Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1338: Ancient Artifact

Norax was one of the most dangerous monsters not only at the Forgotten Mills, but overall in the Tarnished Lands.

Obviously, someone like him would not help some K4-Phantom unless he had a reason.

Sure, Norax had fun watching Adam’s battles and how he rebuilt his Energy Axis, but from the moment Adam got the Energy Axis, Norax’s goal was clear — the Silver Beacon.

It was something that could even influence Norax, as it offered a reward for the Forgotten Mills and not just for him alone.

However, first he needed to find someone who would accept the Silver Beacon, and that someone was right in front of him.

“Silver Beacon…?” Adam muttered, puzzled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Norax chuckled before clapping his hands.

Before Adam could realize it, darkness spread from Norax, engulfing not only him but Narica as well.

The next moment, when Adam opened his eyes, he was met with gusts of wind, and the ground was very far away. Panicked by the sudden fall, Adam directed energy to his feet, creating a fairly solid platform beneath him. He was still falling, but very slowly, almost as if he were standing firmly in the air.

“Oh, not bad at all,” Norax commented before waving his hand, summoning a thick layer of darkness beneath them.

Now, they were between Norax’s mill and the Silver Beacon, but not too close. The Silver Beacon had always remained the furthest point at the Forgotten Mills, but it was still part of these lands.

“What are you doing? Shit! Norax, I just woke up! I haven’t even had time to get my bearings yet!” Adam exclaimed with a great frown.

Norax just shrugged.

“Hah, you talk as if you have a choice. Look, it’s time for you to do something for me. Agreed?”

Strangely enough, Adam nodded weakly. As Narica had predicted, he had long understood that this moment would come and that Norax would demand something from him.

Then, his gaze turned directly to the Silver Beacon, and his eyes grew deeper. He had seen this structure at the very beginning, when he was studying the Forgotten Mills from the Citadel.

“So this is the Silver Beacon?”

Norax nodded.

“Damn…” Adam bit his lip. “I felt like I had forgotten something important all this time, this… What is it?”

“It’s a place where you will become stronger and bring treasure to all of us. Consider it payment for my help and my boundless kindness.”

Adam’s eyes widened for a moment.

“Is it really something so valuable that even you consider it precious?”

“Yes, it is. I’m sure this is the first time you’ve seen something like this, so I think I should explain.” Norax waved his hand and turned to Adam. “You know what artifacts and External Artifacts are, don’t you?”

Adam smiled.

“Of course I am. Both are part of my power, although… one of them has changed beyond recognition.”

“Sure, otherwise you wouldn’t be so strong. I’m sure you think the External Artifacts are something incredible, because in essence, they are the embodiment of energy that has developed its own will, mind, and desires. Isn’t that amazing?”

Adam began to understand where Norax was going, or at least so it seemed to him as he pointed to the Silver Beacon.

“Is this some kind of special External Artifact? A very powerful one?”

In response, Norax shook his head.

“Nah, I wouldn’t allow some External Artifact to take up so much space on my lands. I’m not talking about the Forgotten Mills, but the Black Cut territory.”

Then, Norax pointed directly at the Silver Beacon, at the bright glow at its top and the five sharp blades reaching for the heavens.

“That’s the Ancient Artifact. To make it easier for you to understand, it’s something like the Lord Level among artifacts. There are very few of them, and they are only found in the central or distant regions of the Tarnished Lands and Dark Shore.”

“They have consciousness too, right?”

Norax slowly turned, showing Adam a broad grin.

“Oh, they have much more, especially the Silver Beacon. They are the Ancient Artifacts because many of them are over a thousand years old and absolutely every one of them has survived at least one World Wipe, but that’s the case for the young ones, not the Silver Beacon.”

Adam was silent for a moment before nodding weakly. He wasn’t surprised that he had never heard of the Ancient Artifacts before. He understood that he didn’t know everything about the world yet, even though he had reached K4-level.

“What do you want me to do, and why me? If you need something from the Silver Beacon, don’t you have the power to make it do it?” Adam asked, his gaze serious.

“Ha!” Norax chuckled. “Of course I’m stronger! However, I can only destroy or defeat the Silver Beacon, but I have no way to subjugate an Ancient Artifact or make it do what I want.”

“Hmm…” Adam pondered. Lone Blaze had been his ally for a long time. Sure, she was an External Artifact, which couldn’t be compared to an Ancient Artifact, but he was able to subjugate her while at the K2-Level.

At the same time, Norax was unable to do the same with the Silver Beacon.

‘This shows not how strong the Silver Beacon is, but how high Ancient Artifacts are ranked, right? Maybe the Silver Beacon is weaker than Norax, but it’s strong enough to set its own rules.’

“As for why you…” Norax continued. “Well, it’s all about your battle against Ureyn, your victory, and the surprisingly quick rebuilding of your Energy Axis. I’m sure it will attract the attention of the Silver Beacon.”

Adam looked up.

“And? What happens next? You still haven’t said what you want me to do.”

With a slight delay, Norax turned as a cunning gleam flashed across his eyes.

“Oh, really? All I want is for you to go to the Silver Beacon and do whatever it takes to obtain the Desire of Beyond.”

Adam’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“That’s what you want, isn’t it?”