Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 266

Chapter 266: Final Battle IV

“What… what are you?” Raven growled through gritted teeth, trembling in anger and disbelief. His grip tightened on his Black Celestial Sword, and he swung at Aiden, but to no avail. His attack hit nothing but air as Aiden effortlessly evaded.

Raven’s frustration mounted, realizing that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t touch Aiden—his movements, his power, everything about him was beyond comprehension. Aiden’s calm gaze only deepened Raven’s dread as he realized that he was facing an opponent who far exceeded his expectations.

[ Dimensional Move ]

Move through dimensions, and appear instantaneously at any position within sight.

**

It was the move Aiden was utilizing to constantly shift through dimensions, attacking Raven from seemingly nowhere, his movements swift and disorienting.

“Tell me, where is your confidence now?” Aiden asked, his voice calm but piercing as he gazed at Raven, who was now clutching his Black Celestial Sword as though his life depended on it.

“What… what are you?” Raven shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.

“This is my second Martial Spirit—Child of Space. What do you think its powers are?” Aiden responded, lying smoothly about his Dimensional Authority. The lie was not meant for Raven, but for all the cultivators watching their battle.

“Impossible! You don’t have another Martial Spirit!” Raven spat, pointing accusingly at him.

“Humph.” Aiden snorted in pride, stepping closer. “Do you think you’re the only one who knows how to hide a trump card?” His words carried an air of superiority, further solidifying the belief that he indeed possessed another Martial Spirit.

“Then where is the phantom of this so-called Martial Spirit? Stop lying! You must have a heavenly artifact allowing you to manipulate space at will!” Raven yelled, his voice filled with frustration and anger. He didn’t care about the artifact itself—he just wanted to kill Aiden now.

“Artifact?” Aiden tilted his head mockingly. “What artifact?”

“The same artifact that gives you this much power! The one that allowed you to fuse the laws of Realms even though you’re only a Saint! The same artifact you’re using right now!” Raven screamed, his finger trembling as he pointed at Aiden, venting all of his disbelief and frustration.

Aiden scanned the other factions watching, noticing their eyes now fixated on him, suspicion rising. ‘This is bad,’ Aiden thought to himself, understanding that the attention of others could complicate things.

“Well then,” Aiden chuckled, “I suppose I can grant your last wish to see this ‘artifact’ of mine.” He smirked as a shadowy figure manifested behind him.

Raven’s eyes widened in horror as a phantom appeared—an ethereal being with large black wings and a regal, prideful expression etched across its face. The aura it exuded was overwhelming, suffocating even.

“You… That’s really a Martial Spirit?” Raven stammered, his grip tightening on his sword as fear started to creep into his voice.

“What else, genius? Did you really think such an overpowered artifact existed?” Aiden taunted, looking down on him. ‘Though they do exist… they’re called Shards of Laws,’ he inwardly added, recalling his knowledge.

Aiden is looked back as he looked at the Phantom of his Authority of Pride , Lucifer, ‘it looks cool’ he thought, as he used it to deceive everyone here.

The other cultivators observing from a distance, who initially believed Aiden was using some kind of artifact, now seemed relieved, though some greed still flickered in their eyes. They knew if they killed Aiden, they couldn’t steal a Martial Spirit, so many of them let the idea go—except for one.

This hidden figure was not among the crowd, instead lurking in the shadows, observing from a distance. His gaze shifted between the Martial Spirit in Raven’s hands and Aiden’s phantom, his eyes gleaming with desire. “Finally, a worthy spirit for this artifact,” he mumbled under his breath, his hand gripping a book tightly as he watched, biding his time for the right moment.

By sheer chance, this mysterious figure had come across the ancient book, a relic imbued with heaven-defying powers—an artifact capable of stealing another’s Martial Spirit and allowing the user to wield it as their own. However, there was a catch: the book could only be used once. For a long time, he wandered the realms, searching for a worthy target whose Martial Spirit was powerful enough to justify using the book’s singular charge. But nothing he found ever met his standards.

Until today.

His eyes gleamed with undisguised greed as he fixated on the battlefield before him. Aiden, with his newly revealed phantom of Lucifer behind him, and Raven, clutching the Black Celestial Sword. Both were formidable in their own right, and either one would serve his purpose.

“Either of them will do,” he mumbled to himself, his voice dripping with anticipation. But his gaze kept drifting back to Aiden, particularly to the proud, dark figure of Lucifer hovering behind him. “It would be even better if I could get that one.”

His heart raced as he gripped the book tighter, formulating a plan. He knew this was his best chance to claim a Martial Spirit of unimaginable power. All he had to do was bide his time, and when the moment was right, strike.

“So, any last wish of yours?” Aiden asked Raven, his voice calm, almost mocking, as he looked at the raging figure before him.

Raven’s eyes blazed with fury. “I will kill you, even if it’s the last thing I do!” Raven roared, his voice trembling with both pain and determination. In a sudden, desperate move, he reversed his grip on his Black Celestial Sword and plunged it into his own body. Immediately, his body began to crack, the energy within him spilling out uncontrollably. The ground beneath him shook violently as immense power leaked into the surroundings, saturating the air with a foreboding sense of doom.

Despite the agonizing pain, Raven let out a twisted, triumphant laugh. “Hahaha, now what will you do, Aiden? With my self-implosion, this entire world will be obliterated. No one will survive! Hahahaha!” His crazed laughter echoed as he looked for any trace of fear in Aiden’s expression, any sign of weakness.

But all he found was pure, unbothered boredom.

“What?” Raven asked, his voice faltering as confusion overtook him.

“So melodramatic,” Aiden said, sighing as if the whole situation was tiresome. In an instant, he appeared directly in front of Raven, faster than the eye could follow. With a swift, precise motion, Aiden tapped Raven’s forehead with his finger. Before Raven could even process what had happened, his surroundings changed.

He was no longer on the battlefield. The chaotic, energy-filled world around him had vanished, replaced by an empty, distorted reflection of it—a barren, grey wasteland that seemed both real and unreal at the same time.

“I’ve sent you to your mirrored dimension,” Aiden’s voice echoed in Raven’s mind. “Go ahead, release your explosion. Pour all your energy out if you like. It won’t harm anyone but yourself.”

Raven stood frozen, his mind reeling. “What… is this place?” he whispered to himself, fear slowly creeping into his heart as he realized he had been utterly outmatched.

In desperation, Raven clawed at the Black Celestial Sword embedded in his chest, trying with all his might to pull it free. But no matter what he did, the sword wouldn’t budge. His power was sealed, and with a final, anguished scream, his body shattered, exploding into a mist of blood. The only thing that remained was the Black Celestial Sword, now floating aimlessly amidst the debris of the broken battlefield.

As the air cleared, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the sword’s hilt. “Finally, I’ve got you,” Aiden muttered to himself as he gripped the sword. Without hesitation, he pressed the blade to his chest. Instantly, he felt his entire existence begin to fade, as if he was dissolving into nothingness.

Aiden’s surroundings warped and twisted, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the middle of a vast sea of stars, floating in an endless cosmos. He glanced around, momentarily disoriented, before his gaze settled on something—or someone.

Before him appeared a beautiful figure, her presence radiant against the cosmic backdrop. Her celestial form shimmered like the stars themselves.

Aiden looked at her, his expression calm despite the strange situation. “Did you bring me here?” he asked, his voice steady as he observed her closely.

The mysterious woman smiled softly, her gaze warm yet filled with untold power. “No,” she answered in a melodic voice. “But you have crossed into a realm beyond ordinary comprehension. Welcome, Aiden… to the true trial of the Black Celestial Sword.”

“Hmm, So you mean that Raven guy wasn’t the only hurdle?” Aiden asked frowning.

Giggle… giggle…

The soft sound of her laughter echoed through the cosmic expanse, like a beautiful melody that resonated with the stars themselves. Her amusement was evident as she observed Aiden, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.

“What’s so funny?” Aiden asked, looking at her with a deadpan expression.