Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1451 - Capítulo 1451: Decrease in power
Adam was originally intended to ascend the spire's peak to utilize the teleportation array for his return to the Citadel, but his path was diverted to a different destination.
Whoooooooosh.
A sudden draft swept through the area, tossing Adam’s dark hair about.
He had eventually conceded to a duel with the young duo. While he had no desire for the confrontation, their persistence had left him with little choice.
Every spire contained a specialized hall designed for Phantoms to engage in sparring sessions. That had been the pair's original plan, yet Adam decided that conducting the battle outside the spire’s walls would be more appropriate.
The staff of the Gamma Division were taken aback by this change in venue, though they possessed no authority to question Adam or any other Phantom’s preferences.
“Hmm? Those two... they aren't long arrived at our spire, yet they are already stirring up such trouble.” From the spire's summit, the woman who had previously greeted Adam shook her head while observing the scene below.
The man beside her gave a solemn nod. “Indeed, they are fresh arrivals to the Tarnished Lands. It wasn't that long ago that Adam Vinter was in their shoes, but his promotion to K4-Phantom has clearly seasoned him.”
“But what is his reason for moving the fight outdoors?” The woman rubbed her chin in contemplation. “Our training chambers are built to endure nearly any level of destruction.”
“Heh, I suspect it’s because he has no intention of holding back,” the man remarked with a chuckle. “He hides it well, but they are testing his patience. I can't blame him. He was ready to head home, and they are obstructing him without even realizing it.”
The woman offered a faint, bitter smile. “Their motives are pure, but that means little when Adam views them as nothing more than bothersome children.”
“Well, let us see how much time they can actually buy.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow. “Do you truly believe they have no chance at all?”
The man shrugged. “It is obvious Adam will suppress his power level to avoid an accidental fatality. Furthermore, he is still recovering from those brutal encounters. He regained consciousness far sooner than anticipated, but this will still be a very brief affair.”
...
Meanwhile, Adam stood across from the young man and woman. Their expressions were grave, and they felt a sense of gratitude that Adam had granted them this request.
“We are ready!” the young man shouted, a broad-bladed green sword manifesting in his grip.
“Yes!” The girl leaped to the flank as a massive bow appeared in her hands.
Adam gave a curt nod.
‘I see. A classic tandem formation; he takes the front while she provides cover from the rear. It is a basic but reliable strategy. If they were on my level, I would need to be cautious, but... honestly, what hope do they have?’
Step.
As Adam moved forward, his entire aura erupted outward.
Even though it was only a tiny fraction of his true peak, the sheer pressure made them recoil instinctively.
The duo swallowed hard, staring at the swirling black and white flames that radiated from Adam in every direction.
“Ah, I nearly forgot. I need to bring my power down to your rank...” Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s see...”
Unlike Damien or other elite Phantoms who frequently mentored subordinates, Adam lacked experience in suppressing his strength.
This was far more complex than simply masking his presence to stay hidden; it required a more intricate technique.
To achieve this, he had to place a temporary seal on his own capacity, restricting his own access to his full strength.
‘Hmm, perhaps this will work?’ Adam mused, visualizing his total power as a singular, massive sphere.
In his mind, he forcibly shrank that sphere to a mere third of its size.
To his surprise, the method was effective.
The overwhelming majority of his aura vanished instantly, and the crushing pressure that had made the pair tremble dissipated.
Adam opened his eyes, adjusting his aura several more times until his power output mirrored that of the two Phantoms before him.
“Is this sufficient?” he inquired.
The young man nodded firmly. “Yes, Mr. Adam. Is this your first time sparring with those weaker than yourself?”
“Well...” Adam scratched his cheek. “You could say that. I’ve never actually had to suppress my power before, but it was simpler than I anticipated. Let us begin.”
“Understood!”
Adam flicked a small stone high into the air, and every eye followed its trajectory. The moment that pebble touched the earth, the duel would commence.
Tap!
The stone hit the ground and bounced.
Whoooooooosh.
Instantly, the young man charged forward as a tangle of roots erupted from the soil. They surged toward Adam, snaking around his limbs to bind him.
“Now! We’ll show him our true strength!” the young man cried out, his blade radiating a brilliant light.
“Right!” the girl replied, drawing her bow toward Adam. She intended to deliver the finishing blow the moment the young man’s strike landed.
Adam could have used his special abilities to shatter the roots without raising his power, but he decided it wasn't necessary.
‘Hah, is this how Damien felt when we fought?’ Adam thought, watching the young man approach. ‘They truly believe they have a chance, even though I can read every single movement they make.’
Crack!
Adam flexed his muscles to snap the restraints. To his astonishment, they held firm. Now that he was restricted to a K3-Phantom level, he couldn't simply overpower them as easily as he could at full strength.
‘I see. Well, I have another way.’
Step.
The young man arrived in front of Adam, swinging his sword downward with full force.
Rather than retreating, Adam smirked and lifted his foot.
Stomp!
He channeled his current maximum strength into the impact, causing the earth to fracture wildly.
“Wait, what?”
Before the young man could react, a massive slab of stone was unearthed by the force of the stomp, rising like a defensive wall between them.
‘No! I have to pivot and attack from the side!’ the young man thought, leaping to the flank.
Clutch!
Suddenly, Adam’s hand shot out and gripped his throat. He had torn through the roots by concentrating all his physical power into a single point of escape.
“What?” The young man’s eyes bulged as Adam slammed him into the dirt.
He struggled to rise, but in that same heartbeat, a long needle was pressed against his neck.
“I've got you!” the girl screamed, releasing her shot.
A shimmering arrow, glowing like a verdant star, streaked toward Adam. He simply grinned and reached out his free hand.
His energy formed a protective shroud over his palm as he snatched the arrow right out of the air.
Whooooooosh!
The resulting shockwave fanned out as Adam was pushed back several meters, but the arrow failed to pierce him. The sharp tip was halted just inches from his face.
“Hah, that was a decent effort, but it isn't enough.”
He gestured toward the girl.
“You’ve lost.”