The Evolution Of A Goblin To The Peak Chapter 1251: Rumors

Fadu practiced his sword strikes in the open training area. Although sweat drenched his clothes, he continued to swing his blade with relentless determination.

"Six hundred ninety-nine... Seven hundred!"

With one final, forceful swing, Fadu collapsed onto the ground. His chest rose and fell haphazardly as he gasped for air, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

Once he regained his composure, Fadu turned to observe Souta, who was occupied with examining the Aqua World Fruit.

Fadu frowned and asked, "Why? Why am I unable to grow stronger?"

Ever since the recent turmoil, Fadu had been desperate to improve to ensure his own survival. He was sick of being a burden and longed to stand independently so his parents would no longer have to worry about him.

Souta glanced at Fadu as the Aqua World Fruit hovered beside him.

"True strength isn't built in a single day. Becoming a powerful expert requires tireless effort and the grit to push through every obstacle," Souta remarked, his eyes shifting back to the legendary-grade fruit. "If you want to speed up the process, you must be willing to cheat."

"Cheat...?" Fadu asked, visibly confused.

"Exactly. Society always creates limitations for others. The only consequence is the inevitable criticism, as people are eager to judge those who defy the rules binding them." Souta looked at Fadu and added, "You need to find your inner resolve and harden your mindset. While this won't grant you power overnight, the refusal to let outside opinions dictate your path is what allows an expert to rise. Train your mind, and your body will obey. Kill when necessary and be kind when it is called for."

"How am I supposed to know when to kill and when to be kind?" Fadu asked.

"Simply establish your own principles. Never blindly follow the rules of others, including mine." Souta paused before emitting a faint ripple of his killing intent. "I would kill you if the situation required it."

Fadu shuddered, his complexion turning pale as his body trembled, as if death were staring directly into his soul.

Souta pulled back his killing intent instantly and offered a slight smile. "Luckily, I have no reason to kill you currently, so set your mind at ease."

Fadu exhaled a long breath of relief and mopped the sweat from his forehead. "Don't scare me like that. I genuinely believed my end had arrived."

"Hahaha, don't worry. As I mentioned, I don't enjoy killing. Whether you trust me is your choice. It's true that I tend to impose my will on others; that’s simply how I operate," Souta laughed.

He rose and faced Fadu. "Enough wasting time. I’ll teach you a few things, so strike at me with everything you've got."

"A-are you certain?" Fadu hesitated, gripping his sword with a nervous intensity.

"Hmm?" Souta raised an eyebrow, noting the boy's evident doubt. "You may not realize it, but there is a reason your parents selected me as your personal guard. When I claim I can eliminate you with ease, I mean every word. A mere release of my energy could end your life."

Souta had been holding back his full aura to avoid accidentally injuring anyone around him. As a fifth-stage monster, his power was sufficient to erase normal beings in an instant.

Because Wresho had shielded Fadu from the volatile waves of energy, and Souta had subdued his power while rescuing him in the Twisted Forest, Fadu had never truly felt the weight of that strength.

Souta grinned. "You’ve been sheltered until now. I’ll show you exactly how vast the gap is between your current level and true power."

"W-what are you intending to do?" Fadu retreated a step.

"You wanted to improve, right?" Souta moved his finger, sending a web-like strand of energy slicing through the air.

Whoosh!!

Fadu’s eyes widened, instinctively raising his sword; however, the blade snapped in two the moment it touched the sharp energy. He closed his eyes, bracing for certain death.

Damn it, Atos! You said you wouldn't kill me!

Seconds ticked by, and feeling no pain, Fadu opened his eyes to see Souta standing there, completely composed.

Souta grinned and, with a quick movement, flicked Fadu on the forehead.

Bang!

Fadu flew several meters back, pain radiating through his entire frame.

"Stand up. I am restricting myself to one percent of my true strength," Souta stated.

"Arghh!!" Fadu gritted his teeth, forced himself to his feet, glared at Souta, and charged forward again.

Bang! This continued as Souta began training Fadu in the basics of combat.

The hours melted away.

... The next morning, Fadu emerged from his room looking exhausted. His body throbbed from the intensity of the previous day's session.

Swoosh!!

A figure materialized right at his side. Fadu jumped, sighing in relief when he realized it was only Souta.

"Please stop startling me," he said, rubbing his aching temples.

Souta smiled thinly. "That discomfort is proof that you are growing. Don't let a little soreness stop you."

"I know," Fadu replied, dragging his feet.

"If you're hunting for your parents, you're out of luck," Souta noted suddenly.

Fadu stopped and looked back. "What do you mean?"

"They've departed. They are attending a meeting for the Tidal Merchant Group," Souta explained.

"Oh," Fadu muttered, resuming his walk.

Souta watched him and realized the boy didn't truly grasp the significance of the group. He likely only understood it as their family business.

"Let's go eat outside," Souta suggested.

"Why?" Fadu asked.

"The recent turmoil makes it necessary for you to step out. Listen to the rumors surrounding your house; if you hear something unpleasant, learn to suppress your rage. If you truly want to save your family, you must first learn how to master yourself." Souta fabricated these reasons to get them into the city.

"Are you sure?" Fadu asked.

Souta nodded with a smile. "Afterward, we resume training. Put aside all distractions. Be someone who controls the situation, because you cannot protect anyone if you are at the mercy of circumstances."

"Be someone who controls the situation...?" Fadu paused, momentarily struck by the weight of the words. Clenching his fists, he nodded. "Understood. Let's head out."

Souta sighed inwardly. The boy was easy to manipulate. All he wanted was to gather information and rumors, which was impossible inside the Rulman Manor where everyone was too busy repairing the damage caused by the internal treachery.

As they left the grounds, countless eyes followed them. Everyone in Wave Bond City was aware that something grave had occurred at the Rulman estate.

"That’s the young master of the Rulmans."

"Shh... keep your voice down."

"There was a massive fight at their manor. I saw the hole ripped through their defensive formation."

"What on earth happened?"

Though the townsfolk whispered, Souta heard everything perfectly. Fadu only caught muffled snippets, but he chose to ignore them.

They entered a local eatery and took a corner table without a private room. Fadu immediately drew curious, lingering gazes from fellow patrons.

Souta looked at the boy. "How does it feel?"

Fadu blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You’re the center of attention now," Souta smirked.

"I... I'm not sure. It’s incredibly uncomfortable," Fadu admitted.

"Hahaha! You’d better grow accustomed to it," Souta chuckled.

As their food arrived, Souta focused on listening to the chatter both inside the restaurant and from the streets outside. Most of the conversation revolved around the Rulman household—the rumors of traitors and the battle that almost brought their defenses down. Some speculated that others would move to profit from the family's weakened state, while others noted that as long as the 'Blue Executioner' Freida remained, the house would stand.

Souta pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on unrelated news.

"The monsters within the Sea Fiend Cave are becoming unusually aggressive lately."

"Indeed, multiple fourth-stage beasts were seen clashing just outside the entrance."

"Master Rukhan took down five fourth-stage monsters yesterday. He made a fortune, and one of them even challenged him at the Calcum Arena."

"I heard about that; it was a Freezing Sea Horse, I believe."

"There's also talk that the Bodam Kingdom is stirring. They claim to have unearthed the secret to immortality."

"Immortality? That sounds like a tall tale, even for them."

Souta carefully archived every scrap of information. By the time they stepped out of the restaurant, he had gathered enough rumors to form a clear picture of the current state of the region.