Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1523 1523: Her Way

Thud!

Alexia’s body collided violently with the stone surface, blood spraying from her lips. She had endured over thirty crushing strikes from the Head Golem, who had shown absolutely no mercy in his attacks.

"Young lady... your grit and determination are truly remarkable... however, certain obstacles in this realm cannot be overcome by willpower alone. Repeated attempts won't grant you success... You must contemplate the solution..."

This was profound counsel, applicable not just to Alexia, but to every soul in this world—be they Phantoms, monsters, or common mortals.

But... Alexia barely processed a fraction of his words.

Scowling, she forced herself up despite the blood trickling down her brow and leveled a finger at the Head Golem.

"You."

"Hmm?"

Her frown deepened.

"You’re actually good for nothing, aren’t you?"

In all the centuries the Head Golem had watched over this place, he had never been asked such a thing. Even an entity as ancient and wise as he found himself at a loss for words.

"Tsk, I knew it!" Alexia snorted derisively. "You weren't the one who helped Adam grasp the nature of ancient energy; he figured it out himself! You’re completely pointless here!"

Fuming over the wasted time and the bruises she had sustained, Alexia stomped her foot against the earth in frustration.

The Head Golem was speechless. He began to wonder if the girl before him was mentally sound.

"Tsk. To understand ancient energy, all you need is the energy itself. Adam saw it and mastered it instantly!"

With an air of absolute certainty, Alexia marched straight toward the barrier.

The Head Golem realized what she intended to do.

"Wait, you’ve attempted that already. It was a failure... The barrier will only repel you again..."

But instead of charging the wall or striking out at it as she had previously, she came to a halt right before the boundary and inhaled deeply.

"I’m aware of that, you blockhead. That’s why I’m taking it slow. This barrier is composed of ancient energy, isn't it?"

The Head Golem gave a slow nod.

"Yes, in part."

Alexia flashed a smirk.

"Perfect, that’s exactly what I need. I told you I’d find a way!"

Step.

She moved forward, making contact with the shimmering wall.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

A vibration rippled through the barrier. It attempted to eject Alexia as it had before, but because her movement was deliberate and devoid of force, the barrier lacked the necessary momentum to throw her back.

Alexia’s eyes went wide as her face partially submerged into the barrier. It felt as though she were pushing through a thick current of water that sought to wash her away. It was energy, after all, not a solid wall of steel.

For the first time, she witnessed it—the swirling gray-purple currents. She was standing in the heart of them.

'Just one more step... then another, and I'll be through,' she told herself, yet her limbs seemed frozen.

Worse, her features soon twisted in agony as the ancient energy began to press in on her from every angle.

She could feel the foreign power trying to force its way into her internal space.

"Tsk, so that’s why Adam purged his own energy... Hah, I already told you I won't be his copycat!" Gritting her teeth, Alexia forced herself forward until most of her body was inside the barrier.

The pain intensified, becoming a searing heat that made her pupils quiver.

"GHA!" She coughed up a spray of blood and dropped to one knee, but she refused to let unconsciousness take her.

She sensed her goal was within reach. Especially given what followed.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Alexia’s Evolution Tree began to shudder violently, looking as if it might shatter under the immense external pressure.

A rational person would have retreated to analyze the situation, but Alexia had already seen the path forward.

"Hah, so you’ve got nowhere else to go, right?" She grinned as she prepared for the final push. "Fine then, come on in... take whatever spot you want!"

Stomp!

The moment her foot planted, the pressure peaked, causing a visible fracture to split her Evolution Tree right down the center.

A portion of her original energy bled out, vanishing into the void, while the gray-purple flows immediately surged into the newly opened space.

Alexia watched with a satisfied smile as her Ancient Flux began to take shape.

The process had taken her far longer than it had Adam, but she took pride in achieving it through her own methods.

"I told you I could do it!" Alexia shouted once she stood on the opposite side of the barrier.

The Head Golem rubbed the back of his head. He couldn't claim she was wrong, yet he couldn't exactly call her technique legitimate.

"Young lady... you were merely fortunate... Had your constitution been less resilient or your spirit less formidable... the sheer pressure would have rendered you unconscious and ended your life..."

The Head Golem gestured slowly through the air.

"What you did is the equivalent of fixing a broken bone with a sledgehammer... simply hoping the impact forces the bone back into place..."

Alexia glared at him, her expression murderous.

"You really are useless! Is it that painful to admit you were wrong? It wasn't luck! I did it right, and that's all there is to it!"

The Head Golem watched her in silence for a long moment. She tapped her foot impatiently, awaiting a rebuttal, but the Head Golem eventually just turned away, acting as if she didn't exist.

"WHAT?! Don’t you dare ignore me! You jerk!"

Step. Step. Step.

The sound of approaching feet drew the attention of both the Head Golem and Alexia. They both stopped, watching as Adam returned from his hunt.

Blood stained part of his face, and a faint grin touched his lips. Slung over his shoulder was a massive white wolf, whose dying struggles had left three jagged claw marks across Adam’s chest.

Adam noticed Alexia standing past the barrier and gestured toward the wolf.

"Hey, I’ve got dinner. This should be our final meal before we reach the oasis!"