The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Souta stood alone before the three Hero-ranks, his gaze unwavering as his aura surged with power.

Arcs of crimson lightning crackled around his body, and droplets of blood floated into the air.

[Archetype: Great Blood of the End]!

Facing three Hero-ranks, Souta knew he had to stay cautious.

The twin spirits stood at his sides, accompanied by his doppelgangers. This would be a brutal battle—one that could very well cost him his life.

"Hahaha! There's nowhere for you to run, Blood Lightning Monster!" Arden laughed maniacally.

Souta frowned, knowing he had to eliminate one of them as quickly as possible.

Arden or Eldian.

It had to be one of them—taking down the Eight Shackle Realm titan was out of the question.

Eldian seemed like the better target. Arden was heavily injured, but still powerful. Fighting him would be tougher than facing Eldian. However, Eldian's current defense was stronger than Arden's, making him harder to kill without a powerful strike.

Souta waved his hand, summoning a black hole at the center of the battlefield. He swiftly moved to the side as the twin spirits and doppelgangers charged forward.

Arden and Eldian leapt into the air.

But Souta had already locked onto their positions. Blood-red lightning surged through his body, arcs crackling with deadly intensity.

[First Form: Lifeless Tribulation of the Blood Lightning]!!

...

Far in the distance, Alice paused and turned around.

The surge of energy was overwhelming. She could feel it—more people had arrived. Souta was alone, facing them all.

Red lightning split the sky with a deafening roar.

"Sixth Shackle isn't enough..." Alice narrowed her eyes.

It was hard to keep up with Souta's rapid growth. She already knew the reason why—but even so, she had to give it her all.

"Alice, let's go! Leave those people to Souta!" Vashno called out.

Alice nodded, her gaze lingering on the stormy sky for a moment longer. Then, she turned and left.

...

In the Goddess Palace.

Athena, seated on her throne, finally opened her eyes.

"I've received permission. Inform everyone—they must leave this place immediately," she said calmly.

Daphne looked up in surprise. "My Lady, do you mean…?"

Athena gave a solemn nod. "I don't wish to do this, but there's no other choice. Evacuate everyone. No exceptions. I alone will remain in this land."

"I understand. Your will is my command." Daphne bowed, then turned and left the throne room.

Once Daphne was gone, Athena slowly rose from her throne. She lifted her hand, and deep beneath the palace, several figures began to stir—avatars she had created long ago.

Using her will, Athena took control of each avatar, one by one.

"A lot of people will be affected by this," she murmured, her tone heavy with regret.

...

News spread swiftly across the battlefield.

It came from none other than the Hero, Daphne.

There were no exceptions.

All mortals were ordered to evacuate—from the highest-ranking Division Commanders to the most ordinary civilians.

Then, a tremendous presence descended upon the city.

A lone, radiant figure ascended into the sky, clad in majestic armor.

The Goddess Athena.

The overwhelming pressure of a God-rank being blanketed the entire area. Souta and the three Hero-ranks were forced to their knees, crushed by the sheer weight of her divine aura.

Boom!!

Souta looked up, eyes narrowing as the radiant figure of Goddess Athena appeared in the sky.

'So, it's finally come…' he thought to himself.

The Eight Shackle Realm titan clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look up through the crushing pressure.

"A G-God… She appeared!!"

At that moment, multiple figures descended onto the battlefield—Athena's avatars.

They swiftly took control of the situation, holding the line as the warriors began to retreat.

One by one, the soldiers withdrew under the protection of divine might.

"No! No! No! This can't be!" Arden shouted, his voice trembling with rage.

He glared at Souta, his face twisted in disbelief.

He knew it now—there was no way he could kill him. Not anymore.

Souta looked back at Arden, his eyes cold.

"Next time we meet, you're going to die. You probably won't survive what's coming."

Several warriors appeared in the air, their eyes scanning Arden and the two titans before turning their focus to Souta.

"Grain Leader Souta, we have to go. Now," one of them said urgently.

Souta nodded, rising to his feet. He turned away—but even then, he couldn't move at full speed. The oppressive energy in the air was too heavy, even for him.

Arden and the two titans could only watch in silence as Souta departed with the other warriors.

They knew—if they made a single move, something terrible would happen.

Their instincts screamed at them.

If they acted, they would die.

Whoosh!!

Goddess Athena unleashed her energy, a divine force that suppressed every being within the city. The pressure alone was enough to immobilize most of the warriors.

Outside the city, her avatars had taken full control of the battlefield. At the same time, another surge of overwhelming energy erupted—one that rivaled even the Gods themselves.

Everyone knew what this meant.

It was time for God-rank beings to step out.

If a battle between Gods were to break out, most mortals would become nothing more than collateral damage.

"We need to go—now!" Souta shouted, running at full speed.

His senses stretched outward, scanning for any nearby allies. If he detected someone close, he would use gravity to assist them.

'Goddess Athena would kill everything within her range.'

There was no time to hesitate.

...

Athena hovered in the air, her gaze fixed on her people as they fled in haste. They needed to escape—now—or risk being caught in the aftermath.

She didn't want that. That's why she had given the order to evacuate.

Ohm!!

Athena lifted her head, eyes narrowing as she sensed a powerful aura beginning to rise in the distance.

Her expression turned grave.

Ohm!!

A wave of energy pulsed outward, followed by a figure ascending into the sky far away.

"As I expected... you're here," Athena murmured as her eyes locked onto the distant silhouette.

The figure was Esquin Georagnisus, the Ruler of Gluttony.

He said nothing. Instead, he glanced downward and unleashed his aura—a wave of malevolence that clashed with Athena's divine suppression, neutralizing her hold on the battlefield.

"Everyone! Kill them all! Don't let a single one escape! I am here!"

His voice thundered across the battlefield.

Every ear caught it—friends and foes alike.

Then, a massive figure rose beside Esquin.

A being radiating God-rank energy, a titan who had reached the realm of the gods.

Her dark metallic skin shimmered under the light, and long, wavy hair flowed behind her. She embodied raw, unyielding strength.

Two God-rank beings now stood against Athena—one of them was the formidable Ruler of Gluttony.

The situation was dire.

The air itself crackled with tension.

At any moment, a cataclysmic battle could erupt.

...

In the far distance, Alice and Vashno ran as fast as they could, surrounded by a group of warriors retreating with them.

"Goddess Athena is about to make her move. The enemy Gods are about to respond. This is going to be total destruction."

Orders to retreat had been given to every warrior. The precision of the command left no doubt—the Acropolis was about to be reduced to rubble. It would be flattened into nothingness.

Swoosh!!

Alice caught sight of a familiar figure.

"Souta!" she called out.

Vashno turned his head and confirmed it was really him.

Souta landed before them, quickly assessing their condition. When he saw they hadn't sustained any serious injuries, he nodded in relief.

That's good.

"What happened?" Alice asked.

"It's about to begin—a battle between God-rank beings. Goddess Athena won't hold back," Souta replied, his eyes scanning their surroundings.

Countless people crowded the area. Some grieved in corners, mourning lost loved ones. Others lay heavily injured. Powerful warriors hovered in the air, guarding civilians in case enemies managed to catch up.

"What do we do now, Souta?" Alice pressed.

"Return. There won't be any missions for a while," Souta said.

It would take about a week before they were deployed again. He knew this from experience—he had participated in this event before, in the game.

He looked up, fixing his gaze on the distant Acropolis.

...

Far above the Goddess Palace, Athena floated silently in the sky, her eyes closed.

After a moment, she opened them and sighed.

"I can feel the seal being lifted..."

Athena's gaze sharpened as she stared down the two God-rank beings before her—the Ruler of Gluttony and a God of the Titans.

Fixing her eyes on Esquin, she asked, "How did you manage to get here?"

Esquin responded calmly, "Hmm... I wonder how. I have many tricks up my sleeve. I've prepared plenty for my plan."

The God of the Titans, impatient and fierce, snapped, "Enough talk! Let's finish this—kill her immediately!"

Her hatred was clear—she wanted to annihilate all the Gods of Olympus.

Esquin glanced at the God beside him and shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

Athena's energy surged, radiating outward and enveloping the ground around her.

[Domain: Maiden of War]!!

The entire space trembled as countless swords materialized, appearing everywhere at once. Titans, giants, and members of the Gluttony Army within the land were caught in the deadly storm—many perished instantly the moment the blades appeared.

"Damn!! A God!!" terrified voices rang out from below.

An entire area with a radius of one thousand kilometers was affected.

"This...?!" Arden's eyes widened as he stood in the city.

The Acropolis of Athens was now a sea of swords.

Esquin scanned the battlefield, but the God of the Titans beside him stepped back, narrowing her eyes as she prepared to launch an attack.

Before she could strike, Athena made another move.

"This is my Grid... [Lone Flower Bloom in the Battlefield]. All beings shall become part of me." Athena's soft voice echoed across the air.

At that instant, a strange wave of energy burst forth, sweeping skyward and downward in an instant.

The fabric of space and time began to warp as an enormous force surged—like a tsunami tearing through reality itself.