Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1657: Thunderous Voice (Part 2)

Like any monster that had lived in this world for hundreds of years, Larth knew how to lose. He knew it was part of his journey, and even when he couldn’t win, he had to use it to his advantage to become better.

His pragmatic mindset helped him accept this, or it was his calm temperament.

But now, none of that worked.

He couldn’t believe he’d lost to some Phantom who’d started his path less than two years ago. What’s more, it happened in just a couple of strikes!

Tap.

Adam released Larth’s spear, preparing to step back. For him, the fight was over, but Larth didn’t see it that way.

”You... I can still keep going...” Larth’s deep voice, bordering on a roar, burst from his throat.

A gleam flashed across Adam’s eyes.

”No. You have nothing left to show me. Even if you have some ability, I have a way to counter it. Though...”

His gaze grew darker as a grim aura enveloped him.

”If you want to die, then I’m ready to do it. You should be grateful that I’m not trying to kill you even though you attacked me first.”

However, Larth no longer heard any of this. This was one of those rare occasions when his emotions were getting the better of him. It never led to anything good, not just for him, but for most people.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

His aura grew as a light burst from his shoulder.

’Agh?’ Adam was confused as he stared at the tattoo that had appeared on Larth’s shoulder. It hadn’t been there before.

Moreover, Larth’s aura continued to grow, gradually approaching a level that would terrify even Adam.

”Wait, what the hell is going on here?” Adam took a step back, ready to use his abilities. ”Is this his trump card? But why didn’t he use it before? Did he not want to, or couldn’t he do it?”

Crack.

Larth stood up, holding his spear with one hand, while dense energy began to emanate from his tattoo slowly.

It was Larth’s energy, but it surpassed his own, as if he had separated a portion of his energy and somehow amplified it by several levels. This was a trump card whose source was Larth himself rather than some external force, but Adam felt that this method was not something ordinary.

He had never seen anything like this in any of the monsters from other lands.

’Shit, I don’t know what this is, but it looks like things have gotten really serious now!’

Twitch.

Adam’s fingers twitched as dark energy surged toward his hand. He was ready to summon his needle. He needed a worthy response to Larth’s trump card.

Still, Queen Elisa’s blood deep within his inner space showed no reaction to this.

”You... Adam Vinter.” Larth growled. ”I’ll show you what it means to be one of the Fangs!”

His tattoo trembled as he stretched his arm forward, staring intently at Adam.

Suddenly, a deep, majestic voice thundered from above.

”Enough.”

A single word was enough to plunge the vast expanse into silence and force the two warriors to freeze in place.

Adam and Larth, neither of them could move. Their bodies refused to move, afraid to take even a step to the side lest they anger that voice.

Slowly, Adam turned his head. This simple action required more courage and willpower than some of his past battles.

’If that bull was so scared of Larth, then who the hell is this?!’

The man, no taller than Adam, hovered in the air, slowly descending toward the ground. He had skin as pale and white as a sheet of paper, calm black eyes, and thick hair that fell to his shoulders.

Unlike Larth, he wasn’t as tall or large, and his body was covered not by a majestic mantle but by black, tattered cloths resembling an old robe that was too wide in the sleeves.

Still, even in a calm state, his aura made Adam’s heart race, not from excitement, but from primal fear, and Larth found himself in the same situation.

On the contrary, he was even more terrified, for unlike Adam, he knew who this man was.

The man raised his hand, holding two fingers half-bent.

In a heartbeat, the pressure vanished as Adam and Larth could breathe easily again.

”Agh... Agh... Agh...”

Step.

The man stepped forward as his frame trembled. He appeared next to Larth so quickly that Adam didn’t notice a thing, just a single blur.

”Larth...” The man’s gaze fell to his shoulder, to Larth’s tattoo that was still active. ”Don’t you know the rules?”

With a light touch, the man extinguished Larth’s tattoos. The light faded away, and soon the outlines vanished from Larth’s shoulder.

But his touch didn’t end there.

A pulse ran through Larth’s body as the impact threw him backward.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

After hitting the sandy surface with his back several times, Larth collapsed to the ground, but he didn’t dare stay down. Despite the pain from Adam’s attack, which had left his back bloody, Larth rose from the ground, limping back.

”Master Kaerno, please forgive me...” Larth clenched his teeth, kneeling on one knee.

His head was bowed in sincere repentance. ”When I realized how strong this Phantom was, I decided it would be right to use the Mark against him. He would have been a worthy opponent, but I was wrong!”

Strangely enough, Kaerno nodded. In his opinion, Larth had already received his punishment, at least for now.

Now, he was interested in the other participant in this battle.

”What about you, young man? Don’t you want to tell me how a K4-Phantom ended up here? And...”

His gaze fell on Adam’s knees, then returned to his eyes.

”Judging by your bewildered look, you don’t know where you are or who is standing before you.”

Again, Kaerno vanished and reappeared right in front of Adam. The eclipsed moon hung behind him, lending his black eyes an added depth.

”I’ll give you only one chance, young man. Tell me your thoughts and who sent you here. Perhaps... In that case, I won’t have to throw you into the Pit.”