SSS-Rank Evolving Monster: From Pest to Cosmic Devourer
Chapter 76: Arrival

Chapter 76: Arrival

Cold wind howled across the open plains like a mourning banshee, its cry echoing through the scorched and twisted landscape.

The lingering aftermath of Darkness Pulse clung to the air like a curse. Even now, the very fabric of the terrain trembled, warped by the blast’s malevolent force. Jagged cracks split the earth in unnatural patterns, and patches of ground shimmered with a sickly, purple-black glow—evidence of corruption from highly toxic Darkness mana.

In one corner, grotesque remnants bore silent witness to the carnage.

Scattered flesh clung weakly to charred, snow-white bones, their twisted positions a grim show of agony. Some still sizzled faintly in the cold, as if refusing to cool.

Caught unprepared, the four high priests hadn’t stood a chance.

They were wiped out in moments, their defensive measures crumbling like paper under the weight of Ricky’s assault.

"What a fucking waste..." Ricky muttered, voice low and sharp, a bitter taste rising in his mouth.

Hundreds of years of lifespan—precious, refined, and nearly ripe—gone in an instant. Drained into the soil or burned away before he could savor it.

Had he more time, he would’ve taken great pleasure in dragging things out—testing poisons, feeding them false hope, savoring their screams. But time wasn’t a luxury he could afford right now.

He clenched his jaw and turned.

That’s when the roar came.

"Mindless pests, how dare you kill them..."

The sound rumbled through the air, heavy with fury and disbelief.

A few dozen paces away, darkness surged and twisted into form—the Vice Leader’s body re-condensing out of raw mana, his presence sharpening like a blade.

His eyes burned with rage as he stared down at the shattered remains of his elites.

The pest he had dismissed... had annihilated his most trusted warriors in minutes.

A Stage 2 warrior losing four of his equals was no minor wound. In some factions, that kind of loss could collapse an entire structure from the inside out.

And it had happened under his nose.

His lip curled in fury, but Ricky didn’t even look at him.

Then, cold and calm, a voice echoed inside the Vice Leader’s mind—chilling, casual, and merciless.

"Don’t worry, you’ll meet them soon."

The Vice Leader’s face darkened instantly.

It wasn’t just the words—it was the tone. The complete lack of fear. The blatant disrespect.

Like a slap across the face from a being who didn’t see him as a threat.

His glare sharpened into murderous intent.

But as if reading his thoughts, Ricky finally turned, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I don’t take clowns like you seriously." He tilted his head. "What are you gonna do about it?

The Vice Leader suddenly burst into laughter—loud, grating, and filled with venom.

An unnaturally wide grin stretched across his face, but it couldn’t hide the blaze of wrath seething behind his eyes.

"Hahahaha... Arrogant pest," he spat, voice trembling with rage. "Let me show you why you never offend a peak Stage 2 cultivator!"

The ground around him darkened as his aura surged, shadows twisting unnaturally under his feet.

His entire body lit up in a swirling cascade of pure black light, the tendrils of darkness mana writhing around him like serpents summoned from the abyss.

"Darkness Lance..."

The tendrils began to converge, weaving together in a slow, deliberate motion. Thread by thread, they coalesced into a monstrous lance—ten feet tall, its shaft shimmering with corrupted mana, and its pointed tip exuding an aura of annihilation.

The Vice Leader raised the weapon with reverence, his smile now cold and cruel.

"Die..."

With that single word, he thrust the lance forward, aiming directly at Ricky.

But just as the darkness spear lashed out, his pupils contracted.

Ricky had vanished.

No sound. No flash. Just—gone.

And then—pain.

Blistering, searing pain bloomed in his chest like a flower of steel and fire.

His breath stagnated.

He slowly looked down—and the smile drained from his face.

A thin, gleaming blade jutted through his chest, its tip glistening with blood as it pierced out of his back. He staggered, confusion warring with horror.

"When..." he croaked, voice hoarse.

But the question would never find an answer.

The next moment, a dreadful force latched onto him—one that tugged at something deeper than flesh or bone.

It grasped his soul.

His knees buckled, and the world around him tilted. His vision blurred, colors fading, senses dulling.

All that remained was darkness—and the quiet, terrible realization that he’d never been in control. Not even for a second.

---

"Man... the poison is really amazing..." Ricky mused, a grin spreading across his face as a cascade of system notifications echoed in his mind.

[74 Days of Lifespan Absorbed]

[93 Days of Lifespan Absorbed]

The satisfying chime of each alert was like music to his ears.

From the moment those fools had arrived, he’d taken no chances—flooding the area with Sleeper Cells the instant the opportunity presented itself. With the latest upgrade to his bloodline, the cells had become more refined, nearly imperceptible to the naked eye. They slithered through the air like ghostly neutrinos, almost tunneling through reality itself.

Even the Vice Leader and his precious High Priests had likely been infected long before they ever realized it.

Venom Fang Overlord.

The title wasn’t just for show. It was earned.

And now, under the relentless dual assault of Ricky’s venom and the overwhelming force of his spiritual field, the Vice Leader’s body finally gave way. He collapsed with a groan, twitching once as his essence was drained.

A moment before death claimed him, unfamiliar memories flooded into Ricky’s consciousness—fragmented pieces of a life once lived.

He didn’t feel excitement.

No thrill. No exhilaration.

Just mild disappointment.

Tch. So much for expectations. What he truly wanted was that elusive skill—the Vice Leader’s ability to turn formless, to slip between attacks like a shadow. But it seemed fate wasn’t on his side this time.

Still, not all was lost.

Because nestled among the memories... was a prize far more practical.

He now knew the direction. The exact path to the headquarters of the Radiant Knight Order.

---

Far to the east, where the fringes of civilization brushed against wild borderlands, the Radiant Knight Order Headquarters stood like a guardian.

Nestled along the frontier of the Eldros Kingdom, this land should have been desolate and war-torn. Instead, it radiated grandeur and stability. The borderlands here weren’t just militarized—they were prosperous. A land of fortune situated at the meeting point of two great provinces.

From hundreds of kilometers away, travelers could glimpse the symbol of the Order—a towering statue carved from a single slab of obsidian-white stone. The titanic figure stood as though it held the sky itself aloft, bracing the heavens against collapse. It was both monument and declaration: a reminder of strength, faith, and unwavering vigilance.

Beneath its shadow stretched a gleaming city—just shy in size from the Eldros Kingdom’s capital, but rivaling it in wealth and influence. Grand halls of stone and steel rose like mountain peaks, and marketplaces bustled with activity. It was a magnet for knights, merchants, cultivators, and wandering hopefuls alike.

One might expect chaos in such a melting pot.

But the city was anything but chaotic.

Order pulsed through its veins. A strange, serene calm hung over the streets, enforced by the golden-armored knights who patrolled every corner. Their mere presence exuded light, and with each step they took, radiant mana shimmered in their wake.

Today, however, even this fortress of calm was alive with a buzz.

Whispers of an impending execution had spread like wildfire—and crowds had gathered from near and far. More were still on the way.

And cutting through the sky above them, hidden by the clouds, a single streak of glinting steel tore through the atmosphere—an invisible arrow riding the wind.

The air twisted and howled in its wake, warping under the sheer speed and killing intent it carried.

Ricky arrived at the heart of the city without resistance, slipping past guards and wards with ease.

His eyes glinted as he hovered silently above. He could feel her.

Faint. Fragile. But unmistakable.

She’s here.

But just as he prepared to move forward, the sky ahead shimmered with radiant glyphs. Ethereal runes sprang to life, forming a translucent barrier in mid-air—an intricate spiritual formation, pulsing with ancient power.

Ricky snorted.

Cute.

His spiritual field surged outward like a collapsing tide—dense, suffocating, unrelenting. Darkness crackled around him, swallowing the air.

The barrier cracked like glass beneath the pressure, then shattered, vanishing in a rain of dissipating mana particles.

He stepped forward—unbothered, undeterred, and very much on the hunt.

Meanwhile on a larger square at the center, Vice leader Marcus suddenly looked one particular direction and smiled.

"Venom fang overlord is finally here..." Marcus said with a smile on his face.

Elina, who was standing some distance away from him, heard those words and then followed his gaze, but see saw no trace of Venom Fang overlord.

Just as she was about to turn her gaze away, she finally noticed a dot in the sky.