Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1519: Now you see

It wasn't merely a conscious choice by Adam to strip himself of his power to welcome the ancient energy into his inner space.

Even if he had utilized the full extent of the strength he displayed moments ago, he likely would have ended up with shattered bones upon colliding with the Head Golem, who this time struck with lethal intent.

Now, devoid of his strength, the Head Golem’s fist seemed destined to erase Adam from existence, leaving nothing behind but a crimson smear on the earth.

Such a grim end would befall any K4-Phantom without exception. This wasn't a question of physical prowess or innate abilities; without his energy, Adam was virtually an ordinary human, particularly after such a violent loss of power.

But...

Occasionally, a single variable is enough to transform a fatal predicament entirely.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

A barrier of gray-purple light manifested from Adam's palm, shielding him like a protective dome. His partially covered form remained motionless, while the full force of the Head Golem’s strike was diverted along the surface of the barrier.

The shockwave obliterated the dense snow surrounding Adam, revealing the frozen, gray earth beneath, littered with bones trapped in thick ice.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

A subsequent pulse of power caused the ground to fracture, carving out a crater behind Adam as the terrain buckled under the immense pressure.

Then, the Head Golem faced the ultimate consequence—the recoil of its own devastating blow.

Tremble.

The gray-purple shield shuddered one last time before condensing into a tight ring, which then violently discharged all its stored energy.

The Head Golem attempted to retreat to escape the backlash, but the reaction was instantaneous.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The wave of energy surged through the Head Golem’s arm like a chain of explosive detonations, tearing the limb apart.

Chunks of dark, cold rock saturated with energy tumbled to the ground, sending plumes of snow into the air.

The destruction continued until the Head Golem’s entire arm was gone.

When the energy wave reached its shoulder, the massive guardian lost its footing. This was likely the first time such a feat had occurred in several centuries.

Stunned by the turn of events, the Head Golem clawed at the empty air in a frantic bid to remain standing.

It failed.

Thump!

The Head Golem dropped to one knee, a movement that caused the very earth to vibrate. The impact sent out gusts of freezing wind, forcing Alexia to shield herself. She was perhaps even more bewildered by the scene than the Golem itself.

Adam stood unmoving, even as a thin glaze of ice continued to creep over his chest and neck, slowly claiming his body.

"Y-Yes..."

The Head Golem’s raspy voice echoed through the air.

As the ice reached Adam’s face, inching toward his eyes, the Golem spoke again.

"Now I see... young man..."

In that instant, Adam’s eyes ignited with a brilliant light, mirrored by his Evolution Tree. The solitary spark he had preserved in the dark flared up, restoring all energy to the Evolution Tree.

In a flash, the thick icy crust that nearly turned Adam into just another frozen landmark of the Frost Ridge shattered into a thousand pieces.

Adam remained silent, closing his eyes to perceive the changes within himself.

Step. Step. Step.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused Silvana to turn, finding Adam walking toward her.

"Adam!" She rushed to him, her expression a mix of relief and excitement. "Are you alright?"

She threw her arms around him, unable to mask her intense emotions. Having felt a portion of what Adam went through, she had been truly terrified.

She had never felt so powerless since taking on the role of an Operator. Losing her strength for even those few moments had been a haunting experience.

However...

Adam did not return the embrace or offer words of comfort. Like a creature mesmerized by a flame, he stared toward the rift, fixated on the Ancient Flux and the Ancient Energy swirling within.

"This..."

"Agh?"

Silvana pulled back, her face losing its color as she looked at him.

Adam’s gaze was uncommonly deep, his eyes acting as twin voids reflecting the violet glow of the Ancient Flux.

"Isn't it magnificent?" he remarked, gesturing toward the sky.

She followed his gaze.

"Y-Yes." Silvana swallowed hard, feeling the oppressive weight of the ancient energy—a contrast to Adam, who viewed it as a peerless treasure.

Incredibly, it was Adam’s perspective that held more truth.

He had successfully harnessed ancient energy during his initial foray into the Primal Lands. Unbeknownst to him, this was a feat only a tiny fraction of Phantoms could ever achieve.

"Even so..." Silvana tightened her fist and struck Adam’s chest. "Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again!"

Adam didn't flinch; he simply turned his calm gaze toward Silvana.

"That was far too dangerous! What if you had miscalculated?! If that golem had paused for even half a second... you would be dead! We both would be, Adam! Do you realize that?!"

While her fear was justified, Adam had no intention of expressing regret.

"No."

"Huh?"

Step.

He moved closer, his fingers sliding into Silvana’s hair to tilt her head back, looming over her.

"I made the right call. We cannot defeat the ultimate threat to this world without taking such risks. But... it isn't just about the danger."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Silvana’s pulse quickened as Adam leaned in. Their faces were inches apart, their breaths mingling, but Adam’s focus remained locked on her eyes, which now mirrored his own intensity.

"You can feel it, can't you? This power surpasses everything else... I have never felt this alive. It’s as if I—"

Silvana cut him off, finishing his thought. She understood perfectly, for deep within, she felt the same resonance.

"It’s as if you’ve stopped following the rules of others and started writing your own, isn't it?"

Adam’s mouth twisted into a dark, knowing smirk as his grip on her hair tightened, bordering on painful.

Before she could utter another word, he kissed her passionately. Their hearts beat in a synchronized rhythm, mirroring the flow of energy within the Evolution Tree.

Just like their hearts, the star energy and ancient energy had merged into a singular force within Adam’s world.

"Now you understand."

A wild, frantic light danced in Silvana’s eyes.

"Y-Yes."