The damage to the Neo-Angel's body was so immense that every defense he possessed collapsed. His energy reserves were drained, and even his muscles and bones ceased to resist, shattered by the overwhelming impact.

Cain, too, was at his limit. Unleashing the second level of the Thirty-Three Star technique had driven him to the edge of collapse, yet he did not hesitate to burn his remaining life force and soul essence to ignite one final surge of power.

With a guttural roar, he thrust his hand forward like a crimson spear. His arm tore through the Neo-Angel's radiant chest, bursting from the other side with Bradly's still-beating heart clutched in his palm.

The Neo-Angel's eyes widened, reflecting disbelief and absolute horror. He could feel his divine vitality flicker, his celestial circuits unraveling one by one. Even heartless, an Alpha-Omega Overgod could survive for days, but the damage was too deep, too final. His body was paralyzed, his consciousness drowning in the dying echo of his own divinity.

By all measures, he was defeated, left at the mercy of the Neo-Demon before him. And judging from the cold, almost serene cruelty on Cain's blood-smeared face, mercy would not be part of his victory.

Cain raised his free hand, summoning the aura for The Scarlet Throne, his artifact of domination and absorption. But before it could fully manifest, his eyes widened in alarm. A violent tremor surged through the Neo-Angel's Soul Dimension, its energy growing unstable, chaotic, ready to implode.

"Damn it!"

Cain barely had time to rip his arm free and cocoon himself in his crimson wings before the explosion hit.

The Neo-Angel's self-destruction unleashed a storm of divine energy. The shockwave consumed the Red Forest in a cascade of light, flattening the crystalline terrain.

For several seconds, the area was nothing but blinding radiance.

Then silence.

When the blinding light finally faded, the battlefield was gone. Only a single crimson cocoon remained amid the ruins. Slowly, it unfolded, revealing Cain's battered form within. His Doomsday Incarnation had already dissipated, leaving him scorched and broken, half his body burned.

A flicker of frustration crossed his gaze. He had failed to capture the Alpha-Omega Overgod's soul within the Scarlet Throne. That would have been a monumental gain, not only for vitality, but for knowledge.

But even in defeat, the Neo-Angel had proven the might of his kin. Even heartless, they could will themselves to self-destruction, denying their enemies any spoils. Besides, it was not like Bradly had truly died, since his True Name managed to escape.

Still, disappointment faded into a wry smile as Cain looked down at what he still held: Bradley's heart.

It pulsed faintly in his bloodied hand, glowing with a sacred light that bathed the air in gold. Waves of vitality radiated from it, energy so potent it could have reignited a dying star.

Cain's eyes narrowed. Extending his consciousness into the heart, he sought to probe deeper, to glimpse the Neo-Angel Core.

But as his awareness brushed its surface, he felt the structure collapsing. The intricate patterns that bound the core together were dissolving, eroding rapidly the moment the heart had been severed from its host.

Cain exhaled in resignation.

"I shouldn't be surprised," he muttered. "The Ancient One never leaves his treasures for others to learn from."

He shook his head and let the lingering frustration fade. He would never trade his Neo-Demon Core for that of a Neo-Angel, but the chance to study the fourth Supreme Race in detail would have been invaluable. Their energy architecture was nothing short of divine—perfect order crafted through impossible precision.

"I should be satisfied with victory," he whispered.

With a motion of his hand, the heart was sealed within a crimson cocoon and stored within his space ring. Cain turned to leave, his wings spreading weakly, but then he froze.

A faint ripple stirred the air. His instincts screamed.

Before he could react, a golden projectile flashed through the haze, crossing the distance faster than thought. Cain was too wounded, too drained to evade.

The projectile struck his forehead, phasing through bone and burrowing deep into his consciousness.

For a brief instant, his crimson eyes dimmed, and then the Neo-Demon collapsed, lifelessly falling backward.

From the shadows, a figure approached. His crimson robes rippled softly in the still air, and his eyes, bright as twin red suns, gleamed with power.

It was the Crimson Exarch.

He stopped beside Cain's motionless body, studying it with a mix of respect and cold calculation.

"Well done," he murmured. "Truly impressive. I thought I might have to intervene, but you managed it alone."

His lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. The Red Forest had hidden the battle well, masking it from the eyes of everybody, but not from the holder of the Red Eyes.

The Crimson Exarch knelt beside Cain's fallen form and extended a hand. A sphere of intricate runes—spinning, shifting, alive with forbidden sigils—materialized above his palm.

Without hesitation, he pressed the sphere into Cain's chest.

The runes sank through skin and bone, connecting with the Neo-Demon's heart. Immediately, Cain's body convulsed. His veins bulged; blood poured from his wounds; cracks spread across his skin as his life force and soul force spiraled into chaos.

The Crimson Exarch watched impassively, his expression unreadable. Then he grasped the trembling body and vanished in a flash of red light.

Moments later, they appeared beside a quiet lake surrounded by the crystalline ruins of the Red Forest. The Crimson Exarch laid Cain's broken body upon the water's surface, letting him sink.

A wisp of red aura flowed from the Crimson Exarch's fingertip into the water, sealing Cain's presence and cloaking his aura from detection.

"I hope you survive, brother," he said softly. "If you truly wish to uncover our origin, you'll need more power than the Neo-Demon Race alone can provide."

He turned away without another word, vanishing into the horizon.

The lake was still once more.

Hours became days. Days bled into weeks. Then, nearly a month later, the tranquil lake began to tremble.

Bubbles rose to the surface as the water boiled with crimson light.

From its depths, a figure crawled forth, ashen-skinned and trembling.

Cain gasped, clutching his chest, his expression twisted in agony. His heartbeat was wrong, unnatural. Something inside him pulsed with alien rhythm.

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