Cain's eyes glowed with golden and scarlet light as he sensed someone approaching.

His soul and perception failed to locate the figure, a clear indication of overwhelming concealment abilities. Yet despite the intruder's mastery, he could not hide from the Power of Chaos and the Flow. Even so, Cain could only perceive a vague silhouette, which made one thing abundantly clear-the man was extraordinarily powerful.

Of course, the Time Lake was not an entirely deserted place. Though remote, it still attracted warriors seeking enlightenment or recovery. The mere presence of someone did not necessarily mean they were searching for Cain.

That uncertainty vanished in the next instant.

The man's gaze shifted, focusing directly into the depths of the Time Lake-toward the very spot where Cain rested.

Then, their eyes met.

A flicker of surprise appeared in both of them.

Cain was genuinely taken aback. Despite all the measures he had implemented to conceal himself-and the constant warnings usually granted by the Power of Karma-this stranger had found him.

At the same time, the mysterious figure hovering in the sky was equally surprised that the Scarlet King had detected his presence and was already staring straight at him.

Silence reigned.

For a few seconds, the two simply locked eyes, their auras slowly rising. The surrounding space trembled under the invisible pressure, the waters of the Time Lake rippling as if reacting to two ancient forces awakening.

Finally, Cain moved.

With a casual wave of his hand, he collected the Ancestor Drops before flashing upward, emerging from the depths and appearing in the sky. The Sacred Treasure remained hidden beneath his flesh, its presence completely concealed, though it would take no more than a thought to summon it.

Now face-to-face with the newcomer, Cain studied him carefully.

The man was extremely handsome, with long white hair flowing behind him and a third red eye embedded in his forehead-a defining trait of the Royal Blutlinie Race. But what truly stood out were the intricate tattoos covering every inch of his body, glowing faintly with ancient power.

"A Runic Set?" Cain thought, his expression turning slightly somber. Runic Sets were not uncommon in Paradise-after all, this universe possessed a civilization even more advanced than that of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe. However, for a Runic Set to be useful to an Alpha Omega Overgod, it had to be crafted by someone whose skill approached the limits of the Third Realm.

Such masters were exceedingly rare.

Even in Paradise.

Cain did not know what abilities this Runic Set granted, but one thing was certain-this man belonged to an organization far more powerful than the Eternal Soul Kingdom... even stronger than the Immortal Nirvana Kingdom of the Seventh Realm.

"I need to be careful," Cain thought. "But I cannot show weakness."

His eyes turned cold as he took a step forward. Then he spoke, his voice echoing across the sky like thunder.

"Who are you... and why are you coming after me?"

The moment he finished speaking, his aura erupted. The power of

Null Eternum manifested, twisting time across the entire region. A white flame flickered around him, distorting cause and effect itself. The newcomer's expression sharpened.

He felt the influence of the white flames begin to invade his mind- but in the very next instant, his third eye ignited. Blood vessels bulged across his face and scalp like writhing worms beneath the skin as a surge of power exploded within him, shattering the mental intrusion and neutralizing the effects of Null Eternum.

"I am Deniel," the man said calmly, his voice steady and cold. "Third Sword of the Nightmare Sacred Kingdom."

The moment Cain heard those words, his fists tightened.

There were countless kingdoms across the Nine Realms of Paradise- thousands, perhaps tens of thousands. But Sacred Kingdoms were different.

There were only four.

And the reason was simple.

There were only four Sacred Kings of Chaos and Order.

Very few things in existence could make Cain wary-but true Fourth Realm lifeforms were among them.

Advancing a single aspect of one's existence into the Fourth Realm- such as the body or a specific ability-was already an incredible achievement. But becoming a complete Fourth Realm lifeform was something else entirely.

Those beings stood above the laws of the universe itself.

They could create universes.

They could travel through the Emptiness beyond the Universal Wall-

a place where even the mightiest Third Realm entities would perish in days, if not hours.

"What could they possibly want with me?" Cain wondered. "I made sure not to interfere with their affairs. Even Sacred Treasures from

the lower realms are usually beneath their notice..."

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but he quickly suppressed them. His gaze sharpened as he spoke again.

"What could a power as mighty as the Nightmare Sacred Kingdom

want with someone like me?"

Deniel did not hesitate.

"I do not know," he replied indifferently. "Nor does it matter. I was commanded to escort you to the Second Realm."

He paused briefly, his expression turning even colder.

"You have ten minutes to settle your affairs... and come with me."

His tone was absolute.

He was not asking. He was not negotiating.

He was issuing an order.

Whether Cain wished to go or not was, in Deniel's mind, irrelevant.

Once a command came from a Sacred Kingdom, resistance was meaningless. For most members of the Royal Blutlinie, such a decree would spark fury-but in the end, they would bow their heads. No child of Paradise dared defy the Sacred Kings of Chaos and Order.

Cain, however, was not like most.

"And what if I say no?"

His voice was calm-but the intent behind it was anything but.

No one had ever spoken those words in such a situation.

Not until now.

Cain's eyes filled with icy resolve as killing intent surged from his

body. The white flames of Null Eternum roared to life around him,

warping time and space as their power expanded outward.

The sky trembled.

The Time Lake churned violently below.