Chapter 2593: System... scan me
The stream of golden essence pulsed with overwhelming power and an unmistakable sense of self. It was not merely energy; it was identity itself, the core component of a soul, the primordial spark from which existence takes shape.
This was Primordial Essence, but not just any kind. The force contained within it was vast beyond comprehension, pure to an extreme that defied natural limits, and as soon as it manifested, the entire ruined city began to tremble under its presence.
It hovered high above the shattered landscape, radiating pressure that distorted the environment. Thunder roared without clouds, gravity bent unnaturally, and fragments of stone and debris rose from the ground as if drawn upward by an invisible force. The ruins of the once-mighty city quivered, reacting instinctively to the overwhelming authority of that essence. It was searching, scanning, as though guided by an unbreakable instinct.
The moment it located its target, it did not hesitate.
With a flash faster than thought, the golden stream shot forward and plunged directly into the forehead of the motionless body lying amid the ruins.
Normally, such a process would be slow and dangerous, filled with countless complications, as the fusion between body and Primordial Essence required careful alignment. However, in this case, there was no resistance, no instability, no rejection. The essence merged seamlessly, as if it had always belonged there, as if body and soul had never truly been separated.
Assimilation began instantly.
The Primordial Essence flowed through every inch of the body at a shocking speed, filling muscles, bones, blood, and organs with renewed purpose. It did not take long before every trace of the golden energy disappeared completely, absorbed into the vessel. Then, in the very next moment, the heartbeat began to rise.
At first, it was slow.
Then stronger.
Then overwhelming.
Each beat carried immense vitality, pumping not only blood but raw energy throughout the body. The pulse echoed through the ruined city like a distant drum, growing louder and more powerful with every passing second. Yet this was only the beginning.
A far greater force erupted from the mind.
Cain’s brain, his Sacred Organ, housed his Lucid Dream, the internal realm that served as the foundation of his Ego Eternal Path of Power. From that space, waves of psychic energy began to surge outward, so intense that the ground beneath him cracked apart and the sky above twisted unnaturally.
Power flooded his entire existence.
It rose endlessly, breaking limits, pushing higher and higher until—
His eyes snapped open.
There was confusion within them.
Cain slowly rose from the ground, his movements steady but cautious, as he examined his body. His gaze moved across his hands, his chest, his surroundings. Bit by bit, clarity returned. Memories aligned, awareness sharpened, and the confusion faded, replaced by something far more familiar.
Determination.
Power.
His eyes ignited with scarlet flames as he threw his head back and roared with all his strength.
"ARGHHH!"
A massive pillar of scarlet plasma erupted from his body, blasting upward into the sky and crashing violently against the dimensional barrier that enclosed the area. The impact triggered a colossal storm, sending waves of force across the ruined city, tearing apart what little remained and hurling massive structures into the air.
Cain continued to roar, releasing everything, allowing the full extent of his power to surge outward without restraint. The energy burned, raged, and expanded, shaking the very fabric of the space around him.
Only after several long seconds did the outburst begin to subside.
The storm calmed.
The plasma faded.
The destruction settled.
The ground around him was scorched beyond recognition, and the force of his release had cleared everything in a wide radius. His breathing was heavy, rough, but steady, and slowly, a smile began to form on his face.
He felt it.
His body.
His power.
His existence.
"I am home."
Thrill and excitement surged through his heart, stronger than anything he had felt in a long time. He had faced monsters, annihilated kingdoms, crushed entire realms, and fought against Fourth Realm nightmares within Paradise, all so he could return home.
He was back in the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe!
There were countless things he needed to do, countless matters that demanded his attention, but before taking a single step forward, Cain focused inward.
He analyzed himself.
The battle against the Curse Eater had left him in a catastrophic state, and things had only worsened during his escape from the World Forge, especially after enduring the tribulations of the Universe Will. By all logic, his condition should have been disastrous.
Yet what he found left him stunned.
His body was not damaged.
It was stronger.
Far stronger than before.
"Your confused expression remains funny, brat."
"Apex."
Cain could not help but smile slightly at the familiar voice. After spending so long in a realm where nearly every sentient being was an enemy, hearing something familiar brought an unexpected sense of comfort.
"Welcome back, boy," Apex said, his tone unusually relaxed.
Cain did not waste time.
"You were responsible for the state of my body?"
There were many things he wanted to say, many questions he had, but urgency forced him to focus.
"No," Apex replied immediately. "That was all you."
Cain frowned slightly, but Apex continued before he could ask further.
"Your vitality is absurd. Even after your Primordial Essence left your body, it remained stable. Your instincts triggered survival mechanisms that began drawing in energy from the environment, using the World Strength itself to sustain and heal you."
Cain’s eyes narrowed as he listened.
"Of course, without your consciousness guiding the process, it was extremely slow," Apex added. "It took nearly a year for your body to fully recover. However, the process didn’t stop once you reached your previous peak. It continued, feeding more and more energy into your system, strengthening your body and Sacred Organs, pushing you to the limits of your new potential."
"New potential?"
Confusion returned briefly to Cain’s face.
"The tribulations of the Universe Matrix were not something trivial," Apex explained. "You survived them, and in doing so, your body and soul were refined to a higher level. The cosmic essence of the universe has been engraved into your flesh, your blood, and even your soul force. That is why your Paths of Power have advanced."
Cain’s eyes widened.
An intense desire to immediately analyze his newfound strength surged within him, but before he could act on it, another thought surfaced.
His expression turned solemn.
Without hesitation, he bowed deeply.
"Thank you."
Those words were directed toward the System Spirit.
"If you hadn’t given me the answer, I wouldn’t have been able to cleanse my soul from the Curse Eater’s power. I would have died."
"Don’t worry about it. It was nothing," Apex replied dismissively.
However, Cain knew better.
Throughout his journey, Apex had guided him many times, but there had only been two moments when the System Spirit had directly given him answers instead of advice. The first had been when he was taught about the Power of Order.
Cain could not prove it, but deep down, he felt that Apex had paid a price for those interventions.
Still, since Apex did not wish to elaborate, Cain did not press the matter.
There were more urgent things to address.
His eyes sharpened as focus returned in full.
"System... scan me."
His voice carried power and anticipation as his gaze burned with intensity, ready to witness the results of everything he had endured.
