"Ava? That's a good name. Looks like you're her mother from now on, Marissa. You've got yourself a daughter though you’re barely of age yourself."Marissa, however, did not find anything inappropriate about this. She looked down at Ava with a kind expression on her face. "Poor little Ava. Her mother died right by her side, and all she could do was watch her pass. I'm going to take good care of her from now on and be her mother."Adrian smiled as Marissa doted on the baby girl.The world may not be as beautiful as it used to be but there were still kind humans around. Marissa would not give up on Ava, nor was she going to let her grow up without a mother's love. Thus, Marissa became Ava's mother. ***The group left Bronze City, which Ava was the only survivor of. Adrian was disappointed. He had hoped to find more survivors despite the destruction of the town. Yet, the place had become devoid of humans a long time ago. "Peach Village is ten kilometers ahead. We'll reach there
"Aaaagh!" The ax cut into Adrian's shoulder and was then withdrawn to strike his head. Just as Adrian's head was about to be lobbed off, a sharp gust of wind swept over him and the teenager. Rozi had turned into a beam of light as she punched the monster's head and blew it up. The massive monster fell to the ground, but Rozi continued to angrily dismember the monster with her sword.Adrian trembled. Blood was pouring from his shoulder, but he still held the teenager tightly. The boy was petrified, and his face had turned pale."Adrian, are you okay?" Marissa rushed over from the car with a medical kit.Rozi cleared the area of any remaining monsters and went to Adrian’s side. His shoulder was injured. The wound was not so deep that it affected his movements. However, it was bleeding profusely."I'll disinfect it then suture it. We don't have anesthesia, so you'll have to bear with it," Marissa said tearfully."You know how to suture wounds?" Adrian asked.Marissa shook her he
"How long have you been hiding in the mine?"Whitney, still sobbing, replied, "Almost a month. We hid there since the fourth day of the disaster. The principal was killed on our way there, and so were our teachers. They were killed by the monsters. It's just us students left now." Adrian had not expected such a thing to happen in such a small town. Greenheart High was not too far away from Peach Village, so the villagers here attended that school. News of the sixty-four survivors was the best news Adrian could ever have received. He asked, "What have you all been eating to survive?""There's a fruit orchard taken care of by a rancher nearby, but he vanished. We've been living off of the fruits, but we finished them all a few days ago and have been starving since."Adrian smiled. "You’ve done well, Whitney. I need you to take me to the mine, okay?"Whitney nodded, then commented, "I feel like I've seen you before, sir. You look really familiar…""Is that so?""Oh yeah!" Whitne
Adrian remained silent throughout her lecture. It was true that the world needed him, especially the stranded survivors. His life no longer belonged to himself but to a higher purpose. Earlier, he had reacted out of reflex. He did not have time to think at that moment. "Get ready. We're heading to the mine," he said to Rozi softly. Rozi heaved a sigh, feeling somewhat helpless. She knew there was nothing she could say to dissuade him from this. Adrian would not be the man she knew if he had not acted the way he did. They got back into the car, and Rozi took the wheel. Adrian then asked, "Where's the mine, Whitney? I need you to take us there." "It's right up ahead. You'll see it when we reach the mountainside."Adrian nodded, and the car hurried along.***There was a man-made cave on the hilltop of Greenheart Mountain. There was a railway track inside, which was used by the miners. The mine was abandoned after its resources were depleted. The sounds of weeping and shout
Pierre suggested this because he did not wish for everyone to leave the cave and be killed by the monsters. He and Sylas had different opinions.The group split up into three factions. One was a group that sided with Pierre, another one with Sylas. The third group was the ones who were too overwhelmed by their emotions to decide anything. Sylas glared at Pierre and argued, "What makes you think staying here isn't a death sentence? There's nothing else for us to do and nowhere else for us to turn to. Our only chance of survival is by moving forward. Are you seriously too dumb to even realize that?"Pierre retorted, "We won't be able to get far, so for now, we should send out a few people to source for food while the others wait here. After we've found food, we can work our way out of here.""Bullsh*t! This is nuts! Anyone who wants to follow me, come on. I don't care what you guys want to do. I've had enough of this!" Sylas was breaking down from the situation and was letting his f
Nobody said a word as they hung their heads. Pierre and Sylas were particularly silent. Adrian felt as though he was glimpsing into Navia’s future as he looked at them, wondering what responsibilities these kids would eventually have to shoulder.He asked, "Why the silence? You were pretty rowdy just a minute ago." He then turned his gaze to Sylas. "Sylas, right? I've heard about you from Whitney."Sylas nodded."I understand that your current situation, environment, and experiences are taking a toll on your emotions. However, you're a young man, and this is all a stepping stone in your journey to growing up. No matter how restless you feel inside, you need to find your calm."I say this because anger and agitation will cloud your judgment. I believe you're an intelligent kid, especially when I see you don’t want to leave anyone behind and walk out on your own. Am I right?Even Sylas, who had always had a strong will, started shedding tears. This was the first time Sylas had cried
Pierre nodded in response.Adrian smiled and said, "Rozi, bring out the food and distribute it to everyone."Rozi placed the bags on the ground and crouched down. "Everyone, please form two lines to collect food and water from me."The students excitedly lined up according to Rozi's instructions, but they received less-than-average portions of food and water since there was not that much in Rozi's bags. Nevertheless, this was a welcome relief to them.The students sat down and eagerly began eating their meager portions. Olivia was huddled together with some girl, sitting on the ground with tears streaming down their faces. These young girls in their prime had no makeup on their faces—only dirt and tears.Adrian approached the girls with a towel and gently wiped the dirt and tears from their faces, revealing their beauty underneath. The girls continued to sob.Adrian smiled and comforted them, "You're all young beauties representing Navia. Our lives would become better if you all
“Please take us with you, sir. We don't wanna stay here,” a girl said as she stood up, tears streaming down her face as she gazed at Adrian.The other students began to plead too."Please take us with you, sir.""We're really scared.""Please, sir!" All of them had hopeful looks in their eyes. Their only fear was that Adrian might abandon them. However, Adrian knew that taking them with him would not be easy as he only had one car. Moreover, his primary mission was to find Crutcher. The students would be temporarily safe if they stayed there. Adrian reassured them, "Don't worry, I won’t abandon you. But there is something important I need to do before I get you all out of here. Is anyone here from Peach Village?"Pierre and two other boys stepped forward.Pierre answered, "We’re from Peach Village, sir. Is there something we can help with?""Do any of you know Crutcher?" Rozi asked.Pierre and the others exchanged glances, and the former said, "He's from our village. Why do
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