He shook his head. For now, what mattered was that he had fully recovered, and his douion had reached Stage IV. He could proceed with the next phase of his plan with confidence.

Souta’s gaze swept over the Everlasting Kingdom.

"Tasman is doing well... strengthening the nation’s military might. And now that I’ve reached [Douion IV], I can move people into the dream realm without drawbacks... and bring dream creatures into reality."

His plan was progressing faster than he had anticipated.

He could proceed to the next step earlier than he expected.

As Rank 1 Sovereign of the Land of Vanko, it was only natural that he had dominion over his land.

"I haven’t visited Vanko in a while... I should check on it, see how things are." He paused, eyes flicking to his tattoo. "But first..."

Ohm!

His bear tattoo flared with crimson light.

"Come here."

In the next instant, a massive bear materialized in the air. Red fur blazed like fire as it lunged toward him but Souta only smiled, catching it effortlessly.

The bear was none other than Yuko.

"Master!!" Her voice boomed in his ears, filled with joy.

"It’s been a while," Souta said softly, patting her thick, fluffy fur.

Yuko’s limbs wrapped around him in a crushing hug. To an ordinary person, it would have been lethal but to a fifth-stage monster like Souta, her strength was nothing.

After a while, she released him and hovered at his side.

Souta examined her, impressed. "You’ve grown stronger, Yuko. Almost five months have passed since the battle... and you’ve improved tremendously."

He sensed her power now, at the peak of the Fourth Evolution Stage, teetering on the edge of the Fifth.

So much has happened to you while I was asleep...

"Perfect timing. I’ll help you reach the Fifth Stage soon," he said, patting her head gently.

He didn’t ask what had happened to her. There would be time for questions later, once they explored the Land of Vanko.

"Follow me to the dream realm." Souta swiped his hand through the air, and the space before him tore open like a massive, yawning mouth. "Let’s go."

Without disturbing a single soul in the Everlasting Kingdom, Souta and Yuko stepped into the dream realm.

Ohm!!

A rift appeared above the Land of Vanko, and two silhouettes emerged: Souta and Yuko.

"I’ve returned earlier than expected," Souta said, surveying the vast land below.

"Let’s go."

They descended silently, masked from detection. Souta suppressed their energy, making it nearly impossible for anyone to sense them. Only those with extraordinary perception would even know they were there.

Below lay a vast territory dominated by a sea of lightning, flowing across the ground like a molten ocean. Jagged, floating landmasses hovered above it, each one hosting settlements like villages, towns, and even cities built by the people who had mastered survival in this electrified expanse.

"This zone is ruled by a Rank 23 Sovereign," Souta observed, scanning the surroundings.

Every Sovereign could shape their territory according to their vision, carving it out of the Land of Vanko with vast dream power and their connection to the land itself. That was why each zone had a distinct, often extraordinary appearance.

Yuko’s head turned to the side, her senses alert. Something had caught her attention.

Souta’s lips curved into a small smile at her reaction. "Finally. It took you a few minutes."

Yuko tilted her head, gaze questioning, silently asking for an explanation.

"Well," Souta said, pausing as he flicked his finger. Images materialized in front of Yuko, shimmering in the air.

"There’s another land that collided with Vanko," he explained. "What you sensed is that land, now lying beside Vanko. Both exist within the Nightmare Realm of the Dream Realm, but they are... distinct. It’s like encountering a being from another planet. That’s the closest analogy I can give you."

He spoke carefully, simplifying the explanation so Yuko could grasp it.

Indeed, a massive landmass had collided with Vanko. The encounter had sparked immediate conflict as beings from both territories clashed violently, and a war spread across several zones. Multiple Sovereigns were drawn into the fighting, and countless lives had been lost.

The Land of Vanko had been at a disadvantage. Several Sovereigns had fallen in previous battles just months ago, leaving gaps in their defense.

Souta had anticipated this outcome. He had seen it before and was unsurprised by the devastation.

"Let’s see what we can do," he said, stepping lightly into the air.

He moved deliberately, walking through the clouds as he surveyed the land below. There was no urgency; he had time to take in the unique landscape. Yuko followed closely behind, her gaze alert.

"Do you know why we descended here, of all regions in the Land of Vanko?" he asked.

Yuko shook her head.

Souta smiled faintly. "Because this region is under invasion... and the beings here haven’t realized it yet."

The two continued their silent stroll until they reached the base of an enormous castle. Towering five hundred meters high, it rose like a monument from the sea of lightning, its sheer scale dwarfing the surrounding floating islands. Few creatures dared to live here; the area radiated an aura of untouchable power.

At the castle gate, two guards waited. They were third-stage monsters, resembling lions with two pairs of wings, their eyes glinting with authority.

As Souta and Yuko approached, the creatures opened their eyes, immediately noticing the two intruders.

"Without an invitation from the lord, no one may enter," one of the lion-like monsters declared.

Souta gave them a calm glance. "I don’t wish to cause unnecessary deaths, so..."

Before the sentence finished, he flicked his fingers.

In an instant, both third-stage guards vanished, leaving nothing but curling wisps of white smoke.

Yuko watched silently, unsure what had happened but she didn’t ask.

Souta met her gaze for a moment, then said, "Let’s go," and pushed open the massive gates.

As the doors swung aside, a bolt of lightning tore from the stormy sky, striking the castle like a divine judgment.

Souta merely stared, unflinching, as the lightning dissipated harmlessly into the air, leaving only a faint echo of its power.

"You’ll fight the Sovereign, Yuko," Souta said firmly.

"I promised to help you reach the Fifth Stage, but that still depends entirely on you." He paused, letting his words sink in. "We’ll use the resources here to boost your power, so don’t worry about that. As for the rest... I’ll make sure no one disturbs you."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the ground trembled violently, shaking the entire area. Dark clouds swirled above the castle, casting ominous shadows over the land below.

Souta smiled faintly, patting Yuko on the back. "The Sovereign of this region has sensed us. You will face that monster, and I’ll handle everything else."

Yuko nodded. She had no objections as she trusted his plan.

Boom!!

A bolt of lightning struck the ground just ahead of them. The impact ripped the earth apart, and from the fractured terrain emerged a colossal creature. Two lion heads roared in unison, its body covered in sleek black feathers, three lightning-charged tails flicking violently behind it.

This was no ordinary monster.

The Lightning Dream Bahalmun Lion, a Fourth-Stage Monster and the Rank 23 Sovereign of the Land of Vanko.

"Who are you?!" it thundered, its voice resonating like rolling storm clouds.

Yuko didn’t answer. Instead, she opened her mouth, releasing a torrent of fire.

BOOM!!

The moment Yuko unleashed her flames, the air around the battlefield erupted in light and energy. Her fire clashed with the Sovereign’s lightning, sending shockwaves that rattled the floating islands. The smell of ozone mixed with scorching heat, and every strike echoed like cannon fire across the sea of lightning below.

The Lightning Dream Bahalmun Lion roared, two heads snapping toward Yuko. Its tails lashed like whips charged with electric energy, creating arcs that sliced through the air. Yuko rolled to the side, flames trailing behind her like a comet, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have vaporized ordinary beings.

Just like that, the duel had begun.

Meanwhile, Souta hovered above the castle, gazing down at the vast landscape below.

His objective was clear: total domination of this land. The Land of Vanko and the neighboring territory that had collided with it, known as Reem.

No living being in either land could hope to stop him.

He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, then slowly spread his arms. A colossal surge of energy erupted from him, radiating outward like the pulse of a storm.

Ohm!!

The sheer force of it rippled through the sky.

Every being in Vanko and Reem be it Sovereigns, monsters, and powerful entities alike felt the tremor of his power. All turned their heads, eyes wide, toward the region ruled by the Rank 23 Sovereign.

The energy was unlike anything they had ever sensed. It crackled with intensity, a living force that demanded attention.

"What is this?!!"

"That’s... the Blue Lightning Region!!"

"Another invasion?!!"

"Prepare yourselves! Let’s move!!"

The lands themselves seemed to shiver under the weight of Souta’s presence, every being instinctively aware that something cataclysmic had arrived.