to be a jade rabbit's companion?'

He had definitely pulled off a marriage scam.

But since they were rabbits, why did he feel a creepy sense of a love triangle with two rabbits?

Before Ian could resolve his confusion, a system message appeared, indicating the completion of the quest.

System messages appeared one after another, initiating the awakening ceremony for the Dreamer. In fact, the Beginning Dream itself was an awakening ceremony, so there was nothing special.

White light enveloped Ian.

〈First Dreamer〉

The First Dreamer. This was the title held by the strongest Dreamer, who was ranked first in his previous life. Ian had obtained it three months early.

Ian knew about the existence of titles but not their detailed effects. Even the Dreamer Association couldn't easily access information about the top-ranked Dreamer.

'Damn, that's why he could fly around so much. It's clear that the faster you awaken, the better, right?'

A bonus of 10 stats meant a difference of over 10 levels in ability.

With a 50% growth bonus, it meant leveling up much faster than others.

'No wonder they even said he knew the system's secrets.'

While the Master's identity was naturally revealed by failing to stop the black fog, it was clear that the top-ranked Dreamer was a cheat.

Ian, who had briefly grumbled about the unfairness of the system, soon smiled happily.

'Anyway, thank you. This time, I'll enjoy it to the fullest.'

What seemed unfair when others had it was the best when he had it.

Ian had never heard of a succession system. After all, if there were no others with the same ability, there would be no chance to experience it.

'Yes.'

Ian happily accepted the succession.

"What? Wait...!"

The sudden misfortune caught Ian off guard. He wondered if the system had a bug and misinterpreted his acceptance as a rejection.

What exactly was he going to succeed if his level was reset?

〈First Dreamer Ian〉

Only the stats were succeeded.

In his previous life, Ian was level 51. At that time, 100 levels were considered high, so 51 was relatively low.

Only the stats of level 51 were succeeded.

'The sensation I feel in my body is clear.'

Ian distinctly felt the changes in his body. He hadn't noticed it when he grew level by level, but the sudden application of level 51 stats created a strong sense of dissonance.

General skills also progressed in a similar way.

'Yes.'

General skills were obtained through hard work and were varied. Therefore, they didn't all succeed.

In short, all the minor skills were omitted.

After confirming that the successfully succeeded skills were intact, Ian moved on to the final stage.

'Is a new unique skill really being added?'

Ian was becoming thoroughly irregular. He was monopolizing what other Dreamers had never experienced or obtained.

〈Review〉

'Preparation and review? They seem to be paired skills.'

One is about the future, the other about the past. It's as if the 'Premonition' skill Ian had was split into two.

It's like a regression for the future Ian and a premonition for the past Ian.