The instant the Goblin King noticed Terrence, his ugly face twisted. Panic flickered beneath the grease and green.
He shoved the young woman beside him so hard she slammed into the cage bars with a metallic CLANG, letting out a sharp, pained yelp.
He didn't even look back.
He was too busy hiding his way below average member, cupping himself with a frantic tug of his loincloth.
Pathetic.
The Goblin King rose to his full height. He was only an inch taller than Terrence, yet somehow still looking smaller.
"So you are the one that's been causing my soldiers trouble…"
His snarky growl came out strained, his eyes darting over Terrence's unmoving frame.
Terrence didn't blink.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't even exist as a man anymore.
He stood there like a mannequin pretending to imitate humanity. He was cold, robotic, and his eyes drilled straight past flesh, past bone, past soul.
A thing staring at a thing.
And the Goblin King felt it.
He swallowed hard and forced a chuckle despite his trembling lips.
"You must be after this-"
He fished out a glowing golden key studded with gemstones not found in any human realm. He held it up like a trophy.
"An Evo Key, said to unlock an Evo Rend..which forcibly evolves whoever survives it. Every so-called powerful Awakener wants one. They underestimate us, then get eaten like discarded animals."
He could tell Terrence was listening, which kept him talking.
"Ever since my goblins found it, I've been trying to reach a certain power level so I could complete the Evo Rend. Evolution..that's everything to us Goblins."
He stepped forward with a widening grin.
"So I give you a proposition. Leave and I'l-"
WHIFF.
The key was gone.
His hand still hovered where it had been.
Terrence was already examining it.
"Nahh," Terrence muttered casually. "Ima do my own thing."
The Goblin King's grin died.
Before he could even gasp, Terrence slid Elemental Raining Nova from his back in one smooth motion.
Two fingers glided across the blade, exactly like he had done before.
Exactly like death.
[Elemental Resonance Detected]
[Nuclear + Fire]
[Resonance Fusion: SUCCESS]
[Mode: Solarflare Detonation]
The greatsword twisted as if reality couldn't contain it.
Edges bent like heat waves.
The core dimmed, then burned into a deep, molten orange.
A low, vibrating hum filled the cavern. It was so heavy it shook the torches into frantic, unstable flickers.
Tiny sparks peeled off the blade like collapsing supernovas.
[New Active Skill Acquired!]
[Ablaze the World LV.1]
[Description]
A devastating nuclear-thermal ignition technique that weaponizes the birth of a miniature sun. Elemental Raining Nova compresses fire + nuclear force into a star-core orb that detonates a split second later.
Ignores all allies. Destroys all enemies.
"SEIZE HIM!!" the Goblin King screamed, leaping toward Terrence.
His Elite Goblins launched themselves as well, Shamans filling the air with glowing blasts.
Terrence tilted his head slightly, eyes locking with Treasure's.
This time, her eyes weren't wide with fear.
They were glossy with tears she refused to let fall.
She nodded.
A tiny smile of acceptance.
That was all he needed.
Terrence snapped his gaze back forward. His expression was dead, and soul colder than an empty galaxy—
and swung.
A newborn sun erupted.
A sphere of searing nuclear fire, compressed to a fist-sized star, detonated on contact.
Faster than sound.
Faster than thought.
Faster than prayer.
BOOOOOOM.
Light tore the world apart.
A shockwave expanded in a perfect 360-degree circle.
Radiant annihilation.
Solar wind.
Pure, divine erasure.
The Elite Goblins didn't die.
They stopped being physical substances.
One moment they were mid-air screaming.
The next—
they were ash-shaped memories, erased from matter itself.
The Shamans' magic bolts evaporated before they reached Terrence, burning into white flame before disappearing entirely.
Their bodies followed soon after, bones glowing orange, cracking, then dissolving like they'd never been born.
The Goblin King hit the shockwave head-on and didn't even leave dust behind.
The cavern cages rattled violently.
Treasure shielded her eyes, gasping as the starburst washed over her harmlessly. The skill ignored anything Terrence didn't mark as an enemy.
Her hair flew back, glowing with divine light, heartbeat syncing to the cosmic thunder.
The ground splintered into glowing cracks.
The ceiling rippled like cloth.
And standing in the center of absolute silence was Terrence.
Outlined in solar flame.
Expression unreadable.
A walking extinction event.
CLICK.
The devastation turned off like a flipped switch.
Elemental Raining Nova groaned like a baby Godzilla before reverting to its default form. Terrence stored it away.
He glanced at the golden Evo Key hovering above his palm.
[Evo Key Recognition: 100%]
[Conditionally Chosen User: Terrence Danbrose]
[Evo Rend Access Unlocked!]
[Enter Evo Rend?] [Y/N]
He wanted to pick yes, but he pressed no.
Other matters were more important and besides, he had a feeling Eiselle was about to awaken soon.
THUMP.
Warm arms wrapped around his torso.
Treasure clung to him tightly, quietly sobbing into his chest.
He let her. He hugged her back and rubbed one hand on her back in slow circles.
"I-I know it h-had to be done," she choked, tears soaking into his cloak. "But it h-hurts knowing I don't have anyone e-else…"
Terrence's voice softened.
"Something I've always learned is it's better to be alone than surrounded by bad company that corrupts good character. Fortunately for you, you still won't be alone. You'll have me and Eiselle by your side..well, if you want."
"W-Who's Eiselle?" she sniffled.
"I'll introduce you later. For now, we need to free these prisoners and take them back to the village I left. Alright?"
Treasure nodded, stepping back slowly.
She took his hand, wiping her tears with the other.
Terrence chuckled quietly as he looked at the former prisoners.
Hopefully the village accepted them.
He doubted it would be an issue.
Not when he was the one bringing them.