The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2293: Crush the Ancient One’s plan

As Cain analyzed the knowledge and memories he had extracted from Urin, a solemn expression slowly settled across his face. The first thing he searched for was the reason the Ancient One seemed so determined to see him destroyed—so much so that it had gone as far as modifying a Neo-Angel specifically to counter his abilities.

The answer, surprisingly, was simple.

A new prophecy had spread across the higher realms.

"The traveler with the scarlet eyes will rise to the peak of the Tower."

It was short. Vague. Almost harmless in its wording. And yet, it had caused an uproar that rippled through countless layers of existence. That single sentence was enough to draw the Ancient One’s full attention, because among all the beings roaming the lower realms, Cain was the most likely candidate.

As for the source of the prophecy, that information sent a chill through Cain’s heart.

An organization from the Fourth Realm—one he had never directly confronted, yet one that had already interfered with his fate more than once.

The Three Moons.

A sharp, cold light flashed in the Scarlet King’s eyes. That ancient organization had brushed against his destiny in the past, specifically during his time in the Demon King’s Castle. Now, through nothing more than words, they had done so again.

"They are part of the Life Path," Cain thought, his expression tightening, "Technically... they are not enemies. Still, they spread the prophecy throughout the entire Fourth Realm so everybody could listen to it, and I doubt they are so dumb as to not understand the ramifications of their actions."

Coldness arose in Cain’s eyes as he considered his next move.

If the Three Moons had been enemies, the solution would have been simple. He would have sent them into the Scarlet Throne and extracted every answer he needed. But as allies—at least on the surface—he would need to proceed with care, diplomacy, and patience.

Those could take time, something that Cain did not have to spare. Unfortunately, he was not powerful enough to ignore the consequences of attacking a member of the Life Path.

As for how the Ancient One knew Cain’s techniques and abilities so thoroughly, the answer was equally straightforward.

Bradly gave them to him.

Cain let out a slow breath as the final pieces fell into place. Once he finished sorting through Urin’s memories regarding himself, he moved on to the knowledge related to the war and the moves of the Freedom Path, and what he learned was very troubling.

The Ancient One, paranoid and obsessively secretive, revealed very little even to its strongest subordinates. Information was shared only on a need-to-know basis. Still, Urin had been aware of one crucial fact: a massive operation was approaching, one that required control over as many realms as possible.

Cain’s gaze grew cold.

He did not need details. The intent alone was enough. Whatever the Ancient One planned, it would not be good for Cain. After all, the stronger the Ancient One becomes, the harder it would be for him to move in the Crimson World, so he needed to act.

As for exactly what he would do. That thought made him smile.

In the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe, the weight of leadership had rested entirely on his shoulders. Every decision carried the fate of entire civilizations. Every mistake could doom worlds.

But here?

Here, in the Crimson World, he was not the commander of an empire.

He was just a warrior.

"If the Demon King is as wise and discerning as I believe," Cain thought calmly, "he should already understand the larger picture. All I need from him is one thing."

Who to kill.

The simplicity of the task made Cain’s smile widen.

Kill. Devour. Grow. Repeat.

That was all he needed.

Only after bearing the weight of an entire universe did one truly understand how liberating it was to fight solely for oneself—and for those closest to one’s heart.

Cain shook his head, ordering his thoughts, and a clear plan emerged.

Meet the Three Moons.

Uncover their intentions and schemes.

Meet the Demon King.

Crush the Ancient One’s plan.

With nothing else standing in his way, Cain closed his eyes and focused on cultivation.

The power of the World Matrix continued to pour into his soul force and True Name, while the Fourth Astral Black Hole pulsed endlessly within him, flooding every aspect of his existence with boundless energy. His Neo-Demon Path roared as it stabilized, reforging him from the inside out.

Nearly two hours passed before the Crimson World Matrix finally began to fade.

The raging energies settled.

And then—

A tremor surged through Cain’s body.

An eruption of soul force burst outward, so immense that it flooded the sky itself, saturating the heavens with raw cosmic power.

"Yes!"

Cain opened his eyes, both glowing with a clarity he had never possessed before. Pure exhilaration surged through his veins.

"My soul force has finally reached the Alpha-Omega Overgod rank."

The implications were staggering.

With Alpha-Omega Overgod soul force, there was no longer any true barrier preventing Cain from surpassing the ArchDeity realm entirely. More importantly, his strengthened soul provided unprecedented nourishment to his True Name—something essential if he hoped to evolve Leviathan upon returning to the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

Cain focused inward, observing the vast black hole that embodied his soul force.

And his smile grew wider.

Along with the raw power, he had gained new abilities from Urin and the two Late ArchDeities he had devoured. Because Urin had been assimilated through the Neo-Demon Astral Black Hole, Cain obtained her unfiltered Innate Ability.

He raised his index finger.

A moment later, a massive explosion tore through the sky before him, flooding the air with annihilating force.

"Powerful," Cain murmured calmly, "and extremely destructive."

But his expression remained unchanged.

"It lacks synergy with my physical might and my Dream. The same applies to the other two abilities."

There was no hesitation.

Cain activated Scarlet Reaper.

The three Innate Abilities were consumed instantly, their Origin Energy stripped away and refined. That purified power flowed directly into Reaper Touch, reinforcing it beyond its previous limits.