"RUMBLE!"
Cain clenched his fists, his knuckles glowing faintly with power, as the combined might of the three Archdeities descended upon him like a divine mountain. Even with the full power of his evolved Alter-Ego and the endless ocean of psychic and spirit power granted by the Scarlet Throne, the pressure from Divine Calamity, World Breaker Azan, and the Lord of the Last Step Marcus, was overwhelming, steadily forcing his aura backward.
But Cain did not yield.
His eyes flared with radiant determination. He could feel the countless gazes of those fighting beside himâthousands of warriors laying their lives on the line for his vision. He felt the intent of billions across the Empyrean World, channeling their energy into the great formation that allowed his forces to remain strong and fight opponents that surpassed them in number. He could ignore the voices of fate and prophecy, ignore the complaints and criticism of trillions, but he would never turn his back on the will of those willing to die for his dream.
"Seventh Gear."
He didnât shout it. He didnât roar. He simply spoke, and yet his words cracked the sky. The clouds spiraled outward. Lightning flashed. A cosmic storm awakened within his heart, enhancing every facet of his being. A literal ocean of World Force surged through his veins, elevating his strength to impossible levels.
"RUMBLE!!!"
The tremors beneath the continent intensified as Cainâs aura pushed back against the combined pressure of the Triumviratum. Inch by inch, he reclaimed the sky until finally, a stalemate was established in the heavens above. The oppressive tide was halted.
There was no decisive victor, but the warriors of the Scarlet Path looked upward with awe and pride. Their leaderâtheir kingâstood firm against three Archdeities. To match such power was a feat that placed Cain among the most supreme entities in the entire Everstrife Empyrean World!
High above, Divine Calamity gritted his teeth with such force that he tasted metal. He had known Cain was growing stronger, but to see it now, to feel it firsthand, only deepened the sting of past humiliation.
World Breaker Azan and the Lord of the Last Step adopted solemn expressions. Their once-arrogant confidence faded, replaced by cold precision and sharpened focus. They had heard rumors from Divine Calamity about the Scarlet Kingâs powerâbut had dismissed them as exaggerated excuses for failure. After all, how powerful could someone not even two centuries old truly be?
Now, standing before this blazing sovereign, they realized the truth: the Scarlet King was not just as powerful as legend saidâhe was even stronger. The aura of Cainâs willpower, the piercing clarity in his eyes... this was no ordinary man. He was not the type to forgive. They had invaded his land, attacked his people, and now there would be no retreat.
They would have to kill him and erase his soul from existence, unless they want to spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders.
Cain could feel it. Their killing intent had shifted into resolve. They now understood who he was and what he would become. But his response was a simple, cold smile.
The feeling in his heart matched theirs.
He would kill all three. He would feed their souls to his throne, along with all who followed them, and use the remains of their civilizations as fuel to build his empire.
Their clashing auras rose higher, denser, heavierâuntil they reached a zenith that caused nearly a tenth of the Everstrife Empyrean World to tremble. Mountains cracked. Oceans surged. Storms ignited across the land as the world groaned under the weight of divine will.
And thenâwithout warningâthey vanished.
No mortal eye could follow their movements. When they reappeared, they were already atop one another, mid-strike.
World Breaker Azan attacked with overwhelming force. In each of his four arms, he wielded different weapons: twin bastard swords, a massive mace, and a colossal cubed hammer. Each weapon glowed with a doomsday aura, twisting the fabric of reality with every swing. These were not mere weaponsâthey were catalysts of cataclysm.
Cainâs eyes glowed with blinding intensity, channeling the full power of The Flow. Every weaponâs path, every ripple of energy, was revealed to him in exquisite clarity. He did not retreat.
He advanced.
White flames emerging from his Rebirth Heart enveloped his forearms as he intercepted the twin swords with sheer skin and bone. A deafening shockwave echoed across the sky as the blades struck his fleshâbut they didnât break through. Cainâs body endured them.
Azanâs eyes widened in disbelief.
"How can his body be this durable?" the thought crossed his mind.
But he did not falter. He followed through, swinging his mace and hammer at Cainâs waist in a crisscross pattern meant to pulverize his core.
Yet Cainâstill holding the twin swords at bayârotated his body upward with inhuman flexibility and landed a brutal kick squarely under Azanâs chin. The impact detonated a shockwave of white fire, laced with the might of a Rank 12 Entropy Supernova Star.
Cain had used his Primordial Eyes to find the World Breakerâs weak point and infused the strike with Entropy Force, unraveling all defensive energy in his path.
Under the stunned gaze of gods and mortals alike, Cain sent Azanâone of the mightiest Archdeities known for his unshakable strengthâflying.
But Cain had no time to celebrate.
A glint of golden light sharpened in his eye. He twisted his spine at an impossible angleâjust in time to avoid two daggers aimed at his neck, blades honed to sever his spinal cord and carotid artery in a single thrust.
The Lord of the Last Step appeared like a wraith, emerging from the cloak of Azanâs aura. His eyes widened as Cain evaded his fatal blow, despite his presence having been completely masked.
Still, he wasted no time. His form blurred into raw energy, shifting instantly to avoid Cainâs counterpunchâa glowing fist laced with the devastating might of entropy.
Cain clicked his tongue in frustration as the Lord vanished once more. But before he could pull his arm back, a spear of revolving gravity exploded into his chest, sending him crashing across the sky like a comet.