Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 256

Chapter 256: Champion Spirits

The figure, cloaked in swirling mist, approached Aiden and knelt beside him. Gently, she lifted his head and placed it on her lap, her fingers lightly caressing his hair. From her touch, a rainbow-colored energy erupted, flowing from her and into Aiden’s unconscious form. The moment the energy reached deep inside him, Aiden was jolted awake.

“Ahhhhh!” Aiden gasped loudly, his chest heaving as he drew in air, eyes wide with confusion. He looked around, trying to make sense of where he was, and then his gaze landed on the mysterious woman whose lap he rested on. Her presence was comforting, but shrouded in mist.

“Nexus?” Aiden asked, still dazed, his voice uncertain.

The misty figure smiled softly and, with a light flick to his forehead, said, “It’s time to wake up.”

“Wait—” Aiden began to shout, but before he could finish, he was pulled from the surreal world and jolted back to reality, finding himself once again in the secret realm where his breakthrough had been taking place.

[Aiden, are you alright?] Nexus’s voice echoed in his mind, filled with concern. Before he could respond, a sudden force enveloped him. Someone hugged him tightly from behind, sending him flying through the air with the sheer force of the embrace.

“Wait! You’re going to kill me!” Aiden exclaimed, struggling to breathe as Nexus latched onto his neck, hugging him tightly.

As Nexus let go, before he could even catch his breath, another pair of arms wrapped around him. This time, the hug was softer, gentler, and full of warmth.

“You two really need to learn how to hug someone,” Aiden muttered with a playful smile as he looked down at Myne, who was hugging him tightly, her face buried in his chest.

“We thought we lost you,” she whispered, her voice filled with relief. Aiden gently rubbed her head and nodded.

“I’m alright. It’s going to take a lot more than that to kill me,” Aiden said reassuringly, looking at both of them.

[But you truly are something else,] Nexus added with a smirk as they all sat down, now calm. Nexus and Myne began passing food to Aiden, as if the intense situation had passed and normalcy was returning.

“What do you mean?” Aiden asked curiously while taking a bite.

[Check your level,] Nexus smiled and replied.

Aiden tilted his head, unsure of what she was implying. He focused inward and suddenly gasped, eyes widening in disbelief. “Peak Saint King? How?!” he exclaimed.

The realization hit him—his breakthrough had gone far beyond what he expected. He had not only survived the ordeal but ascended to a level of power he hadn’t anticipated.

Aiden stared at himself in disbelief, still processing the realization that he had reached the Peak Saint King realm. His body felt lighter, stronger, and far more powerful than ever before. He looked at Nexus and Myne, both of whom had knowing smiles on their faces.

“I don’t understand. I was just trying to break through to the Saint Realm. How did I go beyond that?” Aiden asked, still in shock.

[The process of purification was more intense than you anticipated. You didn’t just refine your body, soul, and energy—you went beyond the normal limits of a breakthrough. That pressure you felt, the one that nearly consumed you? It wasn’t just a breakthrough to the Saint Realm, it was the awakening of something much deeper within you,] Nexus explained, her voice calm but filled with a sense of awe.

“The awakening…” Aiden mumbled, thinking back to the intense pressure and the mysterious woman who had appeared in his dream-like state. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew it was significant.

“You mean… that pressure? Was it connected to the Martial Spirit you mentioned earlier?” Aiden asked, piecing together the fragments of his memory.

[Exactly,] Nexus nodded. [The spirit inside you is no ordinary Martial Spirit. It’s a Champion, a Primordial-Class Spirit—a being that was meant to protect galaxies. That power was awakened inside you during the purification process, and as a result, your breakthrough was far greater than expected.]

Myne, who had been quietly sitting next to Aiden, added, “We’ve known for a while, but the Cube restricted us from telling you until you were ready. You just… you weren’t supposed to reach this level so soon.”

Aiden ran a hand through his hair, trying to absorb everything. “So I’m not just a Peak Saint King… I’m something else entirely, thanks to this spirit?”

[Yes,] Nexus confirmed. [You’ve awakened something ancient and powerful, and now that you’ve reached this stage, you’ll need to learn to control that power. There’s no telling what challenges await with this kind of strength.]

“What kind of challenges are we talking about, and what exactly is this Champion Spirit?” Aiden asked, his curiosity piqued.

[There are 12 Champion-Class Spirits in this galaxy,] Nexus began, her tone serious. [And keep in mind—when I say galaxy, I mean there are other Champion Spirits scattered either across this world or on other planets, or even in higher-level realms like this one.]

[These Champion Spirits are incredibly powerful. They stand at the very pinnacle of all Martial Spirits in their galaxy, far surpassing ordinary spirits in strength and influence,] Nexus explained further, watching as Aiden absorbed the information.

“And they’re tied to constellations?” Aiden asked.

[Yes,] Nexus confirmed. [Each Champion-Class Spirit corresponds to one of the 12 major constellations that form the heart of the galaxy’s cosmic order. These constellations are part of the will of this galaxy, though we don’t entirely understand why it chose this structure.]

Aiden nodded slowly, his mind racing to process what it all meant.

[Anyway, now that you’ve awakened one of these 12 Champion Spirits,] Nexus continued, [you’ve essentially been crowned as one of the 12 kings or queens tasked with the protection of this galaxy. Each Champion Spirit holder is bound to this responsibility, whether they accept it or not.]

“So, I’m not just stronger—I’m part of some cosmic order, a guardian of this galaxy?” Aiden said, the weight of his newfound role starting to sink in.

[Exactly,] Nexus replied.

[Though right now, you’re very weak compared to the real challenges that lie ahead. You’ll need to grow stronger, and it won’t be easy,] Nexus added.

“Challenges, huh?” Aiden mumbled. “You don’t mean I’m now like a protagonist, constantly facing one obstacle after another, getting stronger each time?” he asked, looking at Nexus with a raised eyebrow.

[That’s a good way to put it,] Nexus nodded. [You are, in a sense, a protagonist now.]

“Great, just great. I knew this would happen eventually,” Aiden sighed, rolling his eyes.

Myne chimed in with a smirk. “Well, there’s a good part to it. Now, if you steal another protagonist’s fortune, it’s not technically stealing anymore—it’s just you claiming your own destiny since you got there first.”

“That’s a plus, yes,” Aiden agreed, nodding as the realization sunk in.

[Not to mention the more important question now is—what’s your Martial Spirit like?] Nexus asked, looking at Aiden curiously.

Aiden nodded and closed his eyes, focusing inward as he attempted to materialize his Martial Spirit. When he opened his eyes again, he was surprised to see only one form emerging—a single, radiant sword. The blade was crystalline white, almost transparent, with a golden hilt adorned with intricate markings. It gleamed with a divine presence, exuding power.

Aiden frowned as he searched for his other Martial Spirits, the Golden Sword, Death Dragon, Destiny Thread, and the Reaper Scythe, but none of them appeared. Only the crystalline sword remained.

“Did it devour the others?” Aiden thought, his brow furrowing in confusion.

After investigating further, the truth became clear. The Champion Spirit he had awakened had indeed absorbed his other Martial Spirits, combining their powers into this new, singular divine form.

“So… the Champion Spirit devoured the rest,” Aiden said aloud, feeling a strange mix of loss and awe.

Aiden sighed, feeling a sense of loss for his old Martial Spirits, but he nodded in resignation, accepting the change. With a quiet determination, he summoned the White Celestial Sword.

As the sword materialized in his hand, Nexus and Myne looked at it in awe. The weapon was far more beautiful and awe-inspiring than anything they had ever seen before. The crystalline blade shimmered with a divine glow, its radiance almost blinding. It wasn’t just powerful—it was majestic. The intricately designed golden markings along the hilt added an ethereal quality, making the sword look like something forged by the stars themselves.

The mere presence of the sword made both Nexus and Myne feel an urge to bow to it, not out of fear, but in reverence for its overwhelming beauty and grace. Its energy radiated with such purity that it felt more like a symbol of celestial authority than a weapon.

“This is… incredible,” Myne whispered, unable to take her eyes off the sword.

[It’s beyond anything I’ve seen before,] Nexus added, her voice filled with amazement. [A weapon worthy of the Champion Spirit inside you.]

Aiden looked at the sword, feeling its immense power coursing through him.