"In order to breakthrough to the next level… you would need to understand and unlock your Subconscious Power."
Gigachad's words echoed through the dream complex.
"Comprehend and solve the mystery of the Dream World and you would surely level up your Subconscious Power."
Ok. Bob took in his surroundings.
[P.S. For added meta enjoyment, Feel free to consider how you would interpret his dream and what you might do in his position ✨ For a bit of extra fun, I would also like to try something different and give a story shoutout and or powerstone for the first 5 comments - related or unrelated - on this chapter ✨]
3… 2… 1… Start!
Bob was in a vast complex, kind of a cross between an indoor mall and an open public space, with countless shops, food stalls, amusements including a full blown Ferris wheel! There were many people who were enjoying themselves, buying ice cream, going on the rides, and chatting and having a good time!
Shafts of golden sunlight slanted through the open-air architecture that illuminated tiny energy particles in the air, which swirled around creating a charged atmosphere of rich potentials. At the same time, where the sunlight did not reach, shadows of varying shades cloaked the world in a dappled, rippling canvas of excitement and mystery.
Suddenly!
A Dark Shadow appeared.
Wherever the dark shadow touched, people would become corrupted, transforming into fiendish dark shadows themselves and suddenly began to turn on him!!!
Bob tried to escape, but very quickly, despite his exceptional skill, the dark shadows surrounded and overwhelmed him, his vision faded to black, and he woke up with a start, gasping.
What exactly had that been all about?!
Suddenly he felt a new power course through his limbs.
*System notification*
[Subconscious Power Index] unlocked!!!
[As a reward for entering the Recurring Lucid Dream, you now have gained access to this new ability and new skills to help you on your Journey to Grand Rizzmaster. We hope you enjoy and would continue to work hard! ✨]
Bob now had a new power index just below the Art of Rizz and The Art of Touch
Rizz Index: 1000000000
Touch Index: 69696969
*NEW!* [Subconscious Power Index]: 50000 (higher numbers indicate greater affinity and performance)
In addition, he had unlocked several new skills
which appeared to be linked or fuelled by his new Subconscious Power Index
[Zone State] Lv 1 *acquired*
Any person, particularly athletes, know that there are times when you enter a period of peak performance. Zone State is when everything you do becomes elevated to a higher level for a limited period of time. The higher the level, the easier it is to enter the Zone state, and the longer the duration. Note: There is a cool-down period requiring 8 hours of sleep before this state may be re-entered.
[Automatic Response] Lv 1 *acquired* Allows you to pre-program your Subconscious and create auto responses based on specific repetitive trainings and pattern recognition
[Flawless Perception, Flawless Judgement] Lv 1 *acquired* Allows user to act perfectly in alignment with exceptional Awareness and Understanding in any given situation for a limited time, including but not limited to all social interactions. Although it is stated to be flawless, the ability is limited by the inherent limits in Human Perception and Judgement. Higher levels would result in a longer uptime of the skill, and also shorten the cool-down time.
[Expanded Awareness] Lv 1 *unlocked* Able to zoom out and see yourself in the third person…
[Flow State] Lv 1 *unlocked* Begin to channel power beyond oneself…
Hmm... This time Bob did have to thank Gigachad. This was going to be interesting.
___
*Sometime earlier… before Itvasme Dio's visit…*
Zhang Lu sighed as he sat at his desk, salving the sear of overt familial expectations and at times his own human lapses of discipline, with the soothing, cooling balm of Animu.
Ah. As the dopamine hit from the high energy OP began to play, he felt temporarily better. Through Animu, he was able to gain a respite from his troubles!
Yes, he was writing peak, and earning a living, but even so, he knew there were many things that he wanted to improve in his life, in particular, he had not spoken to his father Old Man Li for quite some time.
What he needed was just a bit of encouragement, a supportive brother who might be able to invigorate him to believe and take action again.
It was then that he heard a knock on his wood-
en door before he got up, placed his delicate writer's hands on the firm, solid knob and gave it a... vivacious tug and a twist.
It was Bob!
Bob spoke.
"Hey. Congrats on the writing, I know that your presence could resonate with esteemed talented readers who also write - and encourage them to part with their power stones. That said, despite everything, due to plot, I am obliged to let slip here that I have a feeling that Old Man Li would deeply appreciate reforging family ties with you... and I have an idea, if you might be interested…
Zhang Lu shook his head.
"Bob, you are a good guy. But my father and I are currently not on speaking terms... would it be really be possible, and would it really be worth it?"
"I cannot make your choice for you. All I can say is that you should be prepared when the time comes..."
___
Meanwhile… just as Silkius Smoothius had become helplessly entangled with the temptation that was his visions of Sally caressing his silky locks, Meatius Maximus, the young Head of the the Jim Jun Ki Clan had also become similarly enamored, as he flexed his forearm in front of the mirror. He was bulky and dressed for combat, having literally 'geared up' for the occasion, although of course, he was still far from the peak physique of Gigachad.
He kissed his bulging biceps whilst he drank some of his favourite juice. Heh.
One of his servants approached him. He knew what to do.
"O magnificent Meatius, your muscles are so moreish and massive!" He intoned.
"Thank you, thank you." Meatius responded to this in a manner as if this were blatantly obvious and didn't need to be said.
It was then that something weird(er) happened (if that was possible... but since you, legendary reader are still reading this and by now are a true grandmaster of this novel you would know that the answer would of course be:
"lol, of course it's possible..."
"do we even need to ask?"
"moar, i want moar unhinged!!!"
___
Meatius adopted a Mr Olympia pose, flexed his muscles and then beckoned the servant to come closer.
The servant sighed. He wasn't getting paid enough for this, but whatever.
As he approached the muscular man, Meatius began to urge him on shamelessly.
"Go on. Feel them. I dare you. Feel my muscles bro."
The servant extended a gloved hand gingerly and began to patiently palpate Meatius' bulging biceps with a hand, as Meatius began to laugh.
"Hahahaha!!!! They're good right!!?! My muscles are top quality!!!" He took another swig of his juice. Admittedly, everything came at a price, but his shrivelled cashews were a small price to pay for muscles of this stature!!!
Oh yes. Meatius smacked his lips. He would whisk Sally off her feet, and then… here his eyes tizzled with a radiant glow - he would make her… feel his muscles!!!!!
___
Meanwhile, Bob after a long day of training had gone to sleep again and reentered the RLSSD [Dream State].
Upon reflection, he realised that the indoor mall and the open public space represented the free choice that people had in the world to roam and explore.
The dark shadows were possibly the Dark Rizzards or some kind of malevolent entity, but how was he meant to deal with them?
This time, once the Shadow approached, he tried to escape the complex.
Running. Bob was running everywhere, but even though he ran and jumped and sprinted faster than anyone else, the moment he approached the exit doors, the dream would glow white, and he would return to the middle of the plaza as if he had just respawned.
Again. The Shadows approached.
In this vast complex, he was running and searching for a solution. There! He saw some stairs and decided to try this option. Stairs. He was running up endless stairs.
As he arrived to the top level, Countless posters were plastered on the walls, showing the Ice Queen from Old Man Li's picture, Sally Sallyson. Why was she there?
There was a girl standing in a patch of sun. It was a girl wearing glasses, who looked familiar. Who was she again?
Bob had a strange feeling that she was important somehow.
He had the feeling that the answers were lying extremely close, but he still couldn't figure it out.
He woke up, completely confused.