Cosmic Ruler

While Nexus spoke, Jake continued his narration.

"As I entered the fortress, I encountered a figure shrouded in darkness," Jake continued, his words tinged with a hint of apprehension. "Its eyes glowed with an ominous light, and I could feel its gaze piercing into my soul."

"And it seemed to be saying something. To see him better, I used light, but the moment I formed a light ball, he vanished, as if he had never been there."

"I tried to look for him, but eventually I found myself facing a painting. In that painting, it was the same shadowy figure, kneeling to someone. However, since the painting was half torn, I wasn't able to see to whom he was kneeling."

Jake paused for a moment, then continued, "I felt a strange pull towards the painting. It was as if there was some hidden significance to the scene depicted within."

In his dream, Jake described reaching out tentatively, his fingertips grazing the surface of the painting. As he did so, he felt a surge of energy coursing through him, as if unlocking some long-dormant power within.

"It was as if the painting held the key to unlocking something within me," Jake mused, his mind swirling with questions and possibilities. "But without knowing the identity of the figure to whom the shadowy figure was kneeling, I was left with more questions than answers."

"In desperation, I yelled to call him, but the shadowy figure didn't come."

As Jake shouted in desperation for the shadowy figure, he looked at the light ball and snuffed it.

Tap Tap.

"The moment I canceled the light ball spell, I heard shallow steps walking up to me."

Jake smiled and tried to turn to the shadowy figure, but...

"In desperation to find answers, I forgot why I even created that ball of light in the first place."

Jake froze in fear; he wasn't able to turn nor see what was coming towards him, but one thing was certain: it wasn't a friend.

"In my quest for answers, I had lost sight of why I had embarked on this journey in the first place," Jake admitted, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Sometimes, the pursuit of truth can lead us down unexpected paths, forcing us to confront not only the mysteries of the world but also the truths within ourselves."

Puchiiik.

A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of Jake's mouth, and he looked down. "I felt a cold, bony hand pierce through my chest, seizing hold of my origin core," he explained, his voice strained with the memory.

The bony hand grabbed Jake's core and started muttering something.

"It was an indistinguishable language," Jake said. "But I knew whatever that thing was saying had something to do with my origin core."

As the bony hand clasped his origin core and chanted in an unknown language, Jake found his origin core being invaded by black tendrils.

"It was a pain like never before," Jake shuddered as he remembered. "I lost my voice after crying for hours," Jake said with a despair-filled voice as he recalled what he had been through.

[How delightful,] Nexus mumbled as he listened.

Jake fainted from the pain, and the shadowy figure left, returning Jake's core back. The shadowy figure walked to the painting, entered inside, and vanished.

"And the next time I opened my eyes, I was inside the tent," Jake said.

"Are you sure it was a dream?" Suddenly Nexus said.

"W-what do you mean?" Jake asked, the despair returning to him.

[It wasn't a dream]

[Check your Status]," Nexus said, and Jake hurriedly opened his status.

He looked at it carefully and found something different in his origin core.

-----------------------------------------

Core Energies :

Origin Core : White Grade

Mana (MP): 31,100

Divine Energy (DE): 25,500

Aura (A): 25,500

Abyssal Energy (AE): 25,500
Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire

Eldritch Energy : 100

Heart Core: White grade

White Heart Energy (WHE): 35,500

---------------------------------------------

"Eldritch Energy?"

"How?" Jake exclaimed seeing the Eldritch energy in his origin core.

[It was that shadowy figure or Eldritch doing] Nexus said.

"But, Eldritch are enemies of all living!!"

"How can I have Eldritch energy and stay alive??" Jake asked in horror, as Eldritch also known as World devourers, If any world get's targeted by them i t means total annihilation.

[Relax, you have cube nothing can control you] Nexus said and Jake nodded and calmed down and asked.

"So, what's the deal with this?"

[It was due to Dream Slip]

[Your Ephemeral Plunderer's Grimoire is related to Eldritch, causing you to slip in the realm of Eldritch]

"That Authority? that allows me to plunder the ability of people I killed?" Jake asked.

[Yes, it belongs to a Eldritch who tried to forcefully take control of Cube, but cube killed him and absorbed his existence]

[Now, since you chose that Authority you acquired the ability to travel to Eldritch realm]

[It was your fortune you met that Eldritch and he helped you have Eldritch Energy]

"What if it was some other Eldritch?" Jake asked despite knowing the answer.

[You would have been killed]

Jake gulped and asked " Is there any way to prevent this from happening again?"

[There is but you don't have to worry any more, you now have Eldritch Energy]

[Now, other Eldritch will see you as their own and wouldn't attack you]

"So, I'm essentially one of them now?" Jake asked, trying to wrap his head around the implications of having Eldritch Energy.

Nexus nodded. [In a way, yes. Other Eldritch will perceive you as one of their own, which should deter them from attacking you.]

[Allowing you to roam Eldritch realm with out any worry]

Jake sighed in relief and asked " Is there any thing in Eldritch realm?"

"cause all that I saw was white desert and black sky"

[there is nothing in Eldritch realm but it is connected to various worlds destroyed by Eldritchs]

"What's the use of that?"

"What can I get even in destroyed world?" Jake sighed and thought, he was tortured for nothing.

'what a sad life?' Jake grumbled.

[Eldritch only destroy life you know]

[So, even if you don't find any life related stuff in destroyed world you can find some relics and artifacts]

[And best thing since destroyed world is infested by Eldritch no one will be there to fight for those relics]

"So, there's still a chance to find something worthwhile," Jake mused, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst the bleakness of the Eldritch realm.

Nexus nodded. [Indeed. With your newfound connection to Eldritch Energy, you may have access to resources and knowledge that others could only dream of acquiring.]

[After all there are millions of world destroyed by Eldritchs]

"I will go after this Exam" Jake nodded and started meditating, after all the talk of Eldritch he isn't in mood to sleep.

***

{hello my dear students}

Jake wakes up from his meditation hearing the announcement.

{I hope past week was rewarding for all of you cause those rewards are now going to be used}

{this week all you have to do is to go to different region and destroy the flag}

{ as you all know, each region have two teams, now those two teams will battle out, leaving one team per region}

"hahaha, now where will you run?" Sophia laughed with a sharp glint in her eyes hearing the announcement.

Jake felt a shiver as if he was being targeted by some ferocious animal.

Jake then shook his head and focused on announcement.

{then the surviving team of each region will have to make a base and defend it and also have to sent a team to other region to destroy their camp or simply lets say their team Flag}

{the team with most number of destroyed camps will win}

{This event will go for one week}

{best of luck to you all}

"Looks like things are about to get interesting," Jake muttered to himself.

With the sudden announcement all regions were engulfed in chaos, some regions have both team working together but now, the announcement declared a war between them.

The sudden shift from cooperation to conflict sent shockwaves through the regions, igniting a frenzy of activity as students prepared for battle. In the blink of an eye, alliances were shattered and former allies became adversaries, each vying for dominance in the escalating war.

In just an hour after the announcement, the dust settled in three regions, leaving only one team standing victorious. But the defeated teams were not out of the game yet; they were granted a second chance to prove their worth by defending the base of the winning team and securing their passage in the exam.

Amidst the chaos, Jake and his team convened for a crucial meeting. With their sights set on eliminating Sophia's team before they could launch an attack, they devised a strategy to outmaneuver and outsmart their opponents. Every member of the team understood the gravity of the situation and the importance of working together to achieve their goal