Chapter 604: The "Game Plan," Player vs. Player
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 604: The "Game Plan," Player vs. Player
Inside Ninglan New City.
The pressure of the Dream Overlap weighed heavily on everyone in the know. Dedicated personnel were conducting non-stop monitoring of the nearest Dream Overlap eruption node; according to the data collected so far, it wouldn't be long before the phenomenon swallowed the entire surrounding area of Ninglan New City.
Consequently, every insider was scrambling to learn the so-called Dream Magic. Although Mentor Elena had set specific conditions for learning it, no one was a fool. When it came to their own survival and utility, they were more than willing to learn!
Dream Overlaps had a high probability of erupting anywhere. Any place containing Soul Crystals could potentially attract dream creatures, which in turn accelerated the onset of an overlap.
They had to master a means of escaping the dreamscape. If they couldn't, the risk of venturing outside the city to scavenge for resources would be astronomical. Furthermore, they would be forced to operate under the lead of a teaching assistant who did possess such means, thereby losing all initiative.
Of course, for many, it was also a matter of pride. In a few days, the first batch of students would arrive. If a student got trapped in a dream and called for help, a mentor who couldn't escape would have to tell them to "pray for the best." Worse, if the mentor themselves got stuck and had to be rescued by a student, they would lose all face.
So, they had to learn it. Complaining was useless; after all... the world didn't revolve around them.
Fortunately, Dream Magic wasn't exceptionally difficult. Its complexity lay in the "discovery," "summarization," and "creation" phases; as for the assistants, they only needed to "learn" it step-by-step.
Anyone with a background in Runology or experience researching ritual spells found it relatively easy to pick up.
Once they truly mastered it, they all felt the same way: Wait... Dream Magic is actually this simple?
Dream Magic was indeed simple, as the difficulty had never been in the "learning" process itself.
However, those who had never touched Runology or independent ritual spells had a much harder time. They had to suck it up and persevere, unable to bear the sight of their peers succeeding one after another.
Some of the successful assistants didn't linger, choosing to leave immediately. A few others, however, remembered what Elena had said earlier and approached her stealthily.
"Mentor Elena, you mentioned before that the spells Xiao Han created were made into spellbooks..."
"I don't have any spare spellbooks here, and I have no intention of trading away the ones I keep for my personal collection." Seeing their expressions, Elena sighed and rejected them outright.
"Mentor Elena, you misunderstand. I'm not asking for the books, it's just... you said 'spells,' plural. Does that mean Xiao Han created more than just this Dream Magic?"
"Oh? You caught that little detail?" Elena was slightly surprised. Thinking back, she realized she had indeed let it slip.
"That's right. Xiao Han did create several spells. Nightmare Magic and Dream Magic—these two have been systematically refined and inherited the name 'Dream Magic' that Xiao Han gave them. That's what you're learning now. There is also... a Dream Rewriting Spell. However, that one... requires a very specific environment to function."
"Then, Mentor Elena, could you teach us that spell as well?"
"I told you, its range of use is too narrow. It would be meaningless for you to learn it. Its effects are only applicable to that specific instance of Dream Overlap," Elena said, shaking her head again.
She had made it quite clear: every Dream Overlap was different. Since the laws governing reality and dreams varied, a specific spell wouldn't necessarily work in a different context.
She had researched that "omnipotent" spell used within the dream. Even as Transcendent Witches, they had been shocked by its birth and application. But the deeper she looked, the more she marveled. Using only her limited knowledge base and the simplest methods, Xiao Han had pushed the laws of dreams and reality to their absolute limit!
The price, however, was that if the key overlap laws between the dream and reality shifted even slightly, the spell would become utterly useless.
"Can we still learn it? I'm willing to put in the time!" Hearing the name "Dream Rewriting Spell," they knew they had found the right path. As for Elena saying it was unusable—they wouldn't know for sure until they tried it themselves.
"Suit yourselves. If you want to waste your effort learning it, I'll teach you. I won't ask for anything in return this time, because you won't be able to use it even if you learn it—unless you can gain inspiration from it to create a brand-new Dream Rewriting Spell. But... that depends on your own talent."
* * *
At the Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
After confirming the final plan, I immediately began using spells to construct the shelters.
It was delicate work—not that the finished product was particularly refined, but the control required over the spells was precise. It took quite a bit of effort.
In the end, I was very satisfied with the results. Seeing the refugees move into the small houses made of earth and stone meant they could finally settle down here temporarily.
Of course, I had other reasons for wanting them to stay: to guard this newborn Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
Currently, its diameter had grown to about a third of the original's size, but compared to the final form I envisioned, it was still just a "sapling."
Its roots were gradually spreading, weaving into a massive botanical root network.
When the original Omni-Link Main Network Tree died, its associated root network gradually lost connection. The new Main Network Tree was now slowly replacing the old roots.
This would undoubtedly take a lot of time, and its growth required constant care.
Having worked until now, I prepared to take a break, check its condition, and finally give it some "fertilizer."
Right now, the fertilizer the Omni-Link Main Network Tree needed most was... Transcendent energy. After all, it was now a Transcendent plant.
Furthermore... it also commanded a specific type of energy: "Ley Energy." This was the unique energy that had once flowed everywhere in this civilization, converted from the power of the Ley Lines.
It served as the springboard for my Ley Line Identification Art to bypass the direct manipulation of Ley Line energy and instead acquire Ley Line information and data. As long as the Ley Energy conversion technique approached a lossless state of information carrying, the information obtained by the Ley Line Identification Art would be infinitely close to absolute objectivity.
The current Ley Line Identification Art had gone through two major turning points, both of which determined its precision.
One was the technique of the Ley Energy conversion ritual; the other was the "translation" between raw data and cognitive language.
In other words, this spell technique, which had been incorporated into the Tree of Great Knowledge system, was one where the end goal was clearly visible.
However, perfecting the process would likely only result in an infinite approach to perfection, never reaching it absolutely. Its value lay more in its horizontal expansion—applying it to more fields.
It was similar to the Qi Observation Art. It faced the same hurdles as the Ley Line Identification Art, yet it had opened an entirely new path, serving as a vital guide for world repair.
And now, the Omni-Link Main Network Tree controlled Ley Energy. This meant it could host the Ley Line Identification Art. Wherever its roots extended and Ley Energy flowed, the Ley Line Identification Art could gather information!
Dominating the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was equivalent to dominating... the information gathering of the entire world!
As long as something fell within the scope of Ley Line information recording, it would have no secrets!
Even if a Transcendent lifeform used brute force to clear the Ley Line data in a local area, the act of clearing it was itself a piece of data. Therefore, even if a Transcendent being entered a world dominated by the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, I could at least track their position. Every step they took and every action they performed would require them to scrub the Ley Line information; otherwise, I could observe exactly what they were doing.
While real-time Ley Line data might have a slight lag due to the transmission speed of Ley Energy, it didn't diminish the terrifying nature of the effect.
I had to admit, the original civilization in this small world had been far too inefficient in their use of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
However, it was foreseeable that if they hadn't encountered the player invasion and been sacrificed as materials to repair the Main World, their civilization would have eventually developed into exactly what I was imagining.
But there are no "ifs" in reality...
Focusing on the present.
What I needed to do was empower the refugees here so they could help me guard the Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
I was mainly guarding against the surviving refugees within this small world. As for the teaching assistants, I bet they wouldn't dare touch my things. There was no profit in it, and if they did, they would have to endure my wrath and retaliation.
As for how to empower these ordinary people... originally, I thought about arming them with alchemy items and giving them a business card for my Reverse Summoning Spell so they could call me if they were losing.
But now... I felt that might be unnecessary.
I looked up at the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. Although I didn't want to make any bold claims about the effects of its fruit, that didn't mean I didn't have a planned expectation for it.
Watching the tree grow, I used the Tree of Great Knowledge and the Great Knowledge Sharing Spell to acquire all the technology from that Witch sister who intended to use my Tree of Great Knowledge to build a "game platform."
She planned to use the Wisdom Shadow to complete "Augmented Reality technology," creating a real-life interactive virtual game. This game was one of their ideas for the game platform.
I thought this Witch sister's idea was excellent, and... very suitable for the current situation.
If the fruit of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was defined as the registration of a game account, and the game platform was built upon the new plant network—using the Ley Energy it controlled to framework the Ley Line Identification Art and refining the display via information grading technology—wouldn't that create an informational game interface?
And the players would start with "Basic Identification Art" mastered.
Wherever the new Omni-Link Main Network Tree and the plant network covered would be the "Game Area."
The basic framework... seemed to be coming together. All that remained was creating the "skills" and "mana bars" for character creation.
After all, these two were the guarantees that "players would possess basic extraordinary combat power." Only after that would come the more complex "equipment systems," "enchantment systems," and so on.
But this entire concept required the cooperation of the "Omni-Link Main Network Tree fruit."
Without a foundation, there was no way to test it. No matter how well-planned it was, if it wasn't compatible, it would all be meaningless.
But that was fine. The Omni-Link Main Network Tree was now part of my system. If the first batch of fruit didn't meet my expectations, I would "adjust" it without hesitation. This process was similar to the Tree of Knowledge condensing a Knowledge Seed; as long as the possibility existed, it could be realized.
What I had to do was test it repeatedly until I was satisfied.
Having made up my mind, I didn't plan to leave until this technique was perfected. Therefore, there was no rush to empower these people; it was better to let them live peacefully here for a while and adapt to their new lives first.
As for this idea of creating a "real-life game" and "players," besides the fact that my current skills were sufficient to support it, that game-obsessed Witch sister was also very important. After all, she was one of the first Witches to join my research group.
Of course, even more important were the "players" from that game world.
I wanted to create a new batch of "players" within a limited time. Having players fight players—isn't that interesting?
I knew the players I created wouldn't be a match for the veteran players, but having enough numbers to suppress the ordinary players would be sufficient. The powerful players could be left to me, the assistants with Transcendent power, and the students.
Those players were never my enemies alone. I simply had a bad impression of them, mostly due to opposing stances. But the people in the Transcendent Academy were the ones who truly wanted blood for blood.
Since they loved maintaining the peace of the Main World so much, such a heavy responsibility would naturally fall on their shoulders.
My task was much simpler.
I was currently negotiating and compromising with various Witch sisters. I wanted to invite some of them here to help me perfect the implementation of the "Game Plan."
However, this involved the nodes of conflict between scripts and luck. Transcendent Witches couldn't intervene so blatantly. But... there was already a Transcendent Witch stationed in Ninglan New City, which proved that intervention was possible.
They simply followed a non-interference contract, providing only necessary assistance—which might even include guiding the direction of the script.
After all, scripts were just toys in their hands. They didn't care about the ending itself, only whether the ending achieved their intended goals.
Moreover... back when the Qi Observation Art instrument was installed in Dean Mei's office, I had seen that mentor there. Mentor Elena. I remembered her.
Ultimately, through my persistent efforts, I secured the opportunity. However, those Witch sisters would arrive under the guise of academic and technical exchange. Furthermore, they could not subjectively interfere with the behavior of anyone in the Expansion Realm in any form. That was the most basic requirement.
This matter still required some communication with the other Transcendent academies. After all, everything had to appear fair on the surface. They could accept Elena being in Ninglan New City because her primary role was resurrecting dead students, treating the Witch Academy and other Transcendent academies equally.
But if a teaching assistant wanted special treatment, then for the sake of fairness, they wanted it too!
As for how the special treatment I fought for would help... that was a matter for them to negotiate.
I feel like I've caused quite a bit of trouble for the Academy again...
Even though those Witch sisters repeatedly insisted it was "no trouble at all," I could see through it.
Sighing, I turned toward the Omni-Link Main Network Tree and picked up the Book in the Box.
I flipped to the page sealing the Transcendent Origin Crystal and slightly loosened the seal. A terrifying surge of energy poured out.
It was time to give the Omni-Link Main Network Tree some "heavy-duty fuel" to accelerate its growth.