Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1573 1573: The Hunter

Defeating Vaarh hadn't led Adam to picture fleeing from ice wyverns as the outcome, yet reality paid no heed to his expectations.

In truth, without the mysterious stranger who materialized from thin air, both he and Alexia would have met their end. Their power fell short of mounting any defense.

However, once his frantic getaway concluded, only tranquility and quiet greeted him.

Adam blinked repeatedly, struggling to accept the scene before his eyes.

Within the Primal Lands, close to Frost Ridge—site of a fierce clash and true slaughter moments ago—lay a serene valley featuring a lake cascading into a waterfall, alongside a snug dwelling by the water's edge.

Adam shook off the snow from his shoulders, rising from the earth.

The figure clad in white winter garb removed his fur-lined hood, exposing silver locks with pointed tips and intense green eyes. He pivoted toward Adam gradually, with Alexia still secured on his back.

"That was an excellent fight, boy, but did no one ever teach you to think about the consequences? Any monster is willing to become a scavenger and attack the wounded and exhausted if it makes it stronger. That's the basics."

Adam swallowed hard.

The stranger wasn't scolding or instructing like a mentor, but conversing as a seasoned expert baffled by how a gifted beginner overlooked even fundamental principles.

"Hey!" Alexia balled her fist. "LET ME GO!"

She pounded her fist against his back with full force.

Alexia's eyes bulged as her hand reddened from striking something unyieldingly solid and agonizing.

"ARRRHH! Shit! What's hidden under your clothes!" She blew on her hand. "A steel plate?"

The man shot her a glance.

"So, you are the loud one? You are both too tired. You need to rest."

"Hmm...?" Alexia arched an eyebrow as the man extended his hand toward her.

Terror flashed across her features.

"Wait, wait, wait, what the hell are you going to—!"

Tap.

The man pressed the back of her neck, sending a gentle surge of energy.

Alexia's gaze stiffened briefly before she slumped into unconsciousness, drifting into profound slumber.

This sight startled Adam unavoidably, yet he soon grasped that Alexia faced no peril. Furthermore... though unaware of the man's cultivation stage, he recognized his utter inability to prevail against him.

"You don’t need to knock me out..." Adam tightened his fists. "I can get to your house on my own."

The man simply nodded in reply.

"Good. I have enough work to do without you. Come on, the soup should be ready by now."

'S-Soup?' Adam whispered inwardly as the man strode ahead.

Upon clearing the cliff's shadow, they promptly trod a tidy trail of carefully placed stones.

This served as additional evidence to Adam that the whole region fell under the man's dominion. It formed his private territory, where ice wyverns feared to trespass.

"Huh, when Alexia wakes up, she’ll probably be furious." Adam smirked and gazed skyward. "The wyverns... They really flew away. Tsk, Alexia is right. I’ll have to find that one and kill it. They ruined my victory over Vaarh."

The man swung open the sturdy wooden door, releasing waves of warm air infused with scents of diverse herbs.

Maybe due to his fatigue and starvation, Adam's hunger surged instantly to its peak. The aroma held a unique allure, though he couldn't pinpoint its essence.

Trailing the man, they stepped into a hall dominated by a central fire and simmering cauldron, with smoke from the embers venting through the chimney.

The man settled Alexia onto the sofa.

"Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be back soon."

Adam swallowed again, eyeing the walls adorned with pelts from assorted beasts, their skulls and tusks displayed as conquests.

These weren't typical prey like wolves, deer, or bears from a common huntsman, but primordial beasts brimming with dread might.

Yet at present... they merely served as ornaments in this hunter's abode.

"Silvana, do you know where we are?" Adam inquired, seating himself across from the slumbering Alexia.

She merely shook her head in response.

"I have no idea. We don’t know who this man is, or what he is... a human or a monster? He saved you, but you should be careful. We don’t know what he’s planning."

Actually, Adam questioned whether the man harbored ill intent, since he could have simply let the ice wyvern claim them.

But Silvana had a point. His knowledge of this stranger remained scant.

Step. Step. Step.

Footsteps echoed nearby as Adam whipped around, spotting the man bearing wooden bowls and utensils.

His thick winter coat had vanished, unveiling a toned, battle-hardened physique marred by numerous scars.

The man lacked massive bulk, his muscles compact and rigid like coiled iron bars.

'Shit. I hate to admit it, but I still have a long way to go. How much time and effort did he put into getting a body like that?'

Silently, the man set the bowls on the table while inquiring:

"Do you like it spicy?"

Such an offhand query surprised Adam, but he nodded promptly.

"Yes, I think so."

"Good. In that case, don’t complain later." The man retrieved a jar brimming with crimson, desiccated peppers from a drawer.

From afar, Adam's nostrils flared at the intense blaze promised by those fiery specks.

Before long, their bowls brimmed with hearty soup of meat and veggies. It resembled no gourmet fare from a high-end eatery, yet suited Adam perfectly.

At this moment, he craved a flavorful, sustaining dish to quench his appetite and soothe his nerves.

"Go ahead, try it. I accept criticism, but I can’t promise anything will change," the man remarked, savoring his initial spoonful.

"I see." Adam squinted before lifting the spoon to his lips.

First came the scalding broth, infused with the peppers' bite and veggie flavors, followed by succulent meat dissolving on his tongue.

Unaware, he scooped another spoonful, then more, persisting until the bowl stood empty.

"It was delicious, really delicious..." Adam murmured, astonished by its perfection.

He eyed the man eagerly.

"Can I have another one?"

The man gestured toward the cauldron in affirmation.

"Help yourself. By the way..." His gaze sharpened. "I forgot something."

"Hmm?"

The man departed briefly and reappeared with a partially stale bread loaf. He split it evenly and paired it with the soup.

No words passed between them. Their meal unfolded in utter quiet until multiple bowls lay vacant and a portion of the vast cauldron's contents had vanished.

Adam desired nothing further, yet he could delay the unavoidable no more:

"You..." He fixed his stare on the man. "Are you human or a monster?"

The man's expression remained impassive.

"Human. Monsters are too lazy to do what I’m doing here."

"And... Why did you help us?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

The man regarded Adam steadily.

"If I hadn’t intervened, those wyverns would have torn you to pieces. It would have been fair." He indicated Alexia. "You and she made a mistake. But it would have been too stupid a death and a great loss for humanity, wouldn’t it?"

"Hah, what a cold response."

The man shrugged indifferently.

"My name is Adam." He patted his chest. "This is Alexia. What about you? If you’re a human, then you have a name, don’t you?"

"Of course. No need to make such a formal introduction. I’m not royalty."

He dismissed it with a casual wave.

"My name is Goen."

'Maybe he’s right. I should stop taking this situation so seriously. He’s one of us, he’s an ally.'

"So..." Adam surveyed the room. "As I understand it, you’re not here on a mission like us, you live here, right?"

"Yeah, and you’re probably wondering why?"

Adam nodded. That burned as his primary curiosity.

"Because I like this life much more than living at the top of a skyscraper at the Citadel or in some palace."

Goen reclined against the sofa.

"There’s no point in hiding it. With my power, I could get the best living conditions at the Citadel, but... could I eat soup made from meat and vegetables harvested in the Primal Lands at the Citadel, while a flock of ice wyverns flies over my house?"

He grinned.

"Of course not, and that’s the whole point."

Adam stood stunned.

"Don’t you regret your decision? Not even once?"

"Well... The only thing I regret is not doing it sooner."

Goen faced Adam directly.

"I spent too much time living a life I didn’t want. Think about it, maybe you’re in the same situation. It’s not too late to change everything."