Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1530: Too Slow (Part 1)
Previously on Endless Evolution: Last Star...
A couple of minutes passed before Adam and Alexia fully grasped the trial's requirements. With merely 360 seconds remaining, they needed to secure 59 Glowing Tips.
The challenge wasn't simple by any means, yet as two K4-Phantoms who had forged both grand stars and harnessed the ancient energy—though in a somewhat restricted manner—they felt up to it.
They believed those few minutes would suffice to finish the job.
Thus, once Adam snagged the initial glowing tip, he and Alexia launched into the pursuit of the golden spiders.
They dashed at top speed, splitting the lake area between them to maximize their coverage and efficiency.
However...
"Agh... Agh... Agh..."
Their labored breaths bounced against the chilly cave walls while the final sockets dimmed to darkness.
[The trial has failed.]
The Ancient Voice rang out as every ghost spider vanished, and the spiral crystals ceased generating the field.
[You may try again at any time. All your Glowing Tips will be lost.]
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
The amber orbs floating over their arms shook violently before bursting apart.
Adam and Alexia shared a look. Their faces showed more confusion and disorientation than sheer exhaustion.
From the moment Adam figured out the necessary steps, across those six minutes, they had only gathered 17 Glowing Tips.
Even with the full 10 minutes allowed at most, they figured they'd snag around 30 tops, far short of the 60 required to succeed.
"Fuck, what was that...?" Alexia whispered, her lips quivering.
Her frustration ran deeper than Adam's. She'd been certain she could snag every golden spider with ease, yet reality proved far tougher than anticipated.
What exactly was the issue?
Every time they claimed a Glowing Tip—meaning each golden spider taken down—the surviving ones sped up, while the ghost spiders multiplied and grew fiercer.
Once they hit 15 Glowing Tips, things escalated dramatically, evident from the slashes on Alexia's shoulder. Those ghost spiders, previously barely a threat, had powered up enough to actually wound her.
"They got way stronger towards the end..." Alexia bit her lip. "Shit! How could we have lost?"
She pounded her fist against the floor, cracking the stone beneath.
Adam's eyes tightened as he replayed the sequence of events in his mind.
"No, that’s not the problem."
"Agh? What do you mean, that’s not the problem? How can we pass this trial if we can’t defeat all the spiders?"
Adam simply shook his head in reply.
"That’s not important. Even if we could kill all the spiders with a simple snap of our fingers, it wouldn’t change anything. We barely caught up with the last golden spiders, and the more Glowing Tips we have, the faster they are."
His gaze sharpened as he fixed it on Alexia.
"We’ve only collected 17 tips, but what will happen when we have 50, let alone 55+?"
Alexia swallowed hard. She couldn't fathom the blistering pace the golden spiders would reach by then.
Sure, both of them could blaze across distances swiftly, thanks mostly to their surging energy, raw strength, and robust physiques.
But neither possessed skills that boosted their speed in a direct, substantial way.
Therefore, devising a fresh strategy was essential if victory was their aim.
"Alright, let’s try again. Now we know what to do and can use every second we have."
"Is the plan still the same?" Alexia asked.
Adam nodded, lifting his gaze to the platform.
"We’re ready."
The platform ignited in a brilliant glow without delay, as the spiral crystals pulsed and enveloped the cave in an unseen barrier.
Adam doubted they could conquer this trial sans a solid plan, but to devise the next move, he needed to test their limits first.
What might their peak performance be?
’17 tips in 6 minutes, right? We need to collect at least 30. Although it’s unclear how much more difficult it will become when we reach 25.’
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
The stone formations quivered as hordes of ghost spiders emerged from every direction.
Yet this round, Adam and Alexia knew precisely their targets. They spotted multiple golden spiders lurking amid the throng, and those were the prizes they sought.
Whooooooosh.
They charged ahead without pause, determined to seize as many golden spiders as they could, even though deep down they realized it wouldn't come easy....
Nine minutes later.
Step. Step. Step.
Adam chased down the golden spider poised to yield their 30th Glowing Tip. With 29 already in hand, just one more would mark halfway through the trial.
Of course, it fell short of the goal; refining their approach was key to triumph, but this would represent a massive leap from their prior effort.
’Shit! I can’t catch up with it!’ Adam cursed inwardly while pursuing the golden spider. Its eight legs blurred in motion, leaving a golden streak from its incredible velocity.
The golden spider streaked like lightning, forcing Adam to channel energy into his legs and accelerate beyond his previous limits.
’Come on, just a little more!’ Adam lunged with his hand outstretched, ready to seize the golden spider.
Tremble.
Right then, the golden spider shuddered, surging ahead in an instant and pulling several meters in front.
In the end, Adam clutched at empty space.
"You little bastard..." His teeth ground together in fury as he scooped up a nearby stone.
Eyes locked on the distant golden spider, he hurled the rock with full force, and oddly, the creature couldn't dodge in time.
BAM!
The energy-infused stone obliterated the golden spider.
A faint grin crossed Adam’s features, only for it to fade quickly.
[Time’s up.]
[The trial has failed.]
[You can try again at any time.]
No one knew how many retries lay ahead, a thought that stirred unease in Adam.
If this marked just the opening trial, what horrors lurked in the ones to follow?