Chapter 40 - Nightmare Realm

Sheyan's waving posture remained the same, however once returning to the nightmare realm, an intolerable radiation flashed into his eyes, completely blinding him. Instantly, he had no clue what was happening. However, his body was overflowing with a strange and heavy sensation, even his hearing had become muffled.

After a few spots of lights started to appear in his vision, Sheyan gradually recovered his sight. After waking up, he realized those lights were like glimmering stars! Looking around, it was as though he was placed in the limitless universal space, dark and encompassed by a deep gloomy color.

Soon after, Sheyan started having 3D projections appearing in front of him, the scenes of Jack/Cazider/Los Angeles policemen engaging in battle flashed, following that the murder scenes of the three T-750 terminators, killing of Jack and Cazider, meeting Sarah, killing T-1000, death of Arthur and Gensha, getting terminator servants, going to abandoned factory, encountering the team of Terminators, killing them, making them servants and breaking the timeline as the projection finally ended.

The space subsequently displayed the following information:

[ World: Terminator ]

[ Difficulty: Extremely easy (E class) ]

[ Pain limitation: 70% ]

[ Individual enhanced capabilities: 50%. ]

[ Present world exploration rate: 83.67% ]

[ Milestone completion rate: Treacherous ally completed, Efficient user completed, Butcher completed, Coldblooded completed, Machine lover completed, Techno mechanic completed, Love spark completed, Machine predator completed. ]

[ Additional information: Scenario setting is peaceful, contestant will not drop loots upon death, Digitized character information modulation initializing, contestant can check on his personal attribute through the nightmare imprint. ]

[ Mission completion rate: 100% ]

[ Mission completion score: SSS, Note: lowest score is E, Highest score is a perfect SSS ]

[ Scenario completion reward: Free attribute points – 20 point, Utility points – 30000 points, Potential points – 30 points ]

[ +1 legend level: additional reward- 2 Free attribute points, 3000 utility points, 3 potential points. ]

[ Contestant's current free attribute points: 22 point. ]

[ You can at any one time use your free attribute points to strengthen any personal attribute (Strength/ agility etc), upgrading oneself. ]

[ You have accomplished your first main mission: Nightmare imprint interspatial ability activated, your current interspatial space is 0.5 cubic metres. The weight limit cannot exceed 10kg. ]

[ You have achieved the perfect SSS score for your first nightmare realm experience, this deed has never been done in the nightmare realm's history. ]

[ Nightmare realm 'C' Noah has decided to promote you to the 'seeded one' from a normal Contestant. Do you accept Yes/No. ]

Sheyan looked at the SSS score and smiled, the mission he received from his system has been achieved that means one more special ability. He quickly read all the information and finally came to the last question.

'Seeded one? Oh right i remember, above the normal contestant is the seeded one and above the seeded one is the Chosen one, i don't know if there is anything above that. Each of these promotions gives tremendous benefits to the contestants, but it also means the people behind the nightmare realm will put more attention on me. A spy doesn't need more attention.' Sheyan thought and selected no.

[ You have refused to be promoted to the seeded one. ]

The vast twinkling universe started turning blurry, eventually turning into darkness. Once Sheyan regained his vision, he was currently in a small room. This room was plain and simple, its surroundings were made of metal, like a modern day battleship design, concise, agile and experienced. The room only had empty walls and a small metal stool on the floor. Very quickly, the nightmare imprint notified:

[ This is your personal room within the nightmare realm, external individuals will not be able to enter, the objects that cannot return to the present world can be stored in this room. If you are injured, you can recuperate here rapidly for a certain fee. The key to enter is your nightmare imprint. Within the nightmare realm, your external looks will be fuzzy, therefore when interacting with others, do not expose your true identity which may result in dire consequences in the future. Any request or inquiry can be made through the nightmare imprint which will cost a fee of utility points. ]

"So this is the nightmare realm, this room is pretty empty and small." Sheyan spoke, his body felt weaker suddenly.

"Oh right that 50% attribute bonus has been revoked." Sheyan remembered and opened the property panel to check his current stats.

[ Contestant no. 1018 ]

[ HP: 1520 (+100 Equipment) MP: 290 ]

[ STR: 11 (+3 from equipment) ]

[ AGI: 12 (+6 from equipment) ]

[ PHY: 12 ]

[ PER: 29 (+4 from equipment) ]

[ INT: 29 ]

[ SPI: 33 ]

[ CHA: 31 (+4 from equipment) ]

[ DEF: 16 (+10 from equipment) ]

[ Innate abilities:

Endurance (Not Awakened)

Heavy Armoured (Awakened)

Refined Steel (Awakened)

Hightened sense (Not Awakened)

Refracted Shot (Not Awakened)

Sharp Shooter (Awakened)

Fluid state (Not Awakened)

Gold skin (Not Awakened)

Charmer (Not Awakened)

Trained (Not Awakened) 1/3 ]

"The bonus I received from the T-800 is also gone, no worries tho i still have them with me." Sheyan spoke and turned around to look at Charl and Krist who were looking around at room.

"Sir what is this place?" Krist asked.

"I will explain slowly, it's a long story. First thing, the nightmare realm i want to increase the area of this room." Sheyan spoke.

[ You can use utility points to increase the area of your room, furniture can either be brought back from the nightmare realm worlds, or it can be bought from the nightmare realm store. ] Nightmare imprint on his chest replied.

"How many utility points for increasing one square metre?" Sheyan asked again.

[ 500 utility points per square metre. ] Nightmare realm replied.

'Fuck so expensive, now i know why Sheyan never increased the size of his room. Let's see how many utility points i got.' Sheyan opened his property panel to check his utility points.

[ Contestant no. 1018 ]

[ Utility points: 59066 ]

[ Potential points: 54 ]

[ Achievement points: 43 ]

"I got so many already? Money really increases when you don't pay attention to it, nightmare realm, use 50000 utility points to increase the area of this room. " Sheyan spoke after checking his points.

[ Using 50000 utility points to increase the area of personal room space. ]

Sheyan, Charl and Krist looked around, walls quickly moved back and the area of the room increased.

Sheyan looked at the big room with a satisfied smile.

"Nice, the only missing things are furniture and dividing more rooms." Sheyan said and opened the store.

There weren't many items listed on it, only a simple single bed for 500 points, a simple wooden chair for 100 points, a wooden table for 300 points, and basic ability scrolls for 3000 points each.

"Looks like i have to trade with other contestants to get better furniture." Sheyan spoke after reading the list.

"Nightmare realm i want to divide this room by making Walls and doors." Sheyan spoke to the nightmare realm.

[ One wall price 500 utility points. A wooden door is 100 utility points, metal door is 500 utility points, rates vary for fancy doors, same for the windows. ] Nightmare imprint replied.

"Really a blood sucker." Sheyan cursed.

"Krist Charl come with me, i will explain the things to you later." Sheyan spoke and moved towards the wall, krist and Charl followed him.

Wall parted on its own for Sheyan and girls to exit the room.

They walked out and the wall closed itself, there is no door to enter his personal space only his nightmare imprint can part his room's walls for him to enter.

Sheyan inquired about the shopping district from his nightmare Imprint and got the direction.

After walking for a while Sheyan and girls came to an open space, where at least thousands humans were sitting or standing, making weird hand gestures and talking to each other. It was just like a night market.

Everyone had a shroud of mist covering their faces, their features were blocked by the dense fog. This was the nightmare realm's special protection system. The centre plaza had a few circular glaringly light doors, giving out a rippling radiance for unknown reasons. However, people could be seen coming to and fro from them, it didn't look like some forbidden ground.

Sheyan made his way to the nearest gathering. The sitting/squatting people were selling items, they all had various 3D projections of the items appearing in front of them, as well as their detailed measurements. It was as though they were all equipments gathered from the nightmare realm, however their prices were pretty high.

For example an ordinarily damaged handgun's value was worth 500 utility points, and this did not include ammunition. There were some medicines, food and even elixirs which were all beneficial in terms of regaining strength in battle or healing functions. There were also some basic mastery scrolls, which were cheaper by a little than the official pricing in the nightmare realm. There were some intermediate scrolls, fluency and proficiency scrolls too priced at 10000 of points.

Sheyan looked inside his interspatial storage, which had a small mountain of scrolls. Basic scrolls, intermediate scrolls, advanced scrolls, Expertise scrolls, all types of them were laying inside his storage.

'Nightmare realm i want to open a store here.' Sheyan spoke mentally.

[ 100 utility points for renting a small corner, 500 points for renting 5 square metres.... ]

Sheyan checked the list and used 5000 utility points to rent a 50 square metre shop with all shelves and counters.

Sheyan and the girls entered the shop and Sheyan put different ability scrolls on the shelves, The whole shop got filled with scrolls.

Sheyan put the price on scrolls, all basic scrolls at 2500, intermediate at 6000, advanced ones at 10000. Close range combat scrolls and long range combat scrolls were priced a little differently in other shops, close combat ones being cheaper than long range ones. But Sheyan's pricing was cheaper than all other shops. He priced fluency scrolls at 3500, proficiency at 7000 and mastery scrolls at 12000. After doing all these Sheyan sat back on the counter.

"Utility points would be railing in my pockets soon enough, oh right let's name the shop." Sheyan spoke and thought of a good name.

"Scroll Mega Mart!" Sheyan named the shop.