The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2496: Deal

After the initial outburst, the Nirvana Crown Prince managed to regain control over himself. His breathing steadied, and the violent aura around him slowly subsided. A moment later, his eyes sharpened as he shook his head.

”I can trade anything else,” he said firmly, ”but not that.”

Cain did not react with anger or frustration. Instead, he calmly waved his hand again. The fragment of chest armor instantly vanished. It did not return to his space ring but disappeared into an ocean of karmic threads that only Cain could access. Even if the Nirvana Crown Prince were to sever his arm and take the ring by force, he would never obtain the treasure.

Once the fragment was secured, Cain leaned back in the chair and stared at the Nirvana Crown Prince with a bored expression.

”Unfortunately for you,” Cain said lazily, ”that is the only thing you possess that I want. In fact, it is the only reason I took your side in this dispute.”

The Nirvana Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed.

He had indeed wondered why the Red King had suddenly appeared and sided with him. Such a powerful and mysterious figure intervening in the conflict had always seemed strange. However, even now, he could not shake the feeling that there was something more behind it.

Unfortunately, it did not seem like he would receive that answer anytime soon.

For now, he could only play the cards he had.

”The Nirvana Heart only works with the royal bloodline of the Immortal Nirvana Kingdom,” the Crown Prince said coldly. ”You have no use for it.”

At that moment, Cain’s eyes sharpened, and a flash of coldness passed through them.

”What I wish to do with it is my business,” Cain replied. ”Now we can trade... or I can simply take this treasure to the Eternal Soul King. I am sure he would reward me handsomely.”

The eyes of the Nirvana Crown Prince immediately hardened.

A flash of killing intent rose in his gaze.

He was ready to fight.

However, before reaching that point, he wanted to attempt one last diplomatic move. The aura of the Red King was deeply unsettling, and unless absolutely necessary, he would prefer not to engage in a life-and-death battle with that man.

”You have caused tremendous damage to the Eternal Soul Kingdom,” the Crown Prince said slowly. ”Do you truly believe they will simply forget that and trade with you?”

His words carried undeniable logic.

Yet the only reaction they received from Cain was laughter.

”Hahahaha!”

His laughter was loud, carefree, and completely unrestrained. It echoed through the chamber as if this negotiation was nothing more than an amusing game.

When he finally stopped, Cain looked at the Nirvana Crown Prince as if he were staring at an ignorant child.

”True,” Cain said casually. ”Sharka might not be willing to do business with the Red King.”

He paused for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his face.

”But what about my other identities?”

The Nirvana Crown Prince’s eyes widened.

A flash of realization appeared in them.

Even after all this time, no one knew the true identity of the Red King.

The man could simply remove the mask, walk into the Eternal Soul Kingdom as someone else, and offer the fragment as a gift. In that scenario, they would likely welcome him with open arms.

The more the Nirvana Crown Prince thought about it, the clearer the situation became.

He had only two choices.

The first option was to fight and force the Red King to hand over the fragment of armor.

It was a high-risk, high-reward decision.

If he succeeded, he would not only keep the Nirvana Heart but also obtain the fragment of the sacred armor.

However, if he failed—and the Red King managed to escape—the consequences would be catastrophic.

Not only would he gain the hatred of a terrifying figure like the Red King, but the Eternal Soul Kingdom’s power would skyrocket once they managed to gather all seven fragments of the Sacred Treasure scattered across the realms.

The second option was to hand over the Nirvana Heart.

Doing so would mean losing the one treasure that gave him the confidence to survive even the most desperate situations.

The chamber fell into silence.

Cain showed no expression as he watched the internal struggle within the Nirvana Crown Prince. It was as if the man’s decision meant absolutely nothing to him.

Yet that calm appearance was only a disguise.

Through the Resonance of the Flow, Cain could clearly sense the Crown Prince’s emotions and intentions. If the man decided to fight, Cain was already prepared to activate the Fourth Realm Gear and escape the stronghold before the Ancestor Domain could fully manifest.

The tension in the room continued to grow.

Finally, after several long moments, the Nirvana Crown Prince released a long and exhausted sigh.

He nodded.

”I agree,” he said slowly. ”But with one condition. You must remain here with us until the Realm Barrier to the Seventh Realm weakens and I can return.”

The Red King stared at him with a visibly annoyed expression, as if the demand had greatly displeased him.

In truth, however, Cain was inwardly thrilled.

He had expected—and even hoped—for exactly such a condition. Remaining within the stronghold would make certain aspects of his plan far easier to execute.

As for why the Nirvana Crown Prince wanted him to stay, the reason was obvious.

He wanted to ensure that news of the treasure would not spread.

”If you are willing to grant me military credits for all the warriors of the Eighth Realm I have killed,” Cain said calmly, ”and open your vault to me, then I can accept that condition.”

The Nirvana Crown Prince frowned slightly.

Military credits were standard during campaigns like this, and all soldiers earned them. However, the Red King was not one of his warriors.

If the kills from the Eternal Soul Kingdom army were converted into credits, the Red King would receive a truly absurd amount—enough to drain a massive portion of the treasury.

However, compared to losing the Nirvana Heart, those credits meant very little.

After a moment of thought, the Crown Prince nodded.

”Excellent.”

A wide smile appeared on Cain’s face.

He waved his hand, and the karmic threads gathered together, forming a cocoon in his palm. The fragment of chest armor slowly emerged once more.

The Nirvana Crown Prince glanced at the fragment briefly before extending his hand.

With a flash of light, a strange crimson fruit appeared in his palm. Violet lines of energy flowed across its surface, radiating a profound aura of life and death.

The Nirvana Heart.

Even from a distance, the power contained within it was astonishing.