The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2528: Artificial trust

Soon, three pillars of energy erupted into the highest reaches of the sky, their radiance so overwhelming that every Royal Blutlinie on the battlefield—regardless of allegiance—turned toward them in unison.

Silence fell for a fleeting instant.

Then tension surged.

There had been no decisive victor in the clashes below. The battlefield of Royal Blutlinie remained in chaos, neither side able to claim dominance. And so, everyone understood the truth without needing to say it aloud:

Whoever won this battle... would decide the fate of the war.

That realization pushed every warrior to the edge.

High above, the auras of the three figures—Red King, Nirvana Crown Prince, and Eternal Soul King—rose higher and higher, climbing beyond previous limits until the very fabric of space trembled under their pressure.

Then—

They moved.

Like comets streaking across the void, the three shot toward one another.

Cain’s plasma wings flared violently, each beat releasing waves of power. The white plasma surrounding him grew denser and denser, distorting space-time itself as it twisted around his body.

The Nirvana Crown Prince burned like a star of rebirth. His flames shone brighter with every passing second, and the skeletal frame of a phoenix manifested around him—an ethereal armor forged from his Ancestor Power.

And Shakra...

The Eternal Soul King smiled.

A wide, ferocious smile.

He burned every iota of power within his Ancestor Drop, summoning more and more colossal Soul Beasts. Some were so vast that they rivaled planets in size, their mere presence warping the battlefield.

He held nothing back.

There was no need to fear backlash.

Not when victory was within reach.

Once this battle was won, he would have time—plenty of time—to recover before ascending to the Ninth Realm and completing his Sacred Treasure.

The three forces collided.

And carnage erupted.

Cain moved first.

His wings flapped sharply as he dodged the crushing strike of two colossal Soul Beasts. Before he could even stabilize, a third appeared directly in his path.

His eyes narrowed.

Borrowing the momentum of the Endless River of the Flow, he surged forward, his hand extending like a blade.

A single motion.

Clean.

Precise.

The Soul Beast split in two.

Not far away, the Nirvana Crown Prince fought with terrifying ferocity. His strength was overwhelming—raw, brutal, undeniable. With his spiritual talons, he tore through Soul Beasts as if they were nothing more than fragile constructs.

His Ancestor Power granted him a physical might that bordered on the impossible, seemingly surpassing even the Half-Step Fourth Realm.

But even he—

Was not untouchable.

He had barely crushed two Soul Beasts when Shakra appeared.

The Eternal Soul King emerged through the remains of a dissipating summon, his movement seamless and lethal. His fist drove forward, slamming directly into the Crown Prince’s chest.

The phantom phoenix flared in defense, absorbing part of the blow—

But not all.

The impact sent the Nirvana Crown Prince hurtling through the air, blood spilling from his lips as his body spun uncontrollably.

Shakra did not pursue.

Instead—

He turned.

His gaze locked onto Cain.

There was something new in his eyes.

A hint of understanding.

As if, in the midst of battle, he had begun to grasp something about the Red King.

But that realization did nothing to diminish his killing intent.

If anything—

It intensified it.

He moved like a storm.

Cain had just blasted away a Soul Beast and evaded another when Shakra appeared before him. The Eternal Soul King’s leg lashed out in a perfect kick aimed straight at Cain’s face.

It was flawless.

Unavoidable—

Or so it seemed.

At the final instant, Cain’s eyes burst with golden light.

His body twisted in an impossible motion, narrowly evading the strike. The force of the kick carried Shakra forward—

But before inertia could betray him, a new Soul Beast materialized beneath his foot.

Using it as a foothold, Shakra pivoted midair and unleashed another kick.

This time—

There was no escape.

Cain raised his arm instantly, condensing the Light of the Flow into his defense.

The kick landed.

His entire body trembled as the force surged through him, and he was blasted backward like a projectile.

Before he could regain control—

A Soul Beast appeared behind him.

Its jaws opened wide.

And swallowed him whole.

Gasps spread across the battlefield.

The Knights of the Immortal Nirvana Kingdom felt their hearts sink as dread gripped them.

Had the Red King... fallen?

But before fear could take root—

The Soul Beast convulsed.

A pulse of power erupted from within.

Then—

It exploded.

Fragments of its body scattered across the sky as Cain burst free, his figure emerging from the destruction.

He was alive.

But not unscathed.

His breathing grew rough, the effort of that escape costing him more energy than he cared to admit.

Shakra smiled.

And advanced again, his army of Soul Beasts surging forward with him.

But halfway through—

He frowned.

A familiar presence returned.

The Nirvana Crown Prince.

Bruised. Bloodied. But still standing.

"It seems he can suppress his wounds," Shakra muttered coldly.

Then the battle exploded once more.

This time, it was different.

Cain and the Nirvana Crown Prince fought together.

Side by side.

They burned every ounce of power within their bodies, clashing against Shakra and his endless tide of Soul Beasts.

At first, their coordination was rough.

Imperfect.

But with every exchange, it sharpened.

Their movements aligned.

Their timing synchronized.

A rhythm began to form.

Again and again, Cain placed himself in harm’s way—intercepting the most dangerous attacks, shielding the Crown Prince from lethal blows.

Trust...

Was not something easily built among Royal Blutlinie.

Their very nature drove them to devour one another, to rise by tearing others down. Like sharks in the womb, competing before birth.

And yet—

Something was changing.

Each time Cain acted without hesitation, a faint scarlet glimmer flickered in the Nirvana Crown Prince’s eyes.

Weak.

Subtle.

But growing.

It crept into his mind, reshaping his instincts.

Their combined strength began to rise.

Faster than either had expected.

To the point where—

For the first time—

It felt possible.

Victory.

Together, they launched a coordinated assault against Ragnarok, the strongest of the Soul Beasts. Their combined strike blasted the colossal creature apart, clearing a direct path to Shakra.

In that fleeting opening—

Cain spoke.

"Create an opening," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "And I’ll unleash my strongest attack."

The Nirvana Crown Prince heard him.

And in that instant—

The scarlet light in his eyes ignited.