Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 710 - 654: The Procedural Dragon

"Ladies, I wish to share with you a bold and highly feasible idea, a grand plan that could not only resolve the dire straits our dear Claudia faces but also catalyze some effects on the Dream Elf populace..."

Susanna huffed coldly, still holding a grudge over Lyle’s previous interruption, "Rot is also a form of catalysis."

Irason played peacemaker, scrutinizing the plan Lyle had etched onto the slate with an expression filled with curiosity and excitement.

"Alright, alright, Lyle, just go over this Emerald Dream transformation plan, the Dreamland ondream. Programming in dreams... environment shaping, character setting, task flow..." She trailed off, her eyes glazing over in rapture, her speech becoming incoherent, as Susanna cradled the faint head of the Green Dragon Priest, giving Lyle a look like she was regarding a deity spreading corrupt ideologies.

Lyle just shrugged, indicating it was her own weakness.

"This is a major undertaking, and if you can’t see the whole picture, then perhaps you should follow my instructions step by step. To accomplish these things, I need everyone’s help, and I swear on my status as Dragon King Priest, I won’t do anything to harm the Dragon Follower kin."

"Lyle..." Claudia rubbed her forehead, "Such unfounded assurances won’t convince Ms. Susanna..." As an Elf Executive, a diligent and responsible leader of the kingdom, she had her personal standards of judgment, which the Green Dragon tried to convey.

"I agree," said Susanna to Claudia’s astonishment, releasing Irason and joining Claudia’s side, stroking her head. "I’ll supervise the lad as an added layer of insurance."

The small group, consisting of two Dream Elf leaders and master dream shapers as technicians, Lyle Butler as overall manager, and Green Dragon Claudia as the tester, officially formed. Lyle first gained some basic knowledge on dream construction from the conversations between the two Dream Druids.

"Right. Let’s set aside the setting design for now and first, we need to define our enemy, the monsters. According to Irason’s explanation, Dream Druids can shape the form of the nightmares they spawn. As for a game, let’s first design a user-friendly monster model."

Irason raised her hand, "But that consumes the Power of Dreams, Lyle. The elimination of nightmares is for refining the Power of Dreams, is a shape really necessary?"

"It’s essential! That is the key to distinguishing our game from other nightmares; we want to create a surreal feeling of being in a game for everyone. The distorted shapes of the actual nightmares easily evoke thoughts of grim reality. Now, let’s try modeling a little boar using the Power of Dreams. I will also construct using the authority Miss Susanna has awarded me, and then, we will pick the most suitable monster model from amongst ourselves as the preliminary version."

"Understood." "Alright." "Hmm."

After constructing separately for a while, four dream-created boars took shape before Lyle.

Irason’s creation had a smooth and shiny appearance, glistening without a hair on its body. The pink, oil sheen material was enough to trigger anyone’s hunger. The scent of applewood smoke became this creature’s body odor, and it seemed utterly non-threatening, for this was a suckling pig walking on all fours, its belly’s greasy fat leaving a trail as it moved.

"How’s that, Lyle?"

"The unrealness is too strong; I shouldn’t have expected much from you."

Then came Claudia’s turn.

Her boar creation looked like a simple line drawing: a plump body composed of several circles with a tail and tusks attached. Honestly, this was even more jarring than Irason’s roast pig, the shift from flat to three-dimensional so stark that Lyle could have awakened from the dream.

"I’m not all that familiar with wild boars or their anatomy; sorry."

"That’s okay, you’re still a child."

When Lyle turned his gaze to her, Susanna showed considerable confidence, but her creation was, well... indescribable. The boar’s abnormally shaped tusks extended sideways, like huge scythes tearing through the mouth. Instead of bristles, purple-blue tentacles took their place, and dense eyeballs covered the boar’s body. The defining characteristics of a wild boar were there, but Lyle hesitated to agree that this creature was one.

"Nightmare piglet, isn’t it very thematic?"

Lyle swallowed, "Why not add some abs to make it even more demonic."

Susanna’s face chilled, "I’m aware of my issue, but as you know, such embellishments are inevitable..." Leaning closer, she whispered into Lyle’s ear, "Unless it’s something I have a special affection for, any dream creation I construct will have a touch of corruption. It’s a common affliction among us; you’re probably the same."

Lyle waved his hand in denial, "I’ve dissected one before, so I have a quite thorough understanding of the boar’s anatomy."

Indeed, to prove Lyle’s point, resting at his feet was a completely normal grey-skinned wild boar. Its two tusks stood tall, just right; muscle texture hidden beneath oily fur, capturing both the ferocity of the beast and the beauty of nature.

Irason and Claudia gasped in admiration; they circled around Lyle’s wild boar, their eyes filled with respect as they looked at Lyle.

Susanna pinched her chin, glancing back and forth between the wild boar and Lyle.

"Lyle, make your wild boar take a couple of steps."

"...All right."

Lyle’s little wild boar lifted its left foreleg, taking a small step forward. As its hoof barely touched the ground, skin, fur, and flesh exploded from the skeleton, transforming into metallic-colored, sharp saw blades that wrapped around its body. Flesh peeled away, and bone spurs grew. The exterior of the little boar was just a disguise; from the explosion of flesh emerged a higher-order skeletal monster, an abomination of anti-life necromancy.

The Green Dragon and Green Dragon Priest stepped back, their eyes filled with wariness as they looked at Lyle; the shock they had just experienced was considerable. The construction of Lyle’s wild boar was just as eerie as what Susanna dealt with, both belonging to the netherworld.

Lyle helplessly spread his hands, accepting Susanna’s smug taunts.

"Occupational habit, a bit hard to change. I know a lot about the body structures of creatures, but all the bodily functions and behavioral patterns are learned from books on spirit summoning. It seems none of us really fits the modeling profession."

Model construction wasn’t a major issue. Susanna, holding Irason for comfort, laughed and said, "Give me some time, and I’ll study the wild boar’s structure, weakening the corrupted external image."

Lyle shook his head. "No need for that, just find an existing Modeling Master. We’re going to be creating more creatures than just wild boars in the future."

"Where will you find a professional?"

"An Arcanist’s spell models are much more complicated than the physical structure of a wild boar. There are a bunch of free laborers at the scholar-teacher’s place; I’ll just grab a few of them."

...

In the dream, he seemed like a piece of perfectly sculpted jade, his divine light contained. His actions carried a casualness and the elegance of a mage; however, Lyle thought that the way he modeled the little wild boar was exceptionally cool.

This handsome man frowned, gritting his teeth.

"Lyle..."

"I’m here," Lyle said, squatting among the herds of wild boar the man had modeled, smiling and greeting the grand mage.

The mage raised his hand, covering his forehead as if in pain. "I knew you were trouble. I’ve buried myself in my work, avoiding any case related to you, even cutting off magic communication. And yet, you tenacious fellow still managed to find me."

Lyle claimed innocence. "Kristo, I really just wanted to borrow a few laborers from the scholar-teacher; who knew he’d recommend his best apprentice to me."

The Crystal Dragon Kristo took a deep breath, and Lyle became somewhat anxious, fearing the dragon’s breath might spout at him any second.

"There’s been a major event over at Alcalon, so the training teacher has given me doubled as well."

Lyle, struggling to hold back his smile, lightly patted the shoulder of the Blue Dragon Kristo. "The capable are always asked to do more. You’re the best, but I didn’t expect you to have such a thorough research on wild boars. What exactly have you been through recently?"

A melancholy as blue as the sky descended upon Kristo’s head. He sighed, "Instructor Morocoy has given me a new topic."

"’On How the Magic Dragon Constructs a Nation Singlehandedly Post-Apocalypse’, he asked me to construct a nation from top to bottom with magic power, and it has to maintain long-term stability. The wild boar is just a part of the livestock industry. Once I stabilize the magical model that replicates wild boars, I will return to continue adjusting the virtual nation... You understand how busy I am."

"Hmm, Kristo," Lyle looked at the Blue Dragon with sincere eyes, "Can I sign a long-term labor contract with you? I need you to help me construct not just a virtual nation but a virtual world."

"Get lost! You beast."