The Evolution of a Goblin to the Peak

"Do you have any idea what it is?" Eztein asked.

"I don't know," Erkigal replied, shaking her head. "I wasn't aware of what he was working on in his territory. His household was protected by a barrier, making it impossible for me to infiltrate."

"We're here," Erkigal announced, halting as she gestured toward a colossal stone monument.

Franklin, Vashno, and Eztein observed the monument curiously.

Erkigal turned to them and explained, "This is our first stop. It's to monitor and mark what's happening inside the All-Filter Barrier Formation. The Killing Game."

"Killing Game?" Vashno raised an eyebrow.

"Look at the stone monument," Erkigal directed, pointing ahead.

The monument displayed several dots and inscriptions. Countless dots were present, almost unnoticeable unless one focused keenly. The brightest dots signified the strongest experts within the All-Filter Barrier Formation, while the unlit dots represented the weakest individuals.

"They are all participants in this Killing Game. It's the living labyrinth of our god. There are two ways to conclude this game: one is to eliminate all the brightest dots, and the second is to acquire the hidden treasures within this labyrinth created by our god," Erkigal elucidated.

"Oh, your god is some psychotic entity," Franklin muttered under his breath.

Bang!

Eztein swiftly struck the back of Franklin's head. "Don't disrespect a god. No matter what, he is still a god. Besides, we are in his domain. What if his consciousness remains here? If you die, our boss wouldn't even be able to avenge you."

"You want to start something?!" Franklin retorted.

"Huh? Old man, do you really think you could take me down?!" Eztein challenged.

Vashno intervened and halted their impending confrontation. He sighed, feeling regretful for bringing these two along. Turning to Erkigal, he asked, "Could you enlighten us further on what's happening?"

He studied the dots but couldn't grasp their significance. Eztein and Franklin also examined the dots, noticing that there were twenty-seven brighter ones on the monument, symbolizing the number of top experts within the All-Filter Barrier Formation.

Erkigal didn't respond immediately. Instead, she silently observed the monument. After a brief pause, she spoke up, "It seems that Clan Leader Schine has perished. The red dots signify a person's death. If the individual died before the labyrinth was opened, their dot wouldn't appear here."

"So, that leaves us with only twenty-six... But that's the count of top experts, and based on my prior observations, the number of higher-level experts doesn't reach that count," Vashno remarked, narrowing his gaze.

"There's a chance that some powerful individuals are hidden in the shadows, unaware that this monument can track them," Eztein suggested.

"Can we verify the name associated with each dot?" Franklin inquired.

"Understood, I'll check it right away," Erkigal responded. She moved closer to the monument and carefully examined it. After a few moments, she spoke again, "Based on this record, it appears that your leader encountered Hoei and two members of the Deadly Sins. You can also verify this. By concentrating your senses, you'll feel your leader's energy fluctuations in this specific dot. It signifies the presence of the Blood Lightning Monster. If it turns red, it means death. Additionally, you'll receive some details about what transpired."

"Let me verify it," Vashno interjected, stepping forward. He focused his senses on the twenty-six brightest dots, recalling his observations of the top experts during their battles.

The information he gathered was startling, revealing the current state of the ongoing conflict.

"What did you find?" Eztein inquired.

"There are five unfamiliar experts... I believe they're not affiliated with the alliance army or the Deadly Sins," Vashno reported, a furrow forming on his brow.

"Five?" Eztein raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Vashno nodded in acknowledgment.

"I'll check it too," Eztein said, moving closer to the monument. After a brief moment, he comprehended the situation. "Actually, there are only four unknown experts. I recognize the other one."

He remembered something and glanced at Vashno. "You haven't been to Hall Plains, so it's understandable you haven't encountered her. If she's here, our odds of winning are high. Additionally, the smaller dots next to her match Alice's and the others' energy. It appears we don't need to be concerned about them."

"It suggests our leader required her strength," Franklin chimed in.

"True," Eztein observed the monument and commented, "The most significant battles seem to be occurring at the Botano Household. The top experts are congregating there."

A brief silence ensued as they contemplated the battles.

"I'll take this monument with me. Let's go," Erkigal informed them.

"How will you transport it?" Vashno inquired.

"It's simple." Erkigal placed her palm on the surface of the stone monument and poured her mana into it.

Ohm!

The monument emitted a peculiar light before shrinking to a palm-sized object.

"There are items scattered around here that could assist us, and this stone monument is just one of them," Erkigal explained. "Let's keep going. We'll conquer this labyrinth, so be prepared."

...

Souta coughed, then pushed himself into a seated position, placing his hand over the wound where Hoei had stabbed him.

"The poison is gone. Clan Leader Hoei coated his blade with an antidote," Souta muttered before rising to his feet. The recent events had caught him off guard.

He hadn't anticipated Hoei's cooperation with the Deadly Sins on the surface. What could be his motive? This piqued his curiosity.

He discerned that Hoei's intent to kill him was a bluff. Souta, realizing this, chose not to resist and allowed himself to be stabbed.

Looking up, Souta cracked his neck. The outcome was better than he had expected. He managed to recover some of his energy. The wounds didn't concern him much, knowing he could regenerate if necessary.

"Gilaine is still on the other side. I hid her using the blood I controlled. I need to find her."

He floated and traversed through the void.

Swoosh!!

Souta easily located Gilaine, which didn't come as a surprise since he already knew her location.

"Sir William, you're here!" Gilaine's eyes lit up when she saw Souta.

"Ugh, no, just call me Souta. There's no need to call me Sir William," Souta insisted. He observed that the energy within her had grown stronger. At this moment, her energy was comparable to those of B-ranks.

"Um... Isn't William your name, sir?" Gilaine asked cautiously.

"No, no, William is just a nickname. You know, like the person before called me Blood Lightning Monster; that's one of my nicknames too. Souta is my real name," Souta clarified.

"Oh, I see... Then, Sir Souta, it is," Gilaine said with a smile.

"Yeah, Souta is fine," Souta replied with a smile, reaching out to pat her head. Looking ahead, he said, "Let's go and find the mythical grade fruit."

...

On the other side, Ice Death, Poisonous Vine, and Hoei arrived at the location of the Flaem Clan household.

They made no attempt to conceal their presence, causing the entire dimension to tremble due to their spiked energy. Immediately, they sensed the top experts within this place.

"There you are..." Ice Death muttered, directing his gaze toward the Flaem Clan's location. A smirk formed on his face, "I didn't expect to find anything significant here after obtaining the core of the Flaem Clan. But stumbling upon you, Bezvin Darkna... that's a surprise."

In a blink, his figure vanished, slicing through the air. Hoei and Poisonous Vine swiftly followed suit.

Swoosh!!

Within the Flaem Clan domain, Bezvin paused, detecting the powerful experts' fluctuations.

"They're here... Not just one, but three," Bezvin murmured to himself. "But one of them feels familiar... No, the Clan Leader of the Methal Clan? Has Hoei betrayed the Selnes Country?"

Boom!!

A thunderous sound resonated as three figures materialized in the sky, casting their gaze upon the Flaem Clan's compound.

Bezvin locked eyes with the trio, particularly focusing on Hoei Methal.

"Hoei...!! You betrayed our people!" Bezvin gritted his teeth, his anger palpable. Despite his rage, he restrained himself, understanding his disadvantageous position. He knew his chances of prevailing against these three were slim.

Ice Death fixed his gaze on Bezvin. Slowly, he spoke, "Bezvin Darkna, Clan Leader of the Darkna Clan, surrender the core of your clan or we will obliterate this place."

Bezvin remained silent, his gaze unwavering.

Hoei then spoke, "Bezvin, don't resist. If you hand over your clan's core, we will spare your life."

Gritting his teeth, Bezvin retorted, "Seems like you've truly joined them, Hoei. I'll kill a traitor like you even if it costs my life."

"Don't resist. We've already acquired the cores of the Flaem, Methal, and Windi Clans. Darkna and Botano Clan cores are the only ones remaining," Hoei stated icily.

"You mean... You've defeated Schine and Hono?!" Bezvin's shock was evident.

Interrupting the conversation, Ice Death raised his hand and declared, "Time's up. It's time to destroy this place."