n

n

n

nA few minutes ago...

nSouta moved from side to side, deftly avoiding the attacks of Lorna and the other members of the Dark Gold Corps.

nHe leaped into the air, shooting hundreds of sharp webs. However, Lorna simply sliced the webs apart with his blade.

nSwoosh!!

nSouta ducked down as an energy blade passed above him. He then lifted his foot and kicked the expert beside him. In the midst of the chaos, he noticed Lorna rushing toward him.

nHe could sense their desperation. Their Dream Power and Element Drive weren't going to last much longer, so they were staking everything on defeating him.

nIt was a crucial moment for him, so he refrained from using too much energy. He had only used a small amount to destroy the golem earlier, and burdening his inner consciousness now would disrupt his focus.

nHmm...?

nSuddenly, Souta felt a shift and turned his head in another direction. He sensed something significant had occurred.

nIt was his first time experiencing this sensation, but he recognized what it meant. The six holy stakes, capable of ending this game, had appeared.

nLorna and the other members of the Dark Gold Corps paused, sensing it too.

n

"The holy stakes have appeared...?!

" Lorna narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was advantageous for him or not.

nSouta grinned as he observed the Dark Gold Corps.

"It seems the holy stakes have appeared. Will you continue to fight me, or not? If I'm not mistaken, your goal is simply to keep me occupied while the witches complete the game, am I right?

"

nLorna and the other members of the Dark Gold Corps remained silent, watching Souta warily. They had realized they wouldn't be able to defeat him; continuing to fight would only exhaust them further.

n

"Oh, you're not saying anything,

" Souta remarked.

"It seems I need to give you a reason to stop. Well, it's time. It's already been decided.

" He grinned widely as he slammed his hand against his chest.

nOhm!!

nSouta opened both hands as a large amount of best feram gushed out of his body. He could finally use his energy without restraint.

nThe entire ground began to shake violently as the overflowing energy surged in every direction like a raging tide.

nSouta slowly floated in the air, relishing the sensation of using his power once again. It was thoroughly exhilarating. His inner consciousness was completely fixed.

"W-What is this?!

" Lorna narrowed his eyes, sensing the intense pressure in the air.

nThe rest of the Dark Gold Corps subconsciously took a step back. Their instincts screamed at them to run away, but they knew they couldn't escape from the monster before them. Boom!!

nThe entire dreamscape began trembling.

n

"You couldn't even kill me while I was relying solely on my physical abilities and a few traits, so why do you think you can stop me now that I'm using my energy?

"

nSouta's voice echoed as he threw a punch into the air. A surge of energy erupted, causing a massive explosion. The blast spread widely, wreaking havoc and causing massive destruction. Uncontrollable cracks spread out in all directions.

nThe dreamscape was on the brink of collapse.

n

"Just cause destruction until the person who dreamed this place dies. It's not bad for me.

" With his physical abilities already formidable enough to match theirs, enhancing every fiber of his muscles with energy would elevate his strength to unimaginable heights.

nSouta looked down at the Dark Gold Corps and said,

"How about it? Do you want to continue fighting? I think one minute is all I need to eliminate all of you.

"

nThe Dark Gold Corps was left speechless.

n

"Anyway, I believe I've already killed the dreamer just like that. The pressure of my energy sure takes me back. It's easy to dispatch weaker creatures,

" Souta remarked, glancing at the cracks in the sky. He then refocused his attention on them and added,

"On another note, I think it's already too late to run. I warned you that you would suffer the consequences of obstructing my path.

"

nSwoosh!!

nWith a swift step, he appeared in front of them, swinging his fist viciously.

nLorna and the members of the Dark Gold Corps tried their best to block Souta's attack, but they were blown away by the immense surge of energy.

nSouta soared into the sky, his hand raised with ten black spheres on his back. A magic circle formed beneath his feet and a black hole materialized on top of his palm.

nOhm!!

nThe black hole grew larger and larger, swallowing up the light in the area as it swirled around the void.

n

"Take this!

" Souta laughed as he hurled the black hole.

nIn just a minute, the battle was over. Souta had swiftly dispatched all of them. They stood no chance against him the moment he could unleash all of his skills without holding back.

nThe dreamscape collapsed, and Souta flew toward the direction where he could sense the holy stakes as quickly as possible. Utilizing his skills to enhance his speed, he shot through the air at high velocity, leaving shockwaves in his wake.

nA few golems attempted to block his path, but he effortlessly destroyed them. In the Dream Palace, he encountered Alice, who was also heading in the direction of the holy stakes. He brought her with him, and together they managed to arrive on time.

n...

nSouta placed his palm on top of Eilish's head and said,

"Leave everything to me. I'll take full responsibility for what happens next.

"

nHis voice carried a tinge of bloodlust that permeated the air.

n

"The Blood Lightning Monster?!

" Layla exclaimed in surprise at his appearance.

nThe two elders observed the situation intently. Eilan narrowed his eyes at the unexpected

narrival.

n

"A fourth stage...?

" Gawain raised his eyebrows.

"No... A fourth stage possessing this much power is unheard of.

"

nAs he looked at Souta, he sensed a power that a fourth stage shouldn't possess. A fourth stage shouldn't be able to rival any of the top-tier SSS-rank experts. Just where did this monster

ncome from?

n

"S-Souta...

" Eilish muttered as she gazed at Souta's back.

n

"I'll take care of everything. Your brother... I promised you that I'll bring him back,

" Souta stated firmly as he stepped forward. Then, he turned his head to briefly glance at Kayla's group before addressing Alice,

"Alice, take care of Eilish for a while.

"

nAlice nodded in acknowledgment of his words.

nAs Souta took another step forward, his energy level began to rise steadily, causing the

npressure in the air to escalate.

nLayla gulped nervously, her eyes fixed on Souta.

"What are you doing, Blood Lightning

nMonster?

" she inquired.

nSouta glanced at her and recognized her.

"Ah, I remember you. You're the one who infiltrated

nthe Wingless Crow and visited me in my city,

" he remarked.

nLayla narrowed her eyes.

"So what do you plan to do?

" she demanded.

nSouta smiled and pointed at Eilan.

"It's simple. I'm going to bring Eilish's brother,

" he

ndeclared.

n

"Y-You?!

" Layla gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Do you want this game to fail?! Do you want to witness the destruction of Walpurgis Night?!

"

nSouta waved his hand dismissively, his tone cold.

"The most important thing to me is bringing Eilish's brother. Her will matters to me more than the fate of Walpurgis Night.

"

nThere was no way he would prioritize others over his own people. Souta had become indifferent to lives after the incident in the sub-world. The only thing keeping him grounded

nwas his loyalty to his own.

n

"It seems we couldn't negotiate,

" Layla conceded, glancing at the two elders. There was no avoiding a confrontation with the infamous Blood Lightning Monster.

nSouta slowly ascended into the air, his energy radiating outwards.

n

"Come.

"

nHis voice echoed commandingly as his energy erupted like a volcano, exerting pressure in

nevery direction. Combat arts and spells were activated one by one, further enhancing his strength to unprecedented levels.

n

"Shit!

" Layla cursed, eyeing Souta warily. The two elders positioned themselves behind her,

nready to offer support.

nGawain observed the situation with amusement, intrigued by the arrival of the newcomer.

nThe power Souta possessed surpassed normal limits.

nAt that moment, numerous golems swarmed into the vicinity, intent on eliminating all

nparticipants in the game.

nSwoosh!

nSouta waved his hand, conjuring a barrier to protect Alice, Eilish, and Kayla's group. Then, he

nascended into the sky, raising his hand above his head.

nHundreds of blood-red webs shot out from his palm in all directions. The gravity in the area intensified several times over as shadows spread out from the ground.

nIn an instant, the webs pierced through the bodies of the golems, while Layla and the others

ndid their best to avoid them.

nROAR!!

nSouta unleashed a fierce roar, his energy level skyrocketing uncontrollably. His voice

nreverberated throughout the entire dimension.

nBoom!!

nStrings of flesh emerged from his skin, transforming his appearance into something

nmonstrous. Four sharp spider limbs protruded from his back, and his hair grew longer.

nEvery cell in his body brimmed with power. It had been a while since he felt such overwhelming strength. Utilizing his Monster Orb Release was effortless for him now. In fact, he was unbelievably stronger in this moment.

n

"Anyone who dares to obstruct my path will face my wrath. Don't bother trying to reason with

nme, as I care for nothing else at this moment.

"

nSouta gazed down at everyone below from his elevated position. The energy he radiated was

nutterly devastating.

n

n