Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 380

Chapter 380: Convergence II

When the light faded, Kael stood untouched, his shield dissipating like smoke. He dusted off his armor, his expression one of mild irritation.

“Impressive,” Kael said. “But you’ll need more than flashy tricks to win.”

“Good thing I’ve got plenty more,” Aiden replied, his blade shimmering as he infused it with raw power.

Kael didn’t give him the chance to strike. With a wave of his hand, shadows erupted from the ground, coiling around Aiden like living chains. They moved with unnatural speed, latching onto his arms and legs, their grip icy and unyielding.

Aiden struggled against the bindings, his blade slicing through several of the shadowy tendrils, but more kept coming, pulling him down. Kael approached slowly, his movements deliberate.

“You fight well,” Kael said, stopping just out of reach. “But you’re out of your depth. This world has changed, and so have its rules. You’re a relic of the old order, trying to survive in a game you no longer understand.”

Aiden’s eyes burned with defiance. “Funny. I was just about to say the same thing to you.”

Before Kael could respond, Aiden’s body erupted in golden flames, the chains of shadow burning away in an instant. The air around him rippled with heat as his aura surged, his blade glowing brighter than ever.

Kael took a step back, his composure faltering for the first time. “What—”

Aiden didn’t let him finish. He moved faster than Kael could react, his blade crashing into the Abyssal warrior’s defenses with enough force to send shockwaves through the clearing. Kael was thrown back, skidding across the ground as cracks spiderwebbed across his armor.

Aiden advanced, his strikes relentless. Each swing of his blade was precise and devastating, forcing Kael onto the defensive. The Abyssal energy surrounding Kael flickered and faltered under the onslaught, and for the first time, he looked genuinely angry.

“You think you can win?” Kael snarled, his voice dripping with venom. “You’re nothing but a candle in the wind!”

Aiden smirked, his confidence unwavering. “Then let’s see how long I burn.”

Kael roared, summoning a massive spear of darkness that crackled with raw power. He hurled it toward Aiden, the weapon splitting the air with a deafening crack. Aiden didn’t flinch. He raised his blade, and with a single, fluid motion, he shattered the spear into a thousand pieces.

Kael staggered, disbelief etched across his face. Aiden stepped forward, his golden aura blazing like a second sun.

“This is your last chance,” Aiden said, his voice calm but firm. “Leave now, or I’ll make sure you don’t leave at all.”

Kael hesitated for a moment, then sneered. “This isn’t over, Aiden. You’ve made an enemy of the Abyssal Court, and we don’t forgive or forget.”

With that, Kael vanished into the shadows, his form dissolving like smoke. The clearing fell silent, the oppressive weight of the Abyssal energy fading with his departure.

Aiden let out a slow breath, his blade dimming as he sheathed it. He turned toward the north, where Myne and the team would be waiting.

Aiden didn’t linger. He knew Kael’s retreat was only temporary—a calculated withdrawal to regroup and strike again. The Abyssal Court wasn’t known for mercy, and Kael’s warning was as much a promise as it was a declaration of intent.

As the golden glow of his aura faded, Aiden felt the strain of the battle settle into his bones. The energy expenditure was nothing new, but the sheer intensity of Kael’s power had pushed him to the edge. Yet there was no time to rest. The depot still needed to be dealt with, and his team’s mission was far from complete.

He sprinted through the forest, his movements swift and quiet, every step purposeful. The sound of distant clashes reached his ears—no doubt Myne and the others were already engaging the guards. The depot loomed ahead, its crude stone walls illuminated by the flickering light of torches and magical wards. Aiden could see shadows moving along the perimeter, the guards on high alert.

He tapped into his Spirit Sense, the world around him lighting up in intricate patterns of energy. He could feel the pulses of life within the depot, the shifting auras of the guards, and the faint but steady glow of his allies moving through the structure.

“Myne,” he said through the communication crystal embedded in his gauntlet. “I’m approaching the north side. Status?”

Her voice crackled back, calm but laced with tension. “We’ve neutralized most of the outer patrols and secured the first cache. Planting charges now. But they’ve reinforced the inner defenses—barriers and something that feels… off. Like a ward tied to a summoning array.”

Aiden’s jaw tightened. “Understood. Focus on the charges. I’ll handle the ward.”

“You sure about that?” Myne asked. “Those things are nasty, and Kael might’ve left a surprise or two.”

“I’m sure,” Aiden replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Stay on mission. I’ll rendezvous with you once it’s done.”

He cut the connection and adjusted his grip on his blade, the familiar weight grounding him. Moving closer to the depot, he activated the cloak of shadows Myne had imbued in his armor, rendering him almost invisible to the naked eye. The guards on the walls remained oblivious as he scaled the structure with ease, his movements silent and precise.

Inside, the depot was a hive of activity. Soldiers rushed to and fro, transporting crates of supplies and reinforcing defenses. Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he spotted the summoning array in the center of the courtyard—a massive, intricate formation glowing with an eerie, pulsating light. Several robed figures stood around it, chanting in unison, their voices rising and falling in a haunting melody.

Aiden dropped down silently, sticking to the shadows as he approached the array. His Spirit Sense confirmed his suspicion: the formation was drawing energy from the surrounding area, feeding it into a growing rift at its center. Whatever they were summoning, it wasn’t fully formed yet, but the power radiating from the array was enough to make his skin crawl.

He couldn’t afford to waste time. Drawing a small, rune-etched dagger from his belt, he began carving counter-runes into the ground, disrupting the flow of energy within the array. The robed figures didn’t notice at first, their focus entirely on their ritual. But as the flow of power faltered, one of them looked up, his eyes narrowing.

“Intruder!” the figure shouted, his voice echoing through the courtyard.

The other robed figures turned, their chants halting as they raised their hands, dark energy crackling between their fingers. The soldiers nearby reacted instantly, drawing weapons and rushing toward Aiden.

“Guess we’re doing this the hard way,” Aiden muttered, drawing his blade in one smooth motion.

He met the first wave of soldiers head-on, his strikes precise and lethal. The dark energy from the robed figures lashed out at him, but he weaved through it, his movements fluid and unpredictable. Each strike of his blade disrupted the energy around him, the golden light carving through the darkness like a beacon of defiance.

One of the robed figures tried to reinforce the array, but Aiden hurled his dagger with pinpoint accuracy, the weapon embedding itself in the figure’s chest. The man collapsed, his energy unraveling in a burst of light. The disruption in the ritual grew more pronounced, the rift at the center of the array flickering as its power waned.

Aiden pressed the advantage, cutting through the remaining soldiers and robed figures with ruthless efficiency. As the last of them fell, he turned his attention back to the array, his blade glowing with golden energy. With a single, decisive strike, he drove his sword into the center of the formation, shattering the runes and severing the flow of energy.

The rift collapsed with a deafening roar, the shockwave sending a burst of wind through the courtyard. Aiden stood amidst the chaos, his blade resting at his side, his breath steady despite the exertion.

“Myne,” he said through the crystal. “The array is down. What’s your status?”

“Charges are planted,” she replied. “We’re ready to pull out.”

“Good. I’ll cover your exit. Move fast.”

As the connection cut off, Aiden took one last look at the ruined array. This was only the beginning, but every step mattered. The Abyssal Court would feel the sting of this blow, and he intended to make sure they never recovered.

Turning, he disappeared into the shadows once more, the depot’s destruction imminent.

The charges detonated moments after Aiden slipped into the shadows, the explosions ripping through the depot with deafening booms. Flames engulfed the structure, consuming supply caches, defensive barriers, and summoning arrays alike. The shockwave sent debris flying into the night, and panicked shouts echoed as surviving guards scattered into the forest.

From his vantage point atop a nearby ridge, Aiden watched the devastation unfold. The depot had been a critical logistical hub for the Abyssal Court, and its destruction would deal a significant blow to their operations. But Aiden knew this was far from a decisive victory. The Court would retaliate—and soon.