Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1013: Crucible (Part 2)

No one was supposed to make the same mistakes over and over again.

It was stupid, naive, and most importantly, pointless.

But if a mistake was changed, it was not a repetition of the same action, it was a new attempt.

Arnoth was about to see it with his own eyes.

The way one manʼs mistake would turn into his doom.

”That...” Arnoth stammered, mesmerized by the dark and white streams of energy emanating from Adamʼs needle.

It was different from what he had seen before. Adamʼs energy was dense enough that even his light couldnʼt burn it.

For the first time in their long fight, Arnothʼs heart began to beat faster. He was nervous, but there was no fear in his eyes. He had been through many fights and knew that his defeat was still far away.

At least he wanted to think so.

Crackle.

Without hesitation, Arnoth held his shield out in front of him and touched the edge with his sword. Two amber cores shone brightly.

All of his energy flowed forward to create a rippling barrier emanating from a single point - the center of his shield. Waves of the sun itself seemed to descend to protect Arnoth, to allow him to survive an attack for which he was unprepared.

Adam was in no hurry. He tried to gather all his strength in one spot.

It was the first time for him as well.

ʼItʼs harder than it turned out to be...ʼ Adam gulped, struggling to hold his needle with two trembling hands.

As soon as his Branch Order was created, then he knew of the possibility of a new path. That was always the case, a path was not an ability that he could use multiple times at any given moment.

That was why his second needle only possessed a weakened version of that ability.

”Go! Attack! Adam Vinter!” Arnoth exclaimed, his powerful voice resounding through the throne room.

However, even after a direct request from his enemy, Adam was in no hurry.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could feel the energy surrounding him, whether it was light or darkness, his power or Arnothʼs.

Among the hundreds of serpents, the hundreds of monsters at the Fallen Ring Castle, only the two of them mattered.

One right move from Adam could either save the serpents or doom them to certain death. If Adam lost, Arnoth would spill rivers of blood to regain his strength.

At the very end, he will take Adamʼs blood. This will be his reward for victory and patience, his path to new heights.

Step. Step. Step.

Slowly, Adam took the first steps, but he walked backward instead of forward.

With each step the energy became more, the darkness saturated his shadow, his outline while white streams condensed behind him.

”Itʼs strange...” Adam whispered. ”Is this what my path is supposed to be like?”

He gulped, a strange uncertainty reflected in his eyes.

A multitude of voices tried to reach his mind, indistinct. Adam couldnʼt understand a single word, he didnʼt know who it was Silvana, the Evolution Tree, or Lone Blaze with Moira?

The only thing that was clear to him was that he was alone with his path.

Soon, Adam stopped backing up. He paused, staring intently at Arnoth.

At the same moment, all darkness and light trembled, disappearing in a swift stream into his blade.

For a moment, only he and Arnoth saw the edges of the wide tunnel - almost unnoticeable energy currents moving forward in an endless cycle.

Adamʼs frame shuddered as he took a breath.

A single flash of light illuminated the entire Fallen Ring Castle, drawing the attention of hundreds of serpents.

The golden streams of energy protecting Arnoth seemed to stop, everything was happening too fast for him to realize.

Yet, his defenses were as strong as ever. His shield and his faith in his power and... not just himself, were unyielding.

He wasnʼt going to dodge or run away, he was a crusader. To enemy attacks, he had only one response: full defense.

Crackle.

Faster than Arnoth could see anything, Adamʼs silhouette formed in front of him as if he had teleported.

For a moment, a smirk appeared on Arnothʼs face. He realized that if Adam wasnʼt behind him, then even his present path couldnʼt break through his defenses, at least not right away.

”Come on! Adam Vinter! Show us what you can do! We both know this is your last attack!”

At the next word, a stream of blood gushed from Arnothʼs mouth.

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

Cracks ran down his shield, under Adamʼs menacing gaze. He didnʼt care that Arnoth was stronger, that his defense was unbreakable.

He had to finish his path, no matter the cost.

”Donʼt worry...” he wheezed. ”Iʼll give you every bit of my strength...”

Then, a piece chipped away from Arnothʼs shield, causing his eyes to go wide in disbelief.

All the energy from his sword went to strengthen his shield, but not a second later, Arnothʼs great sword shattered.

Adamʼs path destroyed his weapon, and piece by piece ruined his heavy shield.

The energy in the amber cores was not enough to help Arnoth block Adamʼs attack.

Step.

Then, Adam took another step forward, putting a little more power into his path.

In a white-black flash, Adam swept forward, leaving behind him a broken shield, Arnothʼs last line of defense before his dark armor.

As if a ghost, Adam was a few meters behind as Arnoth fell to his knees with a clatter.

”GHA!”

A stream of hot blood flooded the marble beneath Arnoth, actively leaking from gaps in his armor. Adamʼs legs trembled as he touched the nearest column for support.

Adam turned around, wanting to see the last seconds of Arnothʼs life.

He knew it was the end.

But... Instead, he saw golden energy coming out of Arnothʼs body. His armor was breaking into pieces, while the energy took on a silhouette resembling a maiden that hugged him tightly from behind, gentle and caring.

”I told you... Adam Vinter... You still donʼt get it...”

Arnoth sighed heavily, glaring at Adam.

”Know this... You are a Phantom, fighting against no ordinary monster... I am the Crucible Type.”