The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2390: The death of the Scarlet King (III)

It did not take long for Cain to understand what was happening.

After all, there was no way he could forget the Alpha-Omega Curse—the one capable of corroding sanity and erasing memories. The very same curse he had taken from Leonidas.

"Now!? It couldn’t possibly come at a worse time!"

Cain shouted with rage and frustration. This was truly the worst possible scenario.

He had always known he would eventually need to deal with the curse, but it was something that acted according to age. It should not have affected him until he surpassed a million years of existence. Compared to the immediate threats he was facing—ones that could erupt within the next week—the curse was supposed to be a distant problem.

Something that could wait.

More than that, Cain had been confident that the moment his soul force broke into the Alpha-Omega Overgod Rank, he would gain the power necessary to expel the curse entirely.

Yet now, that very danger he had relegated to the future was crashing down on him at the worst possible moment, triggered by his rapid aging.

"Dammit!"

Cain roared, venting the hatred and fury boiling inside his heart. The sound echoed through the dark city, raw and feral.

As the outburst faded, his eyes regained their sharp focus.

He began calculating his next move.

He had even less time now than before. That meant he needed to move faster—and take greater risks.

Determination burned in his gaze as he clenched his fists and struck the dome again. This time, the blow tore open a hole just large enough for him to pull himself through.

The moment Cain emerged from the dark city, his eyes flared with power as he looked into the distance. His perception sharpened drastically. Though he still could not contact his people, he could clearly sense the direction that would lead him out of the World Forge.

Unfortunately, before he could take even a single step forward, yellow lightning descended upon him—carrying the hatred and authority of the universe itself.

Resurrección activated instantly, evolving Cain’s body and enhancing his strength. Purple flames surged across his form as he fought against the lightning and destruction, forcing himself forward inch by inch.

But he had not yet recovered to his peak.

Not even half a minute passed before Cain was forced to retreat.

He hurled himself back into the dark city, narrowly dodging the yellow lightning as it surged through the opening. The dome sealed itself moments later, cutting off the raging storm outside.

Cain collapsed to one knee, his breathing ragged. Purple flames flickered wildly across his body as he focused on healing.

"If I want any chance of escaping this place and contacting the rest of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe," Cain muttered, "I’ll need to recover to my peak."

He took a deep breath, forcing his mind to remain cold and composed. Losing his calm now could be fatal.

Recovering to his peak would take days.

There was no way around it.

The only thing he could do was begin immediately.

Deep inside, Cain was certain that if he managed to leave this place, his people would help him overcome this ordeal. That belief anchored him, keeping despair at bay.

With a wave of his hand, he released countless weapons and artifacts into the air. These were treasures never meant for consumption, but his devouring abilities reduced them to pure energy without issue.

Just as Cain had been cultivating for five hours, everything froze.

His eyes widened as he looked around.

All the treasures floating around him—mid-transformation into energy—fell to the ground at once. The sudden noise made Cain leap back instinctively, adopting a battle stance.

Confusion and disorientation flooded his mind.

He looked around wildly.

Where was he?

Cain picked up a sword from the ground, intending to inspect it—and froze.

Reflected in the blade was an old face.

Too old.

Panic surged through him as the confusion deepened. His mind felt sluggish, his willpower eerily silent. A powerful sense of dread seized his heart.

Trying to steady himself, Cain began walking through the dark city.

He wandered for nearly half an hour before clarity finally returned.

Shock and dread crossed the Scarlet King’s eyes as he realized what had happened.

He could face nightmares born beyond the universe itself—but when the enemy was his own mind, what could he do?

Glancing down at his body, Cain saw the aging had advanced even further. His lifespan was withering away.

Clenching his teeth, he resumed training.

Weapons and artifacts were summoned once more and melted into energy to nourish his failing body.

Unfortunately, before even five hours passed this time, the curse acted again.

His sanity was stripped away.

Cain wandered aimlessly through the dark city, carving figures into the scarred metal with bare hands. His movements were slow and deliberate, almost gentle.

Ironically, a look of peace appeared on his face.

Without memories or sanity, there were no worries. No pressure. No fear.

Just empty calm.

Of course, with every hour that passed, the danger grew. His body continued to wither, his lifespan draining relentlessly.

Deep within Cain’s soul, standing guard before a massive gate covered in chains of fire and lightning, Apex witnessed everything.

Even the ancient System Spirit could not hide his concern.

What was happening to Cain was a perfect storm of disaster.

Trapped inside the dome.

His body aging at a horrifying speed.

His sanity slipping away again and again.

Apex opened his mouth, about to speak—

Then he froze.

The gate behind him rattled.

Through its cracks, a massive eye stared out at him.

The menace behind that gaze was unmistakable.

He was not allowed to interfere.

This was Cain’s tribulation.

He had to face it alone—or die in the process.

Apex clenched his fists, staring back at the eye for several long seconds before finally exhaling and remaining silent.

After more than forty-five minutes, Cain’s sanity returned.

As he looked around at the figures he had carved during his episode, a flash of sadness crossed his eyes.

There, sculpted into cold metal with impossible precision, stood his family.

Perfect.

Frozen.

Waiting.