Somewhere in the Dreamscape, within a forested area.
Above a dream cocoon suspended from an ancient tree, the black wolf mimicked by Buck stared in astonishment at the enormous spectacle before him—something he had never seen before. His mind went blank, and it took him a moment to react.
"Is… is that a dragon? What kind of joke is this? There are dragons in the Dreamscape? Is it a Dreamscape creature? No, that’s impossible! Even among Dreamscape creatures, nothing as exaggerated as a dragon exists. This… this must be an illusion of the Dreamscape—it can only be an illusion..."
As Luer was caught between shock and confusion, struggling to rationalize what he was seeing, the massive dragon that soared into the sky began to move. She swung her long tail, covered in thick, sharp spikes, lashing it like a giant whip toward the black wolf that Luer had transformed into.
The range was immense, the speed was terrifying. The gust of wind stirred by the tail whip roared like a tempest. Before Luer’s wolf form could even react, it was shattered into fragments. His final thought before disappearing was…
"It seems… it’s not an illusion..."
After smashing Luer’s black wolf form to pieces with a single strike of her tail, Dorothy, still in her massive dragon form, turned her gaze to the enormous dream cocoon before her. She flew over to it, and with her sharp fangs and claws, she tore through the cocoon in an instant, creating several massive gashes.
Luer’s dream cocoon was severely damaged, and in Dorothy’s eyes, it crumbled into nothingness. Just as Luer was about to travel through the Dreamscape in search of his guide, Dorothy had caught him the moment he stepped out.
“Hmph… Forced to wake up, huh?”
Watching the remnants of the dream cocoon vanish, Dorothy let out a cold chuckle. She didn’t bother with anything else—immediately, she dismissed her Dreamscape transformation and awakened in reality.The battle in the Dreamscape had ended in an absolute, overwhelming victory. But in reality, the real fight had just begun.
…
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Inside the ceremonial chapel, at the center of the ritual and the hymn, Luer—who had been seated in his chair, dreaming—suddenly opened his eyes. Clutching his head, he let out a bloodcurdling scream, as if he had suffered a devastating blow.
His mimicry had been destroyed, his dream cocoon shattered—the violent backlash from the Dreamscape nearly broke his spirit. The excruciating pain made it feel as though his brain was being torn apart, and blood-red tears trickled from his wide-open eyes.
“Mentor! What’s happening?!”
Seeing this, Bill and Fetch rushed forward, wanting to check on him. However, due to Luer’s sudden outburst, the advancement ritual collapsed. A strange whirlwind stirred in the room, blocking their path. The ritual’s disruption also affected the children, who had been singing in unison—they all collapsed, unconscious.
“What… what is happening?!”
From a hidden spot on the upper floor, Vania gasped in astonishment at the sudden anomaly. Nearby, Dorothy—who had just awakened—quickly spoke up.
“I called upon a Dreamscape emissary of the One Above. That bastard’s Dreamscape mimicry was destroyed—he’s suffering a mental backlash right now.”
“A Dreamscape emissary? They actually has a dedicated envoy in the Dreamscape? And it can even respond to prayers?” Vania found it hard to believe, but Dorothy cut her off impatiently.
“Of course. But there’s no time to explain—move now!”
“Move? Got it!”
Hearing Dorothy’s command, Vania immediately aimed her rifle at Luer, who was writhing in agony below. After consuming Lantern spirituality, her will sharpened to an unprecedented level—her mind became empty, her focus absolute, and her vision enhanced. She could feel an unseen force guiding her aim.
This was the ability of Apprentice-rank Lantern Beyonder, the Guider. By burning the Lantern spirituality, they could concentrate their will, enter an unshakable state of focus, and significantly enhance their vision.
In the spiritual domain, one of the Lantern’s representations was “focus.” In the sensory domain, it manifested as “sight.” This unique property made the Lantern Beyonders as ideal sharpshooters.
"O Lord… grant me illumination..."
BANG!!
Murmuring a prayer, Vania pulled the trigger. With a thunderous gunshot, the bullet flew straight down, cutting across most of the chapel before piercing Luer’s skull. His cranium shattered.
Due to the severe mental backlash, Luer’s reflexes and overall abilities had significantly declined—he had no way to defend against the shot. His body crumpled instantly, blood pooling beneath him.
Seeing this, Bill cried out in shock.
“Mentor!”
“W-We did it!”
On the third floor, Vania cheered as she saw Luer fall, while Dorothy let out a small smile.
“Heh… Looks like that mental backlash was a pretty nasty debuff. Now, let’s clean up the rest.”
As she spoke, Dorothy activated the Corpse Marionette Ring. In response, the corpses she had secretly arranged beforehand all sprang to life.
On the first floor of the chapel, multiple doors—both small and large—were kicked open simultaneously. Five gunmen stepped into view, all of them manor guards.
Without hesitation, they opened fire on Bill and Fetch, the only two enemies still standing. Gunfire erupted, filling the chapel with chaos.
Bullets rained down on them. In an instant, Bill was hit once, while Fetch took two shots. They scrambled for cover, drawing their own weapons and firing back while cursing in rage.
“What the hell are you bastards doing?!”
The ambush had begun. The enemy’s leader had been eliminated at the start, leaving Dorothy’s side with an overwhelming advantage. Finishing this battle was only a matter of time.
Just as Dorothy was about to press the attack and complete the final sweep, something happened in the center of the ritual formation.
The body of Luer, which had collapsed in the middle of the formation, suddenly emitted a faint crimson glow from the large red gemstone embedded at the tip of a cane strapped to his waist.
As the enormous reserves of Chalice stored within the gemstone rapidly depleted, the bullet wound in Luer’s skull began to heal at an alarming speed. Within moments, his pale, lifeless face regained its vitality.
This cane—previously wielded by Buck—actually belonged to Luer in the first place. It was a mystical artifact, and it seemed to possess the ability to consume stored Chalice spirituality to restore its wielder from a fatal injury!
“Hah… Hah… Intruders… all of you… will pay…”
Clutching his still-throbbing head, Luer slowly stood up from within the ritual circle, scanning the enemies before him with eyes burning with fury.
As he rose, coarse black fur sprouted across his body. A series of cracking sounds filled the air as his bones shifted and expanded. His skin turned an eerie shade of green, his mouth elongated into a snout with sharp fangs, and his fingers grew into deadly claws. His height rapidly increased, reaching nearly two meters.
Within moments, a towering humanoid creature, covered in thick black fur and exuding countless beastly traits, stood at the center of the formation.
This was Luer’s true form—the Black Earth Rank: Beastman.
“You… will all die!”