Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1661 1661: Hollow Lands

For every Phantom, the day came when they ventured into the Dead Lands on their first mission. Many Phantoms returned time and again, growing stronger and emerging victorious.

Sure, a different fate awaited some of them, quiet or brutal, but in this world, there were plenty of Phantoms who regularly set out on missions in the Dead Lands.

However, only a small fraction of the Phantoms knew what lay beyond their borders. After all, only at the K4-Level, or for the strongest of the K3-Level, did the existence of the World Wipe become known.

This was the turning point when the Phantoms learned of other territories that lay beyond the Dead Lands.

Typically, a Phantom first had to reach the Tarnished Lands, the territories closest to the spires. This did not happen immediately after a Phantom reached the K4 level, but a little later.

The Phantoms took their first steps and earned their Grand Stars in the far reaches of the Dead Lands, which bordered other lands.

After the Tarnished Lands, the Phantoms ventured deeper into those lands or headed to the Primal Lands, as Adam and Alexia did to fulfill the conditions for the Third Grand Star. To some extent, they both succeeded, though Adam did not get what he expected.

At this stage, the Phantoms must have known about the Dark Shore, since that was where the Befallen Crown were hunting potentially dangerous Phantoms. This was important. But venturing there before reaching the K4 level was too dangerous. The K4-Phantoms had to avoid these lands at all costs.

Thus, the path of most K4-Phantoms revolved around the outer reaches of the Dead Lands, the Tarnished Lands, and the Primal Lands. In the case of the latter two, only the nearest or middle parts were safe. Everything else was too dangerous.

Ending up at the Dark Shore was a huge risk for a Phantom and a series of unexpected events, which is exactly what happened to Adam.

Overall, most K4-Phantoms knew about the Tarnished Lands and the Dark Shore, and learned about the Primal Lands a little later.

But now, Adam heard yet another name, previously unknown to him.

”H-Hollow Lands?” Adam stammered.

Kaerno nodded.

”Yes. The Primal Lands, judging by your aura, you were there recently. These lands are in the north, the Tarnished Lands to the west, the Dark Shore to the east, and we, the Hollow Lands, in the south of our world.”

Adam blinked several times as the map of the world rearranged itself in his mind. Now everything fell into place.

”So the Citadel is right in the center?”

”Yes, you humans have picked a nice spot for yourselves. Both dangerous and not, full of resources but nothing extraordinary. However, weʼre not talking about your home right now, but mine.”

Adam gulped.

In fact, as he followed Kaerno and Larth toward the blade pillar, Adam had begun to suspect that this might be the case.

The territory surrounding him was too vast and differed greatly from anything he had seen before. He simply wasnʼt ready to accept that there was another vast territory in this world, other lands where he had never been.

”Why…? Why did Gladius send me here? How did he do it? Shit… Whatʼs his plan?”

Kaerno didnʼt pursue the topic. He switched to another subject.

”The Gray Watchers.”

”Agh?” Adam blinked several times, confused.

In response, Kaerno pointed into the distance, at a gray monster with a single amber eye, flying through the endless Hollow Lands. It looked exactly like the one Adam had encountered at the very beginning, though perhaps that one was slightly smaller.

”They travel through the Hollow Lands. One of them spotted you when you came out of that cave. Thatʼs the only reason I knew we had a visitor.”

Kaerno glanced at Larth. ”Who knows what would have happened if I hadnʼt shown up? Your fight with Larth was almost entering a dangerous phase, for both of you.”

Adam rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

”Wait… Does that mean our meeting was just a coincidence? I mean, any other Gray Watcher could have spotted me, right?”

Kaerno nodded.

”Indeed. In that case, another monster would have gone to that place. Maybe it would have acted just like I did, or maybe it would have decided to attack you or take you hostage. Perhaps Gladius and Xyrea sent you there specifically because they knew my Gray Watchers were patrolling that area.”

At that moment, Adam realized something.

ʼAh? So it wasnʼt a random Gray Watcher? Theyʼre sort of like Kaernoʼs watchdogs, but… where does he get that kind of power?ʼ

There was only one way to find out the answer to that question:

”Mr. Kaerno, may I ask what position you hold in this pillar and how the hierarchy is structured in the Hollow Lands? I mean, I know about the Elders and Lords. The Elders are still Black Threat Level monsters, but theyʼre usually much stronger.

”However, when I fought Larth, he didnʼt introduce himself as an Elder, but he called himself an honored Fang.”

Larth nodded in confirmation.

”Hmm, I thought youʼd already figured that out.” Kaerno paused. ”Anyway, thereʼs no harm in telling you everything. After all, thatʼs exactly why I brought you here.”

Then, he swept his hand across the vast land ahead and paused at the pillar.

”This pillar, Adam, belongs to me. All the other monsters, Larth, that girl who was watching you, and so on, they are all either my direct subordinates, followers, or are here with my permission. As you understand, a mere monster cannot possess a pillar, and even in all the Hollow Lands, there arenʼt very many of us.”

Adam gulped. Now he was certain that once again he had encountered a monster far superior to him in power.

”Then… Larth, Iʼll let you continue. Explain the ranks to him.”

”Yes!” Larth exclaimed like a soldier. ”There are three main ranks for monsters here: Fangs, Thorns, and the most powerful - the Fingers!”

Adamʼs eyes widened as he stared at Kaerno.

”And you are-”

Kaerno smirked.

”Yes, I am one of the Fingers.”