Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 237

Chapter 237: Slaying the Serpent II

After its evolution, the Serpent had gained a small measure of intelligence—just enough to elevate its cunning to the level of a seasoned moral scholar. This newfound intelligence made the creature far more dangerous, showcasing the terrifying potential of an evolution based on a powerful rule. When the evolution is tied to something as formidable as the Time Rule, the most powerful among the Rules, the results are even more impressive.

The Serpent, now more aware and calculating, observed Aiden with a piercing gaze as it unleashed a barrage of water-based attacks. Despite its newfound power, the Serpent had been careful not to reveal its mastery over the Time Rule. It had only shown one ability tied to this rule: Rewind. However, this ability was not yet fully developed, as the Serpent had not been able to fully heal itself and could only rewind Aiden’s time by a mere two years.

This limitation on the Rewind ability hinted at the immense potential that could be unlocked if the Serpent’s mastery over the Time Rule grew stronger. Even with this rudimentary control over time, the Serpent was a formidable adversary, capable of bending the very fabric of reality to its will, albeit on a small scale.

Not to mention the hidden abilities the Serpent had yet to reveal, Aiden knew better than to engage it head-on. Instead, he was biding his time, stalling the creature while his Akashic Sight worked its wonders. He kept circling the Serpent, using the Akashic Sight continuously to break down the intricate layers of its Time Rule and to uncover whatever else the Serpent might be hiding.

“If this were a normal ability, the process would have been completed ages ago,” Aiden thought, realizing the challenge posed by the Serpent’s mastery over time. The creature’s control over the Time Rule had allowed it to slow down the gathering of information through Akashic Insight, making the process far more tedious and complex than usual.

This was a new obstacle for Aiden, and one he knew he would face again. The Immortal Realm was vast, and it wouldn’t be long before he encountered other powerful geniuses who had also grasped the Laws or Rules. These individuals would be walking among ordinary cultivators, and Aiden would need to be prepared for the challenges they posed.

Fortunately, Aiden already knew how to counter the Serpent’s Time Rule. By adding the Rules of Decay and Growth to enhance his Akashic Insight, he was able to accelerate the process of gathering information by 67%. If these Rules weren’t tied to a powerful Law like Life, the enhancement would have been much weaker. But considering that Life, along with Death, Chaos, Order, Karma, and other such Rules, stands just behind the four most powerful Rules of Creation, Destruction, Time, and Space, Aiden was fortunate.

“Nexus, how much time?” Aiden asked, narrowly dodging a water spear that was inches away from piercing his skull.

“[Keep dodging, it’s only 5 minutes more to go,]” Nexus replied.

“I bet she’s watching me while holding a bucket of popcorn and a cold drink,” Aiden thought, slashing another water tentacle that tried to grasp him.

And unfortunately for him, he was right—at least half right—as Myne had joined Nexus, both of them holding popcorn and drinks, watching the action unfold.

“How many hits do you think he’ll take in the next 5 minutes?” Myne decided to spice things up by adding a bet.

“[Given his mastery over Rules, I’d say 10 at least,]” Nexus replied.

“You sure have confidence in him. I bet 20,” Myne said with a mischievous grin as they watched Aiden struggle.

“[What’s the prize, anyway?]” Nexus asked, eyeing Myne curiously.

“A date with him,” Myne replied with a sly smirk.

Hearing her, Nexus was so shocked that the bucket in her hand loosened, spilling popcorn everywhere. She looked at Myne with widened eyes and asked, gobsmacked, “[Don’t tell me you succeeded!]”

“Hmph, who do you think I am?” Myne smiled confidently as she snapped her fingers, and soon a slight clone formed in Aiden’s Soul Space.

“[You really were able to make Light clones!]” Nexus exclaimed in delight, starting to touch Myne’s clone all over, poking at naughty parts playfully.

Myne simply smirked, enjoying the chaos she had caused both in Aiden’s battle and in Nexus’s reaction. Meanwhile, Aiden continued his dodging, unaware of the antics unfolding in his Soul Space.

Or maybe he did sense something because, many times during the battle, Aiden shivered as if being targeted by something he really didn’t want to confront.

“Probably I’m just overthinking stuff,” Aiden thought, leaping over another water tentacle while slicing through one coming from above.

“Damn, just how long do I have to keep going?” Aiden wondered as he looked at the Serpent, whose face now clearly displayed a grin full of mockery. The sight only irritated Aiden further. “This sucker!”

Frustration boiling, Aiden’s Golden Sword suddenly blazed with Timeless Flames as he charged toward the Serpent.

“[What are you doing?]” Nexus shouted in alarm, seeing him running straight towards the snake.

“Why do I need to dodge this idiot when I have Timeless Flames?” Aiden retorted, dismissing both Myne and Nexus.

Nexus : “…”

Myne : “…”

“[Because Timeless Flames are just a byproduct of that Shard, you fucking idiot!]” Nexus shouted after a brief silence.

“Oh!” Aiden thought, as his flames touched the Serpent’s scales only to go out with a whoosh. “Damn, I hate when she’s right,” Aiden cursed internally as a water spear pierced his stomach, and another grazed his shoulder.

“Fuck!” Aiden coughed up blood as he broke the spears and hurriedly retreated before any more could impale him. Aiden grimaced as he healed his injuries using Divine Spells.

“These flames turned out to be more useless than I thought,” Aiden thought, looking at them with a sense of disbelief. The Timeless Flames flickered as if defending themselves, but Aiden didn’t give them a chance as he called them back inside him. “From now on, you’re only going to be used for warming,” he muttered, causing the Timeless Flames to throw a tantrum like a child. Alas, they could do nothing after acknowledging Aiden as their master.

Myne, on the other hand, just shook her head, understanding Aiden’s frustration. If she had also seen that mocking grin on the bloodied Serpent, she might have attacked him too.

“Can’t blame him,” Myne thought, a wry smile tugging at her lips as she watched the scene unfold. “That Serpent knows exactly how to get under your skin.”

Despite her amusement, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern for Aiden. His impulsiveness had nearly cost him dearly, and she knew he had to be more careful, especially against an opponent as cunning as the Serpent.

Nexus nodded as she glanced at the progress of Akashic Insight. “81% complete, just a few more minutes, and it’s done,” she thought before refocusing on Aiden. He was giving everything he had to defend himself, no longer rushing blindly into attacks.

Aiden continued swimming in circles around the Serpent, dodging and countering as best he could. He had attacked multiple times, but every time, the Serpent simply rewound time, negating any damage. The frustration was evident, but he kept his focus, knowing he needed to find a way to land a significant blow.

“[Even if Akashic Insight gives you all his information, it won’t matter if your attacks don’t cause severe damage. And next time, slice his head off, not just his neck,]” Nexus advised. Aiden nodded in agreement. “She’s right. I need to find a way to injure him heavily,” he thought, scanning the surroundings for anything that could give him an advantage.

“I could use a powerful spell, but I don’t think anything below Tier 10 will affect him. And Tier 10 spells require a long casting time,” Aiden mused, still dodging and buying himself time. The challenge was significant, but he knew that waiting for the Akashic Insight to finish was crucial. “What if he has other time-based spells?” Aiden pondered, realizing that rushing in could lead to disaster.

For now, he focused on the task at hand: dodging and buying time. It was a battle of attrition, and Aiden was confident in his ability to outlast the Serpent with his massive pool of immortal energy, which came from his four inner worlds, a rarity compared to the usual one or two.

Not to mention Aiden’s supply of Crystals imbued with various energies, which gave him a significant advantage. He could attack, defend, and even heal himself using these Crystals, a versatility that the Serpent lacked. Eventually, the Serpent would be drained of his resources, while Aiden’s vast reserves allowed him to keep going.

Aiden’s strategy was proving effective, but the Serpent, unaware of Aiden’s true capabilities, was growing impatient. The Serpent believed he had more energy than this “puny” human and thought that these continuous attacks would eventually wear Aiden down. His plan was simple: exhaust Aiden’s energy, then devour him to enhance his bloodline and evolve fully into a true Dragon.

Yet, Aiden’s energy showed no signs of depleting, leaving the Serpent increasingly frustrated. Aiden, on the other hand, remained calm and focused, knowing that time was on his side. The longer this battle dragged on, the closer he came to victory, and the more desperate the Serpent became.