Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1582 1582: Unknown Hunter
Previously on Endless Evolution: Last Star...
It appeared odd how the Befallen Crown along with various monsters focused intensely on an ordinary K4-Phantom such as Adam Vinter.
Shouldn't targeting the Second Rank Phantoms, who truly endangered the monster realm, make more sense?
That was precisely the issue at hand.
While Lords outnumbered them greatly, Second Rank Phantoms were scarce, yet each one wielded devastating strength.
Beyond individuals like Damien, leaders of the Twelve Branches or tower chiefs in the Lower Ring also commanded immense might.
Thus, whenever the Befallen Crown spotted a chance to eliminate a threat of that caliber, they seized it without hesitation.
Within the Dead Lands, striking at Adam proved far too hazardous. Frida's safeguard extended to him, just as it did to numerous other gifted Phantoms in his position.
The Tarnished Lands presented a trickier scenario due to the Renegades' presence. Though not outright foes of the Befallen Crown, they wouldn't tolerate disorder ravaging their domain over a single K4-Phantom.
Hence, only two regions remained where the Befallen Crown could operate without restraint: the Dark Shore and the Primal Lands.
Had Adam arrived at the Dark Shore, close to the Befallen Crown's territory, his demise would have come swiftly. He faced assaults there, indeed, but a handful of formidable fighters aided his getaway.
However... in this Primal Lands spot, who could come to his aid?
The Crown Squad's fifth unit included seven Lords under Liliane's command, a seasoned warrior versed in countless skirmishes.
Furthermore, the Old Horn represented an additional adversary in the fray. His involvement virtually ensured that even if the mysterious hunter stalled Liliane's group, Adam's getaway would fail.
Up to now, neither Adam nor Alexia harbored any such suspicions.
They concentrated solely on the coffee and jam Goen had crafted from nearby berries.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Alexia devoured spoonful after spoonful. She hurried through it, eager to cut short their morning meal.
"Where are you rushing off to?" Adam arched an eyebrow in puzzlement. "You know that eating faster won't help you recover any quicker, right?"
"Pfffft!" Alexia scoffed, a dab of jam clinging to her lip's edge. "Of course I know that. Right now, I'm not after restoring my strength—I'm after thrashing you! By nightfall, I'm certain I'll snag far more fish than your piranha!"
Arguing with Alexia proved pointless, so Adam merely shrugged and took another coffee sip.
Goen shook his head.
"Hah, it's been ages since I encountered someone with such a fiery spirit. Truth be told, I'm astonished you're still breathing, Alexia."
She offered no reply, merely polishing off her jam share and lifting her coffee mug.
"I handle everything perfectly and always come out on top, that's why I'm standing here while my rivals lie dead!"
"Solid response." Goen nodded, prodding the fire's embers with a branch.
Sip.
Alexia sipped, wiped the jam from her mouth, and prepared to head back to the lake's edge. She and her rod had plenty more catching to do if she aimed to surpass Adam's tally.
Who could say what Adam might have chosen that day without Goen's furrowed brow.
"Hmm?"
Over their two days here, he'd never witnessed that look on Goen's face before.
"Is something wrong?"
Before Adam finished speaking, Goen surged ahead and seized him and Alexia by their shoulders.
The final sight Adam caught was azure energy streams slamming into them like lightning. A blink later, they stood across the lake.
Thump!
Adam and Alexia tumbled to the earth as their gazes fixed forward.
"What the...?"
Their eyes bulged in shock while staring at the ruined campfire site. No hostile energies registered, nor did any beasts lurk close by. No signs hinted at impending danger.
"Look up." Goen's icy tone echoed. "Seems like somebody figured you two required immediate handling, right here and now."
Adam glanced skyward and stiffened.
Seven silhouettes hovered overhead, spearheaded by a young woman with flowing blonde locks and piercing blue eyes.
Though not matching Adam's expertise, his background let him grasp they were all Lords.
A notably ominous presence radiated from Liliane and the youth in the second line. They stood apart from the others, despite the rest of the fifth team's efforts to appear even more intimidating than that youth.
Alexia swallowed hard.
"S-Seven Lords? Who are they?"
Goen indicated the crown emblem on their torsos.
"The Crown Squad. I'm unclear on their exact unit details, but they're surely among the Top 10. They answer straight to one of the Befallen Crown's mightiest monsters."
For all its peril, Goen stayed utterly composed. To him, this was long-familiar intel. Clashes with Befallen Crown forces weren't new to him.
Adam and Alexia saw it differently. They realized facing seven Lords offered them zero odds.
Perhaps they could dodge the clash or flee?
Tap.
Liliane alighted elegantly onto the soil. Her companions trailed suit, save for the youth who opted to linger airborne.
She eyed the fishing rod, the coffee remnants, and the blaze she'd obliterated.
Next, she strode to the water's brink and fixed her gaze on Goen across the way.
"Who are you, hunter?"
Goen's face stayed impassive.
"I've got the identical query for you. You invaded my territory unannounced and wrecked my campfire."
Liliane squinted.
"Hmm? You're more upset over your spoiled meal than your survival?"
She flicked her wrist, uninterested in prolonging idle chat with a mere hunter.
"We hold authority to take any measures needed for our mission! This stems from Befallen Crown command! We, the fifth team of the Crown Squad, arrived to seize Adam Vinter and eliminate the other K4-Phantom!"
Liliane jabbed a finger at Alexia, then Adam.
"Surrender these two to us, and we'll leave you be. This marks my sole proposal!"
She recognized the hunter's potential prowess, yet Liliane felt no dread.
If a human thrived unaided deep in the Primal Lands, it testified to his capability. Still, with seven Lords at her disposal, she foresaw triumph on their end alone.
"Hand these two over to you?" Goen inquired, his voice suggesting genuine contemplation. "What fate awaits the boy and girl?"
Liliane noted the talks unfolding, ready to press on:
"Adam Vinter gets taken alive per our superior's directive. This girl... Alexia, frankly, her existence means nothing to us."
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
Goen rubbed his head's rear with a puzzled look.
"I get it. Pretty straightforward, huh? Well then, I've got a proposal of my own."
His emerald gaze chilled, far from the laid-back hunter fond of modest pleasures.
"I'll take you all out and whip up supper. Sound good?"
Liliane's eye flickered, but she held back.
She exhaled deeply.
"Truthfully, I anticipated that reply. You've convinced yourself that solo survival in the Primal Lands renders you unbeatable, right?"
Whoooooosh.
A white metal rapier materialized in her grasp, featuring an azure edge and curved guard.
"Fine, we'll stick to the initial strategy."
Azure energy currents swirled about her as she dashed ahead. She skimmed the lake surface, trailing spreading ripples.
Adam and Alexia traded looks. Mere seconds separated Liliane from closing in.
Yet Goen's eyes showed no trace of alarm.
He blinked.
BAM!
A massive fog fist plummeted onto Liliane from overhead. Her startled stare revealed she'd only spotted the looming shadow.
Water erupted skyward like a blast aftermath, but that merely kicked things off.
Goen lifted his palm, fingers curling faintly as though merely brushing the breeze.
Instantly, fog fists rained down like a storm, more fearsome than a salvo from a thousand guns.
The lake's waters churned, the earth quaked, and doubts swirled if Liliane could endure the onslaught.
WHOOOOOOOSH!
In a sapphire gleam, Liliane burst free, slicing through obstructing fog fists.
"Gha... Gha... Gha..."
She gasped raggedly, her palm slick with blood from clenching the rapier fiercely.
"You..." Liliane gritted her teeth. "Who are you?"
Goen shrugged.
"I'm just a hunter."