The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak

Chapter 1244: Turmoil within the Rulman Household

The next day.

Souta lay on the bed, eyes closed, and hadn’t left the room since his arrival. He knew it was wiser to stay put as there was a chance trouble could find him. After all, some within the Rulman Household wanted Fadu gone, and he had escorted the boy back safely.

In their eyes, that made him an enemy.

Although he wasn’t afraid of them, he preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict.

A sharp knock echoed from the door.

Souta turned his head. ”What is it?”

”The Matriarch wishes to see you,” a calm voice replied.

”Understood,” Souta said, rising from the bed.

He smirked inwardly. It’s time. The Matriarch will probably make her move now. He adjusted his clothes and stepped toward the door. A maid waited outside, her posture composed and professional.

”Follow me,” she said after a brief glance. ”I will guide you to the Matriarch.”

Souta nodded and fell into step behind her.

As they walked, he studied the surroundings. Grassy lawns and scattered trees lined the paths between four-story houses, all connected by neatly paved walkways. Near the main gate, an enormous pool stretched nearly one hundred meters deep, filled with Searan and other creatures swimming lazily while guards patrolled the perimeter.

From what he could see, the Rulman estate spanned roughly a two-hundred-meter radius.

He resisted the urge to scan it with his best feram. Provoking the household’s residents especially the higher-ups, far stronger than him was a risk he wasn’t willing to take. Even a single misstep could expose him.

Before long, the maid stopped in front of an ornate door.

”Matriarch is waiting inside,” she said. ”I can only guide you this far.”

Souta nodded. He stepped forward, placing his palm on the door, and pushed it open. A gust of wind swept outward.

Whoosh!

His hair whipped around as he stepped inside.

In the next instant, the door slammed shut behind him, and the atmosphere shifted instantly.

’The mana...’

His gaze fell on the Matriarch, seated like a queen on a throne that dominated the room. Her entire body radiated an immense, almost tangible energy.

She was a top-tier expert of the Rulman Household, one of the most powerful families in the Tarrant Kingdom. It was said she surpassed even the City Lord of Wave Bond City. Beyond that, she was one of the three ruling experts of the Tidal Merchant Group, a mercantile powerhouse with influence across all three nations of the Depth of Banquet.

That was her, Freida Rulman.

Below her, two rows of people sat facing each other. Most were Searans, but a few came from other species such as Aquarans and Octodas. The Octodas were demis with characteristics similar to octopuses. Unlike Searans or Aquarans, they had no limbs, only eight agile tentacles that moved independently.

They were the higher-ups, also known as the Elders of the Rulman Household, second in authority only to the Matriarch herself.

Freida’s gaze swept down to Souta from her throne. She studied him carefully before speaking.

”Atos, am I correct?”

”Yes, Madam,” Souta replied calmly, nodding.

A few of the Elders frowned at his tone. There was a subtle edge of displeasure in their expressions.

Souta ignored them. It didn’t matter without the Matriarch’s permission, none of them could act against him. He was, after all, the one who had saved her son.

”First, I wish to express my gratitude for saving my son,” Freida said, rising to her feet. She bowed lightly. ”As a mother, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

”Thank you, Madam. It’s nothing. I was merely passing by,” Souta replied smoothly.

Freida smiled and returned to her seat. With a flick of her fingers, two maids entered the room, carrying a metal box.

Suddenly, another maid burst into the room, breathing heavily. She looked up at Freida, panic in her eyes.

”Matriarch! Someone tried to poison the young master!”

The atmosphere shifted instantly. The temperature in the room plummeted.

”WHAT?!”

Freida’s voice thundered across the hall. She rose from her seat, and an immense surge of mana erupted from her body.

”Begin!”

The words barely left her lips when the entire Rulman Household seemed to tremble. Bursts of energy shot out in every corner, shaking the ground and rattling the air. Many present were stunned, caught off guard by the sudden, overwhelming display of power.

”It seems I must thoroughly cleanse this household,” she said coldly.

And then, in the blink of an eye, Freida vanished.

Ohm!

Souta tilted his head and immediately sensed a powerful formation spreading across the estate. Freida had sealed the entire household, preparing to eliminate anyone involved.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he hadn’t saved Fadu, what chaos would have erupted here?

Turning his gaze, he noticed the Elders leaving the room one by one to follow Freida.

’Is there a traitor among them?’ he thought.

Souta moved silently, stepping past the kneeling maids. He exited the room, stretching his arms casually, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

”What a powerful formation,” he murmured.

His eyes traced the semi-transparent barrier that enveloped the estate like a massive dome. A soft chuckle escaped him as he studied it.

Souta had chosen Fadu.

Why? It was simple.

He had been looking for an opportunity when he saw Fadu being pursued by several powerful experts. Listening in on their conversation, he learned that the boy was the young master of a prominent family.

Saving Fadu and gaining entry into his family was all part of laying the foundation for his plans in Wave Bond City.

”Time for a workout.”

Souta turned his head, letting his energy ripple outward to scan the area. He longed to fully probe the estate, but he restrained himself not wanting to offend the higher-ups of the Rulman Household. Being kicked out now would ruin his plans.

But it was different now. With chaos happening in the Rulman Household, Souta let out his energy.

With careful precision, he focused and quickly pinpointed Fadu’s location.

Bending his knees, Souta launched himself forward, moving toward the boy with lightning speed.

Swoosh!

...

In the sky above the Rulman Household, Freida hovered, her body radiating an enormous surge of mana. Her expression was cold and unyielding as she stared down at the old man before her.

”Elder Reklor,” she said, her voice laced with deadly intent, ”you are the father of my husband, and I respect that but do not stand in my way as I deal with the traitors of this household.”

Below her stood an elderly man, gripping a powerful trident. He was an Elder of the Rulman Household, one of the highest-ranking figures in the family.

”If you can... spare my son, Dihra,” Elder Reklor said, his gaze fixed steadily on hers.

Freida’s eyes hardened. ”Impossible. I am the Matriarch, and I have a duty to uphold. He not only attempted to kill my son, but he also sold our secrets. I will kill him. And if you try to stop me, I will be forced to confront you as well.”

Without hesitation, Freida’s energy surged toward him.

Elder Reklor didn’t flinch. He planted his feet firmly, meeting her assault with a counterforce.

Boom!

Sparks erupted in the air as their energies collided.

Freida twisted her left hand, carving a shape in the air. Within moments, the surrounding space constricted, as if an invisible force were trying to pin them in place.

”I have activated the Protection of Deep Water,” she said calmly. ”I can move freely, and the Rulman Household will remain largely unaffected by my attacks. Now... I will kill you.”

”You may expel my son, and I will say nothing,” Elder Reklor replied firmly. ”But if you intend to kill him, you will have to go through me first.”

In an instant, they vanished from sight, moving so fast that the eye could barely follow. They clashed again in midair, their attacks exploding with unmatched force.

BOOM!

The air trembled, and the sky itself seemed to shatter with the intensity of their battle.

...

The Rulman Household spanned a radius of two hundred meters. It was enormous, but for someone of Souta’s level, traversing the distance was effortless.

Soon, he arrived at Fadu’s location. He stopped at the door and pushed it open.

Inside the room were two people: Fadu and his father, Wresho Rulman.

”Atos!” Fadu called out, relief and excitement in his voice.

”Why are you here?” Wresho asked, his tone cautious, laced with suspicion.

Souta smiled faintly, understanding the father’s reaction. ”I heard someone tried to poison Fadu,” he explained calmly. ”You don’t need to worry. If I intended to harm him, I wouldn’t have brought him into this place.”

He remained where he was, making no move to approach the father and son.

Wresho’s eyes narrowed, but he kept his distance. He positioned Fadu behind him, ready to react to any sudden threat.

Souta simply sat down, gazing up at the sky.

Above, the air was alive with violent energy fluctuations. Explosions rumbled intermittently as elemental forces swirled above, churning like a storm unleashed.