The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2185: The next goal, a new Empyrean World

"It was nice," Cain said softly, smiling toward Angar. He had learned a new way to cope with the constant pressure of existence—the endless tension of being a god, a ruler, and a being responsible for worlds.

The technique was simple, almost laughable. Move, breathe, forget. Let the body flow, let the mind fade. By simply losing himself in motion and forgetting the noise of creation, he had found a pocket of peace—a rare, deep tranquility that few cultivators ever attained.

Afterward, the two men sat together in the open air. Cain waved his hand, and a small table appeared between them, floating in the middle of the sky. Platters of spirit fruits and cups of celestial wine shimmered into existence. Angar chuckled, taking one without ceremony, and the two began to speak.

Cain recounted in vivid detail the events of the Crimson World—the wars, the tribulations, the victories that had shaped that realm. His voice carried a note of pride when he spoke of Meylin, the way she had grown stronger and wiser, mastering her own destiny in the face of chaos. He described her final confrontation with the Alpha Omega Overgod, her sheer determination as she drove her attack into the Neo-Angel’s neck and nearly tore his spine apart.

"Hahahaha!" Angar’s laughter boomed across the sky, deep and unrestrained. "As expected from a daughter of the Aegon family!"

His voice carried warmth and pride. For all his sharpness, Angar was a father before all else, and hearing that Meylin had honored their lineage brought genuine joy to his heart.

The two continued to speak for hours—about the old days, the shifting realms, and the state of the Scarlet Kingdom. The breeze carried their laughter across the clouds.

On the seventh day, they finally exchanged a silent nod of understanding. No words were needed. Cain rose into the air once more, light trailing from his form as he disappeared into the upper winds.

Each meeting on this journey, whether brief or profound, seemed to unbind another layer of his being. He felt lighter, freer—his mind expanding toward a transcendental serenity.

Soon, Cain’s aura flashed across the horizon, and he reappeared above a vast volcanic land. The region was known as the Heart of Fire, a natural phenomenon so intense that even Prima Deities regarded it with caution. Rivers of molten rock flowed through obsidian valleys, and the air shimmered with heat dense enough to warp reality itself.

Ordinarily, the place was desolate—home only to a few feral divine beasts. But today, Cain’s eyes caught something immense moving through the inferno.

A colossal blood serpent, its body spanning miles, slithered between volcanoes. Sometimes it plunged into the molten lakes, emerging moments later with lava cascading from its scales. Other times, it chased after lesser beasts, terrifying them for sport only to let them live. The creature’s behavior was wild, instinctive, almost playful—a predator that had forgotten its hunger.

Cain smiled faintly. There was only one being he knew who could behave like that.

The serpent paused mid-motion, its eyes turning upward. Recognition flashed across its bestial gaze. A moment later, it burst into the sky, transforming into a towering, muscular man whose presence radiated both savagery and wisdom.

"Cain," the man said, his grin wide and fierce. "It has been a long time."

Cain’s own smile deepened as he nodded. "Indeed, Lord Zuko."

Before him stood Zuko Zanguinis, patriarch of the Zanguinis family, father of Desmond, and one of Cain’s earliest supporters when he first arrived in the Deus Behemoth Empire.

Zuko’s aura burned with primal intensity—untamed, yet not uncontrolled. Cain couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

"You seem... different," Cain said, a spark of curiosity lighting his eyes.

Zuko laughed, his voice echoing like thunder. "Ah, you noticed. Deus Behemoths love to speak of discipline and dignity, but at our core, we have a beast. Every one of us. Some hide it well. Others embrace it. I’ve felt the beast inside me every day of my life—but as the head of a great family, I’ve always kept myself composed."

He paused, his smile softening into something almost wistful. "After the Dark Sky War, and the war against the Imperium of Time, I realized something. Life is fragile—even for us. You never know when your story ends. So why not let go once in a while? Why not listen to your instincts, express your wilder side? As long as you harm no one, who cares what others think?"

Cain laughed quietly, shaking his head. "You might be right. We take ourselves far too seriously."

For all his power and wisdom, even Cain knew that truth. The burden of rule, the endless analysis, the constant need to prepare for the next catastrophe—it all built invisible chains. Sometimes, the best way to strengthen the spirit was simply to break free and live.

A glint of mischief entered his eyes. "Then let’s see what it’s like to live a little."

Without warning, Cain’s form erupted in light, transforming into a wingless Leviathan, sleek and massive, his scales gleaming with starlit crimson. With a roar that shook the skies, he dove into the volcanic realm below, sending rivers of molten fire spraying into the air.

Zuko’s laughter rang out, wild and joyous, as his body stretched and twisted back into his serpent form. "Now that’s the spirit!"

The two titans tore through the landscape like children at play—hurling magma into the air, shattering dormant peaks, carving canyons into the molten ground. It was chaotic, absurd, and utterly free.

For an entire week, they rampaged across the fiery expanse. They clashed and raced, sent shockwaves through mountains, and reshaped entire valleys. To any outsider, it might have looked like madness. But for them, it was release.

It was healing.

Both carried burdens heavier than worlds. They commanded armies, protected civilizations, and bore the weight of countless lives. Yet here, amid fire and destruction, they could laugh like children again.

When the laughter finally faded, Cain stood once more in human form, molten light reflecting off his eyes. The fire around him had quieted, as if the world itself understood the peace he now carried.

He felt changed—his spirit lighter, his heart unshackled.

He turned toward Zuko and bowed. "Thank you."

The massive serpent inclined its head, eyes gleaming with warmth.

Cain smiled one last time before ascending. As he broke through the clouds, he felt the weight of countless stars pressing gently against him. There were still many old friends and allies he wished to visit—souls who had shaped his journey in one way or another. But time had already moved swiftly. Months had passed since he began this pilgrimage of the heart.

He looked toward the far horizon, where the glow of a new world shimmered faintly. "There will be time for more reunions later," he murmured. "For now... it’s time to move forward."

With that, the Scarlet King set his mind on the next goal, a new Empyrean World.