Cosmic Ruler

Chapter 53 Duel

At morning, his friends visited him.

"Jake, are you going to fight another special admission?" Emily asked, concern evident in her voice.

"How did you guys find out?" Jake replied, remembering he had refrained from informing them earlier to spare them unnecessary worry.

"It's true," Emily mumbled, hearing Jake's reply.

Dio, Mark, and Jimmy chimed in, their voices filled with curiosity and well wishes. Dio leaned forward eagerly, his eyes bright with interest. "Yeah, what's the deal? How did it happen?"

Jake chuckled, appreciating their genuine concern. "Well, it's a long story," he began, settling into his seat as he prepared to share the details with his friends.

As he recounted the events that led to his upcoming special admission, his friends listened intently, nodding in understanding or interjecting with questions from time to time. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was an underlying sense of belief among them.

After he finished explaining, his friends offered words of encouragement and solidarity. "You've got this, Jake," Mark said, clapping him on the back. "We believe in you."

"Yeah, don't worry about a thing. We're here for you every step of the way," Jimmy added, a reassuring smile on his face.

Emily nodded in agreement. "That's right. You've always faced challenges head-on, and this time will be no different. We're rooting for you."

Jake felt a surge of gratitude wash over him. With friends like these by his side, he knew he could tackle whatever lay ahead. "Thanks, guys. Your support means everything to me," he said, touched by their encouragement.

After his talks with friends, he felt a renewed sense of determination coursing through him. With the time for the duel fast approaching—just an hour away—he knew he had to prepare both mentally and physically.

Heading to his room, Jake retrieved his gear and began to ready himself. After getting ready, he and his friends, along with Luna, reached the venue for their duel.

Jake surveyed the arena, taking in the sight of it packed with students. He even spotted some of the teachers gathered on one side.

"What is this?" Jake said, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Iris, probably, did this," Emily replied, her hands clenched in frustration.

"She's going to get humiliated in front of everyone," Dio remarked, his tone dripping with certainty.

"Yeah, she dug her own grave," Mark added, a hint of disdain in his voice.

"What a fool," Jimmy chimed in, shaking his head in disbelief.

Unlike Emily, who was concerned for Jake's well-being, the others radiated absolute confidence in him. They had seen him fight, they knew Iris stood no chance against Jake.

Jake shook his head in bemusement at the spectacle unfolding before him. With a calm stride, he entered the stage, the anticipation of the crowd palpable in the air. As Jake waited there, the girls erupted into cheers, their admiration evident in their excited voices. On the other hand, the boys looked on with jealousy, their gazes tinged with envy at Jake's popularity.

However, the atmosphere shifted abruptly as Iris made her entrance. The crowd's attention pivoted, and soon they were cheering for her with equal fervor. Unlike Jake, who simply wore his standard uniform and brought along his trusty chain dagger and Storm Knight sword, Iris appeared in a mage robe and cloth armor.

In her left hand, she wielded a small wand, while a whip coiled in her right hand, adding an air of intimidation to her presence.

As the two opponents stood facing each other on the stage, the contrast between them was stark. Jake appeared calm, while Iris radiated confidence.

As they stood on each end, their eyes met; Iris smirked and moved her lips, 'My Slave'; Jake smiled and moved his lips. 'My B*tch'. Iris glared at him while reading his lips, and suddenly a teacher floated down in the center of them.

"I will be the referee," he said.

"The match will end the moment one is unable to fight," he said and then "Start." He signaled the start of the match.

The moment the referee signaled, Iris pointed her wand at Jake, and then a big fireball appeared at her wand, and she hurled it at Jake. Jake looked at the upcoming flame ball; he shot it with his chain dagger, and the moment they collided, the flame ball exploded.

Iris slightly narrowed her eyes, seeing Jake easily saw through her trick.

Iris then used her whip and struck at Jake, Iris's whip as he moved extended in length as it lunged at Jake.

Jake dodged, as he moved towards her, Iris started to swing her whip more rapidly. But still Jake dodged, as Jake started nearing her, she suddenly pointed her wand, and several flame spears formed and moved towards Jake with deadly precision.

Left with no choice, Jake jumped away, widening the distance between her and him.

"Well, whatever," Jake thought and decided to use his Light affinity. He wanted to get a weapon of similar attribute but the only suitable attribute weapon he found was a Lightning attribute sword. Still, that doesn't mean he is going to reveal his White Lightning that easily; it's just insurance.

As Jake used his light magic, several spears formed and shot at Iris; their speeds were so great that Iris wasn't able to react, and the spears hit her or that was supposed to happen, but a small thin membrane protected her from Jake's attack.

"You can't break my armor, you should give up, or you might get hurt," Iris said calmly.

Jake responded with another bunch of light spears, "It's futile," Iris said as he swung her whip at Jake.

But as the spears reached her, they burst, releasing a blinding flash. The next moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jake calmly standing there.

"Winner: Jake," the referee announced.

"Huh? What do you mean he won?" Iris yelled.

The teacher acting as referee pointed at her neck, and when Iris in confusion touched her neck, she found it wet. Looking at her hand, she saw blood.

"He scratched your neck when you were blinded," the Referee said, and Iris dropped on the arena in shock. 'He won,' which means now I am his slave??' She thought.

'No....I can easily break the contract,' Iris thought and smiled and then stood up and bowed to the audience and said to Jake, " Thanks for sparing me."

Jake smiled and leaned and said, " How can I damage my own B*tch."

Iris smiled restrained hearing his words but She then smiled again and left the arena.

As Jake was standing alone in the arena and the audience was cheering, someone else approached Jake.

"How about you fight me too?" Lucien appearing at the stage said.

"Not interested," Jake replied.

"Then how about a bet?" Lucien smiled and said.

"What bet?" Jake asked, looking at Lucien.

"Her," Lucien pointed at Emily and said, " If you win, you can choose one girl among all my followers, and if not, She is mine," he said.

Jake looked at him seriously releasing his mana and said, " She is not a thing."

'Strong,' Lucien inwardly thought, just a small show of Jake, made him realize he can't win against him.

"Okay," Lucien said and backed off.

"Coward," Jake said as Lucien was leaving.

Lucien momentarily stopped and continued.

"Wait coward," Jake said again.

Lucien stopped and looked at Jake. " What do you want?"

"Let's fight right now. If you win, I will obey you, and if not, all your followers are mine," Jake proposed.

'He is bluffing, he is definitely tired,' Lucien thought. 'I can defeat him now.' And then said, "Okay."

The referee returned again, "ready...Start," he said.

Unlike Iris, Lucien is a sword user, or a typical Magic Swordsman, with Lightning and frost elements.

Lucien, clad in lightning, rushed at Jake, his speed definitely surpassing a C- rank but "you lost," Jake sliced his neck slightly and the referee declared Jake the winner.

Lucien helplessly fell on the Arena floor, 'How?' He thought, "'he is...monster.'" He remembered as he was just a meter away from slicing Jake's neck, Jake turned his eyes toward him and then made many slicing attacks at all his limbs and his neck.

'I would have definitely died if this match was outside the academy,' he thought and turned to look at Jake, who was looking at him, Lucien turned his head away.

Meanwhile, Jake was looking at his system screen, not at Lucien. The reason he challenged back Lucien.

[Host achieved Rank 1-Quest completed]

[Reward: 2nd part of ??? art and A skill card ( Universal) ]

[Skill Card

Type: Universal -One-time use

Rank: Legendary

Description: A card of unknown power, allow user to learn any Legendary skill. User must know the exact detail of the skill]

"He defeated other special admissions."

"Yes, now he is Rank 1."

"Rank 1: Jake Dreamstar."

"Jake ... Jake .... Jake..."

As the referee announced, the audience started cheering, Jake's friends looked at him and said.

"He is the strongest among us all," Dio said.

"We know that," Mark said.

"I will fight him next time,'"Jimmy smiled with fighting spirit.

'Jake..' others might haven't heard Lucien bet, but Emily heard it, and she is happy that Jake treating her that way.

But then she looked at all the girls and made up her mind.