Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1573 1573: The Hunter

Escaping from the ice wyverns was not what Adam had imagined the aftermath of defeating Vaarh would be like, but reality didnʼt care about his opinion.

The truth was that if it werenʼt for the unknown man who appeared out of nowhere, he and Alexia would already be dead. They simply didnʼt have the strength to resist.

But, at the end of his sudden escape, nothing but silence and peace awaited him.

Adam blinked several times, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

Here, in the Primal Lands, not far from Frost Ridge, where a great battle and real carnage had just taken place, was a peaceful valley with a lake flowing into a waterfall and a cozy house on the shore.

Adam shook his head, brushing the snow off his shoulders, and got up from the ground.

The man in white winter clothes took off his fluffy hood, revealing his silver hair with sharp ends and piercing green eyes. He slowly turned to Adam, still holding Alexia on his back.

”That was an excellent fight, boy, but did no one ever teach you to think about the consequences? Any monster is willing to become a scavenger and attack the wounded and exhausted if it makes it stronger. Thatʼs the basics.”

Adam gulped.

The man wasnʼt complaining or lecturing him like a teacher, but rather speaking as an experienced master who couldnʼt understand how such a talented novice could not know even the most basic rules.

”Hey!” Alexia clenched her fist. ”LET ME GO!”

She slammed her fist into his back with all her might.

Alexiaʼs eyes widened as her hand turned red from encountering something too hard and painful.

”ARRRHH! Shit! Whatʼs hidden under your clothes!” She blew on her hand. ”A steel plate?”

The man glanced at her.

”So, you are the loud one? You are both too tired. You need to rest.”

”Hmm...?” Alexia raised an eyebrow when the man reached out to her.

Panic reflected on her face.

”Wait, wait, wait, what the hell are you going to—!”

Tap.

The man touched the back of her neck, directing a light energy pulse.

Alexiaʼs eyes froze for a moment as she passed out, falling into a deep sleep.

This couldnʼt help but alarm Adam, but he quickly realized that Alexia was in no danger. Moreover... although he didnʼt know the manʼs level, he understood that he had no chance against him.

”You donʼt need to knock me out...” Adam clenched his fists. ”I can get to your house on my own.”

In response, the man just nodded.

”Good. I have enough work to do without you. Come on, the soup should be ready by now.”

ʼS-Soup?ʼ Adam muttered to himself as the man already headed forward.

As soon as they emerged from under the cliff, they immediately stepped onto a neat path made of hand-laid stones.

This was further proof to Adam that the entire area was under the manʼs control. It was his personal domain, where even the ice wyverns didnʼt dare to venture.

”Huh, when Alexia wakes up, sheʼll probably be furious.” Adam grinned and looked up. ”The wyverns... They really flew away. Tsk, Alexia is right. Iʼll have to find that one and kill it. They ruined my victory over Vaarh.”

The man opened the heavy wooden door, and warm streams of air saturated with the aroma of various herbs flowed out.

Perhaps because Adam was exhausted and hungry, his appetite grew to its limit in an instant. There was something special about this smell, but he couldnʼt figure out what it was.

Following the man, they entered a hall with a fire in the center and a boiling cauldron, while smoke from the coals rose up through the chimney.

The man laid Alexia on the sofa.

”Make yourself comfortable, Iʼll be back soon.”

Adam gulped, looking at the walls hung with the hides of various animals, their heads and fangs used as trophies.

These were not wolves, deer, or bears, as one would expect from an ordinary hunter, but ancient monsters possessing terrifying power.

But now... they were all just decorations in the house of a hunter.

”Silvana, do you know where we are?” Adam asked, sitting down opposite the sleeping Alexia.

In response, she just shook her head.

”I have no idea. We donʼt know who this man is, or what he is... a human or a monster? He saved you, but you should be careful. We donʼt know what heʼs planning.”

In fact, Adam doubted that the man had bad intentions, because he might not have helped them escape from the ice wyvern.

But Silvana was right. He knew too little about this man.

Step. Step. Step.

Footsteps sounded from the side as Adam turned, only to see the man carrying several wooden bowls and spoons in his hands.

His warm winter coat was gone, revealing his muscular, shredded body covered with scars in many places.

The man wasnʼt huge, his muscles werenʼt bulging, but dense and hard like twisted steel rods.

ʼShit. I hate to admit it, but I still have a long way to go. How much time and effort did he put into getting a body like that?ʼ

Without saying a word, the man placed the bowls on the table as he asked:

”Do you like it spicy?”

Adam was caught off guard by such a casual question, but he quickly nodded.

”Yes, I think so.”

”Good. In that case, donʼt complain later.” The man pulled a jar full of red, dried peppers out of a drawer.

Even from this distance, Adamʼs nose twitched, sensing the fiery heat that awaited him in those red particles.

Soon, their bowls were filled with thick soup, based on meat and vegetables. It didnʼt look like a dish from a luxury hotel restaurant, but it was a perfect fit for someone like Adam.

Right now, he needed a tasty, nutritious meal that would not only satisfy his hunger but also calm his mind.

”Go ahead, try it. I accept criticism, but I canʼt promise anything will change,” the man said and took the first spoonful.

”I see.” Adam narrowed his eyes before bringing the spoon to his mouth.

The first thing he felt was the hot broth that absorbed all the spiciness of the pepper and the taste of the vegetables, then came the tender meat that melted in his mouth.

He didnʼt notice how he filled the next spoon, then another, and another. This continued until the bowl was empty.

”It was delicious, really delicious...” ” Adam muttered, not believing it turned out so well.

He looked at the man hopefully.

”Can I have another one?”

In response, the man just nodded toward the cauldron.

”Help yourself. By the way...” His eyes narrowed. ”I forgot something.”

”Hmm?”

The man left and returned with a half-dry loaf of bread in his hand. He broke it in half and ate it with the soup.

They said nothing. Their lunch passed in complete silence until several bowls were empty and some of the soup had disappeared from the huge cauldron.

Adam couldnʼt expect more, but he couldnʼt put off the inevitable any longer:

”You...” He stared at the man. ”Are you human or a monster?”

Not a single emotion appeared on the manʼs face.

”Human. Monsters are too lazy to do what Iʼm doing here.”

”And... Why did you help us?”

”Isnʼt it obvious?”

The man looked at Adam.

”If I hadnʼt intervened, those wyverns would have torn you to pieces. It would have been fair.” He pointed at Alexia. ”You and she made a mistake. But it would have been too stupid a death and a great loss for humanity, wouldnʼt it?”

”Hah, what a cold response.”

The man shrugged.

”My name is Adam.” He touched his chest. ”This is Alexia. What about you? If youʼre a human, then you have a name, donʼt you?”

”Of course. No need to make such a formal introduction. Iʼm not royalty.”

He waved his hand carelessly.

”My name is Goen.”

ʼMaybe heʼs right. I should stop taking this situation so seriously. Heʼs one of us, heʼs an ally.ʼ

”So...” Adam looked around. ”As I understand it, youʼre not here on a mission like us, you live here, right?”

”Yeah, and youʼre probably wondering why?”

Adam nodded. That was the main question he wanted to know.

”Because I like this life much more than living at the top of a skyscraper at the Citadel or in some palace.”

Goen leaned back on the sofa.

”Thereʼs no point in hiding it. With my power, I could get the best living conditions at the Citadel, but... could I eat soup made from meat and vegetables harvested in the Primal Lands at the Citadel, while a flock of ice wyverns flies over my house?”

He smiled.

”Of course not, and thatʼs the whole point.”

Adam was shocked.

”Donʼt you regret your decision? Not even once?”

”Well... The only thing I regret is not doing it sooner.”

Goen turned to Adam.

”I spent too much time living a life I didnʼt want. Think about it, maybe youʼre in the same situation. Itʼs not too late to change everything.”