Chapter 197: Monsters in the Dream Realm (Part 1 and 2)

Chapter 197: Monsters in the Dream Realm (Part 1 and 2)



"Baron Rain, Lord Hamilton, welcome to the Ussman Manor. Miss Naya is already waiting for you in the reception room. Please follow me." Knight Lawrence politely bowed and led the way.

"Thank you, Knight Lawrence."

As they walked, Rain learned from Lord Hamilton that Viscount Ussman had recently traveled to the provincial capital, Minster, to visit an Alchemist Master, seeking a special potion to alleviate Miss Naya's symptoms.

When Rain and Hamilton entered the manor's reception room, the first person they saw was Miss Naya.

She wore a light green silk waistcoat, her skin was fair, her features were beautiful, and her figure was slender yet voluptuous where it mattered.

Additionally, due to her Sorcerer bloodline, her brown eyes held a mysterious charm, captivating those who laid eyes on her.

"Baron Rain, it's an honor to have you here. Lord Hamilton, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Please, take a seat," Miss Naya's crisp voice rang out, and she gracefully curtsied to the two men.

"Thank you for your kind words, Miss Naya," Baron Rain replied with a slight bow and a smile.

After some pleasantries, Lord Hamilton stood up with a smile and said, "Miss Naya, I'll leave the rest to you and Baron Rain. I'll take a tour of the manor."

Knight Lawrence also smiled and said, "I'll accompany Lord Hamilton."

As they bid farewell to the two men, Miss Naya turned to Baron Rain and said, "Baron Rain, I believe Lord Hamilton has already informed you about my situation. So please forgive my boldness, but if I may ask for your assistance, what would the Ussman family offer in return?"

Baron Rain had already considered this question beforehand. Considering Lord Hamilton's role as an intermediary and his desire to establish a good relationship with the Sorcerer family, he didn't intend to demand an exorbitant price.

However, there was one matter he needed to clarify. "Miss Naya, may I ask one thing?"

"If we enter the dream realm and still find ourselves unable to defeat the monster you mentioned, can we safely return?"

"Of course. It's not that I lack confidence, but I merely wish to understand the situation. I hope you don't mind my inquiry."

Miss Naya smiled and said, "Of course not. Even if you hadn't asked, I would have explained this to you before we officially entered the dream realm."

She could tell that Baron Rain, the most suitable person from Meyster County, seemed open to the idea of entering the dream realm to help her slay the monster.

This was a relief for her, as she wouldn't have to expend effort convincing him.

"Even if we're not victorious, I'm confident that I can safely bring you back to the real world," Miss Naya affirmed.

Hearing this, Baron Rain nodded.

"Good, that puts my mind at ease."

"Now, my next question is about the monster in the dream realm. How powerful is it? Lord Hamilton's description was vague, so I'd appreciate more details from you, Miss Naya."

"Well, it's not a specific monster per se, but in a particular area of the dream realm, there are numerous monsters of varying strengths."

"Of course, for me to break free from this nightmare, the most crucial task is to defeat the source of the nightmare, a monster with the strength of a Peak Knight."

"To be precise, each time it appears, it's slightly stronger than the previous encounter."

"Last time, it was already at the Peak Knight level. Perhaps this time, it might have entered the Great Knight tier."

"With your strength displayed in the bloody duel and my assistance, I believe we can emerge victorious even against a monster of that caliber."

Miss Naya added this with a hint of concern, fearing Baron Rain's refusal, but also with confidence.

Baron Rain nodded, sensing that Miss Naya was being truthful.

After a moment's thought, Baron Rain said, "It doesn't seem like a major issue. By the way, if we can successfully help Miss Naya get rid of it, I'd like to visit the Ussman family's library."

Finally, Baron Rain stated his condition.

"Visit the library?" Miss Naya's eyes widened, and her mouth hung slightly open.

She had anticipated various requests from Baron Rain, such as a fine weapon, an exceptional Knight armor set, a coveted Extraordinary Combat Skill, or even some Wizardry Scrolls treasured by the Ussman family.

But she hadn't expected Baron Rain to make such a request.

Seeing Miss Naya's silence, Baron Rain furrowed his brows and asked, "Miss Naya, is there a problem?"

"Please don't worry. I won't pry into your family's secrets. I merely seek knowledge that will benefit me."

Miss Naya realized his intention and smiled, "Baron Rain, please forgive my earlier hesitation. If you wish to visit our library, I can grant you access right now."

"But I feel like I owe you more," Miss Naya said with a light laugh, covering her mouth.

"Miss Naya, you're too kind. Shall we begin now?" Baron Rain smiled.

His purpose for coming was to access the legendary Sorcerer family's library and gain more knowledge about Wizards.

With her agreement, the sooner, the better.

"Very well, please follow me, Baron Rain."

Hearing Baron Rain's eagerness, Miss Naya stood up with a smile and accompanied him out of the reception room.

As Hamilton and Lawrence stood outside the door, they heard the sound of it opening and immediately turned to see Naya with a smile on her face, instantly understanding that she had successfully negotiated with Rain.

The group of four walked down a long corridor and arrived at a prepared bedroom.

Inside, there was only a large bed and several chairs, with nothing else in sight.

"Baron Rain, please join me, hand in hand, and lie down on this bed," Naya said straightforwardly.

"Hmm?" Rain was slightly taken aback.

But soon, he realized that this was likely a requirement for some ritual, and he nodded, saying, "Alright, Miss Naya."

So, under the watchful eyes of Hamilton and Knight Lawrence, Rain and Naya held hands and lay down on the large bed.

This was the first time Rain had experienced such a situation, holding hands with a less familiar woman in front of others, and it wasn't exactly pleasant.

However, as soon as they held hands, Rain could feel the cool and slippery sensation emanating from Naya's delicate fingertips.

On the other hand, Naya felt the rough and warm surface of Rain's palm, which inexplicably gave her a sense of security.

This was also the first time Naya had held hands with a stranger, and her cheeks flushed slightly. But soon, she suppressed her shyness and said softly, "Baron Rain, please close your eyes, and I will take you to the dream realm."

"Okay."

And so, Rain closed his eyes.

The next moment, he felt something strange, as if his entire body was suddenly soaring high into the sky, rising infinitely. Suddenly, before his eyes appeared a lush green landscape.

He had arrived in a peculiar world.

It was also a vast and boundless world.

But it was clearly divided into two colors. One was the area where Rain currently stood, filled with vast green trees and multicolored flowers.

The trees here were peculiar, growing in mid-air about four to five meters above the ground, and Rain could clearly see the intertwining roots of these trees.

Additionally, there were enormous flowers in various colors like green, pink, and red, woven together. These flowers were incredibly tall, even taller than the seven to eight-meter-high trees, and each flower's diameter was larger than the water lilies he had seen in his past life.

Looking into the distance, he could see a vast area of black misty mountains.

These mountains seemed to be slowly creeping towards the green area, although it was a very slow process, but Rain could sense this trend.

Was this the dream realm?

How peculiar, Rain thought to himself.

Suddenly, he heard the flapping of wings, and turning his head, he saw a figure with Naya's face and an eagle's body, just like the heraldry, hovering in mid-air.

"Oh, Baron Rain, it seems you're not surprised by my current appearance."

"Miss Naya, your current form resembles the pattern on your family's heraldry," Rain smiled.

"Oh, that's right! I remember now, Knight Lawrence once showed me your heraldry when he visited," Naya exclaimed.

"That's right, Miss Naya. Shall we set off now?"

"Of course. By the way, we're heading to that black area. To save time, I'll fly with you for a while, but there might be a slight stinging sensation, Baron Rain, so please bear with it."

Rain nodded, but the next moment, he realized something odd about her statement.

There was something strange about the way she said it, it sounded a bit odd.] "You might be a level 2 or higher wizard apprentice, Baron Rain. Your mental power is so strong!"

Rain was surprised at how Naya had figured it out, but after some thought, he decided not to deny it.

Since he was already in the dream realm and was about to fight alongside Naya, continuing to hide his identity would not only be disadvantageous for the upcoming battle but also erode trust between teammates.

So, Rain nodded and said, "Yes, I'm a knight and also a wizard apprentice."

"And not just any wizard apprentice, I presume? Your mental power, Baron Rain, is likely that of a level 2 or higher wizard apprentice!"

Rain smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

"No wonder! It seems this time, killing the monster will be a pleasure and a pain!" Naya's face lit up with a smile she couldn't hide.

"Miss Naya, are we heading to the black area ahead?"

"Yes, Baron Rain. That black area ahead is where the monster resides. Only by defeating the guardian of the dream node can this region's dream return to normal, and my nightmare will end."

"However, once we enter that black area, you must be cautious.

"That area spawns monsters with strengths comparable to full knights, and the deeper we go, the stronger the monsters become." Naya's expression turned serious as she spoke.

Rain nodded, indicating his understanding.

Soon, they descended at the border between the green and black areas, and by then, Naya was already sweating profusely.

"I can't fly in the black area, so we'll proceed on foot from here," Naya said, pointing to a black mountain peak in the distance.

"Okay, Miss Naya, you rest for a bit, and I'll take the lead."

Rain thought for a moment, then took up his war hammer and started walking forward.

The trees and flowers in the black area seemed to be painted black, with no difference in style from the green area, but their surfaces were as dark as ink, emitting a faint black mist that obscured the view of the distant scenery.

Suddenly, Rain's level 3 danger sense warned him of a potential monster lurking ahead.

But Rain's steady stride remained unchanged, as this level of warning indicated that the monster's strength was not formidable and posed little threat to him.

"Whoosh!"

A panther covered in various-sized black tumors suddenly pounced, ready to take a bite out of Rain.

"Be careful!" Naya exclaimed.

"Bang!"

Rain swiftly swung his heavy war hammer, and in an instant, the black panther was torn into pieces. Black liquid splattered onto the surrounding plants, emitting a sizzling corrosion sound.

"Lord Rain, you are truly powerful," Naya marveled, surprised that Rain had easily dispatched a monster she had expected to be more challenging.

"Miss Naya, are there many monsters of this strength?" Rain's eyes flickered as if he had thought of something.

"Of course, there are many more along the way, and their strength will only increase!" Naya nodded.

However, the next moment, she was taken aback.

Rain had sheathed his dark war hammer and chose to walk ahead with his bare hands.

This sudden action left Naya slightly bewildered, unsure of Rain's intentions.

Although the monster's strength was inferior, was it wise to engage it unarmed?

She hesitated, wanting to remind him, but her words remained unspoken.

Naya recalled her earlier statement, which should have been clear.

If that was the case, perhaps the 'Baron Hammer' had his reasons.

But her confusion didn't last long. The next wave of attacking monsters quickly solved the puzzle for Naya.

"Whoosh!"

"Bang! Crack!"

Rain took a swift step forward and unleashed a punch at the approaching baboon covered in black tumors, striking its abdomen and folding it in half.

He followed up with a left hook, shattering its head.

The headless baboon's corpse twitched a few times before becoming still.

Naya's eyes widened in surprise.

Rain had used a fist technique?

The 'Baron Hammer' had also mastered a fist technique?

Noblemen who practiced fist techniques were extremely rare!

Rain shook his hands, and with his 'Iron Skin lv3', the small corrosive effect of the black liquid posed no harm to him.

At this moment, he glanced at the system prompt, feeling a hint of joy:

[Your skill 'Kadral's Fist Technique' has improved. Experience +27]



[You have experienced a battle. Extraordinary Knight experience +14]



Although the experience reward wasn't substantial, he hadn't expected to gain experience for his newly learned 'Kadral's Fist Technique' in the dream realm.

While the Extraordinary Knight profession experience was minimal, it didn't matter. Rain's current goal was to quickly increase his fist technique experience to level 5 or even level 6.

So, after blocking Naya's attempts to assist several times, Rain single-handedly dealt with nearly ten waves of monster attacks.

From the initial single monster to the subsequent two or three monsters, Rain handled them all alone.

This left Naya puzzled about Rain's intentions.

Was it a display of chivalry?

Did he not need her, a female, to help and chose to handle everything himself?

Or did Baron Rain have feelings for her and wanted to...

After clearing another wave of monsters, Rain successfully raised his 'Kadral's Fist Technique' from level 3 to level 4.

At the same time, Rain and Naya reached the foot of the mountain, where a massive cave appeared before them.

"Baron Rain, the monster is inside. Once we defeat it, I can control the node, regain control of this dream realm, and restore it to its original state."

Naya's face grew solemn as she flapped her wings and pointed towards the cave.

Just as Naya finished speaking, heavy footsteps echoed from within the cave.

Rain's expression turned serious as he sensed the powerful aura of the monster inside. Apparently, the opponent had already reached the Great Knight level.

Moreover, its pressure seemed to exceed the feeling Norman had given him.

After a few seconds, a four-legged creature with an additional pair of arms holding a steel fork emerged. It stood at least four meters tall, its body covered in green scales, resembling a large, upright green-scaled lizard.

"Ahaha, the little harpy has returned?"

"Hmm, this time you've brought a helper."

"Hahaha, interesting." A loud laughter emanated from the monster's mouth.

"This is a Nightmare Draconid, possessing even greater dream control abilities than me. But according to the ancient records of my family, Nightmare Draconids were originally guardians of the dream realm, yet now, they've unexpectedly become destroyers."

"Nightmare Draconid?"

Rain's heart skipped a beat as he realized the monster's strength had indeed reached the Great Knight level, and it seemed to be more than just an initial entry into that realm.

"Hmm, we'll have to discuss this further." The loud voice echoed.

Apparently, the towering Nightmare Draconid didn't consider Rain and Naya a threat and was in no hurry to attack, instead choosing to taunt them.

"Miss Naya, let me try first." Rain said as he drew out the pig-headed hammer from his back and quickly chanted the wizardry spell 'High Temperature Field'.

It had been a long time since he had synchronized the casting of a spell in battle. Rain thought to himself.

Two seconds later, the air around Rain's body slightly rippled.

"Limit Break!"

"Gigantic Force lv3," Rain muttered to himself.

Immediately, the ground beneath him erupted, and Rain, like an arrow loosed from a bow, charged towards the towering Nightmare Draconid.

The Nightmare Draconid was momentarily startled by Rain's initiative, but it reacted swiftly, immediately brandishing its steel fork to block the attack.

"Clang!!!"

Rain's furious strike caused the pig-headed hammer and the Draconid's steel fork to collide violently, emitting an ear-piercing sound of metal clashing.

Caught off guard, the Nightmare Draconid was forced to retreat three steps by Rain's hammer, while Rain himself was sent flying into the air by the Draconid's immense strength.

Despite Rain's best efforts, the significant size disparity left him at a stalemate.

However, being pushed back by a small opponent made the Nightmare Draconid feel a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"Roar!"

It roared and charged towards Rain, but as it did so, Naya, hovering in the air with her wings outstretched, cast a spell or perhaps a talent ability of the Harpy, 'Sandstorm'.

Rain narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself, "What a great opportunity!"

"Earthsplitting Hammer!!!"

As Rain leaped in the air, his muscles swelled like balloons! At the same time, he raised his dark pig-headed hammer high, his body tensed like a drawn bowstring, and he fiercely smashed towards the Nightmare Draconid, who was still shielding his eyes!

When the Nightmare Draconid sensed the danger, it hurriedly raised its steel fork to block the attack.

"Clang!!!"

Sparks flew!

It instantly felt a violent vibration in its steel fork! It couldn't hold on! Under the effects of 'Light as a Feather', 'Multiple Shocks', and 'Precision lv3', Rain's full-force strike caused the Draconid to lose its grip on the steel fork.

Without giving the Draconid a chance to catch its breath, Rain circled around it, continuously swinging his heavy hammer.

Deprived of its steel fork, the Nightmare Draconid was beaten to the point of screaming, its green scales shattering one after another.

At the same time, the damage from the wizardry spell 'High Temperature Field' began to show! In just seven or eight seconds, the towering Nightmare Draconid could no longer endure, screaming as it dragged its broken body.

But its attempt to escape only hastened the end of the battle!

Rain's heavy hammer struck the Draconid's spine once more, instantly knocking it to the ground, unable to stand again.

Another heavy blow followed, shattering the Draconid's head! Witnessing this, Naya was left dumbfounded.

Throughout the entire battle, she had only cast the Harpy's talent ability 'Sandstorm', and Rain took over, dominating the Draconid until victory.

Unlike her initial expectations of a narrow victory or even defeat, the outcome was completely different!

This... Was this the power of a mere Knight?

Naya couldn't help but feel perplexed.

After resolving the dream realm, Naya cast a spell, and soon, a dense green mist began to form in the cave, quickly spreading and dispelling the black mist.

The black areas gradually turned green, and the plants regained their vibrant colors.

Naya's mood lifted, and she descended from the air, transforming into her human form. With a smile, she twirled, making the hem of her pale green waist-cinching dress dance gracefully.

"Baron Rain, thank you!"

"Recently, I've been having nightmares every night. These black areas were rapidly encroaching upon me, and I knew that if the green areas vanished completely and I couldn't hold them back, I might be forever trapped in these nightmares."

"Miss Naya, you're too kind."

Both of them woke up almost simultaneously, and Lord Hamilton and Knight Lawrence, who were anxiously waiting by their side, immediately understood the situation upon seeing Naya's smile. They relaxed, and smiles appeared on their faces.

"It seems the problem is resolved, isn't it?" Lord Hamilton smiled and said.

"Yes, thank you, Lord Hamilton. If not for your recommendation, Baron Rain..." Naya expressed her gratitude to Lord Hamilton.

"Of course, thank you. Miss Naya, shall we head to the family's library now, or would you prefer another time?"

"Baron Rain, if possible, I'd like to go now."

"Certainly, Baron Rain. Please follow me. Knight Lawrence, please take care of Lord Hamilton."

Naya then led Rain to the library on the second floor of the manor.

The room was incredibly spacious, with a marble-like floor adorned with numerous red concentric circles, equilateral triangles, and squares, exuding an air of mystery. The walls, several meters high, were lined with bookshelves filled to the brim.

"Baron Rain, what type of books are you looking for? Perhaps I can assist you in finding them?"

Rain pondered for a moment. To thoroughly examine all the books in this vast library would likely take more than a month, an impossible task.

Additionally, there was no guarantee that the Usman family hadn't hidden wizardry or wizard-related books in secret compartments or other hidden places.

Furthermore, Naya was already aware of his identity as a wizard apprentice from their encounter in the dream realm.

After some thought, Rain felt that a more direct approach might be better. "I'd like to know the conditions required for a wizard apprentice to advance to a full wizard."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end