Chapter 2337: Cain vs the Ancient One
Cain stood silently before the semi-transparent gate, confusion tightening his expression. The structure before him radiated an ancient authority, its presence heavy with meaning far beyond his understanding. Yet what unsettled him most was not its power, but its connection to him.
He had been born in the World Forge of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe less than five hundred years ago. By all logic, there should have been no connection between him and the Eternity Gate—a structure billions of years old, perhaps as ancient as the Crimson World itself. And yet, the Scarlet Throne within him resonated with it, responding as if the two shared the same origin.
"How do the questions just keep piling up...?" Cain muttered, releasing a long sigh.
The more he learned about the Crimson World, the more mysteries emerged. First had been the Sacred Dimension of the Red King, which reacted violently to his presence. The statue in the sky had shattered, granting him a second chance—one that had saved his life in the Eighth Ring.
Then there was his brother, the Crimson Exarch, a man Cain had never met, yet one who shared the same Primordial Essence. And now, standing before the passage that led to the domain of the King of the Crimson World, Cain could feel the Scarlet Throne react with deep familiarity, as if both were governed by the same fundamental principles.
Cain gazed at the Eternity Gate and felt, with quiet certainty, that many of the answers he sought lay beyond it.
But he also knew something else.
Once he crossed that gate, everything would change.
Determination hardened his gaze as he stepped forward. He had already made his decision. As for exactly what it was, only he knew.
The moment Cain placed his foot onto the second step of the pyramid, a torrent of insight and knowledge surged into his soul. Unlike the First Realm, which had baptized him in raw energy, this time the knowledge belonged to the Second Realm, making things harder.
However, the Scarlet King was not overwhelmed by its energy. The Matrix of the Second Realm had nurtured him repeatedly due to Cain’s awakening of more than a dozen Oniric Truths within its domain. Using those truths as anchor points, Cain unraveled the remaining insights and assimilated them steadily.
It took him over two hours, but when it was done, the knowledge fused seamlessly into his being. His True Name was further nourished, and the evolution of his Neo-Demon Core advanced once more.