Endless Evolution: Last Star

Bam.

Adam was the last to climb out of the rift, along with the Steel Knight.

Yeah, he could have left the monster below, but Adam wanted to savor this moment, not rush - he deserved it.

"Well, well, looks like I saved everyone this time, although... considering there were still casualties, I sound pretty cynical, right?" Adam muttered, looking around with a slight smile.

Adam didn't have 'Good Hero' obsessions, someone who wished to save everyone and anyone so that there would only be goodness and peace in the world.

Adam understood and recognized for himself that his life was more important than the lives of people he didn't know until that day.

Sure, if he had the opportunity to save the Harvesters and the Phantoms in the crystals, he would surely do it. However, if there was any risk to his life in doing so, then he wouldn't even think about it.

His life mattered not only to him but also to his family. Adam had to remember it always, there were those for whom he was the center of the universe, and to lose him was like starting doomsday.

In the meantime, while a tired Adam took a short break for himself, the eastern region of the Rusty Ruins was slowly coming back to normal.

The Mirage was destroyed, and the main anomalous monsters were dead. The anomaly cluster was quickly losing its energy and scattering.

Normally, in such a situation, the Phantoms would immediately run to the center - to receive the reward for dispelling the Mirage. It was logical and understandable, but Adam had something more valuable.

"Well, I don't know why I feel like I'm going to get something extraordinary, but I hope my instincts aren't failing me, otherwise I'll be disappointed!" Adam smiled widely before extending his hand.

A white vortex appeared under his palm and at the same moment, the Steel Knight's body trembled.

Unlike situations with other monsters, things were different now.

Normally, a gene would just fly out of the monster's body, but now, hundreds of energy threads were coming out of the Steel Knight's body like white flames covering it.

Then, five purple genes came out and quickly flew into Revolve, however, he didn't even pay attention to it because his gaze was focused on something else.

It was a star, bright and majestic.

Looking closer, Adam realized that it was a gene too, but a more complex one, as if it were made up of many other smaller ones.

The star flew into Revolve, and Adam found himself in his space in front of the Evolution Tree, which, for some reason, was trembling slightly.

'What's going on...? Is the tree going to grow? But... Shouldn't I be gathering the Key for that? Adam muttered puzzledly.

Then, a star swept past him.

Oddly enough, this complex gene didn't go to the Vault, unlike all the others, that one was like Adam's first gene, heading straight for the Evolution Tree.

Soon, the star reached its goal, stopping above the Initial Gene and becoming part of the Evolution Tree. Moreover, the star also took a unique shape, like Adam's Initial Gene that looked like a ball of thread instead of just a nameless rune.

The star turned into a triangular shield with two crossed swords behind it in a mirror sphere. This gene was much smaller than the Initial one, and not as significant, but now, it was part of Adam's power, part of himself.

[You absorbed the gene of the Steel Knight - Crown Type Monster!]

[You opened the cell for the Power Gene!]

[You received your first Power Gene!]

Adam's eyes shone as a multitude of runes appeared in front of him, showing him his new power.

[Steel Knight

Trait - Steel Will]

'This is...' Adam muttered with a dazed expression as he read the description.

[Steel Will

You have gained a portion of the power of an extremely capable monster - the Steel Knight, one of the pillars of power of which was experience. Now, you will learn much faster and more efficiently, especially if you are training with a weapon.

Also, you have become slightly stronger and faster, and your defense has also increased minorly].

Adam's eyes went wide, for some reason, he was expecting something like this.

The Steel Knight was clearly more experienced and physically superior to him, Adam had only been able to win because of his abilities and Zera's amplification.

However, now he was getting a piece of what he was missing.

"Hah... When I first became a Phantom I thought that in a few months when I gained experience I would become one of the strongest, reach the minor top... Damn, how much stronger is someone like Damien really than me? What's the abyss between us?" Adam pondered with a deep look.

Then, he smiled bitterly and returned to the real world.

Crackle. Crackle. Crack.

There was a scraping of metal behind him, Adam turned around sharply, but he wouldn't have to fight anymore, it was Zera.

"Hey... Looks like you won, doesn't it?" Zera muttered, glancing at the corpse of the Steel Knight.

Adam nodded, then got up from the ground and headed towards the steel sword - the only one of the two since the first one was melted.

"Hmm? You're going to use it?" Zera raised an eyebrow, "In your hands, it will be ineffective since there is no link to the genes, you know?"

"Sure." Adam shrugged, "I don't need this sword as a weapon, I have my needle for that. This sword will be a second item in my collection, as a memory keeper and source of remembrance of a great battle in my history."

Zera's gaze changed, becoming deeper.

"I see... That makes sense. This is your second fight against Crown Type, right? Moreover, you were probably on the verge between life and death again..." Zera muttered.

Adam smiled.

"Something like that. It might seem strange to you, but I want to remember worthy opponents, the ones that made me better, even if they are monsters. By the way... remembering not only your enemies but your allies as well." Adam uttered as he looked at Zera, putting his palm to his chest.

"Agh...?"

Zera's eyes went wide.

"Thank you. Without your sacrifice, I could not have won. I would have died, and now I wouldn't be standing here but in the Steel Knight's place."

Zera was silent for a while, then she grinned contentedly.

"Pffft! I just made a bet, and I was right, as always though! You're good, I can't argue that, but don't forget that alone you can't beat someone like Steel Knight right now..."

Zera tried not to show it, but she was flattered and genuinely worried about Adam. Even someone as inexperienced in relationships as Adam had no trouble understanding that. He accepted it and just smiled slightly.

"Well... It wasn't without casualties either way, though... We're actually lucky that so many people survived, considering we got into the Mirage."

Adam only sighed heavily.

Zera shook her head, then she smiled broadly.

"By the way. It's about time we went to the center! I'm sure you'll be amazed to see what's left after Mirage! Rewards and artifacts await us!" Zera exclaimed, so much so that she was in pain from her open wounds and clutched her stomach.

"Hah, I hope you're right. I need artifacts!"