Meylin vanished into thin air just as Cain shattered space, appearing instantly before his chosen target. However, this time, he was not striking a Prima Deity serving under the Lord of Ages. Instead, he materialized directly in front of a massive dark green dragon, one of their supposed allies from Tiamatâs legion.
Shock and absolute terror filled the dragonâs eyes as he failed to comprehend the sudden and unexpected betrayal. Before he could utter a single word or unleash a defensive measure, Cainâs palm already pressed heavily onto his colossal form. Despite the immense strength and size of his draconic body, the dragon found himself utterly immobilized. A wave of devastating gravitational force emanated from Cainâs hand, instantly paralyzing every fiber of the dragonâs muscles and leaving him helpless.
The dragonâs situation deteriorated rapidly as crimson flames burst forth from Cainâs palm, surging into his body with merciless ferocity. These destructive flames ravaged his internal pathways, destroying his energy channels and leaving him completely incapacitated. In fact, the damage was so severe that he couldnât even self-destruct if he desired.
Only now did the rest of the gathered Prima Deities react, their faces displaying clear bewilderment. Confusion and alarm swiftly spread among them; they couldnât understand what had driven Cainâsomeone who had just brilliantly and decisively led a successful campaign against the forces of the Lord of Agesâto suddenly assault one of their own. Such an action seemed tantamount to betrayal, an act that defied reason.
However, just as they were about to voice their protest or move against Cain, they noticed something even more perplexing. The Dragon Empress, Tiamat herself, remained utterly still, observing the scene with cold indifference. She showed no surprise or concern, nor did she offer any assistance to the dragon now writhing under Cainâs control.
"My Queen... please help me!" the crippled dragon pleaded desperately, his voice filled with fear and confusion, using every ounce of strength remaining to reach out for mercy from Tiamat. Yet, the eyes of the Dragon Empress merely hardened further, growing colder and more ruthless, her expression unchanging and merciless.
"Hmph, why would the Empress help a traitor like you?" Cainâs cold voice rang out clearly, reaching every single Prima Deity present.
Shock rippled through the gathered deities upon hearing these words, their gazes swiftly shifting toward the trapped dragon. Despite his desperate attempt to conceal it, his emotional turmoil was impossible to hide entirely. Panic and shock clearly flickered in his eyes, betraying his guilt. While this alone was not irrefutable evidence, it was sufficient to explain Cainâs abrupt action.
The dragon frantically tried to deny the accusations, but Cain had no patience for lies. He had discerned the dragonâs true allegiance long before this momentâback when heâd individually questioned each Prima Deity about their loyalty. During that interrogation, Cain had utilized the full power of The Flow, precisely measuring the emotional responses and intentions of every single deity.
Some, like Bahamut, were fiercely loyal to Tiamat, willing to lay down their lives without hesitation. Others followed Tiamat due to her immense power, respecting and fearing her strength. Even among them, their loyaltyâwhile not as absolute as Bahamutâsâwas genuine to a certain extent.
Yet, when the dark green dragon answered Cainâs question, the subtle presence of falsehood had immediately appeared within his soul, visible only to Cainâs enhanced perception. Since that discovery, Cain had continuously monitored him using the Supercomputer Assistantâs capabilities, intercepting all secret communications he made. Through a meticulous ArchDeity-level analysis, Cain had discovered the dragonâs covert communication with none other than the Lord of Ages himself.
Rather than immediately exposing him, Cain had ingeniously exploited the dragonâs betrayal, intentionally feeding misinformation through him to orchestrate their successful ambush against the Lord of Ages. Now, with the traitorâs usefulness entirely exhausted, it was finally time to eliminate him.
Cainâs eyes glowed ominously as the Scarlet Throne manifested behind him, its colossal gates opening wide to reveal a horrifying realm constructed from the broken, tormented bodies of countless captured Prima Deities. Terrible, anguished wails immediately filled the sky, clearly illustrating the eternal agony awaiting all who entered.
Witnessing the terrible fate awaiting him, an unbearable dread gripped the dark green dragon. He desperately wished to end his own life to escape this eternal torment, but Cainâs destruction of his internal pathways made even suicide impossible.
Capitalizing on this terror, Cain manipulated the myriad Oniric Truths he had mastered, amplifying the dragonâs emotionsâhis fear, despair, and hopelessnessâuntil they reached an overwhelming intensity, deeply penetrating the core of his soul.
At that critical moment, Meylin reappeared above the dragon, her golden eyes blazing with cold determination. Taking a deep, steadying breath, her entire form dissolved into an ominous, ethereal fog, slowly descending and merging with the trembling dragon below.
The observing Prima Deities frowned in confusion, sensing something deeply unsettling about this scene. Initially, they had accepted Cainâs assertion of betrayal, especially given Tiamatâs indifferent response. Yet, they had assumed Cain intended simply to devour or kill the dragon outright. Now, they watched with growing unease as Meylinâs psychic energy began to merge seamlessly into the dragon, penetrating deeply into his very soul.
The dragon shuddered violently, his massive body convulsing uncontrollably. Gradually, the brilliant light of consciousness in his eyes flickered, dimmed, and finally extinguished entirely, only to be replaced moments later by Meylinâs distinctive golden glow.
"Possession...?" one of the Prima Deities muttered quietly, uncertainly voicing the thoughts shared by many others present.
Yet, almost immediately, his companions shook their heads vigorously. This was no ordinary possession. Possession merely involved borrowing anotherâs body temporarily, controlling it from within. However, what they observed now was fundamentally different. The dragonâs entire essence had vanished, seemingly replaced entirely by Meylinâs own identity, as if she had completely rewritten and absorbed his soul.
The dragon that hovered in the air before them now bore Meylinâs consciousness and absolute control, leaving no trace of its previous self. It was as though the Depravita of Pride had been reborn into a new vessel.