Alex barely had time to process what was happening before everything around him shattered like a fragile mirror. The dungeon, the Manticore, and even the battlefield—all of it fragmented into nothingness.

And then—

THUD!

He hit the ground hard, his body convulsing the moment it made contact with the cold earth. A sharp, agonizing pain erupted through every fiber of his being, far worse than anything he had endured inside the dungeon.

“Guh—!” Alex groaned, his fingers clawing at the dirt as his body spasmed uncontrollably. His nerves burned, his muscles screamed, and his very bones felt like they were being crushed under an immense weight.

It was the backlash—his bloodline and physique clashing after prolonged use.

A flood of system notifications appeared in his vision, blinking rapidly with achievement messages, experience gains, and new skill acquisition.

[Congratulations! You have cleared the Seven-Star Red Tower’s Seventh Floor!]

[You have received 50,000 points as a reward.]

[New Skill Acquired: Desperate Survival.]

[The first restriction has been lifted.]

[You can now connect your stars and enter the Star Connection realm.]

[New System Skill Acquired: Dream Walking.]

But none of it mattered right now.

“D-Damn it…!” Alex gritted his teeth, trying to push himself up, but the pain was unbearable. His limbs felt like they weighed a thousand tons. His vision blurred, and dark spots danced in his eyes.

He knew what he had to do—getting into the system space was the only way to stop this, as he had absolute control there, but in his current state, moving was out of the question.

‘Tch… at this rate… I might actually pass out…’

Then, cutting through his pain-ridden thoughts, a sharp screech echoed through the air.

Nyxia.

A streak of black shot down from the sky, moving like a blur. In mere seconds, powerful claws latched onto his shoulders, effortlessly lifting his trembling form off the ground.

“Grah—!” Alex grunted at the sudden movement, but his pain-addled mind barely registered anything beyond the fact that he was no longer on the ground.

Nyxia’s wings flapped with powerful beats, the black owl soaring through the sky with precision, her silver star-marked feathers glimmering under the moonlight.

She was fast—faster than Alex had ever seen her move before. It was clear that Sophie had prepared for this exact moment.

The portal leading to the system space shimmered in the distance, its familiar glow welcoming them.

Alex’s consciousness flickered in and out, but before he could completely black out, he felt a shift in the air. They had passed through.

………………………..

The moment they arrived, a figure rushed forward with urgency.

“Nyxia! Here!” Sophie’s voice rang out, her tone filled with worry.

Nyxia released her grip, carefully lowering Alex into Sophie’s waiting arms. His body was still trembling, his breathing ragged, but the second Sophie touched him, the pain seemed to ease slightly.

She wasted no time. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him close, guiding him inside the system space where his authority allowed him complete control.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, the effect was immediate.

Alex let out a shuddering breath as his pain dulled, his muscles finally beginning to relax.

The system space was absolute—here, his body wouldn’t be forced to bear the backlash of his abilities.

His ragged breathing evened out, his trembling subsiding. He exhaled slowly, then spoke in a hoarse voice. “I… I’m fine now, Sophie. You can let go.”

But she didn’t.

Instead, Sophie tightened her hold around him, her body pressed against his as she walked toward the bed in the room.

“Sophie?” Alex’s brow furrowed, confusion flickering in his still-clouded eyes.

“You’re not fine.” Her voice was firm yet gentle. “Not even close.”

She laid him down on the soft sheets, her hands lingering on his chest for a moment. Then, without hesitation, she began removing his tattered clothes.

Alex stiffened. “S-Sophie—?”

“Don’t even try to argue,” she cut him off, her expression unwavering as she peeled away the remains of his shredded shirt. “Your body’s a mess. You need rest, and I’m making sure you get it.”

‘But that’s not even possible…’ Alex wanted to retort, but knowing it wouldn’t get him anywhere, he just sighed.

In the system space, MC was like a god, so was there a reason for him to feel fatigued? He could snap his finger and whoosh, fatigue was gone.

Looking at the situation, however, he decided against it.

Sophie rarely made demands, and when she did, it was better to listen. She deserved that much for always listening to him.

Letting his fatigue stay, he decided to close his eyes and saw Sophie smiling at him as she realized that he was doing what he had asked for.

Shaking his head inwardly, he let his body sink into the comfort of the bed, finally allowing the exhaustion to wash over him.

His eyes fluttered shut as he drifted into his sleep, if that was even possible in the first place.

This was the dream world—the place he could access when he slept—was it even possible to sleep here?

He soon found out the answer as he let himself drift into the darkness of sleep.

It seemed that it was possible. He just had to will it.

………………………..

It had been a while, and now, Alex was awake, staring at the notifications he had received from the system after clearing the dungeon.

[Congratulations! You have cleared the Seven-Star Red Tower’s Seventh Floor!]

[You have received 50,000 points as a reward!]

[New Skill Acquired: Desperate Survival.]

[The first restriction has been lifted.]

[You can now connect your stars and enter the Star Connection realm.]

[New System Skill Acquired: Dream Walking.]

His gaze lingered on the last two messages. ‘Star Connection realm…’ he mused.

That was a significant breakthrough.

The restriction lifting was something he had been anticipating for a while, but to see it happen now, after all he had been through, sent a strange rush through him.

A soft shift on his lap pulled him from his thoughts.

Sophie was nestled against him, her back resting against his chest as he held her close. The warmth of her body against his own was grounding, her presence a quiet reminder that he was truly safe now.

“Can’t you just relax for a while?” She murmured, tilting her head slightly to glance at him. Her royal blue eyes shimmered, scanning his face for any lingering pain.

“If I were to listen to you, I would find myself sleeping most of the time,” he sighed at her words, making Sophie puff her cheeks.

But before she could speak, Alex tightened his arms around her waist slightly. “You know I’ve got a lot to process, right?”

He then gestured toward the notifications still floating in his vision. “Mind explaining some of this?” He asked.

Sophie stared at him for a while before shaking her head, shifting comfortably in his hold. “Which part?”

He rested his chin on her shoulder, scanning the list again. “Let’s start with this ‘Desperate Survival’ skill.”

She nodded, and with a small wave of her hand, a translucent screen appeared before them.

[Desperate Survival: When the host is near death, all stats will temporarily increase by 200%, and pain will be reduced significantly until the battle ends. Warning: Extended use will cause severe physical and mental backlash.]

Alex whistled lowly. “That’s… terrifyingly useful.”

“It is,” Sophie agreed, leaning back into him. “But the backlash could be worse than what you just went through.”

He grimaced at the thought. “Yeah… not something I’d want to rely on unless absolutely necessary.”

She hummed in agreement before gesturing toward the next notification. “And this is the big one,” she said, pointing at the lifted restriction.

Alex’s eyes flicked over the message again. “Star Connection realm… So, I can finally link my stars?”

“Yes,” Sophie confirmed, tracing invisible patterns on his arm. “This is a major leap forward in your cultivation.”

Alex smirked. “So, I finally get to play in the big leagues.”

She giggled, shifting to glance at him. “You were already playing in the big leagues, Alex. This makes you even more ridiculous.”

He chuckled, resting his forehead against her shoulder for a brief moment. “And ‘Dream Walking’?” He asked.

Sophie’s expression turned thoughtful. “It is something related to the restrictions in your body. This ability, just like the dream world, is a function connected to you but executed by the system.”

Pausing a bit as if searching for more data on the ability, she added, “By consuming points, you can walk into others’ dreams and subtly manipulate them. The weaker the target, the more you can manipulate.”

His grip on her waist tightened again. “That sounds insanely useful.”

“It is,” she admitted with a smile. “But it’s point-consuming.”

Alex let the information sink in, his fingers absently tracing patterns on Sophie’s side.

It was only after a while that he spoke. “That Manticore. It wasn’t normal… was it?”

This question had been plaguing his mind from the moment he saw the Manticore and he finally couldn’t keep it in.

And hearing his question, Sophie turned in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes, it wasn’t normal.”

Staring into his eyes, she continued. “Just like you, it was also a beast that was sleeping, but unlike you, it was unknowingly pulled into your dream world.”

“So it exists in the real world?” Alex asked, his brow raised.

“Yes, it very much does, and you might get to meet it soon if you keep growing.” Sophie nodded, making Alex hum thoughtfully.

Suddenly, a new question appeared in his mind. “Why was a being unrelated to me pulled into the dream world, though?”

“It was because the dream world, which was related to the system, couldn’t create a being that could push you to your limit until then.”

“I see…” Alex, breathing out slowly, rests his head on her shoulder before he realizes something. “Wait. You said until then, does it mean…?”

“Yes,” Sophie smiled, “The system and the dream world had grown along with you.”

He leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. “It’s good, I guess.”

Sophie smiled, her fingers brushing through his hair. “Yes.”

Her expression then turned stern as she added, “Now stay here for a bit longer before you start cultivating.”

Chuckling, Alex nodded with a smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

He didn’t mind staying here for a little longer, as he never hated Sophie’s company. It was rather relaxing.

He felt like it was good to do this once in a while, as spending time with his women was a way to heal his mental fatigue.

He planned to meet with Zahara, Mira, and Lilia before he went into closed-door cultivation to connect his stars.

He wanted to tell them not to worry about his absence, as the next time he met them again, he would be stronger than he was right now.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep