Mocking and vulgar words entered Adrian's ears, but he was well aware that it was all part of Haris' tactics. As someone who had traversed battlefields for countless years, Adrian had encountered every conceivable tactic. He deeply understood a fundamental truth—the higher the level of combat, the less room there was for any margin of error.Adrian and Haris were formidable seventh levels, and any mistake in battles at this level could lead to consequences similar to those who had met their demise at Adrian's hands earlier."I know what you're thinking, so there's no need to waste your efforts. I won't be provoked by you," Adrian said as he increased the strength in his hands.After the toll on his energy and the earlier surprise attack, Haris was now at his wit's end. Just when Adrian was about to launch his final attack, a horrifying dragon’s roar suddenly echoed from the cave they had emerged from.Adrian was certain he had not misheard. After all, he had come across true dragon
However, the last batch of bats to come out of the tunnel fell from the sky and died. Their bodies were smoking as if an invisible force had knocked them out of the sky. Haris knew now was the perfect time to run. He turned and sprinted in the opposite direction of the cave. Right now, he had no thoughts of capturing or killing Adrian. He just wanted to stay alive. Meanwhile, Adrian was observing the commotion within the cave. He had a hunch that something terrifying would emerge soon. Despite his momentary hesitation, he sighed and dismissed the thought of fleeing. The last time he ran away was because he wanted to get rid of his enemies, but it was different now. Running away might mean losing the opportunity to find Lyra. So, he stood still, waiting for the ominous presence lurking within the tunnel.Meanwhile, Haris had run over a kilometer. He glanced back and sneered. "What a fool. If he doesn't run now, he might not have the chance later." He then continued to flee. Despite
"Hah! A blessing in disguise? Are you just going to stand by and watch your daughter die?" Jess demanded, then retreated into their house.The dragon's roar had stirred everyone in the vicinity. Meanwhile, Adrian turned to look at the tunnel and then at the red figure. He slowly regained his composure. It seemed that the red figure had no intention of harming him and was heading straight for Haris.Even though Haris had sprinted over a kilometer away, the red figure's speed far surpassed that of an ordinary person. It moved like a streak of light, catching up with Haris within seconds.Haris felt a chill down his spine and instinctively turned to look. The sight before him was the most terrifying he had ever experienced. There was a red dragon behind him, and it gracefully glided through the air, quickly approaching him. When he turned his head to look behind him, the dragon opened its mouth and spewed out a stream of red flames.Haris hastily altered his course to evade the attack
The dragon’s roar echoed through the sky, and the dancing flames scattered in the air. As the Fire Wall enveloped Haris, he knew everything was over. The flames consumed him, leaving nothing behind. When Adrian arrived and saw the crimson creature floating in the air, he looked astonished. It was not his first encounter with such creatures and he had slaughtered real dragons in other places. After arriving here, he had also come into contact with the Dark Dragon within Thalia. However, this was the first time he had seen a real dragon in this world. Moreover, the real dragon was none other than Lyra, who he thought was dead."Lyra?" Adrian called out.The crimson dragon turned around. She appeared to be a real dragon, but her stature was petite, resembling that of a young dragon."Adrian, how did I become like this?" Lyra's voice came from within the dragon."I... How would I know?" Adrian said.Although he had long known that something Lyra was peculiar as she was unable to hea
After a few minutes, they arrived at the scene. However, they found nothing other than the lingering flames in the air."What happened here, chief?" someone asked.Sion turned to look at Fynn, but he remained silent. Fynn frowned and pondered for a moment. After that, he shifted his gaze from the air to a blank spot on the ground. The place was covered with fallen branches and leaves, but this particular spot stood out. He speculated that the young dragon might be injured. Judging by its size, it was evident that the dragon was not yet fully grown.'This is exactly like what the prophecy stated! It's a young true dragon, and I might be able to control it!' The excitement in Fynn’s eyes became apparent as he contemplated this.As Sion turned around, he caught sight of Fynn’s expression. He sighed inwardly but there was nothing he could do about it."It's a true dragon. Search the surroundings for its traces and inform me immediately if you find anything!" Fynn ordered."A true dra
“Lyra's blood is a natural repellent against wild beasts. It's more than enough to repel them. I've been trying for more than ten years to prevent her from appearing too extraordinary and attracting unnecessary attention," Sion explained, "Unfortunately, due to various coincidences, she discovered this place and completed her awakening.""Where does her bloodline come from?" Adrian asked."We're dragons, and this secret realm rightfully belongs to us. However, it was occupied by outsiders. Our ancestors aimed to reclaim it, but over time, my goal shifted from restoring the glory of the dragons to putting an end to everything.""Put an end to everything?""I want Lyra to leave this place," Sion said in a grave tone, "There's no time to explain right now. Chief Fynn has sensed the situation here. I'll hold them off. You have to put Lyra back into the magma pool."Adrian nodded and hurried on. In the tunnel's depths, darkness dominated, illuminated only by faint sparks. Even though h
It was a painful sensation. However, in the next moment, he was pleasantly surprised. He no longer needed to convert his Fight Force into Vital Energy because he found that the Dragon Vital Energy had completely disappeared. However, there was a problem. His Fight Force seemed to have transformed into something else. It was neither the familiar Fight Force nor the Vital Energy he had been converting before. It had become an entirely different substance.Adrian shook his head. Now was not the time to contemplate these changes. First, he needed to save Lyra. Although he did not yet understand the extent of the transformation brought about by the dragon’s blood, it was evident that his strength had recovered. He had advanced from the intermediate to the advanced seventh level, and thanks to the influence of the Origin Power, he was just a step away from level nine.Adrian's mood lightened, and he dashed forward. Meanwhile, Fynn behind him became increasingly puzzled. He had sensed a p
“Times have changed. The previous deal was for me to enter Cloud Puff Mountain's secret realm and you wouldn't kill me. Now, it's for me to enter the secret realm and you let go of this dragon," Adrian said flatly."So you're breaking the deal?" "I'm not breaking the deal. It’s just that our previous agreement has been nullified." Adrian smirked."Are you implying that I can't kill you now?" Fynn asked."If you don't believe me, feel free to try,” Adrian said while activating his Abyssal Bloodstorm. Fynn hesitated upon seeing Adrian's powerful aura. He sighed and said, "I understand now why the Dark Dragon was so determined to kill you."It took Adrian only a few days to transform from an ordinary man to someone who could threaten him. While sighing, Fynn had to admit defeat. It seemed to him that he had forgotten that the world was much larger than he imagined after living in seclusion for more than two hundred years. Underestimating Adrian was his biggest mistake. If he had k
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