Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 180

Chapter 180: F. k. A.

The next day, Aiden and the others woke up and assembled in the grand hall with their luggage, which had been delivered to them the previous night. Aiden and the rest stood there, not knowing why they were called so early in the morning. All they knew was that they had been forcibly awakened at 5 AM.

Many of the students were still yawning as they stood in the hall, bleary-eyed and a bit disoriented.

“Why do you think they called us here?” Chloe asked quietly, rubbing her eyes.

“Dunno, but given we were called with our luggage, today, or rather at this moment, we might depart for the Academy,” Aiden replied, looking around at the assembled students.

Chloe nodded and then stood quietly, trying to wake up fully.

Silvia, on the other hand, looked at Aiden and Chloe and asked, “Do you two know each other?”

“Yes, she is my fiancée,” Aiden nodded and replied, causing Chloe’s face to turn beet red.

“Oh, fiancée… huh? Nani?” Silvia nodded and then exclaimed in surprise.

“What a fast reaction,” Aiden looked at her speechlessly and thought, ‘Never thought I would see this kind of slow reaction girl in real life.’

“You aren’t lying to make me jealous, right?” Silvia snorted and asked.

“Why would I lie about it? Ask her if you don’t believe me,” Aiden shrugged and said.

‘Tsk tsk, you have yet to reach the Academy, yet the chick magnet already started working,’ Myne said playfully.

‘I don’t know what you are talking about,’ Aiden replied, dismissing her.

“He is lying, right?” Silvia looked, or rather glared, at Chloe and said.

Seeing her glaring at her, Chloe frowned and then took Aiden’s hand. She said smugly, “He is my fiancée. He isn’t lying.”

Both of them looked at each other as invisible sparks flashed from their eyes. Aiden stealthily moved away from them, leaving them to fight.

Fortunately, at the right time, the door opened and the examiner entered. Seeing him, everyone fell silent and quietly observed the other two coming with him. It was clear that the old man at the forefront was the leader while the examiner and the young girl were his assistants.

‘Phew, their timing couldn’t have been better,’ Aiden sighed in relief, seeing Silvia and Chloe no longer fighting, though they still glared at each other from time to time.

Elder Ross, along with Marcus and Dani, reached the stage and stood there while Ross took the central stage and looked at everyone.

“Greetings everyone, my name is Ross Anton, an elder of the Academy,” he said, looking at everyone.

“You may all call me Elder Ross. Now, if you are wondering why you were all gathered here, the reason is simple: we are departing today,” Ross announced, causing the hall to erupt in a mix of cheers and exclamations.

Ross raised his hand to silence them. “Now, don’t be too rowdy. Everyone, quietly pick up your luggage and follow Marcus,” Ross said, pointing at Marcus.

Marcus nodded and then began to lead the students outside. Aiden and the others followed him in proper lines and arrived at the colosseum.

Everyone exclaimed upon seeing three large beasts lazing in the arena. The massive creatures were intimidating, and their presence immediately drew attention.

Seeing such massive beasts, everyone gulped, except Aiden. One of the students pointed and said, “Aren’t they Steel Wings!?”

“What Steel Wings?”

“You mean that Steel Wings, the terror of the skies?”

“Yes, exactly them.”

A commotion started as these beasts were rather famous predatory creatures, known for wreaking havoc without any reason.

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Steel Wings

A flying reptile-like spirit beast, covered in steel-like plates of scales. These steel plates not only provide resistance to physical damage but also to spirit attacks. They are one of the fastest and toughest flying beasts and are thus dubbed “Flying Terrors” by the locals.

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Aiden saw them through his Akashic Insight and understood their nature.

‘They have a Tamed status; probably they are our transportation,’ Aiden thought as he observed them.

As he thought, Marcus stopped and pointed at the beasts in front.

“They are our Academy’s transportation beasts. We also have many beasts for land and sea travel too. Steel Wings might be a terror here, but in our Academy, we breed them and cultivate them as our transportation,” Marcus explained, causing everyone to once again feel awe for the Academy.

“Now go and sit on their backs. The biggest one can carry 50 adults, and the smaller ones can carry 30,” Marcus said. Aiden, along with Chloe, went to the biggest one.

It was of blood-red color with a metallic sheen. Sensing Marcus, it woke up and glanced at him, then at the students.

Seeing its big yellow eyes, many felt scared, but the beast didn’t mind them and lowered its wing. Marcus guided them, and each of them climbed on its back and sat down.

Many who were feeling scared clenched the scales by putting their fingers in the gaps.

“Pull back your fingers, or they might get cut off,” Marcus warned, causing those who were clenching the scales to hastily pull back their fingers. The students followed his instructions, settling into their seats on the beast’s back, trying to steady their nerves for the journey ahead.

Aiden on the other hand yawned as he had seated on much more intimidating beasts.

” You can meditate for the rime being as it will take some hours ro reach the Academy even with Steel wing speed” Marcus said and then everyone closed their eyes as they sit cross legged.

Marcus nodded seeing this and then waved his hand and formed a spirit dome over rhe steel wing back, protecting all the students from potential wind drag that will occur once Steel wing starts to fly up.

After some time, Ross and Dani returned and climbed onto their Steel Wings, which were green and blue in color.

Marcus, seeing them, patted his Steel Wing and said, “Let’s go, Ruby.”

The blood-red Steel Wing nodded, stood up, and then flapped its wings. With just a single flap, it leaped into the air without disturbing the students on its back.

Seeing Ruby flying, Marcus stood near her horns and began to guide her.

‘Hmm, might as well see Ivan’s opportunities,’ Aiden thought and then activated his Chronicles of Providence skill.

As he activated it, he found himself floating in a pure white space with web-like golden threads interwoven here and there. The entire space was filled with such threads, intersecting at various points.

Aiden tried to look around, but he wasn’t given much time as his surroundings began to blur. He felt himself being pulled somewhere in this vast and strange space.

After a few minutes, he arrived at a location that showed the path of a particular thread. The blank scroll, which had been hovering around him, shot towards that thread and attached itself to it. After some time and a blinding light, Aiden found himself back on Ruby’s back.

He looked around and, frowning, once again invoked his Chronicles of Providence skill. This time it activated differently.

[Invoke Chronicles of Providence]

[Check Chronicles of Ivan]

Aiden blinked, then selected the second option. A golden scroll, only visible to him, appeared in his hand. Aiden looked at the scroll and began to open it.

‘So tight and heavy,’ Aiden thought, as the scroll was so tightly wound that it took almost all of his strength just to unfold it one time.

Aiden sighed and then read the text that appeared on the unfolded part of the scroll.

[In the lowest level of the Grand Library, Ivan found the Spirit Ascension Art…]

Aiden, struggling to unfold the next part of the golden scroll, suddenly felt a heavenly pressure descend upon him, making it impossible for him to open the scroll any further. His surroundings seemed to darken, and the weight of the pressure bore down on him, making it hard to breathe.

As Aiden fought against the overwhelming force, a voice rang out in his head. It was ancient and terrifying, sending shivers down his spine and making him break out in a cold sweat. The voice spoke in an archaic form of English, its tone both commanding and ethereal.

“If thou seekest to unveil the threads of fate, thou must first possess the qualification and strength to bear the weight that cometh with it.”

Aiden’s mind raced, trying to process the meaning behind the words. The voice continued, each word resonating deeply within him.

“Only those deemed worthy may perceive the hidden paths. Prove thyself, or remain bound by the limits of thy current knowledge.”

The pressure intensified, forcing Aiden to his knees. He gritted his teeth, refusing to be subdued by the unseen force. His thoughts raced as he struggled to understand what was required of him.

In the end he wasn’t able to satisfy what the the voice needs and come up’s with a single conclusion that this ranks is low thats why he can’t any more open the scroll that is filled with Ivan destined future.