Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1505: Iron Gate and Test

Adam had arrived at the Detached Mountains with lofty expectations, but the sight of thousands of anomalies manifesting before him left a profound impact on his mind.

Then there was Damien, a man capable of making even the most awe-inspiring landscapes appear trivial or common to anyone watching.

In truth, that was simply the reality of his existence.

While Adam stood frozen, his eyes wide as he scanned the anomalies peppering the snow-dusted peaks—hidden from the world by a wall of hundreds of Phantoms—Damien was perched nonchalantly atop the massive entrance, enjoying a serving of strawberry ice cream.

It could be no one else but him.

Tap.

With a light leap, Damien descended from the gate, landing amidst a flurry of snow directly in front of the bewildered Adam.

“Hey, you’re the first one here. Alexia hasn’t arrived yet. I suspect she’ll be running late, even though Beth mentioned she had already departed.”

Adam swallowed hard, his gaze shifting between the towering gate and the frozen treat in Damien’s grip.

“Is that actually ice cream? It is freezing out here!”

Damien offered a faint grin and a casual shrug.

“Hah, I just had a craving for ice cream. Is there a law against it now? Besides, it’s a brand-new flavor! Strawberry, lemon, and wild berries! Hahah, there was no way I was skipping that.”

Adam’s brow twitched in irritation. He found the explanation hard to process.

“Well… was there nothing stopping you from eating that in a more suitable environment?”

Damien brushed the comment aside with a wave of his hand.

“Please, are you suggesting I go somewhere with fire and an active volcano where my dessert would melt in thirty seconds?”

Sckl.

He took another bite before gesturing toward the massive structure behind him.

“Don’t you want to open it? I could do it myself, but since this is your first time here, it would be a pity for you to miss the experience.”

Adam looked up at the imposing iron gate.

“Open it?”

The sheer scale of the gate was daunting enough, even without taking into account the colossal gears and mechanical systems it was rigged to.

Adam was certainly dozens of times more powerful than an average human, but the slab of metal before him weighed at least several hundred tons. Given its unknown thickness, the weight might even exceed several thousand.

Strangely, Damien merely gave a nod of confirmation.

“Yep. Along with your physical strength, apply your energy as well. These gates are unique. As you likely realized when crossing the barrier, everything in this place is built to ensure a common Phantom cannot gain entry.”

Adam realized he had no choice but to follow Damien’s lead.

He didn't try to mask his intent; he genuinely wanted to force these doors open and test the limits of his current strength.

Step. Step. Step.

With heavy, deliberate strides, Adam moved forward. Damien stepped to the side, clearing a path toward the entrance.

The gates lacked handholds or any visible seals that might trigger an automatic opening mechanism. Instead, the challenge was blunt and unforgiving.

If a Phantom desired to pass through, they had to possess the raw power to do so. There was no other way.

“Alright, let’s see what I can do…” Adam whispered to himself as he pressed his palms against the cold iron slabs.

A significant amount of time had passed since he last exerted his full capabilities.

The primary drawback of recuperating at the Citadel was that Adam had grown relaxed, nearly forgetting the sensation of unleashing his true potential.

However, a long period of recovery often leaves a warrior stronger, particularly if they were battered and drained before their rest, as Adam had been.

Thump!

Adam lunged forward, throwing his entire weight against the barrier. He surged forward to force a movement, but the gate remained stationary; instead, the very earth beneath his feet began to splinter.

“I see… this isn't as simple as I anticipated. These gates really do weigh over a thousand tons, don't they?”

He didn't lose heart, recalling Damien’s advice to incorporate his energy.

Whoooooooosh.

A violent torrent of black-and-white energy surged through Adam’s arms, slamming into the gate.

The moment his energy touched the freezing iron, glowing fissures erupted across the surface, spider-webbing several meters outward from the center.

Adam narrowed his eyes, tracking the path of the cracks until they came to a halt.

Had he exerted more force, the fissures would have reached the four primary gears.

“So, my output was insufficient, was it?” Adam remarked with a calm nod, a sharp light flickering in his eyes.

Unsure of exactly how much energy was required to trigger the mechanism, he resolved to unleash as much as possible.

Since this wasn't a specific technique or an attack, he simply radiated his energy outward as a massive aura.

Whooooosh.

With a subsequent surge of energy—far more intense than the first—the glowing cracks raced across the iron slabs, easily reaching the four gears.

Watching from the side, Damien broke into a wide grin.

He hadn't placed this obstacle in Adam’s path just to waste time. These gates served as a definitive trial.

If a Phantom lacked the strength to open the gate unaided, they were deemed unworthy and unready for the journey into perilous territories like the Primal Lands.

Adam had successfully passed the energy portion of the trial, evidenced by the gear cores glowing brilliantly as the energy cracks connected with them.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

A series of clicks echoed, sounding like locks being disengaged, yet the gears remained still.

Adam looked on in confusion, but Silvana knew the solution.

“Just give it a push. You’ve provided the energy; now it’s time to use your muscles, isn't it?”

A smirk tugged at the corners of Adam’s mouth as he gave a firm nod.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Simultaneously, the gears began to rotate, and a frigid gale whistled through the widening gap.

Though the cold bit at him and a frost layer formed on his skin, Adam couldn't stop smiling.

He realized now that he had just cleared a significant test.

“Hah, so I’m ready to proceed, then?”

Standing behind him, Damien nodded solemnly.

“Yeah, but first we need to get you warmed up and show you the reality of this place.”

Adam gave a final, powerful shove, and the gate swung wide enough for a group to walk through. It was sufficient.

Beyond the threshold, in the heart of the Detached Mountains, he glimpsed what looked like a town square, complete with streetlamps and vehicles traversing stone-paved roads.

“Well, in that case, I want some ice cream too!”