Chapter 1894: Die in a story worth telling
Chapter 1894: Die in a story worth telling
Those words—and the sheer aura of the Scarlet King—made the hearts of the seven Prima Deities tremble. They felt an overwhelming presence, a psychic might that seeped into their very minds, threatening to erase their sense of control and collapse their will.
It was a power they could not resist, a force that made their very souls shudder.
And then, just as it seemed the pressure would shatter them entirely, it vanished.
Auramyth and the others glanced at one another in disbelief, confusion written clearly across their faces. Slowly, they lifted their heads and stared at Cain.
But instead of the cold brutality they had come to expect from those who held power, like Divine Calamity, Cain met them with a calm, almost serene smile. A smile that didn’t seem to belong to a man capable of ordering the death of legions without a second thought.
Cain, of course, had already seen into their minds—thanks to The Flow, he could sense their intent, emotions, and internal logic. It was clear that they saw him as a monster, but he simply shrugged his shoulders.
Yes, it was true. He had commanded the extermination of billions. But those had been individuals and factions that could never coexist with his vision of a harmonious and liberated world. Trying to reason with such people would have been like trying to negotiate with a malignant cancer. And Cain had learned long ago that such things could only be removed—never appeased.
But when it came to others—those who had not committed atrocities or spread suffering—his behavior was different. His path, though ruthless at times, was not founded on cruelty.
"I may be the ruler of your homeland," Cain said, voice calm but unwavering, "but what I am not... is a hypocrite. The Scarlet Path means freedom—the right to make your own choices and carve your own future. As long as your actions don’t violate my rules, I will not take your lives. Nor will I force you to fight my battles."
His words left the Prima Deities speechless.
They had expected tyranny. Commanded servitude. But this?
If it had been Divine Calamity, they would have had no choice but to fight and die in his wars. This... this was something else.
Meaningful light appeared in their eyes as they studied Cain, struggling to understand him more deeply.
Seeing he had their full attention, Cain continued, "Soon, a great battle will come. I will face Divine Calamity and his coalition. You may choose to fight beside me—which means giving everything on the battlefield, including your lives—or you may choose to remain in the Endlesslight Continent. If you choose the latter, all you have to do is pay a fine. Do that, and I’ll grant you peace."
Silence reigned for a long moment as the Prima Deities exchanged glances, their minds swirling with questions, doubt, and reflection.
Finally, one of them broke the silence.
"What would be the fine?"
It was an Inferno Daemon who spoke—a woman from the Hell Clan. Her eyes were steady, but cautious.
Cain turned to her, his gaze calm but unreadable.
"I will not kill you," he said. "Nor will I take anything that you cannot regain. What you gain by following me is uncertain—so why should what you risk losing be any different?"
The response landed heavily.
A complicated array of expressions appeared across their faces. They understood the wisdom in his words—but the weight of choosing to fight, or not to fight, remained immense. Still, they could not deny reality. They were already under Cain’s rule, and the fact that he had given them a choice at all was far more than what any Archdeity would have offered.
Cain gave them a few moments to process everything.
Then, with that same calm smile on his face, he asked, "So... which of you will stand and fight beside me—to help change the world? And which of you would prefer to remain in your zones of comfort, pay your toll, and let the world carry on, indifferent to your existence?"
Their gazes wandered.
They looked to the Prima Deities who had chosen Cain back on the shores of the Endlessdeath Continent. Those individuals had flourished—grown immensely over the last year. Their auras were stronger. Their eyes more resolute.
But this was different.
A war was imminent, and it would land before they got the gifts of siding with the Scarlet King.
A war that the Scarlet King had only a slim chance of winning. A war where the possibility of death loomed like a sword above every Prima Deity’s neck.
Cain could read the hesitation. The way they avoided eye contact. He could already tell what their answer would be.
"Ahh..." A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he realized he had failed to convince them. But he didn’t linger on disappointment. He simply shrugged again.
Implementing the Scarlet Path across the realms would never be easy. It would require resilience, time, and sacrifice. His eyes burned with scarlet flame once more, unwavering.
"Wait."
Just as Cain was about to dismiss them, a voice called out.
It came from one of the Prima Deities—an old man with long white hair, clad in radiant blue armor that shimmered with Water Star Power. His aura flickered with the signs of approaching death. Cain recognized the fading flame of his life force. At most, he had a few thousand years left before his body and soul began to deteriorate rapidly.
"You’re Terent," Cain said softly. "Of the Sky Vault. I remember you from the Omega War."
Though Terent had not made a powerful impression then, Cain hadn’t forgotten. It was really impressive that he managed to survive with his weak cultivation, showing great wits.
Terent stared at Cain and nodded, a complicated expression on his face.
"Honestly," he began, "your idea of racial harmony sounds like madness. Not because I hate those from the Dark Camp—my greatest enemies have always come from the Light Camp, truth be told. But the conflict between Light and Dark has existed for billions of years. I don’t see how anyone could change that."
Cain remained silent, respectful of the man’s honesty.
"Still..." Terent continued, his voice quieter now. "I’m old. I don’t have much time left. So rather than wither away in a cultivation ground, I’d rather be part of something greater. Something meaningful. I’d rather die in a story worth telling."
A faint smile appeared on the old man’s face as he lifted his eyes to Cain.
"And besides... the idea of being free to forge your own future? That sounds... really good."