The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2636: Fuse my bodies

Nito had managed to counterattack, severely injure Cain, nearly override Tyranus Gungnir, and even heal his petrified body through the power of the third eye hidden on his forehead. Yet it was clear that such power had not come without a cost.

The Curse Eater struggled to regulate his breathing. Every inhalation seemed painful, and every exhalation carried traces of exhaustion. Even so, his eyes never left the Scarlet King. They burned with rage, frustration, and unrestrained killing intent.

He had avoided defeat.

Yet that fact brought him little comfort.

The third eye was not a card he had intended to reveal in a battle like this.

It was supposed to be his final trump card, a weapon reserved for the decisive conflict that would secure the absolute victory of the Tenth Empyrean World over the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

Instead, he had been forced to unveil it far earlier than planned.

Even worse, it had failed to achieve its purpose.

The power of the eye had not secured victory.

It had only prevented defeat.

And in Nito’s eyes, that was little better than failure.

After all, the Alliance had succeeded in establishing a stable foothold inside one of the conquered Empyrean Worlds. They had proven that the Curse Eaters could be challenged. More importantly, they had shown that the Scarlet King was capable of matching Nito directly.

That realization struck deeply.

For perhaps the first time in his life, Nito experienced the bitter taste of failure.

Not a distant failure.

Not the failure of subordinates.

His own.

Direct.

Personal.

Unavoidable.

The sensation felt like poison.

Yet there was nothing he could do.

His body had reached its limit.

His energy reserves were nearly depleted.

The eye on his forehead had already closed, and he could feel the consequences of forcing it open.

With a final glance toward Cain, Nito rose into the sky.

The remaining Curse Eaters immediately followed.

They retreated carefully and methodically, refusing to leave behind a single corpse or give the Alliance any opportunity to claim additional victories.

The warriors of the Nine Empyrean Suns Alliance watched them withdraw.

Battle intent burned in their hearts.

Excitement surged through their blood.

This was their first true victory since the beginning of the war.

They had not merely survived.

They had pushed back the enemy.

Many wanted nothing more than to pursue the retreating Curse Eaters and continue the battle.

Yet none moved.

They were not fools.

The reason they had been able to face the Curse Eaters—and in some aspects even surpass them—was because they possessed the home-field advantage provided by the Ouroboros Stronghold.

Beyond its domain, everything would change.

The laws of the conquered Empyrean World still belonged to the Curse Eaters.

The world’s energy favored them.

The environment strengthened them.

The moment the Alliance left the protection of the stronghold, the balance of power would immediately shift.

The advantages they currently enjoyed would vanish.

Of course, none of that would matter if the Scarlet King ordered an advance.

Not a single warrior would hesitate.

They would charge forward without fear.

They would march into death itself if Cain commanded it.

Yet their leader remained silent.

Cain stood motionless amidst the ruins.

His expression was calm, but the light in his eyes revealed the storm raging within his mind.

Countless thoughts crossed his consciousness.

Calculations.

Possibilities.

Questions.

The Scarlet King could feel the eyes of his people upon him.

Taking a deep breath, he finally turned around and faced them.

A small but reassuring smile appeared on his face.

”We have succeeded.”

His voice echoed across the battlefield.

”The battle was short, but intense. Both sides suffered heavy losses and consumed tremendous resources. Use this opportunity to recover and repair any damage sustained by the stronghold.”

The warriors immediately bowed.

Without wasting time, they returned to their duties.

Some moved toward the damaged walls.

Others repaired shattered towers and buildings.

The runecrafters focused on restoring damaged formations.

Within moments, the entire stronghold had become a hive of activity.

As for Cain, he remained where he stood.

Silent.

Watching the horizon.

Within his mind, one image repeated endlessly.

The third eye.

The eye that had appeared on Nito’s forehead.

The eye that had allowed him to momentarily reach into the Fourth Realm.

The eye that had healed a destroyed heart.

The eye that carried an aura Cain would never forget.

”That was without a doubt the power of the Samsara Lord.”

The moment those words emerged in his thoughts, Cain unconsciously clenched his fists.

He had encountered Fourth Realm beings before.

He had even touched that level of power himself on several occasions.

Yet the pressure radiating from that eye had been entirely different.

It was not merely stronger.

It was deeper.

Older.

More profound.

The aura carried a weight that seemed capable of crushing worlds.

The realization cast a shadow over Cain’s heart.

If the figure behind Nito truly was the Samsara Lord, then everything could be lost.

Fortunately, Cain did not believe that was the case.

Everything he had learned throughout his travels suggested otherwise.

The Samsara Lord was not a being that belonged to the Crimson World.

Nor to Paradise.

Nor even to the Empyrean Universes.

According to the memories he had extracted from the Root, the Samsara Lord resided within the mysterious tower that stood beyond countless realities.

A place inhabited by beings such as the Supreme Neo-Demon and other existences whose power defied imagination.

That knowledge eased some of the pressure in Cain’s heart.

But only some.

Because it left behind an even more important question.

How was Nito accessing that power?

The Scarlet King’s mind raced.

He reviewed every piece of information he possessed.

Every memory.

Every clue.

Every fragment of knowledge.

Then suddenly, a thread emerged.

”Apex.”

Cain spoke in a solemn voice.

”You once told me that the Absolute Life Form System cannot create something from nothing. That every module, every ability, and every power manifested by the System already exists somewhere within existence.”

It was a seemingly simple question.

Yet both Cain and Apex understood its implications.

Fortunately, it did not take long for the System Spirit to respond.

”That is correct.”

The light in Cain’s eyes immediately intensified.

”If that is true, then the most likely explanation is that Nito obtained access to the power of the Samsara Lord through the Samsara Arsenal.”

Silence followed.

For a brief moment, Apex seemed hesitant.

As if considering how much information should be revealed.

Finally, the System Spirit spoke again.

”That is not the only method by which someone could harness the power of an existence such as the Samsara Lord.”

Cain’s expression tightened.

”But?”

Apex continued.

”Any alternative method would require a level of power that would render this war insignificant. An individual capable of such a feat would have no need to participate in a conflict of this scale.”

The meaning behind those words was crystal clear.

There were indeed other ways to channel the power of the Samsara Lord.

However, anyone capable of using those methods would possess such overwhelming strength that conquering the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe would be effortless.

No armies would be necessary.

No strategies.

No prolonged war.

Such a being could simply impose their will upon reality.

Cain released a long sigh as he arrived at a troubling realization.

The mastermind behind the Curse Eaters, the ruler of the Tenth Empyrean World, and the enemy he had been facing since his youth in Aether possessed the Samsara Arsenal.

The thought alone carried immense weight.

The Samsara Arsenal was one of the greatest gifts Cain had ever obtained, a treasure that had accompanied him through countless battles and played a decisive role in many of his greatest victories throughout the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

To discover that his greatest enemy possessed the same power was a disturbing revelation.

Yet the heaviness in Cain’s heart did not last long.

His breathing gradually steadied.

The uncertainty faded.

In its place, determination ignited.

There had never been any doubt in his mind regarding the difficulty of this war.

After all, his brother Anark, a being who had successfully stepped into the Fourth Realm, had ultimately fallen at the hands of the leader of the Tenth Empyrean World.

That fact alone was enough to remind Cain that his current strength was still insufficient to guarantee the safety of those he cared about.

Fortunately, he was far from out of options.

A sharp light appeared in his eyes.

”I am growing stronger at an extraordinary pace,” Cain muttered to himself. ”The constant pressure generated by the Chimera Will is forcing my Lucid Dream to evolve every day. As long as I continue pushing myself beyond my limits, my willpower will keep advancing.”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

”And that is not my only path forward.”

Cain raised his gaze toward the heavens.

His vision seemed to pierce through the void itself, crossing the boundaries of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe and reaching into the distant Crimson World.

There, waiting in silence, was another source of unimaginable power.

A body born from the fusion of a Neo-Demon and a Neo-Angel.

A body whose potential rivaled that of the Apex Races themselves.

Even while possessing only the cultivation of an Early Alpha Omega Overgod, it had been powerful enough to overwhelm the Ancient One, a being who stood at the Limit of the Third Realm.

A profound light flashed across Cain’s eyes.

”It is time,” he said in a solemn voice, ”to find a way to fuse my bodies.”