It wasn’t long before Dream was given a nuclear fuel cell by his new friend the old man, whose name was apparently Treston.
With his authority, getting one such fuel cell was obviously easy. He could get far better if he wished. So without much thought, Treston tossed the cell to Dream and watched.
The nuclear fuel cell wasn’t very large, perhaps slightly bigger than the other fuel cells Dream had used up until now. However, this one glowed brighter and its chassis was warm. Dream could already detect the vast power contained in this cell.
So, without hesitation, Dream uncovered the nodes of the cell and touched them.
*ZAP*
Not surprisingly, Dream’s body jolted the moment the circuit between his body and the cell was created. There were bolts of electricity that jumped across his arms, scorching his skin and causing his body to heat up. For a moment, Treston was worried.
But shockingly, all of the energy that passed through Dream’s body was absorbed into nothing. It simply disappeared in his body, with no rhyme or reason behind it.
He found it interesting and watched closer.
Meanwhile, Dream was focused on his core of gray mist.
With far more power than before, Dream was able to multiply the size and density of that core. It expanded and contracted as the liquid-like core was continually compressed.
Then, Dream watched as a sprout suddenly extended off of the core. It was like a root as it expanded outward. And it wasn’t the only one, hundreds and thousands of other following to create a huge network of magical pathways that interconnected with each other like neurons.
These pathways continued to grow until they connected to the skills Dream created and expanded to fill the entire dark space that the core resided in.
As this happened, more and more energy was required to advance. As a result, the nuclear fuel cell in Dream’s hands got hotter and hotter as it called upon more of its fuel to produce energy.
Thorium, the element used in this cell, had massive energy density, and a small bit of Thorium could last years with normal consumption. But with larger power draws, far more was consumed at once.
Dream’s body no longer jolted though as all of the energy passing through him was more easily absorbed. The wounds that the energy caused were also healed, as if they had never been there. Treston, who had been watching everything, didn’t even notice when the wounds went away.
He also couldn’t figure out how Dream was doing what he was. Not only that, he couldn’t see the occurrences within his body, so he wasn’t sure what the energy was doing.
Regardless, Dream continued to sit there and absorb the pure energy released by the fuel cell.
This process lasted several days, in fact. Even then though, Treston never left, constantly watching, and Dream never moved, only observing his core.
And he was happy as he saw better results.
After the pathways extended through his body, they seemed to form a perfect circuit whereby the magical energy of the gray mist traveled. On the right side of the core, the gray mist in the center released Mana, and on the left it released Runa. These two energies flowed through the pathways and collided in certain areas, creating a cycle that produced more gray mist that streamed back into the main core.
This alone wasn’t impressive though. What Dream got really excited about was the fact that his core seemed to be producing energy from nothing.
The gray mist that was created as a result of collisions between the two opposing energies acted as more fuel for the core, adding to it. But Dream had noticed long ago that his core, when drawn upon, didn’t diminish in the slightest.
This basically meant that Dream was infinitely producing more energy for himself and constantly expanding his pool, even without external input.
Either way, with this process of perpetual growth, Dream’s core and pathways that were previously liquid-like gradually turned solid, like a crystal. It represented another jump in sheer density for his magical power.
Once everything had turned solid, Dream felt a small fluctuation, like a pulse through his being that signified his advancement.
“Class 4…”
He mumbled as he felt his power. He had pushed straight through class 3 towards its pinnacle, and now, only one step remained to become a class 4.
At that moment though, Dream received another infusion of memories.
He smiled a bit as he watched those flashbacks.
The legacy space, and Dream’s first entrance into that mystical realm.
In that place he was given a trial, one that required him to comprehend a monolith of golden script. Naturally he did so, but in the process Dream’s mind was shattered and elevated.
The process reduced his body to nothing, and that’s when he attained his cosmic body and the species he was most known for: [Metacosmic Psykhe].
It was Dream’s True image, his most primal self, and the body he created represented the aspects of discovery, curiosity, and wonder that constituted his mind.
It was this process of enlightenment that allowed Dream to go beyond his mortal limits, to bring out all that constituted his full potential.
But, unlike back then, Dream didn’t need to be enlightened, at least not again. All those thoughts, feelings, and experiences from so long ago came rushing back to him as his power and mind broke through the class 4 threshold. It felt to Dream as if he had always been enlightened with how smooth the process was.
And with that, his body changed.
From the tips of his fingers, Dream’s skin seemed to turn translucent before turning black like the void. This change traveled up his hands and his arms before stopping after covering his chest and neck, fading into the rest of his skin.
Then, within that new void bloomed colorful stars and explosive nebulae, as if there were a growing universe within his body.
Treston, who was still watching, felt his eyes go wide in surprise.
At that time, Dream finally opened his eyes. The nuclear fuel cell was now compeltely drained of energy, already gone cold.
He looked up at Treston, who met his eyes.
Treston noticed Dream’s gaze, meeting it and seeing his eyes that now had irises of sparkling red, blue, and purple. A cosmic gaze.
And that gaze made Treston feel a weird sense of incongruity and awe, as if Dream was someone far above himself yet grounded like a mortal. He couldn’t understand the profound feeling that Dream radiated.
After a few seconds though, that feeling disappeared as Dream stood to meet Treston’s height. He smiled.
“Thank you. I’ve just broken through into the class 4 realm. I’ll now be able to develop my own energy sources that can help me grow.”
“Is that so…”
Treston wasn’t sure what to say, other than voice his confusion.
“I’ve never seen someone like you, who can simply advance by absorbing electrical energy.”
“Well, I am a bit special.”
Dream scratched his head, his cosmic fingers running through his hair.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“So, do I need to fend for myself or will you help me find more energy sources?”
“Hmm… I’ll help you. After all, if its simply finding you fuel, then you’ll turn out to be the easiest apprentice I’ve ever raised.”
Treston rubbed his chin with an odd smile, causing Dream to tilt his head.
“Apprentice?”
“Well, not really an apprentice. I’m just feeding fuel to a fire with you. But I’m going tor request something of you in exchange for helping you.”
“Alright.”
“When you get stronger, you must swear to aid the Asuras in the war against the angels and demons.”
“Hmm…”
Dream pondered for a second.
He wasn’t sure, but Dream knew that he had something to do with the Asuras. When he saw that zeppelin in the sky and watched that news show, he felt something within him stir, as if he were being called upon.
Regardless, most of his memories were locked behind a veil, even though he had recovered a good amount of them. He couldn’t be sure about his objective until he unlocked more.
“...I’ll need to get stronger before thinking about helping.”
“Well, that’s a given. Even class 5’s are like foot soldiers in the war, so your class 4 self can’t do much at all. If and when you approach class 6, I’ll come talk to you again and see what you can do.”
“Alright.”
“Very well then. I’ll find you more fuel, so just sit back and give me a few hours.”
Saying that, Treston walked off once again. Dream smiled happily seeing as how he was getting more fuel for free.
This would be the easiest advancement ever.
…………
It took close to a week, but after a bit of work, Treston was able to find a spare nuclear fusion reactor that Dream could use.
Of course, a standard fusion reactor would vaporize Dream if all that energy was given to him at once. Thus, Treston, with the help of a few special bots, built a throttle that would allow Dream to increase or decrease the energy output at will.
And with that, Dream was set up to advance.
It was in an underground facility that he sat himself down by the fusion reactor and got ready. There was a huge machine in front of him with two nodes on it and a the throttle that could be controlled with his mind.
Treston was there, as curious as he was, along with a few bots that maintained the reactor, thoug Dream didn’t believe it actually needed to be monitored with the level of technology they had.
And so, without much suspense, Dream grabbed the nodes and opened the throttle.
*ZAP!*
Floods of electricity ran through Dream’s body at levels that couldn’t compare the the nuclear fuel cell. Dream’s entire body began to arc with lightning that turned some of his skin yellow hot as if it were metal.
But neither Treston nor the bots moved, and Dream didn’t decrease the energy output. He kept it at that level, not worried about the arcs that could kill a normal class 4.
After all, Dream couldn't die by normal means. And as he thought, despite his physical bodyy being destroyed, his existence was perfectly fine.
No, it was more than fine. His being was bursting with potent energy as it was all absorbed by his core. In fact, that core grew at shocking rates, its size and density multiplying several times over in just an hour.
And as it grew, the veil within Dream’s mind was slowly washed away, revealing more of his memories.
The second wave of demons, and the destruction of the emperors on the other world.
The creation of the Haven.
The battle against the artificial class 5 devil.
His triumph over the demon hordes and nuclear oblivion.
And finally, his return to Earth with the help of Corvatsch.
After returning to Earth, Dream was finally able to reunite with his family and Luna was able to establish the otherworld empire that would gradually grow to become the most powerful in the world.
Not only that, Alice reappeared, an event that cracked his mind through sheer shock.
These events flashed through Dream’s mind as his power continued to grow. And with the memories he regained, Dream was able to reform the two skills, [Arcana] and [Particle Manipulation, to reach the heights he remembered them to be. Not only that, he was able to form the skill [Arcane Transmutation] that resulted from the evolution of his old skill [Summons from Another World].
These three skills built themselves into separate cores around the core of gray mist. Now, including the inventory, there were four sub-cores.
But these cores were unlike the soul strings and skills that Dream knew back then. The cores were the manifestation of what Dream remembered. That meant that, purely from dream’s knowledge of how they used to work, the skills functioned as they were supposed to. There was no special data, no strings of golden script, no profound realizations.
They just worked, as if Dream’s mere thoughts were law.
Obviously, all these changes were internal, unknown and unseen by Treston or the bots outside. For a long while, Dream just sat there in their eyes and absorbed energy.
But even on the inside, the changes didn’t stop as Dream was allowed to recall more of his memories.
He remembered the long years on Earth as he worked on the portal that would bring himself, Luna, Iris, and Alice to the inner universe.
During this time, Dream was able to learn more about the fabric of space and the chaotic void. He learned to bend and travel space as his skill [Particle Manipulation] and [Arcana] worked together to bend Aether and warp the fabric of reality. This allowed him to travel obscene distances in mere seconds, traveling between entire galaxies.
Along with that, he developed his infamous nanites that could absorb any material and synthesize any element, allowing him to construct vast megastructures without a single bot. And the place he happened to source material from was the sun, an entity of incalculable amounts of hydrogen that could be reorganized into whatever element he needed.
And speaking of the sun, several years into his time on Earth, Dream got married.
The venue was atop the star itself, and it was there that Dream made his vows to the three women who would be bound to his very existence forever.
A ceremony carried out by an archangel, and an eternal covenant. It was there than Dream got his second title, the only one that was allowed by the system other than [Origin Seeker].
The [Husband] title.
A series of soul strings that had been a mere connection evolved to become something that bound their existences together.
And with that, Dream worked tirelessly toward fulfilling his promise of bringing them to the inner universe, doing all kinds of things with that portal.
In the end, it took him 10 years to crack that nut. But after he did, he was able to fulfill his promise.
He was even able to snatch a neutron star.
Recalling that memory, Dream chuckled with a goofy grin.
“Maybe I should steal another…”
He mumbled before opening his eyes.
When he did, he saw the bots and realized they were sending some signals to the fusion reactor. He quickly understood why.
It needed more fuel, as the amount of power Dream had siphoned away was significant enough for the reactor to cool a bit.
Before he knew it, an entire week had passed.
Dream reached the pinnacle of class 4.
Suddenly, he let go of the nodes connecting to the reactor, standing up and facing Treston who had never left.
“So? How was it?”
Treston asked, causing Dream to smile a bit.
“I’m at the pinnacle of class 4.”
“That’s it? You sucked away enough energy to power a city for dozens of years.”
“Eh. Anyway, I’ve remembered something I need to do.”
Dream separated himself from the reactor, Treston eyeing him in confusion.
“Something to do?”
“Yes. I’ll be going now, but I’ll be back sometime.”
Saying that, Dream pointed his finger and swiped it across the space next to him.
Treston watched with shock as space was torn open, revealing the chaotic void underneath. Or, what looked like the chaotic void.
“What are you…”
“It’s about time I checked up on my seed. I see it’s been about 80 thousand years since I was last seen on Earth. So maybe my child civilization has mutated and grown…”
Dream rubbed his chin while taking a step through the void fissure.
Treston watched as it closed behind him. Right as it closed though, he felt an unfathomable pressure bear down on the place.
“Stop! Dream!”
A voice rang out, obviously panicked and hasty. Unfortunately, Dream was already gone.
Treston turned his gaze at that moment, laying eyes on the source of that pressure.
A woman in a red dress, one that draped down her legs and faded into nothingness, drifting in the nonexistent wind.
A brilliant third eye on her forehead that resembled a powerful red jewel.
A sword that floated by her body, as if with a mind of its own.
Treston quickly bowed to the woman.
“Asura Queen.”
“Where did he go?!”
Unlike her normal self, the Asura Queen was urgent as she scanned the space Dream just passed through. Amazingly though, there was absolutely no trace of him tearing open the void.
Before Treston could explain, she grit her teeth.
“Dammit! That damned brother… It’s been thousands and thousands of years!! Must you vanish right when you reappear?! Ugh!”
She kicked a nearby machine, and Treston watched it disintegrate under her power. Of course, that was nothing compared to her true power.
Treston remained quiet, though he was shocked by what he heard.
“Brother…”
“You will mention nothing about this, Treston. If you dare utter the slightest reference to his existence, then I will erase yours.”
“On my life I will heed your command.”
“Good… Damn. How did he escape my senses… What an ass.”
With those mumblings, the Asura Queen walked away, Treston continuing to bow until she was out of sight.
Of course, the Asura Queen was also known to very few by her true name.
Melody, the sister of Dream, and the highest leader of the Asura God Clans of Tersa Prime.