The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2212: Endless Darkness and the end of the universe

The more Cain listened, the more he realized how impossible it would be to push the group toward a frontal approach—at least, not in their current state.

Every word they spoke, every hesitant glance they traded, made it painfully clear that they were locked into a defensive mindset. And if he attempted to force a change, to drag them into a more aggressive path, it would only provoke resistance.

The Flow confirmed it: their collective will was rigid, their instincts fixed. The only way to change their course would be to remove the defensive option entirely, leaving them with only a single road to survival—fighting.

The problem was that Cain had no idea how to do that.

For a moment, he let his awareness drift away from the increasingly repetitive discussion. There was no point analyzing their countless variations of the same flawed idea. None of their plans would matter if he succeeded in implementing his vision.

So he withdrew from the table, sending a portion of his consciousness into his Soul Dimension. There, within the vast internal realm constructed from his essence, he posed a question to the one existence that might offer guidance.

"Apex, can you help me here?"

If any being could understand entities that existed beyond the known universe, beings whose power transcended comprehension, it was the System Spirit.

Apex—who could crush the souls of Alpha Omega Overgods like brittle glass with his single golden hand—was the only one Cain trusted for insight into the truly unknowable.

Silence ruled the Soul Dimension for a few long moments before Apex’s voice finally emerged.

"Boy, my understanding of the multiverse and the cosmic laws is a secret. I have always remained silent because discovering this knowledge on your own is part of forging your path. I should never interfere with your growth."

Cain exhaled sharply, already preparing for disappointment.

But then Apex continued, and his voice carried a gravity and sincerity Cain had never heard before. "However... you now face a power that should never have reached this place. If the King of the Root had attempted to consume your soul and will, I do not know if I could have saved you."

Those words struck Cain like a hammer blow.

In battle, he had never depended on Apex. Strength, skill, and willpower—those were his weapons. He believed with absolute certainty that if he was not strong enough, he would die, and no one would come to rescue him. That was the law he lived by.

But when it came to his soul and will, he had always carried a quiet confidence that Apex stood behind him. Not to fight for him, but to protect the core of his existence if the worst happened. Even if he suffered catastrophic damage, even if his soul splintered, he had believed his ego would survive under Apex’s protection.

Yet now, for the first time in his life, he faced an enemy who could not only kill him, but corrupt his very existence—an enemy Apex himself might not be able to counter.

If he needed any further clarity about the magnitude of the threat before them, he had just received it.

"You are in danger, boy. Real danger... so fuck it." There was no rage in Apex’s voice, only a mix of resignation and liberation, as though he were breaking one of the multiverse’s oldest rules.

"First, so you understand what you’re facing, I will tell you a story. A story about an entity known as Endless Darkness."

Cain immediately sharpened his focus. What he was about to learn might be the only thing capable of saving everything he cared about.

Apex’s power manifested across the sky of the Soul Dimension. Stars reformed, shifting into a colossal projection of a universe more immense and radiant than anything Cain had ever witnessed—far larger, far brighter than the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

"What you are seeing is the Prima Universe. A radiant universe, the beginning of a wondrous story that I hope you will one day learn fully."

A moment later, a dark force materialized at the edges of the Prima Universe. It pressed against the cosmic barrier like a sentient night. Then, carving through the universe’s outer wall, it forced its way inside.

The image expanded, revealing a towering figure draped in shadows. Cain instantly understood: this was Endless Darkness.

Endless Darkness was severely injured, wounds tearing across his form, his power diminished—but still unimaginable. Soon, golden figures appeared around him, each radiating an aura more overwhelming than anything Cain had felt from the powerhouses he had met.

Yet even weakened, Endless Darkness slaughtered most of them effortlessly. He consumed their life force, healing his wounds as their light vanished into his abyssal form.

The powerhouses of the Prima Universe had no choice but to retreat to the universe’s core, where the Universe Will was strongest. While they hid, Endless Darkness began devouring world after world, growing stronger with each consumption. Hope dwindled, and despair tightened its grip across the cosmos.

All seemed lost until a lone figure emerged—one who carried the full will of the universe within his body and soul. He did not channel the universe. He was the universe.

A terrifying battle followed. The Prima Universe’s forces rallied behind their champion and confronted Endless Darkness head-on. What followed was a clash so boundless, so violent, that even the memory of it shook the Soul Dimension. For a moment, it seemed as though the Prima Universe would triumph.

But Endless Darkness dragged the entire universe into his death throes. As he perished, he triggered a blast that consumed everything—the stars, the worlds, the people, the Universe Will itself—ending existence entirely. It was the definition of a pyrrhic victory. The universe died, and Endless Darkness died with it.

Yet the story did not end.

As the reborn universe began its next cosmic age, Endless Darkness returned once more—revived by the very destruction he had wrought.

Apex’s voice grew heavier, carrying a solemnness that made it clear just how horrific that situation had been. "Had they fought with everything from the beginning, things might have changed. But Endless Darkness was so strong that even after his defeat and after causing the destruction of the entire universe, he still returned."

Those words ignited something in Cain. A determination unlike anything he had ever felt, a ruthless and unwavering clarity.

Hesitation means death.

Those three words echoed through the Scarlet King’s mind—etched into his soul—and he would not allow that fate to fall upon the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.