Only after he returned to the void surrounding the Everstrife Empyrean World did Cain finally allow the façade to break.
A sharp, involuntary tremor crossed his expression, revealing a sense of utter and absolute shock. It took every ounce of his willpower- every shard of discipline forged through countless battles-not to reveal the overwhelming storm raging in his chest when he woke up in front of the powerhouses.
He understood better than anyone the importance of morale and clarity within an army, and so he had forced himself to appear unshaken. But the truth was far from calm; in reality, he was shaken to his core, confused, and full of doubts.
Those emotions, however, did not linger for long. In a single breath, he clenched his fists, and the chaos within transford into a cold, focused rage.
Very few things in existence had the power to truly unnerve Cain, yet the knowledge that soone, or sothing, had taken control of his body and wielded him like a puppet was undeniably one of them.
The mories of the Dark Sky War had been pushed to the depths of his mind, not because he had dismissed them, but because he had known he lacked the strength to unravel the truth behind those mysteries.
Even so, he had never forgotten. The Scarlet King had simply waited, burying his ti until he grew strong enough to uncover the nature of the Absolute Life Form System, of Apex, and of the entity that had seized his body.
When Cain reached the strength of the Alpha-Oga Overgod Rank and gained dominion over cosmic forces, he believed himself far closer to an answer.
This incident shattered that belief. It was a clear, undeniable
indication that he still stood far from the truth. After all, he had no idea how it happened, or if it would happen again.
Cain inhaled slowly, steadying the turmoil in his heart before finally reaching out to the only being who could offer even a fragnt of guidance.
"Apex."
A long, weary sigh echoed in Cain's mind as the System Spirit manifested. "Ahhhh... You really should have been more careful. You ca far too close to having your Primordial Essence corrupted." The weight of those words made Cain fall silent. The last clear mory he possessed was of those dark orange eyes that connected with the core consciousness of the Root, forcing him to blackout.
That gaze had carried enough power to end him outright, corrupting even his True Na. That ant that even if he was willing to give up his Primordial Body, it would not have saved him.
Finally, Cain nodded. He refused to shield himself behind excuses.
"I understand. It... saved , just like during Dark Sky. I won't deny that."
The golden humanoid figure deep within Cain's soul nodded in return, satisfied with his sincerity. Apex remained silent for several seconds, eyes fixed upon the massive gate before them. Only after clearing his throat did he continue speaking.
"I cannot tell you how it happened or why it happened. Nor can I reveal any information about the one who seized control of your body. But I can assure you of this: it will not happen again during your battle with The Root. In truth, you were in imnse danger simply by awakening him. Had you not advanced as quickly and as high as you did, I doubt we would be having this conversation at all."
Cain's gaze sharpened. Apex had not offered concrete details, but the implications were inescapable. The entity that had taken over his body, saved his life, and unleashed such unfathomable destruction
within the Heart of the Root was no guardian angel.
Its intervention was not a promise of protection but a ga of cosmic chance. Each awakening was akin to placing a single bullet into a vast taphysical cylinder and spinning it, never knowing when his luck would run dry.
In a sense, it was a relief to know that it would not interfere in the upcoming fight. Yet countless questions remained-questions about what had transpired inside the Heart of the Root, about the nature of the invader, and about why Cain had been chosen as its vessel. "Apex..." Before he could continue, the System Spirit interrupted him.
"Do not attempt it. I cannot tell you what happened, and you will not be able to use the recordings of the A.I. Chip Module to reveal those
events."
Cain let out a long sigh. The battle inside the Heart of the Root had lasted an exceptionally long ti, and there had been a real possibility that so clue-so faint trace-might have been preserved. But that, too, was denied.
"Can you at least tell the current state of the Heart of the Root? Anything you can share will help plan our next move." Hoping for the next best thing, Cain asked that question.
He already understood the importance of descending into that world-sized tumor. No matter the cost, they had to destroy the decapitated head before it completed its formation and opened the portal for those abominations lurking in the Emptiness.
Silence lingered for several seconds. At last, it seed Cain's persistence earned him a sliver of fortune.
"I can tell you this much: the Heart of the Root suffered imnse damage. Its defenses have weakened significantly, and a couple of its mightiest warriors have perished. Radagon still lives, but he is badly wounded." Apex turned again toward the sealed gate and could feel the oppressive presence pulsing behind it. "And that is all I can say,
boy."
Cain nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "Thank you."
There were not many details, but even these fragnts were valuable. He had personally witnessed the monstrous power contained within the Heart of the Root, a power that dwarfed entire civilizations.
Yet many of its greatest forces remained in incubation, and with its outer defenses weakened and its champions injured or dead, an opportunity had erged-a slim one, but real.
If they moved swiftly, decisively, and without hesitation, they might just have a chance to seize victory.
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