Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1599: Distance Steps

Although the Ice Path fell under the watchful eye of the Old Light—the sole dominant force in the Primal Lands apart from the clans—issues still cropped up occasionally along the route.

The Befallen Crown couldn't possibly oversee every section of the Ice Path. The vast tunnel system was simply too immense for complete domination.

Consequently, blasts from fights, lingering battle effects, or mere natural calamities might seal off or outright demolish a passageway.

Catastrophic damage was rare, yet without Ramilo's presence, Adam and Alexia would find themselves trapped here for an extended period if they were on their own.

"What?" Alexia arched an eyebrow. "Where'd this chunk of ice come from?"

Ramilo shrugged.

"Who can say? It's been ages since I last traversed this tunnel. If it's blocking the way now, it must've formed just lately. Otherwise, it'd have been cleared out already."

"Any detour available?" Adam inquired, gesturing behind them. "We went by two side paths a bit back. Perhaps we ought to try one?"

Ramilo grinned.

"Hey, didn't you catch my words? I'll handle this snag. Goen tasked me with escorting you to the Citadel, so let me deal with the heavy lifting."

Adam and Alexia shared a look. They had no qualms about Ramilo's power, but his innocuous look made them skeptical he'd dispatch the ice obstruction with ease.

'This ain't regular ice; we're deep in the Primal Lands. Regular folks facing such a massive slab would require heaps of dynamite.'

Should Adam have to slice through a massive energy-less item, like a titanium slab, he'd manage it effortlessly, yet a single misguided strike against the tunnel wall could shatter his limb.

Tap.

Ramilo leaped from the earthworm, humming a tune while approaching the ice barrier.

He halted directly before it, bathed in the glow from the eight beams emitted by the worm's eyes, resembling a digger facing a cave-in.

"Alright, my trip here wasn't wasted."

Step.

Ramilo stepped backward and lifted his arm for the blow.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

His gentle, apparently frail limb, cloaked in blue fur, shook and abruptly expanded. The sinews swelled, brimming with power, as Ramilo's smile stretched broader.

"GHAAAA!"

He bellowed, driving his fist straight into the ice block's core.

The impact's ripple surged along the whole passageway, startling even the earthworms.

Crash. Crash. Crash.

Fissures spiderwebbed over the frozen exterior, with shards tumbling to Ramilo's feet in succession.

"W-Wait...

Are you for real?" Alexia blinked while the enormous ice mass shattered apart.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The thunderous noise reverberated down the tunnel as ice shards dropped one by one until only scattered remnants littered the ground ahead of Ramilo.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

He dusted his hands and pivoted back.

"Job done!"

With a single bound, he remounted the earthworm.

Adam stared in disbelief.

"You smashed it in a single strike?"

"Naturally! That's just a taste of my skills! Onward we go!"

As though responding to his cue, the earthworm quivered and pressed ahead, its massive frame un impeded by the ice remnants.

"Do these kinds of issues pop up frequently around here?" Adam questioned.

Ramilo nodded.

"Yep, the Primal Lands buzz with activity. Hahaha, we're fortunate no skirmishes crossed our path; that could've gotten messy."

Alexia blinked. "So you're implying we could stumble into a fight instead of heading straight home?"

"Sure, if it comes to that, we'll hold tight till the clash wraps up or pick a different route. It's hardly the worst hassle."

Adam squinted.

'If clashing beasts aren't the gravest threat, what dangers lurk?' He pondered, scanning the surroundings.

Adam held back his queries. He placed faith in Ramilo and wished for a smooth arrival at the Citadel.

Nevertheless, he and Silvana felt unease since they hadn't exited the Primal Lands, leaving room for all sorts of surprises.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The earthworm kept advancing, shattering the yielding stone grazing its tough segments. The ice obstruction lay distant now, and within under thirty minutes, they ought to vacate the Primal Lands.

Or so Ramilo claimed, staying remarkably composed and at ease throughout the journey.

"Count yourselves fortunate. The Primal Lands typically throw plenty at you, but nearing the edge, it seems we'll dodge all trouble!"

Alexia propped her cheek on her palm. "Pffft! Shouldn't it be smooth sailing?"

"True, the Old Light guards the Ice Path, but that doesn't guarantee mastery over every inch. Once, a tunnel got wrecked in combat, and folks overlooked it for over a decade!"

"Agh?" Adam looked puzzled. "Then what occurred?"

Ramilo flicked his hand.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Once it became a real nuisance, they swiftly cleared it. Though way tougher than that earlier ice jam. Took days to fix that tunnel stretch."

'Hah,' Adam laughed to himself. 'Feels less like perilous beast domain and more like chatting with a rail maintenance guy. But what's the real gap when the core's alike? We ride steel locomotives; they use earthworms.'

Ramilo spun about. He opened his mouth to speak when his face suddenly stiffened.

Step. Step. Step.

Heavy footfalls resounded, growing sharper with proximity.

Adam and Alexia whipped around together to spot a lofty figure at the earthworm's far side.

Differing from Ramilo and the Old Horn, he appeared in human shape, mirroring Adam and Alexia closely.

His dense black locks cascaded to his shoulders, amber gaze blazing with intensity, and a faint sneer curved his lips, radiating haughty assurance in his prowess.

Each stride made his dark red coat flutter gently, evoking a lord's attire or some elite's garb, matched by his formal pants and sturdy dark boots.

"Well..."

Ramilo rubbed the nape of his neck.

"Spoke too soon about the problems."