Obstruction and Success
Were there treasures in Dreamscape?
Yes, and many at that! Dreamscape housed many Rank 6 and above beings with various kinds of materials and treasures, they were all enough to drive Radiant Moons and even Breaking Dawn Magi crazy.
But the dangers that Dreamscape offered were terrifying as well. The world was ever changing, and the bug that one stepped on today could grow into a powerful fiend tomorrow, stomping you to death.
It was a world full of uncertainties where the real and the virtual, past and future were all mixed up. It was one that Leylin did not wish to easily come into contact with. He hadn’t even finished exploring the surroundings of his laboratory yet, precisely because he didn’t dare to go in too deep.
Furthermore, he didn’t think treasures and comprehension of the dreamforce were the most precious things in Dreamscape. No, Dreamscape’s biggest offering was precisely the dreamforce that was everywhere!
Dreamforce was the foundation of Dreamscape. Whether demons or strange treasures, they were all based on it, and if one could control this power not only could they avoid most of the dangers in Dreamscape and explore it freely, there would also be a great benefit to their body.
‘Dreamforce… I’m afraid it’s slightly more powerful than even soul force and bloodline energy, a higher form…’ Leylin’s pupils sparkled with desire, ‘If I can completely control this power, not only will I be free of obstructions in Dreamscape, I can even just abandon the laboratory and try to form a connection to Dreamscape by myself…’
The connection between this laboratory and Dreamscape was definitely going to break one day. Leylin wished to take precautions, finding a way to communicate with Dreamscape himself.
“Activate the isolation layer. Enable circuit number 52, adjust power level to 5.” With Leylin’s command, terrifying thunderbolts suddenly gathered together in the pool as it rippled endlessly. A few plates made of silver slowly rose, forming a metal box that completely isolated the Petri dish within.
Large amounts of lightning adhered to the top of the plates, forming a blue surface. It was as if there was a layer of blue at the top.
“Enter observation mode.” The blue radiance grew more intense, almost piercing through the air before him. In his field of view, the dark red dreamforce passed through the cage of lightning without the slightest obstruction, stopped by the metal plates for only a moment. It then drilled into the beetle’s body without hesitation.
[Experiment failed.] The A.I. Chip’s cold sound echoed, making Leylin’s expression darken.
“Again!” Leylin had already experienced this many times, whether it be in this life or his last. He didn’t feel dejected, and instead began once more without expression.
“None of the third series alloys work. I have to replace…” Leylin’s eyes blazed with an endless fighting spirit.
……
Time crawled by, making Leylin feel a little numb. His hand movements remained extremely meticulous though, and he made not a single error in replacing the components as he redesigned the parameters of the experiment.
A large number of electric runes formed, attaching to a glass-like material in which the petri-dish was kept. The black beetle climbed continuously, trying to pry open the seal with its mandibles.
*Pop!*
The beetle’s movements grew sluggish, as if it was weighed down by something. It’s figure suddenly distorted slightly.
[Dreamforce has been isolated, creature’s vital signs are unstable! Beep! Interference detected, unable to scan…]
Backdropped by the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip, the beetle in the Petri dish suddenly turned manic, sounding out harshly. The piecing insect screech was extremely sharp, carrying a hint of anxiousness and igniting Leylin’s spirit in an instant.
He looked at the outermost glass pane as a blue radiance emitted from his eyes.
In his Astral Vision, he could sea a large amount of dark red vapour being blocked out by the glass pane, leaving it unable to enter the Petri dish.
Due to the simulation from the experiment, streaks of dark red gas were continuously emitted from the beetle’s body.
Whenever a streak of red gas emerged from the surface of its body, the beetle’s figure grew duller, causing the lines to become unstable. It made it seem like this beetle was just a virtual projection after all, and its source was now being disrupted.
*Bang!* After the last bit of dreamforce was extracted, the beetle let loose another sharp cry as its entire body exploded.
A little black light dissipated, finally disappearing entirely without a trace.
[Mass in Petri dish is now 0, no traces of any remains found.] The A.I. Chip followed up.
“Indeed! Illusory things are still illusory in the end, but because they’re transformed by dreamforce, they can exist in real life…” Leylin stroked his chin. This experiment’s success had also authenticated many of his conjectures.
“The demons… Although they are almost omnipotent in the Dreamscape, in the Magus World and even any other real world they will be weakened significantly. Once the dreamforce stored in their bodies is nearly exhausted, they’ll need to return to Dreamscape to replenish it… Perhaps this is why they ultimately gave up on the invasion, vanishing without a trace…” Leylin felt that the events around the invasion and ultimate end of ancient Dreamscape had been lifted off their mysterious veil now.
Because of the initial intersection of the two worlds and the abundant dreamforce, even ancient Magi were rendered helpless by these fiends. However, the Magus World was too big, even containing a seven-layered subterranean world that was not in the least inferior to the surface. As they invaded downwards, the assistance of dreamforce reduced, and with the separation of the two worlds, it was dwindling anyway.
In the end, had these demons not withdrawn of their own accord, what awaited them was probably being annihilated like the beetle.
‘Dreamforce… even if it’s a powerful weapon, it still has serious restrictions!’ Upon reaching this state, Leylin had begun to pity these demons instead. Although they were almost omnipotent in Dreamscape, once they reached the outside world and without dreamforce supporting them they were weaker than bugs.
“In comparison, although the systems of the Magi and the Gods would be affected in other worlds, they were still quite common and they could retain a large portion of their strength. Precisely because of that, the leaders of the ancient world were the Magi and the Gods. No matter how mysterious and powerful Dreamscape was, it was ultimately just short lived…”
Leylin looked at the obstructed dreamforce and fell into deep thought. ‘I can dabble into the system of dreamforce, but I absolutely cannot make it a fundamental. Otherwise, once I’m targetted and restrained, the consequences will be too severe…’
“A.I. Chip! Record this experiment, list all the parameters as classification level one, begin simulating the possibility of affecting dreamforce…” Leylin commanded. The success of this experiment was only the first step. What he had to do next was to grasp the basic properties and regulation of dreamforce through continued experiments, assimilating it into the path of a Magus so he could develop a spell that mainly relied on it.
This was what the ancient Magi did as well. Discover everything, study everything, use everything! It was the essence of the path of magic.
‘Although dreamforce is extremely limited, if it’s deployed as an ambush the effect will be equally terrifying!’ Of course, Leylin would not underestimate his opponents because of dreamforce’s limitations. The power of the ancient demons had been recorded firmly in the A.I. Chip’s database.
‘After I’m familiar with dreamforce, I can then make use of this period of time to begin exploring Dreamscape…’ Leylin stroked his chin, a faint glimmer in his eyes.
He had lost a great opportunity to explore Dreamscape because of this research. Now, the two worlds were almost separated from each other already. Still, for Leylin this contribution was definitely worth it.
Compared to the mere coordinates of a world, his control would now be a guarantee for him in Dreamscape from now.
Furthermore, his expectations were different from that of the owl. If he successfully gained control over dreamforce he could then enter and exit Dreamscape freely from anywhere.
After all, Dreamscape was different from other worlds. It was existing everywhere, and in theory communicating with the dreams of all intellectual creatures was even more boundless than the Astral Realm, one had to transcend the worlds and dimensions connected.
Of course, this was only the best assumption, but Leylin had seen unlimited possibilities in it!
“One day, all the profound mysteries of Dreamscape will unravel before my eyes!” A smile emerged in Leylin’s blue pupils…
*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* And at this moment, a fine shattering sound suddenly echoed into Leylin’s ears.
“What’s the matter?” He turned his head over, directing his gaze onto the half-statue that had suddenly appeared today.
As the laboratory that connected with Dreamscape was most affected by dreamforce, some strange things happened almost every day. Leylin had almost reached a point where he was inured to these strange things.
A great amount of cracks emerged continuously on the statue of half a human. And yet, once he used the A.I. Chip to scan it he saw an undamaged statue instead, without the slightest cracks.
‘What’s going on? Is it that I can only see this scene through Astral Vision?’ Leylin revoked Astral Vision, and all he saw was an undamaged statue. A profound chill suddenly emerged in his heart.