The rest of the day went by without any issues. Makihara ended up testing Shindo's changes, and she told him he had made improvements. The level still needed more work, which would take the rest of the week.

At night, though, things were different.

When Shindo fell asleep, he ended up back in the cave world.

This situation puzzled him; how could he have appeared in the exact location two nights in a row? Then, Shindo remembered something: a town not too far from here. Maybe he could find some townspeople and ask them about his predicament. Unfortunately, that was the place where the older man appeared. Shindo figured he would simply do his best to avoid the man.

He started walking towards the town and reached it in about five minutes. This time, the gate was open, so Shindo went straight into the village.

To the left, a stone sign read:

オネイリカ

"Oneirica," Shindo read. "So that's what this place is." It had a nice ring to it.

Oneirica looked like something straight out of the Edo period, even though the period ended in 1867. The northern part of Oneirica had a green castle that overlooked the town. The western and eastern portions contained one-story residences with thatched roofs and wooden structures. In the southern part of the town lay all of the essential buildings necessary to thrive. Finally, at the center of Oneirica lay a gazebo where the villagers could socialize.

In the last dream, there were no villagers. Now, there were plenty of them walking around.

Shindo went up to a boy of about twelve and asked, "What is this place?"

The boy replied, "This is Oneirica. What is up with your clothes?"

Sure enough, the boy wore the appropriate Edo-era attire while Shindo wore his modern-day pajamas.

"As you can see, I'm not really from around here. Do you know where I can get some help? I have no idea where to go," Shindo explained.

"The village shopkeeper knows all about Oneirica," said the boy. "You should go ask her. I will show you where she is."

The shopkeeper's building, located close to the gate, had various items for purchase, which included food, drinks, and medicine. Much to Shindo's surprise, he had money in his pockets. He used the money to buy some supplies, then went up to the shopkeeper to ask her about his dilemma.

"So, you are new around here? That is nice. We do not get a whole lot of outsiders around here," she said. "If you are looking to explore this town a bit, try going down the hill. You might find something special."

Growing suspicious and curious, Shindo paid for his food then climbed down the steep, crystal-populated hill near eastern Oneirica. He needed to be careful not to slip unless he wanted a watery demise.

Once he reached the bottom, he saw what looked like ruins. White pillars, some standing and some toppled over, covered the ground. The front part of the once-intact structure remained. Shindo walked forward and found a mysterious, locked door. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he found a silver key lying near the door.

Taking a deep breath, Shindo unlocked the door and went inside the wrecked building.