Cursed Immortality

Chapter 1205: Consumption & Refinement of Dreams

The concept of time blurred for Jacob as there was no sun, or sky, not even the passage of days in the Dreamscape Realm, but only cycles filled with endless immersion, extraction, and consumption.

Just like that, fifty years passed, unnoticed, and uncounted in reality if time even mattered here.

During this time, Jacob remained and was solely focused on the Dreamscape Realm of Whiteness, gaining a deeper understanding of the Dreamscape Law.

After so many years, Jacob no longer hesitated or questioned, simply moving from fragment to fragment, from nightmare to dream, from pain to desire. Thus, his presence changed, becoming more refined, sharpened, and above all, reduced!

Furthermore, he no longer felt like an intruder but like something worse, like a hidden process of erosion that left no trace.

Although the Mantis still existed, and it was still vast and unreachable, it no longer reacted to him, not because it couldn’t, but because Jacob had learned how to not exist within its awareness through the First Concept of Dreamscape Law Anachronism.

Not only that, but Jacob had also learned to avoid false dreams and false nightmares to the point of becoming his natural instincts. It was not a doubt a difficult process as many times he came close to losing himself, but he pulled through with the help of Nyx and his natural talent as the Nightmare Contractor.

Now, the moment he sensed something artificial, too perfect or too distorted, he would withdraw without hesitation, for he had learned not everything that appeared real was safe, and not everything that felt safe was real.

Just like right now, as Jacob silently stood within the shifting Dreamscape without any movement, and in front of him, a fragment of nightmare floated.

However, he didn’t approach it immediately; he only observed it, as if trying to understand its nature, and after confirming something, he moved towards it!

Inside, the scene of violence and chaos unfolded, but Jacob didn’t react; instead, he stepped through it like a ghost, untouched and unnoticed.

The next moment, he reached the core of the fragment and, with great efficiency and effortlessly, extracted it without encountering any resistance or struggle.

Once he appeared back in the Dreamscape, he consumed it instantly.

”I guess I’m proficient enough now?” Jacob muttered as if posing a question.

After all, his control was no longer crude but perfectly timed, precise, and measured, and he no longer fought the Dreamscape but flowed through it.

Furthermore, for a while now, there had been no voice of guidance or interference, as Nyx had stopped communicating after the first five years of guiding him, knowing Jacob didn’t need her anymore and had finally focused on her own tasks.

But today, for the first time in a long while, her voice returned with a hint of unhidden ecstasy as she replied without hesitation, ”Indeed, you’re ready!”

Jacob didn’t need to interpret Nyx’s words as she had only just answered his inquiry, and the next moment, his gaze slowly lifted from the edge of the Dreamscape to the deeper layers.

In this place, the fragments no longer flickered weakly, and instead, ethereal yet stable, heavy, and real structures stood.

It was the boundary where Primary Dreams and Primary Nightmares exist, and among them, False Primary Dreams and False Primary Nightmares lurk.

He had been eyeing that place for a while now, especially after roaming between the ’Fragmented Domain of Dreamscape’, as Jacob called it now, but he didn’t dare to take a step inside the ’Primary Domain Dreamscape’.

Because no matter how proficient he became in handling the Fragmented Dreams and Fragmented Nightmares, Primary Dreams and Primary Nightmares were on a whole new level.

That’s why Nyx had told him to first become proficient in extracting Fragmented Dreams and Fragmented Nightmares while masterfully avoiding Falsehood within.

Although he was still nowhere near devouring the Fragmented Domain of the Dreamscape, it was a fruitless endeavor, as the Fragmented Domain of Whiteness’s Dreamscape contained only around 1% of his identity despite being gargantuan.

That’s why, as long as he can move freely between the Fragmented Domain, he was promptly moved towards the Primary Domain of the Dreamscape, for there lies true authority of Whiteness.

Moreover, the Primary Domain was going to be very important for Jacob because as long as he can devour that entire domain, only then can he truly wrestle for the ’True Domain of Dreamscape!’

Now, the time has finally arrived as Nyx continued with great anticipation, ”You’ve mastered Fragmented Dreams and Nightmares, learn the Concept of Anachronism. It’s time you moved to the next category!”

”...I see,” Jacob said calmly, and then silence followed.

But the next moment, Jacob’s flames burned slightly brighter, but not with excitement, with something colder, a mysterious, profound intent that he had developed while continuously living in the Dreamscape Realm!

Although Jacob didn’t understand what kind of intent it was since he had only recently started developing it, or he could’ve named it already, he knew that as long as he continued to go deeper into the Law of Dreamscape, he would figure it out.

Jacob declared with that mysterious intent that faintly originated from him, ”Then I’ll begin.”

The next moment, he didn’t look at the edges and stepped directly toward the depths, for he could feel the deeper layer didn’t welcome him, but neither did it resist, for it simply existed.

Jacob stepped into it without hesitation, his presence thin, almost nonexistent. The refined control he had built over decades wrapped around him like a second skin.

Ahead, a dense, stable, and unquestionably real structure pulsed and stood out from the fragments in the outer layers of the Fragmented Domain; it wasn’t flickering or distorting, and it had no weak presence.

”This is a Primary Nightmare?” Jacob muttered, his eyes flickering with both vigilance and anticipation.

Nyx’s voice came, quiet but firm, ”Be careful. Primary Nightmares aren’t like what you’ve been feeding on.”

’So, I didn’t feel wrong, it was a Primary Nightmare!’ Jacob thought without answering Nyx.

After refining and consuming so many Nightmares and Dreams despite being mere fragments, he could feel it even from here that within that Primary Nightmare, there was a memory that carried enough weight that pressed against his own identity.

Yet, still, Jacob reached out and touched it!