The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1146: The Demon: Souta vs. Yin

Numerous presences emerged, probing the area. Each carried an aura comparable to that of a god.

With so many of them gathered, the No God Emperor made no attempt to stop their probing. In fact, this was precisely what he wanted—to let them witness history being forged. Something never before achieved.

"You need not waste your energy..." the No God Emperor murmured with a faint smile.

His energy surged sharply, and with a wave of his hand, a strange phenomenon manifested in the sky.

Whoooosh!!

All across the continent, countless people raised their heads.

"What’s that?!"

"...Could it be...?"

They saw a massive projection unfold in the heavens. The battle at the foot of the Mountain of Demise was reflected in the sky for all to see.

The No God Emperor chuckled as his gaze lingered on Souta.

"As I said before—show the world your glory."

Projecting the scene across the entire continent drained him considerably. It was far more difficult now than in the past, especially since the Imperium had fortified the very fabric of existence.

...

At the foot of the mountain.

Souta stood with calm resolve, a sword gripped firmly in his hand. Before him loomed a monster that bore his exact likeness.

At a glance, one might mistake them for twins.

"You can copy someone’s appearance...? I wonder what kind of monster you truly are," Souta said evenly.

The creature only smiled at his words. Its energy did not falter—instead, it swelled, growing stronger with each passing second.

"You may refer to me as Yin. Now then... I’ll capture you for His Majesty."

With a single step, he vanished.

Swoosh!!

Souta’s eyes widened. His head snapped to the side as his blade cut through the air, unleashing a sharp energy slash.

The monster twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the energy blade. In the same motion, his fist shot forward like a spear.

Bang!!

Souta was hurled back dozens of meters, skidding across the ground before he steadied himself. He adjusted his stance, eyes locked on his opponent.

Yin didn’t pursue. Instead, he stood still, watching Souta with a calm, calculating gaze.

Souta took a step forward, cracking his neck. Strings of flesh spread across his body as his aura erupted, shaking the ground beneath his feet.

[Monster Orb Release]!!

With a deep crouch, Souta launched himself forward like a bolt of blood lightning.

Yin’s lips curled into a smile as he stepped in, answering with a devastating punch.

Boom!!

Their fists met, the impact ripping through the air with thunderous shockwaves. The battlefield quaked as the two figures blurred, moving at incomprehensible speed, exchanging hundreds of blows in the blink of an eye.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sounds of collision echoed as sparks of energy burst in the air.

Moments later, both figures were flung hundreds of meters apart. They slammed into the ground with bone-rattling force, each impact carving massive craters into the earth.

Swoosh!!

Yin rose to his feet, his sharp gaze fixed on Souta. "Impressive! The rumors about you being the strongest Fourth Stage weren’t an exaggeration. To think you can push me, a Fifth Stage, this far."

Souta staggered up, the taste of iron heavy in his mouth. He spat a stream of blood to the side, then grinned. "If that surprises you... you’ll be even more shocked when you realize I can kill you."

"Enough of this." Yin flicked his hand dismissively as he strode forward, each step swelling his aura. The pressure thickened around him, crushing the air itself. "I’ve seen enough of your strength. That will do. Now, I’ll capture you."

Ohm!!

The invisible might of a Fifth Stage erupted, an overwhelming pressure that demanded all lesser monsters bow in submission.

Souta felt the crushing force pressing down on him, trying to break his will. He snorted, defiance flashing in his eyes, and unleashed his full power.

Boom!!

His aura exploded outward, scattering the suffocating pressure in an instant. Blood surged and enveloped his body, reshaping him into a fearsome form.

[Blood Armor: Divine Retribution]!!

Long white hair cascaded down his back, a pair of black horns jutted from his head, and his short robe of coagulated blood shimmered with white scales interwoven in its design.

Souta stood tall, an Emperor, the ruler of monsters. The will of a Fifth Stage could not suppress him.

Yin froze, his eyes narrowing as he took in Souta’s transformation. He could hardly believe it. To shatter the natural chasm between Fourth and Fifth Stage... it was supposed to be impossible.

...

High in the sky, the No God Emperor watched the scene unfold with a faint smile.

"An Emperor... I expected no less from him. This should keep me entertained for a while," he murmured, his gaze shifting upward. "At least until those other beings decide to make their move against me."

He was certain it would happen sooner or later, the Gods would strike. His very existence put him in opposition to them, so their attack was inevitable.

But he cared little for that. In truth, he welcomed it.

For now, however, his amusement lay here, watching this battle.

...

"He broke it!"

Gasps erupted among the watching beings.

They had thought it was over—that the Fifth Stage’s pressure would force Souta to his knees. Yet his defiance shattered their belief, his power breaking through the chasm that countless monsters could only dream of crossing. The higher monsters in particular were stunned; they knew how impossible it was to resist, let alone overcome, such suppression.

"This monster isn’t ordinary."

"Blood Lightning Monster..."

"He truly lives up to his reputation as the strongest Fourth Stage."

"I heard he once fought a Fifth Stage in Selnes Country. So it was true after all..."

The voices overlapped, filled with awe and disbelief. What they witnessed wasn’t entirely unprecedented, but it was staggering nonetheless. For years, many had dismissed the tales of the Blood Lightning Monster as exaggerations, fables told to inspire fear. Yet now, before their very eyes, the myths had stepped into reality.

And not just they—

Across the continent, countless experts lifted their eyes to the heavens. In ancient sects, disciples abandoned their training, staring slack-jawed at the vision above. In royal palaces, kings and queens halted mid-sentence, their courts frozen in stunned silence. In hidden caves and lonely peaks, old monsters who had slumbered for centuries stirred, their eyes glowing as they watched the projection.

Everywhere, hearts pounded. Conversations stopped. Entire cities seemed to still, as if the world itself held its breath.

For the first time in ages, the whole continent bore witness to a single battle, one monster defying the very order of strength itself.

Souta, the Blood Lightning Monster.

An Emperor among beasts.

A Fourth Stage standing against the impossible.

...

At the foot of the Mountain of Demise.

Yin’s smile faded, his eyes narrowing.

"You think you can make me bow?" Souta said coldly, pointing to the ground. "No... you’re the one who should kneel before me."

Boom!!

Yin gritted his teeth and stretched out his arm. His limb elongated several meters in an instant before sweeping toward Souta.

Swoosh!!

Souta blurred forward, weaving past the strike as he closed the distance step by step.

"You think hiding behind my appearance will give you the upper hand? Let me make this clear." Souta’s voice echoed as he appeared right beside his opponent. "I’ll be the one testing you."

"You damned—!" Yin snarled, whipping around and lashing out with a fierce kick.

Souta swung his sword, meeting Yin’s kick head-on.

Boom!!

The impact sent Souta hurtling backward, skidding dozens of meters before planting his feet firmly into the ground. The air around him trembled with violent energy fluctuations.

’He’s getting agitated. That works in my favor... But he’s still a Fifth Stage. His strength, speed, and defense are on an entirely different level,’ Souta calculated inwardly.

Hmm...?

His eyes narrowed. Yin hadn’t pursued him. Souta’s thoughts sharpened. ’So... he can rein himself in after all.’

"What’s wrong?" Souta taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Weren’t you going to capture me? Face it, capturing me is impossible."

Yin’s gaze sharpened, predatory and cold, as if he were staring at prey. "Don’t worry. You’ll soon learn what it means to face me. You will suffer before me."

Souta exhaled slowly, realizing Yin had regained his composure.

Swoosh!!

In the blink of an eye, Yin vanished.

Souta’s eyes widened. His opponent’s speed had suddenly multiplied, and the pressure bearing down on him grew heavier with every heartbeat.

Souta spun sharply, raising his sword just in time as the energy on his left side flared violently.

Boom!!

Agonizing pain tore through his body as he was blasted several kilometers away in an instant. Before he could even steady himself, Yin was already there, following up with a relentless barrage of attacks.

Bang! Bang!

Their figures clashed midair, shockwaves erupting with each impact. The ground buckled, mountains trembled, and the very air quivered under the collision of two monstrous forces.

Souta fought desperately, his blade flashing as he tried to parry each strike. But Yin’s superiority was undeniable—his speed, his strength, his defense, all eclipsed Souta’s own. Even with [Blood Armor: Divine Retribution], he found himself forced into a purely defensive struggle.

He twisted, trying to create space...

...but Yin vanished.

A chilling instant later, Yin reappeared behind him. His fist drove forward, striking Souta square in the back. A violent surge of wind and water exploded outward from the impact, hurling Souta down like a meteor.

Boom!!

The earth split open as Souta smashed into the ground, carving a massive crater in his wake.

Cough!

Souta spat a mouthful of blood, one hand pressed to the ground as he forced himself upright. With a wave of his hand, the smoke and dust around him scattered, revealing the devastation.

He glanced at his surroundings and realized they had been driven far from their original battlefield. At least twenty kilometers from the Mountain of Demise.

"He’s using his traits... wind and water elements," Souta muttered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. His gaze hardened. "I don’t know why you insist on wearing my face, but I have a guess at what kind of monster you are."

Exhaling slowly, his energy surged. Darkness spread beneath his feet, crawling outward in eerie tendrils. Behind him, black spheres flickered into existence as streams of smoke coiled from his body. At his side, the universal-grade artifact, the [Orb of Arcane Seal], rotated in a steady orbit, radiating a sinister glow.

"It seems I’ll have to drag out your true form by force," Souta declared, his voice cutting through the air. "And when I do, you’ll have no choice but to kneel. Remember, you’re just a Fifth Stage."

He unleashed his full might, weaving together spells and combat arts without restraint. One by one, the dormant powers of his artifacts flared to life, their equipment skills igniting in unison, stacking upon his presence and swelling his momentum to terrifying heights.