What A Dream Wants

The sunshine landed on his face. He stirred in his sleep and turned over.

The sunshine slapped the back of his head a couple more times.

He realized that he wouldn't be able to sleep with the sunshine being such a nuisance, so he decided to wake up...

And he sat up, his mouth curling into a yawn. His hoarse voice rang out softly. It took a while for him to get his bearing. But once his vision unfogged, and through the tears of the morning, he saw the sunlight poking him through the glass. Hopping about on the window sill, the birds stared curiously at his face. They wondered how he could eat if he had no beak.

Steven got dressed and headed to the cafeteria.

. . .

Basically, he ate some food in the cafeteria.

. . .

He walked to class and sat down in his seat as he waited for the teacher.

She walked in, sporting a happy smile.

"Alright class, settle down!" Mrs. Happi chirped, hoping the cliche phrase would slip by her students. Sadly, since she used it three days in a row, and seeing that they noticed on the second day, she should have known better.

Alas, she was merely, but a teacher, and the students merely, but students. They stared.

She coughed and decided to do attendance.

"So, next week, there's a special event," She buzzed, waving jazz hands.

Stares.

"It's... the Freshmen Duel!" She announced excitedly, trying to awkwardly hop around, and wave her hands again as if she was presenting something cool.

More stares.

She coughed.

Steven started falling asleep.

"So... the Freshmen Duel is an optional competition you can sign up for. It takes place entirely in VR simulation, that is... it can simulate real-life. Since it's an event that takes place during school hours, if you don't sign up to participate, you still have to watch the battles. The spectators include the entire school and important outsiders."

Steven's eyes opened, his eyes lit up. That meant... he could sleep for an entire week!

"The event determines your school rankings for this year. The school rankings help promote you for jobs and rewards. Your rankings can be changed through personal duels. If you don't participate, you don't get any compensation other than the basic 3000 contribution points every month. There are other ways to get contribution points- especially if you don't excel at fighting, so don't worry." She proclaimed encouragingly. In other words, she was saying that there were no rewards for not fighting or participating... so might as well just participate.

Steven decided not to participate.

"Before I forget to mention, the top 100 get a 1000 point bonus every month."

Although Steven was intrigued, he wasn't really motivated to do anything. 1000 contribution points could only buy one dish in the restaurant. After all, it was "Food For The Heavens".

"Top 50 get access to the higher tier library databases and other external resources."

Steven was confused. Who reads books? Who even reads? All he knew how to do was look at paper and then decipher the words using his mind.

"Top 25 get special consumable resources, including pills and herbs, every month for a year."

Steven knew that most pills didn't taste very good, so he wasn't really excited.

"Top 10 get unlimited 1-year access passes to cultivate in element-specific places and other natural formations that speed up cultivation."

Steven just started cultivating so he knew that this wasn't really necessary for him.

"Top 5 get a free unlimited 7-day meal pass for the campus restaurant. Each dish in the restaurant improves cultivation, and the most expensive dishes can even help with breakthroughs."

Steven now faced a conundrum. Sleep for one week or eat for one week? This indeed was quite difficult of a choice.

"Top 3 get to choose any prize from the treasure hall, with the person ranking first having the first pick."

Steven felt bored at the prospects of "treasure". Truly amazing treasures would not be stored in a dusty treasure hall.

(They were actually stored in a top of the art simulation lab meant to adjust to every treasure's individual needs.)

"Top 2 get a bundle of Ameythest Mist Grass. The grass naturally gives off a mist that accelerates cultivation speed for those in the vicinity. It also has the effect of calming souls and spirits."

Does Grass taste good? No.

Oh wait, there is grass jelly. Grass Jelly does have a calming effect on one's soul.

"First place gets the Aureus Draconic Herb. It's an expensive herb that can use for cultivation, pill making, and more. Moreover, the first place also receives an interspatial ring."

Steven did not know what an Aureus Draconic Herb was, but he really didn't care about cultivation enhancing herbs. Even though, he did sort of want to not have to carry things everywhere. An interspatial ring would be helpful for that.

"That's all." Ms. Happi concluded. "Please sign this sheet if you want to participate! You have until the end of today to sign it! I'm hanging it on the wall over here. You can also sign up via online form, but I spent so much time printing this out! The 3D printer was broken, and a 2D printer is so confusing! Only 2 dimensions! You can't even add... texture."

Steven was unsure about what to do.

Suddenly, a guy tapped him on the shoulder.

It was Zero.

Why was Steven not surprised?

"You should participate," Zero told him.

"I don't know how to fight," Steven replied unsurely. "Besides, I just learned cultivation yesterday."

"I'll teach you how to fight." Zero replied.

"There's only a couple days until the tournament..."

"I'll teach you the San Tian martial art technique."

"What's that?" Steven asked.

"A martial technique you can learn in three days,"

"There's only two days." Steven protested.

"I'll teach you the Liang Tian martial art technique."

"What's that?"

"A martial technique you can learn in two days,"

Steven stumped, said: "..." because he had nothing to say.

He signed it in the end because people like Zero were not to be reasoned with. They had zero common sense. His dream of sleeping for a week was shattered. He watched it crumble into powder and shards, falling, clashing, and dancing on the floor as it splintered more and more. Such were his dreams.