The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1147: The Demon: Battle of the Monsters

Alice and the others fixed their eyes on the projection in the sky, where Souta clashed fiercely with the Fifth Stage monster. Neither side yielded an inch, their blows shaking the heavens.

"Can Souta really do it?" Amanda asked quietly.

Her level was far too low to grasp the true battle. To her eyes, it was nothing but blinding flashes of energy tearing through the sky, the combatants themselves invisible.

"The gap between Fourth Stage and Fifth Stage is like heaven and earth," Eztein replied, his tone steady. "At my current strength, I could crush an ordinary Fourth Stage without issue. But our boss... he’s narrowing that gap. Slowly, but surely. Predicting the outcome isn’t so simple."

Vashno’s gaze never left the projection. "At least for now, we can rest assured no divine beings will interfere in this fight."

Even so, countless powerful mortals still roamed the world. Those who had stepped into the Hero-rank—Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, even Tenth Shackles—stood at heights far beyond their current level.

Alice exhaled, her expression grim. "My father commands countless powerful demons. Even without a Demon Pillar chasing us, our chances of escaping this predicament are painfully low."

She knew well the might of the Heavenly Demon Palace. Its sheer power was enough to plunge anyone into despair.

"Souta..." Alice whispered, casting one last glance at the projection before turning away. Her voice grew firm. "Let’s go. We need to move now. Souta is buying us time—let’s not waste it."

Vashno and the others nodded, her words striking with clarity and resolve.

...

Meanwhile, in the central region of Hall Plains.

Souta and Yin clashed with ferocious intensity. Every collision between them tore through the land, the friction of their blows reducing the terrain to ruin. Their energy boiled the very air, warping the atmosphere for miles.

The shockwaves rippled outward, reaching cities and villages. Countless people across the central region felt their bodies tremble under the oppressive force. Most had no idea what was happening; only the stronger ones could sense the terrifying scale of the battle.

Panic spread. Experts and commoners alike abandoned their homes, fleeing in desperation to escape the fight’s aftermath.

Above, the sky itself seemed to rage. Dark clouds churned violently, thunder roared, and heavy rain came crashing down, drenching the land beneath the echoes of war.

"Hahaha!! Come at me!!"

Souta’s laughter thundered across the battlefield as a massive crimson energy blade erupted from his swing, tearing through the air with unstoppable force.

Countless water spears materialized to intercept it.

Boom!!

The clash detonated with earth-shaking power, shockwaves shredding the skies.

Souta burst to the side, using the opening to propel himself straight toward Yin. The Fifth Stage monster didn’t retreat—instead, he surged forward to meet him head-on.

Boom!!

Their collision in midair shook the heavens, hurling both combatants several kilometers apart.

Souta righted himself, hovering in the air. He glanced down and saw his chest torn open—his blood-forged robe ripped apart, his flesh split deep enough to pierce the protection of his [Blood Armor: Divine Retribution].

The wound burned with agony, blood dripping freely.

Yin, in contrast, stood firmly on the ground, his body seemingly untouched—unshaken, unscarred, as though Souta’s assault had meant nothing.

"You can’t kill me! It’s impossible!" Yin roared, his voice echoing like a storm.

He lunged.

In a blink, the distance of several kilometers vanished. That was the terrifying swiftness of a Fifth Stage. At this level, their battle was no longer something ordinary experts could even comprehend.

Swoosh!!

Yin’s hands twisted, sharp claws sprouting as he thrust forward, aiming straight for Souta’s skull.

The claws came within a breath of Souta’s eyes when his blade swept sideways, deflecting the strike just enough to alter its course. In the same motion, he snapped his leg upward in a brutal kick, then opened his mouth wide, unleashing [Bestrou].

Bang!!

The combined force sent Yin crashing down, smashing into the ground below.

But Souta didn’t relent. He thrust his palm downward, summoning a crushing gravitational field. The weight of it bore down on everything, distorting even light as the space itself seemed to bend beneath the pressure.

At the same time, shadows spread outward like a living tide, converging on Yin’s position and crawling hungrily toward him.

ROAR!!

Yin bellowed, his body straining as he forced himself upright. The immense gravity pressed on his flesh and bones, but he stood unyielding. His eyes flickered as he realized the shadows were coiling around him, trying to bind him.

Souta’s hand clenched into a fist. Black holes opened above Yin, warping the air with crushing suction.

He wasn’t holding back. Souta unleashed the full might of his equipment skills—his universal-grade artifacts, the [Yin Yang Bracelet] and the [Orb of Arcane Seal], resonating in unison with his dark-grade artifacts. One after another, their powers layered upon him, his presence swelling into something monstrous, a force no ordinary being could withstand.

He was monstrously powerful in this state, a fusion of artifacts, spells, and raw combat mastery. Yet Yin still met him head-on, refusing to yield, his feral might holding firm against Souta’s relentless assault.

With a guttural roar, Yin raised both arms. Countless sharp spikes burst from his body, shredding the shadows that sought to restrain him. His figure shot upward, slicing through the air as his claws swept across the black holes above, tearing at the warped space with raw elemental force.

Then, with a savage kick, he propelled himself forward, his speed so immense it split the air itself.

Souta only smiled, his crimson eyes gleaming as he tightened his grip on the sword.

A single swing.

In the blink of an eye, their figures crossed each other, and a violent ripple spread outward, scattering the chaotic energy that had been raging between them.

The battlefield fell into a sudden, eerie silence.

Thud.

An arm hit the ground.

Yin froze. His gaze dropped, only to see his left arm severed at the shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head toward Souta. The sight of the man standing tall, sword dripping with blood, made his rage churn like a volcano about to erupt. His chest rose and fell, monstrous killing intent spilling from him in waves.

"I’m done with this..." Yin’s voice growled out in guttural monster tongue, each syllable vibrating with fury. "I’ll finish this as soon as possible."

Souta licked the blood from his lips, his grin widening. "I have the same idea too."

Crack—!

The air between them split open, a jagged fracture tearing across the battlefield. From within, an overwhelming surge of white smoke poured out like a flood, swallowing both of them and devouring the land in an instant.

Ohm!!

The world shifted.

Yin’s senses reeled as he realized the terrain was no longer the same. He stood in an unfamiliar domain. Above, the sun hung frozen in eternal twilight, casting a pale, unsettling glow. Below, the ground was soaked in endless rivers of blood, their surface rippling with faint reflections of distorted shapes.

From every corner of this realm, darkness and light writhed together, twisting unnaturally, as though alive. They pulsed, breathed, and clawed at the edges of reality, creating a suffocating, nightmarish atmosphere.

This was no ordinary place.

Yin narrowed his eyes. He knew instantly.

"Dream..." Yin muttered, his monstrous perception spreading through the realm like a tidal wave. His senses swept across the twilight sky, the rivers of blood, the writhing edges of light and darkness. He instantly recognized the nature of this world.

Souta stood calmly, his figure steady amid the distortion, sword gleaming faintly in the half-light. His eyes traced the stump of Yin’s missing arm, then narrowed.

"There’s no blood within you..." Souta said coldly. "That arm I severed wasn’t real flesh just a vessel, something you can discard at will. My guess was correct. I know what kind of monster you are now."

A guttural growl reverberated through the air. Yin took a step forward, his body convulsing violently. Veins bulged, his skin stretched, and his flesh writhed as it expanded at a grotesque pace. Bones cracked like thunder, reforming, reshaping.

"Let me show you the difference between us!" Yin’s voice echoed, layered with monstrous resonance, vibrating through the dreamscape itself. His aura erupted outward like a storm, shattering the ground beneath his feet. "Dreamscape? I will overcome this illusion and crush your power!"

The entire realm trembled. Twilight flickered. The rivers of blood rippled and boiled as if resisting Yin’s presence.

Souta’s brows furrowed. He raised his head and his eyes widened.

From above, a colossal shadow descended. A hand, vast enough to blot out the twilight sky, reached down toward him. The sheer size dwarfed mountains, its palm descending like a world-ending catastrophe.

Souta moved to dodge but his body froze. Invisible chains wrapped around his limbs, a suffocating weight binding him in place. His sword arm trembled as though nailed to the void.

Boom!!

The giant hand struck down. An overwhelming pressure spread across the dreamscape, so heavy it crushed mountains of blood flat in an instant.

Crack.

The air itself fractured, spiderweb-like cracks spreading in every direction. The dreamscape wailed, its stability collapsing beneath Yin’s monstrous presence.

Then...

The massive hand shrank, folding inward into a storm of smoke and energy.

From within the haze, a figure stepped forth.

His appearance mirrored Souta’s [Blood Armor: Divine Retribution]. The only difference was the countless bluish markings etched across his body, glowing faintly like runes carved by the elements themselves. The power of wind and water surged around him in unison, swirling violently like twin storms. Each breath he exhaled shook the dreamscape.

It was Yin.

...

High above, beyond the dreamscape.

"Released form..." No God Emperor muttered, his gaze fixed on the clash. His expression hardened.

The fifth stage monster had finally revealed his true power. From this moment on, everything hung in the balance. If Souta failed to overcome this transformation, he would lose everything he had fought for. His struggles, his victories, his sacrifices, all of it would collapse in an instant. Worse, once he fell, countless factions and demons would tear at his remains, desperate to claim a piece of the Blood Lightning Monster.

This was the full power of a fifth stage monster—its released form.

No God Emperor’s perception pierced naturally into the dreamscape, his sight projecting the battle outward. Every higher being who had been observing the fight could see the scene clearly now.

And their verdict was unanimous.

"The battle is over..." one voice whispered.

"His strength is remarkable for a fourth stage," another said. "But ultimately, that is his limit. Against a released fifth stage, there is no hope."

"To force a fifth stage to reveal its released form... that alone is extraordinary," another admitted, though there was no optimism in their tone.

Across the continent, mortals, monsters, and gods alike fixed their eyes on the battle. Some awaited Souta’s downfall eagerly, anticipating the chaos that would follow his death. Others silently prayed he could resist a little longer, if only to witness history stretch itself further.

"Released form, combined with elemental power already refined to Fusion Stage..." a god’s voice resounded, low and grim. "That is power beyond comparison. Even among fifth stage monsters, few can wield such strength."

The verdict weighed heavily in the hearts of all who watched.

In their eyes, the Blood Lightning Monster had already been defeated.

Almost everyone believed the battle was already over.

But then—

Souta, the Blood Lightning Monster... smiled.

Through the haze of shattered energy and thick smoke, his figure burst forth like a streak of crimson lightning. A sword gleamed in each of his hands, and his golden eyes locked onto Yin with a savage, fearless grin.

"You will fall today, Desolation Shifting Slime!!"

His voice cracked like thunder. He thrust both blades forward, channeling everything into that single moment. His aura erupted violently, shaking the dreamscape itself. From above, blood began to pour as though the heavens themselves bled. Scarlet lightning twisted and snapped around his swords, the atmosphere itself trembling at his will.

[Archetype: Great Blood of the End]!

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

Yin bared his fangs, his voice a guttural roar. "Nothing changes! Even if you’ve uncovered what I am, it won’t matter! You will still fall before me!!"

His arm warped hideously, convulsing until it became a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bone, studded with countless jagged spikes. Around it, torrents of water and gales of wind spiraled violently, creating a barrier that shredded the very air. The elemental storm pushed back, tearing through Souta’s killing intent.

[Adapting Execution Strike]!!

The two forces collided—Souta’s crimson Archetype, fueled by blood and lightning, clashing with Yin’s abominable strike empowered by elemental fury.

The impact was apocalyptic.

BOOOOOOM!!!

A catastrophic explosion consumed the dreamscape. Blood, lightning, wind, and water merged into a storm of annihilation that tore the very fabric of space. The ground cracked open like glass, and the sky itself seemed ready to collapse.