“So, satisfied?” she asked.
He reached for his antlers, then looked down at his hands, on his left hand lightning crackled, on his right which still bore the mark on the palm, produced a small wind.
While his elementalis-wielding ability immediately returned to him upon consuming the fruits, he still felt his prana within recovering, while not having the system yet at which speed it was recovering he knew it was recovering faster than it should passively be, so it he didn’t hurry himself to get off the Odo tree.
To her question he nodded.
“So, should it be done then, the final decision was taken wasn’t it?”
“It was…” he began his trailing mid sentence as his gaze now lingering into the horizon.
By the time he completed his purpose at the Odo tree, signs of the sun's imminent rise began to emerge on the horizon. The first rays of sunlight were poised to spill forth, marking the beginning of a new day.
From his vantage point atop the Odo tree, he could see four of the seven staves in the faraway distance. Beyond them lay the vast expanse of land, stretching from the southern regions to the Odoe territory. It was a world that beckoned to him, a world he could feel was only waiting for him.
“So?”
"The decision has been made, but that can wait. For now, let's focus on getting out of this place," he mumbled under his breath.
Feeling his veins coursing with fully replenished prana, he ran towards the edge of the Odo tree, his mind free from fear, worries, or anguish, he, with a leap of faith, jumped into the void, allowing gravity to guide him down instead of following the path he took up down.
As the ground rushed closer, he swiftly summoned his aero-elementalis, which responded to his call. With a perfectly timed maneuver, as the ground loomed dangerously near, his aero-elementalis formed a cushion beneath him, effectively softening his landing.
“Just old days,” he mumbled, a smile on his face. But as his gaze left the ground to what laid ahead of him, his smile disappeared.
The Eldest was not dead. She stood there, supported by two other Odoe. Not only had she survived, but she had also assembled a waiting committee for his arrival. It appeared as though half of the Valkyrie domain personnel, through which he had carefully snuck to climb up the Odo tree, had now positioned themselves to intercept him.
“Listen you all, how about you just let me walk past you all. I have what I want, I’ll cause no trouble, I’ll simply leave the valkyrie, in fact I’ll also leave the capital, how about that?”
In that moment, the Odoes present looked at each other, proof that his word at least made it through, leaving them doubting as to what their next course of action should be.
"Don't let his appearance deceive you!" the Eldest shouted, her voice devoid of its usual condescending tone. Instead, it carried a hint of horror, fear, and vulnerability. "He must be stopped at all costs! Kill it!"
In the wake of her words, any doubts among the Odoe dissipated instantly. They clenched their fists tightly and summoned their weapons and odo, readying themselves to confront him with a newfound unwavering determination.
"I must commend your resilience, dear Eldest," he sighed. "However, since it has come to this, it will all end here. Circumstances led me to hold back on leveling up these past few years, but I suppose it's never too late to make up for lost time."
***
With half of the Valkyrie domain scattering, prioritizing their lives over their duty, the other half bravely clung to their ideals and stood their ground until the bitter end. Yet, in less than a dozen minutes, he effortlessly disposed of them. Even with the Eldest by their side, her injuries hampering her abilities and her sight lost, the Odoe, despite their sheer numbers, simply had no chance of stopping him. It was, essentially, a one-sided massacre.
With the Eldest now gone and the futile ambushing committee out of his way, he strode forth, determined to leave the capital. There was nothing else for him to accomplish here, at least for now. Casting a final glance at the Odo tree, he couldn't help but think, "That thing is truly enormous up close," just as he had the first time.
He soon arrived near the stairs leading up to the Valkyrie domain, and as he did, something shiny shot forth like a striking snake. The impact was so powerful that his body was forcefully pushed back a few steps.
Looking up from where the shiny object had been launched, a familiar silhouette emerged. "Rustler...." she called out, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and anger. "You..."
In a manner reminiscent of their first encounter, which could be summarized as "hit first, ask questions later," she demanded, "What have you done?"
"M-Men'ma..."
"Rustler, what have you done?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with urgency and concern. She cast a quick glance at the Valkyrie domain behind him, her expression turning even grimmer than before. Then, with a dreadful expression on her face, she asked, "Where is the Eldest?"
He chose to not answer that question, not out of shame but out of consideration for her.
“Rustler, tell me! What have you done?!” She once again exclaimed, closing in on him, only to halt her stride upon hearing his answer.
“I did what I’ve always done best… you will not find the Eldest in the Valkyrie domain,” explained before declaring, “She is gone, just like everyone else.”
Unable to either take a step forward or utter a single upon hearing his grim confession, Men’ma froze in place, a heavy silence settling in between them.
"Why?" she eventually asked, breaking the silence that had enveloped them. Her voice carried a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and frustration. "Everything was going so well. You seemed to genuinely get along with everyone here. No one was here to judge you for your past actions. This was your chance to start anew, to rebuild yourself from scratch. I know I made you wait, but I was certain I could have found something for you eventually. So why did you do this? Why did you have to ruin everything?"
He could sense the deep disappointment in her voice, resonating within his bones. It stirred something within his chest, a familiar feeling that he had experienced many times before. It wasn't the first time he had felt this way, as he had often let people down in the past.
Her long golden reptilian tail darted threateningly in his direction, indicating her readiness to engage in battle. "Right now, all I want is to leave. Are you planning on standing in my way? Will you try to stop me?" he retorted.
"I will do what you leave me no choice but to do," she replied firmly, her words filled with determination. Once again, a sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Clenching his fist and letting out a sigh, he prepared to answer her question. "If that's the case, then allow me to address your question first: why?"
"I spent the very first years of my life within four enclosed walls. It was a very confusing period of my life, but I remember liking reading—or, to be exact, watching pictures inside books. In my favorite book, there were pictures of a bird, a boy, and a snake. Back then, I wasn't sure what it made me feel like, but now, looking back, seeing those colorful pictures made me feel less lonely."
"Some years later, by accident, I would see what was beyond those four walls—see the sky, the stars—for the first time, and that day—that night, I made a friend. With that friend, I made a promise, and he made one to me as well."
"For the years to come, I worked towards fulfilling that promise. It would be preachy, and our interactions would be full of scolding, but overall, it was fun. It wasn't lonely anymore."
"Then, some years later, as I took my first concrete steps towards upholding the promise we made to one another, it happened. Disappointment after disappointment, I fell short of his expectations. I betrayed him and the promises we made to each other. I even went on to completely forget about it. It was after that when I met her: Ninjara."
"She was a strange, bold, and somewhat clumsy girl, almost as alien to the world as I was. I enjoyed her presence much like I grew to enjoy his. And just as I had with him, I made her a promise – to take her to the land of her people, for that was what she wanted, what her parents wanted," he cast a sidelong glance at the girl standing beside him. "But you know what? What happened once, happened again. I wasn't able to fulfill the promise I made to her. In the blink of an eye, I lost not only one but two people, leaving me alone, on my own, forcing me to understand how lonely being alone could be."
"Do you know what I felt? I felt loss, sadness, anger—so much anger—and loneliness. During those days, I wished only for someone or something to come to my rescue, but no one and nothing did. There was no one to show me the way, no one for me to follow, no one to give me instructions. Ninjara was gone, and so was he. It was just me and what they left me with behind.”
"Life felt devoid of purpose, and I questioned its worth. Despite the aimlessness and emptiness that consumed me, I clung to it, holding onto a glimmer of hope that one day I might regain what had been lost. Alas, that day never came, and certainly never would, I was very well aware of that, which is why, when the opportunity presented itself to me, I did not hesitate."
"A new existence emerged, bearing the face and voice of Ninjara, bestowing upon me a sense of purpose, much like Suraxai once did. Together, we would hunt down those who had wronged us and deliver the rightful punishment they deserved," he explained, extending his hand towards her—Ninjara—waiting for her to take it. Without hesitation, she reached out and grasped his hand. "With her by my side, I would awaken each day with a renewed sense of purpose. However, deep down, I knew that this arrangement was not sustainable in the long run. Time would soon come when the last of them would face their deserved punishment," he acknowledged. "It was around that time when you entered the picture. I'm sure you must have found it weird how easily I accepted your offer. But the truth was that my disillusioned self simply accepted it because I thought that bringing her over here would somehow allow me to make amends for both my unfulfilled promises, both to him and to her. It was only when I made it past the staves that I realized how wrong and disillusioned I was to hold onto those hopes. He left me, severing all ties, and it's highly likely that he can't see anything of me now. Ninjara is simply gone, and what I created as a mimic isn't and wouldn’t never be her,” he let go of a self-deprecating chuckle. “How ironic, even to a mimic of her, I wasn't able to uphold the promise I made to the real Ninjara,"
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
He looked at Men'ma, who wore a heavily conflicted expression on her face, mostly displaying confusion. "I don't understand anything you're saying. None of this makes sense. Did you lose your mind or something?"
"It's okay if you don't understand. I simply wanted you to hear it," he replied, a smile gracing his lips. "And yes, I suppose I may have lost my mind a long time ago, which is perhaps why I was presented with that offer by the system in the first place."
Reinvest Arcane Potential to the Nexus?
Yes
No
"But I think that despite that, things have never been so clear in my mind."
Yes
"What is done is done.”
Initiate Nexus Dream recreation...
“What is gone is gone.”
Initiate Nexus Dream recreation...
In that moment, Ninjara's mimic slowly withered to bits, as if an illusion being dispelled, which she, in many ways, was.
Harvesting Arcane Potential…
“I was planning on procrastinating on this a little but it’s fine this way too.”
“It has been a long ride hasn’t it?”
"Yes, it has. But it's time now for me to get it back, to serve its true purpose," nodding in acceptance.
Surrendering to its fate, Ninjara's mimic thoroughly withered away, her disappearance making way for a new system notification.
Nexus Dream creation completed
As he witnessed the scene before him, a nostalgic smile formed on his face.
He then turned his gaze to Men'ma and spoke softly, "You know, before we proceed, I want you to understand that I am truly grateful for everything you've done for me. I know it may sound contradictory and selfish, especially considering my own actions, but that's just who I am. I'm inherently selfish. Despite that, I wanted you to know that, regardless of what I'm about to do and what I've done, I am sincerely thankful to you and your parents for so warmly welcoming me. To be honest, seeing all of you together, getting so much along, I felt a longing for something I once had—someone to be close to. But I lost that person."
Scratching her head, as if genuinely struggling to make sense of what had happened, she strode forward and said, "I can't comprehend what you're trying to say, but—tsk, it doesn't matter. I know what I must do as a Valkyrie, and I will do it."
Standing his ground, he warned, "I kindly ask you to please just let me go."
"What now? Are you going to tell me you're afraid of me?"
He smiled. "I am only afraid of hurting you."
"You speak as if you're certain you'll overpower me. What makes you believe that I won't be an equal match for you, just like I was that night, or even best you?"
Name
HP
O.P
O.M.P
Class
Men’ma
19
112.5
25
Valkyrie lvl.1
"I just know it, which is why I would like to suggest that you simply stay down," he remarked.
H.P
P.P
O.P
O.M.P
A.P
Level
21/21▲
310/523▲
175/209▲
25.4▲
125
11
"You should have thought about that before doing everything you've done," she barked while lunging at him.
“Fine if this is what you want I will give you the closure you desire.”
***
The outcome of the battle was largely predetermined.
Lying at his feet, Men'ma asked, "Was it a lie all along, your inability to use pranakinesis? Was it all just a fluke?"
Standing above her, he replied, "You may find this hard to believe, but I genuinely tried to be genuine here. So no, it wasn't a lie. I simply found a way to overcome that restriction."
At that moment, using her arm to cover her eyes, and soon began to cry. He stood there silently, watching until she finally calmed down.
"The last thing I would want is for you to feel like I've turned this way because you failed to find purpose for me. I did not. I always had one. It's just that with the one constantly reminding me it gone, I had forgotten about it. But now, I remember."
Quest Logbook
Awaken Ainerax from her Dreaming Slumber
Devour the Suns and the Moons
Live a Grand Adventure
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
"That's up to you to decide. I just wanted you to know that if I had been the one whom the one who sent you across the continents expected, things would have ended differently. Unfortunately, the one they were anticipating isn't here; all they got was me instead."
"A shame, I suppose," she lamented with a hint of self-deprecation.
He didn't respond; he simply walked past her. As he reached the stairs, he declared, "I'm going to leave now. Take care of yourself and your family." She didn't reply; all he heard as he descended the steps were her muffled cries.
Clenching his fist as her cries faded into the background while he descended the steps, he muttered to himself, "This is fine. I'm used to this. This is fine the way it is. Besides, I now have in hand all that I need to move forward. This is perfect."
A vile grin formed on his face.
“I know I’ll most likely won’t get him back, but I want him to know I’ve tried my best—No, I want him to know that he’d made a mistake by giving up on me, ”
Have I failed you that much? That’s fine by me. I've come to terms with that.
Just wait, and I promise I'll show you how much of a mistake it has been to give up on me.
You're going to see and regret that decision of abandoning me.
I'm going to have my own adventure. I'll see the countless sceneries I haven't laid eyes upon yet, and I'll defeat all those opponents I was once too afraid to face.
Just wait; I'll show you what this Little Dream is capable of.
"Little Dream, huh? It's been so long since I was last called that, and mentioning the nickname now doesn't quite feel like it suits me anymore," he expressed, a touch of nostalgia in his voice. “I guess I can still change that.”
"If little Dream doesn't cut it anymore, then Dream... Shall do it.
Name
H.P
P.P
O.P
O.M.P
A.P
Level
Dream
21/21▲
260/523▲
151/209▲
25.4▲
125
11
“Dream... Now that I think of it that was what they called me. While they were mistaken about many things, that name sounds... absolutely perfect.”
Draconic Titles
Godling Title (Arcane)
Godling Title (Odo)
Lord of Old
Blessed One
Seed of the Golden Overlord
“Dream will be who I am from this moment forward. Oh, moons and suns, prepare yourselves, for I am coming to conquer you!"
Skills
Draconic / Godling
Aspect
Blessing
Blessing of the Guardian Dragon
Nexus System
Blessing of the Valkyrie
Golden Blessing
Odo Leveling
“Just wait for me.”