Chapter 14: Man in the Dreams

Chapter 14: Man in the Dreams

The man with the long sword bent down, his movements deliberate, as his aura began to spread outward. 

It poured into the lifeless body of the fallen warrior, and Ren's breath caught as he saw the man speaking—his voice cold, commanding.

"Emperor's Dominion," he whispered, as his aura poured into the corpse, spreading through it with unnatural speed. 

The defeated warrior's body seemed to pulse, as if it were alive again, though under the man's complete control. 

Ren felt a wave of unease wash over him. He wasn't sure what was happening, but something told him that this wasn't just an ordinary power.

The transformation was terrifying. 

The aura of the warrior with the long sword filled the dead body, absorbing the essence of the defeated opponent, and in the next moment, the corpse seemed to meld with the aura, becoming a vessel of pure, raw power.

Before Ren could fully comprehend the horrifying scene, a figure appeared beside the warrior—a man in wizard's robes. 

He kneeled before the powerful warrior, speaking with reverence.

"Sire, which new ability have you awakened now?" The wizard's voice was filled with awe as he knelt, waiting for his master to speak.

The man with the long sword, still staring at the army of enemies in front of him, spoke with calm certainty. 

"His ability was a useful one, something he was yet to unlock." He turned slightly, looking down at the wizard before inserting his sword into the earth. His eyes never wavered from the horizon. 

"It has merged with my aspect to give me a splendid new ability."

Ren watched as the man turned his head toward him, and for the first time, their eyes met. 

Ren felt a deep, primal sensation as the man's gaze seemed to pierce through him—through the very fabric of space and time. 

The warrior's eyes locked with Ren's, and for a moment, it felt as though Ren were standing before a being far greater than himself, a force beyond comprehension.

The man spoke, his voice powerful and resonating. "Kings Zone."

Ren felt the words resonate within him, vibrating with a strength that seemed to reverberate in the very air around him. 

The phrase itself had a weight, a finality to it, that carried the promise of something far greater than anything Ren had felt before. 

His senses were alive with the sudden, overpowering sensation of dominance and control—something that surpassed everything Ren had imagined about aura and its limits.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, the vision began to fade, pulling Ren away from the horrifying scene. 

He wanted to understand more, wanted to know what this King's Zone meant, but it was all slipping away as his mind stirred in a haze of exhaustion. 

Just before he was pulled from the dream, he caught one last glimpse of the warrior's eyes—cold, calculating, and unyielding.

Ren awoke with a jolt, his body covered in a cold sweat. His heart pounded in his chest, and the images from the dream still lingered in his mind, hazy but powerful. 

The sensation of Kings Zone was still with him, pressing against his mind, as though it were just on the edge of his consciousness, waiting to be unlocked.

Ren woke with a start, his mind heavy from the intense exertion and the weight of his new abilities. 

He could still feel the lingering effects of the Aura Zone, the rush of power, and the exhaustion that followed. His body ached, and yet, his mind felt sharper than ever. 

He had crossed a threshold—one that few had the potential to reach, and even fewer would survive. 

The Life Codex was now more than just a tool in his hands; it was a part of his very being.

But as he lay there, breathing deeply to steady his pulse, a thought lingered at the edge of his consciousness.

I need to understand it better.

At that moment, Ren made a decision. He would meditate. He would return to the Nexus.

The Nexus, a metaphysical space within his Life Codex, wasn't just a place of reflection—it was the origin of his Aspects. 

Each power he unlocked was seeded in this plane, connected to his very essence. 

The first time Ren had entered, he had felt an undeniable resonance within the vast void—a tug, as if calling him to something deeper, something greater. 

It was a space of endless potential, a place that mirrored his innermost self.

​ The oppressive darkness of the real world was gone, replaced by the infinite stretch of space above him.

​He had been here once before, when his powers had first awakened. 

The chessboard, the pieces, the sense of something fundamental at work—it all felt like a part of him now. 

This time, however, there was no hesitation. 

He wasn't a confused newcomer. 

Ren stepped forward with purpose, his eyes scanning the board. The pieces that had once seemed abstract now felt intimately connected to him, representing pieces of his potential.

The vast chessboard stretched endlessly before him, a reflection of his journey and the power that lay dormant within. 

Ren's gaze fell upon a particularly radiant piece, the glowing figure of a king. He was drawn to it, the energy surrounding it familiar, the connection undeniable. 

It was the same king he had seen in his dream—the one who had cleaved his opponent in half with a sword, the one whose presence had felt almost royal.

​Ren stood before the towering king piece, the glowing, intricate details of the piece now shifting with a faint pulse, as though it were alive. 

The old man who had taken form within it looked at Ren, his crimson eyes full of wisdom and ancient authority.

"Took you long enough to come back, Little Prince," the man said, his voice deep and dignified. The tone was calm, but it carried the weight of centuries.

Ren's heart skipped a beat, the recognition hitting him like a thunderclap. His eyes widened. "You're the man I saw before... the one I've seen in my dreams."

The old man nodded, his movements measured, almost regal. "That is right. I am the previous user of this Life Codex."

Ren blinked in shock. "So… are you something akin to an ancestor? Since codex can be passed through bloodlines?"

The old man's gaze grew distant, his eyes narrowing with contemplation. "Hmmm, you can say so, although it is not completely accurate."

Ren's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why were you sending me those dreams? You… you were sending me those dreams, right?"

"Yes," the old man replied with a slight nod. "It was to guide you."

"Guide me?" Ren repeated, trying to make sense of it all.

​"Yes," the old man affirmed, his gaze turning toward the distant chess pieces, as if searching for something in the vastness of the Nexus. 

"When you were first here, you had decided to absorb the king's piece and walk the path of a king. You are right now in the beginning stages of becoming a king. You are a Prince."

Ren stood still, the words sinking in slowly. 

A prince.

He was already a Prince in the real world—the 3rd Prince of the strongest Magic Empire in the human domain—so this title given to him by the manifestation of his Life Codex did not affect him too much. 

It was more of a recognition of his potential rather than a revelation.

The old man, still gazing at the chessboard, shifted slightly, as if preparing to impart a deeper lesson. 

His tone became more serious, and he spoke as though sharing the wisdom of countless ages.

"Do you know the qualities of a king?"

Ren, still processing the information, hesitated before replying, but before he could even begin to speak, the old man continued.

…

Authors Note: 

Hope you guys will enjoy this novel.

If you wish to read more chapter, it will be on my p#treon

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