"Once we get past this forest, we'll restock our supplies at the nearby city before driving to the train station. Then, we'll get out of Luposia."Gloria studied the map. "We could go to Noirsandia to the north of the desert. We should be able to get to Bortuguesa after a two-day boat ride, give or take."Adrian shook his head. "We'll waste more than a day if we do that. There's a shorter route that could take us to the northernmost parts of Noirsandia's shores. After that, we'll take a boat directly to Bortuguesa. We’re going through the Uduma Desert," Adrian said. Gloria instantly became anxious. "Are you crazy? How do you expect to get out of the desert with me on your back?""It’s the shortest route that could save us more than a day. Afterward, we'll head to the city to get some supplies, take a train to the borders of Uduma, and cross the desert to head straight to the northern shores of Noirsandia.""But—"Gloria wanted to say that despite the Uduma Desert being a smaller
Adrian drove to the nearest village to purchase some food and drinks. The next step of his plan was to drive to the nearest train station and take a trip to the outskirts of the Uduma Desert. There, he would get a off-road vehicle to enter the desert, then find a camel to cross the desert until they got to the northern shores of Noirsandia. They would then take a ship to the Bortuguesa island.The entire journey would usually take around three days via the normal route. But if the route Adrian chose went smoothly, they would reach Bortuguesa in two days. Thus, Adrian did not have much time to waste, nor did he wish to waste any more time. Gloria felt a little helpless inside when she saw Adrian throwing the Luposian man over the cliff without hesitation. He was definitely a changed man compared to before.***Adrian drove along the mountain tracks and arrived at the nearest village. Meanwhile, Luposia's headquarters searched everywhere for Adrian. They had set up roadblocks on
"Go!" "I see them!" The Luposians yelled as the other guards quickly ran toward the mountains. They only had one mission—locate War Legate Draco and kill him no matter the cost. More than ten thousand men instantly ran up the mountains, while Adrian had already left his location with Gloria on his back.At that moment, they were heading downhill toward Snowpeak Village where security was a lot more lax thanks to that attack. There were only a few more men guarding Snowpeak Village when they suddenly saw a phantom fly past, followed by a bright glimmer of light. They fell to the ground, dead, before they even realized what had happened. Without stopping, Adrian carried Gloria into the village.Wee-woo, wee-woo, wee-woo!Sirens around Snowpeak Village blared, causing panic throughout the village. Adrian successfully snuck into a convenience store. The store owner was holding a gun, trembling as he looked at Adrian. He never expected the great War Legate Draco to show up in his s
Luposia's headquarters was in an uproar. They had mobilized too many men and sacrificed just as many for the sake of killing one man.While they were in shambles, Adrian and Gloria drove toward a train station near Snowpeak Village. Along their journey, Adrian switched cars twice, once again disappearing from Luposia's prying eyes.As he drove, he said, "We'll be approaching the train station soon. We can rest once we get on the train. We should reach the Uduma Desert this afternoon. We're almost at Bortuguesa."Gloria pursed her lips and smiled. "You're really doing everything you can for me, even to the point of throwing away your life. But how are we going to get on the train?"Adrian's cell phone rang at that point. He said, "My guess is that Crystal has sent someone to receive us at the station."Gloria quickly answered the call. A young voice said, "Sir!" "Yes?" Gloria replied."I noticed you guys at Snowpeak Village. Judging by the direction you're traveling in, you're p
Upon hearing this, Adrian replied, "Thank you, brother."David smiled. "Families look out for one another. Now, get going!" Without wasting any more time, Adrian carried Gloria through the gate and got onto their designated carriage. Upon entering, Adrian realized that David had bought out the entire carriage as it was completely empty.Adrian placed Gloria on a bed that had already been made and tidied her hair. Finally heaving out a sigh of relief, he said, "We're here. We can finally rest and get some sleep."Gloria smiled at him as she blushed a little. "I'd like to go to the washroom, Adrian."He realized his error and smacked his head before carrying her to the washroom. After helping her get seated, he turned around and looked away, causing Gloria to chuckle, but said nothing. The train departed after Adrian was done helping Gloria get settled in. Sitting on the bed made for them, they heaved a sigh of relief, and Gloria patted the empty space next to her. "You must be e
After being on the speeding train for four hours, Adrian and Goria were now close to the Uduma Desert. Through the windows, they could see the endless sand on the horizon.It was dusk now, and the sand was giving off the stench of death and fear. Adrian woke Gloria up from her sleep and got prepared to jump out of the train. Still caught in a daze, she asked, "Are we there already?"Adrian nodded. The train would not stop at the Uduma Desert, which meant they were going to have to jump to get to their destination. He placed her on his back after he was done packing their stuff."We're going to jump from here and find an inn on the outskirts of the desert. We'll find ourselves an ORV before heading out," Adrian explained his plans to Gloria as he shattered one of the glass windows. Gloria observed the speeding train and was slightly concerned. "Are you sure we'll be okay jumping from a train that's moving this quickly?"Adrian merely smiled. He had experienced such matters sin
Gloria heaved a sigh of relief and nodded.Suddenly, she thought of something David said before and quickly asked, "By the way, what's the name of the guy David said would be here to meet up with us?""Demya." "Right, that's his name." Gloria laughed. "Let's go." Adrian carried Gloria toward the light without a second thought. At that moment, they had entered the desert. They were surrounded by nothing but sand. Aside from the little light ahead that belonged to an inn, the entire place was pitch-black. The inn on the border of the desert had been built by a Steedten. The outskirts of the Uduma Desert was considered to be the most dangerous place in Luposia, with many organizations conducting secret transactions there. This inn had been built for this specific reason. Every night, large numbers of wealthy people would gather at the inn to have some fun.Adrian and Gloria arrived at the inn about thirty minutes later. From afar, the couple spotted many luxury cars parked outs
Adrian gestured at the man. "What's the matter? Scared?"Barryl cursed and said, "Nobody around here dares speak to me in that tone, brat. Try something funny and I'll have your head!”He walked menacingly toward Adrian and Gloria. Soon, he was standing before Adrian and was about to snatch Gloria away, but a flashing light swooshed past the moment Barryl reached out. His body trembled and his head dropped to the floor.Thud!Barryl's body collapsed onto the ground, while the dagger in Adrian's hand dripped blood. "Huh?" Barryl's underlings were all stunned, their mouths hanging wide open. "Barryl!""Barryl!"A few of them yelled out. Their expressions turned grim as they turned to stare at Adrian. One of them yelled, "That brat killed Barryl! Let's kill him!" More than a dozen men charged toward Adrian, but after a few more flashes of light coupled with a few screams of agony, they were all lying lifelessly on the ground. They were all killed without much of a struggle. Ev
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