The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2616: The First (II)

Cain left the Everstrife Empyrean World and entered the Golden Hall in search of the person he had in mind. Someone with his power and status could have simply sent a message, and even Alpha Omega Overgods would have answered immediately, but this matter was different.

Thanks to his overwhelming speed, he reached the Golden Hall in no time. He concealed his presence completely, moving through its countless corridors without anyone noticing him. Most areas of the Golden Hall were filled with constant motion, crowded with warriors, officials, and cultivators preparing for the coming war. Yet the place Cain arrived at was surprisingly quiet.

It resembled a massive beehive, with countless rooms spread throughout its structure. Inside one of them sat a man with a calm yet imposing aura. His broad body was covered in a simple red martial robe, and his blind eyes remained open despite the fact that he was clearly deep in meditation. A terrifyingly sharp willpower radiated from him, growing denser and more refined with every passing second.

The Scarlet Stars had greatly enhanced the cultivation speed of the warriors of the Alliance, especially in the Ego Eternal Path of Power, yet this man’s talent remained extraordinary even among monsters. He had only recently stepped into the ArchDeity Rank, but the strength of his willpower already rivaled that of a Half-Step Alpha Omega Overgod.

And that was far from all.

Cain could sense how flawlessly the man’s Ego Wave and Astral Wave harmonized with one another, achieving a degree of synchronization that even Cain himself could not perfectly replicate. Of course, Cain cultivated multiple supreme Paths of Power simultaneously, making such total harmony impossible for him. Even so, the feat before him was astonishing.

It was an achievement so impressive that even Alpha Omega Overgods viewed the man with awe and respect.

“Master.”

Cain’s voice was soft, carefully guiding the man out of his meditation without disturbing his state of mind.

The man in the red robe slowly regained focus before rising to his feet. Calmness filled his face as he looked toward Cain with a gentle smile.

The man was none other than the first master of the Scarlet King, the person who had first opened Cain’s eyes to the Ego Eternal Path of Power and who had saved his life more than once.

Zarak Valentine.

“It has been a long time,” Zarak said calmly.

Even supreme existences like Cipher or Uriel felt subtle pressure when standing before the Scarlet King. It was not fear, but rather an instinctive reaction toward the greatest life form the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe had ever produced—the leader of the Alliance whose power could pierce through Empyrean Worlds themselves.

Yet Zarak remained completely calm.

That composure had nothing to do with raw strength. It was a reflection of his mindset and character.

Cain smiled faintly and nodded.

“Please accompany me back to the Everstrife Empyrean World. I will explain everything on the way.”

Zarak nodded once more.

The next second, Cain’s aura enveloped them both as they transformed into streams of light that shot through the void. Even while carrying another person, Cain crossed unimaginable distances in moments, arriving at the Scarlet Crown with ease.

Once there, Cain immediately synchronized himself with the Everstrife Empyrean World, drawing upon the power of the world itself to reduce the burden of what came next.

Without wasting a second, he waved his hand and summoned the Scarlet Throne.

The colossal gates slowly opened.

Zarak’s eyes sharpened as he gazed into the scarlet realm beyond. He already understood the nature of the new Path of Power Cain was attempting to create. It promised immense strength in an incredibly short period of time, but it also carried terrifying risks.

Yet there was no hesitation within him.

Only determination.

He understood that he would become the first true warrior to walk this path, and he fully accepted the responsibility that came with it.

Taking a deep breath, Zarak stepped forward alongside Cain and entered the Scarlet Throne.

Cain glanced toward him one final time. Once Zarak nodded, Cain raised his hand toward the scarlet heavens and carefully summoned a Scarlet Star.

The heavenly body descended from the sky, landing before them with overwhelming pressure.

For a brief moment, Zarak felt as though he were looking at a part of his own body. After all, the core of the Scarlet Star had been forged from his willpower and spirit force.

Still, there was no time for distractions.

Cain’s hand phased directly into Zarak’s chest.

Immediately, a wave of agonizing pain assaulted the ArchDeity as a fragment of his soul was extracted. Even though the Power of Chaos and the Flow maintained the connection between the separated soul fragment and the original soul—greatly reducing the damage—it remained an excruciating experience.

Luckily, Cain already possessed extensive experience from his previous experiments, allowing him to complete the process swiftly.

Soon, a sky-blue orb appeared in his hand.

Cain’s eyes glowed as he poured immense amounts of psychic power into the orb, causing it to expand until it matched the size of the Scarlet Star itself.

Then the fusion began.

Thanks to everything he had learned from experimenting on the criminals, the process proceeded smoothly and with remarkable speed.

The Scarlet Star trembled violently as the soul merged into it, evolving rapidly. Its aura transformed completely as the heavenly body grew stronger and stronger, its power quickly surpassing the Prima Deity Rank.

A satisfied smile appeared on Cain’s face.

“As expected,” he muttered softly. “The stronger the soul fused into the Scarlet Star, the stronger the evolved form becomes.”

That discovery was extremely important. It meant that true elites of the Alliance would be able to evolve their Scarlet Stars to terrifying levels far more quickly than ordinary cultivators.

Cain silently turned toward Zarak.

The ArchDeity stood motionless, completely absorbed in the experience.

Before evolving, the Scarlet Star had merely felt like a limb—a useful extension of himself, but nothing more. Yet now, as he gazed upon the evolved heavenly body, he felt as though he were staring into a reflection of his own existence.

It was not merely connected to him.

It was him.

The sensation was surreal beyond words.

Still, Zarak quickly shook his head and suppressed unnecessary thoughts. He could not afford distractions now. The true trial had only just begun.

It was now time for Zarak to choose the first will that would act as the core of his future Chimera Will.

This was an extremely important decision, one that would define the very foundation of his new Path of Power.

Choosing a will that was too weak would make future evolution unbearably slow and inefficient, forcing him to spend immense amounts of time strengthening it. On the other hand, choosing one that was too powerful would place overwhelming strain upon his Evolved Scarlet Star, forcing long recovery periods between every fusion of Will Beasts.

And there was another equally important factor.

The will had to harmonize with his own nature.

Its power needed to align with his Path and Laws. After all, what kind of joke would it be for him to forge a Chimera Will specialized in flames when his cultivation centered around water?

Taking a deep breath, Zarak turned toward Cain and nodded.

The Scarlet King placed a hand on Zarak’s shoulder.

The next instant, the ArchDeity’s consciousness expanded throughout the Scarlet Throne. His perception spread across the endless scarlet realm, allowing him to see every inch of the massive world. More importantly, he could now sense the aura, nature, and power of every entity sealed within it.

Zarak did not rush.

He calmly analyzed everything around him, studying countless wills and searching for the one that resonated with him the most.

Finally, his eyes sharpened.

He slowly raised his hand and pointed downward.

Cain followed the direction and saw what appeared to be a small river.

At first, confusion crossed his face, but as he focused more deeply upon it, his eyes narrowed with realization.

The river was not small at all.

It was gargantuan.

The body of water stretched across forests, mountains, and even entire volcanic ranges, weaving through the scarlet realm like a living artery. Its aura carried immense power, yet what stood out the most was its extraordinary adaptability and fluidity.

A meaningful light appeared in Cain’s eyes.

Without hesitation, he extended his hand.

The river trembled violently for several seconds before every drop of water rose into the sky. The countless streams merged together, twisting and condensing until they transformed into a massive wingless dragon.

Every scale upon its body glowed with radiant blue light, while its appearance radiated ferocity and ruthless power.

“An ArchDeity Will Beast,” Cain muttered as he analyzed the creature carefully. “And it seems to have formed naturally from the fusion of countless compatible wills over the years.”

There was clear admiration in his eyes.

Such naturally evolved Will Beasts were incredibly rare, especially one at the ArchDeity level.

The dragon roared as terrifying pressure spread through the Scarlet Throne, but Cain merely raised his hand and seized the beast effortlessly.

The next moment, he plunged the dragon directly into the Evolved Scarlet Star.