Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1584 1584: Another Warrior

In a confrontation between a Lord and the Second Rank Phantom—or the K4-Phantom teetering on the edge of evolution—one key element revealed the true power balance between them.

This served as a reliable gauge, even if it was just a basic check.

So, what lay at the heart of this evaluation?

Quite straightforward: the side that revealed their weapon first came across as the inferior force.

Liliane called forth her rapier, known as her Arc, aiming to eliminate the mysterious hunter with a single strike and seize Adam. She had no intention of bothering with Alexia, aware that the girl wouldn't survive a single blow.

However, the rest of the group—everyone but the young man—brought out their Arcs the instant they witnessed Goen halting Liliane's onslaught.

This move strayed from their strategy. They reacted purely on impulse, and in that split second, they flunked the gauge.

"W-Wait..."

The girl with blue hair recoiled, glancing down at her bow and then at Goen's bare hands.

The truth hit her hard, striking the others just as forcefully.

"This is serious." The pale man scowled. "We number seven, all of us drawing our Arcs, but he hasn't revealed his Nexus. Damn it."

"Hey!" The young man burst out. "Not all of us! I'm not scared of him like you lot! Hahaha!"

The axe wielder huffed. "Tsk. Cocky little punk. That just proves your senses are dull. You can't detect danger staring you in the face!"

Whooooooosh.

Liliane tuned out their bickering while she gradually lowered herself. No longer suspended in the air, the energy around her feet let her stand firm on the water's surface. In a way, it mirrored the technique they used for hovering and soaring through the sky.

Her rapier aimed forward as she issued the command.

"Listen up. Our focus now is this hunter. We'll take him down and fulfill our objective."

The blue-haired girl set her bow aside and nocked a water arrow. The red-haired one clashed her blades, sparking electricity around her form, while the pale man melted into the shadows, setting up to encircle the whole lake.

The axe wielder and hammer bearer clutched their Arcs more firmly, ready to back Liliane, whereas the young man stayed casual, drifting in the air.

"You..." Liliane snarled, fixing her gaze on Goen. "Call out your Nexus! Give us a real battle!"

"Nah, that's not happening." Goen dismissed it with a lazy wave. "My fists should suffice against you all."

This blatant disrespect and overconfidence from the enigmatic Phantom fueled Liliane's rage, leaving her no choice but to ignite the clash.

Whoooooooosh.

With her signal, the axe man charged ahead.

It wasn't their usual setup, but the team knew the drill for facing a lone formidable foe. They'd drilled it in simulations and real scenarios alike.

"You underestimate us, don't you?" The axe man growled, seizing his weapon with both hands.

"I'll force you to respect our power and dread the Befallen Crown!"

Yellow sparks danced in the man's eyes as his axe swung straight at Goen.

BLAST!

A burst of water shot skyward, briefly hiding their figures.

The group froze in suspense as a sharp object hurtled from the haze.

Whoooooooooooosh.

The axe man's form sailed past the fifth team, smashing through trees until it slammed into the cliffside.

Eyes bulging, the others whipped around. Disbelief gripped them all.

"GHA!" The axe man wheezed in agony, blood pouring from his wounds.

Only he, Liliane, and the hammer man donned armor. For Liliane and the hammer man, it was sturdy plate that offered real defense against fellow Lords or the deadliest beasts.

Yet... it proved useless against Goen.

A fist mark dented the solar plexus spot, the armor folding like flimsy foil.

Hot vapor rose from Goen's knuckles, his skin unmarked.

"Folks, if that's your top fighter, I'd suggest fleeing in terror. You have no idea what you're up against."

"Pffft." Liliane scoffed. "That strike means nothing to us! Right?"

Stomp!

The axe man hauled himself from the rubble and gave a firm nod.

"Of course. It's a scratch. I've endured far worse in my time."

Suddenly, the blue-haired girl loosed her shot. The water arrow raced at blinding speed toward Goen, slicing across the lake's top.

Wheeez!

Simultaneously, the red-haired girl flashed in from the flank in a red blur. Her blades crackled with lightning, set to slash Goen's throat while the arrow drew his focus.

'Perfect. No way he handles both!' She figured.

Thump.

Fear gripped her heart as Goen's left eye flicked sideways, locking onto her with intensity.

'Agh? He spotted me... That quickly?!'

The water arrow struck home, yet Goen stood his ground.

Clutch.

He snatched it mid-flight. The quivering point halted inches from his blank expression.

His shoulder dipped, body twisting.

Before comprehension dawned, he hurled the arrow back at the red-haired girl with explosive power, rippling the air.

THRUST!

Blood sprayed from her shoulder, agony twisting her features.

'Damn! Need to reposition!' She pushed through the hurt, mind on the battle.

Tremble!

Space shuddered as Goen materialized before her, his fist driving into her gut.

The impact hurled her skyward, soaring past the barrier shielding his home from monsters.

True, the red-haired girl ranked as a Lord, but to the Primal Lands' beasts, that offered scant barrier.

Ice wyverns dove from the clouds at once, eager to shred the vulnerable girl.

Goen squinted, his demeanor turning grave for the first time in the skirmish.

For whatever reason, the wyverns halted as a figure materialized beside her.

A man with blue skin, one horn sprouting from his head, and hooves for feet.

"Well, well, that was quite the hit, wasn't it?" The Old Horn smirked, facing the girl.

He seized her shoulder tightly and questioned:

"You know, perhaps we don't need a frail one like you—what do you say?"