The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2261: Warmaster of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe Alliance (I)

Determination and a quiet, rising courage began to kindle within the eyes of the super-powerhouses of the Six Sacred Races as Cain finished speaking.

The Scarlet King’s plan made sense—strategic, precise, and achievable without sacrificing half their number. Though every person in the chamber understood the danger they faced and the crushing importance of their mission, silence still hung heavily in the air.

Cain could feel the question crossing their minds, even if none dared utter it.

Who would enter the Ninth Layer?

"I will be the one who marches into the Ninth Layer," Cain said calmly.

Even though they masked it well, the subtle flickers in their auras were impossible to hide from his golden eyes. A faint thrill passed through the group, a silent relief that they would not be the ones undertaking the most perilous task of all.

But Cain was not done.

"Since I will be taking the greatest risk," he continued, his voice powerful and sharp, "and since any flaw in the rest of the army could easily make this a one-way journey, I will be the one taking command of the entire force and become the Warmaster of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe Alliance."

Tension immediately thickened the air.

Leadership.

The point none of them wanted to address, yet all knew was unavoidable.

To lead the army was to shape the fate of their respective peoples. Naturally, every one of them desired that position. They had each ruled entire worlds, commanded vast civilizations, and proven themselves capable. And because each believed themselves worthy, none were eager to yield authority to another.

They could have formed a council, of course—but war did not allow for long debates or slow compromises. When life and death could hinge on a heartbeat, only one voice could hold final authority.

Once, they might have offered many reasons to object to Cain’s claim to leadership. But now everything had changed.

He was the one who had acquired the critical information regarding the severed head.

He was the one who had reached the Ninth Layer of the Heart of the Root.

He was the one who would shoulder the most danger.

And beyond that, only Cain had earned the loyalty and cooperation of powerhouses from both the Light and Dark Races. There would be no racial bias, no favoritism in his decisions.

And finally—most undeniable of all—he was the strongest among them.

They all knew it.

But knowing did not make yielding easy.

"I have a plan," Cain said, his tone measured. "It is not complicated, and it carries a high chance of success with minimal casualties. Of course"—a faint smile touched the corner of his lips, a smile far colder than the expression itself—"if any of you have objections, simply raise your hand."

The chamber grew deathly still.

"If one of you wishes to take command," Cain continued, "I will immediately step aside. Not only that, I will give you a complete guide to every problem you will face along the way. For the one who rejects my leadership must also be the one confident enough to take the vanguard, guide the army, and reach the Ninth Layer alive."

The tension that flooded the hall was almost suffocating.

They all wanted leadership, in theory.

But who among them was prepared to stake their life on it?

To take responsibility not from the safety of the rear, but at the very tip of the spear?

To face the nightmares of the Heart of the Root head-on?

"So," Cain asked quietly, "who will raise their hand and bear the burden of leadership?"

Silence answered him.

They were not cowards. But none believed their chances of reaching the Ninth Layer alive were favorable—and exiting the Heart of the Root was yet another ordeal altogether. None would demand leadership if it required stepping alone into the jaws of oblivion.

Just as another minute of silence threatened to settle, a voice finally broke through.

"I am not refusing your idea," Arkam said, his mechanical-echoed tone steady, "but I want to hear your plan before making a final decision."

Cipher, Amara, Zephirax, and Uriel immediately nodded, relief and curiosity glimmering in their eyes as they turned toward Cain.

Cain inclined his head. "Very well."

He raised one hand, and an intricate soul-projection formed behind him—clean diagrams, pathways, formations, energy flow models, and layer schematics.

"It is actually quite simple. Anark and I will take the lead. The five of you will form our flanks. The strength of the Archdeities will reinforce the rear lines..."

Cain began outlining the operation with meticulous clarity. He described each movement, each formation shift, each contingency. He included fallback strategies, alternate routes, and the role of every participating force. The plan accounted for injuries, unexpected ambushes, failed assaults, layer destabilizations, Root mutations, and more.

As they listened, the supreme powerhouses of the Six Sacred Races could only nod. Every step Cain described made sense. Every movement was calculated to minimize casualties. Nothing was left to chance.

But then they noticed something—an inconsistency.

"You are overestimating our number of Archdeities," Arkam said. "Those present in the Golden Hall represent nearly all the powerhouses our races have left."

Cain shook his head. "We can make more in a very short time."

With a single wave of his hand, Cain projected another psychic imprint. This one was far more complex, radiating ancient, arcane power. It displayed knowledge from both the Ars Goetia and the Runic War Avatar system—formations that had played a crucial role during the war against the Imperium of Time.

As the projection unfolded, the chamber filled with runic diagrams, etheric circuits, and the towering silhouette of a colossal war avatar made of luminous runes and divine power.

A weapon.

A soldier.

A guardian.

A manifestation of pure runic might.

The strongest among them reached the Late Archdeity Rank, more than enough to shift the balance of battle.

The eyes of every powerhouse widened in awe. The Runic War Avatars were simply extraordinary, and would be enough to fill the missing to complete Cain’s army.