The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1079: Destruction of the Ekatoe City: Last Resort

Outside the city. ”Sister!!”

Eilan froze in shock as he saw Amanda carrying his sister. He rushed forward, his eyes darting anxiously over Eilishʼs fragile state. ”No! Why?”

Tears streamed down his face, unstoppable and overwhelming. Though his memories remained incomplete, and his bond with Eilish was faint, his heart felt unbearably heavy. The sorrow was inexplicable, yet deeply visceral, as if some buried connection was wrenching his soul apart.

Amanda looked at Eilan, her expression somber. She understood his turmoil-this pain, this moment of helplessness. ”Itʼs too much...” she said softly. ”The entire city has collapsed. The Messenger of Gluttony appeared, and... Souta-” she hesitated, her voice faltering. ”Souta lost control. He will now face subjugation.”

The future felt bleak.

Amandaʼs gaze swept over the survivors huddled nearby. Despair etched every face. Only a few thousand had managed to escape, those fortunate enough to have been near the city gates when the catastrophe began. For now, they clung to life, but the weight of loss pressed heavily on them all.

As for those living in the heart of the city, most of them perished.

The once-prosperous Ekatoe City was reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye. ”Amanda!!”

Amanda turned sharply at the sound of someone calling her name. She saw a woman with green hair, dressed in a lab coat, sprinting toward her. ”Isabella, whatʼs wrong?” Amanda asked, concern flashing across her face. ”Have you seen Alice? I thought she was with me, but when I turned around, she was gone!” Isabellaʼs voice trembled with worry. ”No, Alice isnʼt here...” Amanda replied, scanning the crowd of survivors. After a moment, she added, ”Maybe sheʼs somewhere else.” ”Iʼve already checked the other areas, but I still canʼt find her.” Isabella shook her head, the knot of unease in her chest tightening.

Among the survivors gathered near the other city gates, Isabella had seen Gragas, Eztein, Franklin, Vashno, Torkez, and even some of the monsters that had fled the city. Yet, there was no trace of Alice—not in this group, nor in any of the others. The absence gnawed at her, filling her with a growing sense of dread.

Realization struck Isabella like a bolt of lightning. Slowly, she turned her gaze back toward the ruined city. ”Donʼt tell me...”

The weight of her thoughts sank in. Only the Nine Heads of the Dragon Council had stayed behind to reduce the devastating energyʼs impact on those outside the city. ”Iʼll go back to the city,” Isabella declared resolutely before dashing away. ”Donʼt-!” Amanda called out, reaching out a hand to stop her. But Isabella was already gone. ...

Above the city, near the gaping hole in the barrier formation, chaos reigned.

Arden grinned wickedly as he clashed with three warriors from Athenaʼs Champion. His laughter echoed, sharp and mocking, as his eyes flicked to Souta.

Souta was locked in a fierce battle with the Chief Captain and the rest of the warriors. The clash of energy and steel filled the air. ”Ehe, it seems my mission here is complete,” Arden sneered. ”The Blood Lightning Monster has lost control and will soon be subjugated. Pity about the Messenger, though-heʼs perished. Guess that means Iʼll face punishment when I return.”

His tone was casual, but his eyes glimmered with a twisted satisfaction.

Arden unleashed a powerful shockwave, forcing the three warriors to retreat momentarily. He didnʼt follow up with another attack; instead, he soared higher into the sky. ”Youʼre not getting away!” one of the warriors shouted.

The trio quickly recovered and shot into the air, hot on Ardenʼs trail.

Swoosh!!

Arden glanced back at his pursuers before increasing his speed, his thoughts drifting to the plans of his God.

The Gluttony had established a base in Fengdu, within the Immortal Land. After that, his God departed, leaving no clear destination. Only the Gluttony himself knew his next move; even his most trusted subordinates were left in the dark. The situation in Fengdu had been entrusted to the Gluttony Army, but Arden was certain his God had far grander plans in motion.

He had glimpsed part of the strategy-a targeted strike near the Holy Land Olympus. However, the full scope of the operation remained elusive. Other leaders were in charge of different regions, and Ardenʼs knowledge was limited to scattered fragments.

All he knew was that the Gluttony Armyʼs reach was vast, currently waging war on tens of thousands of cities across the continent. ...

Bang!!

A powerful shockwave rippled outward as Trander and his subordinates launched a relentless assault on Souta.

Trander weaved left and right, narrowly dodging the streaks of red lightning crackling toward him. His grip tightened on his sword, determination blazing in his eyes.

Swoosh!!

A massive spider limb descended from above, aiming to crush him. Trander swiftly stepped back, raising one hand to fire a concentrated ray of energy. Without hesitation, he followed up with a swift slash of his sword.

Boom!!

Behind him, the other warriors closed in. They flanked Souta, plunging their weapons into him with precision and force.

Soutaʼs immense strength allowed him to hold his ground, but the combined attacks of several powerful warriors began to take their toll. Wounds riddled his body, and only the insane regeneration granted by the combined King and Queen Parasite kept him alive. Even so, his defenses had been shattered multiple times. Blades pierced him from all directions as his enemies sought to immobilize him, each strike further pushing him to his limits.

Boom!!

The intense energy explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the air, its devastation palpable even from dozens of meters away.

Despite the violent storm of energy, Alice didnʼt falter. She pressed forward, bracing herself against the crushing pressure surrounding her. It was overwhelming, but she refused to stop. Clutching the [Vajra Sword Saya], she forced herself to take another step forward.

Argh!!

A sharp, metallic taste filled her mouth as blood welled up. The violent energy was tearing at her skin, peeling it away layer by layer. The pain was excruciating, but Alice pushed through. She had to. There was no other choice. She had to try everything before it was too late. Gritting her teeth, her gaze locked on the figure ahead, and she screamed, ”SOUTA!!!”

Trander turned his head at the sound of her voice. His eyes widened as he saw Alice approaching, her body battered but unyielding, as she endured the relentless energy storm with sheer determination. ”What are you doing here?! The energy radiation here is far too strong! You canʼt stay here!” Trander shouted, his voice sharp with urgency.

Alice paid no heed to Tranderʼs words. She pressed on, enduring the crushing pressure that grew heavier with every step. Her grip tightened on the vajra sword, even as her blood dripped steadily onto the ground.

ROAR!!!

Soutaʼs deafening roar pierced the air as his energy surged wildly. Red lightning crackled across his body, and the warriors surrounding him struggled to hold him in place. His wounds closed almost instantly, and the spider limbs on his back regenerated with horrifying speed.

A wave of violent energy erupted, sweeping outward and slamming into Alice. The sheer force caused the blood vessels in her body to rupture.

Ugh!!

She coughed up a mouthful of blood, her body trembling under the immense strain. The pain was unbearable, and being so close to the epicenter meant she bore the brunt of the energyʼs destructive force.

It wasnʼt just Souta. Trander and the other warriors were also radiating immense energy, their combined pressure suffocating and relentless.

Argh!!

With a desperate step, Alice closed the distance and stood in front of Souta. Her outstretched hand trembled. The skin was gone, exposing raw, bloodied flesh that dripped relentlessly onto the ground.

Her voice was weak, trembling with emotion as she whispered, ”I... Iʼm sorry.” Summoning every ounce of her remaining strength, she drove the [Vajra Sword Saya] into him. ...

Half an hour ago..

Alice had spotted the Vajra Sword falling from the sky. Intrigued, she walked over to where it landed and wrapped her fingers around its handle.

The moment she touched it, a voice resonated in her mind. It was Saya, the fragmented inner consciousness of a God-rank powerhouse dwelling within the sword.

Alice was initially bewildered, but after a moment, it all made sense. A weapon imbued with the fragmented inner consciousness where time was different-it was not entirely unexpected for such a phenomenon to occur. ”You have to stab him,” Sayaʼs voice instructed her firmly. ”Once you do, I can establish a connection. Iʼll forcefully link you to his consciousness. Itʼs the only way to bring him back.”

Saya explained her plan: she would create a medium, a path that would allow Alice to enter Soutaʼs consciousness. However, Saya herself wouldnʼt be able to interfere once it was established. Maintaining the connection would demand all her focus. The rest would depend entirely on Alice. ”Do you think you can do it?” Sayaʼs tone was grave. ”Thereʼs a chance your consciousness will be swallowed up and youʼll never return. Eilishʼs death was unexpected, and it shattered his mental state.”

Saya paused before continuing, her voice tinged with regret. ”When Yenxa died, Souta had already steeled himself. He had come to terms with it. But Eilish... her death was unexpected. It triggered everything he had been suppressing. And donʼt forget the Nightmare Realm-it made everything worse.”

Alice listened closely as Saya elaborated. ”When his consciousness entered the Nightmare Realm, his physical body absorbed the souls of those trapped in the Boundary. Upon his return, their torment, their horrifying deaths-he experienced it all at once. It broke something inside him.”

Sayaʼs voice grew heavier. ”I knew he was on the brink, but I couldnʼt prevent it. Eilishʼs death was the final trigger. But thereʼs more-be cautious. Souta has faced gods before, and their presence lingers in his memory. If you encounter any of them in his mind, it could be dangerous for you.”

Alice clenched her fists, her eyes resolute. ”Iʼll bring him back, no matter what. Even if it costs me my life...”

Her unwavering determination filled the air with tension, a testament to her willingness to risk everything for Souta.

The [Vajra Sword Saya] sank deep into Soutaʼs chest, emitting a fierce red light. ”Argh!!!”

Alice gritted her teeth and pushed harder, driving the sword deeper. Suddenly, her vision blurred, and she felt her consciousness slip away for a brief moment. When she regained her senses, she found herself in an entirely different place.

Sayaʼs voice echoed in her ears: ”Itʼs all up to you now. Iʼll maintain the connection, but I canʼt assist you beyond that.”

Alice looked around, taking in her surroundings. The space around her was an endless, oppressive gray. Beneath her, the ground appeared to ripple like a layer of water, its surface undulating without end.

She knew she was inside Soutaʼs mind.

Determined, Alice moved downward, passing through the water-like layer. As she descended, her vision blurred once more, and the world around her shifted drastically. ”What is this place...?”

Alice found herself standing in the middle of a desolate road. The sky was dark, thick with storm clouds, and the rain poured down heavily, drenching everything in sight.