Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted, accompanied by a surge of black smoke and a foul stench that made everyone gasp for air. Soon enough, the creature fell to the ground and stopped moving.Adrian and his men cautiously approached the body, only to find that the creature had turned into a dried corpse. Unlike the armored knights from before, this creature was dressed in a simple, ancient-looking robe, pointing to its background as a mage or scholar or some sort when it was still alive. Similar to the knights, this person had been manipulated by some mysterious force to attack them.Just then, a series of voices rang out. "Kill all intruders!""Kill them all!"Adrian and the others whipped around and saw the remaining three statues explode one after another. More figures appeared from within the statues and rushed at Adrian's group like hungry tigers attacking their prey."Not again!"The group was shocked. They already had a hard time dealing with one enemy, and now there were
Boom!The ground collapsed, causing everyone to lose their footing and fall downwards."Aaaahhh!"Frightened screams echoed as they plummeted into the darkness below.Just when they thought they were about to hit the ground and fall to their death, Adrian shouted, "Calm down, guys!"Everyone did their best to slow their panicked breathing and regain their composure. They began to help each other slow their descent, and they managed to land safely on solid ground. But as soon as their feet touched the floor, they were overcome by a strong, foul odor."I never imagined there would be such a space underground. But this place stinks. Is it a cesspit?" someone asked.However, his question received no response. This place was dark, and nobody could see anything. Meanwhile, Adrian and Nathaniel grew serious as they sensed something amiss. Though the foul odor was disturbing, it was the ominous and foreboding atmosphere that truly troubled them. This sinister presence emanated from the
However, no one answered. Slowly, the figure stood up. He looked like a general clad in iron armor. Despite the armor showing signs of wear, it was still intimidating. "Th-That..." someone stammered."It's an undead general at the pinnacle of level nine!" Nathaniel shouted. Realizing this, Nathaniel and his men became anxious. None of them could match the undead general.Adrian, on the other hand, remained calm. "So what if it's at the pinnacle of level nine? With me here, there's nothing to fear," he said as he took a step forwardThe undead general scoffed and said, "Puny human, you dare to challenge me and interrupt my plan? Very well, then. All of you are going to die here!" "Hah! How ridiculous! We interrupted your plan? You're just causing trouble! That's why we're here to settle the score with you!" Adrian replied."In a little while, I'll be able to transcend beyond level nine, yet you insist on getting in my way. I have no choice but to kill you,” the undead general
The joint assault from General Hydro and General Pyro overwhelmed the undead general. Cornered and defenseless, it succumbed to their onslaught. Sensing the opportunity, General Hydro and General Pyro intensified their attack with unwavering determination.However, the undead general was not going to surrender without a fight. With a wave of its greatsword, he pushed both of them back. After that, it shouted, "You dare to thwart my plans? You shall all perish!"Boom!The undead general unleashed a powerful shockwave that sent everyone flying. Yet, it was only a prelude to its true onslaught. In the following instant, the undead general emitted a horrifying suction force from its mouth, seemingly attempting to swallow everything in its vicinity."Oh no!"Everyone was shocked and mobilized their powers to resist the onslaught. With their strength, they could withstand his attack. The undead general absorbed the undead knights, spirits, and minions instead of the humans."It's tryin
After all, if even the garrison could not solve it, Adrian naturally would not have any way either.*The garrison camp was located in an open area near the river in Mapleston. This was the first time Adrian came to the camp. Looking at the grand gate, he did not hesitate and walked straight toward it.Outside the garrison camp, Nathaniel was already waiting. When he saw Adrian, he quickly walked toward him."Captain Nathaniel!" Adrian called out. Before coming here, he had already contacted Nathaniel."Adrian, you said you found the secrets of the ruins chamber where the armored undead general was? Where did you find them?" Nathaniel asked."Of course, I found them in my own way," Adrian replied.Nathaniel was already accustomed to Adrian’s mysterious ways. Right now, what he was most concerned about was the information Adrian brought."Come in, quickly!" Nathaniel said as he led Adrian into the camp. The garrison was large as it consisted of three layers. The first layer co
Nathaniel did not fully trust Adrian, but there was nothing Adrian could do about it. It was not that he did not want to speak, but rather he did not know how to explain it to Nathaniel. Although he had obtained valuable information from the armored undead general, he could not directly present it as useful evidence.Adrian's mind raced, and soon, he thought of something. "Ah, I've got it! If you don't believe me, you can investigate Nameless Valley,” he said."Nameless Valley?" Nathaniel was stunned.That was the most remote place in all of Mapleston. Once a battlefield, the area later transformed into a mass grave where villagers laid to rest ownerless corpses. Consequently, nobody dared to approach the valley. "Yes, Nameless Valley. As far as I know, that valley is the headquarters of the Netherites in Mapleston. So, I'm sure we'll find something if we go there," Adrian said. "Fine, I'll trust you this time." Nathaniel decided after some thought.Woo— Woo—Just when Nathani
However, this situation did not last long. Official personnel soon began to restore order and provided the garrison team with a dedicated passage through the city."I didn't expect Mapleston to issue the most severe evacuation warning so soon." Nathaniel sighed."Will there be another level nine monster this time?" one of his men exclaimed in shock."It's unlikely," Nathaniel said, "But the level of disaster is not purely measured by the grade of the fiend slaves that appear. There are over a thousand fiend slaves this time, so we mustn't underestimate their destructive power." Everyone nodded and continued to march forward with newfound dedication. After some time, the group exited the urban area. Due to the prompt evacuation, the suburban area was now empty, but the swirl of dark energy in the air was enough to send shivers down everyone's spine. This was even more intense than the incident at Nubis Hills, which had a limited impact due to its remote location with only one nearb
To avoid attracting attention, Adrian sped up deliberately. Soon, he ran far away. Although there were many monsters, they were no match for Adrian. They were just eighth-level monsters, and he could easily annihilate them as if harvesting vegetables."Charge!" General Hydro and General Pyro rode ahead on their horses.Wherever they went, they attacked relentlessly with their water and fire powers. The fiend slaves were completely unable to withstand their assaults. Adrian didn't even need to intervene. Effortlessly, he wiped out large groups of fiend slaves.The garrison group was dumbfounded. After a while, someone finally asked, "Sir Nathaniel, what should we do next?""His strength is indeed remarkable. Since that's the case, let's leave it to him. We have many people, so we'll continue to evacuate the civilians," Nathaniel said.Nathaniel estimated that as the dark aura spread, more areas would be affected. This would undoubtedly increase the number of people needing evacuati
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