Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 235

Chapter 235: Shards

“Shard?” Aiden muttered, examining the shiny rock lying in the center of that Serpent. “Nexus, what is this?”

[Right away,] Nexus responded, her tone was like an elderly sister [Shards are fragments of broken Law Stones. Based on the information I’ve gathered with Cube’s assistance, these shards are remnants of a massive war that shattered many Law Stones, scattering them across the three realms: Spirit, Immortal, and Divine.]

She continued, [Before the war, there were over 200 Law Stones, each held by a different clan, granting them immense power and influence. These clans ruled vast territories, with those possessing Law Stones like Destruction and Creation at the pinnacle of the hierarchy, while clans with more common Elemental Law Stones ranked lower.]

[The war itself,] Nexus explained, her voice growing more serious, [was sparked by the oppressive actions of some of the higher-ranking clans. Their tyranny wasn’t limited to common people; it extended even to the lower-ranking Law Holder clans. Angered by this oppression, the lower-ranked clans forged alliances with numerous others across the Divine and other realms, ultimately waging a war against their oppressors.]

Nexus’s explanation painted a vivid picture of the conflict, [This war wasn’t just a battle; it was a monumental struggle that consumed an entire era, later known as the Beginning and End Era. It marked a new beginning, as the once powerful Law Stones were shattered and dispersed across the realms, and an end, as the oppressive clans were completely annihilated.]

As Aiden absorbed Nexus’s words, he realized that these shards weren’t just simple stones; they were remnants of a cataclysmic event, holding the echoes of an era that had reshaped the very balance of power in the realms.

“Hmm, so in simple terms, they’re powerful broken artifacts?” Aiden asked.

[Yes,] Nexus replied succinctly.

“Good, that’s all I need to know,” Aiden said as he began to prepare himself for battle.

“Tier 5 Druid Spell: Merman Transformation,” Aiden muttered to himself as he initiated the transformation. From head to toe, his upper body didn’t change much, except for the appearance of small gill slits near his neck and some iridescent, rainbow-like scales on his forearms and along his spine.

However, his lower body underwent a significant transformation as his legs merged together and morphed into a powerful fish tail, completing his transformation into a merman.

“Now, I am ready,” Aiden mumbled, feeling confident as he could now move in water as easily as on land.

“Let’s go… By the way, what level is it?” Aiden, who was about to attack, suddenly paused and asked as he caught sight of a tail in the far distance.

[Nothing too serious, just Immortal King Realm Peak,] Nexus answered casually.

“Great, just a three minor stage difference—just perfect,” Aiden muttered sarcastically, his frustration apparent. As an initial stage King Realm cultivator, facing an opponent at the peak of the King Realm was no small feat. The gap in power was significant, and the thought of facing a creature that might have mastered the elusive Time Rule added to his unease.

“Let’s hope this big guy hasn’t figured out how to master that rule,” he mused, trying to steady his nerves. “Now, just be a dumb beast who hasn’t tried to master any rules,” he whispered to himself, almost as if trying to will the outcome in his favor.

With a determined focus, Aiden summoned the Golden Sword into his hands. This was no ordinary weapon; it was his Martial Spirit, a manifestation of his will and power, capable of severing anything in its path. But today, the sword looked different, more majestic and terrifying.

As Aiden rushed forward, the Golden Sword materialized, its presence commanding and awe-inspiring. The once fully golden blade had undergone a profound transformation. Now, it gleamed with a crystalline white, almost transparent body, as if forged from the purest essence. Golden runes, symbols of ancient and powerful laws, were intricately etched across the blade, pulsing with a faint light. The sword’s aura had changed dramatically—where it once shone with simple golden brilliance, it now radiated an ethereal beauty, a delicate balance of elegance and lethality.

As he descended deeper, the ocean around him darkened, the sunlight fading into the depths. He could sense the creature’s presence growing stronger, a massive entity of pure power waiting in the abyss. The Sea Serpent, a creature of legend and terror, was said to be nearly invincible, with scales as hard as the strongest metals and the ability to control the ocean’s currents at will. But Aiden was not deterred.

Suddenly, the water around him churned violently. The Sea Serpent had sensed his approach. Aiden paused, his golden eyes scanning the murky water. There, in the distance, a pair of glowing, emerald eyes stared back at him. The Sea Serpent was enormous, its body stretching out for hundreds of meters, covered in thick, armored scales. Its mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth, opened in a silent roar, sending a shockwave through the water.

Aiden didn’t flinch. Instead, he raised the Golden Sword, its crystalline white blade shimmering with ethereal light. The runes etched into the sword began to glow, responding to the threat before him. The Sea Serpent lunged, its massive body cutting through the water with terrifying speed.

Aiden dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the serpent’s snapping jaws. He swung the Golden Sword in a wide arc, aiming for the creature’s head. The blade cut through the water with such force that it created a shockwave of its own, but when it made contact with the Sea Serpent’s scales, it merely glanced off, leaving only a shallow scratch.

The serpent whipped its tail around, the force of the impact sending Aiden spiraling through the water. He recovered quickly, his eyes narrowing. The serpent was not just relying on brute strength; it was intelligent, its movements calculated and precise.

“Time to change tactics,” Aiden thought, his mind racing. The Sea Serpent was too powerful to take down with brute force alone. He needed to outmaneuver it, to find a way to exploit its weaknesses.

The serpent came at him again, its jaws wide open, ready to crush him in a single bite. But Aiden was ready. He activated the Golden Sword’s special ability, “Space Rend.” The runes on the sword flared brightly, and with a swift slash, Aiden tore a rift in the fabric of space itself. The Sea Serpent’s head passed through the rift, but instead of closing around Aiden, its jaws snapped shut on empty water.

Aiden appeared above the serpent’s head, his sword raised high. With a powerful downward strike, he aimed for one of the serpent’s glowing eyes. The blade pierced through the protective scale, sinking deep into the creature’s flesh. The Sea Serpent thrashed in pain, its body coiling and uncoiling in a desperate attempt to dislodge Aiden.

But Aiden held firm, twisting the sword deeper into the serpent’s eye. Blood—dark and viscous—began to cloud the water around them. The serpent let out a deafening roar, the sound reverberating through the water, causing the surrounding area to shake violently.

The Sea Serpent, blinded in one eye, thrashed wildly, its tail whipping through the water with terrifying speed. One of these strikes caught Aiden off guard, sending him crashing into a nearby underwater cliff. The impact left him momentarily dazed, but he quickly regained his composure. The serpent was enraged now, its movements becoming more erratic and unpredictable.

“I think I broke some of my ribs there,” Aiden mumbled to himself, clutching his sides.

[Don’t be dramatic; just fix them using some spells and prepare for the fight. That Serpent is almost finished,] Nexus advised as Aiden pushed himself out of the merman-shaped crack in the cliff.

Healing himself quickly, Aiden summoned his Martial Spirit once more. This time, shimmering multi-colored threads materialized around him—the Destiny Thread of Million Miracles. He was ready for round two.

“Time for round two,” Aiden mumbled as he swam toward the Sea Serpent with renewed vigor. The Serpent, sensing his approach, opened its mouth wide. Water energy began to coalesce within, and it fired a powerful jet of water toward him.

Aiden dodged with ease, grinning as he said, “Easy there, big guy. You’re a serpent, not a dragon.” He moved swiftly around the creature, his golden threads swirling around him.

The threads of the Destiny Thread of Million Miracles extended, wrapping around the Sea Serpent. The serpent’s massive body became ensnared in these shimmering, golden threads. The threads were razor-sharp, cutting through the serpent’s tough scales and digging into its flesh. Blood began to seep from the deep cuts, turning the water around the serpent a dark crimson.

Aiden continued to manipulate the threads with precision, tightening their grip around the serpent’s body. The creature writhed in pain, its movements growing increasingly erratic. The threads cut deeper, each movement of Aiden’s hand sending waves of energy through the threads, further damaging the beast.

The Sea Serpent’s thrashing grew weaker, its massive form struggling to move. The once-powerful water jets it used to attack were now weak and unfocused.