Chapter 58: The Tales of Brewing Legends
Another month passed after the cataclysmic battle between Sunya and Jovian, and with it passing the year finally came to a close.
Though the world of Kalpa did not greet the new year with celebration or quiet reflection.
Instead, it erupted into chaos, its continents trembling beneath the weight of conflicts that had begun as mere competition but had now transformed into a full, unrestrained war that stretched across borders.
During this time, while Jovian and Melissa were locked in their own battles, the eradication of the Nova Dragon Clan was discovered — not suspected but confirmed with a certainty that shook the foundations of every power in the world.
The once‑proud clan, whose flames had illuminated the Nova Caldera for millennia, had been reduced to ash and silence.
Their grand chambers lay in ruins, their ancestral grounds bloodied beyond recognition, their destroyed in one single night.
And with this revelation, rumors erupted like wildfire.
Rumors of the mysterious figure whose presence had been felt only in the aftermath — a being whispered about in trembling voices, a figure whose name carried the weight of dreams and nightmares alike.
Lord Dream.
A name that drifted through taverns, brothels, exotic dance halls, and drunken gatherings like a ghostly echo, whispered by those too afraid to speak it loudly, yet too fascinated to remain silent.
----
In the floating pleasure halls of the Southern Sky Archipelago, where exotic dancers swayed beneath shimmering auroras and cultivators sipped wine, whispers drifted through the air like curling smoke.
"Haven’t you heard? The Nova Caldera is gone. Apparently, it was a massacre beyond belief, and not even their ancestors survived."
A masked dancer leaned in, her voice soft but trembling.
"Mhm, the one behind it... is Lord Dream. He must be quite the fellow, don’t you think?"
Across the hall, a cluster of Tier 16 elites murmured in low voices, their faces grim.
"Forget Lord Dream. What about that swordsman from the north? The one who fought for almost a year. They’re calling him the Fatebreaker now."
Another let out a scoff, though there was a flicker of unease in his tone.
"And the woman who faced him — the Goddess of the Eternal Hour. Their fight tore the land apart. That whole region’s a dead zone now. Anyone under Tier 16 who steps in doesn’t come out."
A dancer paused mid‑step, her veil shimmering as she whispered to her partner.
"Three beings... Lord Dream, the Fatebreaker, and the Eternal Hour Goddess. Who among them stands at the peak of this new generation?"
The question rippled through the hall, drawing debates, arguments, and fearful speculation.
Some claimed Lord Dream was strongest — a phantom who erased a clan without ever being seen.
Some claimed the Fatebreaker was supreme — a swordsman who cut through destinies and stood as the pride of the Central Continent.
Others swore the Eternal Hour Goddess was unmatched — a deity who wielded time itself and could reshape reality with a single word.
Nobody could agree, nobody was sure, and nobody wanted to speak up too loudly.
-----
In the dim corners of the Western Continent’s underground markets, where forbidden relics and cosmic secrets changed hands, a hooded figure leaned in, his voice deep and deliberate.
"While everyone watched dragons burn and the North crumble, the Academy of Revelations made their move."
The room fell still.
"They say they’ve taken down every King and Queen. Across every continent..."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Impossible."
"No way that can’t be right... the Blackwood and Loria Kingdom have been teetering on war for the past year."
"Unless.... their Kings and Queens aren’t behind this?"
"The world of Kalpa.... it soon won’t be safe for anyone"
But the hooded figure only shook his head.
"Well, Haha, I’m not entirely sure. While the summit indeed happened and the Academy made a move... maybe things aren’t what they seem."
The revelations spread like wildfire, igniting fear, awe, and disbelief across Kalpa.
----
In the eastern continent, the whispers carried a different weight—one of raw fear.
"The Barbarians have risen," a warrior murmured. "They’ve crushed over twenty factions in just a year..."
A cultivator gave a shaky nod, his voice quivering.
"And the one leading them... he’s not the Barbarian King. No... he’s something else entirely. Over a hundred feet tall..."
Another voice cut in, low and awed.
"His name... is Krax... Von’El."
The moment the name hung in the air, the hall fell into complete silence, followed only by murmurs—careful, uneasy, and afraid.
"Von’El.... isn’t that..."
"Impossible! My Ancestors told us all those titans perished 50,000 years ago."
"Well, clearly... something is up. Why hasn’t anyone claimed his head yet?"
"Are you insane? He’s Tier 17. And he grows stronger every fight. Every single one."
The whispers grew darker.
"If he keeps rising... who knows what will happen to the rest of us."
----
Over the past year, while every continent seemed to make significant moves, there was one continent and one Academy that did absolutely nothing.
To most, it was hardly surprising, given that the Southern Continent was under the control of the weakest faction of them all.
And if anyone had made such an assumption, they would have been entirely correct.
The Academy of Veils had done nothing at all, simply waiting for word from Akasha—a word that had yet to come.
Still, for certain individuals, life had never stopped moving forward.
----
Liliana sat perched on a thick tree branch high above the tree line, her long midnight-black and blood-red hair swaying gently in the sea breeze.
Below her stretched a sprawling clan nestled against the coastline of the Southern Continent — one of many powerful factions bordering one of the vast, ever-moving oceans of Kalpa.
Like all large bodies of water.
The ocean itself was heavily guarded, with towering watchtowers and patrolling cultivators visible even from this distance.
Her bloody crimson eyes stared down at the clan with a troubling expression, a rare flicker of conflict crossing her usually obsessive features.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the branch, the wood creaking under her grip.
’Is this the one...?’ she thought, her mind heavy. ’The clan that can finally give me proper answers? Or will they too prove useless in the end?’
[A/N: I know I previously mentioned her Siren lineage as being light-based or topside born through Akasha’s words... it wasn’t a mistake, just an error in his analysis.]
---
For years, she had been chasing the story of her childhood. While most in Kalpa these days knew nothing of the separation between the Topside and Underside races, Liliana wasn’t as blind as the rest.
She knew neither of her bloodlines came from the topside, a truth passed down in the last words from her parents before they vanished when she was young.
"You are different from the rest. Darkness is the home of us all.... We will meet again, Lily..."
---
"Tsk... two centuries later I have no leads at all." Liliana muttered as she didn’t have much to go on in the first place.
While she served as the Peak Master of the Academy of Veils, she spent her days searching for answers and uncovering anything mysterious about Kalpa.
Hoping that it would somehow connect to her family.
And beyond the words she was given, she carried ancient knowledge tied to her lineage, granting her insight into certain secrets—such as Divine Starvation.
Before she could continue her thoughts, a dark figure materialized silently behind her on the branch — a woman cloaked in dark robes, kneeling with her head bowed in deep respect.
The moment she appeared, Liliana spoke without turning around, her voice low and commanding.
"What have you gathered?"
The subordinate kept her head lowered, voice steady but respectful.
"We’ve finally located the faction of Lord Dream... but it looks like nothing more than a normal mountain.
We’re not certain, however. No matter how much we try, we can’t even get close.... we can’t even cross the Southern Border into the land itself."
Liliana’s troubled expression softened a bit.
’Ah... husband... at least you’re not a letdown.’
A faint, dangerous smile tugged at her lips as the thought crossed her mind.
"Has anyone entered or left the land?"
The woman shook her head. "No, Mistress. Not a single person."
Liliana’s smile deepened. She remained silent for a moment before asking, almost softly.
"And my lovely Amber...? How is she doing?"
The subordinate’s tone lightened just a fraction.
"Well... She’s been out adventuring as usual, exploring ruins and growing stronger. She seems... content."
Liliana’s blood-red eyes softened for just a moment.
"Good... Now, do me a favor and pass the word — but without revealing your existence, of course."
"Tell her to get close to Lord Dream. I want her to learn more about him but make it crystal clear she’s not to have any ulterior motives. I have no desire to harm my own daughter."
The subordinate bowed even lower. "As you wish, Mistress."
With that, the dark figure vanished as silently as she had appeared.
Liliana remained on the branch a moment longer, her gaze drifting back toward the distant clan by the ocean.
Her fingers loosened their grip on the wood as a new resolve settled over her.
"Well, let’s see if this is just another disappointment."
Comments