The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2253: Killing a Champion

No one felt the purity of that death more clearly than the eight Champions of the Root as the force washed over them. The instant the dark field engulfed them, they felt their bodies and souls weaken. Their life force eroded, their energy vaporized, and even the very principles that enabled their existence were damaged by the gloom born from the blossomed rose.

They had endured many forms of destruction, but never had they encountered a power that seemed intent not merely on killing, but on unraveling the concept of life itself.

The truth was that even the Red King had not anticipated the sheer potency of the forcefield.

"As expected from the Samsara Lord," A brief flicker of surprise crossed his features before he nodded with respect, a faint glimmer in his eyes. "When it comes to runes of life and death, he stands above all of us."

Throughout the battle, every time the Red King received an attack, a fraction of that damage was consumed by the Rose of Endless Rebirth. From the moment its first petal bloomed, the Death Energy had already been prepared to transform into a weapon.

The Red King could have used that power early on, but he chose not to. Patiently, deliberately, he allowed the gathered energy to accumulate within the rose, hiding the rise in power from his opponents until the moment was right. Only after the combined assault of the three High Lords did nine petals manage to fully bloom—and that was enough.

He did not allow awe or admiration to distract him. The Red King’s gaze sharpened; now was the time for the counterattack.

In a single instant, he appeared before the nearest Champion of the Root. The Zero-State Spear erupted with power as the Death Energy poured through it, pushing the weapon to an entirely new level.

The spear moved with all the strength, precision, and momentum the Red King could muster, bringing devastation that exceeded the Heart of the Root’s regenerative speed. The Champion’s body was torn apart at a pace faster than the Heart could repair it.

Immediately, the remaining Champions attempted to halt him, but just as they reached him, the Red King twisted his body gracefully. The spear elongated and thickened with a pulse of power, sweeping through five of the Champions and blasting them into the distance.

The other two managed to land blows on him, but the Red King drove his body to its limits, enduring their attacks without flinching. He continued his merciless barrage on the first Champion, refusing to give the Heart of the Root even a moment to catch up.

Three powerful figures surged into the Sixth Layer while this happened. The High Lords’ eyes widened the moment they saw the dark field—and widened further when they beheld the condition of a Champion.

They immediately attempted to intervene, but even before they crossed half the distance, the Red King had already erased every last remnant of the Champion’s existence. Nothing remained. Not a cell, not a mote of essence—nothing the Heart of the Root could regenerate. If the Root wished to create another Champion, it would have to forge one from the beginning.

Silence reigned for a single breath as the warriors of the Root processed what they had witnessed.

This was the second time a Champion of the Root had perished, but unlike Emprik—whose death occurred within the Universe Matrix and forced Cain to rely on the Scarlet Throne—this was different. There was no trick, no special ability, no external artifact. It was a clean, overwhelming kill. Pure destruction delivered so thoroughly that not even the concept of the Champion remained.

And that changed everything.

It meant the Red King’s battle power had grown beyond the regenerative capabilities of the Heart of the Root. Their immortality was no longer absolute. No longer reliable. No longer safe.

Unfortunately for the warriors of the Root, there was no time to reflect on this revelation. The Red King did not pause. He twisted his body again and struck the two Champions who had attempted to interrupt his kill. The Zero-State Spear pierced through the chest of one, leaving a gaping void, before slashing downward and cutting the other in half.

Godfrey, Morgott, and Rykard reacted instantly. They lunged forward as one. They could not allow any more Champions to die. Regenerating the existing ones was expensive, but forging new ones demanded cosmic power—power that existed in finite measure. They had no intention of squandering their reserves.

The Red King was forced to withdraw as their combined assault crashed into the place he had stood moments before. Yet his relaxed smile only widened as he felt the potency of the dark field.

Within its radius, the strength and speed of the High Lords diminished significantly. Engaging them became almost trivial; he dodged their blows effortlessly and left deep, grievous wounds that the Heart of the Root could not heal fast enough.

The High Lords did not want to believe what was unfolding before them, but the truth was undeniable: they were in real danger. Even sheltered beneath the Heart of the Root, even with its power flowing through them, they were vulnerable.

The Champions, having regrouped, attempted to join the fray, but their presence did little to shift the momentum. Before, they could fight recklessly, relying on regeneration to undo their mistakes. Now they were forced to be cautious. If the Red King had enough time, he could erase any one of them completely—and unlike before, the Heart could no longer guarantee their return.

Their attack speed faltered. Their confidence cracked. The potency of their strikes diminished.

Even so, they kept fighting. The danger had risen abruptly, but no matter how unique or exceptional the Red King was, he was still a being with limits. His energy reserves would eventually run dry. His stamina would eventually falter. As long as they protected one another and fought cohesively, they believed they could hold out. He could not kill them all with a single blow. That was the assumption that kept them steady.

Or at least, that was what they thought—until the tenth petal fully bloomed. The moment it did, everything changed.