Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"Although the Mooncrown Council has stipulated rules tonight prohibiting random attacks on players, the official implementation document will be released tomorrow."

"..."

"Your original plan wasn't to take advantage of this loophole and launch a massacre of players on this last lawless night, was it?"

"..."

"Kylo Shiren, my most loyal subject, could you repeat that reason why you came to my side so quickly?" The woman, whose emotions had been toyed with, spoke like a demon, even if that was how she perceived it.

The assassin gripped his sword coldly, displaying that same cold face that had been complained about so many times.

"Have a pleasant game, my queen."

Chapter 745 Dream Elder

The assassin emerged from the shadows, his wildly swirling blades, meant to be steeped in resentment and blood, slicing through the filth. Screams turned to gasps of terror as the protected fledgling trembled under the killer's brutality. Tiffany's prediction was correct; the assassin squad had planned a night of revelry, with the scattered assassins each eyeing their prey. But tonight, a nightmare unrest erupted. Fueled by hatred for the evil god, the elven faction was united in their cause, and the assassination squad inadvertently became the protectors of the newcomers.

"In the Queen's name, I will escort you to the nearest town and use the portal there to reach safety." Removing his slimy black hood, the assassin donned a pristine white trench coat, resembling that of a saint. His expression was sullen as he grabbed the hem of the young man's robe to wipe his dagger. The horde of monsters gave him little time to rest; he charged alone into the monster horde, once again unleashing a bloodbath. "Follow me, I'll fight my way through."

The young apprentice followed closely, his heart pounding in his chest as if in sync with the monster's screams. Corpses formed a bizarre breeding ground, and the increasingly twisted monster roared in chaos. There was nothing reassuring in his sight; even the white banners that fluttered like flags were gradually being tainted by the scum. "Where is safe now?" A question filled with despair squeezed from trembling lips. His panicked eyes stared at the light battling against the polluted sky. As if uttering a pointless question, the apprentice, not intending to wait for an answer, continued to follow the assassin's retreating figure.

As if he had heard a meaningless statement, the white-robed traveler did not turn around, his chilling killing intent locking onto every monster that blocked his path.

Beyond the dream realm.

The encroachment of the nightmare was evident, and the most dangerous alarms were already echoing throughout the Emerald Dream. The Dream Druids of each region sealed off the dream boundaries of the former Archon and the Lady of Nature, their worried gazes fixed on the corrupt and decadent interior.

A pale green light swirled around the elf's palm, gently touching the deep purple gradient curtain. The barrier came to life, extending tentacles to capture the evasive green light. The dream elf managed to save her hand from a dangerous attempt, the probing power before her being swallowed up by the corrosive barrier. Strands of hair clung to her forehead with sweat, and the druid wore an expression of drowning agony. "This is a pure nightmare. I cannot break it. Even getting close to it won't help them. That lord can only… save herself."

Although it was somewhat expected, the elf's conclusion still sent a chill down everyone's spines. Some beat their chests in despair, some lowered their heads, some continued their attempts, while others gazed at the still-striking thorn tower in that tainted world. Dream druids are the watchers of nightmares, but only watchers. They understand the nightmares created by the gods, and they know best how powerless their race is in the face of this power. Most elves' exploration of nightmares comes only from the remnants of their predecessors, and those truly capable of attempting to fight nightmares... are all in their cages.

“We can definitely do something. Even if the Dreamwalker isn’t here, we…we can’t just stand here like idiots.”

"You've said a lot. You've found the reason why Irason established the Dream Druids." The voice was deep and resonant, like the rumble of thunder before a storm. The elves turned around and, seeing the elders approaching slowly, made way in obedience. The leaderless druids had found their leader, and they were willing to follow the commands of these esteemed elders. The pillars of the Emerald Dream, the mentors of the Lady of Nature, the founders of the Dream Elves, and the true core of the Elder Council—four druidic elders who connected dreams and reality.

The druid's eyes widened at the next request from the Dream of Reality.

"The reason Irason established the Dream Druids is for this very moment. I love your eyes, so innocent, just like my brothers'. But unfortunately, reality is often the most harsh. The mission the Queen has given you is to make sacrifices. Now, sever the boundaries of dreams, isolate the Dream Kingdom, and we must not allow nightmares to continue to erode other still-pure dreams. You have also seen Susanna's choice, the thorn flower, the flower blooming at the end of life. If they fail, the Dream Kingdom must sink."

The elf understood the elder's meaning: the Emerald Dream was an isolated island in the ocean of the subconscious. He meant abandonment—abandonment of his fellow countrymen who were fighting, abandonment of their most outstanding young men, abandonment of their queen and nobles, abandonment of everything they had sworn allegiance to.

The hot-blooded druid practically berated the elder, his agitated emotions making the surrounding air buzz with excitement.

"Realistic dreamers disappoint us, I finally understand what that means! You're a coward! A coward who grovels and submits to the gods! Our queen is inside! Our pride! Our dignity! Our faith! All are in this ugly sphere! And now you tell me to abandon it! You don't understand people's hearts, you vanished Fourth Elder! You were legends I once worshipped! And what did you do? You actually want to sever our roots and make us drift like duckweed..."

The old man's gaze was indifferent, so indifferent it chilled the heart. "Rulers can be chosen from among the people. Even regarding bloodlines, we've already decided. Frannell will become the successor to the Lady of Nature. As long as the race exists, queens, power, faith, dignity, and even those insignificant things, we can cultivate them anew..."

"Ha, what good is it to re-cultivate? In the face of divine might, cowards will only abandon their fears again and again, like pathetic worms terrified out of their wits!" The druid's mind was spiraling out of control, the flames of anger were gradually materializing, and the power of dreams filled his body. Under this impulse, he desperately wanted to beat up the dreamer in reality.

A gentle pat on the elf's shoulder soothed his agitation. The Dream Elf's appearance was a carbon copy of the Dream Reality, but his voice was much warmer. "Don't let your emotions get out of control, child. You are very close to that deity; every flaw could have terrible consequences." The Dream Elf broke out in a cold sweat, realizing his own abnormality. Normal elves wouldn't dare defy elders, especially such unique and venerable ones. He turned around and saw that all three elders were remarkably calm. With the help of the three pillars of stability, the collective frenzy of the Dream Druids slowly subsided.

The third elder, the Dream of Perfection, strengthens interpersonal relationships and social connections through dreams, building a united community. As a popular peacemaker, the elder appeases the druids and speaks a few kind words to his cold-hearted brother.

“Irason is someone we’ve watched grow up. She’s the most beautiful and beloved flower we’ve nurtured, and of course we want them to be well. But we also have our own responsibilities. All dragons have their own responsibilities. We must seal the evil god at all costs. Behind us is a beautiful and intact world. You can resent us, children, but there are some things we must do, even if we would rather be the ones abandoned.”

The atmosphere eased, and the Dream Druids gradually accepted the Dream Pillars' arrangement. They used their power to divide the dream, adding another layer of isolation to the corrupted dream realm.

“Don’t worry too much. What worries us is the worst-case scenario. Keep hope, children. Optimists always dream.” Dream of Happiness comforted him. Dream of Prospect came over and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Now I have good news, kids."

All eyes are on the dream of happiness, like children waiting for gifts and blessings from their parents on Moonlight Festival.

She smiled, her eyes narrowed, as if dreaming of a perfect life.

"Our fourth brother, the Dreamer, has also been imprisoned in the Dream Kingdom."

The good news from the Dream of Perfection sent chills down the druid's spine. What had that old codger just said? Good news? His own brothers were going to be abandoned too? Oh no, the Fourth Elder was a pillar of the Dream Realm. This meant that if one pillar fell, the Emerald Dream would lose a quarter of its land. They would lose even more now.

The Dream of Reality glanced at the dejected young man and sighed.

"A hothead doesn't know how to adapt. The more people are bound to the situation, the stronger the power to defeat the nightmare will be. It's common sense to prepare for the best and plan for the worst."

Irason... my daughter, you have never let me down.

Chapter 746 Dawn

Susanna broke free from the thorns, her armor transforming into a thorny spire as she vie for control of the dream world from the Nightmare. Without the hard, closed disguise, her delicate, youthful face exudes a chilling aura. The surrounding elves, witnessing the Archon's strikingly different true form for the first time, are overwhelmed by the familiar majesty, suppressing their admiration and surprise.

"The frozen soil has melted, completely corroded and melted by the nightmare." The Berserker Mentor, a clone of the ancient human chieftain, looked solemn. His original animal hide coat had been corroded and discarded by the acid of the battle, and his crimson chest and back were covered with scars, some of which had just scabbed over.

"The plains collapsed, and my queen's statue sank into that damned swamp." The Benjamin Knight's clone Defender Mentor was furious, raising his sword to slash at the air to vent his frustration.

“The same applies to the forest area. Bringing everyone out of the jungle is my limit.” Levisser’s hunter mentor and shadow assassin mentor stepped forward side by side, behind them, scattered assassin squads were settling the frightened apprentices. Susanna heard only bad news, and despite being prepared, the governor’s face couldn’t help but grow even more grim.

"In the sky, the magic network energy can suppress the attack for a short time. We don't need to worry about air raids anymore, but the collapse of the magic seal is only a matter of time." Amidst the glowing pale blue patterns, a large group of players fell from a height of one meter. The old mage, a clone of the scholar, brushed the dust off his robes, glanced at Susanna, paused for a moment, and the magical radiance made the profound old man even more mysterious.

A complete rout. Opening the world map with administrator privileges, Susanna watched in anguish as the shrinking safe zone resembled a withering flower, less than a tenth remaining. The City of Beginnings was becoming a desolate island of dreams, the land corrupted by nightmares undergoing transformation, soon to sink into the chaotic ocean of the subconscious.

“The NPC mentors will lead the players who still have combat capabilities to build defenses, concentrating all their strength to defend the last city. We still have hope. Don't let the nightmares erode our ranks, as long as…” As long as the four administrators agree, Susanna will have the ability to use the final protocol they used when creating the Dream Kingdom. She can completely format the Dream Kingdom, draining all the power from this land, turning this dream into a barren wasteland. This will deprive the nightmares that parasitize the dream of their possession. Susanna believes that she and Lyle together can deal with this mature kin. This way, the elves will lose a piece of their dream, but everyone can survive. As long as the four administrators are gathered… But at this crucial moment, Irason and Lyle are nowhere to be found.

Thunder tore through the magic net in the sky, and a straight pillar of light condensed into a heavily armored angel. The arrival of the gatekeeper brought light, and his tall and majestic figure reassured everyone.

"I sealed the dungeon area, but Lyle still hasn't found it." The dungeon area guarded by the gatekeeper stores half-converted Nightmare Power collected by several administrators. This restricted Nightmare Power was used by Lyle to create powerful monsters within the dungeon, a primary activity in the Dream Game. These materials are dangerous, which is why the gatekeeper is needed to guard them. Now, the warehouse of Nightmare Power is sealed by Holy Light, and within the isolated Dream Kingdom, any invading Nightmare can only use its own power.

Susanna nodded. "At least now we have no worries, and powerful NPCs like you still retain their strength. We can try to break through the blockade, construct a shipping route, and teleport the elves who are completely untouched by the nightmare out..."

The old mage tapped his cane, succinctly pointing out the key to the plan. "The Great Portal needs personnel to maintain it. We dream clones don't care about personal losses, but we are merely fragile appendages..." The clones need administrators to maintain them; they are programs that require commands.

“I will stay,” Susanna replied naturally. The elves behind her who were carrying out the city's defenses fell silent. The governor’s voice was as cold and resolute as ever. “I was born from a nightmare and have the strongest resistance to corruption. I will stay until everyone is escorted away. Maybe I can even wait for Irason to return.”

Everyone could easily expose her lies, but the fragile truth only added to the sorrow. Armed and with grim faces, the elves bowed and retreated, their bodies stepping over the makeshift tent, their eyes peering through the gaps at their lonely leader standing in the shadowy shadow. The first Elven Queen, Irason, had gone mad during the war against the evil gods. The torment of her twisted mind led her to create a dream within the ocean of divine consciousness, turning her into a listless, lazy, and useless person. The Dream Elf race was founded on the allure of the Lady of Nature, and the loss of the Elven Light made the elves see the gods as mortal enemies. But… history seemed poised to repeat itself. If there had been another path, they would not have chosen such a humiliating exit, but they were subjects, and they would not disobey their leader's will.

Susanna raised her head, tucked her hair behind her ear, and leaned closer to the tall gatekeeper. The imposing holy light made her appear tiny. She spoke softly, in a voice only they could hear.

"Finally... give me a hand, let me die as Susanna, as the Elven Archon." Susanna knew what she was going to go through; she would be assimilated, returned to chaos, and become part of her mother. Her memories, her emotions, would become food for the nightmares to share. The selfish archon did not want to share his treasures.

The gatekeeper angel released his grip on the sword, his glowing hand gently patting the governor's shoulder, responding to her request in a similarly soft voice.

"You wish." While Susanna was stunned, the gatekeeper flicked her on the head, and while the administrator was covering his head, the out-of-control AI seized control of the meeting.

“I have a better plan.” The Burning Destroyer Greatsword plunged into the map, the burning flames illuminating everyone’s faces. “We’ll gather everyone, find that invading bastard, and fucking kill him.”

"For Queen Dereia!"

"In the name of Alcalon, the Wings of Annihilation".

"Death has cleansed my blade."

"This proposal is indeed more attractive. If we run away now, all the arrangements we made in the past will have lost their value."

The dream clones were filled with fighting spirit; being clones themselves, they didn't care about personal losses. Their original counterparts were all exceptional individuals, fearless and daring, and the clones were equally belligerent.

"No! Blindly engaging in battle will cause my race to suffer heavy losses!" Susanna shattered the table with her fist. If they failed, their entire race would perish. Susanna dared not gamble with the future of the elven race.

"So you've decided to sacrifice yourself? Aren't you overestimating yourself, or do you think the elven race isn't worthy of dying for you?" The gatekeeper's words were piercing. The earlier commotion had drawn the elven players outside the tent back in. They heard the conversation and formed a large group, blocking the entrance and staring intently at Susanna.

Susanna couldn't stand the stares and quickly changed the subject.

“I cannot accept unnecessary casualties. The people of Iraq have a greater value and should not be wasted in a war that is doomed to fail.”

The goalkeeper laughed heartily.

"In other words, if we are destined to win, you accept the battle."

Susanna rolled her eyes at him. Wasn't that obvious? Victory was assured, why would I hide? Who wouldn't want to win? Wait… The governor pondered deeply, racking her brains, but she still saw no glimmer of hope for victory, not even the slightest possibility. But now, she held onto hope in the Holy Light.

"Do you have a solution?"

"Lyle".

Chapter 747 World Boss, Generated

"Lyle? You found him?" Susanna was momentarily stunned and didn't even realize that the corners of her mouth had curled up.

“No, if I found him, believe me, I’d want to tie him to a cross right now.” The gatekeeper turned the hilt of his sword, trying to soothe her disappointment with a playful joke. “But he’ll be alright, he’s a Pure One. We can focus on dealing with the intruder now, using the methods Lyle left behind, using the arrangements he made in this dreamlike realm.”

Susanna found it laughable. She could sense the immense power possessed by these dream clones, and in this moment of crisis, they relied not on their own strength, but on… an nascent evil god, an immature little brother. Susanna believed she saw more than they did. An immature larva possessing high divinity was like a nourishing feast for a mature nightmare like herself. That was Susanna's initial thought, but her complicated relationship with Irason made her abandon it. Now it seemed that agreeing to develop the dream game with him was a complete mistake; she had been numbed by the beautiful present, falling step by step into the abyss. Now the entire realm had fallen, and Lyle was likely already part of the nightmare, his divinity aiding their enemy in becoming even stronger.

Susanna was on the verge of a breakdown, and went so far as to reveal Lyle's value to the NPCs. This cold shower did not discourage the gatekeepers and the others; they didn't even flinch. Their trust in Lyle surprised her.

"Why do you have so much faith in him? He's not powerful at all. Even when he's maintaining the dream game, he's just causing trouble." Unconsciously, Susanna was infected by his enthusiasm, and her tension dissipated.

"Because he is the Dark Star of Andrei, the Noble Purifier, the youngest member of the Salvation Society, the Miracle of the Lich." The Gatekeeper spread his wings, and holy light transformed into a pillar of light that reached the sky, washing the last city into a sanctuary.

“He protected our country, and I have unconditional trust in our reserve prince, even if it’s one-sided.” The defender knight pounded his breastplate, and the weapons guarding the city walls were now reinforced with hard crystal.

The King of Berserkers stepped out of his tent, his body gradually unleashing its battle intent. His heavy battle roar was filled with rage, and a hint of awkward resentment. "He looked unremarkable, not particularly tall, but one day he introduced someone to my tribe. For the ancient humans of today, even if they have forgotten the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in Purgatory, they will not forget his appearance."

The old mage smiled kindly, and bursts of magic wove enormous runes in the air. Crystal wings emerged from the runes, a dragon spread its wings, and the crystal breath accompanied by the dragon's roar solidified the attacking monster horde into beautiful crystals. "He is my proud apprentice."

Kristor, in his dragon form, gripped the city wall with his claws, the rampaging magic of the magic network nodes drawing the entire city into his body. "I've found the intruder who desecrated my masterpiece! Now, eliminate this bug." The blue dragon, carrying everyone, followed the magic network deep within the dream, slamming the entire city down before the towering walls.

Under the powerful blessings, the player raised their head, gazing at the towering fortress ahead. The earthen-brown rocks were swallowed by flowing crimson blood; the surface of the deep purple living lichen was covered with numerous pores, and the billowing turbid air formed dark clouds in the sky. From the blood pool at the foot of the mountain, writhing monsters constantly crawled out, and many branch-like tentacles etched patterns on the mountain walls. Any flesh touched by it would display a nauseatingly vibrant, multicolored hue. Staring at those colors for too long would not only cause dizziness but also a chilling feeling of being stared at, as if the mountain was staring at you, not the other way around.

The gatekeeper took the lead, standing atop the city wall, his blazing greatsword raised high above his head, the flames instantly becoming blindingly bright. Conceptual Justice enveloped him, and a conceptual-level slash struck the mountain of flesh, the massive blade of light cleaving the mountain in two, revealing a chasm. Before the crowd could cheer, a terrifying pressure descended from the summit like an avalanche. The mountain of flesh, sliced ​​in two, not only remained unaffected but became even more terrifying, as if the gatekeeper's holy light had bestowed upon it a buff.

"This is your plan?!" Susanna grabbed the gatekeeper's cloak and demanded through gritted teeth. If it weren't for the fact that this clone was shining like a light bulb, she would have thought he had been corrupted by an evil god.

"Calm down." The gatekeeper was confident of victory; he had indeed injected Nightmare with a powerful buff. Conceptual Justice was a set of rules, which, after being modified by Lyle's academic gathering, allowed the distorted justice to turn literary club members into warriors of light and dream elves into professional gamers. It was a form of enhancement; justice made them adapt to the rules and unlock their inner potential. Lyle had conducted numerous experiments on the influence of Conceptual Justice on evil gods; he had an entire legion of unseen children who could be influenced. Through long-term collaborative research with the gatekeeper angel, Lyle had developed the most effective tactics against evil god's minions like Nightmare.

Concepts, Justice, and Gamification.

The forces of justice have granted Nightmare greater authority, allowing it to express itself more profoundly and concretely within the dream realm. Nightmare will become more powerful, provided it obeys the rules of the game.

[Server-wide announcement: The World Boss has appeared. All players are urged to immediately proceed to defeat it for the sake of the Dream Kingdom.]

As if responding to the voice, the flesh mountain roared, its body began to shrink along the crack, becoming even taller and more robust, with a silent million-level health bar appearing at the top, along with its blood-red name.

[Nightmare Vanguard & Destroyer, Armstrong]

The demon god's minions are not intelligent; they are driven by instinct, a higher level of attraction, an evolutionary instinct. Even concepts at the ninth level of the Chains are rare fodder for Nightmares. According to the Child of the Unseen, they call concepts "divine power." Therefore, Nightmares relish this abnormal power of justice, even if it comes with certain limitations.

Whoosh~ thud~

The dream sprites' brains were still malfunctioning; the moment their eyes saw the health bar, their bodies instinctively drew their weapons. When they came to their senses, their expressions contorted, revealing a morbid, conflicted, and ecstatic ecstasy.