Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1846: Legacy Artifact and the Future Threat

As a K4-Phantom, Adam was familiar with several types of artifacts. The common artifacts were those that the Phantoms could absorb to become stronger, or monsters that could become Essence Monsters.

External Artifacts were the next level beyond common artifacts. At this stage, the artifacts gained their own minds and personalities. They could make decisions and even become leaders in their territories.

Once upon a time, Lone Blaze was an External Artifact, but to survive, she had to enter into a contract with Adam and become his ally. For her, this worked out remarkably well.

However, if Lone Blaze had never encountered Adam and had had more favorable conditions for development, she might have become an Ancient Artifact in the future.

This was the next stage of development for External Artifacts such as Lone Blaze.

The Ancient Artifacts possessed immense power and could live for thousands of years, but even they sometimes faced catastrophes and perished.

However, because of just how vast and powerful the Ancient Artifacts were, their bodies remained in the world even after their deaths. In such cases, they became Hollow Artifacts.

The White Spire was one such artifact. It was on an island in the Gray Sea that the White Spire was located. It was there that Adam first encountered the Silver Weaver, who became part of his powers.

Adam did not often think about the Artifacts, but he decided that this was all their world had to offer. He couldn’t imagine there being anything else besides the Hollow Artifacts, since that was the end of the road for an Ancient Artifact. At the same time, an Ancient Artifact was the third stage in the evolution of a common artifact.

There were four types in total. At least, up until that moment.

“Legacy Artifact?” Adam blinked a few times. “What’s that?”

“Pffft!” Romara waved her hand dismissively. “Just look at him! He doesn’t even know things like that! Though what else can you expect from a K4-Phantom?”

Amelia continued to look at Adam with her calm eyes, but her next words were addressed to her mother.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t speak to him so rudely, Mother. Not because I think it’s wrong, but because in a little while, this K4-Phantom will become stronger than you.”

Romara’s eyes widened. She was confused.

“Amelia, I understand that our relationship is strained right now, but are you seriously comparing me, a Lord, to some K4-Phantom?!”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“This K4-Phantom… He can kill a Baron even at his current level. What will happen when he gets even stronger?”

Romara fell silent. In any other situation, she would have said it was a bad joke, but from Amelia’s tone, she could tell Amelia was serious.

Moreover…

‘Tsk, she might be right.’ Romara clicked her tongue. ‘That young man, his aura is strong, very strong. It’s strange. Isn’t he still too young to possess such power?’

“I think we should get back to our original topic.”

Amelia turned to Vador.

“What you saw is our family’s Legacy Artifact. This artifact resides within each of us. These aren’t copies or replicas. They’re the same artifact that has developed within each of us.”

A glint flashed across Adam’s eyes.

“Let me guess – not everyone’s Legacy Artifact develops the same way, does it?”

Amelia nodded deeply.

“Yes. For example, my younger brother, Markol, failed. The Legacy Artifact didn’t fully accept him as its owner, which is exactly why he’s a defect.”

Hearing this, Romara clenched her fists tightly, her teeth grinding. But she couldn’t argue with it. That was the reality.

‘Hmm…’ Adam hummed to himself, now that he had more information about their family. ‘Maybe it’s this artifact that binds them all together, rather than blood? That would make sense, wouldn’t it?’

“I see. I understand that part. What is the name of your Legacy Artifact? That white vase has a name, doesn’t it?”

Amelia nodded deeply.

“Sure. The name of our Legacy Artifact is the Spirit of Eternal Winter.”

Adam’s eyes widened for a moment as he recalled the place he had found himself in when he touched the white vase.

‘So was that some inner space within this artifact? I saw something that looked like a shattered core… I need to ask Amelia about this.’

His gaze grew more intense.

“Amelia, when I touched the vase, I found myself in a completely different place. There was nothing but snow, mountains, and frozen lakes all around. However, before the flash of ice flung me out of there, I saw ice crystals, the altar, and numerous fragments that looked like they were from a shattered core.”

Strangely enough, Amelia nodded deeply.

“That’s right. That’s the inner space of the Spirit of Eternal Winter. In fact, these inner spaces are unique to each user. My legacy space is different from my father’s or my mother’s, and someone like Markol has only limited access to it.

“There are users who have achieved even less than my brother. Such failures don’t even have access to the legacy space.”

Adam was silent for a moment. He touched his chin, pondering what he had heard.

“I see. And is the reason for your father’s poor condition his destroyed tree or his shattered artifact core?”

Amelia sighed heavily as she shook her head.

“In this case, the problem stems from all sides. To help my father, we need to restore both the core and his Evolution Tree. But you’re right, it all started with the artifact core.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. The first time he saw the white vase, he suspected that it was the very cause of Vador’s near-death state.

“So, what happened? Even in his current state, I can sense how powerful his aura is. Of all of you, he should have had the best control over the Spirit of Eternal Winter. What could have gone wrong?”

“My father wanted to go even further.”

Her gaze grew darker as she turned away, not wanting Adam to see her emotions.

“He feared the future. For some reason, in recent decades, my father became obsessed with the idea of becoming stronger. He wanted to become a True Lord… If he had done so, he would have possessed truly terrifying power.”

‘True Lord…’ Adam muttered to himself as he immediately recalled his first visit to the Dark Shore.

‘Kenward and Saegar, even now, they’re the only True Lords I’ve ever encountered. Although… I don’t know what level Laroza is at. She hides her aura well. Either way, was I lucky to have faced them specifically, or… was that exactly what the First Star wanted?’

Adam knew a lot about the world, but he still wasn’t sure what the First Star wanted to do. Did it have any kind of mind, or was it all just a coincidence and a stroke of luck for Adam?

‘But Amelia is right. Vador definitely doesn’t measure up to Kenward’s or Saegar’s power level. Even his current aura is enough to realize that. If he were to rise to their level, he’d become at least several times stronger.’

However, something else was troubling Adam. Amelia and Romara’s expressions confirmed that his suspicions weren’t unfounded.

‘Why now? If Vador needed to become stronger, why did he decide to start in the final decades of this World Wipe? After the World Wipe, there will be much more energy in the world, and unlike me, he has nothing to worry about, his entire family is here, and they’re more than strong enough to survive the World Wipe.’

“Hey, Amelia, I have a question for you.”

Amelia turned around, maintaining a calm and respectful expression.

“Yes? How can I help you?”

“Tell me, your father.” Adam glanced at Vador. “Does he love you? Does he value his family?”

Whoooosh.

Faster than Adam could blink, Amelia’s hand was at his neck. The ice on her palm was ready to slit his throat at the next movement.

“Mr. Adam, what do you mean by that?” Her voice was colder than ancient ice. “I invited you into my home because I need your help, but I won’t let you insult my father. “

“No insults,” Adam replied confidently, his heart beating at the same pace as before. “It was a sincere question.”

Amelia stared intently into Adam’s eyes for a moment before taking a step back.

Romara sighed deeply.

“Yes.” Amelia’s voice echoed through the room. “My father was ready to give up everything he had at any moment for the sake of each of us. He created this family, he brought each of us here, and he endowed us with the power of the Spirit of Eternal Winter. I do not doubt that he was trying to become stronger for our sake.”

Adam had no more questions. He’d already received all the answers, and he’d come to one conclusion:

‘Things are very bad.’

He narrowed his eyes.

‘It looks like Vador found out something he shouldn’t have, and too late. Something just as important as the World Wipe is about to happen, right? And even his powers weren’t enough to ensure Amelia’s and the others’ safety.

For a moment, Adam chuckled.

‘Huh, could it be that that bastard Aiden wasn’t lying about the Zero War?’