Dream Boat
Randolph opened his eyes only to find himself seated in a small boat, with an old man paddling through a large green river.
The water was strange.
From afar, it looked green, but when scooped into one’s hands, it appeared perfectly normal.
Where did the color come from?
Still panicked and confused about where he was, Randolph turned to the old man.
He looked to be around eighty years old and wore fine, refined clothes.
His grey hair rested roughly on his head.
The old man turned with a warm smile.
There was something deep within his eyes as he spoke in a strange language.
“You’ve arrived at this place, right?”
What was he saying?
What place?
Wasn’t he supposed to be trying to connect with his demon?
Why was he here?
Where was Collins?
Noticing his confusion, the old man’s smile faded and was replaced by a serious expression.
“My Lord, we are almost at Pine Port,” he said.
“Pine Port?”
As far as Randolph could remember, Pine Port was a small city in the Animal Demon Realm.
The demons there possessed animal abilities.
If someone bore a tiger mark, they would possess the strength and instincts of a tiger.
Demons like these were called Beasts.
What was he doing here?
Where was his demon?
“My Lord, this is the Dream River, and you are aboard the Dream Boat,” the old man explained when he noticed Randolph’s searching gaze.
“Dream Boat?” Randolph asked in confusion.
“Yes, My Lord. Here, people see what they desire most. Their happiest moments, their saddest memories, and they may even connect with the spirits of those they loved who have died.”
Randolph’s face brightened at the mention of connecting with spirits, but the old man shook his head.
“In your case, you must go to Pine Port. Someone is waiting for you there.”
“Who?” Randolph asked.
“You were the one who requested this journey. How am I supposed to know?” the old man replied with a smile.
Randolph couldn’t remember how the journey had begun, but one thing was certain—he didn’t want to go to Pine Port.
Zex had to be here somewhere.
If this was truly a dream river capable of connecting souls, perhaps Zex was trapped within it.
Maybe that was why he had been brought here.
“Can I go into the water?” Randolph asked.
“My Lord, it may look like ordinary water, but countless souls are trapped beneath its surface. Over time, those wandering souls transformed into Hunting Soul Beasts. Any living body that enters carelessly will be consumed by them.”
“And if someone passes them?” Randolph asked.
“If you survive them unharmed, then you may proceed to the Dream Cage.”
The old man stopped paddling and stood.
“Do you wish to enter?”
“Yes.”
Randolph stood and stared into the water, preparing to jump, but the old man effortlessly pulled him back.
“My Lord, that’s not how one enters. If you jump in like that, you will only find an ordinary ocean. You won’t find the person you’re looking for.”
For some reason, the man seemed to know exactly why he was here.
“So how do I do it?” Randolph asked.
“You must connect with the one you seek. Once that connection is formed, the gateway will open.”
The old man handed him a black gem.
“You will need this.”
“Connect with them? How?” Randolph asked.
Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded within his chest.
It burned.
His breathing became difficult.
His face turned red.
Just when he thought he might die, the pain vanished.
“That is what your body is experiencing right now. The Flame Sword is a rare artifact used to connect a person with their demon. I allowed you to feel the pain to see whether your demon would come to save you like he did in the Never Return Hall.”
A smile appeared on the old man’s lips.
He knew?
Was he there during that demon trap zone?
How did he know?
“Who are you?” Randolph managed to ask.
“When you survive, ask your master. He knows me perfectly well.”
The old man smiled again.
Why would Collins know him?
Had they met in the Never Return Hall?
Whatever the truth was, this old man seemed far too powerful to be an ordinary demon.
“Are you ready?” the old man asked, a smirk appearing on his lips.
Randolph nodded.
The pain returned.
This time it struck harder, as if it intended to tear him apart.
His veins bulged.
His throat became dry.
His eyes felt as though they would burst from their sockets.
Even his breath burned.
Was this how the Flame Sword worked?
Was it truly this painful?
But where was that damn demon?
Didn’t he know Randolph was dying?
Suddenly, the water rumbled violently.
The boat remained completely unaffected.
Strong winds howled around them.
At the same moment, the pain vanished.
Trying to steady himself, Randolph looked toward the old man, who smiled and pointed toward the center of the turbulent water.
“The gate has opened! Go!”
Randolph stared at the swirling waters.
He could sense the energy of countless Hunting Soul Beasts lurking beneath the surface, waiting for anyone foolish enough to enter.
“Go! Your master has high hopes for you.”
The old man sat back down and resumed paddling.
Randolph took a deep breath and jumped.
The old man smiled.
“A promising child. I wonder what fate awaits you. The choice you made in the past was a cruel one.”
He shook his head and began humming a song as the boat drifted away.
Just as the old man had said, the water was deep and overflowing with spiritual energy.
It truly possessed the ability to connect with souls.
The Hunting Soul Beasts were spirits abandoned by those who once loved them.
Over time, resentment had twisted them into monsters.
Their bodies were completely black.
They had no visible eyes.
Their arms and legs seemed half-formed.
Yet they moved with terrifying speed.
Whenever they struck, they drained the strength of their victims.
Faced with another battle for survival, Randolph sighed.
No one had warned him that reaching Stage Four would involve all of this.
Had he known, he would have prepared better.
What had he read as a child?
The Hunting Soul Beasts were merely resentful spirits.
If he could gain the recognition of their leader, he could pass freely through their territory.
But how?
Fighting them head-on was impossible.
The more of them he battled, the more would gather.
Damn it.
Where the hell was his demon anyway?
Beneath the water stood countless dark trees, each bearing seven fruits upon its branches.
Those fruits represented the souls the beasts had consumed.
To move freely through this place, he needed to find the tree with the greatest number of fruits.
That tree belonged to their leader.
And whatever the leader commanded, the others obeyed.
If he could find him, perhaps he could challenge him directly.
Surely the others wouldn’t interfere in a battle involving their master.