Ra-ta-ta!Boom! Boom! Boom! The survivors, whose rage had been ignited, had turned their fear into power. They emptied their guns without hesitation, followed by multiple explosions. Their eyes were red with rage as they fought to survive. Met with this relentless counterattack, the monsters were unable to enter the city, and their corpses piled up outside Cloudton’s walls. Meanwhile, the non-combatant survivors were swiftly completing their tasks inside the city. Padraig’s team located usable vehicles and lined them up at the center of Cloudton in the formation Adrian had instructed. Oliver’s group scoured for resources and loaded whatever they found into the vehicles. Barry’s group was rigging the city with explosives—their last resort.The monsters were attacking them in waves that seemed endless. Adrian realized a pattern in their attacks. The frontmost batch of monsters would be weak in combat, almost to the point where they possessed zero offensive abilities. However, they
"Hold on, everyone! We need to buy time for the others!" Adrian shouted as he noticed their firepower growing weaker. The survivors were, after all, inexperienced in combat and were starting to fatigue. Although he was unable to give them more strength and stamina, he was impressed with how far they had gotten against the monsters despite never firing a gun before. Barry’s group was trying to finish their task as quickly as they could, but they needed a lot more time before they were done. "The west gates have been breached! We've got monsters in the city!" one of the scouts yelled. Adrian turned toward the west gates and saw the group of monsters had entered Cloudton. He knew the survivors would be killed if he did not defeat them as soon as possible. "Rozi, I'm going to help them. Take care of the flying monsters."Rozi nodded in response, and Adrian flew toward the west like a strong gust of wind, Dragonbane at the ready.Swinging his sword down from above, Adrian oblite
The survivors immediately started retreating after Adrian gave the order, heading toward the middle of the city as quickly as they could. Of course, this meant the monsters were free to enter the city and destroy the place. "Rozi, Helen. Let's cover them.""Yes, sir!" Rozi dove down into a group of monsters and sliced them apart. Helen drew her dagger and yelled, "Let's go, sisters!" The ladies followed suit, charging into the monsters and fighting them in close-range combat. The women were agile and defeated the monsters without hesitation while the survivors got into the vehicles. Adrian and the others were making one final push, while Padraig and the others headed for the vehicles. The drivers started the engines and awaited their final order. "Everyone's in, sir!" Oliver yelled. "Okay! Helen, Rozi! Fall back and get into the vehicles!"The women retreated upon receiving their instructions. During a battle, soldiers should doubt their leader's instructions as they
Adrian's splendid feat caught everyone's attention. They were first stunned at what he had done, then erupted into joyful cheers. However, the attack had exhausted Adrian and he lost the strength to even hold himself up. He began to sway before falling over the balcony toward the ground."Rozi, he needs help!” Cian yelled.She nodded and a light enveloped her as she rushed toward Adrian. Catching him mid-air, she held him tight in her arms as she ran back to the convoy. Rozi saw how exhausted Adrian was and asked, "Why would you force yourself this far when you can't handle Dragonbane's full power yet?"Adrian was gasping for air, too exhausted to even speak. Rozi continued, "I've watched Dragonking use Dragonbane, and the strikes Dragonbane could unleash were much more powerful than what you just did. According to legends, the sword was formed from the body of a fallen dragon. It’s ridiculously powerful, but you're still too weak to know how to wield it properly."At that mo
The bird monster flapped its wings and flew higher and higher, leaving behind only a gust of wind. Rozi would not be able to reach it if it got any higher. Out of desperation, she sent her sword flying, cutting off the monster's legs. The monster screeched in pain and lost altitude very quickly. Helen was falling together with the monster, but Rozi managed to catch her mid-air. Helen’s team heaved a sigh of relief when they saw this, and Rozi soon returned to the top of the trailer with Helen in her arms. Helen's face was pale, still shocked by what just happened. "The sky isn't safe, so don't let your guard down just yet. We don't know when another one of those monsters might show up again," Rozi said.Everyone put up their guard, paying attention to enemies in the sky. Helen sat upright and looked at the scratches on her arm, courtesy of the monster's claws. Chrissy grabbed a first-aid kit and disinfected Helen's wound, while the others said silent prayers that nothing bad h
"That bird monster dropped this when I killed it. I also noticed this same stone embedded in all of the monsters. They’re probably being controlled through these stones," Rozi surmised. Barry took the stone, looking confused. "You mean the Creator's controlling the monsters through this? But how?"Adrian explained, "See the runes on this? He can control the monsters’ minds when the runes fuse with their bodies. I've known this fact for a while now, but I can't figure out where the monsters are coming from."Rozi looked crestfallen as though there was something she wanted to say.Adrian noticed and said, "So stop keeping us in suspense and tell us what you know. You’re the most knowledgeable among us, after all."Calmly, Rozi said, "He's not the one creating the monsters. They’ve long existed. He just planted these stones in them to gain control over them.""What do you mean?" Adrian frowned. "The monsters come from another world. They were captured and sent to ours. Simply put
Adrian's statement instantly brought about a glimmer of hope. The meteorites had been stored in various research laboratories in Novemton, each of them possessing incredible powers. If they could find out how the meteorites were similar to the stones they found, they may find a way to control the monsters. Once that was done, their chances of winning would increase greatly. Barry grinned and said, "The meteorites are stored in Novemton's research labs, but we don't know what's become of them now. We need to get there as quickly as we can, sir. We may just find the answers we need.”Adrian nodded. Novemton was the city with the most resources. Adrian needed to secure Novemton's defenses, form a specialized unit of scouts, and lead the survivors in battle. Novemton would become their strongest base. ***The convoy neared Novemton. When they were less than a hundred kilometers away, Adrian instructed, "Susan, use your signal enhancer and see if you can contact anyone inside. Let’s
Cheers of joy rang out."Yes! There are so many soldiers in Novemton!”"We'll be safe once we get there.""We're saved! We're saved!"Elayne looked at her students in excitement as she shed a tear. The children, too, could see a glimmer of hope and smiled. Some people were so excited that they cried and hugged one another upon finding sanctuary. The soldiers' presence brought about an unprecedented sense of security to them.Adrian asked, "Can you contact them, Susan? Try honing in on their signal and send out a message.""Hang on, I'm trying…" Susan tapped her keyboard to adjust the frequency, while Adrian and the others waited nervously. After about ten minutes, she beamed and said, "Got it! I'm contacting them now."Everyone held their breaths, waiting for someone from Novemton to reply.At this moment, more than a hundred personnel were seated inside the Department's administration hall in Novemton, sending out broadcasts to whoever was within their range. Suddenly, a mes
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