Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Ascension Trial

The collision of black and white forces created a cataclysmic display of strength, the sky itself seemed to tremble under the intensity. Aiden’s wings clashed against the Heaven Inspector’s trident, each moment a battle of pure will and power.

“It was good knowing you, but no one has survived my Third Form,” the Heaven Inspector declared, his voice unwavering as he drove his trident deeper into the Death Embrace, piercing through the deadly wings that encased Aiden.

“Really? Because I like to break records,” Aiden’s voice echoed from behind him.

Before the Heaven Inspector could react, Aiden was already in position, his sword poised for a lethal strike. “Space Rend,” Aiden whispered as he slashed at the Inspector’s neck, aiming for a one-hit kill.

But the Heaven Inspector, sensing the danger, abandoned his trident and quickly raised his right hand to intercept the blade.

Splurr!

Blood sprayed through the air as Aiden’s sword cleaved through the Inspector’s arm, severing it cleanly. The Inspector gritted his teeth, but his neck was spared.

He looked down at his right arm, now nothing more than a bleeding stump. His eyes burned with a mixture of pain and admiration as he turned to face Aiden, who stood ready for the next strike.

The Heaven Inspector staggered back, his severed arm bleeding profusely, but the fire in his eyes hadn’t dimmed. Aiden took a breath, sensing the gravity of the battle. This was no ordinary opponent; the Heaven Inspector’s resilience was beyond anything he’d faced before.

Without missing a beat, the Heaven Inspector’s left hand began to glow with a blinding light, and the severed stump of his right arm started to regenerate at an alarming speed. Within moments, his arm was fully restored, though it crackled with unstable energy, a testament to the sheer force he was channeling.

“Impressive,” Aiden remarked, his sword still at the ready. “But regeneration won’t save you.”

The Heaven Inspector didn’t respond. Instead, he raised his newly formed arm, summoning the trident back to his grip with a mere thought. The weapon flew through the air, returning to his hand as if it were an extension of his own body. The air around them hummed with power, and the battlefield seemed to shrink as the two warriors locked eyes, ready for the next exchange.

“Fourth Form: Heaven’s Judgment,” the Inspector intoned, his voice echoing with a divine resonance.

The sky above darkened as if responding to his command, and from the heavens, massive bolts of Heaven’s Forbidden Lightning rained down, each strike aimed directly at Aiden. The ground shook with every impact, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of ozone.

Aiden’s eyes narrowed. He knew he couldn’t dodge all of them—this was a test of endurance and skill. With swift movements, he activated “Spatial Shift,” using the technique to create portals that redirected some of the lightning bolts away from him. But even with his quick reflexes, a few bolts grazed him, sending searing pain through his body.

He gritted his teeth, focusing through the pain. There was no room for hesitation. As the last bolt struck the ground, Aiden counterattacked, channeling his own power. “Golden Dragon’s Fury!” he roared, his sword igniting with golden flames as he unleashed a devastating slash that tore through the air, aimed straight at the Heaven Inspector.

The Inspector met the attack head-on, his trident crackling with both black and white lightning. The two forces collided once more, creating a shockwave that flattened the surrounding landscape, leaving only scorched earth in its wake.

But this time, the Heaven Inspector wasn’t just defending. He twisted his trident mid-strike, using the momentum to deflect Aiden’s attack to the side. The redirected energy carved a deep trench into the ground, but Aiden had already anticipated the move. He followed up with a quick dash, closing the distance between them in an instant.

“You’re fast, but not fast enough,” Aiden said as he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one carrying the weight of his mastery in swordsmanship. The Heaven Inspector parried and countered with equal speed, his trident moving like a living entity, each thrust and swing precise and deadly.

The battle raged on, with neither side giving an inch. The sky alternated between light and dark as their energies clashed, creating an eerie, chaotic atmosphere. Both combatants were beginning to show signs of wear—small cuts and bruises marred Aiden’s once-pristine form, while the Heaven Inspector’s armor bore scorch marks and dents.

“Fifth Form: Celestial Convergence!” the Inspector suddenly shouted, thrusting his trident into the ground. The earth trembled as celestial energy pooled around him, creating a massive sphere of condensed power that threatened to engulf Aiden.

Realizing the danger, Aiden knew he couldn’t afford to hold back any longer. He called upon his most powerful technique, one that could either turn the tide or end the battle altogether. “Void Severance!” he declared, and his sword began to hum with a deep, resonant frequency, the very air around it distorting as if reality itself was bending to his will.

Aiden slashed through the air, and the space between him and the Heaven Inspector seemed to collapse, creating a rift that swallowed the Celestial Convergence whole. The sphere of energy destabilized, imploding with a deafening roar as the two forces canceled each other out in a cataclysmic explosion.

When the dust settled, both warriors were breathing heavily, their forms battered and bruised. The battlefield was unrecognizable, a desolate wasteland with craters and scorch marks as far as the eye could see.

But it wasn’t over yet.

The Heaven Inspector, though visibly weakened, refused to fall. His armor cracked, and the light in his eyes dimmed, but he still stood tall. “You are truly worthy of this trial,” he admitted, his voice carrying a note of respect.

With a calm and deliberate motion, he tore off his broken and battered armor, revealing a body of pure white light. As he removed his helmet, Aiden saw the Inspector’s face for the first time—a face that was neither human nor completely divine, with golden eyes that glowed with an ethereal radiance, and long, flowing golden hair that cascaded down his back. He seemed more like a deity than a mere warrior to Aiden.

Aiden, bloodied but unbowed, readied his sword for one final clash. “You’re the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced. But this ends now.”

With a calm expression, Aiden shrugged off his worn and torn robe, revealing his chiseled body, glistening with a mixture of his own blood and the golden blood of the Heaven Inspector. His white hair, tinged with streaks of red and gold, framed his face as he brushed it back, a fierce smile crossing his lips. He took a stance, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the final strike. “This is my last move.”

The Heaven Inspector smiled in response, knowing the gravity of the moment. He positioned himself, placing his left leg backward and tilting his right leg at an angle. His upper body remained straight as he held the trident back, poised to throw it with all his remaining strength. “Me too,” he replied, his voice steady.

Both of them took a deep breath, their gazes locking as they prepared to unleash their ultimate techniques.

“Absolute Severance!” Aiden roared, his sword glowing with a dark, pulsating energy that seemed to tear at the very fabric of reality.

“Dragon Against the Heaven!” the Heaven Inspector shouted in unison, his trident crackling with divine lightning as he hurled it with all his might.

Time seemed to slow as the two forces collided in mid-air. Aiden’s Absolute Severance cleaved through space, a wave of destructive energy that sought to obliterate everything in its path. The Heaven Inspector’s Dragon Against the Heaven surged forward like a celestial beast, roaring with the power of the heavens themselves.

The impact was nothing short of cataclysmic. The sky split open, and the ground beneath them shattered, as the two ultimate techniques clashed in a battle that shook the very foundations of the world. The sheer force of the collision created a shockwave that rippled outward, flattening mountains and parting the clouds above.

For a moment, everything was engulfed in a blinding light, as the two warriors poured every ounce of their strength into their final attacks.

Then, as the light began to fade, the battlefield fell silent. The once-chaotic scene was now eerily calm, with the air still crackling with residual energy. Both Aiden and the Heaven Inspector stood motionless, their final clash having drained them of all their remaining power.

Aiden staggered slightly, but he remained standing, his sword still in hand. The Heaven Inspector, too, remained on his feet, though his form wavered, the divine light within him flickering like a dying flame.

With a faint smile, the Heaven Inspector spoke, his voice soft and almost reverent. “You have passed the trial, Aiden.”

And with those words, the Heaven Inspector’s form dissolved into golden particles of light, drifting upward and vanishing into the heavens, leaving Aiden alone on the desolate battlefield.

Breathing heavily, Aiden looked up at the sky, the weight of the battle finally settling in. He had done it. He had faced the Heaven Inspector, survived, and triumphed. Now, the path to ascension lay open before him.

“And they said it was going to be easy” Aiden sighed as he fell on the ground.