"Looking at its small size, I never expected this place to have such a strong dark aura," Stygian commented."There must be a huge monster here." Adrian snorted, then took the lead and entered Nameless Valley.Inside were trees everywhere, but the lush greenery had been overtaken by the dark aura, turning it into a ruin. The dead trees painted a picture of desolation, resembling a hell on earth. As they progressed, Adrian noticed the area ahead clearing up."I didn't expect this place to be a hidden paradise." He sighed.Man-made traces began to appear before them—stone steps, erected stone pillars—but they looked abandoned. Vines covered these structures like they had been untouched for some time. Despite the signs of habitation, the place seemed abandoned and barren. Adrian couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss."It's strange. Why is the dark aura so heavy here, yet there isn't a single person? Could it be that this place was entirely abandoned by the old man a
"Humph, you're crafty despite lacking strength. It seems killing one of our elders wasn't just a coincidence," a sinister voice emerged from within the dense black gas."If you're important, then reveal yourself. Only a coward hides," Adrian taunted."Don't worry, I’m right here.”A figure slowly emerged from the gas and stood before Adrian and the others. Similar to the old man from before, this person wore a black robe as well but appeared younger. He had a devilish smile which it fixed on Adrian and the others as if trying to see through them."I never expected the useless garrison soldiers could find such help.” The man sighed. "I'll give you a chance. Join the Netherites for greater opportunities.""Dream on. I won’t join you scum," Adrian retorted."Don't rush to reject me. You probably don't know what the Netherites are.” The man smiled, seeming eager to recruit Adrian."I don't care. You're all heading for a dead end."Fine.” The man laughed angrily, his smile deepening
Ash had circled behind and stabbed the man. He said, "How annoying. It’s so much easier to end it with one slash."Adrian sneered. "Did you really think that after the previous battle, I would give you a chance to retaliate? Dream on. Take him away."Adrian then continued walking deeper into the valley with Ash and the others. He noticed something. Despite capturing all these people, the surrounding monster aura showed no signs of weakening. He felt there might still be some issues with them. As they proceeded, they quickly arrived at the innermost part of the Netherites' base."What…"Despite being prepared for many things, Adrian was still shocked. Before him stood a huge cave in a mountain. Outside, there were many defensive measures, now rendered useless because of the operators’ capture. The cave appeared dilapidated.But the main point wasn't these defenses. It was the huge blood pool at the center of the cave. About ten square meters in size, it boiled with blood, emitting
Meanwhile, Nathaniel and the others were nervous. They were worried about whether Adrian would encounter danger. Seeing that Adrian hadn't appeared for a long time, Nathaniel even started to feel anxious."Sir, I think we should find a way to help him now.""That's right.""Now that the civilians have been moved to a safe place and we have nothing else to do, it's best to go and help him."Listening to everyone's suggestions, Nathaniel also thought the same.But soon, someone approached from the front. It was none other than Adrian. And behind him, there were hundreds of people following him at this time. These people were all bound by a long chain, just like dogs being walked, and were brought to them."Adrian, what's this..." Nathaniel seemed a bit surprised."These are the people from the Netherites. I brought them all here. I’m leaving it up to you to decide their fate," Adrian said straightforwardly.After hearing this, the monster hunters were even more shocked. Was Adria
"Oh, you seem reluctant to see me," Nathaniel commented smilingly."Of course not," Adrian replied."Alright, let's get down to business. I came here to discuss something with you," Nathaniel said, his expression serious."What's happened now?" Adrian realized the situation seemed complicated, judging by Nathaniel's solemn expression.Nathaniel didn't beat around the bush. He handed over something and said, "Take a look."Adrian took the item and found a document containing information that shocked him. The document began with a historical account. It stated that in ancient times, a king named Jago Camacho once lived in the area of Mapleston City. After his death, he was buried there. Under his command were four generals, one of whom was the armored monster they had dealt with before. Besides him, there were three other great generals, including Jago himself, buried in Mapleston City. The reason the Netherites set up a branch in Mapleston was to find Jago's tomb."Is this for rea
Every night, Ash and the others would patrol throughout Mapleston. Naturally, no monsters dared to cause trouble here. Even the citizens realized that things seemed much safer. Originally, few dared to venture out at night, but now the situation was completely different.Nathaniel also knew that all of this was thanks to Adrian's efforts. Although he didn't know how Adrian achieved this, regardless, Adrian had relieved the garrison of a lot of trouble. This allowed them to focus more on more important matters. Nathaniel was naturally very grateful for what Adrian had done. Several times, he secretly sought out Adrian, hoping to give the latter some kind of reward. However, Adrian rejected all of them because he didn't do these things for reward.Nathaniel could only admire Adrian's greatness. He could maintain the peace and stability of Mapleston single-handedly. However, Adrian knew that this peace was superficial. In the unseen darkness, there were countless hidden dangers, and he
Bang! Bang! Bang!The knocking grew louder and louder, and finally, the door gave way. Matthias and Laura's hearts raced in their chests. Moments passed, and they saw a figure slowly stepping through the doorway. Despite the dim lighting, they could see that the silhouette was slowly walking in their direction, bringing with it a strong smell of blood."Where are you? I know you're here. Stop hiding and come out. I already ate one of your family members, and now it's your turn. Why hide? It would be better for the three of you to reunite in hell!" a voice said, growing closer and closer.Soon enough, the figure reached the table where the father and daughter were trembling underneath. Matthias groped around and found a long stick. He grasped it tightly, ready to strike as soon as the monster showed its face. He would then seize the opportunity to let Laura escape.The creature slowly bent down, and Matthias covered Laura's eyes, shielding her from the terrifying sight of the monste
Stygian swung the staff in his hand, delivering a fierce blow to the monster.The monster, startled by Stygian’s sudden appearance, hesitated for a moment. But it quickly recovered and charged at Stygian, roaring, "You dare to ruin my plans?! You will die too!"But as soon as the monster finished its sentence, it froze in place. It felt an overwhelming force constricting it and preventing it from moving. No matter how much it struggled, it was completely immobilized."Crush!" Stygian's voice rang out.The monster, unable to withstand the powerful attack, was crushed to pieces.Matthias and Laura were dumbfounded, unable to process what had just happened. "Don't worry, the monster is dead. You can get up now," Adrian said as he approached. He had been observing from the shadows, waiting for Stygian to finish before stepping out."Who... Who are you?" Matthias asked."Don’t worry, I'm not a bad person, and I'm certainly not a ghost. You should be able to see that," Adrian replie