Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1518 1518: Flux

To any outside observer, Adam was taking a suicidal gamble that should have resulted in his certain demise.

In their previous exchange, the Head Golem hadn't even utilized its full power, yet Adam had prepared himself entirely for that single blow. Despite his readiness, he had been unable to maintain his footing, and his arm was now riddled with various injuries.

Furthermore, the Head Golem didn't truly need to exert himself. He had only struck Adam out of respect for the youth's desire to endure this trial through such savage means.

Had the Head Golem simply stood by and watched, Adam would have succumbed to the frost within a minute, his heart ceasing to beat as he transformed into a statue of ice.

Nevertheless... from Adam's perspective, this wasn't a blind gamble. During the Head Golem's initial strike, Adam had caught a fleeting glimpse of the ancient energy attempting to penetrate his inner space.

The problem was that his inner space lacked the capacity to house this new strength. With nowhere to settle, the ancient energy had retreated from Adam's body as swiftly as it had arrived.

Perhaps a longer confrontation would have yielded different results, but Adam found no value in dwelling on "what ifs."

He concentrated every ounce of his will to beckon that ancient energy once more, drawing it toward him like a parched well pulling in a sudden stream of water.

'Such extreme measures might not have been strictly necessary, but...' Adam mused, his eyes reflecting the swirling gray-purple currents. 'The results are certainly worth it.'

Just as the Head Golem’s massive fist was about to collide with Adam’s palm, a sharp, rhythmic cracking echoed through his consciousness.

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

The sound was audible not only to him but also to Silvana, Lone Blaze, and the Silver Weaver.

Pinpointing the source of the noise was effortless for them.

Silvana looked up, her gaze filling with pure dread.

Before their eyes, the Evolution Tree began to disintegrate, starting from its very peak directly above Lone Blaze.

The Evolution Tree didn't shatter instantly like a glass ornament; instead, it peeled away layer by layer. Within moments, a deep fissure formed, opening into a dark, boundless void created solely by Adam’s intent.

"ADAM!" Silvana screamed, desperate to reach his mind. She realized more clearly than anyone that the Evolution Tree was on the brink of total destruction, and Adam himself was the architect of its ruin.

Adam, however, remained stoic, his expression not shifting in the slightest.

"Rest easy, my dear Operator. Assistance has arrived."

Whoooooooosh.

As if responding to his summons, the gray-purple currents surged into the darkness of his inner space.

This process mirrored the start of his path, where Adam had consumed monster genes to harvest energy, satisfy specific conditions, and evolve. Back then, pale-blue flows would merge with his Evolution Tree to elevate his power level.

While this was an entirely different form of energy, the scale of the influx was comparable.

Relative to the vast reserves Adam possessed at his zenith, this was merely a few drops in a massive lake. However, these drops possessed a unique quality.

"What is happening..." Silvana whispered, watching in awe as the gray-purple flows dove straight into the fracture within the Evolution Tree.

By discarding his previous power, Adam had cleared a path for the ancient energy, and now those flows had discovered a permanent home.

The energy wasn't enough to saturate the entire Evolution Tree, but it was more than sufficient to seal the single rupture.

The moment the ancient energy hit the crack, a brilliant light flooded the inner space. Silvana watched as something unprecedented manifested on Adam's path.

The section that once consisted of energy-rich white bark had been transformed into a gateway for a foreign power. A shimmering rift now stood where the gap had been, and the surrounding bark glowed with a renewed brilliance and a distinct purple tint.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The Path Construct began to vibrate. Although Adam hadn't met any requirements for the Third Grand Star yet, the Path Construct reacted to every pivotal milestone in Adam’s evolution, not just the Grand Stars.

This event was clearly a monumental turning point.

[The Ancient Flux has been established.]

A cold, mechanical voice resonated through the inner space, vibrating in Silvana’s mind.

"A-Ancient Flux?" she stammered, her eyes fixed on the violet rift crowning the Evolution Tree.

Their understanding of ancient energy and the monsters associated with it was nearly non-existent, yet Adam had now successfully claimed a portion of that power for himself.

"Wait, if it's integrated into the Evolution Tree, does that mean Adam can wield ancient energy? But..." Silvana bit her lip nervously. "How? What will the consequences be?"

Whoooooooosh.

A sudden, violent wave of frost swept through, forcing Silvana to wrap her arms around herself against the piercing chill.

She had been so captivated by the Ancient Flux that she had momentarily forgotten Adam was still facing a lethal threat in the outside world.

The cold was a physical reality; at his current power level, Adam was on the verge of freezing to death.

But he had no intention of falling here.

His strategy had succeeded, and he was prepared to unleash the full extent of the ancient energy he had just acquired.

Adam blinked, his eyes flashing with a temporary purple light. The gray-purple energy surged toward his hand, manifesting as a compact, swirling barrier that moved like a relentless current.

BLAST!

The Head Golem’s fist struck Adam’s palm with full force. However, instead of being crushed, Adam remained unmoved while the Head Golem recoiled.

The shock of the impact vibrated through the Head Golem’s massive frame, causing its arm to shake as the entire momentum of the strike was neutralized by Adam's barrier.

"You understand now, don't you?" Adam said, meeting the Head Golem's gaze. "It wasn't a risk. It was an invitation."