Chapter 1948: Elayne’s Dream Weapon
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Dream Weapons
According to what Elayne had learned, they were not the same as Morpheus, the weapon she had created using materials. Morpheus could be categorized as an Artificial Dream/Nightmare Weapon Spirit.
True Dream Weapons, however, were far broader in nature and potential. Elayne had already witnessed their extremes through the Four Girls from the Dream Warrior Academy.
For the sake of clarity, although all of them were simply called Dream Weapons, these manifestations were classified into various types according to the Fragment of the Original Nightmare Curse. There were four major types.
Armament Dream Weapons included armors, swords, lances, axes, hammers, shields, bracelets, rings, staffs, scepters, wands, and similar items—anything that could be considered "magic equipment."
Relic Dream Weapons encompassed objects such as mirrors, forks, beds, houses, computers, bicycles, and more. These were everyday items that were not weapons or armor but possessed magical properties.
Familiar Dream Weapons included solid monsters or creatures that assisted the user, such as wolves, cats, dogs, or more fantastical beings like hydras and chimeras.
Spirit Dream Weapons most often manifested as Elemental Spirits—embodiments of an element given form. They were the most flexible, capable of shifting into different shapes.
Of course, these categories were not exclusive. Dream Weapons could belong to more than one type. Alma’s Undine Staff, for example, was both a Water Spirit and a Magic Staff.
Then there were more straightforward examples, such as Amily’s Thunder Armor—an armor made of thunderous steel that could cover her entire body, gathering lightning whenever it took or inflicted damage. Emily, however, had achieved such mastery that she could freely shapeshift the armor into weapons and tools while perfectly controlling its lightning output. This was why she and the other three were so remarkable.
Among them were some unusual cases, like Sofia’s "Automaton"—a Familiar-type Dream Weapon that was entirely artificial and mechanical, which also qualified it as an Armament or Relic type.
And finally, the most intriguing and mysterious of the four, Maria’s Dream Weapon. It was an evolved Nightmare Weapon that balanced both positive and negative energies. She possessed not one but two of them simultaneously—an incredibly rare feat among Dream Warriors. They manifested as a Bone Sword and a Phantasmal Halberd, granting her necromantic abilities that allowed her to summon undead, expand and control shadows, and much more.
But what about Elayne? What about Gaia? What about Tartarus?
Would her Dream Weapon relate to all three? Would it be hers alone? What form would it take? There were many questions, but from what Elayne understood...
Dream Weapons were born from people’s truest inner desires—their dreams, for lack of a better word. Whatever appeared would be deeply connected to that.
FLAAASH!
Elayne watched in silence, a quiet sorrow in her eyes, as something began to form.
It was something she desired more than anything... yet even a Dream Weapon could never truly fulfill it.
A broken dream, now given the chance to become what she needed to overcome her hardships and reach for her future—with her own hands.
This was the true meaning of Dream Weapons, and why they were born.
Thus...
What could Elayne’s Dream Weapon possibly be?
What was her greatest regret? And her deepest wish?
She had been tormented by it this entire time...
To return to the past.
To change what had happened.
If only she had been stronger.
To revive the dead—those she had lost.
To see the son she left behind in Arcadia once more.
She had so many desires, yet they all converged into one desperate solution.
"If only I could find them."
What formed before her eyes was...
Could it be a key?
A key to travel between all worlds with ease!
To reach Arcadia, help everyone there, then travel to the Underworld to find and revive the lost souls.
Wouldn’t that be so convenient, so incredible? It would solve everything.
But no Dream Weapon was capable of something so absurd.
No...
However...
"Eh? What... is this?"
Elayne’s eyes widened.
It was not a majestic weapon or magnificent armor.
It wasn’t a dimensional key or anything of the sort.
She would not be traveling worlds at leisure. That was simply impossible.
But this was...
"A paintbrush?"
It wasn’t even farm themed. It was just a paintbrush.
Elayne’s eyebrows twitched as the simple, ordinary paintbrush fell into her hands. It had no intricate design whatsoever—just a plain wooden handle with dark brown bristles. The wood felt soft yet firm and strong. That was all.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have successfully summoned your Dream Weapon: [Ordinary Paintbrush (Tier 1)]]!
"What am I going to do with this...?"
Elayne stood completely perplexed. Even the Fragment of the Original Nightmare Curse seemed stunned, having expected its master to summon some world-ending weapon of mass destruction.
But it was only an ordinary paintbrush.
She tried channeling Dream Essence into it, hoping for some spectacular magical effect—perhaps the ability to turn whatever she painted into reality. Yet nothing happened. The paintbrush remained completely unresponsive no matter how much power she poured into it.
"What is this? Are you kidding me?"
She felt bitterly disappointed, shocked, and utterly confused. This was definitely not something she had ever dreamed of receiving.
And yet... it almost felt poetic.
She had wanted so much from her Dream Weapon—to change her life, to fix all her problems. But the world did not bend to her will or desires. It moved on, with her or without her.
She was not the center of the universe.
"..."
And at that moment, Elayne found peace.
Peace with herself. Acceptance, at long last, that what had happened could not be changed.
"Everything that happened... happened."
No matter how much she wished it were different, it would never change what was. That was why it was called the Past. It had already occurred, and nothing could alter it now.
However, the Present and the Future could still be shaped—painted.
"I have to stop drowning in my regrets and accept reality for what it is, huh?" she whispered. "Is this what you’re trying to teach me? To pick up a brush and... begin painting a new future."
Elayne smiled softly as she held the paintbrush. Then, to her new familiar’s disbelief, she began painting on a white canvas.
"I want to paint... a beautiful future, where we are all together."
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