The soldiers noticed the change in the atmosphere but ignored it. They approached Adrian, and one of them said, "You're gutsy to threaten us. Do you know who I am? I'm a quasi-level nine!"As the soldier finished speaking, a surge of energy emanated from him and his fellow soldiers. Adrian shook his head and sighed. These people were strong but rotten to the core. They'd cause trouble for the city if they continued as guards. So, he decided to teach them a lesson."Oh? You're a quasi-level nine? Perfect, I specialize in dealing with people like you," Adrian said, spreading his hand to emit a vast power.The soldiers felt a chill in their hearts and were surprised by Adrian's strength. Though he hadn't revealed his full power, it was clear his combat ability had increased significantly."You little brat, we didn't expect you to be this strong. In that case, we'll show you no mercy. Prepare to die!" one of them shouted.With that, they charged at Adrian. Seeing this, Adrian smiled
Thinking this, a wave of emotions surged within them. Even if they were unwilling to accept it, they had no choice now.Moments later, a voice rang out, âWhatâs going on? Why are so many people gathered here?âLooking toward the sound, they saw a man striding out from the city lordâs residence. This person appeared dignified, with several attendants following behind him. Seeing this man, the soldiers' faces lit up with joy.âSir Mark, youâre here!ââThis guy said he wanted to see you.ââWe wouldn't let him in, and he tried to force his way through.âThe soldiers reported in agitated tones.The city lord, Mark Turner, frowned. However, it did not take long for him to sense that something was amiss. His gaze fell upon Adrian, and he was shocked.The soldiers were oblivious to his reaction and continued their chatter. After a while, they noticed that Mark was exceptionally quiet. They looked at him in confusion and asked, âWhatâs the matter, sir?âMark looked at the soldiers and
"You know what to do, right?" Adrian asked Mark.Mark nodded. "Yes, Mr. Adrian." He gestured at the soldiers, and his attendants took the soldiers away to be punished.With that matter settled, Adrian said, "Lord Mark, we need a place to stay for the night.""Sure, Mr. Adrian. If I had known you were coming, I would have made preparations," Mark replied eagerly."No need for that," Adrian said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just arrange a place for us as you would normally."Mark nodded and promptly arranged accommodations for Adrian and his companions. Once everything was prepared, Adrian dismissed Mark, instructing him to attend to his duties and not to disturb him unless necessary.As the evening wore on, Adrian prepared to rest. Just then, Machias approached him. "I didnât expect you to be the man of legend."Adrian chuckled. "That's right, I am that man. But there's no need for you to feel uneasy. I don't bite."Machias, who was naturally easygoing, quickly relaxed.
"Hurry!" one of the figures urged, prompting those around him to quicken their pace as they headed toward a secluded part of the city.This was the old town area, home to the city's most impoverished residents. At this late hour, it seemed completely deserted. Yet, these shadowy figures moved swiftly through the area. Soon, they reached the front of a small house.Without hesitation, they broke down the door and kidnapped a little girl inside. From start to finish, they made no sound aside from the initial crash of the door. After that, the figures quickly disappeared into the darkness.Adrian had witnessed everything. He chose not to intervene and instead followed them with his consciousness. He wanted to know what they were up to, so he chose to remain in the shadows.The next morning, Mark appeared looking distressed.Adrian asked, "What's troubling you, Lord Mark?""Mr. Adrian, I need your help!" Mark said."Whatever it is, just say it," Adrian replied calmly.Mark sighed a
âNo need to thank me. It's our duty to protect the people,â Adrian said.âYes, protecting the people is our responsibility.â Mark nodded. However, he had no leads on the case beyond the fact that people were disappearing. Thus, he hoped Adrian could provide more assistance.Adrian had already anticipated his thoughts and smiled as he said, âActually, I discovered something last night...â He recounted his experience from the previous night, leaving Mark astonished.âSo you already have everything under control?â Mark asked.âIndeed. I know where they are,â Adrian replied.âThatâs fantastic! Why are we standing around? Let's go rescue the children!â Mark said.âNo need to rush. This situation is more complex than it seems. Simply rescuing the victims isnât enough. We must thwart their entire scheme,â Adrian said.âScheme?â Mark was confused.Adrian merely smiled and did not elaborate. He stood up and walked out of the room, saying, âLeave this matter to me.âWith that, Adrian le
Initially, these people didn't even consider Adrian a threat, but within moments, they were shocked by his immense power. In an instant, he destroyed them all, giving them no chance to resist."Damn it!" someone screamed as the group was sent flying, instantly turning into a mass of flesh.Adrian's attack angered the others, and soon more people rushed out from the rainforest toward him. Despite their relentless attacks, they posed no threat to him. Adrian, seemingly invincible, was unmatched wherever he went. Countless screams echoed as bodies littered the ground. No matter how many people came, he killed them all.Just then, another angry roar erupted, "Damn it, damn it!âSomeone dashed out from the darkness, seemingly much stronger than those before. Adrian couldn't help but look toward him. However, this person's strength was still incomparable to his own. Dealing with this person would only consume a little more energy."Argh!" Adrian exerted all his strength and punched out
"What do you mean?" The man seemed to not understand Adrian's words.Adrian couldn't be bothered to explain further. He launched a terrifying attack, aiming to take the man's life.After dealing with him, Adrian didn't linger. He continued forward, heading deeper into the mountains. With no more obstacles in his path, he advanced steadily. Soon, he reached the deepest part of the mountain.Before Adrian lay a vast valley, filled with hidden, mysterious facilities. Countless machines roared, and many workers moved back and forth. He immediately recognized them as people of Falconia, not Exasword or Westania. It was surprising to find so many people from Falconia hidden in a deep mountain in the remote outskirts of Westania. From this, Adrian knew this was no simple matter. Without hesitation, he stepped into the valley, releasing all his power to envelop it."Damn it!" someone cursed as they realized the danger.A group of people quickly turned toward Adrian. Many of them seemed fo
Adrian observed that the person wasn't as formidable as he initially thought. The source of the opponent's powerful attacks stemmed entirely from the formidable armor adorning his body. This armor absorbed energy from the surrounding air, converting it into power, which the wearer could then unleash through the armorâs propulsion system. While such armor could pose a significant threat to ordinary individuals by enhancing combat effectiveness, Adrian quickly identified its flaws with his divine consciousness.With a resounding roar, Adrian declared, "The power derived from external sources is nothing but an illusion. You might as well surrender!" Simultaneously, he unleashed a surge of energy that shattered the opponent's armor.Witnessing the destruction, the man exclaimed, "How is this possible?"Adrian retorted, "Oh, but it is. Your power relies solely on the external force of the armor, not your own strength. Youâre just empty talk and vulnerable." With another exertion of force
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 onâthis 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 longerâgiving 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 Adrianâs 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 returnâa 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 expertâor perhaps someone of the Multiply Stageâmight 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 vendettasâeliminating 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 affordâhe'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 beforeânow 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 obstacleâit was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A