There was no hesitation, no trace of fear in Cainâs expression as he threw himself headfirst into the boiling magma of the volcano. Immediately, a vast ocean of chaotic energy assaulted him from every direction, violently wreaking havoc upon his body. The intense, fiery currents of molten rock battered him relentlessly from all directions, attempting to tear him apart at a cellular level.
Fortunately, Ca inâs formidable defenses, coupled with the recent genetic enhancements provided by the Genetic Coder Module, were enough to withstand the devastating pressure and heatâconditions that would have reduced even the strongest Peak Prima Deity into nothing but bones and ashes in mere seconds. Though agony tore through him, Cain pushed deeper, determined not to retreat until his goal was met. The deeper he plunged into the molten heart of the volcano, the purer and more powerful the chaotic energies became.
As he approached the very core, Cain felt it stirringâan elusive force buried deep within his soul and flesh. It was subtle at first, almost imperceptible, but undeniably there. Cainâs eyes narrowed with razor-sharp focus, his heart ignited with unyielding determination. The closer he got to the volcanoâs blazing center, the stronger the resonance with the mysterious Emptiness within him became.
"RUMBLE!!!"
The earth itself shuddered violently, trembling beneath the sheer magnitude of the building eruption. With one final, thunderous roar, the volcano released an unstoppable torrent of magma, sending massive pillars of flame soaring into the sky. Rivers of lava spilled forth, obliterating everything in their path and turning the sky above the Crimsonsky Continent into a blazing inferno.
Across the entire continent, Prima Deities instantly turned their shocked gazes toward the eruption. Confusion appeared on their faces, as the legendary volcano known as One in a Million had just eruptedâtens of thousands of years ahead of its predicted schedule. Although its eruption dates werenât precisely timed, no record showed it ever erupting so prematurely.
Several ambitious Prima Deities began to rise, their eyes gleaming greedily as they turned to the volcano. Where chaos erupted, treasures were almost always to be found. However, before any of them could even approach, a bone-chilling phenomenon occurred.
The sky itself began to shriek, letting out a terrifying, soul-piercing wail as if reality itself trembled in fear. Instantly, every Prima Deity froze in terror. Without hesitation, they all swiftly retreated, racing back to their territories at speeds faster than lightning. They knew all too well what it meant when the sky itself screamedâit was the start of something none of them were equipped to face.
The Divine cultivators, puzzled by the sudden, terrified reactions of the Prima Deities, quickly understood when the sky darkened to a horrifying degree. An unnatural darkness descended, overwhelming and suffocating. Within this darkness burned violent streams of fire, capable of incinerating everything in sight, cleansing the world of all that previously existed.
The darkness and flames quickly merged, coalescing into a terrifying entity that appeared high above the blazing volcano. From this amalgamation of shadow and fire emerged a dreadful being, clad in jagged black armor seemingly forged from molten obsidian and charred bones.
His chest pulsed with a molten, fiery core, casting an eerie crimson glow upon its surroundings. From his broad shoulders sprouted enormous, tattered wings formed of ash and darkness. His face was nothing but a flaming skull wreathed in hair made of burning embers and crowned with twisted, demonic horns.
The entityâs eyes blazed with a malevolent hellfire, exuding endless destruction and dread. Around his feet formed an ocean of flaming skullsâa testament to his dominion over death and annihilation.
He appeared as an ominous deity, a harbinger of flame and destructionâfar beyond the realm of Prima Deities. This horrifying entity was none other than the supreme ArchDeity who controlled the Crimsonsky Continent and the surrounding lands. He was the being whose presence had previously forced Cain to swiftly retreat shortly after his return.
The ArchDeity had spent weeks scanning the continent, searching for the one that made havoc in his domain. Now, his flaming gaze pierced straight into the core of the volcano. His eyes finally settled upon Cain, whose body was struggling against the extreme energies at the volcanoâs heart. Cainâs skin melted away, revealing scorched muscles beneath, indicating he was nearing his physical limits.
The ArchDeityâs flaming eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. Clearly, the young man below was in agony, slowly being torn apart by the chaotic forces within the volcano. If things continued this way, Cain wouldnât survive much longer. Still, the ArchDeity didnât move to assist him.
Even he wouldnât recklessly approach the violent heart of One in a Million, let alone for a stranger who had invaded his territory without the courtesy of a formal greeting. To the ArchDeity, Cain was not merely a Prima Deity but a fellow ArchDeity, and he had not come here to help but demand restitution.
"If heâs determined to kill himself, then thereâs no reason for me to interfere," the ArchDeity murmured coldly. However, greed soon filled his fiery eyes. "Still, I wonder what treasures he has gathered."
Just as the ArchDeity uttered those greedy words, the scorched and battered figure at the volcanoâs core suddenly turned its head upward. Through the blistering pain, Cain managed a defiant smile. The ArchDeityâs flaming eyes widened slightly in surprise as he sensed danger.
In that instant, currents of dazzling white lightning surged forth from every fiber of Cainâs being, converging rapidly toward his forehead. There, the immense lightning formed a star of indescribable power.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"
A catastrophic explosion of pure energy burst outward from Cainâs body, spreading outward with unstoppable force. The eruption instantly shattered the mighty volcano from within, blasting mountains of rock and lava high into the sky. The destructive shockwave surged through the heavens, ripping apart clouds and scattering volcanic debris across the continent.
The ArchDeity quickly shielded himself from the powerful explosion, his expression transforming from greed into astonishment. Such terrifying power had been unleashed in mere moments by the young intruder heâd underestimated.