Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 152

Chapter 152: Dio’s Return III

The Next Day

After trying out their new abilities, everyone returned and rested for the next day to come.

In the morning, Jake woke up as usual, but when he went to his kitchen, he found a new guest sitting on the sofa.

Jake turned to look at him and saw a tall, muscular man with an unusual aura that seemed to be suppressed by the ring on his finger.

Jake instinctively used Akashic Sight on him.

*****

Name : Dio Granvis

Race : Tainted Dryad/Human

Core : Umbra(Pseudo white)/ Black Emerald (White) (Tainted)

Core Energy : Shadow Abyssal / Lifeless or Black Emerald Mana

Rank : E+

Description : A half human and half Fey hybrid, with best of both world, now is tainted by the huge resentment he faced after his mother was tortured and she died.

*******

Seeing the information provided by the Akashic Sight, Jake fell silent and then sat across from Dio.

Dio’s features were stoic and hard, the once lively face now looking like a dead mask, perpetually angry, sad, and burdened with the weight of the world’s pain. Jake didn’t say anything for the time being.

“Aren’t you going to ask something?” Dio eventually said, breaking the silent atmosphere.

Jake took a breath and asked, “Do you want me to?” looking at him.

Dio raised his head, his black abyssal eyes staring back at Jake’s purple crystal-like eyes.

After a moment of intense silence, Dio replied, “I suppose it doesn’t matter. Everyone always wants to know about the past that haunts me.” He leaned back, his eyes still fixed on Jake. “How is life going for you?”

“I mean, I learned you are no some kind of bigshot here,” Dio tried to chuckle, but his dead eyes and bright smile created a starkly contrasting expression.

Jake allowed himself a small, wry smile. “Life’s been… complicated. Trying to navigate through everything with new knowledge I learn everyday and the responsibilities they bring.” He paused, studying Dio’s expression. “But I guess we all have our burdens to bear.”

Dio’s smile faded, and he nodded slowly. “We do. And sometimes, those burdens define us more than we like to admit.” He glanced at the ring on his finger, the aura around him subtly shifting. “But maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to lighten the load. Together.”

Jake’s expression softened slightly. “Maybe. So, what brings you here, Dio? What are you looking for?”

Dio smiled wryly and said, “I don’t know.”

“The one who was teaching me all this time said I need to interact with others and not be an introvert, but… I don’t know if I can do it or not,” Dio admitted, sighing in relief.

“We will help,” Jake said, patting Dio’s back.

“We?” Dio raised his brows and then chuckled. “You don’t mean those who are eavesdropping now, right?”

Tista and the others, who were leaning behind the wall, smiled awkwardly and came forward.

Jake grinned. “Yeah, those guys. We’re all in this together.”

Tista stepped forward, extending a hand. “Welcome, Dio. We’re here to support each other, no matter what.”

The others nodded in agreement, their expressions warm and inviting.

Dio laughed and then said, “I guess I was lucky I met four fools living under a rock that time.”

Hearing him, Jake, Mark, Emily, and Jimmy smiled and laughed too, remembering the first time they met.

“Honestly, thank you, guys,” Dio said.

“There is no need to,” Jake shook his head and said.

He then pointed at Sophia, Tista, Melina, and Emily and said, “Look at my girlfriends, but please don’t be jealous. It’s not your fault if you’re not as handsome as me and not as cool as me,” Jake said smugly, causing Emily’s face to redden while the others smiled.

Dio chuckled, the tension easing. “Well, I’ll do my best to keep up with you, Mr. Handsome and Cool.”

Sophia rolled her eyes playfully. “Don’t let his ego get to you, Dio. We’re all in this together.”

Mark added, “And together, we can handle anything. Welcome to the team, Dio.”

Dio felt a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time. “Thanks, everyone. I think I’m going to like it here.”

” you bet you will” Jake said and everyone nodded.

After that Jake filled in all the stuff Dio missed.

” woah, surely many things happened after I left” Dio replied amazed by the things they went together.

” By the way, This Red Hell was it you?” Dio looked at Jake and asked suspiciously.

” what do you mean?” Jake tilted his head and feign ignorance.

” I meant the illusion incident” Dio looked at him and asked.

“No, it wasn’t me,” Jake denied. “I’m not that strong, you know.”

“You know, after that incident, my powers are several times stronger than before, and I was sure I would be the strongest when I returned here, but…” Dio paused as he looked at Ramis and then at Jake. “Ramis is enough to be called a monster in my senses. Just looking at him, I feel like I’m in the presence of a predator, a superior being,” Dio said, glancing at Ramis, who scratched the back of his head in response.

“But… you, what are you now? Have you also gone past being human?” Dio asked, looking at Jake.

“What do your senses tell you when you see me?” Jake asked back instead of answering.

“Certain death might be the right answer, but I can’t say as my senses can’t probe you. It feels like I’m going inside a never-ending deep ocean,” Dio replied, looking at him.

Hearing him, the others looked at Jake too but then shrugged, knowing just how abnormal Jake could be.

However, unknown to him, the Cube inside him suddenly vibrated.

Nexus, who received the Cube’s signal, looked at Dio.

[Dio seems to be becoming a being very close to being a protagonist. He just needs a final push.] Nexus informed Jake.

Jake frowned as he thought about it. ‘Don’t tell me he is the protagonist actually, I mean the protagonist of Celestaria world.’

[Given the circumstances, it seems to be the case.]

[However, it seems he is too late in his awakening, or Merrick is a regressor-type antagonist,] Nexus said.

Jake nodded. From Merrick’s actions, it seemed he specifically knew about the Nine Heaven King Legacy. That could point to him being a regressor, but he could also have learned about it from ancient records or a lucky map he found in some gods-know-what place.

Jake’s thoughts were interrupted by Dio’s curious gaze. “What are you thinking about?”

Jake snapped back to the present. “Just pondering the mysteries of our world and how we’re all connected. Dio, you have incredible potential. Maybe more than you realize.”

Dio raised an eyebrow. “Potential, huh? That’s one way to put it.”

” still you haven’t answered mu question” Dio said.

“Is it necessary for you to know?” Jake leaned back and asked helplessly.

Dio nodded seriously.

Jake rolled his eyes back and then said, “Yes, it was me.”

“As I entered inside, I had a fight with an Infernal. After capturing it, I soul-searched him and learned of the Infernals’ plan. To prevent it, I used an artifact, a powerful one, to aid me. I cast an illusion on everyone and then sent them inside a pocket space.”

“After that, I trailed after the Infernals but stopped myself from engaging when I saw there were more than hundreds of them, and not to mention the minimum rank among them was Baron.”

“So yeah, I did the illusion thingy,” Jake shrugged and said.

Dio nodded and asked, “What was their plan?”

“Nothing mind-boggling, just killing the students and then infiltrating the academy by disguising as them.”

“After that, they had to integrate with society and, when the war starts, they would backstab at major points and kill major cities of us Celestarians.”

Dio’s expression hardened. “That’s worse than I imagined. Thanks for stopping them.”

Jake waved it off. “Just doing what I can. We’ve got a lot on our plate, and we need to stay ahead of these threats.”

At another location.

“…. Ahead of this threats”

Rami close the screen, as Jake stopped at this point.

” so it was him” Michael nodded and said.

” well cant blame him for it” Myre said.

“surely he could have informed us about it” Luna commented.

Tami ignored them and looked at Ragur.

” was his words true?” Rami asked seriously .

” Yes, he is saying the truth ” Ragur replies.

Rami looked at him and then asked ” You said the same thing laat time”

Ragur : “….. ”

Others : “…. ”

Rami shook his head and said “It seems Jake has a way to avoid your Pavitar Eyes”

” Still, there was nothing wrong with the students who were victim of Jake”

” And his friends seem to have acquire some legacies core, they have integrated it with thiers, and they don’t have the mean to hide it like Jake” Rami said remembering the observation he noted when he dropped Dio at Jake’s home.