Shadow Slaves
Chapter 19: Crossing the Bridge

Sunny stood in front of the massive and seemingly indestructible Red Gate of the Resurrection Academy. The Academy was actually a city within a city. It was built like a fortress, with high walls made of hard alloys, deep trenches and many large caliber towers placed at specific positions to create a deadly air suppression dome. No Nightmare Beings, not even colossal giants, should be able to break through its defenses.

It is a legendary place. In fact, many of the webtoons, teen dramas, and most popular novels happen right behind that wall. The adventures, rivalries and romantic attachments of the young heroes of the Rising are the mainstream themes of modern entertainment. Never in his wildest dreams did Sunny imagine actually being one of these heroes.

Of course, how things really are is very different from what is portrayed in the media. More than that, he only had four weeks to spend here before venturing into the Dream Realm. Even if he wanted to, there wasn't enough time for all kinds of attachments. And he certainly wouldn't.

He had to learn how to survive, not waste time on such nonsense!

The snow slowly fell to the ground. It was cold and silent in front of the Academy gates. Except for Sunny, there was only one other new sleeper, if he had to guess.

It was a tall girl, slender around her age, with clear gray eyes and a detached expression on her face. She had strange silvery-white hair that was cut short and neatly slashed to the side. Just like him, he wore police-issued sportswear and did not carry any personal belongings. On his head, there was a pair of ancient headphones. He calmly listened to the music while they waited.

There was a certain vibe to the silver-haired girl. It was sort of ...it was as if he was separated from the world. He looked confident and independent, but also somewhat lonely.

Sunny won't start the conversation. Who knew what kind of situation he would face because of that damn flaw? Better to keep it to yourself.

He looked at the girl and sighed.

‘I want to know what defect she has?’

Finally, the gate began to open. A gigantic, extremely thick reinforced metal sheet slowly descended, creating a long bridge. Sunny looked ahead with a grim determination.

Master Jet's farewell words echoed in his mind.

***

On their way to the Academy, Sunny did not say much, looking at the cityscape that flew past the windows of Jet's private transport vehicle. In fact, this was her first time sitting at a PTV: most people in the city couldn't even dream of getting a SIM and buying such a vehicle, having to deal with public transportation.

He's been riding in the back of a police car once or twice, but it's a completely different experience.

At one point, Master Jet looked at him and said:

“Since we are both from the outskirts, I will give you three pieces of advice. Whether you listen to me or not, it's your business.”

Sunny looked over, waiting.

“First: once you are enrolled in the Academy, they will offer you psychological counseling again. There will also be valuable rewards for sharing your experiences on Nightmare and your Rating details. You will be able to receive soul fragments, maybe even some of them.”

He frowned.

“Are you trying to convince me to visit a psychiatrist again?”

Jet shook his head.

“No. I told you to refuse.”

Surprised, Sunny raised his eyebrows.

“Why?”

There was a pause before he answered.

“You're too green to understand, but out there in the Dream Realm, Nightmare Beings aren't the only danger. Once you grow strong enough, humans will become the same threat. The less they know about your Aspect, the better.”

So that's how it is.

“The easiest way to defeat a strong Resurrection is to use their Defects. That was why the foolish young people in the Academy were encouraged in various ways to share the details of their Aspect. I'm not saying that the government will divulge your information, but once two people find out a secret, it's not a secret anymore. And there are many people working for the government.”

That makes a lot of sense.

“Thank you, Mr. Jet.”

“Second: there will be many courses to choose from. All kinds of combat training, deep dive into the categories and vulnerabilities of Nightmare Beings, the basics of different kinds of magic, the study of artifacts, and so on.”

Sunny gulps. In fact, he had already thought about what weapons to use to practice. Four weeks is not enough to master a weapon, but at least he will have a basic understanding of it.

“Ignore all that. The only course you have time to attend is Wilderness Survival.”

He blinked.

“What?”

Jet glanced.

“This is different from city children, who learn all kinds of useful things in school and from their tutors. But we don't have that advantage, do we? What was the biggest threat to your life during that Nightmare?”

Sunny thought. On the surface, the most dangerous thing he faced was tyrant, followed by Hero Auro of the Nine. But the truth is, what nearly killed him in the end was

“Cold.”

Jet smiles.

“Smart. You only know how to survive in the city. But the Dream Realm was mostly made of wilderness. Do you know how to make a fire? How to get food? How to find a safe shelter? No. gabe. Fighting monsters is important, but it will be useless if you starve to death or are exposed to the elements. Trust me. I've learned it the hard way.”

Sunny nodded, angry at himself. It was very obvious, yet he had never even thought of these seemingly simple things. He is blinded by his past habits and experiences.

The human brain is like that: so accustomed to a certain way of life, it is difficult to forget the usual routine. That is the worst lazy thought.

At that moment, Master Jet stopped his car and opened the door, then exited. Sunny followed him and was stunned for a moment, staring at the colossal metal gate before them.

This is the famous ..Revival Academy.

After a few seconds, he dispelled his astonishment and turned to his senior.

“This is as far as I can,” he said, staring at the Academy wall cheerfully. “I've already told them. Someone will pick you up in a minute.”

There was something dark in the depths of his icy blue eyes. Sunny suddenly felt a cold feeling spread throughout her body.

“What is the third suggestion?”

Master Jet glanced at him, then sighed.

“Remember: no one can survive in the Dream Realm alone. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. Try hanging out with your friends, even if they don't treat you well. It might save your life.”

Then he suddenly smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

“You have done well to hold on until now. Make sure you also stay alive in the future.”

Then he went back to his PTV and left. Just like that, he left.

***

The end of the metal bridge hit a special groove on the ground and stopped moving after a loud clicking sound. Sunny looked ahead, wondering what kind of life he would live in the next four weeks.

Keep your Defects and Aspects secret, learn to survive in the wilderness, be nice to other Sleeper. It doesn't sound too loud.

But, for some reason, he was convinced that these weeks would be as challenging as his First Nightmare. Or maybe even worse.

Seeming free from such worries, the silver-haired girl walked forward and stepped on the bridge.

Sunny sighed and reluctantly followed.