Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Last week
Jake, without paying attention to the unconscious students, bound them to a tree and then settled down to sleep.

An hour later, he stirred and glanced at Simon, who remained motionless, gazing blankly at the sky.

Approaching him, Jake sat beside Simon and inquired, “What’s on your mind?”

Simon remained silent.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” Jake exclaimed, waving his hand in front of him, but still received no response.

“Fine, have it your way,” Jake muttered, seizing Simon by the collar.

Slap.

Slap.

“Are you ready to listen now?” Jake demanded, peering at him intently. Simon weakly nodded in response.

“Then tell me, why are you just sitting here like an idiot? Get up and start doing some raids,” Jake urged him sternly.

“What’s the point?” Simon repeated in frustration.

“Huh?” Jake responded, taken aback.

“I said, what’s the point?” Simon reiterated, his frustration palpable.

Simon slumped his shoulders, his frustration palpable. “I mean, what’s the point of trying? No matter what I do, I can’t defeat you.”

Jake frowned, pondering Simon’s words. “Is that what’s been bothering you all this time?”

Simon nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground. “Yeah, I’ve been training so hard, but I’m still nowhere near as strong as you. It’s like no matter how much effort I put in, I just can’t catch up.”

Jake sighed and said “I get it, Simon. It’s tough feeling like you’re constantly falling behind. But giving up isn’t the answer.”

‘Although, in this life he didn’t faced such difficulties but his previous life was not smooth sailing’

‘I get it what you are feeling Simon but giving up is not the option’ Jake thought as he looked at Simon.

Simon looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Then what should I do?”

“You keep pushing forward,” Jake said firmly. “You learn from your defeats, you train harder, and you never give up. That’s the only way you’ll ever get stronger.”

Simon’s frustration weighed heavily on his shoulders as he sat there, his mind filled with memories of years of relentless training and dedication. From a young age, Simon had poured his heart and soul into honing his magical abilities. He spent countless hours practicing spells, mastering techniques, and pushing himself beyond his limits. His hard work had paid off, earning him praise and recognition from his peers and instructors alike.

But despite his undeniable talent and unwavering determination, Simon had hit a wall—a wall named Jake. No matter how hard he trained or how much progress he made, he always found himself trailing behind Jake. It was as if Jake possessed an innate gift, an unparalleled prowess that no amount of effort could match.

As Simon sat there, lost in thought, the memories flooded back to him. He remembered the countless battles they had fought, each one ending in defeat for him and victory for Jake. He remembered the disappointment etched on his mentor’s face, the frustration of constantly falling short, and the whispers of doubt that plagued his mind.

But amidst the sea of uncertainty, there remained a flicker of determination—a spark of hope that refused to be extinguished. Simon knew that giving up was not an option, that he had come too far to turn back now. He was determined to break through the barriers that held him back, to shatter the limitations of his own potential, and to prove to himself and to the world that he was capable of greatness.

With renewed resolve, Simon rose to his feet, his eyes shining with determination. “You’re right, Jake,” he said, his voice steady with conviction. “I won’t give up. I’ll keep fighting until I can stand toe-to-toe with the best of them.”

Jake nodded in acknowledgment. “I’ll be waiting,” he replied.

“Don’t wait, train, or I’ll surpass you,” Simon retorted, a hint of defiance in his voice as he brushed back his hair. With a determined stride, he rejoined his team, unleashing a Divine Healing spell that bathed them in radiant energy, restoring their consciousness. With swift precision, Simon shattered the bindings with his Divine Sword, his resolve unshakable as he declared, “I may leave today, but mark my words—I’ll defeat you sooner or later.” With that, he departed, leaving behind an atmosphere charged with determination and the promise of future challenges.

[What was that?] Nexus questioned, his voice tinged with confusion.

“My exact thoughts,” Jake muttered, feeling equally puzzled. One moment, he was offering encouragement to someone on the verge of giving up, and the next, the same person was shouting at him to train.

“He changed faces quicker than a girl would,” Jake mumbled, shaking his head at the sudden shift in attitude.

“Arghh, whatever,” Jake grumbled, feeling a sense of frustration. With a resigned sigh, he decided to put the puzzling encounter out of his mind and went to sleep. There wasn’t much else he could do; most people who approached him at this base tended to reconsider once they realized it was under his protection.

And just like that, another week passed.

}Hello, my remaining participants. After three weeks of survival, now only four teams are left.}

{Team Jake: The Mr. Eternal, rank 1.}

“What’s with the cheesy title?” Jake muttered upon hearing this announcement.

{Team Melina: Queen Bee.}

“At least mine is better than hers,” Jake chuckled in response.

{Team Iris: Whip Queen.}

{Team Lucien: Harem King.}

“Pfft~~ Is she serious now?” Jake burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

On Lucien’s side in the plains region, “Who the heck is this?” Lucien shouted upon hearing his team’s title. However, he failed to notice his teammates exchanging knowing glances, silently implying, “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

‘It should be Pervert King’ The collective thoughts of girls.

{These are our last remaining teams, and let’s not forget that their numbers have increased to 200 each after absorbing the other teams from their regions.}

{Ladies and gentlemen, for the ultimate test, each region will spawn a fearsome boss monster of B Rank! The team that successfully defeats the most of these monsters within one week will be crowned the victors!}

“{Let the last and final test BEGIN!}”

As the announcer spoke, the ground started shaking, and Jake sighed once again, looking at the camp which had been demolished after the rapid shaking and earthquake for the second time now.

After a few seconds, the earthquake stopped, and then…

Roarrrrrr!

Jake jumped, startled, as he heard the thunderous roar. Looking up, he spotted the source—a Treant, a massive tree with glowing red eyes. “It’s corrupted,” Jake muttered, observing its black bark and wilted leaves. He understood the challenge that their forest region would now face.

Jake watched as the Treant moved toward the center of the Forest region and stood there motionless. “Is he taking a position?” Jake wondered aloud, observing the creature’s behavior closely.

Jake watched as the Treant remained motionless even after a few minutes. Curious, Jake attempted to move closer. As he approached within 100 meters, the Treant suddenly turned its gaze towards him.

Stopping in his tracks, Jake engaged in a silent staring contest with the creature. When Jake took a step back, the Treant ceased looking at him. Jake tilted his head, pondering the situation, before taking a step forward again. Once more, the Treant’s attention was drawn to him.

Jake measured the distance between them and nodded in understanding. With that, he decided to return to the camp, his mind racing with thoughts about their next move.

[You can’t take it alone,] Nexus’s voice sounded as Jake moved away. Jake shook his head and replied, “I wasn’t even planning to.”

Returning to his camp, he settled in and waited. As evening approached, everyone began to return.

As his team returned, they proudly displayed the flags they had collected after raiding other teams. Each flag represented a successful conquest, and the sight of them fluttering in the breeze filled Jake with a sense of accomplishment.

“Looks like we’ve been busy,” Jake remarked, surveying the array of flags with satisfaction.

“Yeah, we didn’t hold back,” one of his teammates replied, a grin spreading across their face.

“We’ve got quite the collection now,” another chimed in, holding up a particularly vibrant flag for everyone to see.

“So, Mr. Rank 1, what about that bad boy?” Sophia shoved the flags into his hands and then pointed at the Treant.

“We raid it today… If you guys are not exhausted,” Jake said, eyeing the massive Treant.

Sophia glanced back at the rest of the team and suggested, “It’s better if we rest first, and then tomorrow we raid it.”

Jake nodded and then he cooked himself, preparing a surplus meal for everyone to enjoy.

As Jake cooked, the mouthwatering scent of his dishes filled the air, drawing the attention of the others. They watched in amazement as Jake effortlessly prepared a variety of dishes simultaneously, each one more tantalizing than the last. Their stomachs growled in anticipation as they waited for the meal to be served.