"We've checked the ship’s manifest and found no record of you among the passengers," John said, looking at the young man before him whose clothes had somehow already dried.Adrian pondered for a moment, then nodded. "You might not believe me, but I'm from the frontier force. My airship crashed, and after drifting on the sea surface, I saw your giant ship. Then, I saw someone fall into the water, so I saved her."John was stunned. He had not expected Adrian to come up with such a ridiculous excuse. Surviving a plane crash, drifting who knows how far, and finding their giant ship? That was next to impossible. Even Firnen, the Great Commander of Silverboa, couldn't accomplish such a feat."If you're from the frontier force, then where's your proof of identity?" John questioned."I lost it." Adrian shrugged.The door of the control room then swung open, and a middle-aged man with a stubble walked in. Anthony, the first mate of the ship, looked at John and growled, "John! What happened
Adrian noted that the two men were Grandmasters. It seemed that the owner of this ship was indeed formidable. However, he did not care whether he was in the upper or lower decks. As long as he could reach Obscura City, how he got there did not make much difference to him.After Adrian was taken away, John asked, "Sir Anthony, that guy did save Ms. Lucy. If the Wainwrights ask—""That’s none of your concern. Remember who owns this ship," Anthony interrupted.John paused for a moment, then realization suddenly dawned upon him. "As expected of you, sir. I was too narrow-sighted,” he praised.Anthony smiled and patted John's shoulder. "You just got promoted to third mate, yet you caused such trouble for me. Your career should have ended here, but don't worry. As long as there are no repercussions from above, stick with me and behave. When I become the captain, I'll save you a spot on my crew.""Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" John hurriedly said.…"Kid, are you really from the frontier
"What are you looking at?" Adrian responded provocatively after hearing the other person's taunting tone.The man narrowed his eyes, then got up from his bed. The other four in the cabin also gathered around and stood beside Adrian's bed."Where are you from, kid?"They were unable to figure out Adrian's background. Generally, people dressed like him would not be squeezed into the lower deck like them. On top of that, he was even more arrogant than them."Hah, I came from above," Adrian replied with a light chuckle, causing the five men to exchange glances.The scar-faced young man then asked, "What are you doing here?""Does it concern you?" Adrian responded with a smirk.For individuals from the lower strata of society, preaching about morality and righteousness was useless. What mattered to them was the strength of one's fists. As long as Adrian displayed a more domineering attitude than them, they would not dare to mess with him.As expected, Adrian's attitude made them war
The scar-faced young man was stunned. However, he soon regained his senses and said in a low voice, "So what if you are? There are plenty of people in the lower deck just like us. Can you handle all of us alone? And besides, if you're from the frontier force, you should at least be in the middle deck. You shouldn’t be here bothering us." He confidently stepped forward, motioning to his companions behind him. If Adrian caused trouble, they would all jump in together to take him down. With so many people on the lower deck, losing one or two people would not make a difference.Adrian saw the man’s gestures and scoffed. He was not interested in meddling with them, so he shook his head and said, "You've got it wrong. I'm not looking for trouble with you guys."The five of them breathed a sigh of relief. However, Adrian's next words immediately put them on edge."I suppose you guys are involved in smuggling, right?"All of them went wide-eyed from shock.One of them yelled, "You must
Alfie sighed. They had sought Adrian out because they thought he looked tough and capable. They wanted to ask him for help in dealing with a few individuals in the adjacent cabin. Afterwards, they would give Adrian some compensation.However, they did not expect him to see through their intentions and expose their biggest weakness. With things now revealed, whether they could walk off this ship alive became questionable."These spirit crystals are for my cousin," Alfie said solemnly."Your cousin?" Adrian asked."That's right. My cousin is a lieutenant in the frontier force of Silverboa," Alfie replied proudly, "He mentioned that with the war at a critical stage and the battlefield so distant from Silverboa, logistics were a bit strained. He requested us to deliver something to him.""Even if logistics are lacking, it's not something a lieutenant should worry about. Your explanation doesn't convince me," Adrian said as he drew the Divine Frost Slayer Blade. The air temperature dro
"Okay, okay! We stole them from the Allastons of Southbay," one of them hastily spoke up."The Allastons of Southbay?"Adrian had heard of the large Allaston family living near Helionia. In recent years, they had prospered in business and had significant influence in the southern territories."They secretly excavated their crystal mine and colluded with Fergus City. They were nearly killed when they reported them!" Alfie said as he turned to glare at his companions. "We infiltrated their mine and stole some spirit crystals. It wasn't a large quantity, so they wouldn't notice. And even if they did, they wouldn't dare to make a fuss.”"You guys are quite daring." Adrian chuckled. He then put away his sword and lay back on his bed.Since they were not smuggling the crystals to Obscura, they did not violate his principles. Therefore, none of these five needed to die."Sir, you won't expose us, right?" Alfie asked while the other companions gathered around Adrian and looked at him ner
As there were still two days before they reached shore, Adrian felt bored and decided to have some fun. The only way to have fun on the lower deck was probably drinking and fighting. It seemed like the other party had the same idea, so they had been persistently causing trouble for Alfie and the others these past few days.The five men walked out of the cabin, and some whispered to Adrian, "This might sound a little over the top, but please don't use your sword even if things escalate. It won't look good if things get out of hand.""Don't worry, I'll only need my fists," Adrian said.Alfie and the others became speechless. Alfie turned around and said, "Don't kill anyone either! It will only make things worse.”Adrian chuckled and nodded. He could not comprehend why they reacted so strongly to what was just a joke.As they walked along, Adrian noted that the lower deck was far from satisfactory. The noise from the boiler room and the crashing waves was deafening, and the air was t
Crack!Before the man could finish his sentence, Adrian grabbed the man’s hand. "Don't move or the damage to his fingers will be irreparable!" he warned the remaining three men.Alfie’s group went wide-eyed from shock. They had only felt a gust of wind on their faces, and before they knew it, Adrian was grabbing the burly man by the hand. "Ah! Stop! Please stop!" the burly man shouted as his eyes brimmed with tears.Adrian's fingers looked slender and unassuming, but the force he exerted was far from normal. The burly man already realized that Adrian must be an immortal, and his strength was far superior to his.Although the burly man became a level seven Grandmaster two years ago, his breakthrough was entirely accidental and kept secret from everyone. Hence, his strength did not truly match his level, and any level seven Grandmaster could defeat him.Hearing the burly man shouting in pain, his companions dared not make a move. People from other cabins along the corridor had ope
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