Chapter 2620: Back to the Ouroboros Cult
Chapter 2620: Back to the Ouroboros Cult
Cain could not help but smile as he stood upon the highest level of the Scarlet Throne, his eyes reflecting the countless cultivators meditating before their Evolved Scarlet Stars.
It had taken time, effort, and an immense amount of energy, but he had finally succeeded in helping thousands of cultivators forge their Chimera Wills. Now they sat in silent concentration, harmonizing with those entities and learning to wield the terrifying power hidden within them.
Of course, the Nine Empyrean Suns Alliance possessed tens of thousands of warriors who entered the battlefield whenever a new skirmish erupted. Yet most of them were low-level fighters whose strength could only truly shine through Runic War Avatars. They were also the first to die whenever something went wrong.
Thankfully, the destruction of the Worlds of the Root had changed the nature of the war. There was no longer any need for weak warriors to throw themselves against endless tides of cannon-fodder abominations. Instead, those soldiers would remain behind, cultivating and growing stronger until they possessed enough power to survive the horrors awaiting beyond the void.
From now on, only those gathered within the Scarlet Throne would march into battle against the nightmares seeking to devour the Nine Empyrean Suns Alliance.
They were the elite among elites.
“An army worthy of standing proudly even during the First Era.”
Cain’s eyes glowed with excitement as he clenched his fists. Seeing his people grow stronger filled him with genuine satisfaction. His gaze soon shifted toward two young men standing not far away.
Both bore a striking resemblance to him.
One had silver stars rotating around his forehead like a celestial crown, while the other possessed eyes shining with golden light capable of piercing through flesh, blood, soul, and even reality itself.
They were his sons, Rylanor and Magnus.
Both had already reached the ArchDeity Rank, and their battle strength was nearing the limit of that realm. Naturally, they would stand at the forefront once the invasion of the fallen Empyrean Worlds began.
At that moment, the two stood before their Evolved Scarlet Stars with solemn expressions, their consciousness linked to their Chimera Wills as they sought harmony with those beings. Only after achieving true resonance would they be able to call upon their Chimera Will’s true name and unleash its unique powers.
Cain knew the battlefield was unimaginably dangerous. Yet how could he shelter his sons while asking others to risk their lives?
If they possessed the strength to fight, then they had the right and duty to stand beside everyone else.
Of course, Cain intended to give them every possible advantage, just as he would for every warrior who entrusted their life to him.
“The Runic Formations are already top-tier, and the Runic War Avatars have evolved into Alpha Omega Rank constructs. They also experienced powerful Tribulation Enhancements that healed old wounds and refined every ounce of their talent. Even their cultivation techniques have undergone incredible refinement.”
Cain nodded to himself as he analyzed the army’s growth. The warriors of the alliance had not wasted a single moment while he journeyed across Paradise and fought impossible battles.
Yet his expression soon sharpened.
“They are still lacking in terms of bloodlines, though that can eventually be improved. But that is not their greatest weakness.”
His eyes narrowed as he examined the equipment wielded by the warriors.
Noah had already used the [Samsara Arsenal Module] to help the strongest powerhouses acquire extraordinary treasures. However, each artifact demanded an absurd amount of Fortune, allowing only a dozen or so of elites to truly benefit while the majority remained equipped with substandard gear.
Even those who had received Samsara Gifts lacked proper armor capable of increasing their resilience. Most relied heavily on regeneration and recovery abilities, which was an extremely dangerous approach during prolonged battles.
Cain himself had never cared much about equipment. The Primordial Body granted him such overwhelming durability that ordinary treasures had become nearly meaningless to him long ago.
But not everyone was blessed with such monstrous endurance.
Luckily, Cain already possessed an idea capable of solving this problem.
The memories of the First Era resurfaced in his mind.
After ensuring that everything inside the Scarlet Throne remained stable and that his presence was no longer immediately required, Cain turned around and left the realm.
The next instant, he vanished.
His figure flashed through the Everstrife Empyrean World at terrifying speed before appearing above an endless ocean. Without hesitation, he dove downward, crashing through the waves and descending deep beneath the sea until he reached an underground cavern.
The place was ruined and desolate, yet Cain recognized it instantly.
This had once been the entrance to the Ouroboros Cult, a terrifying organization from the First Era whose inheritance still endured.
Cain glanced toward the shattered portal with an annoyed expression.
He was the one who had destroyed it.
Back then, he had been forced to break the portal apart while escaping from Legion, the monstrous entity born from the hatred, envy, greed, lust, and countless negative emotions of the ancient cultivators who once ruled the realm.
Cain had always intended to return one day.
Unfortunately, he had never been strong enough to force his way back inside.
Now things were different.
Golden light erupted within Cain’s eyes as he gazed beyond space-time itself, piercing through layers of reality until he found the hidden dimension where the Ouroboros Cult remained concealed.
Using brute force would have been foolish. Such an action could trigger ancient failsafes capable of destroying the entire realm.
Fortunately, Cain no longer needed to rely solely on brute strength.
The next second, his entire body shone with dazzling golden radiance before vanishing completely.
Although he still lacked the power to travel through the Endless River physically across universes, he had become powerful enough to traverse dimensions within the same universe.
Within moments, Cain appeared in the skies above the hidden realm of the Ouroboros Cult.
What he saw made him frown deeply.
The first time he had laid eyes upon the citadel, it had resembled an eternal fortress capable of surviving through endless eras. Its towers had pierced the heavens, and its walls radiated majesty and invincibility.
Now, half of it lay in ruins.
Massive sections of the citadel had collapsed into shattered debris. Entire districts were consumed by cracks that stretched across the landscape like scars left by an apocalyptic battle. The once-pristine towers now leaned precariously, while rivers of dim crimson energy leaked from broken formations and fractured arrays.
Even the sky itself looked wounded.
Storms of distorted energy churned above the realm, releasing flashes of dark lightning that illuminated the destruction below.
“It was not really surprising. After all, there was no way Legion would simply lie down while the citadel tried to destroy him.”
Cain muttered those words before shrugging his shoulders.
“I suppose I should be grateful the destruction was only this severe. I do not think the armory or the other core regions were destroyed.”
Cain did not waste time dwelling on those thoughts. The next second, he unleashed the full power of his mind and soul alongside the capabilities of the [A.I. Chip Module], analyzing every inch of the Ouroboros Cult.
His consciousness expanded across the shattered dimension like an endless tide, sweeping through ruined towers, fractured halls, broken formations, and ancient battlefields scarred by the clash between the citadel and Legion.
He intended to take everything the cult had left behind.
Every inheritance.
Every treasure.
Every formation.
Every weapon and tool capable of helping him wage war against the forces of the Tenth Empyrean World.
And once again, the answer was not brute force.
Cain certainly possessed enough power to ravage the entire city and seize everything through sheer might. If he truly unleashed his strength, he could likely tear the dimension apart within hours.
But doing so would come at an enormous cost.
At least half of the treasures and inheritances hidden within the realm would be destroyed in the process. Ancient formations would collapse, delicate records would vanish, and priceless artifacts could be lost forever.
That was a waste Cain simply could not afford.
Especially now.
The war against the Tenth Empyrean World demanded every possible advantage.
So the answer became obvious.
He needed to take control of the dimension itself.
A realm as massive and sophisticated as the Ouroboros Cult, one designed to test and guide those who entered it, was guaranteed to possess a central control core. Somewhere within this ruined citadel existed the heart of the entire dimension, the mechanism capable of governing every formation, restriction, and inheritance hidden inside.
And Cain intended to claim it.