Everyone smiled upon hearing Lucas' interpretation of the secret message. Cuirass said, "I didn't think that a single secret message would contain so much information. As expected of the legate… We're saved!"Lucas nodded. "Yes, have everyone retreat to higher ground in the north, any container we find along the way will support our journey. Let's get to the northern mountains and meet up with the legate!""Yes, sir.”"Let's go, brothers!"***Men from Wyvern Peak, stranded across various corners of the island, saw the smoke in the sky. Anyone who learned the specific language originating from Wyvern Peak could understand the message behind the smoke and immediately headed north.Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of the island was a team of two hundred men resting up and regaining their strength. Battle Warrior Steel, with blood stains all over him, had just fallen asleep when he was awoken by one of his men who was standing watch. "Sir, there’s a secret message from Wyv
Lena slowly stirred upon feeling the pain in her finger. She opened her eyes and scanned her unfamiliar surroundings. Only then did she realize where she was as she yelled, "Sir!"Adrian smiled. "You're awake."The others surrounded her as well. After taking a few deep breaths, Lena turned around and saw the corpses all over the ground. She then realized an intense battle had happened while she was passed out. She quickly said, "I'm sorry for being a burden.""We're just glad you're all right, Lena. How are you feeling? Can you stand?" Alan asked. Lena nodded and tried to stand up. She did some light movements and found that aside from being a little sore, she was in good condition."I'm good." Adrian heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this, while the other Navians cheered. Everyone on their team had safely landed at Serpent's Haven. Gloria walked over and said, "Adrian, everyone except Nyssa is alright. He has sustained some light injuries.""That's good. We'll rest fo
Adrian said, "You've made the right choice, but at the same time, you've also made an error. Do you know what that is?"Klause lowered his head. "You shouldn't have left Lucas there.""But our comrade might've been in the airdrop container. We couldn't just stand aside and watch whoever's inside be in danger. Sir Lucas was going to do the same thing as well. None of us were okay with giving up a person's life."Adrian placed his hand over Klause's shoulder. "I’m not blaming you.” He then turned around and said, "Alan, calibrate our directions. We're heading north to meet up with Lucas and Steel as soon as possible.""Yes, sir." Alan took out his equipment to calibrate the direction they were in.Meanwhile, everyone else got prepared.Alan then pointed in a direction and said, "That way, sir." Adrian immediately said, "Blaze, Eira, Mya, Ivy, take six people each and head north, south, east, and west. Maintain about a three-kilometer distance from us and stay alert.""Yes, sir
Adrian and the others headed for the mountain stream Lena mentioned, while Gloria called out to the others through her communicator. All the airdrop containers had communicators inside to help the stranded get in contact with the main unit. Meanwhile, Crystal instructed her technicians to keep track of the containers' locations. Every container had its own GPS so that headquarters could track them at a moment's notice. Soon, all of the airdrop containers' markers showed up on the screen."Draco, I've sent all of the markers for the airdrop containers to your equipment.""Thanks."Adrian responded and turned on the device on his wrist, which showed every single marker around him. He remained silent after that and sped toward the stream.***At that moment, near the endless stream in Serpent's Haven…A flurry of footsteps could be heard coming from the forest, followed by two figures rushing out from within before landing in the freezing stream"Argh!" one of them yelled miser
Berserk became elated and carried Ridge on his back. "Wyvern Peak must've been the ones who made that airdrop last night. Hang in there, Ridge. We might just get out of this!"Berserk carried his comrade and headed for the airdrop container one step at a time, but tripped and fell due to extreme exhaustion. Still, he pressed on, crawling on the ground with Ridge on his back. His hands were cut by the razor-sharp rocks, but he did not seem to be in the slightest bit of pain. Meanwhile, Ridge was fading in and out of consciousness. His thigh was completely infested, and he would not live for much longer if he did not receive treatment soon. "We're almost there, Ridge. Stay with me. There might be antibiotics in the container. We've got a fighting chance if we can get there to collect weapons and resources!"Hang in there. Remember that your fiancee's waiting for you to go home!” Berserk continued to talk as he crawled.Ridge's consciousness started to fade as he sat on Berserk's b
"Ridge!"Ridge!!!"Berserk's shouts could be heard from the direction of the rainforest stream. Ridge was laying on top of Berserk in a daze. He was close to dying from the infected wound on his thigh, plus his high fever. He was not aware that the woman he loved was waiting for him to go home."Hang in there! Just hang in there! We're almost there! Just a little more!!!" Berserk kept on yelling."Arghhhh!" Berserk's cry of despair seemed to give him power. Despite carrying Ridge on his back, he resolutely stood up and dashed for the airdrop container, which contained all of their hopes.‘So close! We're getting closer!'"There they are! I want them alive!" someone suddenly shouted, followed by more than twenty men charging out of the bank behind them. Berserk turned his head and saw the enemies getting closer, yet he paid them no attention. Instead, he took a deep breath and finally arrived at the container. Meanwhile, Ridge was almost passed out.In a panic, Berserk pu
"You b*stards… I'm going to kill all of you!" Berserk yelled before maniacally unleashing his weapon against the enemies crossing the stream.Bang! Bang! Bang!!!Several enemies fell onto the ground from the sweeping gunfire. But, some of them responded in time and found something to hide behind. Due to their immense numbers, a few of them tried to flank Berserk while the others covered them. Just as Berserk was about to jump out and launch another barrage of attack, a gunshot was heard, followed by his arm being pierced. With a “Boom,” the exploding bullet blew his arm off."Aaaaaargh!"Berserk screamed at the top of his lungs as he rolled across the ground. He looked at his arm and veins appeared in his eyes. Forcing himself to withstand the pain, he got back on his feet and fired his gun, killing two enemies. Now that his magazine was empty, and Berserk could not reload, he hurled away his gun and fell limp to the floor, looking up at the sky with empty eyes. He turned aroun
Adrian froze when he heard this.The rainforest was filled with bacteria, so Ridge's wound will surely be reinfected if they were to amputate him there. On the contrary, he would be given the death sentence if his wound was allowed to deteriorate any further.Everyone began to panic, but no one could come up with a solution. Adrian got on his knees before Ridge, realizing how dire the situation was when he saw the condition of the man’s thigh.Ridge was still half unconscious and his eyes were glazed over. He was in really bad shape."What should we do?" Lena asked urgently.In such a situation, not even Adrain could save Ridge, no matter how incredible he was. 'There are only two options right now. We could take care of his wound and leave his survival to fate. He may have a chance at surviving this if we go with this method. If we amputate him right here, he will die.'Adrian did not seem to have much of a choice at that moment. Meanwhile, Mya spoke through the communicator
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