The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2090: Osiris

Cain’s breath came in ragged bursts, his chest heaving from exertion. Yet a cold smile curved his lips as he hurled the massive corpse of a Late ArchDeity onto the Scarlet Throne.

The moment the body struck the ancient seat, waves of soul force and life essence surged outward, flooding into Cain’s body. The energy coursed through him like wildfire, pouring directly into the Living Glyph carved into his heart. The runes ignited, expanding across his veins like molten rivers until his muscles, tendons, and bones all trembled with resonance.

A deep hum vibrated through the air, followed by a shockwave that rippled outward. He had done it—after eight relentless months of battle, Cain had finally completed the second level of the Astra-Vajra Heartwork.

There was little visible change to his form. His Neo-Demon Body, already monstrous in strength, had long since surpassed the level needed to crush Middle Archdeity armor, especially after the enhancements of the Depravity Aura. Yet his smile widened nonetheless. Completing the second level meant only one thing: he could now reach for the third—the level that would push his physical power to the very peak of the ArchDeity rank.

That strength was precisely what he needed to face the coming trial within the Red King’s Sacred Dimension.

However, his expression soon hardened. The next level of the Heartwork required the heart of a Peak ArchDeity—no simple feat. Despite his growing power, Cain was still, in essence, an Early Archdeity within both the Divine Path and Neo-Demon Path. His growth was fast—blisteringly so—but not yet enough to challenge the absolute apex of his tier.

To succeed, he would need cunning, patience, and the element of surprise.

Fortunately, he had been planning for this moment since leaving the Heart of Sin. He inhaled slowly, forcing his excitement to steady, and turned his mind toward the intelligence reports gathered by the Life Path’s spies. As he read through the data, a faint grin tugged at his mouth.

"Luck favors the bold," he thought. His next target was already exactly where he needed him to be.

...

Far across the Third Realm’s landmass stood the ruins of a titanic metropolis, a remnant of the First Era. The city was built from ancient stone so dense it could withstand the wrath of collapsing stars. Its towers, once proud and gleaming, now loomed as monoliths of dust and shadow. Giants could have walked those streets once.

The ruins had long been considered sacred—untouched, preserved as a monument to forgotten glory. But war had no respect for monuments. Today, those ruins burned beneath the fury of divine conflict.

A massive figure hurtled through one of the crumbling towers, stone exploding outward as the warrior crashed into the ground below. The ArchDeity gasped soundlessly; his chest was caved in, his divine core shattered. Before he could even attempt to rise, a blazing comet of golden light plunged from the sky and struck him dead-on, crushing his skull and erasing his soul in a single strike.

As the golden aura faded, the victor revealed himself.

He was a man of radiant majesty, every movement a display of divine precision. His golden eyes blazed with celestial authority, and the air around him thrummed with dominion. He wore sleek black armor traced with veins of molten gold, every curve of the metal radiating both beauty and brutality. White and gold cloths flowed behind him like the wings of a seraph, and a halo of golden light crowned his head—a blazing sun suspended above his form.

This was Osiris, one of the mightiest champions of the Freedom Path in the Third Realm.

He hovered above the ruins, chest rising and falling with effort. Even a being of his caliber could feel fatigue after such devastation. Around him, the battlefield lay silent. Not a single enemy still drew breath. He was the only one left alive.

Though their True Names were not destroyed—meaning they would eventually resurrect—it would take decades, perhaps centuries, before they could return. This was victory enough.

Osiris exhaled and rose higher, surveying the battlefield with divine perception. His energy spread in all directions, washing over the ruins like a tide of sunlight. Nothing stirred. Only silence answered him.

Satisfied, he allowed his tension to ease and began redirecting energy toward healing his wounds.

It was a mistake.

From the shadow of a half-collapsed structure, something stirred—a presence hidden so perfectly even Osiris’ divine senses had missed it.

A shape rose from the rubble, cloaked in a Depravity Aura so thick it warped the air around it. Bone spikes jutted from his shoulders and back, gleaming like blades, and his form pulsed with destructive power.

Cain moved.

The air cracked around him as he drew Sky Devourer. He surged forward like a streak of darkness laced with scarlet fire.

"Seventh Stance—Sword of Endborn Silence!"

His roar split the air, followed by the blinding arc of his blade.

The sword strike tore through reality itself, crossing the distance in a heartbeat. The blow struck Osiris across the chest, splitting the golden armor.

The Peak ArchDeity staggered, disbelief flashing across his divine face. His defensive arts and body refinement were legendary, fortified by his own Dream, yet Sky Devourer still cleaved through him, carving a gaping wound that exposed searing light beneath.

Osiris was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into the ceiling of a building, before crashing through floor after floor until finally reaching the ground. The impact shook the city to its foundation.

Cain did not hesitate. Raising his free hand toward the crater, his voice thundered through the ruins.

"Apocalyptic Blast!"

A cannon of condensed Neo-Demon energy erupted from his palm, spiraling downward like a storm of destruction. It struck the ruins with cataclysmic force, ripping through walls, floors, and stone until it reached the impact site—then detonated.

The explosion consumed the entire structure, turning the ancient building into a sea of molten light. The shockwave tore through kilometers of ruin, disintegrating stone and air alike.

But Cain did not relax. His golden eyes glowed brighter, scanning through the dust and chaos.

He sensed movement.

Without a word, he lunged to his left, slamming Sky Devourer into the ground. Energy surged from the blade in concentric circles, spreading like cracks across reality itself.

"Sixth Stance—Severed World Pulse!"

The ground split apart, veins of destruction energy spiderwebbing outward. Everything within range—stone, spirit, or shadow—was obliterated. The power forced a figure out from below as Osiris burst from underground, his once-radiant armor cracked and bleeding golden light.