The cave was dark and moist, crawling with insects, mice, and even snakes.The trio entered with Strider leading the way. Adrian and Mya could not feel the energy inside the cave due to their protective gear. After about ten minutes of walking, they found large clusters of black rocks. The rocks covered the walls of the cave and were in piles on the floor. A skeleton sat behind one of these piles. The skeleton was in a meditative position, indicating that whoever it used to be had died a peaceful death. "Here we are," Strider said. "The rocks here look just like the ones back at Isle 416. We now know for sure these rocks are the same meteorites," Mya said after some observation. Adrian recognized the rocks too and walked toward the skeleton. "This deceased here must have been the ones to bring these rocks here. They believed they’d become a god. Yet, they died living in a fantasy," he said as he shone his flashlight on the skeleton. "This person’s situation was probably the sa
The trio left the cave.The engravings Adrian saw on the walls had been burned into his memory, which gave him a chance at entering the true Uduma Desert now that he had a complete map of the location. ***After leaving the cave, Adrian said, "Strider, I need you to come with me. I need your abilities to help me investigate this matter. This isn't about yourself anymore, but all of Novemton. Do you understand?"Strider stared at his hands. After a while, he said, "My grandmother and my sister… Who would care for themselves if I leave? We're really poor and they won’t have any source of income without me."Adrian patted his shoulder. "That's not a problem you have to worry about, neither is it a problem at all. Remember that this isn’t just for yourself but for them and everyone else. You've got a long road ahead of you."Adrian continued down the mountain.Mya nudged Strider on the shoulder and smiled. "Why didn’t you just listen to me before? You know that War Legate Draco’s a
“As you command, Your Majesty. I'll order for the villagers of Strider Village to be moved and issue the lockdown of Strider Mountain." ***Soon after, the Battle Warrior Department of Southern Swallowston received their orders, which were passed on to Candor City. The branch there personally oversaw the task. Adrian, Mya, and Jenny waited in Strider Village for three days. Finally, large buses, trucks, and hundreds of staff members arrived at the village to begin their task of moving everyone out. Jenny and Mya were excited upon seeing the vehicles’ arrival.Jenny said, “See those vehicles, Anita? They’re here to pick you up. You’ll all move to the city and live there very soon."Anita was clearly excited.The villagers came out of their houses at the sight of such a huge commotion.At that moment, a sedan drove over and a middle-aged man got out with a few subordinates. The man stood before Adrian and saluted. "Sir, my name is Angelo Lockheart. I'm the general of Candor City
Adrian could leave Strider Village now since he had done everything that needed to be done. With Strider now in their party, the group left after Adrian gave Angelo a few more instructions.Before they left, Strider looked at Anita and said, "Behave yourself in the city. I'll find you once I get back."Anita nodded. "I'll be waiting for you. Go ahead and focus on your mission with War Legate Draco."***Strider left, prepared to use his abilities to shoulder responsibilities. Adrian and the others arrived at the city in the afternoon. Adrian instructed Jenny to fly back to Swallowston as he was about to embark on to the outlands. As Adrian drove, he said, "Mya, tell the others to meet up with us at the Uduma Desert. We should be there in two days.""Are we not waiting anymore?" Mya asked."There's no time."Mya began to contact the helpers she had previously found as they left Novemton.Adrian could not get in touch with Nicholas. But as there was another month before their
"Otherwise, they'll be back for more.""Yes, sir. Wait here. I'll be right back."Strider leaped into the air as green light enveloped him. He then slammed the ground with a heavy punch. What followed was a series of explosions going off in all directions. It was as though a ball of energy had exploded from the ground. The retreating enemies sensed a threat coming from beneath their feet as more explosions erupted, sending them flying through the air as they were blown to pieces. In less than a minute, all the enemies were on the ground. Some were already dead, while others were struggling to survive. "Nicely done," Mya said with a smile.Adrian walked over to the enemies and spotted a middle-aged man who had suffered a severe hip injury among the bodies, struggling to stay alive. The man was wearing a Luposian battle suit that marked him as a Luposian general. Adrian walked over and bent over to hold up the man’s head. "What's your name?"The man trembled, unable to find the w
The journey Adrian was taking was possibly the most defining path the world had ever taken. Gostia's ruins were hidden somewhere within the Uduma Desert, and it would decide the fate of the world.The closer he got to the location, the more relief he felt.***The trio arrived at the inn twenty minutes later. However, the place had been destroyed. It was now nothing more than a shell of its former self. Despite how prosperous it was just two months ago, that luster was now long gone. "Did the outlanders do this? Why would they destroy the inn?" Mya frowned and looked around. Adrian had predicted that the inn was somehow in communication with residents within the desert, but he was not sure whether the inn had been intentionally built for this purpose. The Steedtens running the place were gone, so he would probably never find out the answer. It was getting late and daylight was quickly fading.At this moment, Adrian suddenly spotted a shadow moving inside the abandoned inn. St
Enigma City was a mysterious city that vanished one night with no records of what happened. However, one thing was for sure—no city could have vanished without a trace. Adrian said, "Enigma City didn't vanish, but probably sank. It was probably caused by the soil the city was built on and the Earth’s crustal movements. Enigma City might be just below our feet. The mirage in the desert was probably conjured by the city." The other three looked at each other upon hearing this. Mya replied, "Enigma City is a mysterious place. It’s said that its residents could summon and control the dead during a fight. We don't know how or why they vanished, nor do we know where to begin our investigation. But you might be right about the city sinking due to natural causes. There are probably many things we're still unable to understand right now."Adrian nodded and was quite confident in his theory. He got up and said, "Let's go to the passage and have a look. It should be one of the entrances in
Everyone got to their feet.An old man said smilingly, "War Legate Draco, I've always been very interested in Gostia and Partingia, but I never had the chance to conduct research on them. Thank you for fulfilling my dream.""This is Professor Steve Vargas, an archaeologist from Southeast University. He's sixty-two and has a vast knowledge of ancient ruins. He's also brought a few students with him," Mya introduced.Adrian said, "Thank you for your service despite your age."Steve replied, "I’ve studied the passage and can confirm that it was buried. It probably used to be on the surface and later sank underground.""Enigma City is probably beneath us, and I believe we'll be able to get there if we follow this passage. Everyone, please pack your things. We'll be leaving in five minutes,” Adrian instructed, "Mya, organize everyone into smaller groups so that we can handle any unforeseen circumstances. This place may crumble at any moment, so we need to be extra careful.”Mya nodded
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