The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1074: Destruction of the Ekatoe City: Surrender

Boom!!

The deafening roar of the explosion echoed through the air, and a shockwave of blinding light exploded outward in every direction. The sky ignited with a kaleidoscope of colors, each one representing the fury of the elements as three silhouettes were flung across the battlefield, crashing in different areas.

The air was thick with a dangerous maelstrom of energy, crackling and pulsing with destructive power.

Aliceʼs eyes locked onto Leorinʼs energy fluctuations, her instincts sharpened. She tightened her grip on the golden spear, and a surge of overwhelming energy burst forth from her.

With a single, forceful thrust, a vast golden beam erupted.

Ohm!!

The beam shot toward Leorin, moving faster than the eye could follow, closing the distance in less than a second. Leorin, still reeling from the joint attack of the Fourth and Sixth Heads, had no time to dodge.

Alice roared, putting every ounce of strength into her strike. She twisted the spear in her hand, and the air seemed to tear apart as the energy twisted and danced in a chaotic, violent spiral. A dome of raging energy exploded outward, obliterating everything in its path.

Boom!!

Alice hovered in the air, her chest rising and falling with labored breaths as the shockwaves from her attack subsided. The battlefield lay in ruins, unrecognizable after the devastation wrought by their fierce clash.

Her energy was nearly depleted, but she stood firm, her resolve unwavering.

The Fourth Head and Sixth Head slowly rose from their positions, scanning the wreckage, wondering if their combined efforts had finally taken down Leorin.

A heavy silence blanketed the field, broken only by the mournful wail of the wind sweeping across the scarred landscape.

Then, the ground trembled with the crackling of lightning, and someone slowly rose from the rubble.

Alice, the Fourth Head, and Sixth Head frowned as they saw the figure emerge from the destruction.

It was Leorin.

Cough! Cough!

Leorin spat a mouthful of blood, his body riddled with wounds, blood still pouring from his battered form. But his gaze was fierce as he lifted his head and glared at them, the defiance in his eyes unyielding despite the severity of his injuries. ”Really... I never thought it would come to this.” Leorinʼs voice was strained as he turned his head left and right, taking in the situation.

He saw that, aside from the Fourth Head and Sixth Head, Alice and the others were still standing. Even if he managed to take down the Fourth and Sixth Heads, he knew heʼd be too weak to fight the rest.

The realization hit him hard: his defeat was inevitable. ”I surrender now,” Leorin said, his voice low but resolute.

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the battlefield seemed to hold its breath. Alice and the others were taken aback by his sudden declaration. ”What do you mean?” Fourth Head asked, his voice edged with suspicion. He couldnʼt shake the feeling that this might be some sort of trap. ”I meant exactly what I said,” Leorin replied, glancing at the Fourth Head. ”I surrender. I wonʼt fight anymore.”

A tense silence followed as Sixth Head narrowed his eyes. ”How do we know you wonʼt go back on your word?” he asked, skepticism lacing his voice. ”Hmm...” Leorin paused, his gaze sweeping over them. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice steady but laced with the weight of his situation. ”Walfen and Arie have fallen. I guess Iʼm next, so I want to surrender. Even if I were to defeat three or four of you, Iʼd be completely exhausted by then, with no strength left to resist. Itʼs better for all of you if I surrender. If I keep fighting, Iʼll surely take a few of you down with me, and Iʼm sure you donʼt want that, do you?”

Alice and the others fell silent, taking in his words. There was no denying the truth in what he said. If the battle continued, Leorin, despite his injuries, could likely take a few of them down before succumbing to exhaustion. Many lives had already been lost, and no one wanted to add more to that toll. ”Moreover,” Leorin continued, his voice steady as ever, ”Iʼm the Leader of Deso. I still have people to return to. I donʼt want to fall here. Deso is a small organization, and the Deadly Sins simply gave us an opportunity to expand. But you should know this city isnʼt the only one being attacked right now. The Holy Lands are swarmed, dealing with simultaneous assaults in cities all across the continent.”

Leorinʼs eyes darkened, knowing the stakes were even higher than they appeared. The Ruler of Gluttonyʼs war was reaching far and wide, and the Holy Lands were stretched thin. ”Thatʼs why, Iʼll surrender,” Leorin finished, his tone almost pleading. ”I hope youʼll let me go. Or, perhaps youʼd prefer I fight to the death with you?”

If they didnʼt accept his proposal, Leorin knew there was only one option left: to fight. Before exhaustion could take him, he would take down as many as he could.

Noticing their hesitation, he pointed toward the direction where Arden and the Nine-Headed Hydra were clashing. ”You shouldnʼt be worried about me...” Leorin said, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. ”You should be more concerned about that man, Arden. Heʼs a member of the Army of Gluttony, the one dispatched here. Unlike me, that man wonʼt surrender. Heʼll fight to the death, no matter what, just to complete his mission.”

Arden was a fanatic of the Ruler of Gluttony. A Seventh-circle officer of the Army of Gluttony, he was a force to be reckoned with.

After a brief silence, Alice spoke, her voice firm. ”Fine, we accept your proposal.”

Eilish, still unsure, stepped forward and asked, ”Are you sure about this, Alice?” ”Yeah,” Alice responded, though her eyes remained hard. ”I donʼt want to let him go after everything heʼs done, but we donʼt have any other choice. Itʼs better to have fewer opponents with our current condition.”

Alice had already weighed the pros and cons of agreeing to Leorinʼs proposal. After much consideration, she decided that it was better not to fight him to the death, despite how disrespectful it might seem to those who had perished in the battle. No matter what, Alice didnʼt want to add more casualties.

It was more important to focus on the more dangerous opponent first. ”I wonʼt attack any of you,” Leorin continued, his voice steady. ”In fact, Iʼm going to leave this place. Arden will become my enemy now. He wonʼt tolerate my surrender, so heʼll hunt down Deso.”

Fourth Head raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his voice. ”If heʼs going to hunt you, why do you still want to leave?”

Leorin gave a wry smile. ”Itʼs simple. If I donʼt leave now and we continue fighting, itʼs only a matter of time before I fall from exhaustion after killing a few of you. But if I leave now, I donʼt think Arden will be able to follow me since heʼs occupied with that hydra. Iʼll have time to prepare, and if somehow you manage to defeat him, then itʼs a win for me.” Leorin was bargaining on the fact that he was stronger than any of them and could take down a few before he fell. If not for the suppression of the barrier formation, he wouldnʼt have needed to surrender. Unfortunately for him, none of them had found the source of the formation, so he resorted to this tactic.

Alice understood his reasoning, and it was why she agreed to his proposal. ”Then, what will you do now?” the Sixth Head asked.

The others remained silent, still observing Leorin in case he went back on his word. After all, they couldnʼt fully trust him. ”Iʼll wait for an opportunity to leave,” Leorin said, turning his head toward the direction where Arden was fighting the hydra. ...

Swoosh!!

Arden was exchanging blows with the fierce Nine-Headed Hydra. He moved quickly from side to side, dodging the energy beams coming at him.

A magic circle appeared beneath his feet as he raised both hands. [Destruction Meteor]!!

A gigantic flaming meteorite appeared above him, descending rapidly. However, the nine heads of the hydra opened their mouths simultaneously, firing highly concentrated energy beams at the meteorite.

Boom!!

The air vibrated as the meteorite shattered into thousands of fragments.

Arden dashed through the air, narrowly avoiding the falling meteorite fragments. He descended quickly, landing near the hydra, and opened his palm. His energy surged through his body and into his hand.

In the next moment, he thrust his palm forward, releasing a powerful shockwave.

Boom!!

The Nine-Headed Hydra roared as it was pushed back several meters.

Arden quickly realized that the situation was no longer in his favor. Both Walfen and Arieʼs energy fluctuations had disappeared. The two of them must have been defeated. ʼTheyʼre useless... They canʼt even locate the core of this barrier formation,ʼ he thought inwardly.

The situation was still salvageable. If he could eliminate the other threats, he would be able to turn things around. However, doing so would make the others expendable, and he would face punishment for it once the task was completed.

Suddenly, Arden felt something. He sensed Leorinʼs energy fluctuations, and they were close.

Swoosh!!

Arden quickly turned his head and saw Leorin flying toward the giant hole in the barrier. ʼDonʼt tell me...ʼ

His eyes widened as he realized what Leorin was trying to do. He narrowed them again and shouted, ”Leorin, youʼll die! You donʼt know what youʼre doing-”

Before Arden could finish his words, Kessa attacked him. A series of [Bestrou] struck his body, causing a massive explosion.

Boom!!

As the explosion reverberated, Leorin continued flying, ignoring everything happening around him.

Even Ferdin, who had been engaged in battle with Erkigal, was momentarily distracted. He couldnʼt help but glance at the unfolding scene. ”Leorin!” he shouted.

Leorin was about to leave the barrier when something unexpected happened. A loud crash echoed as his body was thrown to the ground at high speed.

Bang!!

Leorin spat out a mouthful of blood as the dust shot up into the air. He had no idea what had happened. It felt as though he had been pushed by a terrifying force, and by the time he realized it, he was already on the ground. ”What happened?”