The battle above the Immortal Nirvana Stronghold in the Eighth Realm was an event that would mark the history of the realm for eons to come. It was the first open appearance of the Scarlet King-the mysterious man from the Ninth Realm-who had tricked the Knights of the Immortal Nirvana Kingdom, captured the Nirvana Crown Prince, and stood alone against the entire might of the realm. In that clash, he accomplished the unthinkable: he slew the Realm Ruler.

In the days that followed that cataclysmic event, an unnatural silence blanketed the Eighth Realm. The Alpha Omega Overgods-beings who once ruled with absolute confidence-vanished into hiding, terrified that the Scarlet King would continue his hunt. Yet no further news came. No sightings, no massacres, no ripples of his terrifying power. It was as if he had vanished from existence entirely.

That disappearance created a power vacuum, and as always, nature abhorred such emptiness.

What came next was inevitable.

Civil war.

The Eternal Soul Kingdom had lost its core members after the deaths of Damian and the Eternal Soul King. Its leadership shattered, its structure fractured-but its capital remained. And within that capital lay countless treasures, ancient secrets, and profound mysteries. These were prizes too great for the other powers of the Eight Realms to ignore.

Soon, factions rose and armies clashed. Alliances were forged and broken in the span of hours. The strong preyed on the weak, and even equals turned against one another in their greed. Blood soaked the land as countless experts fought and died, all seeking to claim the legacy of the fallen kingdom.

While that carnage unfolded across the surface, the Scarlet King

remained hidden at the bottom of the Time Lake.

At first glance, it might have seemed that being engulfed by the sky-blue sun had left him unharmed. But the truth was far more complex. Cain had used the power of Null Eternum to halt cause and effect, delaying the damage and pushing it further along the timeline. He had done the same with the backlash from unleashing two Chaos Arts in a single day.

The result was not the absence of injury-but its postponement.

And the damage was immense.

Fortunately, the power of the Omen of Time had already spread through every cell of Cain's body. The waters of the Time River constantly nourished him, slowing the inevitable collapse and granting him a chance to recover.

Even so, it took a full month and a half before his eyes finally opened.

The moment consciousness returned, waves of pain assaulted him from every direction. His body trembled as agony coursed through his nerves. Being awake did not mean he was healed-not even close.

A faint frown appeared on Cain's face as he analyzed his condition. He clenched his fists, sensing the sluggish flow of his blood and the fractures hidden deep within his flesh.

"It will take a few more months before I return to my peak," he muttered inwardly.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

His Royal Blutlinie Body was undoubtedly his strongest vessel,

capable of stepping into the Fourth Realm with the aid of the Sacred Treasure. Yet when it came to regeneration and recovery, it lagged far behind his other forms.

"My Crimson World's body possesses the life force Scarlet Throne. My Primordial Body has the Samsara Runic Set... but this one..."

A meaningful light flickered in his eyes.

He had already begun devising a path to overcome this weakness-but whether that path would succeed remained uncertain.

Shaking his head, Cain refocused.

With a wave of his hand, eighteen Ancestor Drops appeared before him, each radiating immense power. These drops had been extracted from the Royal Blutlinie beings he had slain-those whose hearts had survived destruction.

"I have spent a long time stabilizing my foundation," he thought calmly. "Through natural cultivation, I have refined it to perfection. I can absorb these without risking weakness or contamination of my Perfect Ancestor Drops."

Nodding to himself, he summoned scarlet flames, forming them into a sphere that enveloped the drops. The fire burned away impurities, refining their essence to its purest form.

As the flames worked, Cain retrieved several corpses and began. devouring them.

They would not directly advance his cultivation, but they were the remains of Alpha Omega Overgods. Even in death, the vitality and energy contained within their flesh were extraordinary-more than enough to accelerate his recovery and nourish his body.

Days passed.

Thanks to the continuous infusion of vitality, his recovery sped up dramatically. His body grew stronger, advancing steadily toward the peak of the Alpha Omega Overgod Rank.

Then, after three weeks, a powerful tremor spread through the Time

River.

A surge of energy erupted from the depths.

Cain's eyes snapped open, glowing with intense light. His heart

pounded like a war drum, each beat sending waves of strength through his body. Every fiber of his being thrived with renewed

power.

A wide smile spread across his face.

Not only had he recovered-he had surpassed his previous peak.

The pressure of his last battle had forced him to push beyond his limits again and again, carving out every ounce of his latent potential.

Now, he was reaping the rewards.

And this was only the beginning.

His gaze shifted to the Ancestor Drops before him. Even after purification, they remained large and potent, a testament to the immense power their previous owners had possessed.

One drop, in particular, stood out.

The one taken from Shakra's heart.

It was nearly twice the size of the others, its energy so intense it

seemed to distort the space around it.

"With this," Cian thought, "I can advance to the Late Alpha Omega Overgod Rank without difficulty... and finally return to the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe."

At that thought, his heart trembled.

It had been years since he last saw his family and friends. He had been

forced into Paradise while the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe was locked in a critical war. He had no idea what had happened since

then.

But one thing was certain.

He had to return.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied his mind.

"Now that I am fully recovered, I should be able to absorb these drops

without issue."

He extended his hand toward one of them-

Then suddenly stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze toward the sky above the Time Lake.