Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: Return

Leaving the speechless Nexus behind, Jake focused on the mark he had left on Merrick through his clone.

Thanks to the sub-skill under his Path Finder Authority, Jake had placed an Eternal Prey Mark on Merrick. This powerful mark allowed Jake to track Merrick’s location, regardless of distance, as if there were no barriers between them.

Closing his eyes, Jake concentrated on the mark, his vision shifting to follow Merrick’s journey through the wormhole. He saw Merrick emerge on a planet reminiscent of Celestaria, but with a stark contrast in atmosphere. This world was hostile, plagued by constant natural disasters and harsh conditions.

Jake observed the tumultuous environment, noting the violent storms, earthquakes, and other calamities that seemed to be a regular occurrence. Despite these challenges, Merrick and his followers navigated the treacherous landscape with purpose, clearly accustomed to the chaos.

Seeing Merrick moving toward a city surrounded by a massive barrier that protected it from meteor showers and huge twisters, Jake stopped monitoring him. He knew he could always track Merrick later, thanks to the Eternal Prey Mark’s memory-saving ability.

Turning his attention to the broken and rundown Central Shrine, Jake walked toward it, hoping to find something of value. However, all he found was rubble; not a single artifact remained to salvage.

Jake sighed as he surveyed the destruction. “At least I have six of the Nine legacies,” he mumbled to himself, trying to stay positive. Still, the loss of the three most powerful legacies weighed heavily on his heart.

[You do know Cube has many legacies that can make the Nine Heaven seem like mere servants,] Nexus chimed in, noting Jake’s dejected look.

“Yes, but nothing is ever enough, you know,” Jake said, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Nexus looked at him and shook his head. [By the way, I didn’t understand why you didn’t fight him,] Nexus asked suddenly.

“Hmm, I wanted to, but with the luck factor on his side and him being three major ranks above me in power, I wasn’t sure,” Jake admitted.

“The difference in power wasn’t much of a problem since I could always escape. The real issue was his luck. A single mistake, and I would

No wonder you didn’t fight him,” Myne said, reflecting on Jake’s initial plan. “After all, your plan was to confront him and defeat him if possible, or at least learn about his capabilities. But his status as the Infernal World Child changed everything.”

Jake nodded in agreement. “Exactly. His status and the luck factor made a direct confrontation too risky.”

“At least he’s under my 24/7 surveillance now, and I prevented his plan to infiltrate the Academy. That’s a win for me,” Jake said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Nexus and Myne nodded in agreement. Just as Merrick left, Jake received a notification of quest completion and instructions regarding the Infernals’ next plan. There was still time before their next move, which made Jake sigh in relief.

“Plus, I can always usurp all of Merrick’s gains,” Jake added, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light at the thought. This determination fueled his resolve as he prepared for the challenges ahead, knowing he had both the time and opportunity to turn the tables in his favor.

******

It had been a week since the students returned from the Red Hell, yet the true dilemma lay elsewhere.

“Doctor, have you found anything wrong with them?” Michael inquired once more, causing the Director to shake his head in frustration for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Just get the fuck out of here! Asking again and again won’t change the answer,” the Doctor yelled, kicking Michael out of his lab.

Dejected, Michael trudged back to the Elders’ Hall. As he entered, numerous eyes focused on him. He offered a wry smile and shook his head, causing the assembled elders to slump in disappointment.

“How is it possible for everyone to pass their test but not receive a single reward?” Ragur said, tapping the table in frustration.

“Why don’t you use your Pavitar Eyes on everyone?” Myre suddenly suggested.

Ragur shook his head and replied, “I already did, and none of them were lying.”

Silence enveloped the room. A week ago, when all the students returned from the Red Hell, they were all seething with anger, pointing fingers at one another.

After thorough interrogation, the truth came out. The students had passed some kind of test within the realm and were each awarded powerful artifacts. However, upon exiting the portal, none of them had their artifacts. The students began accusing each other of stealing it.

In the tense atmosphere of the Elders’ Hall, someone suggested that the whole ordeal might be the work of an illusionist. This sparked even more infighting among the students, causing suspicions to flare up. The students with illusion-type abilities were quickly cornered, bearing the brunt of the accusations.

“You must have created the illusions to deceive us!” one student shouted, pointing a finger at a boy with illusion abilities.

“Admit it! You were behind this all along!” another accused, pushing a girl with similar powers.

The targeted students, now huddled together in fear, tried to defend themselves. “We didn’t do anything! We lost our artifacts too!” one of them cried out, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

The situation grew increasingly volatile, and the atmosphere became charged with hostility. If not for the intervention of the elders, the students might have been physically assaulted.

“Enough!” Michael’s voice boomed across the hall, silencing the uproar. “We will not tolerate baseless accusations and violence. These students are under our protection.”

Ragur stepped forward, his presence commanding respect. “Anyone caught attacking or harassing their peers will be dealt with severely. We understand your frustration, but turning on each other will solve nothing.”

The confusion grew when even the supposed culprit, who had allegedly created this illusion of powerful artifacts, acted just like the others. He too claimed to have received an artifact after passing the test but said it had disappeared once he exited the portal.

The elders were left baffled. Despite their best efforts, there were no clear answers. The Pavitar Eyes, which could discern lies from truth, revealed that none of the students were lying about their experiences. Yet, the artifacts were undeniably missing.

The situation was unprecedented. Never before had all students successfully passed a trial without a single tangible reward to show for it. This conundrum had the elders perplexed and increasingly concerned.

“We need to figure out what happened in the Red Hell,” said an elder named Lorik, breaking the silence. “There must be something we’re missing.”

“Agreed,” Ragur said, nodding. “But without any clues, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

The Elders were faced with a baffling scenario. Each student described similar experiences—completing trials and receiving artifacts, only to lose them upon returning to their world. They had cross-examined every student, but no one seemed to be lying. The artifacts, described in vivid detail, ranged from powerful weapons to rare magical items, all of which were seemingly gone without a trace.

Michael’s frustration mirrored that of the Elders. “What kind of trickery is this? We’ve verified their stories, checked their auras, and even used the Pavitar Eyes. There’s no indication they’re deceiving us.”

Myre looked thoughtful. “Perhaps there’s something about the Red Hell itself that caused this. Some enchantment or spell that erased the artifacts upon their return.”

“Or,” Michael interjected, “someone with powerful magic manipulated the entire situation from the shadows.”

As they pondered this, the mystery of the missing artifacts weighed heavily on their minds. The students’ anger and confusion only added to the urgency of the situation.

A voice from the corner of the room, old and wise, broke the heavy silence. “Could it be that the Red Hell realm itself is responsible? Perhaps the artifacts were an illusion, a test of character rather than a material reward.”

The elders turned to see who had spoken. It was Elder Haron, a respected figure known for his deep understanding of mystical realms and ancient magics.

“Explain your theory, Elder Haron,” Michael urged, intrigued by the possibility.

Elder Haron stepped forward, his eyes thoughtful. “Some gates or realm has known for its harsh trials and deceptive nature. Red Hell might be one of them, It’s possible that the artifacts the students saw and believed they had received were never real. Instead, they could have been an illusion crafted by the realm itself, designed to test their reactions and character.”

Ragur leaned back in his chair, considering Haron’s words. “If that’s true, it would explain why the artifacts vanished as soon as they left the portal. The realm’s magic could dissipate outside its boundaries.”

Myre nodded in agreement. “And it would also explain why none of the students were lying. They truly believed they had received those artifacts.”

Elder Haron continued, “Such tests are not uncommon in ancient, powerful realms. They are meant to teach lessons and reveal the true nature of those who undergo them. The students’ anger and accusations against each other might have been part of the test—an additional trial to see how they would handle loss and conflict.”

Michael sighed, feeling a sense of relief but also a new challenge. “If this is the case, how do we explain this to the students? They need to understand that the artifacts were never meant to be theirs, that it was all a test.”