The Undying of the Eternal Dream.

One of Nirva's five subordinates and the possessor of the strongest might that shakes the dream world.

A massive body and immortal flesh.

That alone was more than enough for him to reign supreme over all beings of dreams.

[Keu, keueeee.]

Such Undying now made dying sounds while lying spread-eagled on the ground.

His body was intact.

The power he possessed returns everything to its original state even if his heart bursts or his head flies off.

His recovery ability could be called time reversal beyond regeneration but even such excellent recovery ability couldn't make the pain once experienced as if it never happened.

That's right.

Undying's immortality might seem like an amazing ability at first glance, but only the body was fine.

The mind was not.

Most wounds could be overcome with strong mental fortitude.

In fact, Undying possessed mental strength different from others because of this characteristic.

His body was the shield protecting his master Nirva.

The characteristic of immortality was gained with the mindset that he must never crumble or fall.

That no one could kill him.

That this power would make him invincible.

It certainly had been that way, but.

"You're still maintaining consciousness, what a sturdy child indeed. This old lady is starting to get tired too."

Clara Cowen looked down at Undying from the sky with a chuckle.

Undying didn't answer. Because the moment he opened his mouth, he felt like what would come out would be begging for his life rather than a defiant cry.

His mind was already finely shredded by Clara Cowen's torture-like attacks.

Keeping his mouth firmly shut was due to his final pride as a dream subordinate.

But maintaining pride couldn't do anything about the force of violence right before his eyes.

Clara Cowen said with her own mouth that she was tired, but to Undying, it didn't seem that way at all.

She was fine.

Rather, the more she used the power of dreams, it seemed like she was becoming more vivid than before.

No, it wasn't an illusion.

[You, you are...]

Undying managed to open his mouth.

In his consciousness growing dim from excessive torture, he recalled his master Nirva.

That old woman called Clara Cowen is different from ordinary humans.

He had suspicions from the point she freely handled dreams, but the level was far too threatening.

Just looking at how she destroyed his mind with all sorts of torture methods from the continent, unlike her seemingly benevolent appearance, proved it.

Therefore she was dangerous.

Although his master Nirva wouldn't fall to mere humans.

If.

Even if there was just the slightest possibility.

[Gggggk.]

"You still try to move?"

Clara watched Undying's actions quietly then pointed her staff.

-Flash!

Green crosses generated in mid-air pierced various parts of Undying's body.

Even the arm he barely raised fell limply after being pierced by crosses.

[I, am. Eternal Dream...Undying...]

"Now sleep well."

Clara pointed her staff at Undying's head.

The green dreamforce gathered at its tip spread like smoke.

Unlike before, she didn't attack to destroy his body.

Just quietly, like a grandmother's touch soothing her grandchildren.

The green dreamforce simply wrapped around Undying gently.

Undying's open mouth slowly closed.

His bulging eyes gradually lost color and sank into emptiness as those massive eyelids lowered.

Undying met a quiet eternal rest like someone receiving euthanasia.

After watching that huge body turn into golden powder and scatter in the wind, Clara landed on the ground and lightly patted her waist with her hand.

"Oh my. Fighting at this age is quite tiring."

There shouldn't be such physical pain in Dreamland.

But Clara muttered complaints like someone truly in pain and moved her feet.

Since the children were below, she needed to go down quickly to join them.

* * *

In the depths of Dreamland, golden powder flew toward Nirva, who was quietly closing his eyes there, and seeped into his body.

As Nirva's eyes slowly opened, the golden divine light contained within flowed out faintly.

Nirva's mouth corners twisted slightly.

"All my subordinates have fallen it seems."

They were subordinates sent to eliminate dangerous elements.

Subordinates he personally created by bestowing dream characteristics through power granted by the Goddess.

In this Dreamland, except for the Goddess and himself, surely no one could have harmed the subordinates.

Yet they, who were like that, all died and returned to Nirva.

In other words, they had entered eternal rest.

"Dreams can be dreamed again. Subordinates can also be created again, but."

That was only possible when the Goddess's power was complete.

Now while the Goddess still slept, there was no way to reawaken subordinates who had entered eternal rest.

If only one of the five subordinates had fallen, he wouldn't have been so surprised but for all five to fall.

At this point, surprise and interest arose rather than irritation and anger.

It meant that besides Rudger Chelici, there were at least four more humans with minds capable of killing subordinates.

Perhaps even more than that.

Having come this far, there was only one path set for Nirva now.

Just quietly.

And obediently.

All that remained was waiting for the guests to arrive here.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have greeted them directly from the start."

At that moment he recalled when Zero Order had come to find him.

That cunning one wouldn't have shown himself before him for no reason.

He must have had enough confidence to say such things, and wasn't that proven true?

"Is this the blade you prepared to eliminate me? How pitiful. Truly pitiful."

Though they weren't on good terms originally, even so, as apostles sharing the same goal of overthrowing Lumensis, it hadn't gone as far as killing.

But Zero Order clearly desired Nirva's death.

"To think a ghost still trapped in the past would grow this vicious."

Right.

If you go that far then I must accept this match.

This too must be a trial of fate given to me to make the Goddess fully open her eyes.

"I will accept everything."

And endure all the filth, pain, sorrow, depression, anger, hatred, death in the world.

All will fade meaninglessly before dreams.

I will suffer as much pain, and give up my flesh.

If only we can reach the new paradise.

"It's almost time now. Once the Goddess opens her eyes everything will end."

The only mission given to Nirva now was one.

To buy time for the Goddess to awaken against the guests who would soon arrive.

* * *

"Is, is it alright now?"

Hans kept glancing back while continuing to walk without stopping.

One experience of the world changing based on his memories and desires was enough.

But as long as they remained here, they didn't know when something similar might suddenly happen again.

Hans couldn't help but feel fear rising.

"So far. There are no particular signs. We'll have to see if it happens periodically with some time delay or not."

"...I don't want to stay here any longer."

"I share the sentiment."

Manifesting desired illusions right before one's eyes?

In a way, this place could be considered an ideal land for everyone.

Mountains of gold and treasure for those who want money.

A magnificent palace and throne for those who seek honor.

The most attractive partner for those seeking love.

No need to work hard and struggle to obtain something.

Whatever is earnestly desired becomes reality.

What a comfortable place this is.

"Perfect place to die."

As they kept walking, the scenery changed little by little.

The translucent ground like a water surface had now become rustling grass under their feet.

Looking down at the ground, a wide field of black withered grass spread out.

The surroundings were still white, but that color seemed undeniably more faded than before.

It was as if gray hazy fog had risen around them.

Walking along that path, black forms appeared through the fog.

"What in the world is that?"

"Ugh. Something feels wrong."

Those were the words Sedina and Seridan spoke upon seeing the black forms.

Though Hans didn't say much either, he seemed to agree with the two people's words.

The black forms they were seeing now, looking like twisted stunted old trees...somewhat resembled people.

Wooden statues in the form of people bowing and desperately praying toward something.

Severely emaciated like people starving from famine with skin full of wrinkles.

With completely bald heads and sunken eye sockets, they also looked like skulls.

The number of visible wooden statues alone was already hundreds.

The wooden statues spread out like a forest beyond the slightly thinned fog.

Everyone swallowed hard at the indescribably bizarre sight.

Only Rudger narrowed his eyes while observing the wooden statues up close.

"Be, be careful! They might suddenly move!"

Rudger shook his head at Sedina's warning.

"No. They won't move. Because all the people here are in a deep sleep."

"Deep sleep...More than that, you're saying these are people?"

"Yes. This is the end of those who fell into this world."

Rudger looked down at the wooden statue before him with an expressionless gaze.

It was too quiet to tell, but if you listened carefully, you could hear something flowing out of the wooden statues' open mouths in voices as small as mosquitoes.

They were praying now, wishing that their desired dreams would continue without stopping.

"Having what you want come true is truly sweet. But from some point, delusion arises in people's hearts."

Rudger started walking again and the rest of the group slowly followed behind him.

"Will this happy moment really continue forever? Won't it suddenly disappear like waking from sleep, like these wishes being washed away like water?"

The more they immerse in dreams.

They sink so deep they can no longer escape.

By the time they realize it's already too late.

Bodies already sunk deep would never rise back to their original place no matter how much they struggled.

In the end, there was only one choice: praying that the current peace would never end.

"Because it was too sweet, the anxiety of losing it must also be great. Like someone addicted to drugs, their minds completely break as they're consumed by anxiety symptoms."

This was the end of those who broke and crumbled like that.

Hans swallowed hard.

Thinking that if Rudger hadn't saved him then, one wooden statue would have been added here, a chill ran through him.

"What truly poor taste."

Like an anglerfish existing in the deep sea.

Luring prey with light then throwing them into an endless abyss's maw.

That's what the middle layer's middle section was like.

A world where dream hungry ghosts live.

"Are, are you sure it's alright? If they're still alive they might suddenly attack..."

"They have neither the strength nor will for that. These ones are overwhelmed just protecting the single handful of sand they hold."

Though that sand flows through their fingers in real time, they're foolish ones who can't let go even while knowing that.

But Rudger didn't particularly blame them.

Indeed, who among humans could fully maintain their sanity in this world?

It would be best not to come, but if one does come, ninety-nine out of a hundred would clearly end up like this.

"Let's go. There's nothing we can do for them."

Rudger walked between them without even glancing at the dream hungry ghosts.

His confident stride rather made the group wonder if this was okay to the point of bewilderment.

After walking like that for who knows how long the procession of wooden statues showed an end.

Gray fog over the blackened grass field and beyond that, a massive silhouette began to catch their eyes.

It was a huge door soaring toward the sky like a mountain.

The large door carved with countless sculptures resembled the door Rudger had entered through the Order Synod before.

Perhaps that door had been created based on this one.

"Is this the middle layer's lower section?"

The depths of Dreamland exist just a bit further through that door.

Usually it would be a place absolutely impossible to reach, but they could come this far now because Nirva had caused the current situation.

'However, even I'm not sure from here on.'

Julia's warning had only covered up to the middle layer's middle section.

She too had only heard about up to the middle section, so she didn't know beyond that.

In other words, this meant from here on was completely unknown territory.

Perhaps feeling the same, the rest of the group stood frozen in place without moving.

They silently stared at Rudger.

What will you do? Will you go, or stay here?

Receiving such gazes, Rudger closed his eyes for a moment.

After how many minutes passed?

Rudger opened his closed eyes and spoke.

"We don't stop."

Having come this far anyway, they couldn't delay.

He kept getting hung up on the goddess he saw that day in Clara's world.

It felt like truly irreversible things would happen the moment she awakened.

Rudger decided to trust his instincts.

Just as he was about to step forward.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

The group turned around in surprise.

"Magician Zantman?"

Rudger's eyes widened as he recognized the old man he had met at the Dream School.