Nightmare Mythos

Cesar's description of his experiences inside of a memoir took a bit longer as he tried to delve into more accurate words, explaining the land he was in, giving more of his precise emotions while he was on that forest landscape, and his involvement of just running across it to escape at the encroaching darkness.

It took a few minutes for Cesar to articulate: "Then, the next thing I knew, a hand was pierced in the middle of my chest. The eyes of the monster looked straight ahead at the human who managed to instill fatal damage before… the monster cut the soldier's head.

"However the monster is already beyond recovery and is unable to heal itself. I remember it can only lay itself down on the ground as it waits for its death to come. But just as I was thinking the scene was about to be done, there was… an irritated voice? It seemed to be dissing someone with the name 'Apathy'.

Cesar let out a dry cough, trying to remember how the tone sounded before changing his tone after, "His exacts words were "Oh? What a fabulous coincidence! Surely, this is not some arrangement made by him, right? Darn you, Apathy… You really want me dead, huh? To the point of even setting me up with a corrupted, no less!? I'll get my—".

And it just stops,"

Baron and Vin were slightly surprised by the sudden change in Cesar's voice as if he wanted them to know everything until to the last detail, even if his voice had to change very comically.

For some reason, Cesar caught a glimpse of the two gentlemen's lips twitching before becoming reserved and focused again. If not for his heightened senses, he wouldn't have noticed it.

"?"

He couldn't understand what it meant and let them be. Remaining silent, he waited for their verdict.

As if they were really thinking about it, they pondered amongst themselves while giving facial signs like raising a brow, eye blinks, and lip movement that Cesar found interesting.

Of course, they couldn't understand each other just because of a few changes in a person's face which made Cesar mused inwardly.

'Telepathy? They are talking through their mind… Why would they even show that they can—ah, right... Someone insignificant didn't matter when discovering small secrets like this. It's nice that they somehow trust me though. Feels unfamiliar,'

They reassessed the situation before the two came to some discreet agreement. They both look at him in unison before the first one to speak was Vin.

"What you discovered is a name that doesn't exist in our data books. This is my first time hearing the name Apathy from someone, honestly. Even though we thoroughly checked after knowing Nightmares had names or titles corresponding to their own, we'll have to try and see but my memory never fails me so I'm confident,"

'Not existed in their data books? That's… new,'

The image he had with Nightmare Corps is a mysteriously gifted organization that has a variety of connections and sealed information they only knew. With members that have diverse backgrounds, there will always be one or two pieces of information regarding… something.

So his surprise was evidently clear.

Baron was the next one to speak, "I have the same answer as Captain Vin as well but we'll get this done in no time. Answers will definitely come, we just need to trust the process,"

Without further ado, both the gentlemen stood up and said their farewells to Cesar who immediately stopped them from exiting just before they managed to get out.

"Good sirs, may I ask if I can get some update once you receive additional intel regarding this?"

Baron looked at Vin, who shifted his gaze onto Cesar. He steadily stared at him in his place before nodding once.

"Okay,"

Then he left with Baron on his back.

A few seconds later, the door of the consultation room opened, revealing Arnold entering inside. With a curious look on his face, he reduced the distance between them and asked.

"Someone's excited,"

"Huh?"

Arnold chuckled, "Don't mind me. I'm just talking to myself,"

Suspiciously staring at him, Cesar crossed his arms, "Are you not going to ask anything? Or did you already hear it from the outside?"

"No, and no. I'm good enough. I don't need to learn more secrets while keeping a few on my own. I mean, look at me. I'm pretty busy enough," Arnold let out an exasperated sigh as he shrugged, "Though, I'll give you a piece of advice. Treasure those secrets yourself.

They might become your lifeline in the future,"

Cesar scoffed, "Thanks for the pep talk,"

"You brat!"

Upon remembering that he couldn't hit a student at this age, thinking the people a millennium ago were lucky to be able to do so, Arnold began to ponder some rebuttal on his own and eventually landed on one.

"You know, I always see you as a reserved and cool student. Most of the time, you are very mature to look at." Arnold snickered before acting as if he was the one who did it, "Even so... "Oh? What a fabulous coincidence! Surely, this is not some arrangement made by him, right?"

Arnol's voice expressed very grumpily probably due to his age which didn't look like Cesar's action earlier at all. Hence, Cesar was about to ask a question as to why would he copy him and the stupid voice he made earlier just to match the tone he heard from the memories.

'Why did he just—'

Suddenly, he remembered both the lips of Vin and Baron twitching.

"Oh…"

He finally understood what that movement meant earlier making him flustered.

"Hah!"

Arnold could only watch him with amusement. Unable to contain it any longer, he cackled so hard that he needed the walls to assist his body to stand up.

…

Walking back towards his room alone didn't produce excitement or disturbance. Arnold left him alone as he would have to supervise yet again to the ongoing selection but he had left Cesar with a task while he was on it.

And he didn't have a leeway to reject an instructor's orders, seeing that it doesn't require force or anything big actions to execute.

One just had to talk.

'Why is that guy torturing me? Freaking leave me alone…'

Cesar let out a tired sigh. Looking forward, he saw the sign of his room that signals his class was nearing and he would do the inevitable that Arnold had given.

Stopping at the room's doorsteps, Cesar clenched his fists, steeling his resolve to enter. Once he did, he pushed out all the nervousness by heaving it outside before entering inside.

Even if it was very silent to the point that one couldn't hear the door sliding, most of them managed to gaze at his presence before letting him be. Some stared at him for a few seconds before they came back to their business.

While they were doing so, Cesar was already walking inside. Yet instead of returning to his usual seat, he goes through the line of seats until he comes in front of the teacher's board.

Those he passed by instantly stopped whatever they were doing, some talking amongst their friends did the same thing. The others who noticed the silence that was permeating throughout the classroom couldn't help but look at one spot where everyone's gaze fell.

There, standing alone, Cesar looked around indifferently.

Feeling no pressure at their gazes whatsoever, Cesar voiced out, "I'm glad that everyone is paying attention. This will be easy to remind everyone then,"

Mostly everyone who gets to know Cesar through his exemplary achievement for the past few years felt nervous. He was, after all, the only person in the entire history since the academy had been built who made his way from the top coming from the very bottom of the classes.

He started small, weak, and inexperienced. He had encountered horrors that most of the students here hadn't come across yet due to his perseverance to be at the top where his life wouldn't feel threatened, he worked hard and only thought about what would be good for him in the long run.

He was given The Freak title amongst the academy grounds. Mostly because his endeavors consisted of freakish encounters that his opponents wouldn't even notice what was happening until it already ended.

Normally, people picked a fight with fellow students from time to time but they avoided Cesar the most, knowing his strength didn't rely on his raw power but his freak mind. Of course, he can fight, and throw his hands at some, but it was his cunningness that stood out the most.

He was goddamn smart that most people find it bothersome.

Hence they wouldn't become his enemies now.

Cesar let out a small cough, "Get your Nightmare Books and go to pages 101-120. This entire chapter of lessons corresponded to basic survival necessities in case someone encountered a Nightmare they found… worrisome. It just means you have a low survival rate. Still, it's better to struggle rather than to surrender of being eaten alive, right?"

Some students laughed awkwardly, thinking that Cesar was making a joke but was entirely wrong when the person in charge voiced out.

"What's so funny?"

The room became silent once more before Cesar added.

"Study these because there will be a quiz tomorrow. That's all,"

Leaving in the front class, Cesar made his way to his seat and grabbed the book material since he had to review it as well. Who will follow the person in charge if he wasn't reading in the first place?

Besides, he did everything he could. It will be their fault if they don't review which might result in a derank of their position.

Understanding this, everyone got to work and did a self-study independently.