Adrian sat and chatted with these people for a while. Not long after, Gloria woke up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around her. Adrian lowered his head and smiled at her after noticing that she was awake. “Hey there.”Gloria nodded and asked weakly, “Where are we?”“On a ship to Luposia. We should arrive later tonight,” replied Adrian in a gentle voice. Gloria did not say anything and glanced at the people around her. She was on guard against them because any person on this ship could expose Adrian and her whereabouts, putting them in deep trouble.On the other hand, Adrian scooped Gloria into his arms upon seeing that she was still drowsy. He said to Casey, “Can you please prepare a cabin for me, Mr. Casey? My girlfriend is tired.”“Don’t worry, it’s all been arranged. Reuben, take Mr. Theo to the cabins. Watch your manners with them as they’re the family members of Southrive Port’s president. I’ll make you pay if you neglect their needs,” said Casey to his nephew. R
Adrian brought Gloria to the mess. They found dozens of crews and sailors sitting lounging around and having their dinner. The dinner was brought over from the ship’s galley, the spread consisting of a small variety of food but everyone enjoyed the meal nonetheless. “Ms. Sia, Mr. Theo, you’re here,” said Reuben hastily when he spotted them. He was sitting with his uncle.Casey paid more attention to them because they were all Navians. “Theo, treat this place as your home. Don’t be shy. We got meals for both of you. Come, eat.” He passed two packed food containers to them. Adrian accepted them and said to Casey, “Thank you very much.”“Don’t mention it. We’re all Navians, and we should take care of one another. Also, Sia is ill,” said Casey. Adrian smiled but did not comment further. He said to Gloria, “Let’s chow down!”Gloria tucked her hair behind her ears and sat next to Adrian to eat. She noticed that the crew members and sailors from different parts of the outlands were l
Adrian did not object to Gloria’s words and turned around to walk toward the bridge. Reuben made his way to Gloria after Adrian left and turned his head to glance at her. Gloria was breathtakingly beautiful. She had an attractive face and a captivating figure, exuding a mature, graceful, and beautiful presence. It was rare for anyone to encounter such a beautiful woman in this world, let alone on a cargo ship. Reuben turned his head and said to her, “Ms. Gloria, you’re really pretty. I’ve never met a woman as beautiful as you.”Gloria was a little stunned. She turned her head and smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said. Reuben smiled, then said, “Don’t mention it. By the way, what illness do you have? Is it serious? I can see that you’re so weak that a breeze could blow you away.”Gloria pouted. She said to Reuben, “It’s a rather rare condition that I can’t explain. If I can’t find a cure for it, it’ll be fatal.”“You’ll surely be cured, Ms. Gloria. My mother said that blessed
Reuben wiped his eyes. “While working on the ship with Uncle Casey, I’ve missed my mother terribly. But I thought about it and figured that my father would scold and beat her every day if she were still alive. It’s my fault for being so useless. If only I had been capable of leaving home with my mother then, maybe she wouldn’t have died.”Gloria was unsure how to respond to Reuben’s remark. Life was filled with discontentment and too many helpless situations. She stretched out her hand to pat him on the shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself. Many your age still depend on their mothers while you're out here making a living on your own. You can go home and get yourself a wife when you have enough money. Your life will surely get better then.”Reuben chuckled. “You’re right. I’ll keep it up. But you have to stay strong too, Ms. Gloria. You will get better.”Gloria pumped her fist in the air. “We shall keep it up together. I’ll put all my efforts into holding on to life.”“Also, I can see th
Shanglanders possessed an inherent trait—they were wildly conceited and behaved as if they were kings when standing in front of those they thought were weaker than them but would cower in fear in the presence of a powerhouse. It was no surprise that the Shanglander would blame Adrian when they encountered pirates.Adrian ignored the Shanglander’s remark. He instead turned to look at Casey and asked, “When will they get here? Do you know who their employer is?”Most pirates were in the employment of companies that held great influence. Casey answered, “We’ll cross paths with them in about two hours, about eight o’clock. We don’t know who they are, but we aren’t ruling out the possibility of Scorpius.”Scorpius was one of the four powerful pirate organizations of Seatum and was well-known across these waters.“Yes, it’s most likely they’re from Scorpius because we’re currently close to their territory.”“We’re doomed if they’re from Scorpius. Not only do they engage in illegal tra
Casey paid no attention to the Shanglanders. These people were indulgent and lazy workers. The rest of the crew had been fed up with them for a long time now.Casey, the captain, and the others began to think of ideas,Adrian asked, “Captain, does the ship have guns and binoculars?”The captain looked toward Adrian. “Do you have any good ideas, Mr. Theo?”Adrian said, “I’ll need a sniper rifle and a pair of binoculars. We may be able to resolve this crisis if you have those items on the ship.”Casey and the others exchanged glances upon hearing his words. “We have two guns on the ship, but not a sniper rifle, and we have binoculars. Moreover, it’s a pair of high-tech binoculars,” said Casey. The captain asked, “Mr. Theo, what if we have a sniper rifle? What are you planning to do?”Adrian asked, “Do you have one?”The captain nodded heavily. “Yes, there’s one in my room. I prepared it for self-protection while in Luposia, but I only have eight bullets.”“Eight is enough,” s
Not long after, someone knocked on their cabin door. Reuben called out, “Mr. Theo, Ms. Sia? The pirate ship is getting closer. The captain asks that you come quickly. Everything’s ready.”Upon hearing Reuben’s remark, Adrian cracked a heartfelt smile at Gloria and stretched out his hand to caress her head. “Any issues?” he asked. Gloria shook her head, smiled, and said, “No issues. Let’s get out there. If we miss the best timing and position to fire the sniper, it’ll be dangerous.”“Sure, let’s go.”Adrian helped Gloria out of the cabin. Reuben, who was standing outside, saw them walk out. He said nervously, “Mr. Theo, are we doomed? I hear that the pirates are ferocious and that they not only rob but also kill.”The ship crew was scared. Reuben had been working on this ship for a whole year, but this was his first time encountering pirates.Noticing his worry, Gloria said smilingly, “Don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll make sure that we’re fine.”Reuben scratched his head, utterly c
A gunshot rang out the moment the metal slab started falling. A bullet glistening with sparks hit the metal slab and blasted it outward. The metal slab then dropped into the sea. Everyone’s jaw dropped. The captain, Casey, Goch, and Sormus looked at Gloria incredulously. Reuben’s eyes widened in surprise. It was apparent that no one had expected Gloria to hit that rapidly dropping metal slab in just one shot. Her skills were that of a top-tier marksman!“Bullseye,” Gloria said as she put down the gun and smiled. However, her face glistened with sweat and she looked like she was about to collapse. Firing a sniper rifle required physical and mental effort, and complete physical and mental power was needed to shoot accurately. It was clearly exhausting for Gloria to perform such a feat in view of her current condition. Adrian hastily caught her and leaned her against his chest to rest. The captain said in astonishment, “Your marksmanship is extraordinary, Ms. Sia. This is how a t
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