The Evolution of a Goblin to the Peak

Esquin remained seated on his throne, holding a piece of paper in his hand. After a moment of contemplation, he tossed the paper aside and spoke, "The angels are taking this seriously. They've even dispatched those thrones to the battlefield."

Glancing at his kneeling subordinate, he instructed, "Inform the Black Blood Cult to mobilize. I don't care about the method; I simply wish to gauge the reaction of the Holy Lands."

"My Lord, the Black Blood Cult...?" The subordinate expressed surprise.

"Yes, instruct them to act swiftly, or else I will have no qualms about eliminating them. It would be in their best interest to comply rather than face the consequences from my men," Esquin declared in a cold, unwavering tone.

The Black Blood Cult was one of the organizations affiliated with the Deadly Sins. They relied on the Deadly Sins for protection, shielding them from potential extermination by the Holy Lands in the past. Numerous similar organizations operated under the auspices of the Deadly Sins, and they were obligated to comply with their directives.

Over time, the Black Blood Cult had grown in strength, with its Cult Leader even ascending to the rank of gods.

"I understand, My Lord," the subordinate responded before melting into shadows and vanishing from the room.

Esquin leaned on his hand, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"The formation of the bloodstone will be complete soon. The final surge of energy approaches. At that moment, I will confront those gods," he mused aloud.

With a swift movement, tens of thousands of figures emerged from the shadows of the Eru Empire. These were the experts from the sub-world personally cultivated by Esquin, his private force that other Deadly Sins couldn't command.

A select few among them had attained god-rank. In their former world, where only a Tenth Shackles level of power was sustainable, they had been trapped at that level for an extended period. It was only when Esquin brought them to the Divine World, Imperium, that their potential began to unfold.

Now, they stood ready for the impending war, prepared to face the gods themselves.

...

In the vast wilderness of the Blue Apple Territory, a group of individuals marched forward. They hailed from a Large Country, their purpose clear as they trudged through the rugged terrain.

The Blue Apple Territory itself belonged to a Large Country known as the Aqua Serene Nation. Its name derived from the legendary Divine Blue Apples that had once flourished in the land. Twenty of these mythical-grade fruits had simultaneously appeared from a single tree, earning the territory its moniker.

Within the carriages accompanying the group, a plethora of supplies could be found: food provisions, potions, and pills, all intended for delivery to the three theaters of war. Unable to utilize the portals due to their absence in these theaters, the group had no choice but to rely on traditional methods of transportation. After all, only the Holy Lands possessed the financial means to construct portals at will, and as mere support personnel, the group was hesitant to incur additional expenses.

Moreover, the distance between the Aqua Serene Nation and the three theaters stretched over two thousand kilometers, requiring a substantial allocation of resources to establish a portal connection between the two lands.

The Aqua Serene Nation wasn't the sole provider of resources; neighboring Large Countries also contributed to the cause. While manpower predominantly hailed from the Holy Lands, the resources essential for the war effort were supplied by these Large Countries. Aware of the consequences should they withhold their support, none among them dared to voice complaints. If they failed to contribute, the Holy Lands would retract their forces, leaving the Large Countries vulnerable to direct confrontation with the Gluttony Army.

Amidst their journey, the group suddenly came to a halt, the leader sensing a shift in the atmosphere.

"Wait! Something isn't right," the leader, an expert at the Eight Shackles Realm, exclaimed, raising his hand to silence his comrades.

"What's happening?" someone inquired anxiously.

"Have any of you noticed the absence of patrols in this area?" the leader queried.

With the leader's observation, the group became acutely aware that they hadn't encountered any individuals along their route. Typically, this path saw regular activity, with patrols maintaining its security and addressing threats posed by bandits and monsters. The sudden absence of such activity raised alarms among the group.

Turning to his companions, the leader inquired, "What's the nearest city or town from our current location?"

"Sir, that would be Blackstone Town. It lies roughly thirty kilometers away and isn't aligned with any Large Country. As far as I'm aware, Blackstone Town is currently embroiled in conflict with a city known as Estu," came the response.

"We're in grave danger! Retreat immediately!" the leader commanded, turning to his comrades with urgency.

Realizing the perilous situation they faced, he made the swift decision to abandon their mission of delivering goods to the theaters. Their priority now was to alert the Holy Lands of the danger they encountered.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, and a powerful energy enveloped the group, rendering them immobile.

"No one will escape..."

A chilling voice echoed through the air, instilling fear in the hearts of the group members. Powerless to resist, they could only await their inevitable demise as their bodies were consumed by the overwhelming force.

Even the leader, formidable at the Eight Shackles Realm, found himself powerless in the face of this unseen adversary. Unable to detect the enemy's presence, he realized the grim reality: their foe was vastly superior in strength.

With a deafening explosion, every member of the group was annihilated in an instant, leaving behind no trace, not even ashes.

A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, casting a glance towards the direction of the three theaters.

"Gluttony desires for me to strike the Alliance Army from behind. We've effectively severed the routes of the Large Countries, so the timing is ripe for an attack before they catch wind of our actions," the figure muttered.

This man was none other than the Cult Leader of the Black Blood Cult. He moved cautiously, ensuring his mana remained concealed to evade detection by the gods of the Large Countries.

...

Near the three theaters, individuals clad in attire similar to those from the Large Countries made their way forward. Unbeknownst to the onlookers, these were members of the Black Blood Cult, cunningly disguised to blend in seamlessly.

Upon their arrival in the Bruim, Fedru, and Selnes Theaters, they encountered no suspicion. The people from the Holy Lands were unfamiliar with those from the Large Countries, assuming the change in delivery personnel to be standard procedure.

"Stop right there," several warriors interjected as the cult members approached the supplies. An inspection was deemed necessary.

The members of the Black Blood Cult remained silent, offering no resistance as the warriors proceeded with their examination of the supplies.

In a sudden realization, the warriors detected something awry beneath the surface of the supplies. Explosive potions lay hidden beneath, their aura cleverly masked by that of the supplies themselves.

But it was too late to react.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A cascade of explosions erupted in the three theaters, sending shockwaves rippling outward and billowing clouds of smoke into the sky. The ground quaked beneath the force of the blasts, threatening to crumble beneath the onslaught.

With their disguises discarded, the cult members watched in awe as the colossal explosions unfolded before them, their sinister plan executed flawlessly.

Swoosh!!

A powerful gust of wind dispersed the smoke, revealing the warriors standing opposite the cult members. Despite the intensity of the explosions, only a handful of warriors had perished. Their veteran status allowed the higher-ranked warriors to react swiftly, erecting barriers to shield the lower-ranking fighters from harm. Furthermore, their foresight had prepared them for potential ambushes by Gluttony's forces, allowing them to mitigate the impact of the attack.

"Eliminate them all!" commanded a hero-rank angel in a cold, unwavering tone.

A brutal skirmish ensued between the warriors of the Alliance Army and the cult members of the Black Blood Cult.

It was a one-sided battle. The Alliance Army, comprised of elite warriors from various Holy Lands, swiftly dispatched the cult members with ruthless efficiency. Together, they constituted the continent's finest fighters, and against such formidable opposition, the cult stood little chance.

Within a mere half-hour, the Alliance Army had eradicated every last cult member, showing no mercy as they swiftly dealt with their adversaries.

A thousand kilometers away, the Cult Leader's expression soured as he witnessed the fate of his subordinates unfold.

He hadn't anticipated that, despite the element of surprise, his forces would fail to eliminate even a quarter of the warriors.

"Should I...?" he murmured, his mind grappling with indecision.

The Cult Leader hesitated, weighing the consequences of taking action. While he recognized that failing to impede the Alliance Army's progress would displease Gluttony, making a move would entail expending more energy and risk detection by the gods of the nearby Large Countries. Even when he severed the supply routes, he had exercised caution to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

Caught between conflicting concerns, the Cult Leader found himself at a crossroads, unsure of the best course of action to take.

"I'll eradicate them all in an instant and flee to the Eru Empire before the neighboring gods can detect me," the Cult Leader declared decisively.

But before he could act, an ominous sensation swept over him, and in the blink of an eye, he found himself one hundred kilometers away from his previous location. A powerful arrow then crashed into the ground where he had just stood, unleashing a devastating shockwave.

Boom!!

The earth trembled beneath the force of the impact, sending ripples of energy reverberating throughout the area.

"What...?" the Cult Leader gasped in astonishment, his eyes narrowing as he turned to confront the source of the attack. Above him, a man hovered in the sky, while on the border of the Aqua Serene Nation, a woman took aim with her bow, poised to strike again.

"Hmm... So, you're the Cult Leader of the Black Blood Cult?" the unknown man remarked, his voice tinged with curiosity. He was a tall figure, adorned with a thick black beard and mustache. Long hair cascaded down his back, and his eyes crackled with electric energy. In his hand, he wielded a trident exuding a formidable aura.

"Amanikable..." the Cult Leader muttered the name of the god in a subdued tone. A sense of foreboding washed over him as he realized that the Alliance Army had anticipated the intervention of a god.

To encounter a god of such stature was disheartening indeed.