Chapter 159: What the Lord of Nightmares Learned
As he spoke, Abyss transformed into a beam of light, vanishing instantly.
He was pure light, his movement too fast for any living creature to perceive, his destination known only to himself.
Upwards, towards the sun!
He felt himself break through some kind of barrier, then he stopped.
He was in a vast, empty darkness, the same place where he had encountered the Lord of Nightmares before. He couldn’t see anyone, but he knew the Outer God was here.
He couldn’t remember what had just happened, only that he had been awakened by the three girls. The rest was a blank. He suspected he had used some method to restore his energy, depleted by the Lord of Nightmares’ torment, then used the power of the twin goddesses, the former deities of Bystine, to break through this realm.
“…You continue to surprise me, Abyss.”
After a long silence, the Lord of Nightmares’ voice echoed from all directions, his tone now filled with genuine admiration, devoid of his usual mockery.
“You as well, Lord Schlezhech,” Abyss replied.
“Tell me, how did you know you had only escaped the second layer of the dream, not the dream itself? I don’t believe there were any flaws in my creation.”
The Lord of Nightmares’ voice was calm, almost serene, a stark contrast to his previous rage and frustration. He seemed to have reached some kind of understanding, his emotions now under control. But Abyss didn’t like this calmness. He preferred seeing this arrogant god lose his composure.
Yes, the realm Abyss had just escaped, using the Lord of Submergence’s power, was another layer of the dream, a deeper layer. By moving at the speed of light, the fastest speed possible in this universe, he had prevented the Lord of Nightmares from creating further layers of deception, causing the dream to collapse.
Abyss, his hands clasped behind his back, smiled. “I didn’t know at first. But your claim of perfection was your greatest flaw. I considered the possibility of you resorting to a final, desperate attack, but I dismissed it. A proud god like you wouldn’t stoop to such a level. It would be like a human trying to kill a bee that had stung them.”
“Indeed. It’s not because I’m incapable of defeating you,” the Lord of Nightmares said, his voice tinged with disdain. “Your power is insignificant compared to mine. Tell me, have you ever considered how you might defeat me?”
“I have, and I still do,” Abyss said, smiling. “I haven’t used my trump card yet.”
“Hmph, I didn’t see it in your dream. It must be some insignificant trick. You’ve been underestimating me from the start, haven’t you?”
“Star, Leona’s ancestor, once proposed a classic military strategy: underestimate the enemy strategically, but overestimate them tactically. I’ve adopted this principle in dealing with you.”
As he spoke, Abyss watched as something began to coalesce in the darkness before him.
He tilted his head. “Have you found the source of my fear? Is that why you can manifest before me now?”
The Lord of Nightmares didn’t answer immediately. The swirling mist solidified, taking on the form of a young man, dressed in a black cloak and cloth armor, his hair gray, his turquoise eyes cold and disdainful.
“Yes, I’ve found your greatest fear. It’s yourself,” the Lord of Nightmares said, his voice now identical to Abyss’s, his expression mirroring his own, appearing on the imposter’s face. “You’re afraid of becoming what you despise. It took me a while to discover this weakness, but now it’s irrelevant.”
“Why irrelevant? This is good, isn’t it? You don’t have to hide anymore. You don’t look like a coward now,” Abyss said.
The Lord of Nightmares’ lips twitched, his composure momentarily broken by Abyss’s taunt. “You can bark all you want, you pathetic, crippled dog. Your time is running out. Your reunion with your followers was your last. Prepare to say goodbye to them forever… Oh, right, they’ll turn to ash. I forgot they’re undead.”
Abyss, unfazed, sat down, his body finding support in the empty void. He knew the Lord of Nightmares wasn’t finished yet. He was waiting for the right moment to reveal his trump card.
“You seem quite calm,” the Lord of Nightmares said, observing him, his voice cold and mocking. “Honestly, I offered you a chance. If you had simply played along, I might have let you live in my dream forever. I wouldn’t have bothered you. You could have enjoyed an eternity of happiness with your followers. It wouldn’t be any different from reality. You could have continued your adventures, your conquests. I would have even created a fake Creator God for you to defeat… But you refused.”
“And then, when I reached the pinnacle of my happiness, you would have taken everything away from me, leaving me with nothing,” Abyss said, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t want that. You understand, don’t you?”
“Hahaha, indeed. I still crave the taste of your fear. I can’t resist the temptation,” the Lord of Nightmares said, his laughter echoing through the void, admitting the truth of Abyss’s words.
“So, how do you plan to harvest my fear now?” Abyss asked, his gaze fixed on the imposter, his own face staring back at him. “Are you going to create another dream, another endless loop of torment?”
“Hmm?” The Lord of Nightmares stopped laughing, his gaze now filled with pity. “I should thank you, Abyss. You’ve taught me the value of pragmatism. I won’t be consuming your fear. I’ll destroy you, then move on to another world, find someone easier to manipulate. Now that I’ve abandoned my desire for your fear, you will face my true power. You have no chance of winning.”
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