Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1492: Search

The locations of the Blood of God and the Ancient Frost remained a mystery to Beth. Had anyone else confessed such ignorance, Adam and Alexia wouldn't have felt so uneasy.

However, Beth was different. If she lacked the answers, it was unlikely anyone else in the world possessed them. Despite her unassuming looks and irritable expression, her mind was a vault of ancient secrets and vast intelligence gathered over several centuries.

Such a depth of wisdom was simply beyond the reach of Adam and Alexia until they had survived at least a few World Wipes themselves.

“W-What?” Adam stammered. “You actually don't know how we can achieve this? But Alexia and I aren't even at the peak of the K4 Level. Plenty of Phantoms have progressed much further than us! They must have found a way!”

Taking a slow sip of her steaming tea, Beth gave a solemn nod.

“Think about it logically, Adam. You have already met several requirements to obtain the First and Second Grand Stars, but…” Her piercing eyes locked onto his. “Did you have a clear map of where and how to fulfill every single condition from the very start?”

Adam’s eyes widened as the realization hit him.

Acquiring the Midnight Crystal and Twilight Crystal had been his most straightforward tasks. The Connected Heart and Dark Heart fell into a similar category; though their nature was initially a mystery, he soon learned that defeating specific rivals was the key to claiming their power and growing stronger.

Yet, Adam had completed six conditions so far, not just four. The Memory Fragment and the Desire of Beyond had been entirely different challenges.

The Memory Fragment was an accidental prize earned by toppling Bathild. To secure the Desire of Beyond, he had been forced to travel far and seek the assistance of an Ancient Artifact—or more specifically, a Hollow One.

In hindsight, Adam realized that the Desire of Beyond had resided within him all along. He had simply required a catalyst to uncover the answer and unlock his latent potential.

Now, the three remaining requirements—the Highest Bliss, Blood of God, and Bottomless Void—seemed to belong to that same elusive category as the Memory Fragment and Desire of Beyond.

While Adam had no clue where to find even one of these, it didn't mean the goal was unattainable.

Perhaps he required external aid, or perhaps he just needed to grasp the underlying mechanics of how these conditions manifested.

“Wait, you're right,” Adam whispered, glancing toward Alexia. Her expression mirrored his own dawning comprehension.

Beth nodded in approval.

“Of course I am.”

However, Louis and Silvana remained skeptical.

“Beth, isn’t it a bit odd that you’re completely in the dark?” Silvana asked, her brow furrowing slightly. “Is Adam truly the only Phantom in history who has been tasked with finding the Blood of God?”

Louis folded his arms across his chest in agreement.

“Yeah, and what about Alexia? The Ancient Frost? Are you claiming there’s never been another ice-element Phantom who needed to secure the Ancient Frost?”

Surprisingly, Beth didn't bother making excuses. She didn't feel the need to.

“Precisely. You are the pioneers of these specific conditions; that is the only answer I can provide.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

They realized Beth was being truthful, yet the reality was difficult to swallow. If their conditions were truly unique, then their plan to seek guidance from legendary Phantoms had been crushed by cold, hard facts.

“However,” Beth added, “there is nothing bizarre about this. You simply don't grasp the nature of this process yet, so I will try to clarify things for you.”

Her gaze drifted across the table until she spotted a plain red apple resting on a plate.

She picked it up and held it aloft to illustrate her point.

“Suppose a Phantom must obtain a Crimson Fire Apple to satisfy a condition. Another Phantom with a nearly identical background and power set might have the exact same requirement, yet for them, it might be named the Blazing Fruit.

“Furthermore, the names aren't the only variables. The location of this ‘apple’ and its ultimate form will differ. Is it a literal fruit? Is it a mass of concentrated flame? Or perhaps it was the title of a specific monster all along? Who can say?”

She set the fruit back down.

“So, even if past Phantoms faced hurdles similar to yours, the names, the timing, the locations, and even the physical state of the requirement would be different. Only the fundamental essence links these cases together, nothing more.

“After all, it would be nonsensical for a Phantom following a water-based path to be forced to find something tied to fire and primal rage, wouldn't it?”

The group remained quiet. While Beth’s logic was sound, it did little to make their current predicament feel any easier.

“So… essentially, regardless of whether others have walked this road, we are responsible for figuring out how to manifest the Blood of God and Ancient Frost ourselves?” Adam asked, clinging to the hope that it wouldn't be as grueling as it sounded.

He didn't regret the immense labor spent on the Desire of Beyond or the Silver Weaver, as they were now pillars of his strength. But repeating that ordeal three more times for every remaining condition?

Adam wasn't sure he possessed the stamina for such a task.

At that moment, a small smile played on Beth’s lips.

“Well, while neither Damien, nor I, nor anyone else can point you to the right path, there is someone who can.”

“Wait, who?” Alexia asked quickly, her hands slamming onto the table in excitement. “Is it a Phantom with a tracking ability? Just give us a name, and we’ll track them down right now!”

She was always the first to favor a direct, aggressive approach.

Beth simply shook her head.

“That person is you.”

Adam and Alexia stood frozen as a sharp, predatory glint sparked in Beth’s eyes.

“Though you might require the assistance of someone truly powerful, someone truly ancient… What do you think about the Queen?”