The room was filled with their chatter, and after a round of discussion, the bearded Shanglander said, "I'll contact the Luposians immediately, but tell no one else about this. Soon, we're going to be filthy rich."Another Shanglander said, "The Luposians will hail us as heroes if we successfully capture War Legate Draco and hand him over to them. When that happens, there won’t just be unlimited money for us to spend, but an endless line of women for us to play with!"The other Shanglanders were stunned when they heard this. They were going to capture War Legate Draco? That was a bold thought."How are we supposed to capture someone as powerful as him on our own?""Sia looks like she'll kick the bucket anytime now, doesn't she? When War Legate Draco isn’t around, we'll seize our chance to grab her as a hostage to use against him. He’ll come quietly once she's in our hands. After that, we'll tie him up and effectively kill two birds with one stone. Don't you guys agree?"The Shangl
“What?!” The Shanglanders staggered and retreated reflexively when they saw him. "D-Didn't you just leave? When did you get in here?" Adrian locked the door behind him and grabbed a dagger from the table before walking toward the duo. Shocked senseless, the Shanglanders pounced toward the bed, intending to hold Gloria hostage to threaten Adrian, but Adrian grabbed their clothes the moment they made a move and threw them onto the floor."Ack!" the Shanglanders yelped.They got back and made for the door. Adrian swung his dagger, and the arms of both the Shanglanders were dismembered."Aaaah!" They panicked, filled with extreme terror as they yelled. Their eyes were filled with horror as they looked at Adrian."Relax, I'm not going to kill you."The Shanglanders took a deep breath when they heard this and were about to heave a sigh of relief when Adrian's next words tore apart their psyche."I'll make you beg me to kill you!" he said with a smile."No!""Please!" As the Sha
As Adrian held Gloria in his arms as they lay in bed, she fell asleep. He gently tucked her in before leaving the room, locking it from the outside. Adrian headed toward the opposite cabins.***Meanwhile, the bearded Shanglander was chuckling as he had a drink with a few others. They had immediately contacted the Luposians after the earlier two began their operation. The Luposians had promised them a handsome reward in return for their service. "Hahaha!!!"Their laughter could be heard from outside their cabin. The bearded Shanglander raised his glass, laughing away as he said, "When I contacted the Luposians, they promised us a huge sum of money in return for what we've done for them. We can cease traveling the seas, boys!""This is great! We're no longer the same as we were before. We'll use that Novemton woman as a hostage against Draco once we get our hands on her.""Hahaha! Well said!" The Shanglanders laughed out loud, while the bearded one said, "Damn Novemton scum
The bearded Shanglander shot to his feet as he spoke, intending to leave the cabin with that excuse. As he turned around, Adrian said, "I'll rip you to shreds if you dare walk out of here.""What?!" The bearded Shanglander jumped and broke out in cold sweat. Adrian turned around and gestured at the man. "I'm actually very interested in Shanglanders. On your knees, everyone. Let's test the courage of your people, shall we?"The Shanglanders shuddered upon hearing this, then got down on their knees to beg for mercy. The bearded one said, "Please forgive me, Mr. Theo, but I have no idea what you're saying. Have I done something to offend you?"In the face of the man’s feigned ignorance, Adrian stated, "Confess now and you'll live. Otherwise, all of you die."The word "die" instantly caused the Shanglanders to panic and plead for their lives earnestly. The bearded Shanglander said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Theo! We told the Luposians about you being here, but I beg that you spare us. We sho
Within minutes, all of the Shanglanders on the ship were eliminated. Adrian sheathed his dagger and returned to his cabin, where Gloria was silently asleep. After washing away the blood on his hands, he rested his head next to Gloria and took a nap.About two hours later, Reuben knocked on their door. "Mr. Theo, Ms. Sia. Uncle Casey sent me to inform you that we will be arriving at Luposia's docks in another twenty minutes."Adrian woke up and looked at Gloria, who was still in his arms. Probably hearing Reuben’s voice, she opened her eyes and asked, "We’re here?""I think so," Adrian said. "Finally." Gloria heaved a long sigh. Adrian got out of bed, packed his stuff, then tied a rope around his waist. When Gloria saw this, she knew a tough battle was ahead of them.She asked anxiously, "Are you sure this will work, Adrian?"He smiled and answered, "Don't worry, I'm here, aren't I? I’ll never abandon you no matter what happens."Gloria took a deep breath, while Adrian sat bac
Adrian approached the men and said, "Casey, Captain, I need you to steer the ship away from these docks and instead head to Luposia's other harbor to replenish your supplies."Casey asked, "What's the matter, Theo?""Mr. Theo asked me to help him think of a way to deliver a few suitcases to Red Alley, but I don't know what for." Reuben walked over and exchanged looks with the captain and Casey. Adrian stood by the edge of the deck and waited as the ship got closer and closer to the harbor. The place was extremely silent with not even a single soul in sight. Everyone was confused when they saw this. "What's going on? The harbor's unusually quiet tonight."They looked over and failed to spot even a single person within a two-hundred-meter radius. Amid their confusion, Adrian looked at Gloria and asked, "Are you ready? We’re getting off soon.""Ready and waiting, sir!""Good."Adrian smiled and turned toward the captain and said, "You can stop the ship now, Captain. It'll be d
Casey and the others were no longer confused at that point.The captain signaled and said, "Looks like War Legate Draco came to Luposia on business, but the Luposians caught wind of his arrival and were lying in ambush. We have to turn around. Forget our business for now. We have to get to the other harbor for supplies!" "Yes, Captain!" the crew responded. Casey turned around and said, "Reuben, take good care of War Legate Draco's luggage. We'll think of a way to get them to Red Alley when we reach Luposia. This is your first time working for the legate. Do it right and you might have a shining future ahead of you.”He grabbed Reuben's shoulders, and his nephew seemed extremely excited. "I understand!" The ship was swiftly turned around. Meanwhile, Adrian carried Gloria on his back as he sped toward the shore. Hails of bullets flew toward them, but none of them connected as he deftly switched positions. He even sliced through the incoming bullets with his daggers.Adrian heard
The Luposians planned on exhausting Adrian's stamina with a non-stop volley of attacks. The moment the battle broke out, both parties knew there was no going back. ***The moon and the stars seemed to have been dyed red with blood thanks to the reflection of the moonlight.Adrian broke through wave after wave of enemies, but he was beginning to find it difficult to take the next step due to the overwhelming numbers. "There's too many of them," Gloria, who was lying on Adrian's back, said. Both of them had blood on them, and Adrian's face was drenched with it. Yet, he did not seem to have any intention of stopping. With a smile, he said, "Go ahead and take a nap, Gloria. This will all be over when you wake up."Gloria shook her head. She could not tell if they would get out of that battle safely due to the enemy's overwhelming numbers. Adrian pressed on as time ticked by.One minute…Two minutes…Ten minutes…One hour…In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed. Adrian
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