The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1343: Great Shen Empire: End

“I wish I had met you sooner! It’s a shame our battle has to end here!”

“I’ve enjoyed this fight too!”

“Blood Lightning Monster! You’re the best! You truly live up to your reputation!”

“You too! I knew you were strong, but I didn’t expect you to be this strong! I think you’ll have a lot of fun if I introduce you to the others!”

“The others?! You know other people who are strong?”

“Yeah! They’re strong!”

“HAHAHA!! I’d love to meet them! I thought I was cursed because of my strength! I never imagined there were others like me!”

“What’s your real name?”

“Oh, my parents named me Craig Silex!”

“Very well, Craig Silex! I’ll remember your name!”

“You speak as if you’ve already decided you’re going to win!”

“Yeah! I’ve still got some energy left!”

“HAHAHA!! Me too!!”

Souta and Thousand Earth laughed as they continued their high-speed battle, exchanging blows in midair. Their voices carried a strange warmth, a stark contrast to the bloodshed surrounding them.

Yet their movements were no longer as swift as before. Their attacks had lost some of their overwhelming force, and their bodies could barely keep up with their own fighting spirits. Every swing of Souta’s sword came with a tremor in his arm, while Thousand Earth’s bloodied fists shook with each impact.

The difference was becoming impossible to ignore.

The scale of their battle had diminished considerably, but neither man seemed willing to acknowledge it. They continued to grin at each other, pouring what little strength remained in their battered bodies into every strike.

For these two, even as death closed in around them, there was nothing more exhilarating than finding someone who could stand beside them on the battlefield.

“What about you, Blood Lightning Monster? I don’t know much about monsters, but I doubt that’s your real name!”

“Souta Ieshi. That’s my name.”

“Souta? A name similar to those from Takamahagara. Very well, Souta! Let’s do this!!”

“YEAH!!”

Their surroundings had been reduced to a wasteland. Hundreds of Dark Young corpses littered the shattered ground, their black flesh scattered among the ruins.

Yet amid the carnage, Souta and Thousand Earth felt as though they had known each other for a lifetime.

SWOOOSH!!

Souta launched himself forward, his sword raised for one final exchange. But halfway through his charge, he abruptly stopped.

His feet settled on the broken ground as he stared at Thousand Earth.

The man stood motionless before him. His body was covered in wounds, blood trickling down his battered limbs. His clothes were torn, and his fists hung loosely at his sides.

Yet a huge smile remained on his face.

“He died… His body finally gave out.”

Souta muttered softly.

Thousand Earth was still standing despite having already breathed his last. His body had reached its absolute limit, unable to endure another second of the battle. Yet even in death, he remained upright, as though his fighting spirit refused to let him fall.

That smile on his face said everything.

He had thoroughly enjoyed the final moments of his life.

For so long, he had stood alone at the summit, burdened by a strength that separated him from everyone else. He had searched for an opponent who could understand him, someone who could push him to his limits and make his blood boil with the thrill of battle.

And in the end, he had found one.

He realized that he wasn’t alone.

There were others like him.

Others who could stand beside him, challenge him, and understand the exhilaration that came with fighting someone who could match his strength.

And that realization had freed him.

For the first time in his life, he no longer had to stand alone.

And with that, Craig Silex, the man known as Thousand Earth, had finally found peace.

Souta laughed softly and shook his head. “What a tough guy you are, Craig…”

He stepped forward and gently raised a hand, closing Thousand Earth’s eyes.

For a moment, he stood there in silence.

Then, Souta lowered his gaze to his hand. Blood stained his fingers, the warmth of the fresh crimson still clinging to his skin.

Thousand Earth had died doing what he wanted.

But what about him?

What did he truly want to do?

When had he lost sight of himself?

Souta stood motionless, staring at the blood on his hand as those questions lingered in his mind.

Suddenly, he turned his head.

An immense energy fluctuation surged toward him, making the air tremble violently. His hair and clothes whipped in the raging wind as blinding light bathed his body. The overwhelming energy continued to build, its terrifying presence threatening to consume everything in its path.

Yet Souta didn’t move.

Instead, the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward as he faced the enormous beam hurtling toward him.

“I wanted to take your body with me and give you a proper burial, Craig. But it seems I won’t be able to do that.”

In the next instant, the colossal beam descended upon his location, swallowing everything in its path.

BOOOOM!!

The Great Shen Empire erupted in blinding light.

The beam tore through the land with merciless force, pulverizing everything it touched. A straight line stretching hundreds of kilometers was obliterated, leaving nothing but a devastated wasteland in its wake. Even the neighboring region was caught in the destruction, and the resulting shock wave shook the entire empire.

From afar, everyone witnessed a gigantic mushroom cloud rising into the sky, its towering silhouette stretching tens of kilometers above the ground.

Those caught within the beam’s path were reduced to ashes in an instant, leaving no time to scream or struggle.

There was nothing left to resist its destructive force.

It was absolute devastation.

…

Kers Time and Voltarion stood side by side, watching the enormous explosion with pale expressions.

“A powerful Peak Fifth Stage monster has made its move…” Voltarion muttered.

In the distance, a mushroom cloud churned into a violent energy storm, its towering mass piercing through the clouds. The energy fluctuations radiating from the attack were terrifyingly intense, and the surrounding air continued to tremble beneath its lingering force.

“Thousand Earth died holding back the Blood Lightning Monster…” Kers Time said with a frown.

There was no way either of them could have survived a full-powered attack from a Peak Fifth Stage monster in their current condition. They had barely any energy left, and an attack of that magnitude would have disintegrated them completely.

“Mission failed. We’re leaving,” Kers Time said before turning around.

…

Meanwhile, Xue Yi was already flying away, having crossed the empire’s border. She suddenly turned around and saw the enormous explosion in the distance.

Judging from the energy fluctuations alone, she could tell that a Peak Fifth Stage monster had made its move.

“Just what is the Seventh Head trying to accomplish in this situation? What is he planning?”

She couldn’t wrap her head around the entire situation. What had they gained from this battle? She had no idea, and that was what confused her the most.

In this battle alone, Souta had asked her and Esriel to assist him. Alexander had also been here, yet she hadn’t seen him at all.

“Still… everyone will know about this battle soon.”

Xue Yi narrowed her eyes as she glanced back at the distant explosion.

“The Blood Lightning Monster has returned.”

…

On the other hand, Shen Yao was also retreating beyond the borders of the Great Shen Empire.

She was alone now.

She had entered the empire with her comrades, but she was the only one who had made it out. She didn’t know whether the others were still alive, but she knew the chances of their survival were slim.

“I’m quite lucky…” Shen Yao muttered.

She couldn’t help but turn her head toward the central region of the Great Shen Empire.

The battle between Souta and Thousand Earth replayed in her mind. Despite their grievous injuries, the two had continued fighting fiercely, surrounded by those terrifying Dark Youngs. Neither had shown the slightest intention of backing down.

She could still vividly recall the expressions on their faces.

They hadn’t looked like enemies trying to kill each other.

They had looked like old friends who had finally reunited after a long separation.

“It’s like two friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time…”

Shen Yao stared at the enormous mushroom cloud billowing in the distance, wondering if either of them had survived.

‘Those two… They’re the true prodigies.’

…

In the space outside the Imperium, Esriel stood facing an old man with pure white hair and a long white beard.

“Just who are you? Why did you stop me?” the old man asked, his brows furrowing deeply.

Esriel didn’t answer. She simply glanced down at the Imperium, but her gaze couldn’t penetrate the dense layer of white natural energy shrouding it.

“My role here is simply to prevent people at your level from entering the Imperium. You people shouldn’t have come here,” she said, shaking her head.

Thanks for reading and I hope you like it.