The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order Chapter 2703: The First Vessel of the Absolute Life Form System

"Tell Apex... I will see him soon."

Cain’s eyes widened.

For the first time in a very long while, a wave of utter and absolute shock coursed through his soul, overwhelming even his usually unshakable composure. He had managed to remain calm when Adam called him brother. He had even restrained himself when Adam mentioned their father and their seemingly intertwined destiny, despite the countless questions those words had raised in his mind.

But this was different.

This was something Adam should not have known.

The Absolute Life Form System was a secret Cain had never revealed to anyone, not even those closest to him. His friends and family knew that he possessed unique abilities and mysterious domains, such as the Samsara Arsenal Module, but they had simply accepted them as another one of the countless mysteries surrounding Cain Laurifer. They knew he was special, yet none of them knew the true origin of his power.

Not even Noah.

Noah had been the first of Cain’s brothers whom he had met, and while he never mentioned it out loud, Cain was certain that Noah knew the origin of the Primordial Essence from which both were born and the identity of their father. Yet even he had never shown any indication that he knew about the Absolute Life Form System.

And now Adam knew.

Adam, a man who had been born billions of years ago.

Adam, the Forefather of Godslayer Humankind.

Adam, someone with whom Cain had never truly interacted until this very day.

He knew about the System.

And, perhaps even more frighteningly, he knew about Apex.

All sorts of thoughts crossed Cain’s mind as he attempted to comprehend what had just happened. The implications were too enormous to process all at once, and every answer seemed to create several more questions.

Finally, Cain took a deep breath.

His overwhelming willpower surged through his soul, forcibly bringing his turbulent emotions under control. He could not afford to lose himself to shock. Not now.

There was only one person who could provide him with an answer.

"Apex..."

Cain’s voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable weight behind it.

"Do you know Adam?"

Whenever Cain asked questions concerning the background of the System, Apex had always remained frustratingly vague. The System Spirit had never willingly revealed anything about its origins, its previous users, or the mysterious existence that had created it.

Cain had not expected this time to be any different.

Yet he still had to ask.

"Adam..."

For a moment, silence filled the depths of Cain’s soul.

Then Apex answered.

"Yes. I know him."

Cain’s pupils contracted slightly.

He had expected another evasive response, perhaps a change of subject or some cryptic statement that raised more questions than it answered. Instead, Apex had given him a direct answer.

The Scarlet King said nothing.

He simply waited.

Deep within his soul, the golden humanoid wore a contemplative expression. His gaze drifted toward the massive gate standing behind him, its surface covered by countless purple fire chains and black and white lightning chains.

The ancient structure remained silent, yet from the cracks in it, a truly ancient and fearsome entity gazed at the golden humanoid.

Apex could feel the warning in that gaze, yet there was no fear in his eyes as he looked away and continued to share knowledge as old as the universe itself.

"Adam was... the first vessel of the Absolute Life Form System."

Cain instinctively clenched his fists.

"The first?"

Those two words carried enormous weight.

Cain had long ago realized that Apex’s original statement about there being multiple potential vessels for the Absolute Life Form System—and that if one vessel failed, the System would simply pass to another—had been a lie, or at least a heavily distorted version of the truth.

For a long time, Cain had even begun to believe that perhaps the System had always belonged to him.

That perhaps he was its sole and destined owner.

Now Apex’s words shattered that belief.

A complicated smile appeared on Cain’s face.

"I guess I am not as special as I thought."

He softly shook his head.

Yet there was no bitterness in his expression.

Instead, determination and solemnity slowly replaced his initial surprise, accompanied by a strange sense of pride.

Cain did not need anyone to tell him that he was special.

His path was proof enough.

His decisions, his struggles, the enemies he had faced, the worlds he had challenged, and the countless impossible situations he had overcome throughout his journey were all evidence that he had forged an existence unlike any other.

Whether the System had chosen him first or whether someone else had possessed it before him did not diminish what Cain had accomplished.

Still, the revelation was deeply disturbing.

It carried far too many implications.

"If Adam was once the vessel of the System..."

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

"Then that explains how he obtained the Samsara Eye."

The Samsara Lord was an existence so mighty and unfathomable that Cain could not imagine Adam simply stealing something from him. Such a possibility seemed absurd.

However, if Adam had once possessed the Absolute Life Form System, everything became different.

He would have possessed the Samsara Arsenal Module.

And if that was the case, Adam would have had access to the treasures and abilities connected to it.

Cain’s thoughts continued.

"He might not possess the System anymore, but there is a chance that he still has..."

His expression became increasingly solemn.

"...the treasures from which the Modules were originally emulated."

Apex had already informed him that the Modules were not the true source of their respective powers. They were copies created by the Absolute Life Form System based upon transcendent treasures that already existed somewhere within the universe.

Every Module had an original.

A genuine treasure.

A real artifact or existence from which the System had reproduced its abilities.

Yet despite Cain’s countless journeys throughout the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe and the Crimson World, he had never found even a single one of those original treasures.

For years, he had assumed that they were simply hidden somewhere beyond his reach.

Now another possibility emerged.

Perhaps he had never found them because some of them had been in the possession of someone who had not set foot within either universe for more than three billion years.

Adam.

The implications made Cain’s expression increasingly grave.

More questions surfaced within his mind, each one adding another layer to the pressure Adam already placed upon him.

Cain slowly looked toward the direction where Adam’s Incarnation had disappeared.

"The Forefather of Godslayer Humankind..."

His eyes narrowed.

"He will be the most dangerous battle of my life."

Cain glanced at his own body before turning his awareness inward, carefully examining the current condition of his soul.

The battle against the Incarnation of the Samsara Lord had pushed him to the very limits of his existence. Although he had recovered a portion of his strength by devouring the Emptiness beasts through the Scarlet Throne, his current state was dire.

"My current power..."

Cain’s expression became solemn.

"...might not be enough."

Lack of confidence could be dangerous.

But arrogance was equally foolish.

Cain knew exactly how monstrous his potential was. He had reached the Fourth Realm in less than a thousand years, a feat that defied common sense even among the most ancient existences of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.

Yet Adam had existed for entire eras.

He had reached the Fourth Realm countless ages ago and had spent unimaginable amounts of time refining and controlling his power.

The difference in experience alone was terrifying.

Cain’s fists slowly tightened.

"I need to grow stronger."

The thought immediately transformed into an unshakable intent.

Unfortunately, it was not that simple.

Cain was now a Fourth Realm entity.

The resources that had once allowed him to advance through the lower realms were no longer meaningful. The laws, treasures, inheritances, and cultivation resources of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe could no longer provide the nourishment necessary for his evolution.

For the first time since beginning his journey, Cain stood at a realm where the entire universe around him was no longer enough.

The most logical path right now was to travel into the Emptiness and wantonly devour every beast he foiud it it. Unfortunately, it was not so easy.

First of all, the Emptiness carried threats that even Fourth Realm life forms could not simply ignore. Not to mention he could simply lose himself in that chaotic expanse.