When this was taken care of, Ray made his way back to his room and decided to finally get some sleep. In the interview, he was also asked, what kind of courses he would like to attend in the month of preparation.
Back in his room, and after showering again, the moment his head hit the pillow, Ray fell asleep.
The next morning, he woke up early, like always. He then started his usual morning routine, did some stretching and worked out for a bit. After he was done, he went to fresh himself up in his private bathroom.
Once everything was good and his hair was also not annoying him anymore, Ray stepped out of his room and went towards the cafeteria. On the way, he saw many of the sleepers from yesterday, but also many new faces, 'Guess, those are the ones who were infected earlier this year.'
His unusual hair color and imposing statue also earned him quite a few looks from many, but that was nothing new.
Upon reaching the cafeteria, he immediately noticed an uproar close to a big screen. Still a bit sleepy, even after his workout and shower, Ray couldn't fully comprehend what was on the screen.
He opted to first get some food and coffee, before trying to understand it. Though, while getting his food, he received even more looks than normal, some that exuded awe and others that basically radiated annoyance and anger. Now Ray was even more confused, so, to wake up quickly he downed one of the coffees that were standing there for a while already and had therefore cooled down already and directed his attention back to the screen.
This time, Ray was finally able to see what was on there. It was the ranking, and in the top three was his name, together with his True Name. Understanding now, why he was the center of attention, he shrugged inwardly and continued to get his food.
As Ray continued piling food onto his plate, the murmurs in the cafeteria grew louder. Some Sleepers stared at him outright, while others whispered among themselves, stealing glances in his direction. It was nothing new to him - standing out had always been part of his life - but the intensity of their reactions was unusual.
Then, as expected, someone finally snapped.
A sharp voice rang out from near the ranking display.
"This has to be a joke."
Ray sighed internally but didn't bother looking up yet. The irritation in the voice was thick, and the speaker clearly wanted attention.
"How the hell does someone like him have a True Name?" The guy was tall, lean but well-built, with sharp features and the kind of confidence only those from prominent backgrounds carried. "I don't buy it. There has to be a mistake."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through a few of the legacies gathered around. Others simply watched, curious to see how this would unfold.
Ray finally looked up; his expression flat as he glanced at the arrogant Sleeper. 'Here we go…'
Before things could escalate, Caster - still wearing that well-practiced, outwardly friendly smile - placed a hand on the challenger's shoulder. "Come on now, you should know better than that." His tone was light, but his words carried weight. "Lies don't work in those interviews, and the recordings are reviewed. If his name is up there, then it's real."
The challenger scowled but didn't push further. He knew Caster was right.
Still, the doubt lingered in the air. Even as some accepted the explanation, others clearly weren't convinced.
Ray, meanwhile, couldn't care less. He grabbed his tray, adjusted the collar of his tracksuit jacket, and, without sparing another glance at the commotion, made his way through the crowd.
Across the room, sitting at a quiet table, were two familiar figures.
Sunny sat slouched over his food, hastily devouring everything it with his fork, as if it was the first ever time he was eating, while the blond girl from the day before sat across from him, silent and unmoving. Even with her calm demeanor, it was clear she was aware of everything happening around her.
Before sitting down, Ray briefly glanced in Nephis's direction. On the ranking board, she was the only other person to have a true name, this intrigued him greatly. She sat a short distance away from the crowd, close to one of the walls, listening but giving no outward reaction to the discussion. Still, for the first time, her gaze lingered on him for a fraction longer than usual before she turned away, completely unreadable.
Ray shrugged. 'Well, whatever.'
With that, he slid onto the bench beside Sunny, setting his tray down with a quiet 'clank'.
Sunny gave him a look, smirking slightly. "Causing trouble already?"
Ray snorted, picking up a piece of toast. "Didn't even do anything. People just like making noise."
Ray took a bite of his food, finally able to enjoy his breakfast despite the lingering stares in the cafeteria.
Let them talk. It didn't change a thing.
When the two were nearly done with their plates, Ray couldn't help but ask Sunny, "So, what courses have you chosen for the month?"
"Wilderness Survival," Sunny answered straightforward. "You?"
Ray shrugged, "A few combat courses and history of the dream realm."
Hearing this, Sunny looked up from his plate, and at Ray questioningly, "I can see the combat courses, but why history? You don't strike me as someone very invested in such things."
This caused a small tick mark to appear on Ray's forehead, "What do you take me for? A brute with only brawns for brain?"
Sunny, as honest and direct as he always seemed, "Yes, and no."
Ray rolled his eyes but couldn't help a smirk. "Alright, I'll bite - explain your logic."
Sunny, already finishing off the last of his meal, lazily leaned back in his chair and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Well, you don't seem dumb. But you do seem like the type who'd rather punch a problem in the face than sit down and study it."
Ray scoffed, stabbing a piece of bacon with his fork. "You make it sound like learning about the Dream Realm's history is useless."
"Didn't say that," Sunny replied casually. "Just unexpected."
Ray chewed thoughtfully before answering. "Knowing history means knowing what's out there. People have been in the Dream Realm for generations. If there's even a chance of learning what to expect, I'll take it."
Sunny tilted his head, considering. "Huh. Guess that makes sense."
"Also, never heard of the Quote: 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.'? Aside from this, there is just something I want to find out," added Ray.
"Nope never heard of it," answered Sunny, before directing his gaze back to his food.
The blond girl, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke. "It's a smart choice."
Both of them turned to look at her in slight surprise. She had barely reacted to anything until now.
Before Ray could ask what she meant, she continued, "Most treat history as if it's just stories from the past, but in the Dream Realm, history repeats more often than you'd think. Those who ignore it… usually don't last long."
Her voice was calm, almost distant, but there was an undeniable weight to her words.
Ray raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you know something about it."
She didn't respond immediately, instead folding her hands neatly in front of her. "Not firsthand," she admitted, "but I listen."
Sunny let out a quiet chuckle. "So, the quiet ones do have opinions."
She didn't smile, but something about her posture shifted slightly, as if she was vaguely amused.
Ray finished the last of his meal and leaned back. "Well, guess I'll see if all that knowledge actually helps in the end."
Sunny smirked. "Hope it does, or all that studying would be a waste."
Ray chuckled. "And if it doesn't, I'll just do what you said - punch the problem in the face."
That actually got a small laugh out of Sunny. "Now that's more like it."
The atmosphere on the table was now a bit more cheerful, but the breakfast over soon anyway. Marking the start of their training time.