Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 234

Chapter 234: We are Friends V

[You fucking bastard, that’s what you care about now?] Nexus snapped, her voice dripping with anger and frustration. She had been trying to convey something serious, but Aiden’s indifferent response only fueled her irritation.

Aiden shrugged nonchalantly, as if the gravity of the situation hadn’t reached him at all. “I mean, are you a girl or a boy?” he asked, his tone light, almost playful.

Nexus couldn’t believe her ears. She clenched her fists, her mind whirling with disbelief. [Fucking bastard, read the mood here! I was talking about something serious!”] she cried out, her hands pulling at her hair in sheer exasperation.

Aiden looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “You really are a girl,” he exclaimed, finally acknowledging what her emotional outburst had revealed. [Leave this fucking site right now!] Nexus yelled again, her voice a mix of fury and embarrassment.

Aiden, however, was unfazed. He crossed his arms and looked at her with a serious expression. “I mean, you’ve seen me naked so many times, yet I haven’t seen you. That’s so unfair; you owe me some sneak peeks,” he declared, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Nexus was stunned into silence, her mind struggling to process what Aiden had just said. [What the fuck, who am I? What is going on?] she muttered to herself, her usual sharp wit completely overwhelmed by Aiden’s unexpected words. Her brain seemed to shut down, leaving her in a state of utter confusion.

Aiden, meanwhile, took a deep breath, his expression softening as he surveyed the barren landscape around them. “Anyway, thank you for kicking—I mean whipping—my brain back on the right track,” he said, a hint of gratitude in his voice. He crouched down, placing his hands on the dry, cracked earth.

“I guess I went overboard,” he murmured to himself, the weight of his previous actions settling on him. Closing his eyes, Aiden began to channel the raw, potent power of growth into the ground. The energy flowed from his hands into the earth, and slowly, the barren soil began to stir. Tiny shoots of grass pushed through the surface, followed by more substantial plants. The transformation was gradual but steady, as the once desolate land began to fill with vibrant life.

Flowers bloomed, their petals unfurling to reveal vivid colors, and trees took root, their branches reaching skyward as if stretching after a long slumber. The air filled with the fresh, earthy scent of new growth, and the landscape around them was soon restored to its former beauty, a serene and lush paradise.

Aiden stood up, brushing the dirt from his hands. He gazed at the transformed scenery, a soft smile playing on his lips. “There, that’s better,” he said quietly, as if speaking to the land itself.

Nexus, still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts, finally found her voice again. She looked at Aiden, who seemed completely at ease, as if the tense exchange they’d just had was nothing more than a minor distraction. But deep down, she knew that something had shifted, not just in the landscape, but between them as well.

Aiden went ahead and sat on a rock, his gaze sweeping across the vast number of alcohol gourds scattered around him. The sight was almost overwhelming—a testament to how far he’d let himself go. “I really went overboard,” he mumbled to himself, feeling a mix of regret and self-awareness.

Yes, perfectly agree on that, Nexus chimed in, her voice carrying a hint of disapproval.

Aiden sighed, rubbing his temples as he tried to clear the lingering fog from his mind. “Hmm, how much time has passed?” he asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

Not much, just a week and a half, Nexus replied casually.

“I’ve been drinking for over a week?” Aiden exclaimed, disbelief clear in his voice. He couldn’t fathom how he had let so much time slip away like that.

Yes, you have been, Nexus confirmed, her tone serious this time. Now, let’s get out of this cave. All the Immortal energy from here was lost the moment you took the Skyfire, Timeless Flames, for yourself.

Aiden nodded, feeling a pang of nostalgia as he took one last look around the cave. This was the place where he had cultivated for over three years, a sanctuary of intense training and growth. “Well, it was worth it,” he mumbled, more to himself than to Nexus, as he stood up, dusting off his clothes.

He couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of emotions—relief at having completed his task, but also a lingering sadness for leaving behind a place that had become a part of his journey. The cave was no longer the vibrant, energy-filled space it once was; now it was just a hollow shell, its essence drained.

As Aiden was about to leave, Nexus suddenly asked, “Aiden, what am I to you?”

Aiden paused in his tracks, the question catching him off guard. With a playful smirk, he replied, “If you’re a hot girl, I’ll allow you to join my harem.”

“AIDEN!” Nexus yelled, her voice filled with indignation at his remark.

“I know, I know,” Aiden nodded, his tone shifting to something more serious. “Before I knew you were a girl, I thought of you as my brother—a big brother who would always help me. And you did, always. But now… I guess we can start by being friends,” he said earnestly.

“Hmm,” Nexus nodded, seeming satisfied with his answer. “So, we are now friends, right?”

“Yes, we are,” Aiden replied with a smile. With that, he jumped into the water and began to swim upward. But midway through, he suddenly stopped, a thought tugging at the back of his mind. He looked around the cave entrance, feeling like something was off.

“What happened?” Nexus asked, noticing him stop.

“Don’t you find it weird, Skyfire blooming here without any apparent reason? I mean, we didn’t find anything that could birth the Skyfire, so it must be here for a reason, and it’s definitely related to time,” Aiden said, his voice thoughtful as he activated his Akashic Insight. Instantly, the blackness around him was dispelled, and he could see as clearly as day, even in the depths underwater.

“I really wish I could use this as much as I want, but this thing is so damn energy-consuming,” Aiden muttered as he looked around, reveling in the return of his vision. The clarity was a welcome change, but he knew that if he kept using Akashic Insight, it would drain him completely in just a few minutes.

As Aiden scanned the area, he searched for any clues that might explain the presence of the Skyfire. The cave was ancient, steeped in mystery, and the thought that something significant was hidden here nagged at him. His eyes narrowed as he noticed faint traces of energy patterns etched into the walls—patterns that seemed to pulse with a rhythm he hadn’t noticed before.

“This isn’t just a random cave… something more is going on here,” Aiden murmured to himself, his instincts telling him that the Skyfire’s connection to time hinted at a treasure—something valuable that he definitely wanted.

“What do you see?” Nexus asked, her curiosity piqued by Aiden’s sudden focus.

“I’m not sure yet,” Aiden replied, his mind racing as he pieced together the puzzle. “But I’m going to find out.”

Driven by a newfound determination, Aiden swam around the cave, especially near the entrance and along the walls. He meticulously searched every nook and cranny, his eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Soon, he noticed an unusual energy source emanating from deep within the underwater cave. Intrigued, he swam closer, following the faint veins of energy that seemed to lead him deeper into the cave’s mysteries.

As Aiden ventured further, he came across a massive, serpentine creature. The beast was enormous, its scales shimmering with a dull sheen as it lay dormant, seemingly unaware of Aiden’s presence. Aiden’s attention was immediately drawn to the source of the energy—a shiny rock, pulsating with a purple glow, nestled in the center of the creature’s lair.

“It must be the thing that caused the birth of the Skyfire,” Aiden whispered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the scene. “And that beast probably gets empowered by it over time, and now it guards it.”

“Hmm, try using Akashic Insight on it,” Nexus suggested, her voice thoughtful.

Aiden nodded, focusing his Akashic Insight on the shiny rock. Instantly, the world around him seemed to shift, and the true nature of the object became clear.

Status Screen: Time Shard

Item Name:

Time Shard

Description:

A mysterious and powerful artifact that pulses with the essence of time. The Time Shard is imbued with the ability to manipulate temporal energies, enhancing the user’s control over time-based abilities. Its true potential can only be unlocked by those who have mastered the art of temporal manipulation.

Rarity:

Legendary

Guardian’s Blessing:

While the Time Shard is in possession, the holder receives a passive defense boost when facing temporal entities or guardians.The shard grants the ability to sense and locate other time-related artifacts or entities.