The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1140: The Demon: News Spreads, Return

The situation in the God’s Continent was in chaos due to the war waged by the Ruler of Gluttony. Millions had perished, and even Gods had fallen. Several countries were reduced to barren wastelands.

Now, a new piece of news began to spread slowly...

Champion’s Den, Athen’s Champion, Division Commander’s Office

Cicero sat quietly in his chair, holding a piece of paper in his hand. His eyes widened in surprise as he read its contents.

"W-What is this...?"

It was a report concerning a Hero-candidate.

According to the document, the Blood Lightning Monster, Souta, was allegedly harboring a demon within his ranks. This same demon was said to be the one responsible for triggering the demon invasions across several continents.

"Just what have you done out there... Grain Leader Souta?" Cicero muttered under his breath.

This was no minor issue.

If the report was true, it meant direct involvement with demons, something that could cause massive complications for everyone involved.

The Great Demon Emperor was a fearsome and immensely powerful being, one of the few entities in existence whose strength stood at the pinnacle of the world.

Cicero rose from his seat, his expression grim. Without delay, he summoned his subordinates.

"Go to the Hall Plains. Find and make contact with Grain Leader Souta, if he’s there," Cicero instructed firmly.

At present, he didn’t know whether Souta had returned or was still elsewhere.

"Perhaps... the Gods themselves will be drawn into this conflict," he murmured, his tone heavy with concern.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Cicero issued another command. "Send scouts beyond Olympus. We need more information, anything you can find."

With Olympus currently under lockdown, only fragments of intelligence were managing to leak through. They had very little knowledge of what was truly happening outside.

...

Elsewhere – Somewhere in the Immortal Land

Inside a dimly lit tavern, a beautiful woman with long scarlet hair sat calmly. Her face was partially concealed beneath the hood of a robe that covered most of her body.

"The demons, you say?" Red Mist arched an eyebrow, glancing sideways at the person beside her. Her tone was casual but laced with interest.

"Tell me more."

She slid a few gold coins across the table with practiced ease, the glint of the coins catching the flickering lantern light.

The man smiled and casually snapped his fingers. Instantly, a strange, invisible barrier enveloped them, cutting off all sound from the outside.

"It’s been said," he began, leaning in slightly, "that the infamous Blood Lightning Monster from Olympus has a demon among his subordinates. Now, that wouldn’t be alarming if it were just an ordinary demon... But according to certain sources, this demon is the very one the Great Demon Emperor is hunting."

Red Mist’s eyes gleamed beneath her hood. "Blood Lightning Monster... and a demon...? What about the credibility of this information?"

He shrugged. "Sixty percent, give or take. But the demons’ movements have changed. They’re pulling back, slowly, deliberately, as if they’re preparing for something. That lends some weight to the rumor."

"I see..." she murmured, nodding slowly in thought.

The man chuckled. "Well, this little tip-off won’t stay exclusive for long. Your coins merely bought you the privilege of hearing it first."

Her gaze narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

"You see... this piece of news is spreading fast. Too fast. It’s as if someone is deliberately pushing it out. They want everyone to know."

"So, someone’s targeting the Blood Lightning Monster..."

"That’s what it looks like. But that’s just my personal take. Who knows if it’s true or not."

Red Mist gave the man one last glance before standing up. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving the gold coins untouched.

She didn’t care about the money.

...

Demon’s Land – Heavenly Demon Palace

In the vast throne room of the Heavenly Demon Palace, Lucifer sat atop his dark throne, eyes cold as he gazed down at the kneeling figure before him.

"Your Majesty," the demon reported, "it appears the first unit we sent to locate Princess Alicia... has been wiped out. Also, there’s news regarding the Blood Lightning Monster."

"Who is that?" Lucifer asked, voice low and disinterested.

"A notorious figure in God’s Continent. According to the reports, Princess Alicia has joined his organization."

Lucifer raised his hand and waved it dismissively. "I don’t care who he is. Bring my daughter back. If necessary, mobilize the entire army."

"I understand, Your Majesty. I will fulfill your command."

The demon bowed deeply before leaving the throne room.

An entire army, capable of leveling nations and confronting God-rank beings, was no small force. But Lucifer didn’t care. As long as they brought his daughter back, nothing else mattered.

...

Hall Plains – Ekatoe City

Inside the office of the City Lord, Vashno sat across from a warrior of Athen’s Champion.

"I don’t know the specifics," Vashno said, his tone serious. "But our boss went outside the Imperium."

"I see... Then I’ll wait here until Grain Leader Souta returns," the warrior replied calmly.

Vashno gave a short nod.

Something was happening, something big. He had sensed it ever since Kessa vanished from her chamber without a word.

Vashno excused himself and instructed his attendants to prepare a room for the warrior. Then, he made his way to the forging chamber.

Inside, the clang of metal rang out.

"What do you want this time?" Gragas asked, clearly annoyed as he looked up from his work.

"Get ready," Vashno said with a firm tone. "I have a feeling Souta will contact us soon. A warrior from Athen’s Champion just arrived, he’s looking for him. Something’s going on."

"Hmm..." Gragas rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he glanced at Vashno and asked, "Do you want to contact Souta? There’s still one transmission talisman left."

Vashno shook his head. "No. They might be busy, and I don’t want to disturb them. If something serious has happened, they’ll contact us soon enough."

...

Days passed quickly.

Involin Forest

The Guardian Fortress descended smoothly onto the vast stretch of land, settling without issue.

"We’re here," Souta said.

The fortress door opened, revealing the dense, sprawling forest beyond. A group of monsters stood waiting, led by a massive green dragon.

"You’re here, Souta," Doranjan greeted as soon as he saw them.

Souta stepped outside and asked, "Does anyone know we’re here?"

Doranjan shook his head.

"No one. But tell me, what’s going on? You brought a lot of people with you."

His curiosity was understandable. The Guardian Fortress stationed in Involin Forest had been primarily used by Doranjan for training the Astros’ monsters. It was connected via a portal, so when that portal suddenly activated and dozens of people began stepping through, he had been caught off guard.

"It’s a big problem. Remember the Astros Empire? It’s probably gone by now," Souta said.

As Doranjan and Souta spoke, Alice and the others stepped out of the Guardian Fortress.

Several people immediately collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. The atmosphere here felt suffocating, and the dense natural energy seemed to crush their bodies under invisible pressure.

With a wave of her hand, Alice conjured a barrier around the ordinary folk. She carefully adjusted the mana flow within the barrier, dampening the intensity so that those from the Astros Empire wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the pressure of Imperium.

The Divine World, Imperium, was completely different from the planets they had lived on before.

"So this is the Divine World..." Lydia murmured, looking around in awe. She glanced down at her hands and muttered,

"My body feels kinda heavy... I can’t exert as much strength as I used to."

Alice looked to Isabella and Torkez. "You know what to do, help the ordinary people acclimate to Imperium."

They both nodded.

Alice then joined Souta and Doranjan.

"Can we accommodate more people in this forest?" Souta asked.

Doranjan considered the question. "Probably, but doing so increases the risk of those city-dwellers beyond the treeline discovering us."

Souta rubbed his chin, glancing at Alice. After a moment’s hesitation, he took a steadying breath. "You’ll stay here for now. I’ll go out and gather more information."

By now, the demons almost certainly knew his identity, and there was no telling when they’d strike again. The next force to arrive would be far stronger than the last.

He remembered that brutal battle: how he and Kessa had fought side by side, cutting down every demon that came at them. It had been a tough fight... but one they had won.

"Just be careful out there," Alice said.

"I know," Souta nodded. He glanced at the rest of the people from the Astros Empire that he had brought with him. "Let them settle here for now."

He had managed to bring everything he could from the Astros Empire before the second wave of demons arrived. As of now, he had no idea what had become of his territory. It was gone, lost so easily, just like that.

...

Souta didn’t waste any more time. He left Involin Forest and headed for the nearest city. Using the parasite’s ability, he altered his appearance to avoid recognition.

The nearby settlement was a small city with a population of just over thirty thousand. By Imperium’s standards, it was minuscule, especially when compared to cities that housed millions. But what truly defined it as "small" was the level of power among its inhabitants.

The strongest individual in the city was merely an S-rank expert. There wasn’t a single Shackled Realm expert present.

"I wonder if I can get any useful information here," Souta muttered.

He wasn’t expecting much. Still, even the smallest piece of intelligence could prove valuable.

He stopped in front of a tavern, gave it a quick glance, and stepped through the door. His energy was concealed tightly, suppressed to the point where no ordinary person would be able to sense that he was a monster. Only those with exceptional perception would be able to detect anything unusual.

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