NOVEL NEXT Chapter 156: Overload
Jax slowly lowered the crystal sphere, silencing the screams that still echoed in everyone's ears. His golden eyes settled on Seraphina, still on her knees, hands clasped, her face flushed with devotion.
"You've taken a step… but it's not enough." His voice was a soft thunder, heavy with judgment and promise.
Seraphina looked at him desperately.
"I'll do whatever you ask, my lord! I won't stop until I'm worthy of you!"
A cruel smile curved across Jax's lips. He took the scepter from Isabella's hands and tapped it lightly on Seraphina's shoulder before sliding it down her body until it rested on her lips.
"Then prepare yourself… because when the time comes, you will be punished with my scepter."
Seraphina's eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed deep red as she understood the double meaning in his words. She lowered her head, biting her lips, kissing the scepter before sneaking a glance at the butler, who kept his head bowed to avoid seeing. Then, with trembling lips, she extended her tongue and licked the tip of the scepter.
"Yes… my lord…" she whispered, her voice quivering between shame and desire.
"Before that, I have something else to do. I'll give you your second mission. Transform this city and the entire region into my faith… Don't disappoint me."
After delivering his subtle threat, Jax didn't stop. His attention rose to the darkened sky, and his body began to levitate slowly. He ascended above the ruins of the ocean god's temple, now nothing but ashes. From up high, he spread his arms wide, and the faith of the masses surged upward like a blazing torrent that wrapped around him completely.
Thousands of golden threads of devotion tangled around his body, so strong and numerous that soon he was surrounded by an ocean of light. The power was so immense that a strange buzzing began to resonate in his mind. For a while now, he had felt the connection with his true body being cut off, and his movements became stiff, almost mechanical.
Jax frowned.
"What is this…?"
The interference grew, clouding his thoughts. And then, the connection opened. A deep echo, a familiar voice piercing through the void, rumbled inside him.
Finally… you hear me.
It was himself. The real Jax, speaking through the power of faith.
"My lord…" the avatar answered, bowing his head even as he floated over the city. "The faith is too much… the flow overwhelms me… I can't control it. My whole body feels like it's burning at this rate I'll explode."
The echo of his true voice laughed softly, calm and unshaken.
No… you've done perfectly. Too perfectly. You've gathered so much fervor that even my power is being forced to break through you. But this is not failure… it's the sign that we can finally begin.
"Begin… what, my lord?"
The true work. The Dreamworld… it can now be shaped. Your part here is finished. And you've done better than I expected. Keep it up. Soon, we'll reach true divinity.
The avatar closed his eyes. A smile of pride and pleasure spread across his face. For the first time, he felt his work was complete.
He opened his eyes and stretched out his arms.
"Listen to me!" he roared over the crowd. "The God of Dreams is pleased! And now… I shall open the gates to His eternal realm!"
His shout shook the plaza, and all turned to see the golden pillar descending from the heavens like a divine spear. The impact's wave was so colossal it seemed to blanket the whole city. The people began to worship louder, while Isabella urged them to hurry, pushing them to complete the construction of the statue and temple Jax had commanded.
The true body of Jax rose from the waterfall, absorbing all the faith crashing into him like a tsunami. His body began to glow with a golden brilliance, as if he were forged entirely from divine gold. With a mental call, he summoned his women, and they rushed back to him without hesitation.
Jax felt his power overflowing, so he ascended into the sky and unleashed a deafening roar that shook the heavens, marking his territory.
The roar spread across a hundred kilometers, forcing every living being, regardless of their level, to flee in terror. The divine aura pouring from Jax was like a predator awakening, ready to devour them all.
After claiming his territory, he descended slowly, landing in the middle of the plaza where his women already awaited him. One by one, he beckoned them closer.
"Come."
They approached him, trembling, afraid, aroused, utterly enslaved by his presence. Jax sat on the ground and motioned for them to form a circle around him.
"Sit."
They obeyed without hesitation. Their eyes were fixed on him, expectant, like prey before a predator.
Jax rested his hands on his knees, letting his golden aura wrap around them all.
"When I brought Jayden, I forced my power onto her. That won't be enough. I want more. I want every man, every woman, every child… every soul that sleeps in this world, to come to my realm of dreams."
His women's eyes widened in shock at his ambition. They had longed to enter that place themselves, but Jax had remained unmoved beneath the waterfall. Though he had spoken with them, he hadn't opened the Dreamworld again, divine power was scarce, and he had saved it so his clone could use miracles to win more followers.
"That's why I need something different." Jax condensed his divine power, releasing a wave of pressure that made the earth quake. "I need you to sleep."
They exchanged nervous glances.
"Sleep. Here. Now. I will decipher your dreams, and from there, I'll build the bridge to drag all humanity to me."
None dared to question him. One by one, they lay on the ground, forming a circle. They closed their eyes, trembling with fear and devotion, surrendering their bodies to rest under the gaze of the God of Dreams.
Jax watched them, his lips curving into a predatory smile.
"Perfect… let me inside your dreams. From there, eternity begins."
The plaza lit up with a golden radiance that shot into the sky, as Jax began his first attempt to decipher and seize control of his women's dreams.