Chapter 611 - 604: Absolute
"A pleasant dream?"
The Master of Desolation watched the gray, foggy portal that led to a pure white realm, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Faintly, from within the portal, he thought he could hear a familiar, long-forgotten clamor.
He seemed to grasp something in an instant.
Just then, Doctor Nightmare slowly walked up to the portal and stepped through.
After a moment of silence, the Master of Desolation followed, stepping through the portal as well.
A brief flash of white light blinded him. Then, before his sight returned, a clamorous noise filled the Master of Desolation’s ears.
His vision slowly returned, revealing a bustling city before the Master of Desolation’s eyes.
The city’s style was reminiscent of medieval Europe on Earth, but it far surpassed the Middle Ages in the height of its buildings, the layout of its roads, and its level of sanitation.
Peculiar patterns were inscribed on the surfaces of the magnificent buildings, seeming to imbue the intelligent life within with a sense of tranquility and elegance.
On the massive streets walked creatures whose appearances were not quite human.
They stood at least three meters tall and possessed a wide variety of physical traits.
Some resembled crustaceans or arthropods. Others were human-like in shape but had multiple arms or heads. Still others, though humanoid, bore the features of various other creatures.
Most of them bore a resemblance to the legendary creatures of ancient human lore.
Even if humanity was unwilling to admit it, the arrival of the Celestial Demons had, to a large extent, influenced the development of human civilization.
These beings of varied appearance walked the streets with peaceful and serene expressions. Behind the heads of some, one could even see distinct, seven-colored halos.
These halos were formed by a concentration of a strong magnetic field, signifying that they had broken through the limits of ordinary life and had liberated their control over their own magnetic fields.
This was equivalent to a Saint Awakening among humans.
Such beings were not rare; nearly one in ten possessed this trait. They seemed to hold a high status, receiving respect and deference from those around them.
This was a civilization at least one tier more advanced than humanity on the path of life and enlightenment.
The entire city was a picture of peace and serenity. This civilization revered enlightenment and wisdom, respected life, and was dedicated to Cultivation. They yearned to find the true Mystical Technique of life through wisdom and enlightenment.
But the most stunning sight was the scene above the city.
Countless pale golden clouds overlapped, and through the hazy mists, another scene was revealed.
There, shrouded in mist, appeared to be another world.
It was a world of brilliant light, where strange creatures walked and flew. Cities floated among the clouds instead of standing on the ground, and figures soared freely through the void, completely unrestrained.
The Master of Desolation was incredibly familiar with this scene.
He knew the fantastical world in the sky was not real. It was a vast Dream Realm, formed by the convergence of countless conscious magnetic fields.
Though it was a Dream Realm, the powerful influence of its master made it equivalent to reality for many of the beings within the great city.
By day, the people worked, lived, and engaged in Cultivation within the city. By night, they traveled, sought enlightenment, and gained insight within that vast True Dream Realm, all while continuously contributing their own magnetic fields to make the Dream Realm even larger and more real.
This was the most famous city on the Holy Star: the Dream City, Leyesimo.
And the original creator of the nascent True Dream Realm in the sky was also the master of this city—one of the most supreme beings among the countless lives of the Holy Star.
He was...
"I never thought you’d actually recreate Leyesimo. The essence of this power is the Pure White Dream Realm of ’White,’ isn’t it?"
"Is this the power of the pleasant dreams you’ve stolen all these years?"
The Master of Desolation spoke slowly to the figure who had suddenly appeared beside him.
"This is the sanctuary where I purify myself, and the cage in which I bind myself."
"This place allows me to regain my sanity, to resist the corrosion of the curse, and to appear before you in my current state,"
Doctor Nightmare said, his expression serene.
"It seems the ’curse’ you bear hasn’t weakened over the years. In fact, it’s grown even more severe."
"Well, as the primary executor of the escape plan, the damage you inflicted upon the Holy Star was the most severe. It’s only natural that the Holy Star’s will would hold the strongest ’hatred’ for you."
"But that can’t be helped. After all, we sacrificed nearly eighty percent of the life and magnetic field of the Holy Star so that you and I could survive as the ’hope’ for our civilization’s continuation..." the Master of Desolation said with a small smile.
"Do you think we are truly the ’hope’?"
Doctor Nightmare asked, also smiling.
"Of course. Even without us, the Holy Star would have been drained dry by those creatures sooner or later. At least now, you and I still retain our memories of the Holy Star, and everything about our civilization."
"We are, without a doubt, the hope of our civilization," the Master of Desolation stated calmly.
"Is that so?"
Doctor Nightmare didn’t argue, merely letting out a wry laugh. "There’s no point in discussing this now. You’re right. Since we made our choice, we should see it through to the end."
"Since I’ve already become a nightmare, why remain shackled by a pleasant dream?"
As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand, pointing a single finger toward the phantasmal True Dream Realm in the sky.
A black dot manifested in the center of the Dream Realm in the sky. Then, a frenzied gray fog surged out, turning the entire sky gray.
The surging mist was like a ferocious beast, poised to devour the entire city.
A great commotion erupted within the city. The peace and tranquility were shattered, and an inexplicable fear and chaos flooded the heart of every living being.
Slaughter, attacks, gnawing, blood...
The dense gray fog and blood-red magnetic fields mingled together, converging in the sky to form a massive ball of Energy.
The city that was once a veritable Holy City had now become a Purgatory on earth.
The Master of Desolation’s pupils contracted slightly. This was a scene neither of them ever wanted to remember.
For in this scene, everything they had once cherished was utterly destroyed.
Most importantly, they had done it all with their own hands.
"Damn it! Even if you have to shatter the pleasant dream, release your restraints, embrace the curse, and push your powers back to their peak, did you have to do it like this?!"
"How ’insane’ will you become?!" the Master of Desolation couldn’t help but gasp.
"Since I’ve made my decision, I might as well see it through to the bitter end, don’t you think?"
Doctor Nightmare looked up at the sky as the scenes from the Holy Star, memories he was so unwilling to recall, once again flooded his mind.
They were betrayers of their world, of their planet.
They had sacrificed nearly eighty percent of the life on the Holy Star and destroyed most of its Natural Magnetic Field. They used this as the Energy to power a massive ritual, allowing their True Spirits, along with a few of their trusted followers, to escape the Holy Star, to flee that Purgatory.
In doing so, they also incurred the deepest ’hatred’ and ’curse’ of the planetary will.
They called themselves the hope of their civilization, but Doctor Nightmare knew, deep down, that they were only making excuses for themselves.
"We curse you! May your abundance turn to scorched earth! May your peace become slaughter! May your order descend into chaos! May your faith become a Demon! May your pleasant dreams become nightmares!!"
"..."
Every living being had cried out in unison. It was the immense power released when the individual will of every soul, guided by the world’s will, converged as one.
For a long time, they lost themselves, falling into a profound chaos. Driven by instinct under the "curse," they defiled everything they touched, eventually provoking a backlash from the will of Earth.
By suppressing their own powers and using the suppressive force of Earth’s will, they recovered a part of their former selves. For the past six thousand years, they have constantly tried to use the power of the Seal to keep their own curse in check.
Doctor Nightmare had achieved some success, but now, he chose to put it all to the torch.
Under the pressure from human civilization, the fear of an unknown crisis, and the crushing weight of time.
’Since I’ve already become a nightmare, I might as well go all the way!!’
BOOM!!
A tremendous explosion seemed to echo from the void.
At that moment, the Pure White Dream Realm completely shattered. A vast, terrifying gray fog spread throughout Earth’s magnetic field, like a giant, malignant tumor.
A dense gray fog swirled around Doctor Nightmare. His eyes had lost their former calm, and the menacing look on his face was both bizarre and terrifying.
"I am the Master of Nightmares, Mo."