Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 285: Midnight Crystal (Part 10)

Two days later, Adam and Katrin met on the runway at Fort Norton. To fight the Essence Scarlet Pyromancer, they had to travel to an area new to Adam - Black Cinder Forest.

The Black Cinder Forest was formed around a massive volcano with an oddly shaped vent that led down into a lava bubble. It was the perfect place for fire monsters and for them to grow stronger every day.

"Hm? I haven't heard of this area before. How powerful are the monsters there?" Adam tilted his head, looking into the distance. From the top of the Citadel walls, there was a great view of the Dead Lands.

Katrin waved her hand nonchalantly.

"Nothing complicated, just not for you and me. You'll be the last person I help with my abilities because, after this day, my abilities will change forever!" Katrin exclaimed with an excited expression as she clenched her fist tightly.

Next to her was a tall black case that held her Nexus. Adam smiled, looking at his gloves. Even though Katrin's Nexus was a weapon, and Adam's were gloves, he was the one who could fight and do the most damage.

Then, Adam remembered Tirana and her flaming sword.

'Hmm... Her Nexus was a simple accessory, just an amulet, but both it and her Orders were incredibly powerful. Her flame sword effortlessly burned through my threads... Damn, I hope Scarlet Pyromancer's flames aren't that powerful.'

"Hey, stop thinking. I'll handle this today, your job is only to be my weapon." Katrin waved her hand in front of him with a slightly annoyed face.

Adam nodded slightly. He seemed to fully accept her words and acted overly obedient.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam walked past Katrin but decided to stop in front of her and turn around, glaring down at her because of their height difference.

Tap.

Then, Adam's hand, slowly and calmly, without any threat, fell on Katrin's shoulder.

"Katrin, maybe when you get your new powers and become stronger you'll have the right to command me, but..." Adam's last words grew colder, "Right now your job is to help me kill Scarlet Pyromancer because you alone are not capable of doing that."

Katrin was shocked by such a response. She wasn't used to someone answering her back, but that wasn't all.

Suddenly, Adam's muscles tensed as he pressed on Katrin's shoulder. Adam was considerably stronger than her physically, not only because of the difference in level but also because of his Power Gene.

"Bastard, what are you doing...?" Katrin gritted her teeth, trying to hold on in the face of the pressure, but pretty soon her legs began to shake.

Bam.

Katrin fell to the ground, wide-eyed with shock. She couldn't believe that Adam had actually done this.

She was surprised not only by his strength, which she knew well from following his accomplishments but more by his determination and toughness. This was not the Adam she had met in Desolate Forest.

Moreover, the man in front of her was different even from the Adam she had fought with against the Dark Phantoms. In that tragic mission.

"Alright, now let's go to our fighter. Let's not keep the pilot waiting. They have a lot of work to do just like us too." Adam said politely, turning around and heading forward.

Katrin blinked a few times, trying to come to her senses.

"Are you okay?

Katrin's ears heard the concerned voice of some young man. It was Alan, her Operator. Like Silvana to Adam, he was the most important person to Katrin.

"Yeah... I'm just even more convinced now that my decision was the right one." Katrin said with a calm expression, getting up from the ground.

Katrin wiped the dust off her knees and looked forward, staring at Adam's back.

"It won't happen again, not after I get my new powers. The next time he wants to show off his power, his palm will only get the worst of the burn." Katrin said confidently.

But... It was all talk of the future. Right now, she had to act on the situation.

In fact, Adam's antics had given her confidence in the success of today's mission.

"With that arrogance and my help. Hah, that bastard will just crush Scarlet Pyromancer like an insect." Katrin smiled bitterly, picked up her black case, and followed Adam.

At this time Adam had already climbed into the fighter, waiting for Katrin's arrival.

'Don't you think you acted a bit too harshly? She'd understand everything if you just talked to her.' Silvana asked, looking at their mission information on the screen.

Adam shrugged nonchalantly with a slight smile on his face.

"After the battle with Nessa, I realized that motivation is really important, but not just motivation to get stronger or gain more power. The best motivation is the motivation to get rid of the things that annoy you the most because thoughts of your weakness can be left in the background, but you never forget something annoying."

Silvana wanted to say something, but she fell silent with her mouth open.

Then, she realized something important to herself - Adam was constantly learning, not only as a Phantom but also as a person gradually getting to know this world and the minds of others.

'Oh... I guess I should start working on myself again.' Silvana internally muttered looking at Adam's Phantom card that was in the corner of the screen.

'After he became my Phantom, I loosened up. It can't go on like this for much longer, otherwise... one day I might fall behind him forever...' Silvana gulped with a slight fear in her gaze.

It wasn't uncommon for Phantoms to get other Operators and quite often it came with increasing their power and making missions more difficult. Many tried to avoid it, but they were all human in the first place and sometimes even the longest alliances could break down.

However...

Even Second Rank Phantoms had Operators they started their journey with from day one, which showed that it was more than possible to be on the same team forever.

Step.

Katrin climbed into the fighter, cast an annoyed glance at Adam, and sat as far away from him as possible. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked aside.

"Well, well, guys. With an attitude like that, I wouldn't recommend you go hunting a Top-8 monster." The man, their pilot, spoke up, adjusting the fighter to begin the flight.

"Don't worry about it. We'll be fine. I'm sure of it." Adam said calmly.

The man with a slight smile scratched his beard and smiled.

"Good if that's the case. My wife says the most important thing is to have the right motivation. If there is motivation then everything else doesn't matter, because the goal will definitely be achieved. By the way, it helped me become a pilot. Hahaha." The man said with a joyous laugh before starting to move.

Adam nodded as the corners of his lips went up.

"I must admit that your wife is indeed a wise woman. Though perhaps I think so because if she's wrong then I'm wrong too."

"If you win tonight, then you're both right." The man shrugged, dramatically increasing the speed and flying upward, leaving the grounds of the Fort Norton.

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Katrin rolled her eyes.

'Just humiliated me, yet he's being so nice to a mere pilot? What a hypocrite!' Katrin inwardly snorted, wishing she could get to Black Cinder Forest as soon as possible.