"Oh! Do you want this flame I possess?" Adrian asked with a smile. "If you're willing to submit to me, I can teach you how to wield it."The Fire Unicorn's large eyes flickered with uncertainty, and its fiery body trembled slightly. It seemed to consider Adrian's offer. Submission sounded simple enough, but the creature didn’t realize there was more to it than just surrendering.Tyron and the Violet Rain Bird were momentarily stunned. They sensed that Adrian was baiting the Fire Unicorn with promises that seemed too good to be true. It was as though he was dangling an irresistible offer, and the two onlookers couldn’t help but be surprised. Why was the Fire Unicorn so captivated by Adrian’s flame? They couldn’t quite understand.Adrian, still composed, continued, "It’s time to decide. Refuse, and I’ll have no choice but to roast you with this flame. By then, it’ll be too late for regrets."The Fire Unicorn’s pupils flashed with fear as it listened. Realizing it had no other option,
After all, it would be a significant loss if Adrian failed to tame the Fire Unicorn. Gaining control over it would make him even more formidable.Time passed slowly, and the creature became fully enveloped in Adrian's power. The latter’s gaze turned colder as he felt his grip on the Fire Unicorn steadily tightened.As Adrian’s control increased, the Fire Unicorn began to sense that something was wrong. The surge of power startled it, but by the time it realized what was happening, it was too late. Struggling and roaring, the creature fought back, but its efforts were futile.Adrian smiled faintly. "Do you still want this flame? If not, it’ll soon be too late to claim it."His words stirred the Fire Unicorn’s hesitant heart, and it finally surrendered, allowing Adrian to seize full control. In moments, the creature was completely subdued, leaving everyone awestruck.Tyron and the Violet Rain Bird stood by, their curiosity and astonishment evident. They hadn’t expected Adrian to cap
Seeing the Fire Unicorn's curious expression, Adrian smiled. The creature was undeniably innocent. To Adrian, the small flame was insignificant, but to the Fire Unicorn, it seemed to mean everything.With a soft smile, Adrian said, "Little one, stick with me, and you'll be able to play with flames all you want."Excited, the Fire Unicorn jumped onto Adrian's shoulder. The latter chuckled and said, "Not bad. Let's keep moving. And you, make sure to hide your presence."To Adrian’s surprise, the Fire Unicorn seemed to understand. In an instant, it concealed its aura completely, leaving Adrian impressed."I didn’t expect you to have this kind of ability. Impressive. If only you could talk, that would be perfect," Adrian remarked.The Fire Unicorn chirped and chattered as if trying to speak but couldn’t manage it. In its juvenile stage, it hadn’t developed that ability yet.Through their connection, Adrian sensed that, despite its small appearance, the creature was over a hundred yea
"Don't worry, there's no one else around. Go ahead and transform. We won’t laugh at you, even if you end up looking silly," Adrian said.His teasing seemed to provoke the Fire Unicorn, causing its eyes to widen in frustration. Roaring defiantly, it floated in mid-air, clearly offended by the suggestion that it might look ugly. In an instant, its small form vanished from Adrian's shoulder, and a massive figure took its place.Adrian's eyes widened in surprise at the transformation. The once small Fire Unicorn had morphed into an enormous, imposing beast resembling a legendary gluttonous creature.The Violet Rain Bird stared in disbelief. "How...How is this possible? Could it be a hybrid? Is that why its two forms are so different? But that doesn’t make sense either!"As soon as the Violet Rain Bird voiced this theory, the Fire Unicorn glared at it with giant eyes, clearly displeased.Meanwhile, Adrian fell silent. He hadn’t expected this at all. While the Violet Rain Bird’s theory
"Alright, enough talk," Adrian said, fixing his sharp gaze on the Fire Unicorn. "Why don’t you shrink your form a bit? That huge body of yours draws too much attention."After all, there were always greedy ones eager to steal what didn’t belong to them. He didn’t want anyone setting their sights on the Fire Unicorn.The Fire Unicorn blinked its large eyes, unsure why Adrian was asking this, but obediently complied. In an instant, its enormous form shrank down, returning to a smaller, more mischievous version. Though it still looked somewhat fierce, there was a playful and gentle side to its new appearance. It was an odd yet charming combination.Perched on Adrian’s shoulder, the Fire Unicorn clutched the flame the former had given it earlier. It felt comforted by the flame’s warmth. This connection was why it had chosen to submit to Adrian. Without it, the unicorn would have fought to the bitter end rather than follow him willingly.As the group pressed forward, they passed through
Adrian looked at the small creature before him and smiled. The Fire Unicorn was quite endearing in its current state, especially with its eagerness to prove him wrong. "Alright then! I believe you. Which direction should we go?"Both Tyron and the Violet Rain Bird were taken aback by Adrian’s trust in the newly tamed Fire Unicorn. While it was unlikely that the creature would lie, its small and fragile appearance made them skeptical.“‘Is this little guy just trying to stir up some excitement?” they said.Adrian’s sharp gaze cut through their doubts. "I’ll trust him this time. I don’t think this little one would lie easily. After all, it’s been here for over a hundred years."A hundred years?Tyron and the Violet Rain Bird were shocked. They hadn’t expected the Fire Unicorn to have been in this place for a century.Finally recovering from its surprise, the Violet Rain Bird nodded in understanding. "A hundred years isn’t unusual for unicorns. To them, a century passes in the blin
The Fire Unicorn appeared a bit anxious, making soft, eager sounds as if trying to reassure Adrian that it could indeed lead the way.Adrian smiled affectionately and said, “It's okay, little one. Even if we don’t find it, it’s not your fault. Just keep going."The tiny Fire Unicorn nodded and continued to guide them.Before they realized it, the group had covered a significant distance and found themselves deep within the forest. As they pressed on, they sensed the increasing strength of the beasts in the area. One wrong step could easily lead them into grave danger.Adrian surveyed the surroundings cautiously and felt a strange, pulsating energy in the distance. Excitedly, the Fire Unicorn waved its little hoof toward the far end of the forest, seemingly pointing to the location of the Prism Stone.Adrian was taken aback. “Are you saying the stone is up ahead?”The Fire Unicorn nodded eagerly.Adrian paused for a moment, surprised. Beside him, the Violet Rain Bird looked equal
Adrian stood firm. “Since we’ve come this far, we have to bring it back. Otherwise, what’s the point of coming here?”Giving up wasn’t an option for him. His entire mission hinged on acquiring the Prism Stone and the Phoenix Tree. With the stone now within reach, he wasn’t backing down.Seeing his resolve, the Violet Rain Bird and the others knew there was no changing his mind.The Fire Unicorn, watching Adrian, sensed something profound in the latter. It lifted a tiny hoof, as if encouraging Adrian to return safely.Adrian chuckled. “Haha, little one, you’ve just joined us. Stay here and wait for me. You’re strong, but that beast ahead is more than you can handle.”Tyron asked calmly, “Adrian, how confident are you?”He trusted Adrian, but without a solid plan, charging forward would be reckless.Adrian’s gaze was cold yet determined. “I’m not completely sure, but with the right strategy, I should be fine.”His response left the group stunned, unsure of what he had in mind. Se
Crack… crack…The sound of shattering echoed through the air, reverberating across the desolate landscape. Adrian and Renee had emerged in a stark and barren mountainous region. Clearly, they were no longer in Death Valley.Boom!Renee felt herself land on something soft. She was stunned and couldn’t quite process what had just happened.However, she forced herself to calm down. As she regained her composure, she was overwhelmed by the suffocating weight of the dust-filled air. Looking around in confusion, she noticed that the surroundings were unfamiliar. What’s more, Adrian was nowhere to be seen.“Huh? Where did he go?” Renee muttered. Her gaze darted about until it froze on an unbelievable sight.To her surprise, Adrian was beneath her, barely clinging to life. His breathing was faint, and his body was limp as if death had already taken him. Renee gasped, utterly shaken. She hurriedly got to her feet and lifted Adrian. After she dusted him off, she looked at him with a mix
Renee watched Adrian nervously, her expression filled with disbelief. After all, Death Valley had never been this terrifying before. Despite its ominous name, the actual danger wasn’t supposed to be this extreme.At this moment, Renee couldn’t figure out what they had triggered. Could their luck really be this bad? In the past, Renee had traversed this area alongside powerful warriors from Ciawales, even those at the Nascent and Fusion Stages, and they had passed through this valley with ease. But this time, the journey was unexpectedly difficult, fraught with numerous obstacles and dangers that left Renee utterly terrified.Fusions typically passed through this area without trouble. Even she and Adrian, who had slain the giant serpent, were effectively at that level of strength. By all logic, they should have been able to leave without any issues. But now, another monstrous entity had appeared, far more intimidating than anything they had encountered before.Adrian’s face darkene
“Is he not going to wake up?” Renee’s expression was filled with anxiety.The situation was dire. The thunderbolts were almost upon them, threatening to annihilate everything. Yet Adrian remained immersed in his deduction, showing no signs of waking up as if he was fully absorbed in deciphering the formation.Indeed, when it came to analyzing formations, such meticulousness was necessary, especially when attempting to uncover its deadly traps. This task could not be rushed.Crackle, crackle, crackle…Serpentine lightning twisted through the sky, streaks of energy descending as if from the heavens, ready to shatter everything. The entire sky trembled, and it felt like the very fabric of reality was breaking apart.Rumble!The barrier trembled once more, and the entire space around them quivered violently. Despite its strength, the barrier now seemed barely able to hold against the unrelenting onslaught. The thunderstorm’s sheer power was not something any ordinary person could wit
Adrian’s gaze sharpened as he released a wave of killing intent. “Hmph! So there’s still something left. Let’s shatter it once and for all!”Without hesitation, Adrian sat down cross-legged, summoning a powerful surge of energy that enveloped the barrier overhead. His forceful aura spread out, reinforcing the protective shield as he began to analyze the patterns of the formation around them.From the energy fluctuations, it was clear that this was not an ordinary formation. Deducing this, Adrian’s expression grew colder, his killing intent palpable.Boom!A powerful force reverberated, shaking the earth and sky. Renee was stunned. Adrian had once again entered a meditative state to break the formation. Should she assist him?The intensity of the attacks was overwhelming, and if Adrian were interrupted now, the consequences could be dire. Thinking of this, Renee prepared to make a move.“Don’t move. Stay put. This isn’t the same formation as before,” Adrian commanded sternly as if
Adrian scanned his surroundings, his gaze sharp and icy cold. The darkness of the night seemed to carry an ominous presence. He halted, staring intently at Renee, and said, “Don’t rush.”Renee was momentarily stunned, a look of confusion on her face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.Renee hadn’t noticed anything unusual. The only thing she desired was to quickly leave this cursed place. The longer she stayed here, the more uncomfortable she felt.Whoosh!A fierce wind swept through Death Valley, making the towering trees shiver as though they were alive and fearful.Adrian’s expression turned even colder as he looked around and shouted, “Stop hiding! Show yourself!”The sudden outburst left Renee startled. She couldn’t tell if Adrian had lost his mind or if her own senses were just too weak. The air seemed empty, with nothing unusual. The biting cold wind had always been a part of Death Valley’s sinister aura, something Renee had always attributed to the place’s natural state.Adrian’
Some daemonic beasts have a final self-destructive instinct upon death, causing their inner cores to explode and leaving nothing behind for humans to absorb. This was why an intact inner core was incredibly rare and precious.Yet, here Adrian was willingly giving one to her. Renee felt deep gratitude in her heart for this unexpected gesture.“Thank you. If I ever have the chance, I will repay your kindness,” Renee said with sincerity in her eyes.Adrian replied, “No need to thank me. You will certainly have the opportunity. Aren’t you my servant now? Protecting me is your duty. All right, let’s keep moving.”He continued moving forward. By now, it was already late at night.Renee gazed at Adrian, puzzled. She couldn’t figure out what kind of person he was. He treated her like a subordinate, yet his actions were more like those of a friend. She was finding it harder to understand Adrian’s intentions.But Adrian clearly had his own reasons. He wasn’t one to conform to expectations.
"What did you say? You want me to absorb it? But this inner core… It's yours…" Renee stammered, utterly shocked that Adrian was offering her the inner core. She knew well how precious this inner core was.Absorbing a beast’s inner core would significantly boost one's strength. It wasn’t that Adrian didn’t understand this fact. But he still responded calmly, "Yes, you heard me right. I want you to have it. There’s no need to be so surprised."Renee’s eyes widened even further. She couldn’t believe Adrian was treating her this generously. After all, she was just his servant.But to Adrian, it was a worthwhile decision. He had always viewed Renee as an equal. When he was injured, not only did Renee refrain from attacking him, but she also didn’t seize the inner core. More importantly, she had given him her energy to help him recover.Adrian had now gained immense strength. If he were to absorb the inner core’s power on top of that, it might be too much for him to handle and could back
Adrian chuckled lightly. "Why are you so excited? See, I'm awake now. If I never woke up, would you have stayed here watching over me forever?"Renee huffed, half-annoyed. "I’m not that foolish. If you hadn’t woken up, of course, I’d leave."Adrian smiled. "I need some time to recover. Can you keep watch for a little longer?""Sure!" Renee replied eagerly, beaming widely.Adrian then sat cross-legged and began his recovery. Watching him, Renee was filled with both shock and joy. It was nothing short of a miracle that Adrian had regained consciousness. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief mixed with surprise. She had never expected this outcome.At the same time, a flood of questions filled her mind. Normally, Adrian should not have survived such an ordeal. By all logic, he should have already been on his way to the afterlife. Yet, here he was, awake and alive. Renee found herself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by confusion.Seeing Adrian’s intense focus as he trained, Renee co
At that moment, a sudden burst of earth-yellow light erupted within Adrian’s consciousness. It was once again filled with surging waves of power. The soul storm reappeared, and the mysterious chaotic white mist returned, spreading throughout Adrian's soul space.The strange and mystical scene looked astonishing, and slowly, Adrian began to wake up from his deep slumber. As he regained consciousness, he felt a soreness envelop his entire body. Even his soul power seemed to have a slight ache.But before Adrian could fully process this sensation, a terrifying force surged through him. It flooded his entire being with an overwhelming energy.“What...What is this? This power is incredibly strong,” he muttered, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He could sense an immense energy roiling within his body, shaking his very core. The waves of power felt both foreign and potent, making him feel even stronger.Adrian’s expression turned to one of shock and unexpected delight. It was the