The distant thunder in the low-lying cumulus clouds seed to be fleeting, accompanied by a slightly cool breeze that rustled Leon’s robe.
Walking along the edge of a platform corridor floating high above, he stopped in his tracks, eyes gazing out at the vast land below illuminated by the sun.
In the desolate wilderness, there were no signs of human life or animals. The view below was filled with interwoven ridges and valleys, unchanged, with the distant sound of a dragon’s roar faintly heard.
Standing at the edge of the airborne island, Leon turned back to gaze up at the scene behind him—...the vast silver plaza filled with towering columns like a forest, sculptures standing tall, and at the end, the golden palace reaching into the clouds like a giant gate, blocking his attempt to see further.
Here it is again...this dreamscape...
In the hazy and dreamlike sensations, Leon helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose.
He could discern whether he was in a dream or reality at this mont, a basic skill required when spellcasters study prophecy, and since he always dread of the sa scene, it beca even easier to distinguish.
...Instead of hastily waking himself, Leon decided to walk towards the giant gate at the end of the plaza, his footsteps drowned out by the circulating wind on the smooth, seamless plaza floor, feeling small amidst the radiant and gigantic buildings around him, as if he had entered a realm of giants.
According to the teachings in Ancient Magic Science, spellcasters sensitive to magic power often experience special dreams, which are sowhat connected to themselves or reality, especially those repetitive and fixed dreams.
Yet, over several days, he had wandered back and forth on the plaza platform outside this giant gate without finding any connection between this extraordinary floating city and himself.
"...What is this place?" Standing at the giant gate, Leon raised his head and asked himself in confusion.
"This is your mory garden...the scenery deep in your mory..."
The unexpected and abrupt answer made Leon alertly turn around.
In the direction he had co from, there stood a colorful fla outline, resembling a human-shaped illusion.
The fla apparition’s figure was tall and thin, its right hand resting on a staff with the outline of a scythe, strikingly familiar.
"Valary!?"
Leon took half a step back.
Though the outline was blurry, and lacked demonic wings and form, he could still instinctively recognize the identity of the figure.
"Is this a dream you created for ?" Leon asked cautiously, but being unard in the dream, he only clenched his fists defensively, almost wanting to imdiately wake his consciousness to escape this peculiar dream.
"Yes...and no, I indeed ca here, but this is ultimately your dream, a realm constructed by your heart..."
The colorful fla outline continued eerily: "No need to be tense, I am rely a remnant of a soul and can do nothing to you right now..."
Upon hearing this, Leon frowned, discovering the voice was far more normal than when in its demonized form, sounding...like a middle-aged man with a weary tone.
Valary’s fla apparition fell silent, leaning on the scythe magic wand as it slowly approached the giant gate.
"And of course, you also can do nothing to ...It’s such a pity; I thought your soul was strong enough to instantly burn an intruder like to ashes...Yet it allowed to see sothing interesting...No wonder..."
Not entirely believing the ancient fallen mage’s words, Leon cautiously sidestepped to maintain distance, still trying to probe: "Interesting things? Are you talking about this dream? I can’t see what’s interesting about it."
Valary’s fla apparition paused, pointing the scythe at the giant gate ahead, and laughed.
"Soone has sealed...No, soone has stolen your mories. Isn’t that interesting enough?"
"What?" Leon raised his eyebrows in astonishnt but then shook his head at his own reaction.
Almost got fooled.
This Pride Demon managed to deceive Squash and the Horror Demon until they were completely turned around, its credibility was probably less than that needed to unlock a shared bicycle. Yet he was trying to seek knowledge and understanding from its mouth.
Leon sighed.
"...Let guess, your next step is to propose finding my mories in exchange for releasing your seal, isn’t it?"
Valary continued to gaze at the giant gate before him.
"If you wish to make such a deal, it wouldn’t be impossible. I...could try."
Leon chuckled upon hearing this: "Dream on, as long as I’m alive, you will forever be imprisoned in that crystal."
With those words spoken, losing any desire to continue exploring, he imdiately stimulated his spirit to escape the hazy dream...
...slowly opening his eyes.
What greeted him was the low ceiling of the tactical camp.
Behind him was the hard and dry camp bed, and he could hear the incessant sound of a pen scratching within the tent.
Leon tilted his head slightly, catching sight of Olivia beside the bed, dressed in simple attire with her hair tied in a ponytail, bending over the desk and writing sothing on a piece of rough, yellowed paper.
Noticing the movent, Olivia turned to look at him as well, smiling: "Awake? Did you sleep well?"
Leon turned his head, glancing at the package he carried by his side, more precisely at the Demon Soul Stone glowing oddly within the package.
"Not well, it was that strange dream again...and this ti, even Valary barged into my dream." Leon sat up and sighed helplessly.
He was getting increasingly frustrated about how to deal with this hot potato that imprisoned a powerful demon lord.
In his previous life on Earth, watching movies and gas, he thought rely sealing enemies rather than destroying them was surely leaving a lingering problem, yet now when he found himself in the sa situation, he was forced to do the sa.
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