Cosmic Ruler

Soon, Jake and his team returned to camp. Despite the silence regarding Jess, the tension was palpable, especially evident in Cilia's cold expression. It was clear that she was quite upset about the situation.

Feeling uncertain about how to handle the situation, Jake turned to the voices in his mind for advice. However, their suggestions only made him regret seeking their input.

[She needs to let out some steam, and you know what to do,] Nexus suggested with a smirk.@@novelbin@@

~"Just help her...release some tension, and everything will be alright," Myne chimed in.

Jake decided to ignore their advice, resolving never to ask those two idiots for guidance again. Instead, he thought of Sophia, realizing that she was just as much of a pervert as the voices in his mind. With a sigh, he let the matter go, hoping that Cilia would eventually calm down on her own.

As they reached the camp, the first to notice the abnormality was Milo. He observed Cilia's angry yet sorrowful expression and approached her to ask what had happened. However, his inquiries were met with cold eyes and silence.

Milo not getting any answer from her and turned to Jake, seeking answers. Jake proceeded to recount the events, causing Milo to curse Jess incessantly. Meanwhile, Jake scanned the area and noticed Sophia's absence.

"Where's Sophia?" Jake inquired.

Milo's expression turned to that of confusion as he responded, "She went after you guys."

Frowning with concern, Jake immediately decided to investigate. "Perhaps she got surrounded by the beasts that came to feast on the Jester," he thought to himself as he raced towards the Swamp region. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

As Jake ran towards the Swamp region, he halted in his tracks upon hearing the sounds of roars, clashes, and splashing water.

"Is she there?" Jake muttered to himself, his heart racing with concern. Determined to find Sophia, he followed the source of the tumultuous noise.

As he drew closer, the cacophony of battle intensified. Jumping down from a tree, Jake's eyes widened in shock as he beheld the scene before him. Sophia sat atop a mountain of corpses, surrounded by several others. Her normally aquamarine hair had turned a deep shade of crimson, matching the bloodstains on her clothes and skin.

Her eyes glowed red with a fierce intensity as she laughed maniacally, relentlessly slaughtering the beasts that surrounded her.

Sophia appeared like a berserker in a maddened state, lost to the fury of battle as she continued to dispatch her foes with ruthless efficiency.

"Nexus, what is this?" Jake asked urgently, bewildered by Sophia's sudden transformation.

[She probably unlocked her core's true potential,] Nexus responded.

Jake pressed for further explanation, prompting Nexus to elaborate. [Although she is a River Nymph, her core is vastly different—it's a Deep Sea core. This core was infamous in ancient times, as it was believed to be related to mythical krakens. Now, it seems she is unlocking its power, but she can't control it, causing her emotions to go haywire,] Nexus explained.

Desperate to help Sophia, Jake asked for a solution.

[Just slap her out of this,] Nexus suggested.

Jake stared at the response incredulously. "Really?" he exclaimed.

[Yes, you just have to jolt her awake. You can also use your lightning,] Nexus confirmed.

Nexus pressed further, indicating that Sophia's core was meant to induce confusion and terror in others, but was now backfiring on her due to her inability to control it. With a nod, Jake prepared to take action, utilizing his lightning abilities to intervene.

Jake materialized behind Sophia, intending to grab her and jolt her awake. However, his advance was abruptly halted by a wall of blood. Sophia turned to face him, her expression a disturbing mix of seduction and madness.

"Jayy~, are you here to play with me?" Sophia's voice sounded playful yet unsettling. Sensing danger, Jake quickly evaded as numerous blood spikes erupted around his previous position.

Sophia pouted in disappointment. "Not fair. How can we play with your clothes on?" she taunted, sending forth various blood vines filled with thorns towards Jake.

Jake dodged the incoming attacks and retaliated by creating a small lightning bullet aimed at Sophia. But once again, the blood wall reformed, thwarting his attempt. Jake's smirk faltered as the blood wall solidified into ice halfway through.

"Is this a new kind of play?" Sophia inquired innocently, putting her fingers to her chin. "Let's play then," she declared, unleashing a barrage of blood bullets at Jake.

"Fighting her without harming her is difficult," Jake muttered to himself as he dodged the onslaught. Thinking quickly, he used light chains to immobilize Sophia, attempting to contain her without causing harm.

The light chain successfully bound Sophia, but she swiftly transformed into water, slipping through its constraints. Reverting to her watery form, Sophia approached Jake, her demeanor still playful yet unsettling.

"Jayy~~ do you like rough play that much?" Sophia questioned, her watery form caressing his face.

Jake met her gaze with a remorseful expression. "Sorry," he muttered,

Sophia tilted her head in confusion, but before she could comprehend his apology, a bolt of lightning surged forth, electrocuting her.

"Aarghhh!" Sophia cried out in agony before collapsing unconscious. Jake rushed to her side, hastily gathering her limp form into his arms.

As he held her, relief washed over him.

Jake then harvested all the cores of the slaughtered beasts around him and then he carried Sophia back to camp.

*****

Milo felt like he was sitting on a cushion full of nails as he observed the entire team erupting into conflict.

It all began with the revelation of Jess's betrayal, sparking accusations and finger-pointing among them. What started as small grievances quickly escalated into a full-blown confrontation.

With both Jake and Sophia absent, the sub-team leaders attempted to maintain control of the situation. However, their efforts were met with criticism, as some accused them of being content with their roles, implying they sought to gain more from the chaos.

This accusation ignited another firestorm, with individuals challenging the sub-team leaders for their positions of authority.

Milo let out a heavy sigh as he attempted to regain control of the chaotic situation. Left with no other choice, he utilized his powers to freeze the instigators in place. Turning to address the rest of the team, he spoke with authority.

"Stop, all of you," Milo commanded, his voice firm and unwavering. "Let the captain return, and then he will address and resolve everything."

Although some individuals continued to exchange heated words and gestures, they refrained from attacking Milo. They recognized his status among the top students, ranking as the third strongest after Jake and Sophia.

Despite the lingering tension and occasional bickering, Milo managed to prevent any physical altercations. However, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency for the captain's return, hoping that Jake would arrive sooner rather than later to quell the escalating conflict.

Once again, Milo found himself freezing another pair of students as they were on the brink of engaging in physical combat. This marked the sixth time he had to intervene since the conflict began. With a vigilant gaze, he scanned the surroundings, acutely aware of the simmering tensions among the group.

He allowed them to argue verbally, understanding that physical confrontations posed a greater threat to the cohesion of the team. However, whenever the argument teetered towards violence, he swiftly stepped in to prevent any escalation.

Despite his efforts to maintain order, Milo couldn't shake off the feeling of unease lingering in the air. The longer the conflict persisted, the more urgent it became for Jake to return and restore peace among the team.

As Milo surveyed the team alongside the other sub-team leaders, his attention was suddenly drawn to Jake's arrival, carrying a blood-stained Sophia in his arms. Relief flooded Milo as he hurried over to Jake, eager to explain the situation.

Jake's expression darkened as he listened to Milo's report. A heavy pressure emanated from him, causing everyone in the vicinity to kneel instinctively. The air grew thick with primal fear, and the team's breathing quickened as they felt the overwhelming presence of their captain.

With a commanding presence, Jake gazed at each member of the team in turn. "Kneel until dawn," his voice boomed, laden with authority. "Anyone who dares to stand will be eliminated."

His words hung heavy in the air, and many among the team gulped nervously as they met Jake's gaze. However, none dared to defy his command, remaining knelt as instructed, their willpower unable to overcome the primal fear instilled by their captain's power.

Milo and the other sub-team leaders exchanged uneasy glances as they observed the kneeling students and Jake's imposing figure as he carried Sophia away. A sense of insignificance washed over them in the face of Jake's overwhelming presence, and a primal instinct urged them to flee, but they remained rooted to the spot, unable to defy their captain's authority.

"He's a force to be reckoned with," Milo murmured, his voice tinged with awe and fear. The others nodded in silent agreement, acknowledging the immense power Jake wielded over them.

With a collective understanding, Milo and the other leaders resolved to keep a watchful eye over the students and ensure compliance with Jake's command. Any deviation would be promptly reported to Jake, reinforcing his authority and maintaining order within the team.