Endless Evolution: Last Star

Adam stared at Five Anchors for a moment as he was about to leave.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from the side – loud and distinct enough that Adam couldn’t help but notice them.

He turned around and saw the Silver Weaver moving toward him.

“You? But can you really come here freely?” Adam was confused.

He knew that the path to the Grand Barrier lay through the portal in his inner space, where the Path Construct had once been.

Adam was certain that even Silvana wouldn’t be able to get here now without his help.

It wasn’t that he was against it or anything like that, but rather that only he had that ability, or at least that’s what he thought.

The Silver Weaver, in turn, shrugged and swept his hand through his long blue hair.

“I just saw the path and used it. It seems that after you found the Bottomless Void, not only did my appearance change, but my power did too. I mean, it changed more than we expected.”

“You know, when you put it that way, it scares me a little.” Adam smiled bitterly.

In response, the Silver Weaver spread his arms wide.

“What can you do with it? After all, I’m your first power. It all began on that very day when you killed me.”

Adam rolled his eyes.

“Come on, we both know you’re not just the Silver Weaver, not the monster I killed. You’re my power and energy.”

The Silver Weaver nodded.

“Correct.”

Step. Step. Step.

He moved forward, stopping in front of the Nova Blast – the newest Anchor in Adam’s arsenal, and also the last one.

“But every form of energy has its own properties, and if that energy exists long enough and possesses enough power, it can develop a will of its own. That’s exactly what happened to Lakma and me, but… there’s one important difference between us.”

“Agh?” Adam was confused.

He didn’t know why the Silver Weaver had decided to bring this up right now.

“Lakma is simply the energy of the real Lakma. But me… I’m not just your energy. I’m also the energy of the Silver Weaver whom you killed. That, and the fact that I became your first ability, is probably what gave me a special place among all the others.”

The Silver Weaver smirked as he walked past each of the Anchors.

“Neither Lakma, nor Lone Blaze, nor even the Evolution Tree… None of them have traveled as long a path with you as I have.”

“Hmm?” Adam raised an eyebrow. “I mean, the Evolution Tree appeared at the same time as your energy and ability, didn’t it?”

“Is that what you think?”

The Silver Weaver smirked as a glint flashed across his green eyes.

“During the first part of your journey, the Evolution Tree didn’t even reveal that it was with you – it merely spoke to you in a mysterious, mechanical voice. And I was, and still am, your weapon, while the Evolution Tree is just a reservoir for your energy.”

“Pfffft. You know, if the Evolution Tree could hear you right now, that old man would be offended.”

The Silver Weaver waved his hand dismissively.

“You know I don’t care.”

Adam rolled his eyes, and then he remembered something.

“Wait, even if you’ve been right up until now, what about Silvana? She’s been with me from the very beginning, just like you!”

The Silver Weaver smirked. It seemed as though he’d been waiting for that question.

“Maybe, or maybe not. She wasn’t there when you were at Tar Lake, when you were fighting the Silver Weaver all by yourself. She showed up later, didn’t she?”

Adam was caught off guard.

The Silver Weaver was right, but at the same time, it didn’t make any sense!

“But there’s no way she could have been there! It was only because I killed the monster that they gave me an Operator right away! Usually, Phantoms get their Operators much later, and in the Lower Ring, the situation is even worse!”

“Good thing you remembered the Lower Ring.” The Silver Weaver folded his arms behind his back.

With a relaxed stride, he paced back and forth with a slight smile on his face.

“You know that the relationship between Phantoms and Operators is different there and begins much later. But do you remember the reason for that?”

Adam frowned. Of course he did.

“It’s only at the K2 Level that Operators get the chance to gain real power, rather than just sharing information and data during battle.”

“Bingo!” The Silver Weaver snapped his fingers.

Adam’s frown deepened.

“And? So what? Are you saying that’s why Silvana only walked part of the way with me? By that logic, you only showed up at the White Spire! You were one of the conditions for the Second Grand Star!”

The Silver Weaver’s grin widened.

“Come on, Adam, don’t try to fool yourself. You know I’ve always been with you. Right from the moment a gene took its place at the center of the Evolution Tree, and the needle appeared in your hand.”

Step. Step. Step.

The Silver Weaver walked up to Adam, stopping right in front of him.

For a moment, the Silver Weaver stared at Adam, and suddenly his aura burst forth in a powerful blue flame.

Tremble! Tremble! Tremble!

The Silver Weaver’s aura continued to grow, causing even Adam to flinch. The blue flame grew larger and larger until its edges turned white.

Space trembled from his sheer power, and even ripples ran through the Grand Barrier, one after another.

Crack!

A crack ran across the Grand Barrier, causing Adam’s eyes to widen.

“I’ll tell you this, Adam.”

The Silver Weaver’s voice echoed through the dark space.

“Silvana can become your Manifest Nexus. I won’t object. That is what this human desires so deeply with all her heart and soul.”

“But…”

The Silver Weaver’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“I will always be your main weapon, Adam. After all, you gave me life, and I help you bring death to others.”

His eyes grew deeper as the blue flame continued to spread.

“Our bond with you is stronger than anything you have, Adam, be it the Evolution Tree, the Grand Barrier, or even Silvana.”