Two decades later.

Shadowthorn continent.

In a sumptuous palace.

Nilus was sleeping peacefully right next to Lora. They still looked the same despite the decades that had passed.

“I thought you gave me this brand so you could also visit the world outside.” Nilus said as he appeared next to Anlow.

They were both in a dreamscape that Anlow’s clone, the soul brand, lived in.

“When you start adventuring the universe, I will be there. What brings you around here this time? To challenge me and miserably lose again or are you here for information that only I can provide.” Anlow asked.

Nilus felt shivers at the mention of a challenge. He immediately said: “I came for information.”

“Pray tell.”

Nilus said : “It’s regarding my son, Daryl. Can you tell me what kind of ability he will possess when he reaches the divine stage. You and I are green ghosts and that is not hereditary. You told me that yourself. But his mother was born human. I have no idea what he will turn out to be.”

“I see.” Anlow said. He added:“We know that you wife’s side has the ice element ability ever since you helped them all reach the divine stage, but you neglected your Hornraven family. If you had helped your family reach the divine stage as well, you would’ve known the other ability you are looking for.” He paused for a moment and continued: “It is not predestined. The kid would’ve inherited one of the two abilities.”

Nilus thought for a moment then said: “You mean that I still carry the Hornraven bloodline even though I am green ghost.”

“Of course.” Anlow answered.

“Then what ability will Daryl inherit? I’m sure you already know.” Nilus asked.

Anlow was currently creating a miniature city on a table. There were many lifeforms moving about inside. He stopped what he was doing and said :“From the Hornraven bloodline.”

“Do you know the ability my family has?” Nilus inquired.

Anlow grinned and said: “That information will cost you.”

Of course, Nilus had seen it coming. It was either challenging the unbeatable beast in front of him or pay a huge quantity of pure crystals.

Nilus had three continents and a growing population to slowly siphon.

Anlow just had a city of merfolk. He could not compare in revenue even with his eternal patience.

Anlow had taught Nilus how to better control his soul eating ability and use it in a more efficient way like slowly amassing little strands of energy from living beings in a safe way.

He also taught him how to purify that energy into pure crystals that even a 92nd stage Anlow desperately needed.

Nilus had come here to know which ability his son would inherit so he could better train him. He was hoping it was the ice ability that the Haynes family, Lora’s family, had, but just found out it was from his estranged family.

“As usual, you are shameless enough to swindle your own disciple.” Nilus said. He continued : “I will deliver the pure crystals. Just tell me what I want to know.”

“You are the one who is mistaken here. I am always trying to teach you. All you could’ve done, and can still do, was help your family reach the divine stage and you had two decades to do it. Or you can just challenge me. Two simple solutions yet you choose to bankrupt yourself for nothing.” Anlow said as he shrugged his shoulders. He continued:“ I know that you also came here to challenge me. If I am correct you want me to give you the ability of your son and then train you so you can in turn train him. But you should not neglect your own family Nilus.”

“Just tell me. I will see what I can do about my family later.” Nilus said.

Anlow had abandoned the miniature cities and changed for miniature planets. He said: “it’s a good and rare ability. A lethal one at that. It is the ability to become one with lightning.”

“Lightning? The Hornraven family is that strong?” Nilus was surprised. Natural lightning was dreaded by even Divine stages.

“Yes. Lightning.” Anlow confirmed.

“Do you have that ability?” Nilus asked.

“Of course, I do.” Anlow said but inwardly thought: “My Lightning is a bit different though…”

“I will challenge you for it then.” Nilus said.

“Good.” Said Anlow as his eyes showed an unusual glow.

The scenery changed from the simple room they were in to endless plains.

Nilus was hovering in the air as Anlow hovered a few kilometers away from him.

Under them, two armies, one dressed in blue armor and the other dressed in white, were facing each other.

Anlow said:“As usual, some information will soon appear in your mind. It will be about the various abilities that humans can have. As you already know, your task is to pick the best and appropriate abilities to win this war. Once you give a warrior an ability, it cannot be changed until the next round. I will not read your mind as of now. ”

It was always the same challenge. Both had the same pool of abilities to choose from and the same numbers of warriors. The stages were chosen according to a specific order.

For example, there could not be more than three 100th stages or more than a thousand 30th stages.

With an army of seven thousand, it was a headache to choose what to do in time as either of the players could simultaneously control them all with the same mind as if they were fighting on seven thousand fronts at the same time.

“A clash right of the bat. I never managed to get here in the last challenges. He assassinated my generals before we could get to this stage. What do I choose? Abilities that deal the most damage in close combat? Or focus on staying alive the longest and drag this out? Sigh… This is hopeless.”

In the recent games they had played, he was given entire worlds to command and guide in combat, but he always ended up losing because of unforeseen attacks that hit him where he did not expect them.

Anlow was a master at sneak attacks and always used underhanded means to win any fight.

“He chose a simple clash today. I wonder if my decision is right. I will create two reality warpers at the 100th stage. I will use them to disorganize his troops and one 100th stage with a healing ability to support all my warriors. The rest will use abilities that deal high value damage.” Nilus thought

The fight started.

Anlow’s side braced themselves for impact as Nilus’s side launched the attack.

It seemed Anlow was adopting a defensive approach.

Bright lights appeared all over as they clashed.

The vanguard that Nilus had sent was almost obliterated in the first round.

Anlow had chosen to give healing abilities to all his soldiers. They used their physical strength and their weapons.

Anlow’s fighting techniques were unmatched before Nilus’s soldiers that relied on their abilities. Each of the old man's soldiers used the shielding tactic going from one person to the next. They killed without dying.

They looked like an undying army as they cut through Nilus’ warriors.

The healer that Nilus had left behind to heal his wounded warriors could not keep up.

The first round was won by Anlow.

Nilus refused to give up. He used the same tactics in the next round.

He lost again.

“Let’s stop here.” Anlow said as they returned to the previous room. He said:

“The choices you make show me that you are not subtle enough in your thinking.”

Anlow approached the table and the scenes from the previous fight were seen. Little warriors fought madly to secure victory.

“In a clash of that magnitude, with the same exact number of forces, the best warriors always win. I chose the best ability and used the best techniques to win. If you had chosen a healing ability like I did for all your warriors, it would have been a draw. Yet you chose to force your way in with the best abilities you could pick. For us green ghosts that can have endless abilities to choose from, it is always about the most suitable power in a corresponding situation. Not the best and most lethal ability.”

“I lost then.” A helpless Nilus said.

“Good grace. It is almost like you never listen to my teachings. You never lose. You just learn from your mistakes.” Anlow said.

“Teachings and nothing else.” Nilus complained.

“Well, I have a business proposal this time.” Anlow mysteriously said.

“What is it? I thought you only cared about humans not trespassing into your merfolk territory.” Nilus was interested.

Anlow looked happier than usual as he said :“Now that you’ve reached the 57th stage, no one will dare ask questions. Even the current planet Lord must bow in your presence...”Nilus stopped him: “I know I am now stronger than the current planet lord but he doesn’t know I even exist and I promised Angel Fangs I’d stay away from his father. Why involve me anyway? You are now a 94th stage. You could do whatever you wanted before, what could a puny planet lord possibly do to you now?” Nilus was incensed. His calm and happy life was sure to be over if he started a war with Fangs’ father, Angel, for the ownership of the planet.

“Calm down.” Anlow said. He continued : “This is a project I’ve been working on for eons. Nothing harmful. Just a simple game. Look for yourself…” He said before they were transported inside another world.

It was a world that looked just like any other world. A universe.

Nilus looked left and right and saw a myriad of stars being reflected in his eyes. A universe that had no end to itself.

They approached a small blue planet that looked like the only inhabited planet in that universe.

It was bustling with activity. The scenery looked like it had just come from ancient times.

They flashed by multiple temples in which students wearing the same uniform trained in the way of the aura.

Magical beasts that fought each other.

Different races walking side by side.

“What…What have you done Anlow?” Nilus managed to ask.

“This is my dreamscape. Since I reached the 94th stage, I can finally polish it and share it.”

“You see, every living being and places you saw is a representation of everything I encountered in my lifetime.”

“I put it all on this little planet.”

“In my home universe, I was a wandering teacher of the way of the aura but at the same time, it was a cover that allowed me to steal powers all over the universe. I contracted with powerful beings then disappeared.”

“This is my dreamscape and I want it to help me reach the 100th stage even faster.”

Nilus expressed his doubts:“For you to level up is close to impossible at each stage. You need millions of pure crystals. How are you going to accomplish such a feat so easily? With a dreamscape no less.”

Anlow said : “Simple.”

“I made this dreamscape as close to reality as possible. Even pain can be felt here. It will be a recreative game for all your subjects. I project to take this game beyond this planet in no time.”

Nilus asked : “I feel bored by coming here. How are you going to trick other people into playing this game? I suspect that there will be a fee.”

Anlow said : “I hid many minor abilities in some hidden places. I also hid plenty of pure crystals everywhere. This is a game like the challenges you always refuse to undergo. They will win pure crystals, abilities and knowledge.”

“Levelling up in the dreamscape will also be considered real. They would wake up with their new levels and gains.”

“Normal humans will access their own universe dreamscape. Divine stages will also have theirs and ascendants will have their universe dreamscape. ”

“I made three of them and the power levels of the living beings living inside correspond with each category.”

“………” Nilus was still trying to understand what he was hearing.

“They will be offering aura to enter. They will pay with aura in the various recreative services in the dreamscape. They will pay with aura if they wish to learn under a master that will just be a clone of me. They can even work in here if they want to and be paid. I will send them on missions for rewards. I will create so many ways for them to spend and earn that they’d rather stay inside the game rather than live outside.” Anlow said.

“What is my role in all of this?” Nilus asked.

“You will be the game master for the ascendant dreamscape.” Anlow answered.

“What?”