Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 673 Muddy Water

The Fortress of the Lone Serpent was the place where many K2-Phantoms met their death. Even getting to the main gate was a challenge, as there was only one entrance to the fortress, across a wide black stone bridge.

Adamʼs eyes lowered down, gazing intently at his target, the first thing he saw were bright purple lights flickering in different parts. The lights were especially bright coming from the four majestic towers located in the far parts of the fortress.

The towers rose like beacons, massive lights burning at the tops, illuminating the dark lands and high walls, thick and sturdy enough to withstand any damage from intruders.

These were not simple stone walls that even K0-Phantom could destroy in a few punches, the walls were infused with high-density energy like everything in the Wild Lands.

For K2-Phantom to break through the walls of the fortress was like a normal person trying to destroy a steel block with their bare fists.

From the height of the fighter, Adam couldnʼt see anything else of note, the running shadows among the wide buildings were no surprise to him, he saw what the fortress looked like when reviewing it with Silvana.

But... something else caught his attention - the wide water ring around the fortress seemed very deep and inaccessible.

It was a natural defense of the fortress, preventing invaders from even reaching the sturdy walls, let alone breaking them.

ʼI see... So thatʼs where Iʼm going, right?ʼ Adamʼs blue eyes looked at the bridge, it was his only way to reach the high gate.

Suddenly, the pilotʼs voice pulled him out of his musings:

”Hey, Iʼm starting to descend, be ready to fall. Iʼll come down low enough so you wonʼt need a parachute, but the fall will be hard.”

”Sure, Iʼm ready.”

Adam realized that even a 20-meter drop was not something critical for him, if he could cooperate and soften his fall he could survive even something harsher.

Moreover, the ground around the fortress was covered with a thick layer of black sand, the rare hills and depressions, giving terrain to this spacious lifeless land.

Whoooooooosh.

A few seconds after his words, the pilot set to work - bringing the fighter down sharply in an almost straight line. The SH-L01 was capable of more than that, it was just the basic functions an experienced pilot used.

”Iʼll circle around at low speed, Iʼll have enough fuel for up to eight hours, but if you donʼt make contact with me in seven hours, Iʼll fly back to the Citadel. In that case, youʼll have to call for a new SH-L01 and wait about thirty minutes.”

The instructions were clear, even before the mission began Silvana warned him of all the risks.

There were a few seconds left before landing, but Adam looked not at the ground but at the sky - at the moon hiding behind the horizon line, its time hadnʼt come yet, but it was very close.

Then, Adam thought about an event that had always frightened him when he was a normal human, but since he became a Phantom it was as normal as sunrises or sunsets:

ʼEclipse... Hah, I used to think it was like the apocalypse, but Eclipses happen regularly, and life goes on.ʼ

Naturally, Silvana as Operator always takes into account the last time there was an Eclipse, even if Adamʼs mission took place during daylight hours.

ʼHah, when I was a mere human I thought the Phantoms would gather every time the Eclipse appeared and fight monsters, but I only did it once with Alexia...ʼ

Whooooooooooooosh.

The fighter reached a critical depth, abruptly changing its direction. At the same moment, the ramp opened, allowing Adam to jump out.

With a gust of wind, his silhouette fell out of the fighter, right onto the slope of one of the few hills. Without panic, clearly knowing what to do, Adam tilted his body forward, rolling as he hit the ground.

After a few seconds, the force of the momentum ended, allowing Adam to slip along the slope like ice until the dense black sand stopped him completely.

Adam turned around, looking at the wide trail left behind.

ʼThat was better than I expected, the pilot did a great job.ʼ

Shaking off the dust, Adam stood up and turned around, surveying the area around the Fortress of the Lone Serpent.

His scrutinizing eye saw nothing of note but tall, lone trees with black bark and sharp branches. Each of the trees was massive enough to support the walls of the fortress, their trunks wide enough to hide from the light of the sun or the scalding heat.

Tap.

Adam approached one of the black trees and ran his finger over its tough bark, more like a dense layer of cracked coals.

His fingers were left with soot mixed with dust, falling down in sparse particles.

”Well, considering this entire area is under the influence of the fortress, this is no surprise.”

Then, Adam raised his hand, looking at his dry skin.

Only after a few seconds, did he sense that something was wrong here, even the air was quite different from the Citadel or other parts of the Pacific Lands.

”Agh, the Irregular Energy. The transition into this zone was very smooth, almost imperceptible, yet I can feel its effect on me.”

Throwing a glance toward the fortress, Adam put his hands out in front of him in such a way as if he were trying to take a picture, staring intently into the lens of an imaginary camera.

”Hah, if Fromund were here and he called down two meteorites at a time, boosted by irregular energy, it would be enough to destroy a third of the fortress.”

The corners of his lips went up in a sly smile.

”Maybe I should have invited him on this mission? Hah, if it were a normal mission I would have, but I have to destroy the First Wall.”

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At the same moment, black particles emerged from his body, turning into a pulsating stream guiding him straight towards the bridge in front of the gate.

”Sure, no need to worry so much, Iʼm on my way.” Adam smirked calmly stepping forward.

He didnʼt notice it, but the murky water around the fortress trembled, a wide shadow flashed under the bridge, about to greet the first intruder in a long time.