The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2266: Back to the Sixth Layer

"K’RAAAAAASH–FYRRR!"

The Chaos Phoenix shrieked again, its voice a rending, metallic cry that tore across the hollow vastness of the Heart of the Root.

With a single, thunderous beat of its immense wings, the blazing titan propelled its gargantuan, world-killing body forward. Scarlet fire spilled from its feathers, each plume burning with the fused, volatile essence of every warrior of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe Alliance—an essence ignited through sacrifice, unity, and an unyielding will to overcome the alien nightmare.

The moment the Chaos Phoenix broke through the last wall of rotting flesh and reached the outer surface of the Heart of the Root, the entire world-sized tumor shuddered.

A colossal explosion—born from the combined burning existence of millions—detonated outward, silencing even the endless groans of the Root’s flesh. Layer after layer of corrupted biomass vaporized beneath the Chaos Phoenix’s descent, until at last the beast’s talons pierced the First Layer in a single, unstoppable stroke, reaching the Second Layer!

Every structure, every spawn, every tendril of decay in its path was obliterated, leaving a continent-sized hole in its path.

"More!" Cain roared, his voice echoing through the minds of every warrior.

The golden-scarlet light blazing in his eyes intensified with every heartbeat, shining brighter, hotter, more commanding with each instant. His will resonated through the Chaos Phoenix like a second heart—the true heart—driving its fury to still greater heights.

And the warriors followed.

Without hesitation. Without fear.

Guided by the Scarlet King’s call, every single fighter poured their strength into the blazing colossus. Their energy erupted, surging through the Chaos Phoenix’s titanic frame. Flames whirled into storms; storms condensed into pillars of pure annihilation.

Their collective power magnified until the beast’s wings struck the air with such force that entire regions of the Second Layer ignited. Waves of scarlet fire swept outward, consuming every spawn that dared approach.

Then, with a thunderous plunge, the Chaos Phoenix smashed through the Second Layer entirely—shattering it like brittle glass—and drove itself straight into the Third.

Cain’s lips curled into a radiant grin. His fists tightened with exhilaration. Everything, absolutely everything, was advancing more swiftly and powerfully than he had dared hope.

Even he did not fully understand how he had managed to connect so deeply, so profoundly, with the essence of every warrior—how he had drawn their wills into one unified existence capable of forming this impossible creature. But this was not the moment for answers. This was a moment for conquest.

Now, deep within the Heart of the Root, the spawns grew far stronger. They surged from every direction—tides of deformity and rot so vast that they nearly buried the Chaos Phoenix beneath their swarm. But the entity born of unity refused to slow.

With every flap of its flaming wings, the Chaos Phoenix released storms of destruction, tearing through the Third Layer, ripping a new continent-sized wound into the Fourth, and plunging onward without pause.

"Keep burning. Keep rising!" Cain roared. His voice carried the weight of destiny itself. "Your will, your heart, your fate—use everything you possess in this battle! Show these monsters the power of the Nine Empreyn Suns Universe!"

Scarlet light flashed across the eyes of every warrior for a second. Their limits shattered again and again, as though driven beyond comprehension by Cain’s will.

The Chaos Phoenix’s radiance grew blinding; its flames so intense that even the surrounding space trembled. The beast tore through the Fourth Layer, incinerating all that still dared oppose it, then crushed through the Fifth with a single devastating charge.

Less than ten minutes had passed. Yet already the warriors of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe had carved a path halfway into the Ninth Layer—halfway to the decapitated head at the Heart’s core.

Their united advancement was astounding. But they knew well: the deeper layers, the layers to come, would mark the true beginning of danger. The powerhouses of the Root awaited. Their presence alone would tilt the balance between victory and annihilation.

Cain did not slow. He did not hesitate. As the Chaos Phoenix neared the floor of the Fifth Layer, the Scarlet King lifted his hands. His eyes glowed with titanic intensity. All the power he possessed—mind, soul, essence—surged outward.

The Phoenix answered.

Its wings snapped open, and the flames along its body erupted in a single, apocalyptic blaze. In a flash, the beast surged beyond the army, hurling itself alone into the ground of the Fifth Layer. And the instant it touched the surface—

—it detonated.

The explosion that followed was vast enough to consume galaxies. It tore a hole not only through the Fifth Layer, but through the sky of the Sixth, vaporizing matter, corruption, and flesh alike. Shockwaves rippled through the entire Heart of the Root.

And far below, in the Sixth Layer, fifteen Champions of the Root were caught in the blast. They had been waiting in silence, hidden beneath rotting biomatter, ready to ambush the moment the Alliance forces entered. But Cain’s timing was perfect.

The Chaos Phoenix’s detonation struck them before they could attack, tearing through their defenses and leaving them wounded.

The warriors of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe were amazed by Cain’s perception, but there was no time for awe. No time for hesitation. No time for fear.

The true battle had begun.

Ten Late ArchDeity generals of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe Alliance surged forward. Every one of them burned at their absolute limit, their power blazing around them like cosmic storms. Along with them marched every Throne of Ruin, their runic bodies shining with lethal brilliance.

Together, they crossed into the Sixth Layer and hurled themselves toward the wounded Champions of the Root.

Meanwhile, the thousands of remaining Runic War Avatars moved into precise formation around the generals, forming an unbreakable barrier. Not a single spawn, not a single tendril of the Root, would interfere with the coming confrontation.

The Sixth Layer was still wounded from the destruction unleashed by the Red King, so the battle between the Late ArchDeity and the Champions of the Root turned the battlefield into a spiraling, apocalyptic domain.

The war had reached its true beginning.