After a while, Adrian said, “Are you sure about this, Juno?”Juno nodded. “I want to go, Big Brother. I really do. No other decision in my life has ever been more important than this one. I wish to walk the path my father once walked and live for his sake. I also want to be your comrade.”“The ACMA is a tough place. Are you sure your legs can handle it?” Samantha asked.Juno shook her head. “My legs are fine now. I can move around like a normal person. Please let me do this, Big Brother.”Adrian paused for a long time before saying, “Go back to your room and pack your things. I’ll have Daniel drive you there early tomorrow morning.”“Okay!” Juno acknowledged this and rushed downstairs.“Is there really a need for you to do this in such a hurry?” Samantha asked, but Adrian remained silent.***Throughout that sleepless night, everyone was mulling over their own thoughts.The following day, a number of jeeps drove into One Jewel Road’s courtyard early in the morning. Daniel led
Everyone turned around to see Rue rushing out of the living room and dashing toward Juno.Juno silently looked at Rue.“I know I can’t stop you, nor will I try to anymore. If you must go, I want you to go with your head held high. You don’t have to feel guilty about anything, nor should you feel any pressure.“I won’t interfere since you’ve already made your decision, but all I ask is that you stay safe. Can you do that?” Rue asked.Juno nodded in acknowledgment. “I’ll make sure to be safe. I still have to take care of you when you grow old, you know? You took me under your wing, so you’re also my real mother forever. I will never leave you.”Rue embraced Juno tightly as she said, “Go chase your dreams! Remember to call home often!”“You take care of yourself too. I’ll be off now.“Mother, Big Brother, Sam, Jojo… Thank you for being there for me after my mother died. I love you all.”Juno bowed upon saying this, then turned around and got into Daniel’s car as she shed a tear.
Rue looked up and stared at the vast skySamantha held on to Rue’s arm and said, “Let’s head inside, Mother. With great power comes great responsibility. Adrian’s not just your son now, but Navia’s beacon of hope and the future it possesses.”Rue looked at Samantha. “I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer so much hardship after marrying into our family, Sam. You haven’t been able to enjoy your life, and now that you’ve finally gotten it, Adrian—”Samantha smiled and interrupted her by saying, “What are you saying, Mother? I live in a villa, eating meal after meal of exquisite food every day. Plus, I’ll have a child to accompany me soon. I couldn’t ask for anything more.“Most importantly, my husband’s a hero—someone his child can look up to in the future. When our child grows up, I’m going to tell them all their father’s stories!”Hearing this, Rue smiled and went back inside with Samantha.***That day, a commotion swept through the cities of Southrive. So much so that Novemton’s Inter
Stomp, stomp, stomp!The sound of footsteps could be heard as soldiers in Wyvern Peak’s battle suits swiftly covered all the exits. At the same time, the Gardners quickly left the courtyard and discussed among themselves.“What’s going on?”“Why would Wyvern Peak surround our house all of a sudden?”“What’s happening?”“I don’t know!”The younger members of the family were exchanging confused looks, when someone suddenly yelled, “Quick! We have to inform Uncle Chase and the others!”They quickly took out their phones and made several calls.After a moment, the older Gardners rushed back home upon receiving calls. Within minutes, everyone, including the head of the Gardner, the family’s daughters, sons-in-law, and other relatives arrived at the residence.“They’re here!” someone yelled out when a number of luxurious cars drove into the courtyard.Louis had been waiting anxiously. The cars stopped and the older Gardners stepped out.“Father!”“Uncle!”The youngsters yelled o
Chase was holding a conference with the higher-ups of Internal Affairs at the Novemton headquarters while all this went down.“Sir, we’ve just received word that the men who gathered in Southrive have now surrounded your family residence,” a voice on the phone said.Chase was completely stunned when he heard this.“What did you say?! Wyvern Peak has surrounded my family residence?!”“Yes, sir. Right now, Lennon and the others are outside talking it out with the men from Wyvern Peak, but we still don’t know why your house was surrounded.”“Nonsense!” Chase yelled, “I’m the chief secretary of Novemton’s Internal Affairs! How dare War Legate Draco orders his men to surround my family!“You there! Get me a helicopter! I’m going to my family right now!”Chase instantly ended the conference and furiously stormed out of the conference room after yelling out his orders.After that, a chopper flew out of Novemton toward Southrive.***Meanwhile, the situation at the Gardner residence
Stomp!Lennon immediately took a step forward to stop anyone who tried to get through the main door after hearing what Adrian said.As the leader of his family, Lennon seemed to have the moral high ground as he said, “War Legate Draco, I’m afraid we don’t have anything you may want. If you still wish to enter my home, you’re going to have to go over my dead body!”“Mine too.” Louis took a step forward as well.“You’ll have to kill all of us!”“Otherwise, you’re not entering our family residence!”Nate and Ethan moved to stand by Lennon’s side.Over the years, Chase had been so busy at Internal Affairs that Lennon was the one who had been handling family matters, both big and small. He had done a pretty good job of taking care of the family, managing to get them to stand united.At that moment, all the Gardners resolutely blocked the entrance. The legate was going to have to kill them all if Wyvern Peak wished to enter.Lennon predicted that War Legate Draco would not be brave
Lennon was taken aback.Out of all the brothers, Lennon respected Chad, his elder brother, the most. Chad was eight years older than Lennon and had taken very good care of the latter.Although Chad was no longer alive, Lennon still took good care of Nadine and Carlene. Otherwise, there was no way Nadine could have come to manage Fowler House.“Why do you ask, Naddy?” Lennon asked in confusion.Nadine took a deep breath and wiped a tear from the edge of her eye as she said, “Uncle Lennon, your eldest brother’s corpse currently lies inside our family residence. Even Grandfather’s corpse is still here. War Legate Draco has come here today because he’d like to retrieve his body.”“What did you say?! That’s nonsense!” Lennon furiously said, “I love you very much, Naddy, but you should never say something so outrageous, understood?”Nadine shook her head. “I’m telling you the truth, Uncle Lennon.”“I won’t say anything about your father’s corpse since I myself couldn’t find it, but I
The Gardners were stunned when they heard Nadine say this.They all thought of it before, but none of them expected this to be the answer.Looking at how shocked they were, Mya said, “Mr. Lennon, Chase will arrive in a little more than two hours. What will you do when he returns?”Lennon took a deep breath, but Nadine hurriedly said, “Please stop hesitating, Uncle Lennon. I swear to you that everything I’ve said is true, and that’s because I went in there and saw it myself. Do you still remember that blackout that happened at our home a few days ago? That’s when I snuck in.”Lennon turned toward Nadine with a fierce expression, who nodded her head at him. At that moment, he said, “Okay, I’ll go inside with you. However, I will say this first. If we go in there and nothing you’ve said is true, Chase will kill you, Naddy.”“I’m not afraid,” Nadine replied, “I want Father to have a proper burial, and I will stop at nothing to see that happen.”“Fine,” Lennon then turned toward Adria
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