The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2322: The Enlightened One vs a native

The forest near the pond trembled for several minutes as trees fell and boulders collapsed, due to the explosive battle taking place, but eventually, silence returned.

At the center of the destroyed battlefield stood the violet-eyed man. His breathing was rough, and clear signs of exhaustion marked his face, yet his gaze remained steady.

He lifted the unconscious body of the Neo-Angel by the neck with one hand. After one final glance across the surroundings—and seeing no one approaching—he flashed into the distance, carrying Bradly’s limp form.

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The Enlightened One moved across a rocky, ash-covered terrain beside an active volcano, with a solemn expression fixed on his face. He had already encountered several dangers since arriving, each more severe than the last, and it seemed the deeper he advanced into Origin Island, the deadlier the threats became.

Still, not everything was grim news. Shortly after his arrival, his cultivation had finally pushed forward. After over a billion years, he had broken through the ArchDeity Rank and become an Alpha-Omega Overgod. The timing could not have been better; had he not evolved, he doubted he would have survived this place for long.

Golden light glowed within his eyes—the full might of the Flow guiding him—as he followed the vibrations and frequencies left by his comrades. At the same time, he kept a sharp focus on the fractured and burning terrain around him.

Openings in the ground frequently released bursts of scorching gases, steam, and sulfur, any of which could melt his flesh with ease. Traveling beside an active volcano was undeniably perilous, but he had detected a familiar presence in this direction. Although he could not identify who it belonged to, he knew with certainty that it did not belong to a Neo-Angel, and that alone was enough to push forward.

Unfortunately for the Enlightened One, just as he was halfway through leaving the volcanic region, his eyes sharpened, and he turned to the side. Something was rising from the zenith of the volcano—a humanoid figure completely engulfed in magma hot enough to burn him to the bone. The molten shape descended and landed a few hundred meters ahead of him.

A shockwave erupted from within the lava, blasting it away and revealing the figure of a beautiful woman with violet eyes. Her white hair was swept to one side by the force of the energy surrounding her. She wore a sleeveless, high-collared outfit that balanced elegance and combat readiness. Her expression was calm yet unyielding, and her gaze carried an inquisitive sharpness as she focused on the Enlightened One.

"Who are you, and with whom did you come?" she asked.

The Enlightened One drew a deep breath as he focused on her, the Flow vibrating as he attempted to discern her nature. A native? She definitely isn’t part of the Life Path, nor does she resemble a Neo-Angel.

The woman’s violet eyes narrowed. "Life Path... Neo-Angels. What do you mean by those terms?"

The Enlightened One’s eyes widened. In that instant, his senses sharpened—she was reading his thoughts. He immediately emptied his mind of everything except her image and the need to escape.

The power of the Flow exploded inside him as he searched for a route out. He was no coward, but she seemed stronger than he was, and while he would not hesitate to risk his life fighting Neo-Angels, there was no point in wasting it battling natives.

His goal in this place was not to kill or conquer, but to reach the Eternity Gate and stop the forces of the Freedom Path from crossing it, and that he would do.

Without hesitation, the Enlightened One flashed to the side, golden light bursting from his legs and propelling him forward at a staggering speed. But the violet-eyed woman caught up to him with effortless ease. Her palm opened like the point of a spear as she thrust it toward his neck.

Just as the strike was about to land, the golden light in the Enlightened One’s eyes surged violently. He moved at the perfect moment, dodging the attack, then grabbed her arm, twisting her body midair and sending her flying.

Displaying extraordinary martial skill, the woman regained control instantly and landed in a battle stance. Still, her eyes widened, filled with wonder and a flicker of confusion.

"You knew where my attack was going before I made it," she said softly. The next second, her gaze sharpened. "You are not one of us. How did you do that?"

The Enlightened One had no intention of explaining the powers of The Flow. He resumed fleeing at full speed, racing across the treacherous terrain. Unfortunately, despite her surprise, the violet-eyed woman immediately pursued him again—and once more caught up effortlessly.

He clenched his teeth, doing everything he could to neutralize her attacks while still maintaining forward momentum. But the Flow’s ability to predict her movements was failing him; she could read his mind and anticipate his counters before he even executed them.

"BOOM!"

A deafening explosion resounded as her palm strike landed squarely on his chest. His body felt as though his bloodstream had frozen, and he crashed across the ground, rolling through rock and ash. Gritting his teeth, the Enlightened One forced himself back into a battle stance. A staff manifested in his hands, and he swung it toward the incoming woman.

But she glided around the weapon with fluid precision, closing the distance again. This time, her hand became as sharp as a blade, slicing across his chest before she delivered a ferocious kick to his ribs.

The Enlightened One slammed his staff into the ground to halt his momentum and regain control. But before he could move, pain coursed through his body, and the cut the women left in his chest burst into a torrent of blood.

She had managed to carve wounds across every important blood vessel in his chest.

He clenched his teeth as wounds pulsated with every breath. His expression tightened, as it was clear just how much danger he was facing.