The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order Chapter 2318 No longer a shark inside a small pond

Cain paused to evaluate the circumstances, unable to suppress the memory of a particular adage regarding fish.

Back in the Crimson World and the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe, he had functioned like a shark confined to a small pond—every motion he made triggered consequences that rippled in every direction. Even the most minor fluctuation of his power caused the laws of those worlds to distort.

Now, however, he had been cast into a vast ocean. Although his power remained unchanged, this new environment was far more capable of enduring his presence. Nothing buckled under his weight. Nothing shuddered. His very existence no longer warped the fabric of reality.

Upon reaching this realization, a profound glint surfaced in Cain's eyes. "The stronger the realm, the more powerful its energy will be—and the more one will benefit from nurturing oneself with it."

Drawing a deep breath, Cain attempted to harness the surrounding energy and pull it into his physical form.

The instant that energy began infiltrating his body, a searing sensation took hold. It felt as though he were channeling liquid fire straight into his skeletal structure. His flesh and Meridians shrieked in resistance, reacting with violence to the alien power, and for a fleeting second, he prepared to halt his circulation technique entirely.

But just as Cain was on the verge of stopping, his True Name vibrated within the core of his being. A mysterious force surged from it, saturating every inch of his form with a stabilizing current. The aggressive rejection evaporated. The energy of Origin Island no longer scorched him or attempted to shred his body. Instead, it began to circulate smoothly through his organs, bones, and soul, providing nourishment to both without further conflict.

"Amazing," Cain muttered, a thrill-filled smile spreading across his face. He could sense the incredible purity of this energy—it was cleaner and more potent even than Origin Power. It didn't boost his offensive capabilities or combat prowess, but it significantly refined the Foundation of his flesh and spirit.

While he felt puzzled as to why his True Name had reacted this way, the enigmatic and supreme nature of True Names made such an occurrence believable. If anything, it was perfectly in line with the incomprehensible authority they wielded.

He didn't waste time pondering mysteries and redirected his focus toward his objective. "Ultimately, I need to find the Eternity Gate and prevent anyone from crossing. However, before that, I must find the others."

Cain lacked the arrogance to believe he could succeed on his own. Though he had failed to clearly see the Neo-Angels due to the visual blurring of their auras, he had sensed their souls, and many were significantly more powerful than he was. Cain alone would not be sufficient against such entities.

Regrettably, locating the others would be a challenge. His sensory and scanning abilities were drastically inhibited in this location. He couldn't even transmit a message, not even via the Scarlet Sun sealed within Meylin's soul.

However, those weren't the only powers at his disposal. In the next moment, he manifested the Flow and the Power of Chaos. These too were dampened by the dominating rules of this dimension, yet they expressed themselves with much greater stability than his other skills, as if their core nature was in harmony with the laws governing this realm.

This was excellent news. Even if he couldn't pinpoint their exact coordinates, he could detect the general path leading toward his companions.

Without further delay, Cain began his journey forward. Although time was his adversary, he moved with caution. He analyzed his surroundings incessantly as he ventured further into the island. Origin Island was populated by flora of stunning beauty—massive trees, glowing vines, and leaves like crystal—all seemingly sustained by transcendent laws and energies. Yet, despite the magnificent views, Cain couldn't shake a lingering sense of peril. Every stone, every leaf, and every breeze seemed capable of slaughtering any life that didn't belong here.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he stopped in his tracks as a bizarre creature emerged from between the giant trunks.

The being that appeared was nearly five times his height, possessing a bloated blue body, a small horn protruding from its forehead, and crude crosses carved into its chest. Its expression was the most disturbing part. It was smiling, yet the smile was hollow. Its eyes were devoid of consciousness or purpose—vacant and unfocused.

"It resembles a lobotomized patient," Cain whispered, unable to ignore the resemblance.

Before he could analyze the creature further, it lunged toward him, kicking up the earth. Cain dodged the strike with ease, his eyes following the deep crater left by the monster's impact.

The monstrosity didn't relent. It continued its pursuit, unleashing a sequence of physical strikes saturated with killing intent, all while maintaining that vacant grin as if its emotions had been hollowed out. After observing for several seconds, Cain’s gaze sharpened. He had collected enough data.

"It relies solely on physical power, but I can feel the energy of this dimension flowing through its flesh and blood. Its battle power matches that of an ArchDeity."

The implications were easy to grasp. These beings seemed to be guardians—soulless and mindless. Their lack of intelligence suggested they were low-ranking defenders. Yet, if even the lowest rank possessed power equal to ArchDeities, then the higher tiers of this realm’s hierarchy would be terrifying beyond words. Having finished his assessment, Cain blurred forward and struck the creature's chest once. He could have obliterated it, but he chose to merely paralyze its nervous system. In the following breath, he invoked the Scarlet Throne, seized the creature by its head, and threw it into the living construct.

The Scarlet Throne immediately commenced the dismantling of the monstrosity, absorbing its energy, life force, and a vast portion of its soul. However, as the process reached the final shred of the creature—its core essence—the Throne suddenly stalled. Then, his body began to shake violently.

Cain was reminded of the time he tried to devour the Power of the Root. This reaction was almost identical. The essence that sustained this creature, the spark that granted it life, existed at a level that exceeded the Scarlet Throne's current limits. It couldn't be assimilated without help. Fortunately, much like in the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe, a crimson force radiated instinctively from the center of the Scarlet Throne, modifying its structure to accommodate the alien energy and allowing the consumption to proceed. Cain regained his composure, although a look of concern remained on his face.

He could sense that spark propelling the Scarlet Throne toward a higher tier. But acknowledging that growth did nothing to diminish the peril he had just encountered. This was merely a wandering guardian—thoughtless, mindless, a biological shell—yet it could rival an ArchDeity. Furthermore, its essence had nearly overwhelmed his most potent devouring ability.

"This place is really dangerous," Cain whispered. The ocean he had entered was far deeper than he had envisioned—and its depths were prepared to drown anyone who proved unworthy.