After the reset, the soldiers had lost all hope. They have not expected to meet Adrian again at such a challenging moment."What are you doing here, sir?" "We didn't think we'd ever see here.""He's right, sir. We feel so much safer now that you're here."The soldiers surrounded Adrian, each of them expressing their excitement. Adrian jumped down from the truck and joined the crowd of over fifty who were thrilled beyond measure. He smiled at them and said, "My brethren, you've all done an excellent job during this trying time. I know you've all done everything you could."Adrian's words moved everyone to tears. Gunner approached and said, "Sir, I used to serve under Cadel and was visiting home on leave when the disaster struck. I rounded up those here, and we’ve been fighting against the monsters since then. We lost many of our brothers before we managed to retreat to this village and make this place our last stand."Adrian asked, "What's your name?""Gunner Sturgis, sir."
Ten minutes later, all the surviving villagers of Kerning boarded the cargo truck. Adrian divided Gunner and the soldiers into two teams. One team was to be on the rooftop as lookouts while the other guarded from the inside of the vehicle. Ivy and Eira took turns driving, and Adrian allowed Nyssa to rest in the back of the truck. Thanks to the addition of Gunner and his team, Adrian now had the chance to take a brief rest. The truck set off fifteen minutes later, leaving Kerning behind. After taking a detour, they were back on the highway and headed toward Novemton.Adrian had a four-hour nap. When he woke up, he climbed to the roof, where Ivy reported, "We're about four hours away from Novemton. There will likely be many monsters outside the city, so we need to figure out how we're going to get inside."Entering Novemton was going to be challenging. The outside of the city was infested with monsters. Even Climbers had been spotted inside the walls.Adrian attempted to establish a
"Everyone, get to the roof and prepare for battle!" Gunner shouted.The soldiers climbed onto the roof, put their backs against each other, and crouched as they scanned the direction they were guarding. Novemton was just ahead, and with each step closer, they could see more monsters lining the road. These monsters were rushing toward Novemton, and their numbers were growing exponentially.As the truck continued to advance, the surrounding monsters multiplied. They charged toward the truck in a maddened frenzy when they sensed humans nearby."Kill them!" Adrian ordered.Gunshots rang out, and bullets sliced through the air, piercing the monsters.The battle had begun.The monsters, originally heading toward Novemton, were now drawn toward Adrian and his group. Ivy pushed the truck forward and barrelled down the highway like a giant snake. The monsters had a tough time catching up with the truck, but a large number of them were now in pursuit."The monsters at the back can't reach
As Novemton drew closer, the monsters around them multiplied crazily. The numbers outside Novemton were astonishing, exceeding what Adrian had encountered back in Swallowston countless times over.Unlike Swallowston, the monsters outside Novemton were limited to the outer ring as an inner wall had been erected to prevent them from entering. The army of monsters exuded a menacing aura, and their strong, foul stench filled the air. Adrian said, "Stay sharp, everyone.!With bated breath, they continued to face the relentless onslaught of monsters. Gunner and his team had never seen so many monsters, not even during their time in Kerning."They’re closing in!" Ivy called out.The roar of the truck's engine had attracted the attention of many monsters. Some charged toward the truck, and like a chain reaction, more and more followed. Bullets zipped through the air, and Adrian and Gunner stood back to back, facing the approaching monsters. The second squad and their leader looked up a
"Hurry up!" Rozi shouted to the truck.Ivy floored the accelerator, and the truck hurtled toward the city at full speed. The soldiers along the path of light formed a protective shield around the truck as it plowed through the monsters."Ivy, get everyone into the city!" Adrian called out.After conveying his orders, he leaped off the truck and summoned Dragonbane, which then transformed into countless golden streaks of light. He exchanged a glance with Rozi, then leaped into the air and stabbed his sword into the ground. The monsters wailed and were sent flying as Dragonbane touched the earth and set off a series of explosions.Adrian and Rozi stood back-to-back, ready to confront the incoming wave of monsters. Meanwhile, Ivy continued to drive the truck along the path of light. Seeing that the truck had moved farther away, Adrian shouted, "Squad one! Retreat and support squad two!"Upon hearing his orders, the soldiers from the first line swiftly retreated toward the city. Adria
Adrian was originally under the impression that Hugh was not very impressive. Crystal was the one who promoted him, but Adrian had never been particularly impressed by Hugh's abilities. However, he refrained from commenting out of respect for Crystal. It was now clear to Adrian that Hugh was underutilizing his talents while being Crystal's subordinate.Half an hour later, Adrian held a meeting at headquarters. Several upper management personnel attended the meeting, and he shared with them what Philip had said about Crutcher. Steel and the others were confused when they heard the story."Sir, are you saying you intend to leave Novemton again to find this Crutcher fellow?" Steel asked.Adrian nodded in confirmation. The information Philip had revealed regarding Crutcher might contain crucial insights into the future. Having no means of dealing with the Creator, Adrian was willing to explore all possibilities, including the ones that had very little success and very high risks.He ex
The others fell silent. There was a possibility they were not handling the matter with the right attitude since they did not share Adrian's foresight.Meanwhile, Rozi entered the meeting room and said, "I'm inclined to agree with Adrian. There's a saying that God leaves a window open whenever he closes a door. Nobody in this world is perfect, not even the Creator AKA the Destroyer.”All eyes turned toward her. Having spent time with modern people, Rozi had assimilated to the new environment and learned some popular phrasesHelen said, "Are you saying that you support Sir Draco's decision? If so, you'd need convincing reasons because it still seems too risky to us.""She's right, Grandma. None of us knows for sure whether the person the child mentioned actually exists."Everyone began expressing their opinions.They called Rozi "Grandma" as a playful joke because many were aware that Rozi originated from twelve centuries ago.She stepped forward and, naturally, had her reasons fo
They began to recap the entire situation.Why would the Destroyer want to reset the world? The answer was to eliminate all surviving humans, and he must have had his reasons for wanting to do so. Given the limit of his abilities, he was unable to eliminate them all in one fell swoop. He could only wipe out half of the population, proving that resetting the world inflicted a lot of damage on him. It was either that or he would be spending too much of his powers and leave himself in a weakened, vulnerable state. Because of this, he sent out monsters to deal with the remaining survivors. However, this raised a question—why had he chosen to erase the survivors' memories instead of letting his monsters finish the job if his aim was to eliminate all life on Earth? With the massive number and abilities of these monsters, combined with the aftermath of the reset, where everything was shrouded in darkness and no plants could grow, humans had only two choices. They ended up being killed by
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