Chapter 80: Four Weeks Until
’Hey Luna... how much time has passed?’ Akasha asked inwardly the moment he appeared back atop his peak, the cold mountain air brushing past him as Melvin stood silently at his side.
Even though Luna and Yume were currently inside the Tree House, their connection to him was absolute and distance meant nothing.
He could speak to them from anywhere, and they could answer from anywhere.
Luna chimed in first, her voice soft, warm, and threaded with that gentle clarity she always carried.
’Don’t worry, Love. Only four hours have passed. You’re fine. And... congratulations on attaining your auras..."
Yume’s voice followed immediately, bright and playful, drifting through his mind like a breeze.
’Hehe~ Master, do you like the new function of Dream Land? Now, you’re technically more than the God of Lucid Dreams now.’
Her words carried the familiar tone of playful teasing, laced with a hint of pride, as she was undeniably a key part of the situation.
Yet, in that instant, all three of them paused.
It was clear to everyone now that if he had full access to Melvin’s star, then calling him the God of Lucid Dreams no longer did him justice.
He had become something far greater, and with that realization came the unsettling thought that maybe he had broken a deeper, more fundamental law of Pantheos than he’d ever imagined.
’...So what am I, then?’ Akasha finally asked, the question echoing faintly through the shared mental space.
However, in this moment neither of them could form an appropriate answer.
Akasha let out a slow breath, his eyes wandering toward the distant horizon.
’Not only that... there’s no other entity born from a star,’ he murmured.
It was common knowledge that whenever a new star came into existence, an entity would be born within it too.
Yet, in this case, everything just merged into Yume.
’And with Yume’s knowledge growing, it’s not just Lucid Dreams anymore. Eternal Winters have joined the mix... and whatever else might emerge from the destinies I choose to alter.’
Yume’s soft giggle rang out, delicate and bright, like the chime of distant bells in a dream.
’Well, Master, let’s just do what we always do,’ she said lightly, and in that instant, the three of them shared a smile, their voices blending together in perfect unison.
’Fuck it.’
Hearing that, they all chuckled as Yume spoke again.
’Right... and I’ll make some changes to the Dreamer’s Sea, so it becomes even more powerful...’
Before he could respond, the connection cut—clean, sudden, intentional.
Akasha chuckled under his breath, already knowing exactly what she was planning.
He turned toward Melvin, who stood with his new, cold aura swirling faintly around him.
"Alright," Akasha said, brushing frost off his sleeve. "It’s time for you to attain Aura."
Melvin blinked, a flicker of confusion dancing across his sharp, icy gaze.
"Aura? What... exactly is that?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Akasha didn’t bother to explain, not here at least.
With nothing more than a single, silent thought, the space around them seemed to bend in on itself, reality folding like paper.
In an instant, both of them were gone.
----
They reappeared inside a vast training dojo—an enormous circular hall built from polished stone and reinforced divine metals.
The floor was smooth, etched with countless weapon marks from past enlightenment attempts.
Rows of weapon racks lined the walls, each holding blades, spears, axes, scythes, and exotic armaments from every corner of Pantheos.
Lanterns hung overhead, casting warm, steady light across the arena, illuminating the faint inscriptions carved into the pillars that surrounded them.
Melvin looked around, awe flickering across his features.
Akasha strolled forward with an easy gait; his hands tucked casually into his pockets.
With a flick of his wrist, a small jade bottle materialized in his palm, which he effortlessly tossed to Melvin.
"I handed these out to the Academy’s disciples," he remarked. "They’ll boost your rank by five minor tiers... so go ahead, take them all."
Melvin caught the bottle smoothly, popped it open and stared at the five luminous Era‑Shift Pills resting in his palm, their glow shimmering across his fingers.
"Thanks," he said simply.
By now, there was no room for awe or disbelief—and honestly, since his evolution, those feelings had all but disappeared.
What remained was a calm, grounded acceptance, the kind born from someone who had finally chosen to stop doubting and just move forward.
Then without any waiting he tossed the pills back one after another.
HUMMMMM!!!!!
A powerful surge of energy immediately erupted from his body.
Melvin’s aura flared violently as he was rapidly pushed upward — five minor tiers in quick succession.
From God King.... his rank climbed all the way to Star Union Tier 18.
And as he ascended... a thick cocoon of ice and snow instantly formed around him, encasing him completely as his body underwent the sudden evolution.
As Akasha watched, a smile tugged at his lips as he reflected on his own power.
’Hmm, now that I’m tier 14... I should have another evolution task,’ he mused inwardly, fully aware that he received a new task every seven tiers.
But knowing that his True Self was still actively clearing battlefields, he reconsidered.
’Nah... it would probably be better to just complete both tasks at the same time.’
With that thought, he gave a firm nod, mentally adding it to the growing list of things to accomplish once phase two of his plans commenced.
---
When the cocoon finally split apart and crumbled away, Melvin emerged.
There was a new edge to him—sharper, colder, and more precise than before.
He glanced down at his hands, studying them briefly, before lifting his gaze back to Akasha.
Akasha then tossed him several glowing comprehension crystals.
"And.... these will help in the next step." He said as he begun to explain what he knew about Aura.
It wasn’t all that much, given that his tier was only seven.
"Now, the idea of aura is pretty straightforward. It enhances your battle power, and the more you understand it, the stronger your presence grows. In time, you can unlock domains—zones that give you an edge in a fight."
Melvin nodded slowly, absorbing the explanation.
"So, it’s not just strength. It’s... influence."
Akasha nodded with a faint smile.
"Well, I suppose you can look at it that way."
[Dream Affinity]
With those words, he raised his hand, and with a thought, a sword formed in the air—long, elegant, shimmering with a faint purple hue.
"In the next four weeks," Akasha said, tone relaxed but carrying that quiet certainty he always had when he set a goal, "we’re both gonna achieve Sword Aura."
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