Endless Evolution: Last Star

Step. Step. Step.

Adam stepped forward serenely with a bored look on his face. It wasn't because he was arrogant or flashy, but because he was acting naturally.

Defeating a weak opponent with a single blow was commonplace for him if he was attacked by a White or Green Threat Level Monster.

Sure, Narata was somewhat stronger than those monsters, but for some reason, the difference between her and Adam was too great.

It seemed like they were at different levels, even though they were both K1-Phantoms.

"Argh!!!!" Narata threw up a mouthful of blood, looking at her own teeth floating in a crimson puddle on the white-washed floor.

Narata tried to get up, but everything in front of her eyes was blurring due to severe dizziness. If her defenses had been a little weaker, Adam's punch would have just knocked her out, for hours. In a way, she was even lucky she remained conscious.

"How... How is it possible..." Someone muttered, staring at Adam and the defeated Narata.

To the prisoners, this scene seemed like something impossible. They couldn't believe, that the Guardian of their zone couldn't do anything to Adam.

"Hmm... You were sure you left a lot of cuts on my body, so you didn't see me dodging, did you?" Adam asked, walking down to Narata.

Narata looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, with obvious rage in her gaze.

"Die!!!!" Narata shouted, swinging her sword with her last strength.

Tap.

Adam clapped his palms together, trapping the sword blade between them, right in front of his face. A little more and Narata would have been able to do some serious damage to him, but that was not going to happen.

It wasn't that Narata was weak, as Adam had to use his palms to hold back her sword. She was just slower, and not as accurate, and it seemed that Narata had considerably less experience even though Adam had been a Phantom for just over a month.

That was not a small number, many rookie Phantoms died in their first week, but, there were enough Phantoms in the Citadel that had lived for decades and hunted successfully. Compared to them, Adam was still a newcomer who was just taking his first steps on the path to power.

Adam just saw all Narata's movements, like a seasoned warrior who had been through bloody wars fighting against an ordinary soldier who had just come out of the academy. The contrast and difference between the two was so great.

After all, a Phantom's power wasn't just expressed in Nexus, energy, and ability - experience was one of the most important pillars of any Phantom's might.

Moreover... Narata was an Artificialborn Phantom, so... against Adam, she didn't stand a chance.

Not just because Adam was a Naturalborn Phantom - this result was a combination of several factors at once.

"I've felt like this before, not long ago." Adam muttered, remembering his brief fight with Prago at the police station.

Sure, Adam had lost, the difference in strength between them was too great for Adam to do anything. However... he couldn't get rid of the feeling that Prago's movements, although powerful and fast like K2-Phantom's, were clumsy and inaccurate...

Moreover, on an instinctive level, he felt that Tron was much more dangerous as a creature than Prago, even though they were both K2-Phantom.

Whooooooooooooosh.

Adam kicked Narata, throwing her aside and snatching the sword from her hands.

"You know. It's not fair that you, as a Guardian, fight me with such a strong advantage." Adam uttered, taking Narata's sword by the edge.

Narata's eyes went wide when she realized what Adam was intending to do.

"No! No! No! Stop! You've already won! I'm weaker than you!

I admit it!" Narata shouted, begging Adam to stop.

Adam loosened his grip slightly as he glared at Narata.

"If you answer my question, then I won't do it and just walk to the next zone. I just want to make sure of something."

"Sure! Ask! I'll do whatever it takes to satisfy you with my answer!" Narata exclaimed in desperation.

Adam's gaze filled with a slight sadness.

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"How many Crown Monsters have you killed?"

Narata gulped and said in a trembling voice:

"None..."

Adam nodded understandingly.

"I thought so."

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

At the same moment, Adam's muscles tensed to the limit, his teeth clenched, and the veins in his arms bulged from the extreme pressure.

He was exerting all his strength, pressing down on Narata's sword for the sole purpose - to break it apart!

No one could or would stop Adam.

The prisoners watched him with snide smirks, enjoying the unforgettable show.

"I don't know how many times you've been to Dead Lands or how many missions you've completed, but... If you spend your time beating up other Phantoms and not hunting monsters, you don't need a weapon." Adam said coldly before snapping the massive sword in two.

Narata stared at the shards of her sword flying off to the sides with wide, shaking eyes. She couldn't believe that the prisoner she was supposed to defeat had not only crushed her but had literally taken away her ability to be a Phantom in the near future.

Rebuilding Nexus was possible, but it was a long process that would take weeks to months.

Bam.

Adam tossed aside the parts of the huge sword that weighed several dozen pounds each and turned to Lola.

"I have defeated the Guardian. What do I need to do next? How do I get to the next zone?" Adam asked with a confident look.

Lola slowly pointed to his card and muttered:

"Just put it on your bracelet... because the Guardian has already admitted defeat which means you now have enough points..."

Adam looked at the card where there was now a four-digit number - '1000'.

Then, as if someone was watching them from the ceiling a passage opened up. It wasn't big enough for a human, but for a smaller object, it was just right.

"Oh... This is the kind of service I didn't expect at all." Adam smirked, looking at the drone heading straight for him.

A green box was attached to the drone that was several times larger than the drone itself.

Whooooooooooooosh.

The drone flew up to Adam, left the box in front of him on the ground, and flew away through the same passageway.

The box opened like a present, revealing what kind of gifts were inside for the one who was able to defeat the Guardian of the F-Zone!

"Hah. Just what I needed!" Adam smiled contentedly.

The box contained a new set of clothes, a green one, an equally green bracelet, and a green card with the number - '0' on it.

Adam quickly changed his clothes, updated his bracelet, and picked up the card.

"I see... I had to get 1000 points not to open the gate but to get this box, didn't I?" Adam glanced at Lola.

Lola nodded.

"Yes... If you want to get all the bonuses in the D-Zone you'll have to get 999 points again, then challenge the Guardian and go to the next zone. You'll get a new card each time since the card color only has one function..."

Adam turned around, looking at the second floor.

"To open the gate, right? Well, in that case, that's what I'm going to do now!"