-----

This was the reward?! A third mana core! Unbelievable…

I didn't even know a person could have more than one, but now I possess three?!

I quickly and hurriedly checked my status, although my main mana core was still stagnant, my power had definitely increased…

…

Name: Drake Fafnir.

Race: Spectral Death Winter Dragon.

Titles: Merciless, Savior, Pack Leader, Magic Teacher, Herald of Fafnir.

Mana Core Cultivation: Ice/Wind Mana Core: Rank 3 (Initial Stage), Death/Null Mana Core: Rank 2 (Initial Stage), Dream/Illusion Mana Core: Rank 1 (Initial Stage).

Soul Cultivation: Soul Core Nourishment Realm (Middle Stage)

Status: Satiated.

Vitality: 30.400/30.400 -> 35.700/35.700

Mana: 71.000/71.000 -> 91.000/91.000

Strength: 26.000 -> 31.000

Dexterity: 19.000 -> 24.000

Magic: 61.000 -> 71.000

Unique Abilities:

Unique Skill: [Immortal Body]

Unique Skill: [Winter Magic]

Unique Skill: [System]

Unique Skill: [Ice Absorption]

Unique Skill: [God] (Sealed)

Magic:

[Storm Magic: Level 5]

[Death Magic: Level 6]

[Null Magic: Level 2]

[Dream Magic: Level 1]

[Illusion Magic: Level 1]

…

It did! And I got two new Magic Skills to boot, Dream and Illusion Magic.

Illusion Magic seems to be related to emotions as well, and it is part of an ancient attribute, I don't know if it is original from Yggdrasil or not, but Dream Magic… it definitely isn't.

Wait, wasn't it originally a unique skill? But how was she able to convert her unique skill into a Mana Core that she could gift to someone? And how did she made the Mana Core activate for it to work properly? Putting mana cores inside my body from ice giant bandits or monsters won't suddenly make them mine, they will be just there.

There's certainly some magic behind this, a very amazing ability or technique that only someone that has reached Rank 10, a Venerable such as her, could have done.

Or maybe it is a widespread ability that Immortals have? Maybe, but I cannot imagine how she could easily just gift it to me, even less through a dream, which isn't physical.

Well, she was the best user of her own unique element, although there had been more wielders of this attribute, she was the first one that got it to Rank 10, and made it widespread when she filled the world with Dreamlands, this was an era known as the Era of Dreams… many people getting abducted and trapped into their own dreams, getting their souls consumed by it, and more…

She was able to somehow infuse this new element into the world, and then crafted a Mana Core with such an element, those that put it inside their bodies would gain the power of Dream and Illusion too… Although I've gained a lot of experience in the comprehension of Dreams and Spirits through her dream, I still have to put this new power into practice…

I looked over Benladann and decided to use Dream Projection.

I saw within her dreams that… Eh? She's talking with a fox girl…

WHAT?! Did she get pulled there?

Benladann!

I have to help her out, she can't possibly jump into a dreamland!

-----

Benladann POV

I don't know how long I lasted awake, probably three or four days, but in the end, I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion.

Sorry, Drake… I promise to give you more souls whenever I wake up!

But… instead of my usual dreams, I found myself within pure darkness.

Is this where Miranda is?

"I am here too, but I don't know what this place is, it is completely alien from our soul." Said Miranda, emerging at my side.

"This is… maybe just a dream we are sharing?" I asked.

"I don't know, doesn't feel like it, honestly…" said Miranda.

"Then… what could it be?" I wondered.

As we walked through it, we found strange, pink-colored smoke everywhere we went.

What was this?

The smoke seemed illusory and strange, dreamy, even.

It seemed filled with a strange spiritual essence.

"Hm? Another one?"

Suddenly, the voice of a little girl greets us.

We don't know where she is, but she did speak to us…

"W-Where is that voice?" asked Miranda.

"Where did it came from?"

"Reveal yourself!" protested Miranda.

"Hmm… You're being quite rude with me, young lady, I am but a playful little fox…"

A pink fox-kin girl appeared. Her fur was pink, fluffy, and glossy, and she had bright yellow-gold eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Miranda.

"Hm… Who knows? I am but the guardian of this inheritance… You can call me however you want…" she said.

"How did we end here?" I asked.

"That is a good question! You ended here by mere chance! But this means you're fitting of my inheritance." Said the fox girl.

What's an inheritance? Something that others leave behind? Why would she want us to enter it?

"This sounds fishy, we don't want anything to do with your inheritance! Let us go." Said Miranda.

"Fufu… You're cheeky, aren't you? You don't truly realize who you are talking to? And why don't I ask YOU something first… Just as, why are you two in a single soul?" she asked.

"Ah…"

"Well… We don't have to tell you that." I said.

"Hmmm~ True! Then, I don't have to tell you anything either. Maybe, I can tell you something if you enter a little dream I got for you… Want to give it a try?" she asked.

"And what if we don't want to?" asked Miranda.

"Well, you'll stay here, and slowly, your soul will be destroyed." She said.

What?!

"Is this a trap? Why would that happen?" asked Miranda.

"By the ancient gods, you're slow, girl… Isn't it obvious? Dreams consume souls to fuel themselves, if you stay for too long inside this place, or end up losing inside a dream, your soul gets… NOM! Chomped." Said the fox girl.

"No… I don't want that, why must we stay here?! I won't… do as you say!"

I couldn't let her do whatever she wanted with us. I didn't know what she was, but I wasn't going to go down without fighting.

After all, I wasn't alone in this.

"You're foolish to think you can even defeat me."

-----