Cosmic Ruler

Chapter 72 War Monarch III

Jake and Nexus watched as Noah became the Emperor, and then his life was simple and smooth sailing with no war or conquest.

"Now, I am pretty sure it's fake," Jake said, and Nexus nodded, agreeing with Jake.

And the memory video ended. The scenery changed, and now Jake is having a cup of tea with Noah - the supposed War Monarch.

"What do you think of my journey?" Noah asked calmly.

"It was easy," Jake said.

"And?" Noah nodded and asked.

"It's fake, right?" Jake asked.

"That is true," Noah admitted.

"This journey is what I hoped to have. The story up to my mother's death is true," Noah said, his pain and grief evident.

"I... I wasn't able to imagine life with her by my side," Noah continued. "I must seem like an idiot still clinging to my mother's death."

"I'm not in a position to judge you, especially when I don't know the true story," Jake shook his head and said.

"You are honest," Noah acknowledged.

Then silence fell between them, almost like they had nothing more to say.

After five minutes, Jake spoke. "What happened after your mother's death?"

"I ran away, unlike the Noah in the story," Noah said. "I didn't even properly bury her."

"After ten years, I returned and destroyed that village with my Decaying power. It was a gruesome death for everyone."

"But... then I felt empty."

"Mira, the wife in that fake story, was the one who gave me a reason to live."

Jake listened intently as Noah recounted his true story.

"She became everything to me after my mother," Noah said. "We had a happy life, and then the Empire invasion began."

"I lost her too."

"My loved one, the second time, was killed by the same cursed Empire."

"I lost it totally at that time. I became a monster. I killed and killed... By the time my sanity returned, the Empire was engulfed in Crimson Mist."

"I reached the level of Monarch from Duke level, solely by killing."

"The power I gained... I loathed it. It was based on the souls and blood of countless innocents."

"I became no different from the Empire... No, I became worse. I killed every single living being of the Empire."

"Close to 50 billion people. That is the number of people who died by the Crimson Demon."

Jake looked at Noah, who narrated his story in a calm voice, although he sometimes quivered.

"After my sanity returned, I burned in flames of regret."

"I wanted to fix it... but it was futile. The dead never return to the living. What was done was done."

"So, I lived the life of a hermit until the war began against the extraterrestrial beings who came to invade our world."

"That was the time when the War Monarch, or Undefeated War Monarch, came to light."

"Among all the Monarchs, my combat power was top-notch."

"I was one of the ten Supreme Monarchs."

"Ten Supremes, but it was nine Supremes, right?" Jake thought.

"Together, we prevented the invasion. People worshiped us as gods, but I knew who I was. I left silently."

"I... wasn't worthy of their praise."

"And I died near my wife's grave."

"That was my true story."

"Now, tell me what you think?" Noah asked, looking into Jake's eyes.

Jake met Noah's gaze, seeing the same lifeless eyes.

Jake took a breath and replied, "I am not in a position to judge you." Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire

"You have heard my true story, so why not?" Noah asked calmly.

"I don't know what you went through. I can't guarantee I am a saint. If that Empire had killed my mother, I would kill that Empire. My method might not be the same as yours, but it doesn't change the fact that there will be innocent victims," Jake replied.

"So, I'm not going to praise you, nor am I going to judge you. It was an incident that happened under difficult circumstances."

"And stop blaming yourself. It was that demon who unleashed the Crimson Demon, not you," Jake said and stood up.

He passed his handkerchief to Noah, who was crying.

Noah took the handkerchief and said, "Thank you... really, thank you."

And the scenery broke like glass fragments.

Noah looked at Jake one last time and said, "I will leave my legacy with you."

Jake, who was going to ask something, felt his eyes grow heavy and fell asleep.

///////////////////////

Inside the library, various people with powerful auras calmly sat, observing Jake who wore a VR headset.

"When do you think he will wake up?" a rough voice sounded.

A beautiful lady with violet hair and snake eyes looked at the lion-man and said, "Just how many times are you going to ask this?"

"It's not my fault. This kid has been sleeping for the past month," the lion shrugged.

"He's watching a Monarch memory. Do you think it's just a matter of a few hours?" an elegant man wearing a white coat and a crazed look said.

"Dr. Sylans, is his condition okay?" Amayra, the lady with violet hair, asked the doctor who was taking care of Jake's body after he fell asleep.

Ragur, who was watching all of this, sighed and thought, 'I can't take him to my side.'

'These snakes have a lot of hidden agendas. Using those treasures, they might attract him to their side,' Ragur, the giant elder whom Jake met after his test, and also the person who granted him special admission privileges, thought, sighing like an old man.

'I should have recruited him,' Ragur sighed, although he was also a chief elder, he didn't have much influence due to his special core.

"You are quite cunning, Ragur, hiding such a gem for yourself," a dragonborn with white hair, blue eyes, and crystal-like horns on her head, Luna Frost, said. She was also a chief elder like Ragur.

'By the way, does this kid know me?' she thought, looking at his information, and recalling that he named his Maid bot Luna.

"I wasn't hiding him. He wasn't in contact with the War Monarch at that time," Ragur said.

"Really?" Michael, another chief elder from the winged human or Angel clan, asked.

"Yes, I checked him with my Pavitar Eyes," Ragur nodded.

"Hmm, it means he came here to learn about him, but given his condition now, he seems to have gained the approval of the War Monarch," Michael said.

"It means he was special to begin with," a calm and composed voice said.

Michael looked at the sleeping lady and said, "You are sleepwalking again."

"I am not. I am just conserving energy," the sleeping lady's voice echoed even though she didn't move her lips. She is Myre Ashenblood, a vampire with beautiful platinum hair, ruby eyes, and a voluptuous body.

"You lazy witch," Luna mumbled, but everyone heard it. The sleeping lady opened her eyes and looked at Luna calmly, saying, "It seems ice has frozen your brain. Let me melt it for you," as a white, ghastly fire emerged from her hands.

Luna retorted with her own white ice.

Ragur and Michael sighed as they watched them.

"Where is 'he'?" Ragur asked.

"Dunno," Michael shook his head.

'He' was the strongest among them all, but he is carefree, enjoying teasing students and causing trouble. His favorite hobby of becoming a ghost and scaring the hell out of teachers and students.

Ragur is pretty sure he is somewhere causing trouble to students especially now when almost all the teachers are now looking forward to have a talk with Jake.

"His habit of causing trouble hasn't ended yet?" Ragur asked.

"You know him," Michael smiled.

Ragur massaged his temples, thinking, 'I have to take care of another ghost incident.'

"Ah, he's awake," Michael suddenly said, noticing the commotion downstairs.

Ragur and the others looked at Jake, whose eyes were now shining in a menacing crimson hue.

"It seems he got it," Michael said.

"Yes," Ragur nodded.

Luna and Myre looked at Jake, especially Myre, who felt an attraction towards him. Her White Extinction Lightning core was disturbed the moment Jake opened his eyes.

"Is there any connection between him and the White Core?" Myre mumbled after calming her core.

//////////////////////

Jake opened his eyes and felt blank all around him and then remembering the headset he removed it and what greeted him was a lot of adults looking at him intently.

"Ah? Hello" Jake said awkwardly.

"okay okay, give the young lad some space" Dr. Sylans came and shoved al the teachers aside and then he lead Jake to his Laboratory.

"Come on, I will have to make sure, you didn't get any abnormality" He said as he dragged Jake.

"Abnormality? I don't think so" Jake said sensing his body.

"yeah yeah say that to those haunting red eyes" Sylan clicked his tongue and said.

Jake pursed his lips and created a mirror and looked at his eyes, 'Yep, straight out of Horror movie'.

'Nexus what is the cause?' Jake asked, hoping he didn't lose his humanity.

[It's because your Insanity stat has returned] Nexus said.

'Ah, that stat that increases my ability every time I kill a living being' Jake nodded and understood.

'How do I cancel it?' Jake asked.

[Find it yourself]

'I guess, it is one of that trial' Jake sighed and then followed after Sylans.