Adrian smiled sinisterly and said, "What I want is very simple. I want to see Kayden."The men showed disdain upon hearing his words. The leader, in particular, looked at Adrian mockingly and said, "You're overestimating yourself. Sure, you may have subdued us, but when it comes to dealing with Mr. Kayden, you're way out of your league.""Exactly! Do you even know who Mr. Kayden is? He built such a vast empire. Do you think someone like you can meet him easily? Keep dreaming!" another agent added.Despite their arrogance, Adrian remained nonchalant. "Is that so? If he's so powerful, I'd like to see what he's made of."The leader asked, "So, how do you plan to see him?"Adrian replied, "I'll let you go so you can inform him of the situation here. Then, have him come to meet me personally."With that, Adrian released the man, confident he wouldn't flee since his companions were still in captivity. Adrian was sure this would compel Kayden to come. After the man left, Adrian didn't i
However, in Adrian's eyes, these people were merely the next targets he needed to defeat. He had spent so much time preparing specifically to draw them in. Now, the enemy had finally arrived.The army lined up in front of the village, and a tall, muscular middle-aged man stepped forward, standing with his hands behind his back. He looked up at Adrian, who stood on high ground.Adrian's gaze fixed on him, and their eyes met in a cold standoff. The man soon broke the silence and said, "You must be Adrian. If you're brave enough, come down here! Hiding up there doesn't make you a hero!"Adrian merely smirked coldly. "I called for Kayden. Are you Kayden? I heard he's an old man in his sixties. When did he regain his youth?"Adrian’s words dripped with sarcasm, but the man did not take him seriously. He snorted and replied, "Kid, someone like you isn't qualified to meet my leader. Today, I'll deal with you myself." Pulling out a large machete, he pointed it menacingly at Adrian.Adrian
The middle-aged man was stunned by the scene before him. No one had expected Adrian to possess such capabilities. He quickly shouted, "Defensive positions, now!"Immediately, the army formed a defensive line. Prepared to face Adrian, they pulled out makeshift shields to block the arrows.Adrian scoffed. "Ha! Do you think you can withstand me with those flimsy shields? Watch closely, the second wave is coming!" He had laid out large barrels filled with stones of varying sizes and decided to use them for his next attack.When he toppled the barrels, the rocks tumbled down with a thunderous roar. While the men successfully blocked the arrows with their shields, this new assault was beyond their defenses.The crashing stones filled the air, striking the men brutally. This onslaught resulted in significant casualties and injuries. The burly man instinctively stepped back, not anticipating Adrian's many tricks. Just these two waves of attacks had severely damaged his men. Of the several
But no matter how the attackers struck, they couldn't land a single hit on Adrian. As he deftly dodged their attacks, he launched his own counterattacks. His steel staff danced in his hands, moving so swiftly it seemed to create intricate patterns in the air. With each strike, another enemy fell.In a relentless series of assaults, Adrian swiftly overwhelmed all his enemies. Soon, only the burly man remained standing before him.The burly man gulped in sheer terror. He hadn't expected his men to be no match for Adrian, who now stood before him, grinning mockingly.Backing away, the burly man tried to put distance between himself and Adrian. "What are you doing? I warn you, stay away from me. I'm not someone to be trifled with."Adrian coldly laughed. "Is that so? Then let's see what you’ve got then."With that, Adrian advanced. Panicked, the burly man attempted to flee but to no avail. Adrian lunged forward and grabbed his collar with a firm grip. The man staggered and nearly fell
Adrian looked at him coldly and asked, "Still not going to talk? Fine. This is what you get for refusing to speak!"With that, Adrian picked up a sword from the ground, once wielded by one of the man's subordinates who Adrian had defeated.Holding the blade menacingly, Adrian approached the man. The steel gleamed dangerously.The man was visibly shocked. He gulped and asked, "What are you doing?"Adrian laughed and replied, "What do you think?"In one swift motion, Adrian swung the sword and severed the man's left arm. The speed was so swift that the man initially stared blankly at Adrian, taking a moment to realize the sharp, searing pain that shot through his body.Nearby, the other men were stunned into silence. None had expected Adrian to be so ruthless as to sever their leader's arm with a single stroke."You dared to cut off my arm?! Mr. Kayden will never let you get away with this! Just you wait!" the man screamed, his face contorted in agony.Adrian remained unfazed. "I
Adrian felt no remorse for people like him as they were not on his side.But despite the demise of the army’s leader, there were others still alive in the area. Adrian's gaze swept over them icily. They were thoroughly frightened, avoiding his eyes and appearing extremely fearful.Adrian chuckled coldly and said, “If any of you have something to tell me now, I welcome it. That might just earn you a reprieve. But if you remain silent..."As he spoke, he clenched his fists tightly. These people knew firsthand how strong Adrian was after the recent battle. They pleaded, "Sir, spare us! We'll tell you everything we know!"Adrian found a chair and placed it in front of them, sitting down. "Good, in that case, you'll each speak one by one. Remember, no hiding anything. Tell me everything you know."Under Adrian's stern gaze, the people dared not withhold anything. One by one, they spilled all the information they possessed. And from their accounts, he gleaned much information that was n
“We will be your followers. We can help with anything, from pouring tea to doing dirty work.""Yeah, you can't take on Kayden alone, right? We can help."The people were enthusiastic as they spoke.Adrian narrowed his eyes, their words triggering a thought. He had never considered establishing a power base here. Taking on Kayden alone would be daunting, especially since Adrian had decided to break away from Dragoria and rebuild his influence from scratch. Having followers by his side could indeed be advantageous.Despite this, Adrian replied, "Seems like you're not foolish. You know I'm going after Kayden. So, why are you willing to follow me? Do you think I'm naive?" His gaze intensified as he spoke. The men responded, "No, no, it's not like that.""Then what is it?" Adrian asked."You’ve already captured us, which means Kayden will never take us back. Even if we try to return, we'll meet a miserable end at his hands. So rather than suffering, it's better to stay with you and
Someone asked Adrian, "Sir, outposts are usually in the outskirts, far from major forces. Why is ours right next to Silverboa City?"Adrian looked puzzled and asked, "Why? Isn't being near the city a good thing? There's food and drink in plentiful supply, much better than being out in the wilderness, right?"The group responded, "It's convenient for travel, but if we encounter enemies, this place is too confined to maneuver."Adrian replied, "But that's exactly what I want. If enemies could easily find and attack us, that would be a problem."His words made a lot of sense. If enemies could easily locate them, Adrian would indeed be in big trouble, as he was hoping to use this time to develop his forces further.After hearing Adrian's explanation, everyone suddenly understood.Then, Adrian said to them, "Alright, I have something to do. You all stay here. If you need to procure anything, go ahead. I want to see some changes around here by the time I return.""Yes, sir," they repl
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