Chapter 1694: A wolf among sheep

“Retreat!”

The moment the Prima Deities under the Divine Sea Heaven camp heard that word from the white stag Deus Behemoth, their expressions darkened with frustration and seething indignation.

These warriors took the Endlessdeath Continent as their home and the core of their wealth and power. Now, each footfall of retreat felt like a personal defeat, a dagger twisting in their pride.

Of course, once the war was over, the political tides would shift. For Prima Deities, survival usually meant retaining status no matter who won or lost. Yet, until that day, every loss weighed heavily—resources pillaged, strongholds conquered, dignity shattered.

Still, no matter how bitter the reality, they were weaker this day. Weaker, and forced to yield. Shooting hateful glares toward their enemies, the Prima Deities of Divine Sea Heaven turned their backs, following the white stag away from the battlefield, their retreat heavy with rage.

In stark contrast, the forces of Divine Calamity Heaven were ablaze with thrill and triumph. Smiles cracked across the faces of Zoro and the other Prima Deities from the Everlife Continent. Victory was theirs.

Yet, as they savored the sweetness of conquest, a shared understanding passed silently between them. A large part of this victory wasn’t due to pure force—it was because of Cain Laurifer.

Cain’s earlier intelligence reports had been instrumental. Thanks to his maps and analyses, Zoro’s forces had bypassed countless traps, avoided dangerously cursed zones, and struck deep into enemy territory with precision.

They forced Divine Sea Heaven into unfavorable terrain, cutting them off from reinforcements and defensive formations. Cain had even delayed and wounded one of the Endlessdeath Continent’s strongest Prima Deities—a feat that helped turn the tide long before today’s battle had even begun.

“Establish a perimeter. Send the Divine Masters’ army to investigate the terrain and harvest anything of value,” Zoro commanded without delay. His voice rang clear through the cold air, and the Prima Deities around him nodded quickly, eager to transform their battlefield success into material gains.

Meanwhile, Deus Behemoth and his Prima Deities traveled for several tense hours across the Endlessdeath Continent, silent save for the occasional rumble of rage radiating from their souls. Eventually, they reached a tranquil river, its waters gleaming like a silver blade beneath the blood-red sky.

But the peace did not last.

The suppressed fury of the retreating warriors ignited the sky. The calm surface of the river churned into violent whirlpools as storms formed both above and below, driven by their bitter energies.

Yet amidst the roiling fury, Deus Behemoth remained eerily composed. His face was a mask of serenity, betraying nothing. But deep in his eyes, a storm of fury and wrath brewed, barely contained by sheer willpower.

His mind churned with dark thoughts, replaying the disastrous loss again and again. Slowly, his gaze sharpened—and locked onto Jarkal.

Without a word of warning, Deus Behemoth unleashed his Ego Wave and Soul Force, flooding Jarkal’s body, piercing past his defenses, reaching for his very mind.

A flash of rage flickered across Jarkal’s eyes—but in the next instant, he lowered his head and offered no resistance, allowing the stag’s probe.

Inside, Cain remained perfectly calm, even as he thought to himself, “He’s sharper than I expected. His instincts are screaming that something is wrong.”

Cain knew he had to behave exactly as the real Jarkal would: proud, defiant, but ultimately obedient to authority.

Around them, the other Prima Deities shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances. They hadn’t expected such an invasive move. True, Jarkal’s delay and weakened battle performance were suspicious, but he had explained everything perfectly. His aura, his personality, and even his energy frequencies all matched the man they had known for years.

Deus Behemoth, however, didn’t care what others thought. His instincts roared warnings too loudly to ignore.

He continued scanning deeper, testing Jarkal’s genetic makeup and soul signature. Yet no flaw revealed itself. The genome was perfect. The soul frequencies aligned. Every trace of energy matched what Jarkal had always radiated.

Finally, a deep frown marred the white stag’s otherwise stoic face. His instincts told him that something was wrong, but his logic found nothing tangible to grasp.

He couldn’t just detain one of his own Prima Deities without proof—especially not during an Omega War.

Still not satisfied, Deus Behemoth took another route.

“Tell me everything that happened between you and Cain Laurifer. Then bring me to the battlefield.”

His tone was cold, absolute.

Cain—still masked in Jarkal’s form—responded immediately, his voice laced with respectful annoyance, the perfect imitation of the real man’s gruff demeanor.

“Of course, Lord Michael.”

That subtle hint of irritation was deliberate—and it worked. It reassured the other Prima Deities, reinforcing the belief that this was truly Jarkal, frustrated but loyal.

Cain carefully recounted every fabricated detail: how he encountered Cain Laurifer, how they clashed, how he wounded the Scarlet King but lost track of him afterward. His tale was flawless—no inconsistencies, no contradictions.

Together they flew to the site of the supposed battle.

When they arrived, Cain had already altered the terrain subtly—scorch marks, shattered stones, residual energy traces—creating a perfect crime scene for the fabricated story.

The Prima Deities scoured the land with divine senses.

Everything fit.

Every piece of evidence matched the narrative.

The Deus Behemoth stared long and hard—but finally, he had no choice but to nod.

He could do nothing more.

“Return to your homes and rest. Recover your strength. We lost today. We must do better next time,” the white stag ordered flatly.

His words carried no inspiring tone—only cold, grim truth. Motivation was unnecessary. Survival was the only priority.

With a final glance at each other, the Prima Deities dispersed, flashing away across the scarred skies.

Cain, still hidden behind Jarkal’s visage, maintained a perfectly stoic mask as he returned to Jarkal’s residence. Yet inside, he was bursting with triumph.

“Hahaha! I did it!”

He couldn’t help but laugh internally.

His plan had succeeded beyond expectations.

He had not only secured full autonomy from Divine Calamity Heaven but had now infiltrated Divine Sea Heaven’s forces as one of their highest-ranked powerhouses.

Cain Laurifer was now positioned in both Omega-Tier organizations.

A predator among prey.

A specter lurking inside two armies.

He was in a perfect position to consume everything they had.