The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1142: The Demon: Hero

’Millions of people will come after your head. Everyone’s blaming you for the demon invasion. Are you going to give up Alice... or not?’ Saya’s voice echoed in Souta’s mind.

Souta let out a short laugh at her words.

"Give up? No. I won’t do that. I don’t care what they think of me. I’ll do what I want."

’So, what are you planning to do? Someone spilled the truth, and I’m betting it was someone from the Council of High Worlds. How are you going to fight them? Even gods are being tempted to capture you now that they know you possess something the Great Demon Emperor desires.’ Saya’s voice was calm, but edged with warning.

"I don’t know yet. I’m still trying to devise a plan," Souta replied quietly. "But one thing’s certain... I’ll kill everyone who comes for me."

’Good. If you’re willing to listen, I have a proposal for you.’

Souta glanced down at the sword resting beside him, then slowly nodded.

"Let’s hear it..."

...

A moment later, Souta returned to the Guardian Fortress.

Alice and the others had already gathered for another urgent meeting.

Souta stood before them and spoke firmly, "Alice, Eztein, Franklin, Amanda. The four of you will return to Ekatoe City to assist Vashno with the evacuation. Amanda, your clan members are still there, so make sure to support them as well."

He paused before continuing, "As for me, I’ll head to the Champion’s Den and attempt to meet with Goddess Athena."

Alice, Eztein, Franklin, and Amanda exchanged glances, then gave him a collective nod of understanding.

"I already have a few plans in motion, so don’t worry," Souta assured them. "But be prepared. Our enemies are coming, no matter what we do."

He then turned to Torkez, giving him detailed instructions.

Currently, four Guardian Fortresses were stationed at Involin Fortress, two brought over from the Astros Empire, and the other two were Souta’s personal units. These two were linked via a portal.

One of the Guardian Fortresses—specifically, the one connected by a portal—would be deployed as a mobile base elsewhere. Torkez and the others would take command of it. This would serve as a decoy base, while the rest of the group went into hiding within Involin Forest.

"Once I give the signal," Souta said seriously, "draw the attention of the masses to the fortress, Torkez. This should help divert eyes away from the Involin Forest."

He paused, letting the gravity of the situation settle in.

"But remember, there’s a huge chance of failure. Millions of people with all sorts of abilities are going to come after us."

After giving his instructions, Souta dismissed the meeting. He wasted no time and immediately departed, heading straight for the Champion’s Den.

...

Champion’s Den — Maiden’s Judge, Office of the Division Commander

Cicero sat behind his desk, reviewing the latest reports scattered across the table.

"I don’t know the full details, but right now... Grain Leader Souta is being hunted by millions," he muttered with a sigh, turning his gaze toward the window. "We’re currently in negotiations with Olympus, but the odds are stacked against us. At this rate, they’ll likely hand Souta over."

A powerful demon army was marching toward Olympus, annihilating everything in its path. Their objective was clear: Souta. They believed Olympus was hiding him, when in truth, not a single person among Olympus’s leadership knew where he was.

This misunderstanding was placing enormous pressure on Olympus, which was already embroiled in conflict with the Titans and Giants. The last thing they needed was to add a demon army to their growing list of enemies.

If the demons, titans, and giants ever decided to join forces, Olympus would struggle to eliminate them all.

And beyond survival, Olympus had its own motivations. They wanted to know one crucial thing:

What exactly did the demons want from Souta?

Knock! Knock!

Cicero snapped out of his thoughts. He turned his head toward the door.

A moment later, his eyes widened in surprise. With a swift motion, he waved his hand.

Swoosh!!

The door slammed open, and a barrier instantly enveloped the entire room.

"Come in," Cicero said calmly.

A figure in a robe stepped through the doorway.

Cicero flicked his fingers, and the door shut tight behind the guest. Without his permission, no one would be able to enter the room.

"You’ve returned, Grain Leader Souta. I was just wondering what happened to you back in the sub-worlds," Cicero said.

Souta chuckled, pulling down his hood to reveal his face. He glanced around the room.

"Well, I don’t intend to hide. By now, I’m sure a lot of people already know I’m back."

Cicero’s expression turned serious.

"So what happened to you? The whole continent is after your head."

"It’s a long story," Souta replied. "But I came here for something more important. I’m requesting an audience with our Goddess."

Cicero raised an eyebrow. "You want to meet our Goddess?" He shook his head. "I’m afraid that’s not possible. Our Goddess is not—"

He was suddenly interrupted by a soft, ethereal voice.

"Cicero, I’m here. Let my Hero-candidate come in."

Cicero froze, his eyes wide as he looked around the room.

"My Lady... you’ve returned?!" He couldn’t hide the shock in his voice.

"Yes, and keep it a secret. Let my Hero-candidate enter my chamber."

"I understand," Cicero said, bowing his head deeply.

...

Cicero personally escorted Souta to Goddess Athena’s chamber. When they arrived at the grand doors, Cicero halted and stepped aside, allowing Souta to proceed alone.

Souta entered, his footsteps echoing faintly through the chamber. The place was familiar—he had been here before, both during his time in the game and when he trained in the [Hidden Concealing Method] to suppress the presence of his Cosmic Body.

’Are you sure you want to tell Athena?’ Saya’s voice echoed in his mind.

’Yes, I am,’ Souta replied silently. He didn’t need to explain further, she would understand soon enough.

He advanced a few more steps before stopping.

In the distance stood a figure, bathed in soft divine light, beautiful, composed, and serene. Goddess Athena, the embodiment of war and wisdom.

Souta didn’t approach any further. Instead, he dropped to one knee and lowered his head in reverence.

"Grain Leader Souta greets My Lady, the Goddess of War and Wisdom."

A gentle voice resonated in his ears, both warm and commanding.

"My child... if you wish, you may tell me what has happened."

"My Lady, I ask that you exile me from Athen’s Champion," Souta said, his voice steady. "I don’t want to implicate the legion. What’s happening now, it’s entirely the result of my own actions."

He paused, then continued.

"As for what the demons want from me... it’s not an object. You likely already know, I have a demon by my side. Her name is Alicia... and she’s the daughter of the Great Demon Emperor, Lucifer."

Athena remained silent, listening intently to his words.

"Alice has been hiding from the demons for years. Sooner or later, the world will learn about her. But I will never hand her over. I will fight to protect her... no matter what comes."

Athena slowly closed her eyes, then opened them again after a moment.

"Very well," she said, her voice solemn. "From this moment forward, you are no longer a member of Athen’s Champion. Your ties to me are severed."

"I wish I could help you, my child... but there are problems within Olympus I must resolve. My hands are bound."

Souta shook his head.

"It’s fine," he replied quietly. "These are the consequences of my choices. I just want to say... I’m sorry for what I’m about to do. I won’t hold back. I’ll fight anyone who comes after me."

Athena stepped forward.

"Then do what you believe is right. You’ve already done enough for the legion. Now... it’s time to live for yourself."

She gently reached out and raised his chin with one hand. Her eyes closed, and a soft light shimmered on her forehead.

"I will bestow you a gift."

Souta closed his eyes and felt a surge of energy coursing through his body.

Ding!

You’ve received the [Blessing of War and Wisdom]!

A notification echoed in his mind—a prompt confirming that he had received the blessing of Goddess Athena.

After a moment, Athena withdrew her hand and opened her eyes. "You deserve to be My Hero... Do what you believe is right."

"Thank you, My Lady," Souta said, bowing his head deeply.

Athena extended her hand once more, and a faint light shimmered in the air.

"Also, take this with you. I hope it will aid you on your path."

A greenish-white necklace floated gently in front of him. Souta lifted his gaze, watching as it slowly descended into his hands.

[Protection of Wisdom (Dark)]: A powerful artifact crafted from the scales of the Great Dragon God of Wisdom.

Effect (1): +1,000 Mana, +50 Mana Recovery, +200 Defense

Effect (2): [Ethereal Protection] – Summons a powerful barrier that scales with the user’s energy limit. (Cooldown: 1 hour)

Effect (3): [Recovery of Wisdom] – When receiving a fatal injury, this ability activates automatically to prevent death. Increases health recovery by 100% for one hour.

He had received a Dark-grade artifact from the Goddess of War and Wisdom herself, an incredible gift with life-saving power.

"Thank you once again, My Lady. I came here to bid farewell and leave Athen’s Champion, yet now... I feel I owe you even more," Souta said.

"Don’t think about it, my child," Athena replied gently. "Go on. Do what you must. Do something today that your future self will thank you for. Leave no regrets."

...

After that, Souta left the Champion’s Den.

Shortly afterward, Athen’s Champion officially announced the removal of the Blood Lightning Monster from their ranks. They declared that all ties had been severed, and to many, the news came as no surprise.

It was a decision most believed had been inevitable.

Some who had hoped to meet Souta were left disappointed. They searched but found nothing.

Meanwhile, Souta was already on the move, heading straight toward the Hall Plains, a region where a growing number of powerful experts were also converging.

"Here I come," he muttered, eyes sharp with resolve.

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