Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 448

Chapter 448: War XXI

Vael’s eyes gleamed with excitement, his sinister smile widening. His aura swelled, growing darker and colder with every passing second. “Good,” he said, his voice echoing unnaturally. “It would’ve been disappointing if you fell too easily.”

Aiden’s breath was steady despite the tension in the air. He could feel the immense pressure weighing down on him, but the newly awakened Lumen Noctis pulsed in his hands like a steady heartbeat, filling him with strength. Golden light surrounded him, warding off the suffocating abyssal energy.

“Myne, Rick, Dren,” Aiden called out without turning. “Focus on keeping the battlefield clear. I’ll handle him.”

Rick nodded, charging his gauntlets again. “Got it. Don’t die on us, Aiden.”

Dren gave a feral grin. “Yeah, leave the grunts to us.” He cracked his knuckles, already moving to intercept another wave of Abyssal creatures.

Myne remained silent, but her shadowmancy wrapped around the battlefield like a living shield, providing support wherever needed.

Aiden turned his full attention to Vael. Their surroundings seemed to dim as they faced off once more, golden light and abyssal darkness clashing in a chaotic dance.

Vael attacked first, vanishing into a blur of shadow and reappearing directly behind Aiden, his black blade slicing through the air. Aiden spun around, blocking just in time with Lumen Noctis, sparks flying from the impact. Vael pressed the assault, his strikes coming faster and faster, each one carrying enough force to shatter stone.

But Aiden matched him blow for blow. His golden aura flared brighter with each clash, his strikes growing more precise and powerful. He wasn’t just defending anymore—he was pushing back.

“You’re stronger than I expected,” Vael admitted, his voice calm but laced with a hint of genuine surprise. “But you’ll need more than strength to defeat me.”

He raised his hand, and the ground beneath them cracked open, releasing a torrent of abyssal energy. Dark tendrils shot out, seeking to bind Aiden in place. Aiden leaped into the air, his golden wings unfurling as he hovered above the battlefield.

“Not this time,” Aiden muttered.

He raised Lumen Noctis, the blade glowing brighter than ever before. Golden runes appeared in the air around him, forming an intricate sigil. The ground trembled as the light gathered into a single point at the tip of his sword.

“Radiant Nova!”

Aiden swung his sword downward, unleashing a massive wave of pure light. The golden energy tore through the abyssal tendrils and slammed into Vael, engulfing him in a blinding explosion.

When the light finally faded, Vael stood in the center of a massive crater. His armor was cracked, and his expression was no longer amused—it was cold, calculating, and deadly serious.

“You’ve earned my attention, Aiden,” Vael said, his voice a low growl. “But playtime is over.”

The shadows around him writhed and expanded, forming a monstrous shape—a titanic shadow beast, its eyes burning with abyssal fire.

Aiden tightened his grip on Lumen Noctis, his golden aura flaring once again.

The real battle was just beginning.

The ground trembled beneath the monstrous weight of the titanic shadow beast Vael had summoned. Its limbs dripped with abyssal energy, and its deep, guttural roar sent waves of pressure rolling across the battlefield. Lesser Abyssal creatures scattered in fear, unwilling to be caught in the beast’s destructive rampage.

Rick’s voice crackled through the communicator. “Aiden, that thing’s output is off the charts! You need to fall back and regroup!”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed, his Spirit Sense taking in every detail. The beast’s size and raw power were overwhelming, but he couldn’t retreat—not now. If this creature escaped into the Immortal Realm, countless lives would be lost.

“Not an option,” Aiden said calmly, raising Lumen Noctis. “I’ll take it down before it can do more damage.”

The beast charged, its massive claws tearing through the air toward Aiden. He didn’t flinch. His golden wings carried him forward with blinding speed, weaving through the beast’s attacks with perfect precision. Each strike from his sword left a glowing trail on the beast’s dark hide, searing it with radiant energy.

“Myne!” Aiden called out. “I need a window!”

Myne’s eyes glowed an eerie violet. Shadows rippled from her feet, weaving into reality like living chains. “On it.” She clapped her hands together, and the shadows wrapped around the beast’s legs, anchoring it in place. The creature roared in fury, thrashing violently as the ground around it shattered.

“You’ve got five seconds!” Myne shouted.

Aiden’s golden aura flared. He raised Lumen Noctis, the runes on its blade burning brighter than ever. The air around him hummed with power as he gathered every ounce of energy he could muster.

“Lumen Ascension!”

A radiant column of light shot up into the sky, enveloping Aiden. His sword transformed, its form shifting into something greater—no longer just a weapon, but a conduit of pure celestial energy. Golden feathers rained down from above, each one carrying a fragment of his immense power.

The beast froze, sensing the impending attack. Its abyssal energy surged, forming a protective barrier around itself.

Aiden shot forward, his blade blazing with divine light. “Let’s end this!”

He swung with all his strength, the power of Lumen Ascension colliding with the beast’s barrier. For a brief moment, it seemed like the abyssal energy would hold—but then cracks began to spread across the shield, light pouring through them like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

The barrier shattered.

Aiden’s sword cleaved through the beast, a tidal wave of radiant energy ripping it apart from within. The beast’s roar of agony echoed across the battlefield before it dissolved into a cloud of black mist, its dark essence completely obliterated.

The battlefield fell silent. The remaining Abyssal forces, now leaderless and demoralized, fled into the shadows. Rick and Dren quickly mopped up the stragglers, ensuring none escaped to report what had happened.

Aiden landed softly, his breathing heavy but steady. The glow of Lumen Noctis dimmed as the sword returned to its normal form. Myne approached, her eyes still scanning for any threats.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice calm but laced with concern.

Aiden nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. “Yeah. Just… tired.”

Rick jogged over, grinning despite the chaos they’d just endured. “Tired? That was the most insane thing I’ve ever seen! You just cut down a titan!”

Dren clapped Aiden on the back, nearly knocking him off balance. “Remind me never to bet against you.”

Aiden chuckled softly. “Let’s hope we don’t have to do that again anytime soon.”

But even as he joked, Aiden’s gaze lingered on the dissipating shadows. Something about Vael’s final words echoed in his mind. This victory felt too easy.

“We should leave,” Myne said quietly, as if sensing the same unease. “We’ve done what we came here for.”

Aiden nodded. “Back to the extraction point. We’ll regroup and figure out our next move.”

As the team activated the teleportation rune and vanished, a pair of glowing red eyes opened in the darkness left behind.

“You’ve shown your strength, Aiden,” Vael’s voice whispered, carried on the wind. “But the Abyss always learns… and we will return stronger.”

The world spun for a brief moment as Aiden and his team emerged from the teleportation rune, landing on the platform inside Sanctum Delta, their hidden base. The air here felt lighter, free from the oppressive energy of the Abyss. Soft light from floating crystals illuminated the stone chamber.

Myne was the first to break the silence. “That felt… off. Vael’s forces shouldn’t have collapsed that quickly after his defeat. Something’s wrong.”

Rick crossed his arms, his face serious. “Agreed. He wasn’t just buying time—he was preparing for something bigger. That titan wasn’t just a final defense; it was a distraction.”

Dren leaned against a pillar, wiping the sweat from his brow. “So, what are we looking at? A counterattack? Reinforcements?”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed, his Spirit Sense expanding as he pondered the situation. His instincts, honed from countless battles, screamed at him that this wasn’t over. It never is.

“Vael’s words before he died… He mentioned something about ‘awakening’ and ‘a new tide.’ That wasn’t just a threat. It was a warning.” Aiden’s grip tightened on Lumen Noctis. “I think we’ve only seen the beginning.”

The room fell silent, tension thick in the air.

“We need to prepare,” Myne said, breaking the stillness. “If Vael was a vanguard, the real threat is still out there. We can’t be caught off guard.”

Rick nodded. “I’ll start analyzing the battle data and cross-reference Vael’s energy signature. Maybe we can track where the rest of his forces are gathering.”

“I’ll check with our scouts,” Dren added. “If anything stirs in the outer regions, we’ll know about it.”

Aiden turned toward the command console, his mind racing. “We’ll bolster defenses around Sanctum Delta and secure additional fallback points. Myne, I want you to prepare countermeasures in case they try to breach using shadow portals again.”

Myne smirked, her eyes glinting with confidence. “Consider it done.”

As the others dispersed to carry out their tasks, Aiden lingered at the console. His Spirit Sense stretched beyond the walls of the sanctum, searching the horizon for any trace of the lingering darkness.

Nothing.

And yet, the nagging feeling remained. Vael was a pawn. Something deeper, darker, was moving beneath the surface, and it was watching him.

“You’re not done with me yet,” Aiden whispered to the shadows beyond the horizon. “Bring everything you’ve got. I’ll be waiting.”

Far across the Immortal Realm, in a forgotten fortress cloaked in eternal darkness, a massive throne room hummed with power. Cloaked figures knelt before a towering figure clad in abyssal armor. His eyes, twin orbs of searing crimson, burned with malevolent intent.

“Vael served his purpose,” the figure said, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to shake the walls. “The boy grows stronger… perfect. The next phase begins now.”

He raised a hand, and the room filled with swirling shadows, countless eyes blinking into existence within the dark void.

“Awaken the Abyssal Lords. The Age of Light will fall.”

The shadows erupted in a cacophony of roars, and the fortress trembled as the tide of darkness surged forth.