Endless Evolution: Last Star

Those aware of the World Wipe also knew there were only two ways to survive this deadly event.

1) A person had to possess sufficient strength and a strong enough body to withstand the shockwave while inside a protective barrier. Typically, this applied only to K4 Phantoms and Black Threat Level Monsters, but some exceptional K3 Phantoms were also included on this list.

2) Be a creature possessing immense strength and capable of creating a protective barrier strong enough to withstand the shockwave of the World Wipe. This list includes all Second Rank Phantoms as well as Lords. The stronger the creature, the larger the area of its barrier.

Adam was in a difficult situation.

On the one hand, he was strong enough not to worry about it. Queen Elisa’s barrier would protect him from the shockwave, especially now that he was just one step away from the Second Circle.

But… the same could not be said for his family.

Leona, Gary, and Trici, they were all ordinary humans, and for them, it would all be over in less than six years.

The moment the Last Star and the First Star collided, Adam’s family, like so many others, would vanish from this world. Only he, Silvana, and those strong enough to survive would remain.

Still, aside from the Phantoms and monsters, there was another group that could survive the World Wipe, and that was the Touched Humans.

For those unfamiliar with the Touched Humans, they were known as the Gamma Division. They were the ones who ran the entire Citadel and rebuilt it every time after the World Wipe.

Sure, the Phantoms helped as well, but their main task was fighting monsters, while the Gamma Division handled the administrative side of things.

Also, there were fewer K4-Phantoms and Second-Rank Phantoms than members of the Gamma Division. Sure, the Touched Humans were weaker, even officers like Farla couldn’t match the strength of the Second Rank Phantoms, but each of them still possessed considerable power.

The Touched Humans were able to survive the World Wipe because their bodies had absorbed the Midnight Crystals. The energy of the Last Star and the First Star had a much weaker effect on them.

Their power grew steadily as they aged. This was one of the reasons Farla was an officer. Over more than 750 years, she had gained not only experience and knowledge but also power that continued to grow within her to this day.

It seemed like the perfect solution for humans. Sure, the Midnight Crystals were a rare resource, but with the Citadel’s power, they could supply hundreds of people with these crystals every year and make them stronger, right?

Well… the Touched Humans had one critical drawback. Over time, the Citadel could extract thousands or even more Midnight Crystals, but the real obstacle was the chance of success.

That chance was less than 1%.

Adam knew how the Touched Humans were created. The government, specifically the Gamma Division, selected the best and most dedicated military personnel and offered them the chance to take a risk and ingest a shard of the Midnight Crystal.

It was up to each individual military personnel to decide whether to agree or not, but most took the risk because they understood that this was a real chance to make a difference.

No matter how advanced the technology was or how powerful the military’s weapons were, every experienced soldier understood that they could never match the strength of K2 and K3 Phantoms, let alone someone even stronger.

But the Touched Humans were capable of it, just as they were capable of living long enough to witness countless World Wipes.

Unfortunately, for every new member of the Gamma Division to join, more than a hundred soldiers had to die.

Adam, Silvana, and everyone at their level knew this, because the Gamma Division was a vital part of the Citadel.

So… Why was Farla suggesting something so risky to Adam?

“My family?” He gulped. “Have I thought about turning them into Touched Humans?”

Farla nodded deeply.

“Yes. I mean, the odds aren’t great, but it’s better than letting them die without even trying, isn’t it?”

Her expression grew more serious.

“I understand how this sounds to you, but I’m not asking you to risk their lives right now. You can do this just one month before the World Wipe.”

She folded her arms in front of her, staring intently at Adam.

“I just want you to think about it. Sure, ordinary people aren’t supposed to know about the Touched Humans and the World Wipe, but a month before it happens, nobody will care anyway.”

“But… Why?” Adam was confused. “You know how slim the chances are! What’s the point of giving them hope?”

In fact, Adam had thought about this several times. His family could become the Phantoms or the Touched Humans, those were the only two ways they could survive the World Wipe.

“And so what?” Farla’s voice grew colder. “Yeah, the odds are less than 1%, but if I were in your shoes, I’d take the risk. You’d trade one month of their lives for the chance to keep living.”

She took a deep breath.

“Sure, the chances that your entire family could become the Touched Humans are too slim, it won’t happen. But… considering they’ll have three tries, one of them might actually survive.”

A glint flashed in her eyes.

“If I were in your shoes, I’d prefer two dead family members and one alive to three dead ones, even if the odds aren’t high.”

Adam clenched his fists, his expression constantly shifting, growing increasingly complex.

Then, he raised his head and stared intently at Farla.

“Are you saying you would have done that?”

“Yes, and I did.”

“Agh?”

Farla nodded.

“I had a big family. My father, mother, and four other siblings besides me. I told them about the World Wipe at the last minute and offered them the chance to become Touched Humans.”

“And? What was the result?” Adam asked hopefully.

Farla’s gaze didn’t waver.

“Dead. Every single one of them.”