"Your Majesty, I think Mr. Adrian is utterly disrespectful. His demeanor shows no regard for proper decorum," one of the ministers said hurriedly."Even if he can win battles in the future, I fear he will be uncontrollable," he added, casting doubt on Adrian's character.King Basil met the minister's gaze calmly and replied, "If you could win battles as he does, I wouldn't need to control you either. What do you think of that?"The minister froze at these words. He took a few timid steps back.The rest of the court fell silent, realizing King Basil's complete trust in Adrian. To him, it was as if Adrian were not an outsider at all.Many in the court couldn't understand King Basil's reasoning. What if Adrian betrayed Ciawales in the future? How would they handle that?As these concerns swirled, Renee softly reassured, "Father, please don't worry. I firmly believe that Mr. Adrian will weather all storms and return victorious."Her words reflected her absolute confidence in Adrian.
Adrian stunned everyone with a simple statement.They couldn't comprehend his meaning. Was he claiming to have extensive military experience?The crowd stared at him, unable to grasp the source of his confidence."Mr. Adrian, you are indeed impressive. However, when it comes to warfare, I won't back down. I've been in the military for twenty years, making me a seasoned veteran. In terms of strategy and tactics, I shouldn't be lacking," Tyler Dennis declared, his dissatisfaction clear.Adrian smiled upon hearing this. It was exactly as he had anticipated. He knew gaining the respect of these soldiers and generals wouldn't be easy.To establish his authority among them, he had to make a bold statement. Without it, maintaining control in the long run would be nearly impossible."Sir Tyler, is it? Since you're so confident, how about we have a military competition?" Adrian suggested, his gaze steady as he addressed the general.Tyler was taken aback, momentarily stunned. He hadn't e
The crowd was restless, but Adrian remained calm, glancing at his troops with a faint smile. "There's no need to look so defeated. Just follow my commands, and everything will be fine."Moments later, Adrian began directing his soldiers, while on the opposite side, Tyler swiftly arranged his formation.In a short time, Tyler's troops were organized with precision. By contrast, Adrian's soldiers appeared disorganized and sluggish, as though they had never received proper training.To onlookers, Adrian's troops seemed incapable of withstanding any significant challenge. It was hard to imagine they could hold their ground.Adrian, however, showed no sign of concern, observing his men quietly. "If you remain like this, you'll spend your whole lives as cowards. But if you win this battle, you'll be heroes. So, what will it be—heroes or cowards?"This simple statement ignited a spark of indignation among the troops."Heroes!" they shouted in unison.Satisfied, Adrian nodded. "If you w
King Basil's words stunned Justin. He hadn't expected the king to be so closely attuned to Adrian's actions.Despite the distance of several kilometers, King Basil seemed to perceive Adrian's every move with uncanny precision.The ministers were equally taken aback. None had anticipated that Adrian's maneuvers would cause such an uproar.Some officials, however, scoffed at the notion of Adrian being a legitimate contender.One sneered. "He's just a young upstart. Even if he's strong, the soldiers clearly don't respect him. Let's see what other tricks he thinks he can pull."Their expressions brimmed with disdain, convinced that Adrian's youth rendered him incapable of true leadership. To them, he was merely an inexperienced boy, not a force to be reckoned with.Renee, however, countered icily, "Just watch. Let's see how Mr. Adrian turns the tide. This might bring an unexpected surprise to our great Ciawales."Her cutting words silenced the room.Even Justin, who had been on the
Adrian gazed calmly at the soldiers and then smiled faintly. "No need to change. Maintain this formation, and you'll annihilate everything in your path. Do you trust me?"The soldiers responded in unison, their voices thundering. "We trust you!"To them, Adrian had become almost a figure of faith. The formation he had devised instilled in them an unparalleled sense of strength and invincibility.Its power had shaken them to their core.Adrian demonstrated, with perfect precision, what a true military formation should be.Meanwhile, Tyler adjusted his own formation, and his troops' momentum visibly surged. Yet, when the two sides clashed, his soldiers were suppressed once more.The turn of events stunned Tyler's soldiers. They hadn't expected that even with Tyler's formidable reputation and extensive experience, he would still fall behind Adrian.The soldiers were shaken.Tyler had always been a symbol of strength, a seasoned general whose expertise was unmatched. Yet against Ad
Looking at the crowd before him, Adrian smiled faintly. Undoubtedly, he had finally won over the people before him.This was precisely the outcome Adrian had envisioned. Their acceptance was crucial. Without it, dissatisfaction and lingering doubts would have continued to fester.Across from him, Tyler stood motionless, his gaze averted. Despair weighed on him so heavily that, for a fleeting moment, he considered ending it all right there.Despite years of military service and countless battles, Tyler's abrupt challenge to Adrian had ended in a crushing defeat—one so absolute it bordered on humiliation.Compared to Adrian's strategic brilliance, Tyler felt like an unseasoned recruit, as if he had never even studied the art of warfare. The chasm between them felt insurmountable, as vast as the distance between earth and sky. It left Tyler deeply shaken.Adrian, observing Tyler's demeanor, immediately understood his turmoil.He grinned, approached, and said in a calm, steady voice,
The crowd's eyes were filled with curiosity and anticipation. They wondered what kind of future Adrian would bring them.Could this young man lead them to victory in the face of the Primeria's ferocity? The outcome remained uncertain."Stand up," Adrian commanded, his voice resonating with authority."Follow me, and my only requirement is simple: absolute obedience. If I command you to die, you must not utter a single word of dissent."Can you do that? If not, stay behind—there's no need to leave the city with me."His words thundered in the ears of every soldier, leaving them stunned. None had expected Adrian to issue such a demand, and the bluntness of his statement shocked them deeply.To be asked to die—this was an extreme demand. And for it to come from a man barely in his twenties made it all the more unbelievable. The soldiers stared at Adrian, their expressions a mix of astonishment and unease.Adrian's demeanor, strict and unyielding, baffled them. Why was he being so s
It was the soldiers' first encounter with someone as iron-willed as Adrian. His presence, filled with a terrifying aura and overwhelming strength, made it abundantly clear that he was no ordinary person. Any thought of opposing Adrian seemed an impossible challenge.At that moment, they were left with only two choices: surrender or submit.Their eyes reflected their helplessness. They knew there was no way to stand against Adrian, leaving them with no option but to compromise and follow him.For them, the choice was inevitable.Watching silently from the sidelines, Tyler was filled with amazement.In his eyes, Adrian's display of authority was highly effective. It helped to weed out those with wavering loyalties within the army.Those who remained would be steadfast individuals, and even if some still harbored doubts, further training would likely solidify their commitment.Among the fifty thousand elite troops, Tyler understood better than anyone the kind of soldiers they were.
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