Chapter 617: The Respectable Leon
Chapter 617: The Respectable Leon
What...? Could such a thing be possible?!
Upon hearing the true reason for the sealed state of Honey Crystal City from the Scarecrow Nightmare's mouth, not only did the pupils of the Cleaners start to wildly dilate, but even the Goddess of Dreams within the conch shell was taken aback.
The eight Nightmare Messengers were essentially chosen by the Nightmare King to share his power, the [Nightmare] ability, and before the Nightmare King's full revival, it was only natural that these eight would jointly manage his power.
However, among those who now controlled the [Nightmare] ability, seven out of eight had already reached a consensus and were preparing to take advantage of the Nightmare King's unresurrected state. They planned to solidify his grave and find themselves a new boss.
But how could a Third-Class Cleaner be that new boss?
Lying on the edge of the conch shell's opening, the Goddess of Dreams stared intently at Leon outside, who wore an expression of utter bewilderment. She couldn't help but feel a surge of doubts, instinctively suspecting the true purpose behind this promotion examination.
Why, after the Nightmare King had been dealt with, were all seven Nightmare Messengers able to return unharmed? Why would the Nightmare Messengers loyal to the Nightmare King suddenly rebel and plan to overthrow him amidst the chaos?
And how could a seemingly ordinary Third-Class Cleaner gain the support of seven Nightmare Messengers?
Conspiracy! There was definitely a huge conspiracy at play!
With a mind far surpassing that of ordinary gods, the Goddess of Dreams easily saw through the sinister plot behind this promotion examination, orchestrated by the Cleaning Bureau.
Rather than a promotion examination, this was more like the Cleaning Bureau's revenge against the Nightmare King! The Nightmare King's previous attack on the mortal world during the overlap of the Soul-sink Abyss and the mortal realm had likely infuriated the Cleaning Bureau. And the strict Archer Director, after dispatching the Nightmare King, was not content to stop there. They had even made preparations to eradicate the Nightmare King's influence entirely!
The third stage of the examination was not about investigating Honey Crystal City but rather an invasion led by the Pisces Director to forcefully replace the "Nightmare Lord."
The Cleaning Bureau's true intention behind this examination was to permanently eliminate the Nightmare King and, at the same time, intimidate other potential adversaries. However, the plan was interrupted due to the unexpected incident involving the Pisces Director.
As for the person chosen by the higher-ups of the Cleaning Bureau to take on the [Nightmare] ability in place of the Nightmare King and maintain balance in the Dream Realm, why would it be such a weak Third-Class Cleaner?
The Cleaning Bureau only sought a puppet who would obediently follow orders, and a weak puppet was easier to control.
With the soul strength of this so-called "Destroyer Leon," without the support of the Cleaning Bureau, he could be overthrown by the Nightmare Messengers in an instant. Even if he were to ascend to godhood, he would have to remain under the control of the Cleaning Bureau for at least a few hundred years.
Damn it! His luck was just too good!
Looking out from the conch shell at Leon, who was gazing at the distant Scarecrow Nightmare with wide-eyed astonishment, the Goddess of Dreams felt a mix of emotions.
If the seven Nightmare Messengers succeeded in their plan, the combined power of seven-eighths of the [Nightmare] ability, along with the fear and fusion of countless dream creatures, would almost certainly enable the new Leon to replace the Nightmare King as the new Nightmare Lord.
At that time, this incredibly lucky human would only need to pay a small price, willingly merging with the created "New Leon," to immediately ascend to godhood without any obstacles.
She, a former true god, had endured for decades under the Pisces Director's control, finally earning a chance to reclaim her divine status. Yet, she still had to carefully maintain the status quo, fearing that the Cleaners might uncover her disguise.
And this idiot with his foolish expression, he didn't do anything at all. He simply had incredible luck, and so easily obtained the opportunity he had always dreamed of. He was about to ascend to godhood in one fell swoop... What an unfair fate!
However, the truth was completely different from what the Goddess of Dreams had speculated. Upon learning of Snow Maiden and the intentions of the other Nightmare Messengers, Lyon did not feel excited about his imminent "ascension to godhood." Instead, he felt that something was terribly amiss.
Becoming the Nightmare Lord was out of the question, not in this lifetime!
Within the Cleaning Bureau, Lyon was known for his exceptional prospects. He had established connections throughout the organization, and even if luck wasn't on his side, a position as the Constellation Director was practically guaranteed. How could he possibly jump ship to the Dream Realm and take on the role of the so-called Nightmare Lord?
Even if Snow Maiden and the others had created a fake "Destroyer Lyon" by collecting the fears of the Dream Realm's inhabitants and combining them with the Nightmare Power, who knew what kind of impact this creation would have on him!
He had to quickly come up with a plan to disrupt this scheme!
...
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Lyon subconsciously glanced at Amien Senior's position, then immediately stepped forward and addressed the crowd of cleaners, "It seems that there's an internal conflict among the Nightmare Messengers. We should seize this opportunity and take immediate action!"
Seize this opportunity...
Upon hearing Lyon's words, the cleaners exchanged puzzled looks. Then, someone who understood the situation stepped forward, looking perplexed, and asked, "Do you mean... you want to take advantage of this opportunity to replace the Nightmare King and become the new Nightmare Lord?"
"Absolutely not!" Lyon shook his head without hesitation.
"I'm a cleaner in the Cleaning Bureau. How could I possibly become the Nightmare Lord in the Dream Realm?"
"But... this is a direct path to godhood and immortality!" another knowledgeable cleaner exclaimed with envy.
"The Nightmare King hasn't fully recovered yet. With seven out of eight Nightmare Messengers supporting you, all you need to do is merge with the other you they've created..."
"Would I still be myself?" Lyon pointed to the giant Lyon controlled by the Scarecrow Nightmare, who was laughing maniacally while attacking opposing nightmares. The real Lyon looked at him with disdain and said, "I'd rather live as myself for a few more decades and die a satisfying death than live forever looking like that fool."
"..."
Well, that's one way to look at it... But it's immortality; aren't you the least bit tempted?
As Lyon showed no hesitation in the face of the temptation of immortality, the cleaners couldn't help but look at him with a hint of reverence. Even Abigail, who had always been hesitant to approach him, spoke up with a hint of respect, "I would make the same choice, but I'm sure I wouldn't be as decisive as you. You... you... what are you doing?!"
"I need to go in and stop them." Lyon pointed to the tightly shut gate of Snow Crystal City. He took out the Cutting Silver Dagger, and with an apologetic expression, he said to the fearful cleaners, "But I just tried it, and it seems like it'll take about 50 Lyon Points to successfully cut through this dream. So, sorry about this!"
(End of Chapter)
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