The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2380: The Dark City

The moment the hand made contact with Cain’s head, a violent current surged through every particle of his being. It managed to pierce his Lucid Dream and strike the Alter-Ego with a power that seemed to defy reality.

Right at that instant, something seemed to break within Cain’s soul and ego.

In less than a heartbeat, his eyes widened in shock as he felt it.

"My powers as a Dreamwalker... severed."

The realization struck like a blade.

That single fact carried terrifying implications. Without his Dreamwalker authority, he could no longer send his True Name beyond the bounds of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

"If I die now... my True Name will cease to exist."

The danger and finality of that truth drained the light from Cain’s eyes. What replaced it was something far colder—an abyssal stillness that reached an unprecedented depth. His aura erupted instantly, flooding sky and earth alike. Even the suicidal True Depravitas froze mid-descent, their twisted instincts overwhelmed by primal terror.

"What a monster..."

The Immortal Knight felt that horror more clearly than anyone else. Yet even then, he did not falter. His eyes ignited with red light as a vortex of the same color manifested around both of them, consuming their figures in an instant.

Shock flashed through the eyes of the True Primordial of the Void and the Knights of the Scarlet Throne as Cain vanished completely. Not a trace of his presence remained anywhere within the Everstrife Empyrean World.

"Damn it!" Anark roared.

Rage exploded from him as he drove a punch forward. A massive wave of violet destruction tore through the final layer of Shooting Star True Depravitas and crashed directly into Markin and Kaizer. The impact sent them tumbling through the air, blood spraying, bones shattering, the crimson boxes still nailed to their hands.

The Godslayer Human and Atrox were barely clinging to life.

Another strike would have ended them.

Unfortunately, Anark never got the chance.

The red boxes shuddered violently, then expanded in an instant, swallowing Markin and Kaizer whole before vanishing completely. Hatred and fury burned in Anark’s eyes. Cain’s disappearance weighed heavily on him, yet he could not sense the Scarlet King at all.

And that was not the only problem.

Even with Markin and Kaizer gone, the Scarlet Crown remained in grave danger. Numerous True Depravitas were still descending, Cain’s Chaos Wings no longer shielded the city, and the gravitational formation continued dragging it downward.

Thoughts raced through Anark’s mind, but hesitation was not an option.

In less than a second, his gaze sharpened. Now that he was no longer surrounded by an ocean of True Depravitas, Anark teleported directly beneath the floating city and unleashed his power.

The Scarlet Crown was just a few seconds away from crashing into the landmass, so the True Primordial of the Void was forced to increase the size of his body and stop its descent with his back and shoulders.

At the same time, Leonidas, Bael, and Amon burst into motion. They flashed back onto the surface of the Scarlet Crown, tearing into the remaining True Depravitas with merciless efficiency. Though powerful and numerous, the creatures were designed as single-use weapons, utterly incapable of standing against the Knights of the Scarlet Throne.

Within minutes, the trio had crushed, cut, and incinerated every last True Depravita spawned from the crimson boxes. Once the immediate danger was neutralized, they turned their attention to the gravitational formation.

Upon reaching the ground, the trio channeled the power of their souls and psychic energy, and they dismantled it layer by layer.

Without the crushing pull, the Scarlet Crown stabilized and resumed its natural floating stance. Those inside slowly rose from the ground, their bodies still trembling from the immense pressure they had endured.

Leonidas, Amon, and Bael immediately flashed back to Anark’s side. Their expressions were grim, uncertainty heavy in their eyes. Given his power and the trust Cain had placed in him, Anark was naturally the second-in-command of the Scarlet Kingdom.

His brow furrowed deeply as he weighed their options.

"Since you three are unharmed," Anark said slowly, "Cain is still alive."

The Knights nodded. As Knights of the Scarlet Throne, their souls and egos resided in the Scarlet Throne, so their presence acted as the Scarlet King’s proof of life.

"The problem," Anark continued, "is where that man took him. If Cain were anywhere within the Everstrife Empyrean World—or even the surrounding void—I would be able to perceive him. But I cannot."

Now that Cain’s survival was confirmed, finding him became the sole priority.

Without wasting a moment, Anark summoned the highest echelon of the Scarlet Kingdom to devise a plan. He was the strongest among them, but strength alone did not guarantee wisdom. Even if it did, collective insight would make the path forward far clearer.

---

A vast city stretched beneath a starless sky.

Towering buildings and massive skyscrapers rose into the darkness. At first glance, it appeared ordinary, yet closer inspection revealed unsettling anomalies. The night sky was completely devoid of stars, casting an unnatural, absolute darkness over the city. Even stranger, the streets were empty—utterly devoid of life.

It was a place frozen in silence, as if abandoned by existence itself.

Then, a red vortex tore open the air.

Two figures emerged.

The Scarlet King and the Immortal Knight appeared simultaneously, in the same position that they had back in the Scarlet Crown.

Without hesitation, the last traces of red energy in the Immortal Knight’s eyes exploded outward, generating a devastating shockwave that blasted Cain away. The Zero-State Spear was ripped from his head as he was hurled through the city.

Cain smashed through one building before finally embedding himself in the wall of a second.

The impact echoed across the empty city.

Slowly, Cain lifted his head. His eyes narrowed as he felt the weight pressing down on his body. His presence alone carried more mass and energy than an entire world, yet the material of the building had withstood his crash.

His gaze sharpened.

"Where am I?"