The Evolution of a Goblin to the Peak

Within the Darkna Clan's domain...

Red Mist reclined on the ground, her head supported by her hand. Her eyes were shut tight, and her brows furrowed.

Amidst continuous booming vibrations in the space, Red Mist reopened her eyes, gazing up at the sky. She muttered, "Resting here is proving to be a challenge. The reverberations from the battle are reaching even this place. It's becoming bothersome."

Sensing the intense energy fluctuations emanating from the rifts, she foresaw an imminent collapse.

"That Man-Eating Tamer... Employing a fifth-stage creature in lower worlds like this is excessive. He's truly irritating. Perhaps I should just eliminate him," she grumbled.

Fiamma appeared beside her and countered, "That guy had a fifth-stage monster with him, remember?"

"So what? I can eliminate him before that fifth-stage monster even gets the chance to protect him. His combat skills are feeble. His real strength is in his tamed monsters," Red Mist said, casting a glance at her spirit. "Moreover, his tamed monsters are enslaved by him, so they lack high intelligence. They merely obey basic commands."

Red Mist redirected her focus to the rifts. "I wonder what's unfolding there..."

She stretched her arms and let out a yawn. "Ah, it's no longer my concern. I just wanted to rest."

...

Souta laughed as lightning crackled around his body, mending some of his wounds and restoring his weakened aura to its former strength.

With the Tears of Divine Might finally in his possession, Souta faced Man-Eating Tamer's wrath.

"You bastard!" Man-Eating Tamer snarled, pointing a furious finger at Souta. "Kill him!"

The centipede's energy surged, its body emanating a vibrant dark green light, adorned with thousands of spikes sprouting from its back. Dark green tattoos adorned its carapace.

[Monster Orb Release]!

The creature's immense power bore down upon everyone present, exerting the formidable force of a fifth-stage monster.

Boom!

The ground quaked as magma erupted, the entire planet trembling under the sheer pressure exerted by the fifth-stage monster.

"The entire world should've collapsed by now. The only reason it hasn't is that giant tree, Paente," Shen Yao muttered, observing the towering structure.

"Even worse, Man-Eating Tamer is completely furious. He's likely to attack us all," Adel added grimly.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield...

Naruse turned to face a figure several meters away, Black Blader from the Deadly Sins.

"Are you still planning to fight me? The fruit is already in the possession of the Blood Lightning Monster. At any moment, he could consume it," Naruse said, a faint smile on her face.

"Fight you?" Black Blader narrowed his eyes.

"Well," Naruse continued, opening both hands, "Your comrade... What's his name? Ah, Spatial Whisperer. He's disappeared. Went inside the Botano Clan's manor and took something. Not sure what it is, though."

"Spatial Whisperer?" Black Blader glanced toward the Botano Clan's household. "So he's already acquired the core... I suppose my task here is done."

He smiled and added, "You're lucky today. Man-Eating Tamer is completely enraged. He's out for blood."

"Lucky?" Naruse chuckled. "True, he has a fifth-stage monster with him, but that doesn't change the fact that his real body is weak." She opened her fan, gesturing for Black Blader to depart. "You can leave now before I reconsider."

"What?" Black Blader frowned.

"I said you're free to leave. Your objectives are complete, aren't they? No need to compete for the mythical-grade fruit anymore. Blood Lightning Monster has it now. Maybe you were itching for a fight," Naruse remarked, glancing at Black Blader sidelong.

"Hmph, a bold child... I'll remember this if we cross paths again." Black Blader snorted before turning away.

"As if you could best me. I've seen what you're capable of on the battlefield. If that's your full strength, you'll be the one to die if we fight," Naruse smirked.

Closing her fan, Naruse observed the colossal centipede with a contemplative gaze. "Hmm... Should I intervene? No, all I can do is clear out that guy's fourth-stage minions."

Muttering to herself, Naruse ascended into the sky. However, she abruptly halted her flight when she noticed something—a young girl, seemingly untouched by the intense battles that had unfolded. Her survival was curious amidst such chaos.

Meanwhile, Souta was hurled into the air, his body regenerating once more as he wiped a trace of blood from his lips.

"Damn... Facing a fifth-stage monster leaves me with no chance," he smirked wryly. It was evident that even after the centipede unleashed its [Monster Orb Release], he couldn't inflict a scratch on it. The gaping disparity in their powers was clear.

The centipede screeched, rapidly traversing through space. In a heartbeat, it stood right in front of Souta, its overwhelming power practically palpable.

As the centipede's legs shifted, cracks fissured through the space. Its gaping maw opened wide, unleashing a colossal [Bestrou].

Observing the impending assault, Souta's smile widened. "Looks like things are getting interesting... The stage is set."

In the following moment, the mammoth beam surged forward, consuming everything in its path. The sky's hue altered as the beam's force obliterated all in its trajectory, its energy fluctuations eclipsing the surroundings.

Adel's expression turned to shock. "Unbelievable! How did Blood Lightning Monster endure such an attack? Though with the All-Filter Barrier Formation suppressing the centipede's strength, it's still powerful."

Shen Yao narrowed her eyes in silent contemplation.

The energy beam dissipated gradually, leaving behind a warped distortion in the sky. Nearby planets in outer space crumbled, swept away by this embodiment of destruction.

The immense power of the fifth-stage monster posed a significant threat in the lower world. Despite the presence of the giant tree that fortified the realm, the destruction wrought was immense.

The centipede, its colossal form traversing space, seemed intent on confirming whether it had successfully vanquished Souta.

Man-Eating Tamer's expression soured further. Receiving a signal from his monster, he realized the truth. "What?! Blood Lightning Monster escaped?! Damn it!!"

Enraged, he hadn't anticipated that Souta would somehow survive the onslaught of the fifth-stage monster. How it occurred eluded him, but his minion was certain that Souta remained alive.

"Furious!!" Man-Eating Tamer bellowed, his eyes glowering with anger as he looked down upon the battlefield.

"Annihilate everything! I want that bastard dead at all costs!" Man-Eating Tamer commanded fiercely.

Responding to his orders, the colossal centipede began its movements anew, redirecting its attention to the remaining individuals in this domain.

Man-Eating Tamer seethed with annoyance at Souta's survival. The utilization of a fifth-stage monster came with a steep price for him. Unlike conventional tamers, his methods diverged significantly. He subjugated the wills of his minions, particularly the fifth-stage monster, which carried an especially hefty cost. This was precisely why he had refrained from deploying the centipede earlier.

Other tamers possessed monsters with high intelligence, comparable even to humans or greater. Those creatures wouldn't abide by orders that contradicted their wills.

With a whoosh, a formidable beam struck the ground, resulting in catastrophic devastation. Shen Yao and Adel leaped to create a protective barrier around themselves, witnessing the beam cleave through the terrain before triggering a cataclysmic explosion, eradicating the landmass in an instant, excavating the entire continent from the planet's surface.

"Damn, that's some powerful shit," Adel exclaimed, observing the devastating aftermath. He ascended into the sky, heading toward the outer reaches of space.

Shen Yao gazed at the colossal tree for a moment before following Adel into space. She was unsure of Paente's intentions in creating a tree capable of stabilizing this dimension.

Both of them sped through the cosmos, pursued relentlessly by the centipede. Aware of the overwhelming threat posed by a fifth-stage monster, they exerted themselves to their utmost capacities.

Meanwhile, Man-Eating Tamer, consumed by fury, witnessed the havoc wreaked by his enraged minion. His frustration found an outlet in the relentless destruction unfurling around him.

Hovering in space, Naruse observed the centipede's assault on Shen Yao and Adel. With a graceful wave of her hand, she conjured numerous ethereal creatures – her shikigami – sending them forth with a swift flick of her wrist.

"Attack!" Naruse commanded, tossing another paper into the air. As it twirled, ancient symbols emerged, materializing various enhancements.

[Speed Enhancement]!

[Armor Field]!

[Greater Strength Enhancement]!

[Force of Divine]!

The shikigamis underwent a series of empowering boosts, elevating their overall capabilities as they surged toward the oncoming centipede.

"This should keep that centipede occupied for around thirty seconds," Naruse murmured to herself, her attention shifting briefly toward the colossal tree.