Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1626 1626: Old dark lake

Adam had no idea of his whereabouts, though it made little difference to him. Currently, he found himself inside the Dead Lands, positioned in the nearest ring to these forsaken territories.

The fiercest adversaries he might run into in this place were creatures classified as White and Green threats. On the other hand, the bulk of Phantoms present were ranked at K0 and K1. Higher-ranked Phantoms had no reason to linger here.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam traversed the cavern until he halted, glancing cautiously around the bend.

Over a dozen sand lizards slumbered soundly atop the heated stones. The bigger and more robust ones positioned themselves close to the amber crystals, watching over them while gradually drawing in their power.

"The White Threat Monsters, right?"

Silvana gave a nod.

"Yes, the Sand Lizards. They dwell in caverns or by desert dunes. They're swift and powerful, equipped with keen claws and tough scales, and they resist fire well."

Adam grinned, nearly bursting into laughter, but he held back just in time to avoid any sound.

'Hah, you're so serious. It reminds me of our early days. Back then, every monster required preparation and detailed information. Those were good times.'

Silvana shrugged.

'If there were information on your enemies in the database, I'd still be doing that. But… Outside the Dead Lands, it's hard to find information on anything. You have to learn everything on the spot.'

Adam nodded quietly and advanced.

STEP!

He intentionally applied extra force than normal. His footfall resounded across the cave, sending a vibration rippling through the earth.

The sand lizards snapped open their amber eyes, starting with sluggishness, but quickly their expressions turned to pure alarm and terror.

HISSSSSS!

They hissed sharply, fixing their gaze on Adam while the mightiest among the sand lizards moved ahead. They stood prepared to defend their Nest if the need arose.

Yet, they hadn't grasped the sheer dreadfulness of their foe's aura.

Tremble.

Just one surge from Adam sufficed to halt the sand lizards completely. They couldn't comprehend how a Phantom of such immense strength had appeared right in their nest's heart.

What's more, they sensed defeat was inevitable.

"Relax." Adam gestured dismissively as he proceeded with steady steps.

He passed by the sand lizards, who dared not even exhale in his vicinity. Even so, their eyes tracked him with a mix of intrigue and dread.

"I'm not going to fight you. That would be unfair. Besides, I don't want to take away valuable experience from the young Phantoms who will come to fight you."

Indeed, Adam possessed the ability to eliminate every creature here. It would require under a minute. But why bother?

Should they pose a danger to his family, the situation would change entirely, but for now, he had entered their domain as a mere transient visitor.

Had it been any other intruder, the sand lizards would have lunged at the overconfident Phantom ages ago, but not this one—not the K4-Phantom.

In this way, Adam departed the cave beneath the watchful eyes of numerous sand lizards.

It proved an unforeseen meeting for them, though one etched indelibly in their memories.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam seized the jagged rim of the exit with his next stride.

Sunlight from the scorching orb bathed his features, much like it had on his inaugural day as a Phantom.

Each breeze carried sand across the landscape, reshaping dunes in an eternal rhythm.

"Ah, I'd actually forgotten that feeling. It's not bad, not bad at all."

Abruptly, an unfamiliar voice broke in:

"Hurry up! We have to start our mission in three minutes!" the man in the formal black uniform shouted.

Trailing him was a team of five, all Phantoms—total rookies without personal Operators yet. To earn one, they needed to finish a few assignments and demonstrate their value to the Citadel.

'Hmm? Does someone here actually have a mission assigned? Damn, I was just joking,' Adam grumbled to himself.

Click.

Silvana swiftly gathered all the details.

"Yep, this is the first mission for the Amber Wind squad. They formed recently, and the man in the black uniform is their instructor, a K1-Phantom. They're assisted by his Operator, as well as one shared Operator from the mission department."

Adam smirked.

"Back in the day, any Operator could easily find out all the info about our missions, but now you're the one doing it? Looks like we've both switched sides without even realizing it."

Silvana puffed out her cheeks.

"Hey! I'm just sharing useful information with you. Besides, I was just curious!"

"Of course." He leaped down the incline, touching down right before the Amber Wind squad.

The instructor came to a sudden stop and tensed for combat. Nothing had warned him of another presence.

"Who are you?!" The instructor demanded, poised to draw his Nexus from his back.

Before he could act, his eyes bulged as a member of the Amber Wind squad burst out:

"Holy shit! It's Adam Vinter!"

The girl swallowed hard in anxiety.

"Is it really him?"

The young man rubbed his eyes.

"Maybe we're seeing things?"

Nevertheless, confirmation soon arrived from their Operator.

"Y-Yes, it is indeed Adam Vinter, the real one…" She struggled to accept her own words. Yet, it remained an undeniable truth.

Adam offered a faint smile and waved hello.

"Hi! Don't mind me. I'm just patrolling the area, something like that."

The novice Phantoms traded looks. They hadn't anticipated this, nor had the instructor, but his duty involved safeguarding the fresh recruits and seeing the task through.

"The sand lizards and amber crystals — are they alive? Are they still in the cave?" he inquired, forcing composure.

Adam inclined his head firmly.

"Sure, don't worry about that. Good luck with your mission."

With that, Adam continued onward, amid their stunned stares. They, much like the sand lizards, would carry this moment in their thoughts for ages.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam had ventured far from the cave, ascending a dune with plans to head back toward the Citadel gates.

However, something caused his expression to turn grim and icy.

"Shit… This isn't where I wanted to end up..."

He balled his hands into fists while eyeing the distant pool of filth, the tar lake—the very spot where everything originated, where Adam had slain the silver weaver, the initial and genuine one.