The moment Ivy dropped, all the workers inside Novemton headquarters, including scientists and professors, quickly calculated where she had landed. Crystal's fists were clenched and a frown adorned her face. Novemton News' anchor excitedly yelled, "The enemy has spotted us! The sky is being hurled with rains of fire, piercing through the parachutes and causing the containers to fall at high speeds! The real battle has begun!" 'It has started!'Everyone waited with bated breaths.***Meanwhile, endless fireballs streaked across the sky. They hit the parachutes and containers, and the massive attacks caused huge explosions on the bertrandium containers. Adrian heard his men reporting one after another."Sir, my parachute's been hit and I'm falling!""My parachute's damaged. I'm falling real fast!""Me too!" Hearing these reports, he said, "We've already anticipated for such a thing to happen, so stay calm, everyone. Your containers have been specially modified to dampen i
A number of drones arrived at different corners of Serpent's Haven outer areas the moment the containers landed. Some were taken down upon being discovered by the enemies, while some continued to push on deeper into the island. Those watching the news were extremely calm and silent. Time seemed to have stopped for them.Meanwhile, back at Novemton headquarters, Crystal was extremely tense as she said, "Adrian! Adrian! Talk to me! What's your situation?"Yet, nobody responded. She quickly turned around and said, "Assess their physical conditions, now!""I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but the equipment on them was all destroyed on impact. I can't use the remote function to find out how they're doing."Crystal took a deep breath and continued, "Draco, report!""Gloria!""Mya!""Somebody! Report to me!"The entire world could hear Crystal's voice, and everyone standing before their television screens was waiting for someone to answer her.After about two minutes, Adrian's voice rang
Following the voice, more than a dozen men walked out of the woods. They were carrying flashlights, searching for the container that had landed there. Upon seeing this, Adrian quickly activated his container's mechanism and stepped out while the others had not noticed him or his container yet. The leader of the group scoured the place until finally, they found the container."Look! Over here! I've found it!""Hurry, hurry…""How the hell is the container so tough? How did it manage to get away with only slight deformities after falling from such a height?"A few of them were rather shocked.They surrounded the container, while the leader spoke through his communicator. "Headquarters, do you read me? We've found a container at point 45.""Headquarters here. Inspect the containers and report back if you come across any problems.""Roger." The leader put down his communicator and gestured for his men to study the container carefully. Right as they were about to do so, one of th
At that moment, more than a hundred men in Wyvern Peak's battle suits had set up camp on one of the mountains. They had built themselves a temporary base inside a mountain cave.There were several men standing watch around the cave. Inside, Lucas was lying on the floor with blood all over him. He seemed extremely weak. He then heard his men excitedly discussing something outside. "Klause, what are they talking about? Why do they seem so excited?" Lucas asked weakly, having been severely injured after the Eight Hollows had flanked him. He would be dead if his comrades had not sacrificed themselves to protect him.Lucas was rather curious why his men were so happily discussing something outside. Klause, who was a competent soldier under Lucas, smiled and said, "Sir, there were parachutes all over the sky earlier. More than a thousand airdrop containers dropped onto Serpent's Haven, and Dragon Peak tried to attack the containers. That should mean that our reinforcements have arriv
Klause was about to lead his men to point 218 for a search and rescue when something unexpected happened…A Wyvern Peak soldier patrolling nearby rushed back and said, "Sir, we've got trouble. Ronaldo Seusse's team has located our base, and five hundred men have surrounded us. The other units on the island are also on the move. We have to switch locations now!"Klause staggered to a halt when he heard this.Lucas took a deep breath and asked, "Did you manage to contact Steel?""Battle Warrior Steel is probably on the other side of the island, making it very hard for us to reach him. We have to retreat at once, sir, before it's too late!""But what about our comrade at point 218?" Lucas asked. Klause took a deep breath. He was planning on going to point 218 to help, but now, it would seem as though they were in a precarious position themselves. If they tried to assist any further, it would surely spell death for them.He replied, "Sir, for the sake of the bigger picture, we must
There were squadrons of men made up of various outland organizations actively roaming the island. They were slowly closing in on Lucas, Steel, and the others until they had no more place to run. A few shadows swiftly flitted through the dark rainforest as remote-controlled drones recorded the island's activities from above. Through the live video feed, everyone in Novemton could see Adrian swiftly dashing through the darkness.He looked like a wild beast dashing in and out of the forest as he headed for point 218. Gloria, Mya, Blaze, Ivy, and the others had met up.Novemton News' anchor was in high spirits as she commented on their rescue mission. "Right now, the enemy has noticed our airdrop containers and is searching for them. However, our people are slowly reuniting with one another—Gloria Thompson, Mya Dean, Alan Cook, and Blaze being a few of them. Currently, they're all headed for point 218 to save Lena Williams the biologist."The rustling sound of someone dashing throug
At the same time, on a mountain along Northrive's natural moat stood a temporary outpost with eight young men and women laying low. Among them was a short-haired woman around nineteen years old. She was chewing gum and had a phone to her ear, speaking with Crystal at headquarters."Hello?" Crystal said."Hello, Your Majesty. My name is Maggie Cullens. I'm from an unofficial team of hackers. Our drone has entered Serpent's Haven, and it’s special. I can get War Legate Draco to point 218 in under a minute," Maggie said with a smile. "Can I trust you?""I swear to you in the name of my team's ideals. Please ask the legate to grab onto my drone, and I'll be able to fly him low and fast. He'll arrive at point 218 in no time. Please, you have to trust me."There was no time for Crystal to consider Maggie's intentions, plus it would take the various social platforms a lot more time to find the fastest route. Hence, she replied, "Maggie, is it? Okay, I trust you, but you have to understa
‘Just a little more!'Adrian could see the container laying against a rock at that moment. There were enemies getting very close to it, about less than a hundred and sixty feet away. “It won’t hold much longer!" Maggie yelled. Adrian's eyes glimmered. The drone had already transported him above the container. "What's your name, little lady? I’ll remember this deed you have done.""Maggie Cullen. Come find me when you're back and let's have some fun!" Maggie giggled. Immediately after, Adrian let go of the drone and landed on the ground with a loud thud. On his way down, he reached out and drew two daggers from his back. His landing was very smooth as though a god had descended.Maggie's drone slammed against a tree and was destroyed upon Adrian's landing. At the same time…"Someone's here!" An enemy who was approaching the container suddenly yelled, followed by a number of guns pointed directly at Adrian before all hell broke loose. He dashed and dodged all of the bulle
The Daemon Emperor was startled."What is happening? This power..."Formless energy was surging forward, pressuring his nerves and senses.Below, Andy and the others trembled uncontrollably."Who is it?" Finnian stared into the crimson mist.Even Andy was horrified, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene in disbelief, and asked, "What is this? What exactly is happening?" At this moment, Adrian abruptly opened his eyes.Apparently, the Daemon Emperor had once conspired with Adrian's subordinates to ambush him.However, Adrian had managed to annihilate the traitors and sealed this Daemon Emperor. Now, fate had brought them together again."If I killed you once, I can kill you again." Adrian stood tall, his white robes fluttering in the air.The Daemon Emperor was stunned into silence."This is impossible! You're not that mortal boy!""Is that so? In this life, your end has come, and so has the era of the daemons." Adrian's voice was calm yet resolute. He stretched out his han
Adrian's face hardened at the words. He despised threats above all else. While he understood what the mysterious entity desired, he couldn't yet fully comprehend its implications or find a way to counter it. His only choice was to focus on growing stronger.Within the hot spring, waves of raw, terrifying power surged and crashed violently against Adrian's body.The force, though beneficial, was brutal and overwhelming. Adrian's body struggled to endure, cracking as though it were disintegrating."Arghhh!"A heart-wrenching scream echoed as Adrian's flesh was torn apart and his aura gradually dimmed."Ahhh!"His agonized cries echoed once more. He could no longer withstand the pain.In the distance, a towering figure appeared and sneered. "What's this? Can't take it anymore? Pathetic. Humans are truly the epitome of stupidity."Suddenly, Adrian erupted with an explosive surge of energy, and in that instant, he broke through to the pinnacle of the Void Stage."Hmm? He actually b
At that moment, the crowd was speechless.Adrian had ascended as if it were the easiest thing in the world.Faced with such a sight, no one could say much beyond admiration. Even if the Holy Son claimed Adrian had cheated, many secretly wished they could cheat the same way.Lacking Adrian's means, all they could do was envy him.Finnian chuckled. "Haha! You really caught us all by surprise, kid. Still, I'll count this as you repaying me a favor."For Finnian, the outcome couldn't have been better. With a broad smile, he seemed to have achieved his desired result. Adrian's successful climb was all that mattered to him.Once Adrian had vanished, the focus shifted to the rest of the group and their trials.When Adrian opened his eyes again, his entire body ached, but an oddly comforting sensation flowed through him. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now in a pond."Where am I?" he asked.Though uncertain about the place, Adrian knew he had cleared the trial and arriv
The onlookers stared in bewilderment, their faces etched with confusion as they struggled to grasp the unfolding events.Meanwhile, Adrian seethed with barely contained rage. This wasn't his first encounter with such torment. Every few steps he ascended, another trial awaited.To Adrian, the relentless punishments felt suffocating. Yet he pressed on—this was the final stretch of the climb. "Adrian, hang in there!" Andy shouted, urging him to conquer the last step. To Andy, reaching that final step symbolized Adrian's growth. He had witnessed Adrian's remarkable resilience countless times and held unwavering faith in his potential. In Andy's eyes, Adrian was destined for greatness. Adrian's expression turned cold as he locked his gaze on the steps ahead. Determination flickered in his eyes. "If reaching the top guarantees a reward, it doesn't have to be me up there. As long as someone makes it, that's enough." With that, he shifted his focus to the void above and formed
Adrian felt as if every nerve in his body was beyond his control. A deep sense of grievance filled his heart as the divine thunder from the void relentlessly crashed down.Rage surged within him, but under the onslaught of endless forces, he felt weak and constrained.Still, he had no choice but to press forward. He knew victory was within reach if he could endure a little longer—giving up now would mean death.If he fell, the shame and humiliation would crush him.Below, the Holy Son and others waited, eager to see him fail and mock him. This left Adrian no option but to push forward, striving toward the void above and his ultimate goal.The violent forces continued to bombard him from the sky.With every step, the thunder's impact intensified tenfold. His soul, already battered from a fierce battle with a horde of beasts, now felt as though it was dragging his exhausted body forward.Anyone else would likely have succumbed to despair. After all, under such immense pressure, ev
The oppressive forces descending from the void seemed determined to halt Adrian’s ascent up the staircase.Yet he refused to yield. To him, these overwhelming challenges were merely obstacles to conquer.He pressed forward with relentless determination.Thunderbolts continued to rain down, but the ominous red light from before did not return—a relief, as he never wished to endure its crushing weight again.The memory of that light still haunted him, leaving a lingering sense of helplessness. Its suffocating pressure had drained his strength, reducing him to a gasping, powerless state.Despite the toll on his body and mind, Adrian remained singularly focused on reaching the final step. His burning desire for greater power drove him forward, unwavering and resolute.Step by step, he ascended, reaching the 95th step in what felt like an instant.Only five steps remained. His gaze locked onto the summit, and a wild glint lit his eyes. A daring idea sparked within him, consuming his
Adrian pondered his situation, his cold gaze reflecting simmering frustration. Yet deep down, he recognized that whoever had designed the staircase was far from ordinary.Creating such a formidable trial required unimaginable power.Even a pinnacle Void Stage expert—or perhaps someone of the Multiply Stage—might bow in reverence before the ladder's creator."He won't last much longer. The divine lightning in this void is utterly destructive. In moments, he'll be reduced to ashes," sneered the Holy Son, his sharp eyes gleaming with malice.To the Holy Son, Adrian's demise was inevitable. Adrian had dared to offend him, and he was certain such audacity could only lead to death.Adrian caught the Holy Son's words and cast him a frosty glare. His intent to kill was unmistakable, though now wasn't the time.The staircase was no place for personal vendettas—eliminating him here would require careful planning.He also knew the Holy Son carried seals of immense power. A reckless move co
Finnian's sharp gaze reflected a hint of admiration. "Kid, you owe me a big favor this time. You'd better treasure this opportunity."Adrian remained silent, unsure how to respond. His cold eyes revealed no emotion, though he fully grasped the challenges ahead.Fear was a luxury he couldn't afford—he'd come too far to back down now.Suddenly, a streak of red light surged from the void, hurtling toward Adrian with terrifying speed. His eyes widened in shock as the crimson beam struck him, slamming him against the staircase.Caught off guard, Adrian collapsed, sprawled helplessly on the steps.The crowd below watched in astonishment. No one had expected his seemingly indestructible body to be overwhelmed so easily.The Holy Son sneered. "Haha! It seems he's triggered some kind of taboo. Let's see how arrogant he is now!"His voice dripped with schadenfreude, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he relished Adrian's struggle.Despite the crushing force, Adrian refused
"What exactly is up there pulling me so strongly?" Adrian's expression hardened as he pondered the mysterious force drawing him upward.A surge of violent energy erupted across the sky, crashing down like a raging storm.Adrian advanced cautiously, each step deliberate and precise.Gone were the reckless strides of before—now he moved with steely determination, fully aware of the lurking dangers.He'd learned that the void's formidable forces seemed to target him directly, compelling him to proceed step by step. Any attempt to bypass its unseen barriers would provoke a devastating strike."Ridiculous," Adrian muttered. "If I've chosen to climb, nothing will stop me."The void's relentless power intensified.Bolts of thunder hammered down mercilessly, battering Adrian's body. Yet fear never crossed his mind.What was there to be afraid of?To him, the divine thunder wasn't an obstacle—it was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A