Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Disguised Foe
Next day waking up, Jake and Sophia arranged their teams and then led them towards their goal of the Day.

With Jake target being Mud Spitter, a Axolotl looking creature except it’s not cute, with menacing red eyes and brown rugged skin, they live in Swamps and are basically Swamp Cleaners.

They ate all the waste and poison , or rotten stuff and then concentrate it and refine their core using the concentrate.

One of the unique features of Mud Spitters is their ability to spit highly corrosive acid at their enemies when threatened, making them formidable opponents.

As Jake and his team approached the swamp where the Mud Spitters resided, they could smell the pungent odor of decay and hear the croaking of frogs and other creatures. The swampy terrain made their progress slow and difficult, but they pressed on.

“Captain, why do we have to attack this one?” Jess said as he fell in the swamp for the umpteenth time.

“Just walk straight, will you?” Cilia sighed as she grabbed him again.

Jake shook his head and said ” We have too, because they become big as more Swamp they eat”

“and this one already have reached 7 m, If we don’t stop him now, in future it will be even more difficult”  Jake explained.

“They can do that!” Jess and others exclaimed.

“They can,” Jake said. It was his Dad’s advice about these crazy little buggers. Usually, they are less than a meter in size, but the moment they reach the swamp, they become like someone on drugs. They start crazily eating the swamp and grow bigger and bigger until they eventually die because their core can no longer take the load. This crazy behavior also earned them the name Mud Bombers.

But that only happens when they reach 100 times their original size, and this swamp is not that big. Hence, leaving this Mud Spitter would mean creating a world raid boss.

As Jake’s words resonated with his team, admiration for their captain swelled within them.

“We are truly fortunate to serve under Sir Jake’s leadership,” one of them remarked with reverence.

“Absolutely,” another chimed in. “His wisdom and foresight are unparalleled. We couldn’t ask for a better leader.”

The sentiment rippled through the group, each member acknowledging Jake’s exceptional qualities with heartfelt praise and gratitude. Their trust in him solidified, knowing that under his guidance, they were capable of facing any challenge that came their way.

While hearing this, Jake thanked his Dad and Master Tom for their invaluable lessons.

“By the way, Captain, why didn’t our school book mention this?” a student asked.

Jake recognized him as a complete nerd, spending most of his time in the library.

“It is, but in the third-year book,” Jake replied.

The student nodded and then asked, “So, why is this monster included in the exam?”

Hearing him, Jake paused and also pondered the question. ‘Yes, why indeed?’ he thought.

While others looked at him puzzledly as he stopped suddenly.

“Captain, do you think it’s a trap?” Cilia asked.

“It might be, or it might be a totally different creature, and that makes it more difficult,” Jake said grimly.

“what other creature, Captain?” Jess asked.

Jake looked at him and then back at the nerd and said, “What do you think, Ryoma?”

Ryoma exclaimed as Jake suddenly pointed him out. Everyone looked at him, causing him to adjust his glasses and bow. “I-I think… arghh,” Ryoma stuttered, biting his own tongue.

Jake shook his head, observing Ryoma’s shyness. He gestured to the others to not stare and told Ryoma, “Learn to fight your fears, or they will consume you.”

Jake continued to observe Ryoma, his disappointment evident as he awaited a response. Ryoma, feeling the weight of Jake’s expectations, mustered up the courage to speak again.

“Um, Captain, could you please give me some more time to think about it?” Ryoma requested, his voice trembling slightly.

Jake sighed inwardly, realizing that Ryoma needed more time to overcome his shyness. “Of course, Ryoma. Take all the time you need,” Jake reassured him with a supportive nod.

As Ryoma gathered his thoughts, Jake decided to fill the silence with more information about the creature they were facing.

“Alright, while Ryoma takes his time, let me explain about the creature we’re dealing with,” Jake addressed the rest of the team. “It’s known as the Many Mask Jester. This cunning creature has the ability to adapt to any environment by taking on the form of a creature that has the most advantages in that particular setting.”

The team listened intently as Jake elaborated on the creature’s abilities and tactics,

“The Many Mask Jester is the name given to it because of its ability to morph into different creatures, especially its knack for transforming into the creature that has the most advantage in that area,” Jake explained.

“In addition to its shape-shifting prowess, the Many Mask Jester possesses abilities akin to a Doppleganger,” Jake continued. “It can replicate not only the appearance but also the abilities of its chosen form, making it a formidable opponent to face.”

As Jake said many gasped and one eventually said ” Captain, should we hunt other boss then?”

“No, we will hunt it. After all, it’s still not certain whether it’s a Many Mask Jester or a Mud Spitter,” Jake shook his head and then started leading them to the Mud Spitter’s location.

Upon reaching there, they saw a brown creature sleeping. Even from afar, they noticed that while sleeping, its mouth was moving and eating the mud.

“I think it’s a Mud Spitter,” Cilia said, observing it eating the swamp even while sleeping.

“No, it’s not,” everyone looked as Ryoma said this.

“If it was a Mud Spitter, it would have a crazy look while devouring the swamp, not a relaxed look like that one,” Ryoma exclaimed, seeing everyone looking at him, but gathering the courage, he said his words.

“That’s true. For a Mud Spitter, the swamp is like the most beautiful dish that it can’t help but eat, while this one is eating it as if it’s the only thing he can do,” Jake nodded and said.

“Anyway, seeing its size, I got an idea,” Jake smiled as he looked at the Many Mask Jester.

His team looked at each other, not knowing what he meant.

“If we follow my plan, we will defeat it even without my help,” Jake said, and everyone’s eyes lit up.

They understood what Jake meant; he was giving all of them a chance to perform and earn

Jake then explained his plan, and everyone nodded. Soon, all of them took their positions.

The team divided themselves into many small groups to work according to Jake’s plan, while Jake jumped high onto a tree and rested there, observing the others.

As the students of Jake’s team began their intricate spellcasting, a palpable tension filled the air. Each member moved with practiced precision, their movements fluid and graceful as they orchestrated their plan to perfection.

With Jake overseeing the operation from his vantage point atop a towering tree, he watched intently as his team executed each step of the strategy flawlessly. The magical barrier they erected shimmered with energy, forming an impenetrable wall around the Many Mask Jester, trapping it within a confined space.

Meanwhile, the students with water and earth related cores, focused their collective magic to drain the swamp of its murky waters, their spells channeling the elemental forces of nature to transform the sodden ground into solid earth. With each incantation, the landscape shifted and reshaped itself, the once mucky terrain now firm and stable beneath their feet.

As the swamp water receded, revealing the grotesque form of the Many Mask Jester, the creature sensed the sudden change in its surroundings. With a flicker of recognition in its eyes, it began to morph, its amorphous body contorting and shifting as it attempted to adapt to the altered environment.

But before the creature could complete its transformation, the mages unleashed their next wave of magic. Bolts of crackling electricity surged through the air, arcing towards the Many Mask Jester with deadly accuracy. The creature convulsed as the electrical currents surged through its body, its grotesque form writhing in agony as it struggled to maintain its shape.

Seizing the opportunity, the mages intensified their assault, bombarding the creature with wave after wave of freezing spells. As the frigid cold enveloped the area, the moisture in the air crystallized, forming a thick layer of ice that encased the Many Mask Jester in a frozen prison.

Trapped within the icy confines, the creature’s movements slowed until it lay motionless, the frozen prison preventing it from expelling the poison it had collected in its body. Without the means to rid itself of the deadly toxin, the creature succumbed to its own lethal concoction, its demise occurring from within.

As the team observed the creature’s final moments, a sense of grin satisfaction washed over them. Their meticulously executed plan had not only defeated a formidable foe but had also exploited its own vulnerabilities against it.

With Jake perched atop the high tree, he applauded as the others cheered, their victory secured. As the jubilant atmosphere settled, each member of the team turned to face one another, a deep sense of gratitude evident in their expressions.

In unison, they bowed to Jake, their heartfelt appreciation resonating in the air. “Thank you, Captain,” they chorused, their words sincere and filled with respect.

All members of the team recognized that the flawless strategy to defeat the Jester was solely due to Jake’s ingenious plan.