Chapter 120 – Advancement

When Idona was first explaining this grand meeting, Dream had been a bit worried. But after hearing that it was in 4 days, he relaxed.

"If we still have time before this meeting, then we're good. I'm assuming I'll just be expected to explain my intelligence, which I can do. As for the people there, it doesn't really matter. It's not like I'm trying to network or anything."

"You're really okay with speaking in front of those people? Everyone worth their salt in the Empires is going to be there. This is one of the biggest meetings ever held in history."

"It seems so. What would make it bigger though is if the bigshots from the animal Empires were here as well."

"The animal Empires? Why them?"

"Well, I'm not sure about the geography on the continent, but the demons have spawned on the third continent, which has access not only to us but the animal continent as well. So I can only assume the demons are attacking the animal Empires as well. I think the Old Man said there was your home Empire, the elves, then the dwarves, then the United Empire. That's all I know, but none of them are any safer than us."

"...I hadn't thought of that."

"Maybe in the future we'll have to cooperate. That would be a good opportunity for you. Since you're an elf, you'd be able to be the intermediary."

"..."

"Anyway, since we have time, I was hoping you'd be able to teach me about these mana pathways. I held off on choosing my class until then so I could be prepared."

"Oh, right. We can do that. In fact, here."

Idona took out a few books and handed them to Dream. He took them and Sophia scanned them.

[Ooh! This is it! That's very interesting... Check this out.]

Dream suddenly received the data within the books. It was obviously about the creation concepts behind mana pathways, and he soaked up every detail with interest.

From what the books said, after choosing your 3rd class, one would be prompted to create mana pathways. And while there was no set parameters for these pathways, the better pathways obviously meant better future growth. But ultimately, as long as one had a form of pathways, it would be accepted and one would receive their class.

Idona spoke as Dream went through the data.

"Mana pathways are a connection that's made from the spiritual body to the physical body. For humans, it allows greater handling of their skills and much more powerful spells to be cast. Though there's one problem to this, and that's what the pathways are. The pathways are actually a mana channel. Literally a mana pathway. This pathway is created, anchored to your body and then attached to your spiritual body. And while any mana can be used to create the pathway, the denser the mana the better. And this is where most humans have their issues."

"...I see."

After she finished speaking, Dream nodded. He had gone through the books.

[According to these books, the usual way that people create their pathways is by almost enchanting their bodies with these mana pathways. They'll then try and connect it to their soul in the 4th dimension. For this, they'll actually integrate the mana by using their skills as the anchor.]

'And the best kind of pathways that everyone tries to make are liquid mana pathways.'

[Although that's the most preferred, only a very small amount of class 3's can actually achieve this. So instead of using liquid, they mostly end up using fog. Or in the worst case, they use ordinary mana.]

'But we don't have to worry about that. We've already made our own liquid mana. Now we'll just have to integrate it with my body and soul.'

[In here they have a few ways to do that. One of the main ways is to anchor the mana pathways to the back and arms. Some also do it for their legs, but for the most part they try and keep it in the upper body where all the mana control happens.]

'I see. But why don't they run it through the head? They could also run mana through the heart and blood. It would circulate these pathways throughout the body that way.'

In the books, Dream didn't see any mentions of doing the anchoring on the head or heart.

[Apparently it's too dangerous. If one didn't have proper control or messed up an enchantment, things would go haywire and they could kill themselves. It says in the last book that it's actually been tried before, but because of the fact that everyone failed, such techniques are highly discouraged.]

'Hmm. Well I already have ideas, and I'm sure you do too.'

[Very much so. It's also been a while since we've updated your body's enchantments, so now would be the perfect time to do so. We can integrate liquid mana with everything.]

'Sounds good. Though it might take some time to gather enough.'

[Just to enchant blood we would need 6 liters. If we want to enchant everything, we would need more than we gave to Aegis. So yes, gathering some is a good idea. We'll create the pathways when we have enough. I'll also map out all the enchantments.]

'Nice. Then we have our plan.'

Dream picked his head up from the books and handed them back to Idona.

"Thanks. I have everything I need."

"Although I can't help you in making liquid mana, I can at least give you that dense environment I had you in before. That should be able to aid in your pathway creation."

"Much appreciated."

Idona took back the books and put them in her inventory.

"Sure. Though while I can't help you with the mana, I can help you map out the best pathways."

"I actually think I have that covered. I was planning on doing a full body pathway."

"...What? No way. The ambition is good, but that's way too dangerous."

"Not really. I've done more dangerous things before..."

Dream recalled the surgery on his body and the nuclear explosion he accidentally set off up in the space station. To say that he's had his share of dangerous experiments is an understatement. 

"But full body? Your limbs and such I can understand, but your heart and head, definitely not. If you mess up that anchoring, then it could destroy you."

"It won't. Believe me. In fact, I've already enchanted my entire body. Something like this is only going to improve that. So you don't need to worry."

"...You better be right."

"I've only just recovered. I wouldn't go risking my life like that so soon."

"...Speaking of, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"What's that absurdly dense layer of mana above your skin?"

"You know Aegis?"

"Yes."

"That's him. Come out, Aegis."

When he said that, Aegis turned into a liquid and flowed off Dream's body, reforming into a humanoid in front of them. Metallic distortions could be seen as he moved, and while he cold be seen while conglomerated closely, it wasn't to the degree of a regular solid.

But the mana from Aegis could most definitely be seen, and after he got rid of his stealth, Aegis could be made out perfectly with mana sense.

"Interesting. Wasn't he a metal before?"

"He still is. Only the particles that make up Aegis are now so small that they can't be seen , rendering him invisible. But you were still able to sense his mana, which means I still have an extra enchantment to improve."

"Well, I was only barely able to sense it. The reason it stood out was because of how dense the mana was, and the fact that I'm in close proximity to you. My range of influence is large, and the closer something is, the better I can sense it. Your stealth is still very effective, and normally one wouldn't be able to make Aegis out."

"Oh, good to hear. Come back."

With a command, Aegis reformed and placed himself back over Dream's skin. His stealth reactivated and Idona could barely make Aegis out once more.

"That's a powerful armor you have. I'm honestly shocked you were able to make something like it."

"It definitely wasn't easy. Took me over a week to make it."

"Only a week. I'm starting to think you're some kind of monster. A madman who was able to modify their own body as well."

"I prefer to think of myself as a passionate intellectual. Now, The Old Man should be arriving any second no-"

*Bang*

"Dream?"

Riddick came barging into the room right as he spoke. He laid eyes on Dream and Idona sitting on the couch.

"...You're awake."

"How's it going, Old Man. Miss me?"

Dream smiled at Riddick's urgency. He just huffed.

"Hmph. I was just worried for my daughters. I don't know how I would go explaining to them that you died under my watch. They might never want to see me again."

"Aww, how flattering. But I'm good now. Idona and I were just discussing mana pathways."

"Pathways? You've reached your class advancement?"

"Yup. I think I'm gonna be more powerful than you soon, Old Man."

Dream smiled, thinking that he had finally crossed the wide gap between him and Riddick. Though when he said that, it was instead Riddick with the smug face.

"Actually, Boy, although I may not have advanced, my mana has crossed the S threshold. Not only that, but I'm only 8 levels from the advancement."

"Indeed. Riddick has been using your ship to fly over to the frontlines and fight demons. It should only be another couple of weeks until he advances to become the Spire's 8th class 4."

"Hmph, make that one week. If he's gonna be advancing, so am I. The last thing I need is for him to pass me up. Besides, if this war really is going to break out, then I want to snatch my woman and daughters before then. In fact, I think I'll head back over a fight some demons right now."

"Hold up, Old Man."

"What is it?"

Riddick turned, and Dream looked towards Idona.

"Can you go with him?"

"Me?"

"If he's going to push himself, I'd feel better if you were there to keep an eye out. He can also level up faster that way."

"What about you?"

"I'll stay here and prepare to make my pathways. I'll need to condense more liquid mana which will take a while. I also still need to recover."

"Wait, you can condense liquid mana?"

Riddick spoke up in disbelief. Idona also had a surprised face.

"I can. Aegis actually has some. And for the enchantment that I'm thinking, I'm going to need quite a bit. So it'll take some time to make."

"...I can only barely make liquid mana."

"Are you going to use the room?"

"If I could."

"Go ahead. And I guess getting away from the Spire isn't such a bad idea. I'm sick of these meetings anyway. Are you okay with me being there Riddick?"

"Sure."

"Then we'll do that. And since you want to go now, we can."

Idona stood up, as did Dream.

"Take care of yourself, Dream. Hopefully by the time the meeting comes, Riddick here will advance. We'd have a more powerful standing that way in the meeting."

"Alright. Good luck."

"Good luck."

Riddick responded and they walked out, leaving Dream alone. He turned and walked back to the chamber that was filled with a light mana fog.

After sealing the room back up, he went and brought out a chair, sitting down comfortably.

"Now, since they're giving me time, I plan to use it."

[I was thinking we can have you recover and then start. Things will move quicker that way.]

"Alright. You want me to sleep?"

[Yes. I can knock you out and wake you up when you're recovered.]

"I'm good with that."

[Then we'll do it now. See you soon.]

After saying that, Dream suddenly felt tired and closed his eyes. He soon fell unconscious in the chair.

..........

......

[Wakey wakey.]

After what only seemed like several minutes, Dream was being woken back up. As he opened his eyes, he could immediately tell how much stronger he was.

"Ahh...This feels great."

He flexed his muscles which pulsed with strength and heat. The mana running through him was exceptionally dense, more so than it ever had been. He felt like he could crack open the planet right now.

[You've been asleep for about a day. We now have less than 3 days before the meeting.]

"Mm. Then let's start. Aegis."

Not wasting time, Dream called out Aegis to condense mana. He reformed into a sphere just like he always did in front of Dream.

He put his hands on the sphere and got to work.

Before he started condensing though, Dream formed the globe network around them. He thought it would take 20 minutes to make, but after a mere 10, it was finished. This was the result of his recovery putting him at full power. Everything just seemed...easy.

After the globe network came out, it activated and harmonized with Dream and Aegis. All three of them were soon creating drops of liquid mana.

As they created more and more, Sophia pulled it out and stored it in a special enchanted container she made on the spot. This container was made of high grade mithril and was perfect for stabilizing the liquid mana. It could also store the necessary amount needed for the enchantment she had in mind.

Materials were constantly exploded within Aegis as flux sacrifices necessary to solidify the mana. Although it pained him, Sophia told him that the space factory had actually created a large amount of high-grade materials, both steel and silver. She said there was more than enough for anything they needed and what they had in his inventory was small compared to the stash just floating around the planet. 

Hearing this, he no longer held back and used whatever he needed. As a side effect of these explosions, Aegis was also made stronger as he could absorb some flux, making his steel the highest grade material Dream currently had.

So for the next several hours, Dream did nothing but condense droplets of mana. All the droplets went into the container Sophia made and created a large pool of mana. 

This went on for an entire 35 hours before they finally had enough.