The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2129: The calculation of the Neo-Angel

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"

The sky itself seemed to split apart.

The beam of raw energy carved across the ring, tearing through leagues of obsidian plains. Even after the explosion faded, the echo of its fury lingered — a trembling silence heavy with ash and blood.

Bradly’s body hurtled across the broken ground, carving a deep trench in the crystal surface. Trails of golden blood marked his passage until he finally came to a halt, crashing hard onto his knees.

The Neo-Angel knelt in the dust, his breath ragged and uneven. Half of his body was blackened and scorched beyond recognition. His flesh peeled away in molten ribbons, and every cough sent a mouthful of golden blood splattering onto the cracked floor.

The internal damage was immense.

And yet — impossibly — he still lived.

Even now, his burned muscles trembled as he pushed himself upright. One good eye remained open, flickering weakly with turquoise light, struggling to regain focus.

But he was not finished.

Bradly’s first instinct was to find Cain.

Through the haze of smoke and pain, he spotted the Neo-Demon in the distance. Cain wasn’t pursuing him — he was retreating, flashing through the Second Phase of the Fourth Ring, moving with deliberate, staggering speed.

Bradly narrowed his eye.

If Cain escaped beyond this region, he would lose all trace of the Neo-Demon.

"...Salvation."

The single word left Bradley’s lips. His Neo-Angel Core pulsed, glowing deep within his chest. If he invoked Salvation Incarnation, his ultimate form, he would ascend into a state of overwhelming might.

But he hesitated.

He knew the cost.

Salvation Incarnation would flood his being with divine energy, empowering him far beyond his limits — but it would not heal him. On the contrary, the strain it would place on his already-ruined body and soul would almost certainly break him once the power faded.

Even now, his body was barely holding together. If he forced it beyond its capacity, there would be nothing left to repair.

And worse, Cain was already moving through the Second Phase — effortlessly redirecting the falling stars as he advanced. Bradly could not do the same. Each of those celestial projectiles carried destructive force equal to a god’s strike. If he pursued Cain, he would have to endure them all.

Even if he somehow caught the Neo-Demon and killed him...

Would he still have the strength to destroy Cain’s True Name — the essence of his existence?

Unlikely.

But he knew something else with terrible certainty: if his body and soul were destroyed, the Freedom Path within the Third Realm would be doomed. The Life Path would seize that opportunity without hesitation, dooming everything Bradly had fought to preserve.

He might survive the encounter — but his people would not.

And the Ancient One was not known for forgiveness.

Bradly exhaled slowly, the sound breaking into a rough cough. "Ahhhh..."

He lowered his head and allowed himself to collapse onto one knee. For now, survival would have to take precedence. He would retreat, recover, and fight another day.

Cain, far away, had no idea what calculations filled the Neo-Angel’s mind. He didn’t care to find out.

His entire focus was survival.

He pushed his body faster and faster, forcing every broken muscle to obey. Each step sent agony rippling through him — but he did not stop until he was certain he had left Bradly far behind.

Only then did he allow himself to slow down.

Pain struck him like a tidal wave. Every nerve screamed.

There was not a single bone in his body that wasn’t cracked, splintered, or outright broken. His chest felt like a hollow cage barely holding itself together. If not for the combined power of his Depravita Aura and the life force flowing from the Scarlet Throne, he would have collapsed long ago.

Moving with care, he concealed his aura, masking every trace of his presence. He turned gradually, beginning his long journey out of the Second Phase and back toward the first.

Six grueling hours later, through the drifting light of falling stars, Cain’s eyes finally found what he was searching for.

A faint smile crossed his lips.

Ahead, waiting just beyond the rippling horizon, stood Meylin, Anita, Akita, Alita, and Oni.

This was their rendezvous point.

They had been waiting anxiously, and when they saw his figure appear, every one of them froze.

Even from afar, they had felt the explosion. The blinding flare of Cain’s final attack had illuminated half the Ring. They hadn’t seen the fight directly, but they could imagine it — a battle of such magnitude that even the sky must have trembled.

And yet, against all reason, he had returned.

Their awe was absolute.

But Cain’s strength finally reached its end.

The light in his eyes dimmed, and before anyone could move, he collapsed. His consciousness slipped away, his body finally surrendering now that it was safe to do so.

Meylin caught him before he struck the ground. She pressed her palm against his chest, closing her eyes as she summoned her Depravita Aura, weaving it through his shattered body.

Anita and Akita knelt beside her, their faces pale with exhaustion but determined. The sisters placed their hands over Cain’s limbs, channeling their bloodline energy into him, reinforcing what little remained of his internal structure and speeding the regeneration process.

Alita and Oni took guard positions nearby, their eyes sharp as they watched the skies. The falling stars continued to descend. Each one they caught and redirected bought the healers more time.

For two long hours, the group worked in silence.

At last, Cain stirred.

His eyes opened weakly, golden light flickering within them. Pain coursed through every inch of his being, but he could move again.

"You should rest," Meylin said softly, though the exhaustion in her own voice betrayed her limits.

He nodded faintly. "I will... once you all do the same."

He drew upon the remnants of his strength to steady his own flow of healing, allowing Meylin and the sisters to pull back. They, too, needed to recover.

For several more hours, Alita and Oni continued to stand guard, their coordination flawless. Both had gained a solid grasp of Redirection, and the falling stars of the First Phase no longer posed a threat. In fact, the steady rhythm of their movements served as excellent training.

By the time half a day had passed, the storm of celestial debris had lessened.

Cain and the three women had fully restored their bodies. Their energy surged once more, blazing like fresh suns.