The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2694: Decisive turning point

Of course, there was no such thing as a free ride.

The Asura Halo’s power was incredible, pushing Cain’s battle power into an entirely new realm, but that overwhelming strength came at an equally overwhelming cost. The halo placed tremendous pressure on his mind and soul, forcing him to maintain control over several Fourth Realm Forces while simultaneously converting the vast energy of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe into every aspect of his existence.

The burden was so immense that even a veteran Fourth Realm life form should have struggled to endure it for even a couple of seconds, much less someone that just entered the realm a few hours ago.

The only reason the Scarlet King was able to handle the pressure as well as he did was because of the Power of Chaos. Through his connection to the countless life forms of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe, Cain could distribute part of the pressure across the collective willpower of those who had placed their faith in him.

Trillions upon trillions of wills resonated with his own, allowing him to bear a burden that would otherwise have crushed his mind and soul.

Even so, Cain understood that this could not last forever.

The wounds he had suffered had not disappeared. The enormous hole in his body left by the Samsara Sword was still there, while the lingering Samsara Flame continued to burn his life force.

The injuries inflicted by the previous battles remained hidden beneath the overwhelming energy circulating through his veins, suppressed rather than healed. His body was being forced to function far beyond its natural limits, and Cain knew that if he continued fighting for too long, even the Asura Halo would eventually fail to keep his body together.

There was only one choice.

"Time to end this."

The Scarlet King’s eyes narrowed, and his grip around Tyranus Gungnir tightened as the light emerging from his eyes burst with power.

The dark scarlet runes covering the halberd began to writhe as the weapon responded to its master’s killing intent. The flames surrounding its massive blade grew brighter, while the three different Fourth Realm Forces flowing through Cain’s body converged within his weapon.

Across the void, the eyes of the three Incarnations narrowed simultaneously.

They could feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from Cain.

Yet, rather than fear, determination appeared within their eyes.

Although they were Incarnations without a true ego, the battle will of the Samsara Lord remained engraved within their very existence. That instinctive will to fight had survived even after countless ages, and none of them were willing to retreat.

If necessary, they would fight until their final breath.

If necessary, they would drag the Scarlet King down with them.

Cain took the first step.

His figure instantly transformed into a blur.

The distance separating them vanished in the blink of an eye, and Cain appeared directly before the three Incarnations. Without wasting even a fraction of a second, he swung Tyranus Gungnir in a wide horizontal arc.

His objective was simple.

Force the three Incarnations apart and then eliminate them one by one.

The power contained within the halberd was so immense that a direct strike would be enough to split any one of the Incarnations in half. Faced with such an attack, the logical response should have been to separate and avoid the blade entirely.

But things did not go according to plan.

Before Tyranus Gungnir could reach its maximum momentum, the Incarnation of the Samsara Lord stepped forward.

It deliberately intercepted the attack.

The Samsara Shield appeared before its body just as the enormous halberd descended, allowing it to confront the strike at only seventy-five percent of its maximum power.

Even at seventy-five percent, however, the impact was devastating.

"BOOM!"

The Samsara Shield cracked violently as the force of Tyranus Gungnir slammed into it. More fractures spread across its surface, while the Incarnation itself was blasted backward through the void. Blood leaked from the corner of its mouth as the impact shook its entire body.

But its fearless maneuver had accomplished its purpose.

The opening created by its sacrifice was enough for the Neo-Demon and Depravita Incarnations to move.

Cain’s Eye of Flow immediately glowed.

The two Incarnations appeared before him almost simultaneously, attacking from opposite directions in a flawless pincer maneuver.

Tyranus Gungnir was still extended from Cain’s previous strike, leaving neither of his hands available to defend against the incoming attacks. Under normal circumstances, such a position would have been fatal.

But Cain was not relying on normal circumstances.

He relied on Flow.

Using the shaft of Tyranus Gungnir as a fulcrum, Cain twisted his entire body. The movement was so precise that the bone spike protruding from the Neo-Demon Incarnation’s elbow flashed past his head by less than a millisecond.

The attack missed.

Cain did not allow his momentum to disappear.

He used the rotational force generated by the movement to drive his leg forward.

His kick struck the Neo-Demon Incarnation directly in the face.

"BOOM!"

The force behind the kick was monstrous, carrying enough physical might to crush moons into dust. Cracks immediately spread across the Neo-Demon Incarnation’s bone armor and continued into its skull as its entire body was launched backward, flying through the void like a stone hurled across an endless sea.

A small smile appeared on the Scarlet King’s face.

He had just handled attacks from two Fourth Realm life forms within a single breath.

A sense of victory filled his heart.

Unfortunately, it did not last long.

Even with the Eye of Flow guiding his movements, Cain could not react quickly enough to evade the third attack.

The hands of the Depravita Incarnation reached his chest.

There was no overwhelming physical force behind them.

In fact, at first, the touch felt almost harmless.

Then Cain’s eyes widened.

A strange and terrifying power instantly invaded his body.

Darkness seeped through his flesh and blood, entering through his existing wounds before spreading deeper into his body. The sensation was unlike being struck by an ordinary attack. It was corrosion itself, a force that devoured everything it touched and continued advancing until it reached the deepest foundation of his existence.

Even Cain’s soul trembled.

The eroding darkness began to eat through his body, attempting to reach his soul and destroy the very essence that sustained him.

Cain clenched his teeth.

His forehead eye opened wider.

The power of Entropy, Nihility, and Quietus erupted from within him, colliding directly with the corrosive force of the Depravita Incarnation.

Fire against fire.

Decay against the power that brought all things to an end.

Cain could not completely neutralize the attack, but the collision bought him the strength he needed.

His muscles tightened.

His body moved.

Tyranus Gungnir rose once again.

The Depravita Incarnation immediately sensed the killing intent descending upon it. The edge of the halberd was already approaching, carrying enough power to sever its entire existence.

It would not survive a direct hit.

Its eyes glowed.

The Incarnation made a desperate choice.

It burned a portion of the very essence that forged its existence, sacrificing part of itself to unleash a tremendous burst of darkness.

"BOOM!"

The darkness exploded outward.

Cain was blasted backward.

For a moment, a smile appeared on the Depravita Incarnation’s face.

It had succeeded.

But that smile froze almost immediately.

Cain had planted his feet against the void.

Rather than allowing himself to be carried away, he used the very fabric of reality as an anchor, forcing his body to stop. The surrounding space warped violently beneath his feet as his immense power locked him in place.

Then, without hesitation, Cain continued the motion of his halberd.

The Depravita Incarnation’s eyes widened.

It tried to disappear, but before it could do so, the red chains of the Scarlet King wrapped themselves around its body.

Tyranus Gungnir descended.

"SHING!"

The massive blade tore through the Incarnation’s defenses and severed its left arm.

Dark blood erupted into the void as the Depravita Incarnation stumbled backward, staring at the missing limb in disbelief.

The Scarlet King had not merely survived its counterattack.

He had turned its desperate escape into another opportunity to strike!

Seeing the enemy wounded and unable to protect himself, Cain saw an opportunity to finish the Depravita Incarnation, but the other two were already back in the fray, launching a combined attack that forced Cain to raise Tyranus Gungnir into a defensive position, blocking both the Samsara Sword and the Neo-Demon’s fist.

Even with his transformation, the strength behind their blows was tremendous, yet Cain refused to allow his body to be blasted backward. His red chains and dark crystal wing immediately moved, erasing the inertia and allowing him to return to the battle almost instantly.

The fight became increasingly explosive, with devastating clashes shaking the surrounding void and new wounds appearing on both sides. However, one thing was becoming increasingly clear.

The Scarlet King had the upper hand.

His movements grew sharper, his attacks more overwhelming, and the three Incarnations struggled to keep pace with his relentless assault. It did not take long before the battle reached a decisive turning point.

Then, amid the deafening roar of their clash, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the void.