Chapter 1779: Elder brother and sister

Book 18 – Imperium and Original Sin

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In the same realm that held the colossal black hole and the ominous, frozen city at its core, there sat an old man with a peaceful expression on his face. He rested upon a stone dais, surrounded by an ever-present mist of stilled time and shadow. His eyes were closed, as if in meditation, when suddenly they opened—revealing twin abysses of endless night, vast and formless. Slowly, he turned his head to the left, as if sensing something.

The very next moment, a figure appeared beside him.

It was a man—if such a title could be granted to something so colossal. Gargantuan in every sense of the word, this being stood taller than mountains, larger than worlds. This was no mere incarnation, no avatar cloaked in illusion. This was his true form—immense, awe-inspiring, and saturated with so much raw power that he could effortlessly crush moons in his grip and cradle stars in his hands.

And yet, despite that overwhelming might, the giant fell to one knee and bowed his head with deep reverence to the old man.

"Master," the titan said, his voice like thunder over broken stone, "we have sealed the Eye of Death and slain the Eye of Life. The Origin Power of their Eternal Kingdoms is now ours to use in forging your dominion."

The weight of those words could have sent shockwaves across the entirety of the Second Realm. The death of two Archites and the absorption of their Eternal Kingdoms’ core powers was an event capable of plunging civilizations into despair. Yet the old man merely gave a small nod, as if the news were no more important than the changing of the wind.

The giant was not surprised by this reaction. He understood his master better than most. For an entity like him, the destruction of Eternal Kingdoms was a triviality—a stepping stone toward a far grander vision. This was merely the beginning of something far more profound.

After a brief silence, a meaningful light appeared in the eyes of the colossal man. He remained still for a moment, clearly contemplating something, before finally speaking again.

"By the way, Master... we’ve received news from the lower realms—about Cain Laurifer, the Scarlet King."

The report of two Arch-Deities falling and their Eternal Kingdoms being seized had barely stirred the old man. But at the mention of that name, his eyes widened, and his body shifted ever so slightly. He turned sharply to face the giant, his gaze sharp as a blade.

"Speak," he commanded, his voice low but brimming with urgency.

The titan, though taken aback by his master’s sudden intensity, obeyed without hesitation. He relayed everything they had gathered.

He spoke of how Cain had reached the Second Realm and, within the span of less than a single year, had marched into the Chaos Beyond the Realm itself. How he had infiltrated the Divine Kingdom of the Sun Lord, and how, through a cunning plan, he’d used Tiamat’s presence to fend off the Lord of the Void. He described the arrival of Meylin, whose power rivaled Cain’s own—an entity capable of severing the link between Divine Kingdoms and their Prima Deities.

And most remarkably of all, he revealed how Cain not only defeated the Sun Lord but had seemingly sealed him within the palm of his hand. How he had absorbed the Sun Lord’s Oniric Truth and seized control of his Divine Kingdom. And, finally, how he had secured an alliance with the Lord of the Void himself.

"Hahahahahaha!"

The old man’s laughter erupted like a sonic boom, breaking the sky above them. It shook the void and sent ripples through the very foundations of the frozen realm.

"Good. Good!" he said, his voice vibrating with delight. "Not even twenty years have passed, and already his name spreads like wildfire across the Crimson World."

He turned his eyes to the kneeling titan, a small smile forming at the corners of his ancient lips.

"Your elder brother and sister are advancing much faster than I anticipated."

The giant blinked in surprise. It was the first time he had heard his master refer to Cain and Meylin in such personal terms.

"Master," He asked, curiosity in his massive voice, "are the Scarlet King and that woman also your disciples?"

The old man was no ordinary being, but the Demon King himself, the supreme Prima Depravita, and he nodded with a faint grin.

"The boy could be considered a half-disciple. But it is more accurate to say he is... family. As for the girl, she is my disciple—my first, in fact."

He paused, staring at the giant with eyes that saw through souls and time alike.

"While her raw strength cannot yet match yours, Atlas, her advancement along the Depravita Path is far beyond what you’ve achieved."

Atlas clenched his fist tightly, his eyes narrowing. But there was no envy in them. No bitterness. Only burning determination. He did not desire to pull his sister down—he wished to rise above her, to surpass through growth, through evolution, through relentless pursuit of the peak.

The Demon King saw all of this in his disciple’s eyes. A wide, approving smile formed on his lips.

"Your path is more difficult, Atlas. You are older, more entrenched in your form. But you are advancing quickly. Do not stop. Push forward, and you will evolve."

"Yes, Master!" Atlas roared, his voice shaking the air.

Then, as if suddenly reminded, he spoke again.

"Master, should we send someone to the Second Realm to assist my brother and sister? I could go myself, if you allow it. Helping them establish their Eternal Kingdoms would be easy. The powers in the Second Realm are not a threat to me."

The Demon King immediately shook his head.

"Challenge and adversity are essential for evolution—especially in your sister’s case. The Second Realm is not so dangerous that they cannot overcome it. Let them struggle. Let them bleed. That’s how true strength is born."

He paused, his smile fading, his tone darkening.

"Besides, we need all our power here—for our next move."

Atlas’s eyes gleamed with dangerous anticipation. A powerful will to battle surged through him, mixing with a killing intent so pure that even the void seemed to shrink away from it.

"Are we doing it?" he asked, his voice low and filled with restrained fury.

The Demon King’s expression turned vicious. The land beneath them froze. The sky cracked with unseen pressure.

"Yes," he said, a savage glint in his ancient eyes. "We are going to drag that bastard out of the shadows—and I will devour his soul."