Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1525 1525: Descent into the Depths (Part 2)

Back at the Citadel, Adam and Alexia had glimpsed the abyss through the Winding Fragments while determining their path. Only now, after a grueling journey, did they finally stand before the precipice of that very place.

The barrier sat behind them, and as they peered downward, frigid gusts of wind whipped against their skin. Standing at the brink, their vision was met with nothing but a radiant blue glow that obscured everything beneath.

The true nature of the Frost Oasis's depths remained a mystery, as did the perils lurking within the chasm.

"Hey, do you think that talking stone is right?" Alexia questioned, her eyes fixed on the drop.

Adam gave a noncommittal shrug.

"I don't know, but the Ancient Frost and Blood of God awaits us there."

"On the count of three?"

Adam gave a firm nod.

"1."

"2..."

"3!"

Leaping in unison, the pair vanished into the brilliant blue light.

Once more, the Head Golem found himself in solitude. Although he commanded subordinates, they lacked the spark of the random Phantoms who dared to seek strength within the Frost Oasis.

"Grh..." Grunting softly, the Head Golem stared into the void. "Why...? Why is this young man, who hasn't lived through a single World Wipe so confident...? And... Why do I think he has a chance?"

Shaking his head, the Head Golem turned back toward the land. Deep down, a flicker of hope remained that they might surprise him, yet his logic insisted such a feat was impossible.

...

Meanwhile, Adam and Alexia plummeted through successive waves of light as their descent grew deeper.

They maintained a state of high alert. Adam considered the distinct possibility of an ambush; in the Primal Lands, such violence was common. However, no assault came, and the origin of the luminescence finally revealed itself.

"Agh?"

Alexia scanned the surroundings, noting the thousands of energy crystals embedded in the encircling walls. As they fell further, the density of the crystals thinned, and the light began to dim.

"Why are we falling for so long? How deep is this abyss?" she shouted. "And these crystals! Damn! There are tens of thousands of them here!"

Indeed, the sheer volume of energy crystals present could fuel the evolution of thousands of powerful monsters. However, harvesting them was nearly impossible, as they grew deep within the fissures of the upper abyss walls, radiating light from unreachable heights.

Notably, these crystals did not spread toward the barrier that isolated the abyss from the external world.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Adam manifested clusters of energy beneath his feet to slow his momentum, a move Alexia quickly imitated. Even for K4-Phantoms like themselves, hitting the bottom from such an altitude without preparation would result in severe injury.

The light was soon swallowed by a heavy darkness, followed by the appearance of a flat surface that caught the reflection of the few remaining crystals.

Adam’s eyes widened just before they plunged into a subterranean lake. Shivering from the sudden contact with the freezing water, they scrambled to find the shore.

Splash!

Clinging to the edge, they pulled themselves onto the jagged rock.

"Shit!" Alexia snapped, her voice laced with irritation. "Brrrh! I'm so cold!"

Adam offered no reply, his pupils constricting as he sensed something.

Before Alexia could even blink, Adam blurred forward to shield her. A white needle flashed in his grip as he executed a powerful horizontal strike.

Slash!

A dark-blue limb was severed. Alexia stared in shock at a massive spider covered in blue chitin, possessing eight legs, six luminous eyes, and dripping green fangs.

A second spider lunged from the left, but Adam was already ahead of it. Keeping his focus on the first creature, he thrust his left hand out, palm open toward the second spider’s maw.

Energy condensed instantly before his hand, detonating in a fierce explosion that vaporized the monster's head.

Step.

Adam lunged forward, his movement becoming a mere streak of light.

The white blade tore through the first spider, cleaving it in half as Adam skidded to a halt several meters away.

As blood sprayed across the frozen earth, the two segments of the spider crashed down, its life extinguished.

Adam watched the remains of the second spider for a moment, and once he was certain the threat had passed, he turned to Alexia.

"Are you okay?"

She gave a slow nod, her brow furrowed as she studied the carcasses.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, but it seems like they were waiting for us. Most likely, they sensed our auras or the tremors of the barrier and immediately rushed here."

Alexia stepped forward, scanning the dark environment.

"It seems like they were the only ones, right?"

The area was honeycombed with various tunnels that looked like ordinary caves, despite the fact that they had nearly perished within their first minute in the Frost Oasis.

There was no need for guesswork regarding their destination; the path was unmistakable.

At the terminus of the central tunnel stood a massive stone gate, illuminated by the flickering glow of two blue torches.

"Do you think it's a good idea to go there?" Alexia asked, her voice full of caution. "Who knows what's behind those gates?"

Adam shook his head. "I doubt we can open them right away. Besides, look where our energy is leading us."

Alexia bit her lip at his words. He was right. To fulfill their objectives, they had to discover what lay beyond the threshold.

"Come on, we should at least take a look. We need to understand what's going on here."

Step. Step. Step.

Adam walked toward the gate with certainty, while Alexia remained hyper-aware of their surroundings.

For reasons he couldn't explain, Adam felt sure that no further attacks would come—at least for the moment.

‘Those two spiders were likely just scavengers waiting for weak prey. But... where did they come from if these gates are closed? What awaits us in the other passages?’

They halted before the massive doors. As they drew near, the blue flames within the torches flared with renewed intensity.

Alexia recoiled, dropping into a combat stance, but Adam stood his ground. He watched as a tiny speck of blue light drifted up from the floor, resembling a wandering star or a small fairy.

"What is that?" Alexia asked, frowning.

To her surprise, the entity responded:

[The Phantoms, you have arrived at the Frost Oasis.]

The voice emanating from the fairy was mechanical and strange. Adam recognized it instantly; it was the same voice he had heard during his struggle against Anelez and Erada in the Tarnished Lands.

‘Is that... the ancient voice?’