Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1354: Dark Wings of the Sky

Each trial had its own rules. Adam had to learn them during the fight to understand what he needed to do to win and stay alive.

Unlike him, Bertrada knew all the details from the very beginning, which couldn’t help but bring a smirk to her face.

”I admit, young man, you impressed me by passing the first trial.” She placed her cup of tea on a saucer and watched Adam through the mirror. ”However, you have no way to win here. Hah, even if you find all the secrets, you simply won’t have the opportunity to use them. You have only yourself to blame for that.”

Tremble.

At that moment, Mona returned to the glass sphere to meet with Bertrada.

”Madam, a contender should have already started the second trial,” Mona said as she approached Bertrada.

”Yes. The Crystal Golem is preparing to attack, as are the imps. I’m not even sure if they need my help. This Phantom... he will understand how hard it is to be at the bottom when your enemy towers above you...”

For some reason, Bertrada’s last words were dry and bitter, not light and confident as usual, even Mona could sense it.

However, even she did not know what the reason for this could be. She was a servant of the Silver Beacon, but she did not know everything about Bertrada’s past.

...

At the same time, Adam was preparing for the Crystal Golem’s first attack.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The crystal rock in his hands crumbled under the pressure of his powerful hand with a loud crack until it turned into a handful of shards ready to be thrown as projectiles.

Then, the Crystal Golem grinned and swung his arm back before making a swift throw.

Whooooooooosh.

Cutting through the wind, the shards destroyed trees and stone peaks and plunged deep into the ground, ruining their former appearance. All to leave Adam no chance.

However...

Bam. Bam. Bam.

One sharp stone after another crashed down next to Adam, tearing up the ground and dust like a series of explosions, but none of the shards hit the young Phantom.

The Crystal Golem’s jaw dropped in disbelief as it looked at Adam, who had taken just a few steps to get to a safe spot.

Adam’s eyes were wide open, and his pupils were constricted, trembling actively, as were his fingertips.

This move was not as easy for him as it might have seemed from the outside.

”Shit... If he had hit me...” Adam looked back and saw that everything within a twenty-meter radius around him had been destroyed. Nothing remained but splinters, fallen trees, and debris from perks lying among the roots.

Strangely enough, Adam didn’t try to appear arrogant. As soon as the Crystal Golem made its move, Adam realized it was a serious attack. He trusted his experience and instincts because sometimes a few steps in the right direction were enough to avoid a dangerous attack.

”GRHA!” The Crystal Golem growled, pointing at the imps who had been waiting for this command for a long time.

’Adam.’ Silvana’s voice rang out. ’It seems he can’t carry out these attacks constantly. The crystal rock comes from the void behind him, there must be some kind of storage for the trial. While he waits for the next shell, the imps will take advantage of this.’

It took the little demons only a few seconds to load the heavy shells into the cannons and light the fuse.

In the next moment, fifteen cannons from all sides were aimed at him.

”GHA GHA!” The red imp with long horns exclaimed and waved his hand.

This gesture was understood by everyone, monsters and humans, civilians and military alike.

More than a dozen shells flew out of the cannons with a deafening blast, flying straight towards Adam.

Moreover, each cannonball contained a few crystals that glowed brightly at high speed and filled the projectile with energy, making it faster and more destructive.

Adam’s eyes reflected the fiery cannonballs that would rain down on him in a second.

After that, the Crystal Golem would be able to use the throw again, and the cycle would repeat itself over and over.

The Crystal Golem would throw shards, and the imps would fire cannons. This would continue without giving Adam a moment’s rest until he was completely exhausted.

Adam had been in similar situations before, when his enemy hoped to win through exhaustion rather than strength.

So... it took him only one cycle to understand what fate awaited him if he allowed the golem and imps to do as they pleased.

’No, I have to stop them. A few more volleys and there will be nowhere left for me to hide in the arena, I’ll be out in the open.’

He looked up at the towering Crystal Golem standing on a high pillar.

’Right, it’s all about height. If you stay on the ground, you’re doomed to fail this trial.’

”ADAM!” Silvana exclaimed. ”You have to dodge!”

The cannonballs were already very close, causing the treetops to shake.

If Adam could fly, if he were stronger and could stand in the air, he would have no problem with this trial.

But... now he would have to find a way to win while staying on the ground or somehow climb the pillars.

Or... did he have a solution?

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The Dual Demon Sword appeared before him with electric discharges as Adam grabbed the sword by the hilt.

”Don’t worry.” His voice was low. ”I’ll dodge their attacks, but I won’t do it the way they want me to.”

Silvana didn’t understand what he was going to do, but soon she noticed something strange.

’Agh? Why are they that color?’ She stared at the electric discharges that were now black instead of blue like before. Moreover, the exoskeleton was not rushing to appear on Adam’s body either.

Clench.

Adam gripped the hilt tightly as the two wings emanating from the guard trembled and headed toward the base where the white crystal lay. The wings stopped at the edges of the crystal, basically depriving the sword of its guard, but giving it something else.

Tremble.

With a tremor, the crystal cracked as an amber eye with a vertical pupil opened in its place.

With a powerful surge of energy, dark electrical discharges ran through Adam’s body as he jumped high into the air, hovering for a moment.

It seemed useless, as he would soon return to the ground.

However... Adam was not going to fall.

His eyes shone brightly as two wide, dark wings woven from gloomy lightning bolts opened on his back, ready to conquer both the sky and his enemies.