The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2378: Mayhem in the Everstrife Empyrean World (II)

For a brief moment, Markin clenched his fists.

He was an Alpha-Omega Overgod, a being worshipped across countless small worlds, yet no matter the command, he had no choice but to obey. The humiliation burned deeply within him, but that was the price of selling one’s soul to the devil.

Such a pact granted immense power, but in exchange, ownership was eternal. Once bound, one belonged to the master forever.

"Let’s just finish this and return," Markin said coldly. "I don’t know how long Sozing’s cloaking treasures will keep us hidden, and I doubt you want to test their limits."

Kaizer immediately nodded in agreement. Neither of them wished to linger even a second longer in this place, since if the Scarlet King found them, they were as good as dead.

Without wasting time, the duo retrieved a set of strange crimson boxes. According to Sozing, these treasures were capable of scanning entire regions and planting hidden runes that interfered with surveillance, disrupted spatial perception, and severed communication. It made perfect sense—Sozing intended to isolate the Scarlet Crown in preparation for the attack that would take place years later.

Yet the moment Markin and Kaizer poured their energy into the boxes, their expressions froze.

Spikes burst forth violently.

Metal pierced flesh as the spikes drove straight through their palms, pinning their hands to the boxes. Pain assaulted their bodies, but what followed was far worse. An overwhelming soul force erupted from the artifacts, flooding their limbs, burrowing into their cores, and surging directly toward their minds and egos.

Kaizer was the first to fall.

The light in his eyes vanished as something else seized control of his body. Markin resisted for a few seconds longer, his will flaring desperately, but it was futile. Soon, he too lost control. The two leaders of Empyrean Worlds became nothing more than puppets, their bodies manipulated by the boxes.

Things only grew worse for the duo as they were forced to feed the boxes with their life force and soul essence.

The crimson artifacts devoured them like ravenous beasts.

In mere moments, Markin and Kaizer were reduced to skeletal figures, their skin clinging tightly to bone as if every ounce of energy, muscle, and vitality had been drained. Yet the sacrifice was not meaningless.

The boxes opened.

Countless eyes stared outward from within.

At that very moment, Cain was in the midst of his training when his eyes snapped open. His pupils sharpened as he looked toward the sky, instantly locking onto the skeletal forms of Markin and Kaizer.

Shock rippled through him.

They had invaded his world without triggering a single alarm.

There had been no fluctuation, no warning, no disturbance.

Cain immediately discarded those thoughts as thousands upon thousands of figures erupted from the crimson boxes in the hands of the duo. Every single one of them was a True Depravita.

Some took the forms of dragons, others resembled griffins, while many bore humanoid shapes. Yet they all shared one terrifying trait—they burned like shooting stars, their very existence screaming destruction, as if they were prepared to annihilate themselves in a single, catastrophic assault.

"An open assault..." Cain muttered.

His eyes hardened instantly.

Without hesitation, Cain destroyed the weapon he had been practicing with, suppressing the explosion of a failed tribulation as he activated Resurrección. Chaos Wings burst forth from his back, radiating overwhelming authority.

Just as he was about to rise and intercept the falling Depravitas, Cain glanced downward.

The land beneath the Scarlet Crown began to glow.

Countless runes manifested across the continent, generating an overwhelming gravitational force that latched onto the floating city. The pull was absolute.

Every being at the Prima Deity Rank and below was slammed to the ground, unable to move. Even ArchDeities found themselves unable to rise into the air. Worse still, the gravity was so immense that it began dragging the Scarlet Crown downward.

If the city fell, not only would everyone within the continent perish, but the impact would obliterate all life below the ArchDeity Rank inside the Scarlet Crown.

"After so much refinement, after nourishing itself with the energy of countless powerhouses," Cain realized grimly, "the Scarlet Crown has become an Alpha-Omega Overgod Treasure... and yet it still cannot overcome this gravitational pull."

That alone told him everything.

This was no simple attack.

"It’s happening."

The Tenth Empyrean World was making its move.

Cain suppressed every emotion within his heart, entering a state of absolute clarity. Whoever orchestrated this move was undoubtedly a Lord of the Tenth Empyrean World, and a very powerful one, much stronger than Azazel.

Without wasting a second, Cain appeared above the floating city. His energy surged outward, anchoring the Scarlet Crown and fighting directly against the crushing gravity. At the same time, his Chaos Wings expanded, growing larger and larger until they enveloped the entire city like a colossal shield.

The first barrage of True Depravitas collided.

"BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!"

Explosions echoed endlessly across the sky as the Depravitas detonated upon impact with the Chaos Wings. Each blast forced the Scarlet Crown downward, inch by inch.

Cain clenched his teeth, pouring everything he had into stabilizing the city while resisting the gravitational collapse. This was the limit of what he could do alone.

Fortunately, he was not alone.

While the gravitational force prevented even ArchDeities from ascending, there were those within the Scarlet Kingdom who surpassed such limitations.

Four figures rose into the sky.

They carved bloody paths through the ocean of falling True Depravitas, their power tearing through the enemy ranks with terrifying ease. Violet, golden, white, and dark streams of authority surged upward, reaching the highest sky.

Their gazes locked onto Markin, Kaizer, and the crimson boxes.

These four were none other than the True Primordial of the Void and the three Knights of the Scarlet Throne.

They were just as shocked by the sudden assault as Cain had been. But they required no explanation.

Markin and Kaizer were feeding the boxes from where the True Depravitas emerged, so they had to die.