Adrian now knew why Achelous had visited the city. Achelous forgot about his visit after he left Enigma City, which was why he had not left behind any info about the place. He had managed to locate Dragonbane, but his memories were erased just as he was about to retrieve the sword. All these thoughts left Adrian feeling terrified. The most terrifying part was how a person’s memories could vanish all of a sudden, and they would not even know what they had forgotten.All of Rozi's assumptions of the Creator being behind it all were supported with evidence. "I can understand most of what you've said, that the Creator can somehow reset this world and our memories. There's a chance that this tragedy will happen to us one day."Adrian was unable to fathom that his life and his memories were at the mercy of others. Night had arrived. Rozi looked out at Enigma City. There were stones shining throughout the city, which had not changed much after a thousand and two hundred years. Cal
When that happened, all of her efforts would have been in vain. Adrian understood this. “The Creator treats us like playthings even after resetting our memories. It's time we made them pay the price. We're going to find and eliminate the Creator, no matter how hard it’ll be."To Adrian, the Creator was like a tumor. That person was someone who could destroy the world, or more accurately, someone who could reset all of humanity. Adrian knew this person had to be eliminated if he wished to live on. "I once had the same thought, that our future generations would be able to live on if we killed the Creator. But this person has absolute control over us. We can’t defeat them." Rozi shook her head. Adrian took a deep breath, thinking how extinction became imminent as everything he thought was impossible became possible. They fell silent and looked out at the city. Glowing lights dotted the entire place. When the light fell, Enigma City ceased to exist. In the blink of an eye, everyth
Adrian and Rozi fled from the reset—running for their lives—which continued to spread. They only stopped after passing the Steedten’s inn, which also disappeared. The reset disappeared upon reaching the end of the desert.Adrian panted from exhaustion. Rozi stood next to him, the loose hair hanging around her face made her seem tired. "That reset changed the desert into a mountain forest,” Rozi said as she looked at what used to be the Uduma Desert. The area had turned into a dense mountain forest. Even the sounds of birds chirping could be heard from within. Adrian was stunned at the disappearance of the desert that existed for a thousand years. Was the land hit with a reset?He looked at the rocks beneath his feet and looked toward the new terrain before him."This isn't an illusion…" Adrian rubbed his eyes, but the scenery before him remained the same.Rozi bent down and said, "You could call it an illusion. The desert before was one, but it has now turned into a forest afte
Rozi looked at the words Adrian had carved out in astonishment. After a while, she reached out and carved a few words on her arm too—Creator, disappear, eliminate.She said, "These words might serve to give us a lot of info.""Come with me. We'll find the answers together," Adrian said. Rozi looked at him with faith and anticipation. She nodded. "Okay." Adrian smiled. "First, let’s get you out of here. Many things have happened while you were asleep. You’re going to need a lot of time to adjust."Rozi looked at him curiously.The pair left the Uduma Desert. More accurately, it was no longer a desert, but a lush mountain forest."This is so strange. The dessert is gone. How did that happen?""Yeah, this doesn’t make any sense scientifically. The desert has completely disappeared from the map.”"Literally anything is possible these days!" Over the next few days, Novemtoners were discussing the desert. Nobody knew what had happened there, but they knew that it somehow had dis
Crystal chose to stay calm and focus on her royal duties rather than worry about Adrian.Meanwhile, Lewis walked into Wyvern Peak's headquarters where Jerome was seated. "Sir, we've received a confidential letter from Sans City," Lewis said as he handed Jerome a letter.Sans City was located within Rondom, very far away from Novemton, and a letter originating from there made Jerome curious. He quickly opened the letter, only to find four words written on it—time, memory, existence, everything will be reset.An ordinary person would not have understood the letter, but Jerome was different. He knew that it was Adrian who had written the letter. He paused upon reading it.“Reset?” he muttered.“What does that mean, sir? Is something happening?” Lewis asked.Jerome knew he could not disclose what he had just learned. He burned the letter and said as a cover-up, "It's a threat from Rondom. They say they’re going to reset all of Novemton. Do you know who wrote the letter?""We only
Crystal stifled her laughter. "Do you really think I’m naive, Jerome? I may not have been the monarch for long, but I can handle myself. What in the world could possibly make me think that way? Stop mimicking your mentor by trying to keep me in suspense."Jerome smiled when he heard this, leaving Crystal slightly surprised. "This is my first time seeing you smile, albeit a little forced,” she commented."Sir Adrian sent me a confidential letter from Sans City," Jerome said. "He did?! I knew he was alive. What did the letter say?"Crystal did not seem too surprised at this news. She knew Adrian would find a way to stay alive, defying the many times she had assumed him dead."He only wrote a few words—time, memory, existence, everything will be reset.."Crystal waited for Jerome to elaborate, but nothing came. "That's it?""That's it." Crystal seemed shocked. Everything will be reset? Few could deduce what those jumble of words meant."Adrian always talks in riddles, and I
The reset was a strange phenomenon that was unexplainable. There was a chance humans would discover the answer hundreds of years later after science improved, but for now, Jerome’s words left Crystal in disbelief. “I told you it's going to be terrifying. There are a few levels to what Sir Adrian may have meant. I think he's trying to tell us something really important."Crystal took a deep breath, astonished by this phenomenon that was beyond her imagination. "Could you please stop dangling me like Adrian usually does and just tell me what it is?" Jerome reached out, moved the pen holder aside, and replaced it with a mug. "See what I just did?"Crystal stared at the cup, then came to a realization. "Are you saying that…""That's what Sir Adrian means. He's trying to tell us that whatever happened to the Uduma Desert wasn't natural."This was a terrifying theory."But that's just your assumption. Are you seriously telling me that there’s a person behind all this? Do you have an
"Does such a person truly exist? Are we just ants in their eyes?" Crystal mumbled.She had assumed that becoming the monarch would be the epitome of humanity, but now, something even more fearsome has emerged.Thanks to his excellent deductive skills, Jerome said, "Sir Adrian probably knows something we don't. More accurately, he may have witnessed the reset and is trying to tell us someone is controlling all this from behind the scenes. This person is controlling us and the lives of all living beings in the world.”Crystal looked at Jerome in a daze and asked, "A person?"Jerome nodded. "We could probably identify him as the Creator.""The Creator?” Crystal trembled from disbelief, wondering if everything she had just heard was true. "If this Creator exists, that means they would just have to think about it and our world will turn to dust.""Judging by the current situation, this person doesn't seem able to reset the entire world as of now. They probably need to expend a lot of
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