CHAPTER 200: STRONGER CONNECTION

Splash!

The sound of water could be heard, a cold wind blew pass Adam, his eyes opening, above a beautiful blanket of stars that twinkle majestically was clear for all to see, with the presence of two moons.

Beautiful in every sense of the word. One was blood red like wine in a cup, the other was emerald green, and glowing lightly along side it’s twin, as the both of them light up the eternal night of this world Adam found himself in.

Looking up, Adam was surprised, and little confused even.

"W-What is this place?!"

He asked aloud. It felt familiar, and yet... he couldn’t quite place it.

"Strange... I feel like I’ve been here before."

He stood up and realized the water around him was shallow. But what surprised him even more was the sensation, multiple things slithering past him beneath the surface.

Looking down, he saw white and gold snakes swimming gracefully through the water. They coiled around him affectionately, as though they recognized him not just as one of their own, but perhaps as something above them.

Whatever the case, the snakes in this strange pool seem euphoric in his presence. As they swam around him playfully. He reached down and picked one up. It curled around his hand, locking eyes with him.

He smiled and gently rubbed its head.

"What a cute little thing you are...

Adam commented, like a father looking at his own young’s.

But soon switch his focus as he said.

"Still, what the hell is this place? Am I dreaming? The last thing I remember was that absurd request Dolly made of me. Right after I said I will answer them tommarow, as such they were staying the night, but I must’ve fallen asleep in the human world too, after leaving the performance with Nyx. Thankfully my other three clones have auto-pilot mode for when I am not occupying those bodies."

Adam muttered to himself. But then, suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

"So, you’re finally strong enough to reach this place... Hmm. Good. Your second evolution seems to have also granted you the passive ability to somehow strengthens your connection to the Astral Plane."

The voice of a woman echoed.

Adam turned his head to see who it was, and when he looked to his side.

That’s when he saw a rather surprising sight.

A woman, no, a monster, stood poised atop what Adam could only assume was an altar. The structure had a distinct Greek design, its craftsmanship pristine: elegant stone carved into graceful curves, with enormous pillars rising to support a wide platform. A series of large, detail and carved stone steps rose from the shallow waters before Adam, guiding the path upward. Around him, jagged rocks and broken statues framed the space, creating a strangely sacred atmosphere.

This shallow pool, which reached up to his waist when standing, seemed to stretch on endlessly, its waters unusually still and warm, as though charged with energy of some sort. It wasn’t just a pool base of it initial look, it was more like a domain, holy and ancient even.

And at the top of that altar was a woman he had never seen before, yet her voice, unmistakably, he had heard before.

Appearance-wise, she was stunning, otherworldly even, as her beauty was exotic. Her upper body was that of a woman, her skin a smooth, pale blue that shimmered faintly beneath the starlight. But her lower half was anything but human. She was a Gorgon, as such she had a massive serpentine tail as her lower half, it was a pristine white, as it replaced her legs, coiled elegantly beneath her, the scales adorned with detailed golden patterns that pulsed with faint light.

Her nudity was unabashed, as her pussy was visible. Her form was voluptuous and imposing. Wide hips flared beneath her toned abdomen, and her breasts, large and full, hung freely with golden rings piercing each nipple. A silver chain connected both rings, swaying gently with her movements.

Her ass was round and perfectly shaped, the definition of carnal temptation. Despite her monstrous lower half, her figure retained an almost divine femininity.

She was massive, taller than Minerva, who herself stood well into the six-foot range. This woman had to be over two meters tall in her current form, easily dwarfing Adam’s current 5’8" stature.

Around her waist coiled additional golden chains, clearly decorative in nature, crafted like jewelry for royalty. But that wasn’t what truly shocked Adam.

It was her hair.

Long and flowing, but not hair in the normal sense, dozens of white serpents flowed down her back, writhing gently. Each snake bore glowing golden, slit-pupiled eyes, glinting with awareness. They blinked and hissed softly, as they were alive, and yet part of her.

Her claws were golden too, sharp and metallic, gleaming in the ambient moonlight. She had four arms, and each hand bore five fingers, totaling twenty sharp-tipped claws.

Framed by thick white lashes, her eyes were exactly like his.

Black sclera. Twin golden serpent-like pupils glowing like twin suns.

The resemblance was uncanny. Terrifying and familiar as it was exactly as his own.

Adam despite meeting this woman for the first time, well atleast seeing her for the first time already know who she was.

"Echidna!"

"Hmmm....

She hummed in response, her voice smooth yet heavy with presence, stoic in some cases yet expressive enough to understand her.

"It’s nice to finally meet you face to face like this, Adam. I must congratulate you on reaching your second evolution. Still, what is even more impressive is that you’ve managed to reach this place already, I was expecting you to come here at your 3rd the earliest. But it would seem your mutation has given you far more benefits early on than I originally expected."

"Ha? What do you mean?!"

Adam asked, puzzled by her choice of words. But Echidna simply turned her back to him and gave a casual wave of her hand.

"Follow me... We’ll talk as we walk."

"Ahh... sure."

Adam replied, somewhat unsure, but obediently began walking up the stairs behind her. As he ascended, Echidna spoke again, her voice calm yet firm.

"So, Adam, how has life been treating you as a king? Not going to lie, for your first time ruling anything outside Minerva’s village, you’ve shown quite the knack for leadership. A fine trait, especially for someone like you."

"Ha... Wait, have you been watching me?"

He asked a little surprised.

And Echidna just response with.

"Yes, you could say that. I’ve been watching you from the Dream World, or more specifically, from this place, my personal domain within the Dream World."

"The Dream World?!"

Adam said a little lost, he was familiar with it, but not really informed of what it was.

Echidna sensing his desire to know began to explain.

"My place is just a small portion of it, my domain for say is somewhat like your ’Fourth Wall’ ability. But unlike you, I can actually see and control the bodies of anyone who has lost their virginity, regardless of their status... so long as I am stronger than they are."

"As for the Dream World itself, it is similar to the Astral Plane of the Human World, though more ancient as it Predates everything in the logical void. Keep in mind the Logical Void was Created from the Supernatural Void in the past as this was the only void that exist. It only after my husband died that Logic became a thing, or rather a Divine Law weakening how the void behaves. Especially without a proper leader."

"Hmmm... What makes the Astral Plane different from the Dream, I mean aren’t they the same thing?"

"Yes and No."

Echidna commented.

"The Astral Plane was created by the First Overlord as the finale destination of the Logical Void, to separate the Logical Void from the Supernatural Void. It exists far above the Human World, not in terms of physical height or distance, but in a deeper, more fundamental way. While some universes within the Human World may follow different rules, like existing in a universe with five or ten dimensions, each with their own structures and limits, other with none that has expanding dimension beyond regular three, the Astral Plane in of itself isn’t part of that system at all. It’s not something you can measure or count up to, no matter how high you go. It’s a metaphysical realm untouched by time, space, or matter, where the true essence of an Overlord resides. The Astral Plane itself exist as the Law of Infinity the finale reach of logic as humanity understand it. From there, each Overlord can influence the Logical Void itself by shaping the core laws or Great Spirits within that void that define its reality via a series of changeable settings, for example the Overlord can control all childbirth in the Logical Void by playing with the Settings of Fertility Rate."

Echidna explain to her Adam, curiosity was a most desirable trait she wants to see in a man.

Of course saying this, made Adam say out aloud as they walk.

"Settings?!"

Adam commented a little baffled by these words.

"Yes Settings like a video game, there the Overlord’s can control all laws of the world bound to the Logical Void henceforth they have dominion over a lot of the Great Spirit that Anchors our Field existence... Well atleast on that side."

"Weird, still why would the human Overlord even make an Astral point or split the Void, it just seems illogical to me."

"...Human are like Monster we all want our own freedom, the first Overlord use the Power of the Spirits Laws to fucked with Setting of our Astrum Feild."

Said Echidna.

"For that reason he designed it to act as a kind of end point for the Logical Void. But in truth, it is more like a admin room, a dominion of power, although it is not easy maintaining the void, because if there is no ruler or Overlord in the Astral Plane to act as an Administrator for the Law of Reason the Entire Logical Void Will collapse and cease returning back to the Supernatural Void as it used to be, because it’s heavily dependent on the Law of Separation that separate Logic from the Unknown and bizarre, and the Law of Common Sense that dictates Bizarre things cannot surpass the Overlord reason in it’s Domain, those laws are what kept the different Overlord’s as the Ruler of the Voids for all these years."

"So it goes without saying... That Each Overlord itself, is just a Programmer with the power to control and implement laws on things that dare comes in it’s Domain."

She looked out toward the stars above the water when she said this, and end it off by saying.

"Because of the Logical Void, the natural balance has been deeply disturbed. The Dream World, once known as the Center of All Minds, used to be the heart where all living things dreams converged for a chance of becoming true. But ever since the Astral Plane was created, human dreams no longer pass through here like they once did."

"Things have changed, this place feels... closed off compare to the days of old. Most of humanity’s dreams now flow into the Astral Plane of the Human World instead. That said, some still slip through, forming faint connections between this realm and the dreams of mankind. You see, the Dream World was originally meant to be the collective unconscious of all beings within the Field."

"It is a living entity in itself, woven into the very fabric of the universe, a fountain of many possibilities. In ancient times, humans would cry out to higher for help, and so the Celestial World was born, creating Gods, and system to eventually become one. When humans and monsters alike feared the unknown, the Abyssal World took shape to match that fear, along with the terrifying beings that came with it."

"But with all the previous and current Overlord in power, it is not what it used to be. Now, only the minds of those from the Supernatural Void seem to reach this place. As such any effect that happens here, is happening because of the different desires the Supernatural Races collectively share."

"But that explains what the Dream World is in a nutshell. And how it differs from the Astral Plane."

Said Echidna cause Adam to respond back saying.

"I see, that does make sense, thanks for explaining."

"No problem, but off of those boring topics."

"Let me ask you something else."

"That being?"

Adam questioned.

Causing Echidna to small as she slithered into a large hall entering a building, leaving the outside parts of of her domain.

As she asked.

"So, tell me Adam, I am most curious to know, given you never answer my previous question."

"Oh about the king thing?"

"Yes."

Hearing this Adam just responded with.

"Can’t say it’s been bad. Though, if I am being honest, Berreta handles most of the heavy lifting. I never expected monsterkind to have political or diplomatic structures among themselves, let alone ones that function."

"Well, our ways differ greatly from humans, but make no mistake, most intelligent monsters follow some form of societal structure. In fact, we predate humanity by exactly ten million years. Humans only became a thing after the Divine Spirit of Benevolence created them. Ancient humans, however... were far more monster-like than what walks the Earth today. And honestly? You’re the last of their kind."

"Ha?!"

Adam blinked, confused by her statement.

To which Echidna replied.

"Have you ever wondered how Priscilla came across a Shinso Human to begin with? It wasn’t a coincidence. Technically speaking, there are two types of Worlds within the Monster World, the Old Human World which is mostly empty now or act as a playground from High Level Monsters, which contains countable possibilities, and the other Monster World, which holds infinite possibilities, of what could have happen."

"Right now, you’re in MW#1, the first and primary branch of the Monster World timeline. It’s the original, where the Lords reside, and that alone makes it different. Sure, alternate versions of this world exist, but in those, the Lords don’t hold the same authority"

"They’re just scattered echoes of themselves. In one version, Minerva might have been born a werewolf. In another, I could’ve been a man. Priscilla might’ve turned out as a lower-tier monster entirely. And yet, out of all those infinite timelines and branching worlds, there’s only one version of you that is a Shinso Human. Strange, isn’t it, and it wasn’t even the main you? What is even stranger is that across millions of those worlds, Priscilla somehow managed to pull together a stronger version of you, to make this you when you evolved using her magic."

"During the merger, all those vast and countable potential versions of you became pure info that fuse with your soul making one existence that is the current you, but also making you something of a walking paradox. You’re as powerful as you are because you’ve inherited everything from all those alternate Adams mostly potential, and that fusion made you a true Shinso Human. But I say your a paradox because of your human side that has reached its peak, but the monster DNA within you my DNA is still evolving... climbing toward its own apex, slowly but surely."

"Do you understand?"

"I kind of already know I am special, Priscilla explained that to me a couple years back well the different Adam parts of course."

Said Adam, but he knew better.

’This smells like Beatrice’s doing. She did say I would get to choose a race... well, sort of. I think the original plan was to pick a race during character creation. But instead, it looks like my race was chosen before reincarnation, based on my desires.’

’And since myself at the time aimed for the Overlord of Mankind ending, I had to be human. So, I guess I was gifted the strongest human variant one can get in this new world by default.’

Adam theorized internally, coming to the conclusion that Beatrice had likely orchestrated his existence as a Shinso Human behind the scenes.

Because of that, beings like Echidna seemed to view him as something more.

Like those cliche child of heaven, a chosen one, a supreme existence type of thing.

Basically, an MC-tier being in-universe.

And, truth be told, that wasn’t entirely wrong.

Adam knew that.

Still, he played dumb. Feigned ignorance for the most part. It was better that way after all.

As such he went along with it.

"So... you’re saying my birth was planned?"

Echidna of course nodded her head, as they now enter a corridor, while she said.

"I like to suspect as much. The circumstances of your arrival and existence aren’t natural. I know for a fact that the only reason you’re even here is because of interference from one of the Great Spirits according to what Priscilla had told me. I wouldn’t be surprised if that spirit is the reason you turned out the way you did."

Echidna said plainly, her tone more matter-of-fact than accusatory.

But setting that aside, Adam tilted his head and asked.

"By the way... where exactly are we going? I was so caught up with our conversation that it kind of slip my mind."

But the answer got took him by suprise.

"To the Breeding Pits of course. There is something I want to give you."

"The what now?!"

Adam blinked, visibly startled by her choice of words. Echidna then stopped before reaching a large stone cave with glowing light coming from it, as she turned back toward him, and answered in a perfectly calm tone.

"Your body has already reached maturity, you know. I don’t understand why you insist on keeping that childlike form. Mentally, you’re clearly older than six, especially given your enhance intelligence and leadership due to your evolution I would presume."

"..."

Adam remained silent.

She wasn’t wrong. He didn’t need to stay in this smaller, youthful form anymore. It was just... over time, he had gotten comfortable aging slowly.

It was, in a way, a human flaw, a desire to take things at his own pace, even if he had long since outgrown it.

But even then he had to asked.

"What are you getting at Echidna?!"