Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 232: Toughness

Adam and Tron talked for a while longer, with Riska occasionally joining their conversation. After all, they too, went through problems and found ways to solve them.

However, the most important thing was Adam's decision. He had to choose one of the two options offered by Tron, it seemed he had already made a choice long ago.

"Well, I think that's enough. Honestly, we've already discussed more than we needed to." Tron said quietly, casting a glance at the door as if telling Adam that it was time for him to leave.

"Sure... But, before I do, I want to ask you something. Did you act tough during the biggest problem between you and Riska?" Adam narrowed his eyes intently, staring at Tron.

Tron answered immediately, in a calm voice:

"Absolutely."

Adam glanced at Riska, who was slightly embarrassed, she remembered that period in their relationship, and from her look, it was clear that it was something special and most importantly - effective.

"I see..."

...

That same day, Adam went to the store and bought a loose gray jacket, with long edges and a few buttons.

The tailor saw Adam and offered to customize a special one-armed jacket for him, but Adam declined. After all, this piece of clothing was just for tonight, for this evening, that despite the jacket, was not going to take place in an expensive restaurant.

Walking through the night city, approaching Silvana's apartment, many people cast glances at Adam. Some because he didn't have a hand, and some because they recognized him. However, no one dared to come up to him and talk to him, his look showed that it was better not to bother him right now.

For this evening, only one person had the right to take Adam's time, and that one did not yet know what awaited her.

Tap.

This time Adam used the elevator, not wanting to delay this moment, or he was no longer afraid, because now he knew what he must do.

Silvana probably had already seen him on the cameras and was preparing for his arrival, but Adam wasn't going to wait.

Crack.

He grabbed the door handle, and even though the door wasn't open yet, he took a step forward, effortlessly breaking the lock and literally ripping the door out of the wall with a loud creak.

Step. Step. Step.

The bathroom light was on, so Adam headed in when he saw a shocked Silvana.

She was already dressed in her usual black formal suit, but her hair wasn't styled, it was disheveled, making her face look more cute and harmless.

Before Silvana could say anything, Adam walked over to her and put a finger to her lips as if forbidding her to speak.

"You're already finished." Adam said sternly, causing Silvana's gaze to fill with bewilderment.

"Now, you will follow me, silently. Is that clear to you?" Adam asked sternly.

Silvana nodded slightly. Strangely enough, only after that, she started to think about what was happening, only after the answer she gave as if hypnotized.

A black car with a driver was waiting for them at the roadside. On the back seat where Adam and Silvana sat was a tight blindfold.

Without further ado, Silvana put it on, obviously nervous, because nothing like this had ever happened before.

Moreover, if a blindfold was necessary, Silvana shouldn't have known where they were going.

The ride was quite long, all sounds from outside were blocked out, so... all Silvana could hear was the almost silent noise of the engine.

With each passing minute, her heart beat faster and faster, and her breathing increased.

Thanks to his acute hearing, Adam could clearly hear every one of Silvana's loud heartbeats and how nervous she was.

But, he didn't bother to comfort her or do anything about it, that was too early, yet.

Soon, the car stopped, Adam got out, opened the door for Silvana, and took her hand.

They were walking on hard ground, but it was clearly not asphalt, Silvana could feel it. The surroundings were quiet, too quiet, only the wind currents could be heard, waiting for the threat to appear.

Then, they stopped.

After a few minutes, unable to bear the tension, Silvana muttered in a trembling voice:

"A-Adam...? Are you here?"

Tap.

A hand fell on Silvana's shoulder when Adam moved closer to her ear.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" Adam said coldly, making goosebumps go down Silvana's body, "Well... We're here now, so I think it's about time you saw where we are."

Adam removed Silvana's eye patch, revealing a view that made her eyes go wide.

This place was very familiar to both of them, however, Adam was here much more often than Silvana, or rather... until now, Silvana had never stepped into these lands.

"Dead Lands...?" Silvana muttered in disbelief, and with obvious horror in her gaze, looking around.

Nearby were tall cliffs, of various shapes and sizes. Some of them had white crystals sticking out of them, containing a bit of energy.

There was hardly any dust or dirt, the rocks were perfectly clean, as if they had just been carved by a master.

Usually, Dead Lands were covered with bones and parts from slain monsters, and traces from powerful attacks, explosions, and so on were left behind.

"Wait... This isn't Scorching Desert... This is Alienated Rocks!" Silvana exclaimed.

If Scorching Desert was in front of Fort Norton, then Alienated Rocks was on the opposite side of the Citadel. However, these two areas were the starting areas and were meant for K0-Phantoms and complete beginners.

But... This place was still a deadly location for ordinary people! Silvana was not supposed to be here under any circumstances!

"Why? Why am I here?" Silvana exclaimed, waving her hand and looking anxiously at Adam.

Whooooooosh.

A sudden stream of wind blew by his side, fluttering his hair as well as the sleeve of his jacket for which there was no hand.

"Because I want to." Adam replied calmly.

Silvana gulped, various thoughts immediately filled her mind, and most of them led to something bad.

Only now, for the first time in months, Silvana fully felt that she was under Adam's control. He towered over her, both physically and mentally.

"Because I want to show you something." Adam glanced to the side, pointing to a rock with many holes.

"You're smart, so you know what's supposed to be in that rock." Adam said calmly.

Silvana nodded.

"There... there should be crystals... but the monsters here took them... Everyone knows that." Silvana replied intermittently as she clutched her shoulders tightly and rubbed them, trying to escape the intense cold.

The temperature here was normal for Adam, but not for an ordinary person like Silvana, especially since it was evening.

"Yeah, but as you can see, it's pretty clear here. Usually, in Alienated Rocks, everything is covered in dust, both from broken rocks and from battles. It seems like someone is keeping an eye on this particular area, doesn't it?"

Silvana was puzzled, but soon, her eyes went wide when she saw a huge round rock in the distance.

"Wait... That's the Stone Gatherers Nest! We have to get out of here immediately! Adam, I'm begging you!" Silvana desperately uttered.

"No."

At the same moment, Adam's hand emerged from beneath his jacket with a round grenade in his hand, which the Harvesters usually used, but a particularly powerful one.

"It won't kill them, but it will seriously enrage them." Adam muttered before pressing a button, activating the grenade.

The next thing Silvana saw was Adam throwing the grenade with all his might straight at the Stone Gatherers Nest.