Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 9: Virtual Zone

Adam remained seated as Silvana approached with four beverages—water, juice, coffee, and tea—arranging them on the table with the precision of a dedicated perfectionist.

"Mr. Adam, I was uncertain of your taste, so I prepared everything available in my inventory." Silvana spoke with a serious expression, offering a polite bow.

Despite him being seated, she remained standing before the table, waiting patiently for him to select a glass.

'Damn... Douglas wasn't exaggerating when he mentioned Silvana’s strict adherence to the chain of command. I don’t mind her doing things her way, but... we need to adjust a few things.'

Adam gave a small nod. "Thanks, but I'm not actually thirsty. I usually prefer soda."

"I understand. Mr. Adam, I shall ensure this mistake is not repeated," Silvana answered immediately.

"Agh... Silvana, if you want to stick to formal subordination, that is your choice. However, since I’m the one involved, I’d prefer if you just called me by my first name. Everything else is fine." Adam gestured dismissively as he reached for the glass of water.

Silvana bowed again. "I can comply with that request."

"Good. I’m planning to head home, but first... do you have any suggestions on how I can increase my strength? Perhaps through training or a specific mission. As my Operator, can you assist with that?" Adam asked, setting the partially finished glass back down.

Silvana gave a nod of affirmation.

"I began considering that the moment Mr. Douglas briefed me about you. I anticipated you would ask, and it seems my intuition was correct." Silvana spoke while retrieving a tablet and tapping the screen several times.

"I have already curated five missions suitable for your initial outing. They are all available for completion within the week and are classified as Level One difficulty." Silvana slid the tablet onto the table, causing five holograms to flicker into existence. They displayed comprehensive mission data: duration, objectives, monster counts, projected locations, and rewards.

"Hmm?" Adam leaned in, tilting his head. "Silvana, what does this part mean?"

[Objective: Collect Fangs of Fire Wolves - White Threat Level, V1.]

"That is the quest difficulty classification. It is quite straightforward; allow me to clarify. V1 signifies that you will only encounter monsters of the listed threat level throughout the mission. For instance, if there are 10 Fire Wolves, every single one will be at the White Threat Level," Silvana explained, raising a single finger for emphasis.

"V2 indicates that there is a chance to encounter monsters one threat level higher, though they account for no more than 10% of the total. In a pack of 10 Fire Wolves, you would likely face one Green Threat Level monster, but no more. V3 increases that ratio to 25%, and V4 goes up to 50%.

Naturally, the reward scales with the V-Level." Silvana concluded her breakdown, allowing Adam a moment to process the information.

"I see... Is it possible for a monster even higher than Green to show up? Say, during a White Threat Level mission?" Adam asked, gesturing toward the displays.

Silvana nodded gravely. "It is possible, but there is no official difficulty rating for such an event because the mission department considers it a failure on their part. Such errors can lead to terminations, as they often result in the death of a Phantom."

Adam’s expression darkened as he recalled the encounter with the Thick-headed Desert Lizards. That was precisely the catastrophe that struck the Fire Fox Squad; the appearance of a Blue Threat Level monster had been something they were never equipped to survive.

"Pardon my intrusion, but if you are dwelling on today’s incident, I can provide more details," Silvana offered.

"Please. I want to know how a Blue Threat Level monster appeared out of nowhere. It was called a Prime Type—what exactly is that?" Adam asked, his curiosity clearly piqued.

Silvana took the tablet and pulled up the Fire Fox Squad’s mission ID. Holographic reports and images filled the air. She filtered out the irrelevant data, such as Lisa’s medical records, leaving only two images: a standard Lizard and the Prime variant.

"A Prime Type represents the pinnacle individual of a specific monster species. While the power gap varies, a Prime Type is generally ranked one threat level above its common counterparts. Missions where a Prime Type is expected are designated as V-P. For example, a V4-P would be the most grueling mission within a specific threat level," Silvana explained in a clear, measured tone.

Adam nodded, finding Silvana’s explanations so thorough that follow-up questions were unnecessary.

"Are you leaning toward a specific mission? Also, regarding the artifact you absorbed—may I ask what its rarity level is?" Silvana inquired with professional respect.

"Sure. It’s a False Orb, First Rarity Level," Adam answered casually.

He was still adjusting to the life of a Phantom and working with an Operator, but he understood that Silvana was his vital partner. She would be his eyes and ears during missions; there was no benefit in keeping secrets from her.

"Impressive. To find a First Rarity Level artifact on your first attempt is quite a feat. To put it in perspective, the probability of finding one is ten times lower than finding a Zero Rarity Level."

"Hah, maybe so. Though I’m still not sure if it was luck or just compensation for how badly I failed before," Adam said with a wry smile.

Silvana’s gaze softened. Like Adam, she possessed significant knowledge of his background, as Douglas had shared the specifics of what Adam endured following the experiment.

"I understand... In that case, you require Green Threat Level genes, correct?" Silvana asked, drawing out the question.

Adam didn’t respond immediately, needing to verify. His eyes glowed with a sudden light as his consciousness entered the space of the Evolution Tree.

The artifact drifted there, enveloped by the same roiling thunderclouds as before.

[False Orb (First Rarity Level)]

[First Trait: Lightning Reflexes]

[Second Trait: ??? (Requirement: 10 Genes of any Green Threat Level)]

"I need 10 Green Threat Level genes," Adam confirmed.

Silvana nodded. "Then I suggest we begin with several V1 missions and gradually move to V2 to accumulate the necessary genes. I can book a slot for tomorrow. Would you prefer morning or evening?"

"Wait a second." Adam held up a hand. "I need to rest and see my family first. However, I’m perfectly fine with training tomorrow. Do you have any ideas?"

"Oh, please forgive my impatience. I failed to consider your personal needs," Silvana apologized quickly, bowing low.

Reclaiming the tablet, she continued, "You have two paths. You could fight in the arena against a matched opponent, but I find that rather inefficient. Since our targets are monsters rather than humans, a virtual zone would be the superior choice!"

"A virtual zone...?" Adam repeated. The concept was entirely new to him.

Silvana nodded.

"I can simulate any environment and populate it with any monster found in our database. It is incredibly effective for preparing for specific missions where you will face those exact creatures."

"Hah, I’m in! Let’s set it for tomorrow morning!" Adam said, his voice filled with excitement.

"As you wish," Silvana replied calmly, though a faint, fleeting smile crossed her lips.