After twenty minutes, six trailers drove into the base. Under Oliver’s guidance, everyone moved the weapons, food, and water onto the trailers. They split the supplies among the six trailers in case anything bad happened. They emptied out the whole base and got ready to receive Adrian's next orders. They were lined up in a row when Adrian and Rozi got back."This isn't a drill. It’s a race against time for our very lives. Plants will not survive without sunlight, and it's only a matter of time before we run out of food. If we pool together the city's reserves, I believe we’ll have three years' worth of rations. So, we have to win this battle within that time or we'll starve to death before he even kills us. Once we run out of food, all hope of survival dies. Is that clear?" "Yes, sir!"Adrian nodded and continued, "I'm going to break you into groups. If any of you think you have something unique to offer, please step forward. Oliver will record your skills and information. We hav
“Matthias, I need you to focus on the communicators. We're going to need them up and running as soon as possible.""On it, sir.”"Let's move.” The six trailers departed Mount Gremont's base. They were going to go through the mountains to reach the nearby villages. After checking around for a while, Adrian would continue onwards, passing through the other counties along the way, before arriving at Novemton.Sitting in the passenger seat of the frontmost trailer, Adrian had a serious look. He gazed at the snowy mountains and frequently spotted monsters lurking about. Some of them were even wielding weapons.Suddenly, a monster army appeared in the distance. More than two hundred monsters screamed and screeched as they charged toward the trailers. "Over there, sir!" Cian yelled.Adrian immediately noticed the monsters, and so did everyone else. "Speed up!" Adrian then picked up a gun and climbed to the roof of the trailer. “We've got company! Prepare for battle!" Adrian yelle
They either had to stop the trailers or continue on and ram into the monster. The trailers would surely overturn upon impact, but if they stopped, the monsters behind would catch up and topple the trailers. In other words, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.Adrian yelled, "Keep driving! Rozi!"A figure dashed out of the rearmost trailer. It was Rozi, brandishing her rainbow-light sword. "Go!"Adrian jumped off the trailer. He and Rozi took a side each, running past the trailers and toward the monster horde. Bam!!! The moment they entered the monster ranks, Dragonbane shot out a golden beam that devoured everything it touched. Grabbing onto a monster, Adrian stabbed it through the heart before hurling it away. Rozi matched his movements and slashed out with her sword, claiming monster heads or cutting them in half. Both were tirelessly taking out the monsters on the road as more charged toward them.The trailers were able to safely cross the road thanks to the pa
“Sir, all the residents in the alleys have been evacuated to the third safe zone. You may begin retreating now," a voice said through the communicators. Yelloton had set up a wireless communication system the second day after the reset. Because of this, Jerome was able to continuously locate survivors. Over the past few days, he had managed to evacuate the survivors into twenty safe zones. However, many of his subordinates either fell or were in critical condition. "Everyone, retreat. Move discreetly to the nearest safe zones," Jerome immediately instructed upon receiving the news."Squad one, copy!""Squad two, copy!""Retreating now!"The gunshots stopped, replaced by the sound of footsteps moving through the alley as the soldiers retreated to their safe zones. "Squad thirteen, clear.""Squad fourteen, clear.""Squad three, clear."After everyone had retreated, the same voice came through Jerome's communicator. "Everyone has retreated, sir. You may retreat now.""Copy!"
Nobody was prepared to face such a sudden catastrophe, but everyone had performed well given the circumstances. At the very least, they had gathered into an army as they waited for a chance to fight back.Jerome sat down on a makeshift mattress as Lewis handed him a bottle of water. "How much food has our rescue squad found? How long will it last our people?" he asked.Lewis remained silent for a moment before he said, "There were a lot of missing people throughout Yelloton. For those people’s sakes, our rescue squads left behind a lot of food. The ones who haven't located the safe zones will probably need it, but don't worry. We have enough food for more than a month.""What about our communicators?" Jerome asked.Lewis shook his head. "Many of our towers have been destroyed. The signal from the wireless communicators won’t get very far.”Jerome pondered for a moment before saying, "We have a massive battle ahead of us, so we have to restore our wireless signals no matter what. T
Smoke bombs, signal flares, and smoke signals unique to Wyvern Peak rose into the air, fusing with the giant shadow in the sky. Jerome and the others had been using such methods to send out signals, yet nobody had responded to them over the past few days. A group that had just defeated a monster ambush at the foot of Mount Gremont noticed the signal. There was a bright light like meteors soaring across the sky, followed by thick smoke. It looked like a message.Cian was the first to notice this signal and yelled, "Sir, there's a signal over there!"Adrian quickly looked towards the night sky, barely able to see the signal due to its distance. "Hand me the binoculars,” he said.Cian passed him a pair of binoculars they had found at the base. Adrian climbed to the top of the trailer and looked toward the signal. It was much easier to read now. There were a few types of signals being transmitted, among them included a confidential message from Wyvern Peak. Adrian squinted when he s
Jerome immediately stood up and went to the rooftop. The soldiers stationed there seemed extremely excited. One of them handed their binoculars to Jerome. "It's over there, sir."Jerome looked in the direction the soldier was pointing at. Soon, he spotted the signal coming from Mount Gremont and decrypted its message.[I'm fine. What's your status?]"It's Draco…" Jerome muttered."What? War Legate Draco was the one who sent that flare?" the soldiers asked excitedly.Jerome took another look and confirmed that it was indeed Adrian who had sent that message. "It's him. He's alive.""Hahaha!""This is great!""I knew he'd be all right!"The men cheered that Adrian was safe and sound. "He's asking for our status. I'm going to reply to him now." Jerome lit a signal flare used by Wyvern Peak. The multi-colored smoke contained his message. Adrian saw the signal Jerome sent. [We're hiding underground and are looking for survivors. What about you?]Adrian pondered for a moment b
Adrian’s group rested up at the foot of Mount Gremont and prepared to press on after eight hours. Everyone had fallen asleep as Adrian stood watch from the top of a trailer. At that moment, he was missing Samantha terribly. He had no idea whether Nova and Samantha were alive, nor did he know where they were if they were alive.The faces of many swam through his mind, but Adrian needed to focus on pushing forward. He had no idea when he would be able to see Samantha again or when he would even be able to return home. After all, this journey was filled with uncertainties and terrors at every corner. Even someone as powerful as Adrian was fearful of what might happen in the future, but he knew he could not let it show. After all, he was the survivors’ final hope."Feeling homesick?" Rozi walked over and sat next to Adrian.Adrian shot a glance at her but remained silent. Rozi could tell he was missing his wife and daughter. "I know how you feel. You could go home and take a look if y
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