Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 2008: How to Break Through the Barrier and… He…

For some time now, Adam and Kamora had been racing across numerous territories, heading straight for the Citadel.

Even now, Kamora wasn’t moving as fast as she could have at her peak. To some extent, this was because she didn’t want to harm Adam or put even more pressure on him, and on the other hand, she saw no reason to rush.

She had won, but the battle against Durand hadn’t been particularly easy. He was a True Lord, and she’d had to use several of her trump cards. So, Kamora needed some rest too, and she wanted to understand why she had to come to Adam’s defense in the first place.

“I see…” Kamora nodded deeply as her gaze grew pensive. “So your last condition was at the Dark Field, and right after that, you killed a Viscount who was hunting you.”

“Yes,” Adam confirmed. “Then, I tried to break through the Grand Barrier, and after that, I went looking for Breydar. Once I finished my fight, I headed toward two powerful auras, and the rest you know.”

Adam didn’t hide anything from Kamora. She wasn’t just a Second-Rank Phantom, she was the person who had saved his life. If it weren’t for her, Durand would certainly have completed his mission, and Adam would already be dead.

In fact, Durand would have had a chance to kill Adam even if, instead of Kamora, there had been some other Second-Rank Phantom not from the highest echelon. But since it was Kamora, the outcome was a foregone conclusion for Durand from the very beginning.

He told her about Prasyx and Haworg and his bar. She didn’t dwell on those two for long, since she was most interested in hearing about the Befallen Crown.

“So they want to kill you because you’re the top candidate to become a Second Rank Phantom? That’s interesting.”

Lamor nodded. “Indeed. The last time Kamora took an interest in such things, you, Adam, weren’t even born yet, so I think you understand why she’s so surprised.”

Adam smiled bitterly.

“Well… I’ve come a long way in two years. Considering how long Lords and Second Rank Phantoms can live, that’s hardly surprising. But yes, I intend to become a Second Rank Phantom, though I realize it won’t be easy.”

“That’s not true,” Kamora’s voice rang out.

“Ah?”

Adam was confused.

Every Phantom knew that becoming a Second Rank Phantom was the greatest trial on their path. The Grand Barrier was the most difficult challenge, compared to which even the Path Construct didn’t seem like anything special.

Why was Kamora saying such things?

“I understand that you might be puzzled to hear this from me, but there are no easy trials. Every trial you’ve faced has been difficult. Sure, some were harder for you and some were easier, but each one required action, time, effort, or even sacrifice.

“From this perspective, the Grand Barrier is no different from all the other trials, even the very first and easiest ones. Sure, the difficulty level has gone up, but you’ve also become much stronger. “

She looked at him with a curious expression, the corner of her mouth turned up slightly.

“You’re not going to take pride in the fact that you managed to defeat a Green Threat Level Monster, are you? But at one time, that was an achievement for you. Now I’m in the same situation. It wasn’t easy, but I did it just like all the trials before this. The other Second-Rank Phantoms are in the same situation.”

Adam frowned. He didn’t like Kamora’s explanation.

“Tsk. Obviously, since you’ve already done it, it won’t seem difficult to you anymore. I’m in a different situation!”

Kamora smirked.

“Nah, you’re in the same situation I was in once. Think and try. Find ways to break through the Grand Barrier that work for you. Do the same thing you did with the other trials, and if you’re worthy, you’ll break through the barrier.”

Adam blinked as something in Kamora’s words caught his attention.

“Ways that work for me? So there’s no one-size-fits-all way to break through the Grand Barrier?”

“Hahahahahahahahah!”

Suddenly, Lamor burst out laughing in his deep voice.

“Of course not! If that were the case, then the first Second Rank Phantom would have simply written a manual on how to destroy the barrier.”

He waved his hand, continuing his explanation:

“Sure, some Phantoms might have similar insights, but not all of them. Also, the Grand Barrier isn’t just a riddle with an answer you can simply figure out. It’s also a test of your raw power and willpower.”

Adam was silent for a long time before nodding.

He realized that what Lamor was saying made sense, and he should listen to people of their standing.

“Got it. When I make my next attempt to destroy the Grand Barrier, I’ll keep your words in mind. But I have some questions for you, too.”

Kamora raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm? What exactly do you want to know?”

Adam narrowed his eyes.

“You arrived at the Gray Sea fast, too fast. That means you were here from the start, but what were you doing here? If you’d been fighting someone, everyone would have sensed it.”

“Pffft!” She snorted. “Do you think that just because I’m a Second-Rank Phantom, every minute of my life is filled with mysterious activities? I’ve spent the last few years in the Dark Field. I only had to come out because the Citadel asked me to save you.”

“The Dark Field…?” Adam blinked in disbelief. “A few years?”

He’d been there for a couple of minutes, and that had been enough for him to die. It wasn’t a monster that killed him, nor even the pressure at the bottom, but simply the cold and darkness permeating the entire Dark Field.

“Yep. I was collecting pearls. Huh, if you’d seen my collection, you’d be green with envy. But, as you can see, I’m here now.”

Kamora touched her lips.

“By the way, the Void Transit – who told you about it?”

“Hmm?” Adam didn’t understand why that was important right now.

Still, he decided to answer.

“Aiden, Aiden Henk. He showed me how to use it and sent me to the Gray Sea.”

In an instant, Kamora’s expression changed.

“I see.”

Something in her gaze puzzled Adam. No one had ever looked the way Kamora did when Aiden Henk was mentioned.

He… Perhaps there was a special relationship between him and Kamora, different from that of other Phantoms or monsters.