The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Cain twisted his body the instant the golden blast erupted, stabilizing himself in the void. His eyes sharpened as he turned toward the source—and there he saw the figure who had intervened.

A warrior stepped through one of the portals the Universe Will had conjured. He wore ornate, gold-laden armor that shone with divine radiance, every curve of the plates catching the light like a miniature sun. His expression was firm, confident, and resolute—carrying the unshakable poise of someone born on the battlefield.

In his hand rested a massive golden sword, its energy pulsing with a power that rivaled the spear of the Deus Behemoth. Intricate dragon motifs coiled across his armor, emphasizing the overwhelming strength housed within his form.

The golden warrior stared back at Cain, and with a short nod, spoke a single word. "Cipher."

Cain inhaled once, steadying his stance, and returned the gesture. "Cain."

That brief introduction was all the time they had. High Lord Godfrey was already focusing on them again, and although Cipher's blast had hurled him away, it had not intimidated him. If anything, it had provoked him.

Godfrey clenched his fists, the bulging muscle around his arms swelling grotesquely as he launched forward like a comet made of flesh and wrath.

Cain and Cipher moved at the same moment. They both knew that the High Lord of the Root was faster than either of them. The only way to face him was head-on, together.

Cipher slashed his sword, releasing a massive golden arc dense enough to tug at space. The weight and mass embedded within it were so immense it could drag a small world out of orbit. Against any Champion of the Root, it would have been more than enough to halt their advance.

But High Lord Godfrey was something a Champion could not compare to.

Relying on pure brute power, he tore straight through the golden wall of energy and lunged toward Cipher with both fists raised—ready to crush the warrior's skull in one devastating blow.

Before he could reach him, a hand carrying a swirling blue sphere appeared directly in front of Godfrey's chest.

"Sovereign Neutron Star–Collapsing Cannon!" Cain's voice echoed through the void an instant before he triggered the blast at point-blank range.

"BOOOOOOOOOOM!"

A massive explosion tore across existence. Godfrey was blasted away, a burning wound carved into the center of his chest.

Cipher did not hesitate—he flashed into the High Lord's path, appearing just as Godfrey tried to stabilize himself. Raising his sword high, Cipher brought the blade down with such concentrated weight that the strike generated a violent gravitational distortion, twisting space as though a black hole had formed around the edge.

All that accumulated force slammed directly into the High Lord's chest, launching him backward once more.

For the first time, small smiles surfaced on the faces of both Cipher and Cain. Godfrey was overwhelmingly powerful, but together they were managing to push him back.

They did not slow. They flashed forward again—Cain's fist glowing like a miniature red sun on the verge of detonation, Cipher's sword burning brighter and brighter, its radiance trembling the fabric of reality.

They were upon the High Lord, ready to strike a decisive blow—when Godfrey's eyes flared.

All the damage he had taken rippled through his body. His muscles swelled, thickened, and multiplied, becoming even larger and more monstrous. His strength spiked like a violent surge in a cosmic storm.

In a single motion, Godfrey thrust both arms forward, catching Cipher's blade in one hand and Cain's punch in the other. Before either could react, the High Lord slammed them together with such force their bones cracked audibly. A moment later, he hurled them aside like rag dolls.

Cipher was stunned—truly stunned. He had always been considered the peak of his Empyrena World, the strongest and most gifted warrior in its entire history.

This morning began like all the others, when a golden gate appeared. A strange, insistent feeling rose in his soul—someone calling him. It grew stronger and stronger until he could no longer ignore it. And now he found himself at the border of the universe, fighting monsters from beyond the known cosmos.

Unfortunately for the man, there was no time to reminisce, as Godfrey was already upon him again.

The High Lord's right hand swelled grotesquely, growing until it nearly matched Cipher's entire body in size. It came crashing down with thunderous force—so immense Cipher felt genuine fear wedge itself into his chest.

But before the blow connected, Cain appeared between them.

Cain's eyes glowed with golden light as he thrust his left arm forward. His middle and index finger touched the High Lord's monstrous fist—and siphoned its power away in an instant. The energy flowed into Cain's arm, nullifying the devastating strike entirely.

Cain twisted his body, placing himself directly before Godfrey's chest. He raised his right hand, positioning it just beneath the abomination's face.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

A devastating blast of raw energy erupted, detonating against Godfrey's head with overwhelming force. The High Lord flew backward, his body rolling through the void for several seconds before he managed to halt himself.

His condition was grotesque—half his face smashed into pulp, torn beyond recognition. For all his monstrous resilience, even he could not instantly endure the catastrophic force of that strike.

And though Godfrey grew stronger with damage, this wound pushed him past whatever limits he normally transcended. His mutated muscles twitched, attempting to compensate, regenerate, and grow—but they could not. The damage was too extensive.

Then, in the next instant, all his wounds began to heal.

Fungal tendrils crawled across his skull, replacing missing tissue and knitting flesh back together. But the accompanying surge of strength—the terrifying power he usually gained from injury—did not return.

Cain and Cipher exchanged glances, neither of them encouraged by what they saw. Godfrey's strength had decreased, which should have been their advantage, but all of his wounds had healed. In effect, the battle had reset to the beginning—except their own injuries remained.

And things only grew worse.

A deep, resonant cracking echoed from within the Heart of the Root.