The Lords
Destructive snow spiralled powerfully. Three Lords of Calamity had gathered here, the power they attracted clearly greater than usual.
That white snow floated down slowly in great swathes, melting away everything it touched. However, these three lords did not seem to feel a thing as they discussed their own affairs.
“It’s very difficult to determine…” The enormous wheel blinked its many eyes, clearly hesitant. “Few secret treasures can allow a rank 7 to withstand someone of our power, even from the ancient times of the Magi and the World of Gods. I’m more inclined to think that it’s a peak rank 8 faking their identity. Such an existence would find it very easy to hide from a dream demon’s senses…”
It was absolutely unthinkable for a mere rank 7 being of laws, or even two for that matter, to get rid of a Lord of Calamity. Had a peak rank 8 wanted to conceal themselves, even the perception of the dream demons wouldn’t allow them to distinguish the real from the fake.
“If that existence was truly disguising their form, then the previous information we received needs to be completely thrown out?” The human head of the three-headed monster asked.
“This is actually the best case scenario,” the Eye Emissary said coldly, “Salilus falling due to his vengeance and hatred would actually be the best case scenario.”
“Then, what is the worst case scenario?” The female thundergiant asked.
“Don’t you feel like the situation is very familiar? Especially the interference from Dreamscape itself... “ As the Eye Emissary spoke, destructive black lightning streaked past the horizon.
“You’re saying… The one whose bloodline we collectively cursed?” The three-headed monster hesitated in its words.
“That’s impossible!” The female thundergiant’s eyes grew intensely agitated, the sparks undulating along her body revealing her anxious heart.
“You don’t know the price we paid for it! We sacrificed the souls of seven great worlds, and only motivated the last Nightmare King into depression due to the sacrifice of the Monarch of Despair. It was after all that that he thought of ending his own life. If it wasn’t for the fatal flaw in the Nightmare King’s psyche and truesoul, our plan would never have succeeded!
“The Nightmare King finally chose to use the World of Gods’ protective sphere and ended its life there. The inheritance of the Nightmare Absorbing Physique ended there!” The female thundergiant roared, “Yet now you’re telling me that the Nightmare King has returned! Did he crawl back out from the World of Gods?”
The giant grew more and more emotional as she spoke, her voice trembling faintly. It was clear that her fear for the previous Nightmare King was limitless. After all, he’d killed over a dozen Lords of Calamity, a powerful existence at the peak of rank 8!
“It’s only speculation…” The enormous figure of the Eye Emissary trembled as well. It was clear that he’d remembered those bitter times unwillingly.
“However, there are other ways to sway Dreamscape’s conscient. A peak rank 8 existence can easily conceal itself against it…” He added finally, “It’s still only a possibility.”
“In brief, the Nightmare King has already left Dreamscape. We must wait until the World Origin Force lifts the seal and dreamforce recovers before we can venture out of Dreamscape to investigate.”
The three-headed monster’s black goat head said, “Before that happens, to avoid discovery, shall we combine our seals together?”
“Endless power of dissolution, the black goat’s egg of rippling decay… Your suggestion is very good, but it’s a shame that I can’t trust you.” The female thundergiant shot a glance at the three-headed creature, “I have other allies. Even if I wanted an alliance, I would never think of joining with you. You had better give up on this.”
“No, Molina! I’m so crazy about you…” The three-headed monster howled in anguish, the human face in the centre seemingly on the verge of tears. “This proposal is very good, let’s transmit it to all the other Lords of Calamity. Let them cast their votes!”
“Give up… Even without Salilus, I would never love you!” The female thundergiant suddenly turned into lightning and streaked off to the end of the horizon. Only the three-headed monster was left behind, incessantly bellowing in rage, “Aaaahh… Damn you Salilus, I’ll kill you! Even if you revive, I’ll kill you once again!”
……
Time passed. Leylin had returned to the Magus World once again, currently at his laboratory.
The experiment table had not changed in the slightest. The flame at its side still continued to give off light and heat, as if Leylin had only left for a brief moment.
In that brief moment, however, a Lord of Calamity had died at his hands. If news of this got out, it would surely shake countless worlds. However, that would be accompanied by the spread of Leylin’s name. The Magus World would face the retaliation of the other Lords of Calamity.
Although the subterranean Magi of laws had the ability to resist the attack, the surface world did not. Leylin did not feel that Mother Core would so generously make an enemy out of a whole group of Lords of Calamity to protect him, so it was better to keep a low profile.
“How long was I gone this time?” Leylin walked to the corner of the laboratory and looked at the black sculpture of a demisnake.
*Crack! Crack!* As soon as his voice was heard, the statue’s eyes lit up with two red flames. Its smooth and perfect body began to move.
With a rumble, the statue seemed to come to life within a short span of time. It became a demisnake golem guard and respectfully bowed to Leylin. “You have been away for 7 days and 9 Magus hours, my Lord. Lady Freya came to find you in this time, leaving a short message…”
“I know,” Leylin waved his hand, letting the statue resume its original position and form. A look of contemplation flashed across his eyes.
‘I spent far longer in Dreamscape than a mere seven days. The discrepancy in the flow of time between the two sides is too great. Is this the influence of my seal in Dreamscape?’ As he came to a bookshelf, Leylin flipped through information on Dreamscape’s flow of time and recorded the content he’d discovered himself.
The red ink left behind bright marks on the yellowed parchment, the complex ornate characters holding a strange power of law.
Although Leylin could use the A.I. Chip to record everything in a flash, he still persevered with making hard copies of some experimental data as a backup. These resources would be extremely precious to his family and subordinates. With some concept of laws left behind, they would become a treasure passed from generation to generation.
Completing this, Leylin began to sort out the benefits he’d reaped from Dreamscape.
“First is this…” A gold draconic ring appeared in Leylin’s hand, with three marks on its surface. This was an item left behind by the one-eyed dragon Bodach. After Leylin had removed his curse, the dragon had returned the favour with a pledge of eternal secrecy. He’d promised three favours for Leylin, the draconic ring being the proof of the same.
Leylin didn’t indulge in the fantasy of having a being of laws submit to him. Those at rank 7 and above had their own dignity, and this outcome was already excellent.
‘However… A rank 7 one-eyed dragon’s promise isn’t worth much to me now. Perhaps I can only leave it for my family…’ Leylin sighed a little and put the dragon ring away.
A rank 7 existence wasn’t much to him anymore. However, this sort of existence would be a great boon to his family. The three favours were practically a meat pie from the heavens falling into their laps.
It was rather ridiculous that Bodach and Salilus’ grievances were due to Bodach’s wrongdoing, but Leylin had entered and stirred up a strong change. Because of his bloodline, Leylin had become the arch nemesis of all the Lords of Calamity. On top of that, Salilus himself had ended up falling.
The cause was all due to a stolen Suolo gem! If Salilus still lived, wouldn’t he feel that he had been treated unjustly?
“A.I. Chip! Show the analysis map of Dreamscape’s Origin Force!”
[Beep! Mission established, currently transferring…] The A.I Chip loyally implemented Leylin’s order. An extensive library of stats was displayed before Leylin. With powerful calculations and analytical ability as its base, the A.I. Chip shaped the data into an analysis of Dreamscape Origin Force and displayed it to Leylin.
Leylin’s body of laws had strong reasoning abilities. His previous life’s work could now be more easily understood and accumulated.
With conscients from Salilus and the dream demon, as well as authority from Dreamscape’s own World Will, his understanding of that world could not be surpassed. Once the origin force chart was completed, Leylin was quite certain of being able to use dreamforce to refine his own laws.
“What belongs to others will still belong to them in the end. However, using Dreamscape’s authority, I can now also manipulate dreamforce to its peak, but once I lose this limit…” Leylin had always been meticulous about his work. Before he considered victory, he first thought of defeat. How could he leave such a huge loophole to fall into?
He’d always been analysing and researching dreamforce. Obtaining the chart of Dreamscape Origin Force, he would immediately undo many locks of mystery. His research would advance a thousand miles in a single day.
‘Before too long, I’ll be able to control the pattern of dreamforce exhausting itself without the world’s support…’ Leylin’s eyes burned with fervour. The path he would walk after he rose to rank 8 had been paved with its most important cornerstone!