Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 761: Cold Tears

All the Phantoms who had come to Fortress of the Lone Serpent to seek asylum from the eclipse knew that the strongest monsters were the three commanders.

However, none of them were worried about having to fight against them since the Unknown Phantom had killed each of them, all three of them.

Well, this Phantom had actually fought the three commanders and defeated them, but... claiming that they were dead was a big exaggeration.

Although, no one knew that all three commanders were still in formation and ready to fight. The only difference was that they were now on opposite sides.

Previously all three commanders defended the fortress, now only one of them continued to do his duty, though... he was no longer a commander.

Clash.

An ice sword with a heavy chain swung at the Dormant Lord, sending a wave of frost over the crystal body of his enemy.

Two dense light blades continuing the Dormant Lordʼs palms crossed to stop the sword.

If the Dormant Lord had been any other monster coming to take the fortress, the Blind Sinnerʼs cold would have turned it into an ice statue by now, but the Dormant Lord was strong enough and his light was vivid enough to ward off the brutal frost.

Realizing that this attack failed, the Blind Sinner blinked once before his sword was brought over his head.

In a heartbeat, he attacked once more, throwing the Dormant Lord back with the sheer force of his strike.

The Blind Sinnerʼs chains not only made him stronger, but the one on his sword turned his heavy weapon not into a cutting sharp blade but rather a tool with devastating brute force, yet it was no hammer, the sharp edge, and tip still capable of cleaving flesh or hide.

The impact was strong enough that the place of the Dormant Lordʼs fall became the center of the nearest hill, with a complete loss of balance, but the Dormant Lord needed only a brief moment to regain control of the situation.

Whooooooooooooosh.

He clasped his hands to his chest, spreading his legs apart. With the next flash of light, the momentum dragging his body vanished, allowing the Dormant Lord to soar above the ground for a split second.

It seemed that now was his moment to attack, at least thatʼs what would happen if Katrin was still his opponent.

However, the deadly frost-carrying shadow was already right in front of him, an ice blade with a shivering chain swept towards his neck, cutting through the wind currents.

Clash. Clash. Clash.

For the next few seconds, the Blind Sinner and the Dormant Lord exchanged endless attacks, appearing in one place or another.

Any monsters in their vicinity would turn into ice, only to be shattered by the shockwave the next moment, or explode due to the Dormant Lordʼs pressure.

The only one who could watch them from relative proximity was the Dormant Lordʼs past opponent, Katrin.

The high snow surrounding her shook slightly with every clash between the two strongest creatures on the battlefield. Her coat carefully covered her head with a warm hood, trying to shelter even her cold-reddened cheeks from the freezing wind.

Katrin breathed slowly, a trickle of cold steam escaping between her lips, while her black eyes reflected not two monsters, no... it was her lost opportunity.

”Why... Alan, what should I do...?”

With a shaky voice, Katrinʼs eyes grew wet, the first tears were ready to pour in lonely trickles.

”Adam was ahead at first... any time I heard about him or was on a mission with him I was always behind, first place was an impossible peak for me...”

Katrin gulped, trying with all her might to hold back her tears lest she cry at the feeling of her own helplessness quickly consuming her from the inside out.

”I became stronger, itʼs not an illusion... Iʼve felt it well on other missions, but...”

With an acceptance of defeat, Katrinʼs eyes slowly followed the Blind Sinner. At the same moment, two tears flowed from her eyes, not freezing only due to the efforts of her coat.

He was the one who had taken her place, and... Katrin wasnʼt blind enough to blame Adam or the Blind Sinner.

They were a phantom and a monster, but both had surpassed her, not because they wanted to humiliate her, but because she wasnʼt strong enough to accomplish the task.

If Katrin could have fought on equal footing against the Dormant Lord, the Blind Sinner would have continued to lie among the broken crates soaked in his own blood, but the situation manifested in Katrinʼs weakness forced him to come out on stage.

For a moment, something changed in Katrinʼs gaze, instead of the Blind Sinner she saw Adam several times imagining it was him fighting, once again doing something she couldnʼt.

”Fuck... What a worthless thing I am... I didnʼt even get killed...”

Katrin bit her lip with a great grimace, remembering the Blind Sinnerʼs chain kick.

”I was just tossed aside like useless trash. Am I unworthy of their attention...? What else do I have to do to be first? No... to at least become an equal contender.”

Strangely enough, the Blind Sinner had the answer. Their abilities differed, but both his and Katrinʼs fists could throw the Dormant Lord aside. They were both fast enough to dodge and block his attacks.

It wasnʼt just about confidence, it was about the willingness to put everything to achieve their goal.

Katrin wanted to be the best and she knew that to do that she had to take risks, to fight to the limit, to the last drop of blood, but deep down inside she wasnʼt ready for that.

She couldnʼt be like the Blind Sinner dodging with minimal moves, putting herself at mortal risk every time to get an attempt to attack back.

”This is so bad...”

Katrin muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She watched as her tears, one by one fell to the ground, turning into ice crystals and sinking deep beneath the snow.

ʼHey...ʼ

Alanʼs gentle voice came through.

ʼKatrin, time to go back to the fortress... We have to wait for dawn, we have to survive, everything else later... please.ʼ