Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1184: A Storm is Coming (Part 2)

Thump. Thump. Thump.

One leap after another, Adam gradually caught up with Fromund as they followed the Kirani Bugs. The insects were gradually approaching their colony, eager to bring back valuable resources full of powerful energy.

‘Hey, you knew they’d show up here, right?’ Adam asked internally.

Silvana nodded weakly.

‘Yes. At the Corrupted Volcano, storms, lightning, and rain are not uncommon. Such conditions attract not only fiery monsters but also creatures like Thunder Demons, who always appear when something important is happening, especially if it involves lightning.’

‘Tsk. It was a sad sight. I mean, it’s a strange feeling, you know? The Essence Thunder Demon almost killed me once. We had a long and bloody battle. Hell, he ate my right arm!’

In response, Silvana chuckled briefly at Adam’s reaction.

‘Hahaha, of course I remember that.’

Adam shrugged.

‘And… What now? A formidable enemy from the past is now no more dangerous to me than a mosquito. I understand that this is normal and the way things are, but I can’t shake the feeling that it makes my fight with him much less meaningful.’

‘Well, you just can’t expect all your allies or enemies to be able to keep up with you. It doesn’t matter how strong you are now or how weak the Thunder Demons are compared to you. What matters is what your power dynamic was during the battle. You won with difficulty, and that’s why that fight is still important to you.’

He didn’t say anything to that. But Adam’s expression changed. His warrior’s heart wanted to face the Thunder Demon, one strong enough to test his strength against his past enemy. However, that was impossible.

There was one option, but…

Step. Step. Step.

Adam and Fromund slowed down until they stopped behind the rocks.

The reason was that the Kirani Bugs had slowed down as well.

However, Adam and Fromund did not get what they expected. The Kirani Bugs were simply circling over an empty piece of land, there was no passage to the colony or cave system here.

Fromund frowned as he narrowed his eyes.

“Fuck! Did we do all this for nothing? It was such a good plan, simple and effective!”

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Drops of cold rain fell on Adam’s shoulders, while water dripped from the tips of his coat.

“No, something’s wrong.” Adam shook his head. “Why did they stop here? Are they lost? Nah, that’s impossible. They’re probably waiting for something.”

Soon, Adam’s words were confirmed.

A tremor ran through the center of the empty field, revealing a protective dome made of a transparent barrier. Gradually, it subsided, revealing four bright pillars filled with energy crystals.

Next to each pillar stood two figures. Like the hundreds of insects above, they were also Kirani Bugs, but they had an anthropomorphic build similar to the Crown Type monsters, or rather, the Lords.

“I see. So, these are their Elders, right?” Adam muttered to himself as he studied their next opponents intently.

Each Kirani Guard had a weapon — a long lance with a twisted tip like a drill. Strong protective plates covered their athletic bodies, and on their backs were four wings like those of powerful bugs.

In fact, Adam and Fromund had to become more serious, which in their case was very difficult, almost impossible. No one on their team could remind them how strong the insect monsters could be.

Everyone knew how powerful ordinary ants were. They could easily lift weights several dozen times their own weight. However, this was also true for many other insects. They were all unusually strong and fast for their tiny size.

Unfortunately, due to their physics and muscle structure, ants would not have the same strength if they were the size of a lion or a horse. For such large creatures as humans, it was simply impossible to lift a weight exceeding their own by even ten times.

But… when almost all of the power came from energy, there were no such limitations.

This did not mean that the insect monsters were the strongest, but they posed a threat due to their terrifying physical power and reaction speed.

Each of the Kirani Guard had four green eyes, which were very different from the usual Kirani Bugs.

They looked around as no one was supposed to know about the secret location of the passage to their colony.

Just then, one of them stopped as two Phantoms were reflected in its four eyes, peeking out from behind a rock several kilometers away.

Despite the great distance, it was enough for the guard to notice them.

CRISK! CRISK! CRISK!

A strange, creaking sound came from the Kirani Guard’s clenched jaws as the others turned their attention to the two unwanted observers.

The rest of the Kirani Bugs, following the guard’s orders, quickly headed down, flying into a wide tunnel that led into the depths of the colony. Now they had to not only bring back the core fragments, but also ensure their safety.

Four of the eight guards nodded and followed the bugs, closing the passage behind them. The stone pillars glowed brightly, returning the barrier to its place.

However, the remaining four Kirani Guards had no intention of hiding behind the barrier, they knew it was useless. Not only had they seen Adam and Fromund, but they also understood how powerful the two men’s auras were.

In just a few seconds, the Kirani Guards realized that the only way to ensure the safety of the colony was to either drive Adam and Fromund away or kill them. The second outcome was preferable.

Whooooooosh.

In a single surge, the Kirani Guards rushed forward as the barrier closed behind them, hiding the shining pillars and the passageway.

Adam and Fromund exchanged glances.

“Looks like our plan worked after all, right?” Fromund said carelessly.

Adam nodded as he stepped out from behind the rock, ready to meet their enemy in the field.

“Yeah, but let’s not get too excited. We found the colony and the pillars Arayna told us about, but we have no guarantee that the Twilight Crystals are there.”

Bam!

Fromund banged his fists together.

“Hah, then it’s time to find out, and we only have one way to do it!”