The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1090: Opening of the Barrier

Somewhere in the Obsidian Desert.

A massive mansion stood beside an oasis.

A man with long white hair rose from his seat. He glanced in a certain direction and said, ”Itʼs time. Prepare yourself.” ”Huh?” A chubby woman looked at him. ”Is it already time, Leonard?” ”Yeah.” Leonard nodded at her words. ”Maeb, donʼt forget our mission. The other group already failed against Adel, so we canʼt afford to fail this time. We have to kill the Blood Lightning Monster, no matter what.” ”Itʼs a pity,” Maeb said, standing up from her seat. ”If Adel hadnʼt broken through to the Hero-rank, he would have died there.” ”Arden will be freed from his punishment in just a month. If we canʼt kill the Blood Lightning Monster, heʼll destroy our group. This is our only way to survive.” Leonard said, a frown on his face.

The Gluttony Army couldnʼt send another Seven-Circle Officer. The power of those officers was needed more on the main battlefield. They had already lost a Messenger of Gluttony last time, and they couldnʼt afford to send another high-level expert.

But Leonard had a plan. ”Letʼs go.” ...

Red Sand Valley.

Soutaʼs group landed on the ground from the air. In the distance, they could see a magnificent palace surrounded by a barrier. ”Grain Leader Souta!” Allan greeted him.

Souta nodded and glanced at the barrier. It was weakening-he could tell it didnʼt have much energy left. It might collapse soon, or they could force their way through it since it was growing weaker. ”How is it?” Souta asked. ”There are five organizations surrounding the Serene Palace,” Allan reported. ”Their leaders are strong, but theyʼre probably weaker than the leader of the Deadman.” ”Oh.” Souta raised an eyebrow. It seemed that silencing those people would be easier than he had thought. ”Also, I have a bad feeling about this. Everything around here feels like a setup,” Allan explained anxiously.

Souta turned his gaze to Allan. ”Go on.” ”Iʼve investigated the Serene Palace. Although it has a long history, this type of barrier is something they shouldnʼt have. Thereʼs no mention of this barrier, and even when they were at war, they never showed it. If theyʼd had it from the beginning, they wouldnʼt have fallen overnight. Maybe theyʼre still inside the barrier.” ”Youʼre right. This is probably a trap set up by someone,” Souta said.

That being said, he would still go, even if it was a trap. He knew that Princess Iris and the others were still alive because of the quest, and they were probably inside the Serene Palace.

The group waited for a few hours until there was finally a change.

Ohm!

An energy wave spread across the area like a ripple. The barrier flickered, and everyone sprang to their feet. ”Itʼs here.”

Hundreds of people stared ahead, a mix of anticipation and nervousness on their faces.

The sky above the Serene Palace shimmered with hues of blue and white as the massive barrier that had enclosed it for so long began to fracture. Cracks of light spread across its translucent surface.

Bang!

With a deafening sound, the barrier shattered into thousands of glimmering fragments, dispersing like embers from a dying flame.

A wave of energy swept out once again, brushing across everyone in the area.

The barrier around the Serene Palace was gone. ”Itʼs finally gone.” An old man with a thick beard and mustache laughed. His energy surged as he rushed toward the magnificent gate of the palace.

A man clad in golden armor gripped his sword tightly. ”Everyone! Weʼll go inside and claim the wealth of the Serene Palace,” he commanded.

People began to enter the palace as the gate opened.

In the distance, Souta watched as the barrier disappeared. He turned to his group and said, ”Letʼs go!”

Soutaʼs group flew through the air, reaching the entrance in just a moment. They saw that there were still people outside the palace.

The expressions of these people shifted when they noticed Soutaʼs group. ”Is it just me, or do these people look like theyʼre trying to prevent anyone from entering?” Franklin asked. ”Youʼre not alone.” Vashno turned his head, sensing more people approaching the palace. They didnʼt belong to any of the five groups that had entered. ”It seems theyʼve made a deal. They want to keep all the loot for their five groups, not wanting to share with the smaller ones.” ”Hey, this land is now the territory of the Red Alliance. Go back if you donʼt want to become our enemy,” one of the people guarding the entrance said. ”Red Alliance?” Franklin raised his eyebrows and took a step forward. ”Yes, itʼs the alliance of the Red Night, Ever Dead, Extreme Light Association, Flare Family, and Freezing Wind Cooperative.”

Franklin grinned wickedly as he approached the man. ”You see, our leader is a bit special. You donʼt want to mess with him—” ”Franklin,” Souta interjected.

Franklin looked at Souta and smiled. ”Iʼm just playing with my prey.”

In the next second, his hand transformed into a sharp blade and stabbed the man in front of him. ”Ugh! You...!” The man stared at Franklin with wide eyes. A streak of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth as he felt intense pain in his stomach. ”Finish this,” Souta said, walking forward and ignoring the people around him.

Vashno and the warriors of Athenʼs Champion dashed forward, all drawing their weapons.

Bang!!

The sounds of fighting echoed as Souta passed through the gate. He gazed at the majestic palace, scanning for any traps or mechanisms outside.

After confirming that everything was fine, Souta turned his head. A bloody scene unfolded before his eyes. ”Weʼre done,” Franklin said, standing up, his entire body covered in blood. ”Good.” Souta began to walk, with his men following close behind.

The blood on the ground began to rise into the air, chasing after Soutaʼs group.

The others behind them were shocked by the scene. They were just small groups or wandering mercenaries who had hoped to make money in this place. ”As expected, thereʼs really a group that isnʼt afraid of the five giant factions.” ”Letʼs go, brother! Thereʼs no one guarding the entrance now!” ”Take anything from those people and leave this place!”

They shouted as they ran toward the gate. ...

Souta and his group arrived inside the palace. They were greeted by a crystal chandelier hanging high above, casting a soft reflection across the polished marble floors. Silken banners of gold and red draped from the ceilings, displaying the emblem of the past leader of the

Serene Palace. ”So, where are they?” Franklin muttered, looking around. ”Letʼs go.” Souta said to them.

Their footsteps echoed softly against the polished marble floors as they moved deeper inside. Silver corridors, towering archways, and opulent chambers bathed in golden light surrounded them. They passed all of these while observing the changes in their surroundings. ”Itʼs like a labyrinth...” Vashno muttered.

Souta ran his palm lightly across the smooth stone walls. ”Itʼs tough, but you can break these walls if you want.”

As soon as he spoke, Souta clenched his fist, gathered his energy, and threw a punch.

Bang!

The walls collapsed under his punch, revealing the room inside. ”However, this isnʼt advisable since there may be mechanisms that could destroy the materials we want if we force our way in. Well, itʼs not a problem for me since I can see those things, but itʼs better to be careful,” Souta explained.

The group continued through several corridors and chambers.

A few minutes later, they arrived in a different chamber. The floor was covered in blood, and the walls were pure white, glowing with a dim light. Various languages were written on the ceiling, emitting a strange energy. ”This...” Souta frowned. ʼYouʼre right. This is a sacrificial altar.ʼ Sayaʼs voice confirmed his thoughts.

However, this was a completely different ritual than the one the remnants of the Hall of

Power performed for the No God Emperor. In this world, there were hundreds of rituals with different purposes.

Suddenly, the ground shook heavily.

Rumble!

Souta and his group were alerted. They hadnʼt done anything yet, so they knew they werenʼt the cause of it. ”It seems that the others who entered the palace have already caused trouble,” Vashno said.

Souta sighed and said, ”Letʼs move.”

It was better to find Princess Iris and Prince Servon first. He didnʼt want them to die in a place like this. Perhaps the pool of blood here came from the corpses of the missing people. If that was the case, then someone could enter and exit the Serene Palace at will, even with the barrier intact.

They moved to another chamber and found another sacrificial altar. However, this one was incomplete, with bodies still in the pool of blood that hadnʼt dissolved yet. ”Thereʼs a flow of energy from these altars... If we follow it, we might find its source,” Souta muttered. He could sense it.