Three Divine Wishes: Yes, I'm OP!

Chapter 66: A Journey To The West

The Academy of Revelations rose on the horizon like a colossal monument carved from the bones of the mountains themselves, its spires catching the dying light of the sun and turning gold at the edges.

The wind carried the scent of pine and distant rain as Akasha and Melvin cut through the sky, the world below shifting from rugged cliffs to the sprawling shadow of the Academy’s domain.

"Melvin," Akasha said, his voice steady as the structures grew larger beneath them, each tower etched with ancient runes that glimmered faintly in the dusk.

He chose his words with care.

If he was going to lead Dreamer’s Peak — truly lead it — then his disciples needed to understand what he expected of them, and what he did not.

"I expect nothing from you," he said plainly. "Nor do I want anything from you other than loyalty. That’s all."

Melvin flew beside him in silence, his small frame taut with tension, white eyes fixed forward as though afraid toward his direction.

The wind whipped at his cloak, but he held his position, waiting.

Akasha continued, his tone calm and honest.

"I only saved you because I was passing by," he continued, his voice calm, honest.

"And because I could sympathize with your situation. The anger, the resentment, the pain you keep buried — I saw it. And I believe those things are needed to forge true greatness."

Melvin’s emotions twisted sharply at the words.

His white eyes flickered with confusion, hurt, and a dangerous, fragile hope all at once.

He opened his mouth to speak, to ask if Akasha truly meant it, if he truly believed Melvin could become something great — but Akasha lifted a hand, not to silence him harshly, but to finish what he had started.

"Dreamer’s Peak will be nothing more than the ultimate safe haven," Akasha said.

"A true home for all my members. A place they can return to and feel safe and find camaraderie with those of the Peak."

Melvin thought of Blackwood again — of a kingdom that had never felt safe, of halls that had never felt like home.

The idea of a place he could return to, a place that would not judge him for his anger, his resentment, his failures, lodged itself in his chest like a seed.

Akasha’s gaze remained fixed on the approaching Academy, its gates looming like the jaws of some ancient beast.

"Whether you all choose to support me or not... it matters little. I’m not seeing any of you as subordinates in the first place."

Melvin swallowed at those words.

While he may not be hold enough to catch all subtle meanings. This was clear enough for him.

But, if Akasha didn’t see them as subordinates, then what were they?

His voice came out quieter than before, but not timid — more like someone forcing words through a throat thick with emotion.

"Then... what’s your goal? Your own personal goal for why you want power?"

He needed to know.

If he was going to follow this man, if he was going to tie his future — and possibly Blackwood’s future — to him, he needed to understand what kind of agenda Akasha was trying to accomplish.

Akasha let out a low, genuine laugh, slowing their flight as he gestured toward the Academy of Revelations.

"Currently... my goal is to conquer the entire world of Kalpa."

Melvin’s heart skipped a beat.

"Conquering the world? T...that’s crazy!" he muttered as his gaze flicked to Akasha.

Even at his age, he knew — it was madness, impossible even.

But it was also the kind of ambition that made taking back a single kingdom seem less daunting — not unimportant, but a step toward something far bigger.

Akasha turned to look at him, a small smile on his lips.

"Now look at the situation. It’s just you and me. Did I ask for someone else to come help me get things started?"

Melvin’s eyes widened slightly behind the wind.

But even in this moment... he couldn’t quite grasp what Akasha was trying to convey to him.

"L... Lord Dream, does this mean I’m special or something?" He questioned

Akasha chuckled to himself, realizing that stepping into the role of a Master would take far longer than he had expected.

"Maybe... Melvin, maybe," he said as he turned back toward the Academy.

"Just remember, a beautiful woman once told me to take advantage of the opportunities around you and use them to pursue your own ambitions. Whatever else you choose to do or feel beyond that... well, that’s entirely up to you."

Akasha reached into his inventory and drew out the Dreamer’s Mask, its surface shifting like liquid shadow. He handed it to Melvin.

"Wear this. It will conceal you."

Melvin took the mask with trembling hands — not from fear, but from the sheer weight of everything Akasha had just laid bare — and slipped it over his face.

Akasha gave him one last look, a quiet acknowledgment passing between them, something subtle and unspoken.

"I’ll be back."

-----

According to the information Harlan shared about recent events over the past year, it seemed like everyone was doing the same thing—making moves in preparation for the final showdown set to take place in now 89 years.

However, the Academy of Revelations had been far too loud with their actions.

While the others quietly formed small groups and advanced gradually, the Western Continent’s first two moves were bold enough to potentially secure them a strong position in the final contest.

But in Akasha’s eyes, these were bubbling issues that needed to be addressed immediately before they had the chance to grow any further.

---

The grand meeting hall of the Academy of Revelations felt heavier than usual.

The Dean sat at the head of the long black table, his normally dignified posture slightly slumped, his face pale and drawn.

The past year had taken a visible toll on him — dark circles under his sharp eyes, a faint tremor in his hands when he lifted his cup.

The other Elders and high-ranking officials around the table were in no better condition.

Their skin had a sickly pallor, their breathing labored, and their divine auras felt strained, as though the weight of their recent actions still pressed down on them like an invisible mountain.

No visible wounds marked their bodies, but the internal damage from the failed portions of their grand plan was undeniable.

The summit had been a partial success — they had captured the Kings and Queens — but the lands themselves had proven far more difficult to seize.

The rulers were now locked away in a carefully sealed pocket realm....

Yet without control over their territories, the victory felt hollow.

One of the Elders broke the heavy silence, his voice raspy.

"We have the rulers... but not their Kingdoms...." He said, "I can’t believe they were hiding so much... power."

The Dean rubbed his temple, his expression grim.

"We knew the plan was risky. The other Academies have been making moves — small groups, subtle alliances. We went big.... Now we must deal with the consequences and regroup."

With more than eight decades still ahead, they knew their actions were far from simple.

Invading the Academy of Veils—whether it was truly the weakest or not—was a bold move that would plunge the world deeper into chaos and instability.

Their campaign against the Kings went off without a hitch, at least until the moment came to bind them all under oaths and contracts.

The plan was meticulous: ensnare the Kings and Queens in a sky-trapping formation, then hold their kingdoms hostage to force them into agreements that would effectively reduce them to subordinates of the West.

Yet.... who could have guessed that the Kings and Queens were far more powerful than the records had ever suggested, a revelation that brought a whole new set of challenges to consider.

How was it that these rulers, once regarded as equals or even slightly weaker than the Headmasters and the Deans of the five Academies, had suddenly risen to such astonishing strength?

Another Elder leaned forward, his face pale but his eyes sharp.

"And then there’s this Lord Dream."

They all knew that the rumors, and even the news of the Nova Dragon’s eradication, had started because of them.

They intended to put him under pressure, to drag him into the spotlight. But who could have guessed those whispers would become the first Chapter of his legend?

"We know nothing of this person... and where they even come from... Some say they may be connected to the Academy of Veils. Others believe they are something far more dangerous — a being operating entirely outside the known powers."

The Dean’s gaze darkened.

"Which is the next order of business." He said grimly. "If he is connected to the Academy of Veils... then the Southern Continent may no longer be as weak as we assumed.

And.... we cannot afford another unknown variable this close to the final contest."