Thus, a two-versus-one fight ensuedPolaris was right, it did not matter who was the strongest on the battlefield. There were only winners, and losers. It would be much easier for the other candidates if Jerome was defeated and had to leave the battlefield. Unknown when it had happened, everyone seemed to agree that Jerome was the strongest among them.Pow, pow, pow!!!Jerome was cornered into a disadvantageous position, dodging a flurry of punches from Remy and Zack. The spectators were worried about Jerome. Many of them began to wonder why two people would gang up against one in what was supposed to be a fair fight.But at the end of the day, the candidates were adapting different strategies and tactics. The rules never stated that the candidates were not allowed to ally with each other. Of course, this alliance was only temporary. Bam!!!Jerome was sent flying once more. His airbag still remained intact due to how resilient he was, but he was about to reach his end after a
"I'm sure Remy and Polaris' five thousand teammates are somewhere near the canyon, ready to jump in should things go sideways. But Jerome's teammates have probably already left the canyon long ago, which is why I say they're carrying Jerome's victory dreams."This is the backup plan Jerome's come up with against a two-versus-one situation. This is a team competition, so even if Jerome is eliminated, his team will still be victorious if his teammates win. He’s using the rules to his advantage.”The others finally understood what Jerome had planned. The five thousand from Jerome's team had left the canyon and their leader behind. On the contrary, Polaris and Remy's teammates were close by, ready to assist whenever called upon. Based on this, what seemed to be an advantage for Polaris and Remy was now null and void thanks to Jerome's superior tactics.However, Jerome was taking a huge risk with this strategy. It required absolute trust on his part for him to entrust everything to his t
"Jerome Yahn, Remy Johnston, Polaris Ryan… Out!"An announcement was made followed by the airbags popping. The spectators shot to their feet as three leaders who had high chances of becoming the next legate left the scene three hours after the showdown began. To everyone's surprise, including Mya and Gloria, Jerome managed to take down Remy and Polaris with him.Adrian was the only one who remained seated as though he already anticipated this outcome."Oh wow! Jerome performed magnificently. He took out two leaders all on his own. He's definitely the star of this showdown." "I never knew he was so strong…""Those were some marvelous skills!" Countless spectators shouted in excitement. That punch alone seemed to seal Jerome's place as the next legate. The spectators now saw him in a completely different light and everyone was immersed in that moment.***The elimination of the three leaders changed the flow of battle completely. Their departure affected their teammates’ mo
"You must never be hasty and try to win instantly, be it on the battlefield or anywhere else. This will confuse your judgment. The biggest mistake you made today was to try and defeat Jerome as quickly as you can, hence why all of this happened.""I'm sorry, sir. At the time, I thought Jerome's team would be easily crushed if I eliminated him.""You're not fighting alone, but as a unit. You should've used your teammates to achieve victory, not through your own skills alone. Working together as a team to secure a victory is the most important thing, even more so than your life. Jerome understands this concept and uses this to his advantage. He may have been eliminated, but he isn’t the star of the show. Instead, it's his teammates. "He placed all his hopes on his teammates and sacrificed himself to take you two down with him. In this situation, not only will you be unable to crush the remainder of his team, they’ll become even more motivated. This will trigger whatever potential the
Polaris and Remy remained silent after realizing the mistakes they had made. Yet, it was too late for them to turn the situation around. Back in The Dome, the remaining five thousand in Jerome's team were nowhere to be found after the main squad was defeated. In the meantime, Polaris and Remy's forces were fighting each other.Former allies had now become foes since there could only be one winner.Unsurprisingly, candidates from both teams were being eliminated, and it was Polaris' team that was wiped out first. Remy now only had ten exhausted men remaining. The two of them originally had the upper hand, but it was now clear that Jerome was the one standing at the top.At that moment, the screen showed the remaining candidates left in each team.Juno - 9,000Sage - 9,200Polaris - 4,300Remy - 5,200Jerome - 5,000Zack - 13,000According to the data, Zack, who remained in hiding the entire time, had the largest number of men left, and the odds of him winning the showdown in
Both of them were waiting for the other's team to dwindle in numbers before sending out the ones in hiding to turn the tides. But it was evident that neither of them were going to get what they wanted.They were looking for a chance to make a temporary retreat, but neither of them could initiate the retreat. After all, the team who retreated first may end up being scattered. Thus, their stalemate persisted, and the fight continued, with both leaders gasping for air from exhaustion.Jerome turned toward Adrian and said, "Juno and Sage are stuck in a stalemate, so I think they're going to give it their all now.""How long have they been fighting?" Adrian asked.“Close to five hours," Gloria replied. Adrian frowned. "I don't think Juno's legs can last much longer.""What?" Samantha and Rue nervously looked at the screen, where it was clear Juno's legs were trembling. The five-hour fight was starting to take its toll."Can you stop the fight? I'm worried Juno's leg injury will fl
Mya said nothing in response and ordered for the showdown to continue. Sage's team was closing in on Juno's team as the fight continued, and a new leader from Juno’s team stepped forward to take control of the remaining forces. Adrian got up and patted the trio's shoulder. "You stay here and watch. I'm going to go check on Juno." He headed to the infirmary, where Rue, Samantha, and Adaline were anxiously waiting outside. Juno's attending doctor, Matthew Laughlin, ran a diagnosis on her and treated her for half an hour before coming out."How is she, Doctor?" Rue anxiously asked. Matthew took off his mask and nodded to Adrian in greeting, to which the latter did the same. "Juno's legs are damaged again due to the immense pressure she exerted. She triggered some old injuries. Her condition is currently stable, and she'll recover with some rest and treatment. However, I strongly suggest she steers clear of strenuous exercise for now or it'll become a permanent problem."“Oh, t
"Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps the new legate was already chosen even before the showdown began.""Is it Jerome?"Adrian did not give her a definitive answer, but instead said, "Unless a miracle happens." After a moment of silence, Juno said, "Jerome is so much stronger than all of us. I can tell he's an all-rounder, and I also heard he's the reincarnation of five legates.""That's just a title given to him by others. What I can say for sure is that he’s blessed by the Heavens.”"I've heard you speak so highly of anyone before. Do you really think Jerome's that amazing?" Mya asked in surprise as she walked in. This was the first time she had heard Adrian complimenting someone despite all her years of being his subordinate. Adrian smiled. "His maturity and thought process has far surpassed Remy and Polaris. Remy and the others would've had a spectacular duel, but Jerome has changed all that."“That is true. From his earlier battle, it’s clear he's a talented general. S
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