Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1502:  Detached Mountains (Part 2)

Every Phantom understood that transportation was the lifeline for reaching distant territories or executing high-stakes missions. For those at the bottom of the hierarchy, basic trucks served as their main transport, roaming the immediate outskirts of the Citadel.

As a Phantom climbed the ranks, they gained access to fighter jets; the more formidable the warrior, the swifter and more sophisticated their aircraft became. Time was a precious resource, and the mission department prioritized efficiency, striving to deliver assets to combat zones in a matter of hours rather than days.

Eventually, however, even supersonic travel proved insufficient.

To support K3 and K4 Phantoms, the Citadel established massive spires along the fringes of far-flung territories. These spires housed teleports—intricate machines that harnessed anomaly energy to bridge vast distances in the blink of an eye.

There was a single flaw with these spires: their sheer number made it impossible for the Citadel to provide constant protection. Consequently, they were positioned on the borders of the Dark Shore or the Tarnished Lands, never deep within hostile territory.

In days past, this arrangement suited Adam perfectly. He would simply teleport as close as possible to his objective before venturing out on foot.

But his previous expedition had exposed the limitations of this system. Reaching the Forgotten Mills required traversing several hostile zones, and his subsequent journey to Izardo was only a fragment of his overall task.

Adam had assumed the Citadel possessed no technology superior to teleportation.

He was mistaken.

“The Detached Mountains?” Adam queried, his eyes fixed on Silvana as he tried to process the information.

She gave a firm nod.

“Indeed. Damien’s instructions were for you and Alexia to rendezvous with him there. You have a three-hour window, so I suggest you move quickly.”

“Hold on, where exactly are these mountains located?”

Silvana slid her tablet across the table, projecting a 3D holographic map of the Pacific Lands.

“You are free to use any method to get there—sprinting, truck, fighter jet, or teleport. Whatever you decide, you need to make a choice immediately.”

“Hmm...” Adam murmured, stroking his chin in contemplation. “The Detached Mountains. There’s something unique about them, isn't there?”

Silvana’s expression darkened with gravity as she nodded again.

“Information on them is virtually non-existent. The only reason we can even see this data is because Beth provided me with a specialized access key. Even then, all we have is a lone marker on the map to guide you.”

She gestured toward a specific point on the azure 3D map where the Detached Mountains were supposedly situated.

“I attempted to bypass Beth’s restrictions by cross-referencing satellite imagery from several different feeds covering those coordinates. There is nothing but a void. It appears to be nothing more than frozen earth and a thin dusting of snow stretching into infinity.”

It was clear to both Adam and Silvana that Damien and Beth hadn't made a mistake. These mountains were intentionally concealed from the eyes of lower-ranked Phantoms, the military, and the general populace.

“Hah, yet another secret?” Adam said with a smirk.

Silvana agreed.

“So it seems. I consulted Louis, and he admitted he had never heard of the area either.”

“Unbelievable. Alexia and I have already achieved the First and Second Grand Star. We are on the verge of the Third Grand Star, yet our knowledge of the Citadel is still so shallow? We only discovered Azure Island a few days ago, and now we’re chasing invisible mountains!”

Silvana offered a small shrug.

“That is the reality of it. Honestly, after the World Wipe and the emergence of the First Star, I believed there were no mysteries left to uncover. I was clearly wrong, though I'm not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad one.”

Adam dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand and strolled to the window. He gazed out at the morning sun hitting the Citadel; the city lacked the vibrant energy of its nightlife, but it possessed a certain serene stillness.

“I’ll go on foot. It’s located in the same region where K1-Phantoms usually hunt, right?”

“Correct,” Silvana replied. “Blue Threat Level Monsters are the peak of the danger there. However... the area surrounding the Detached Mountains is curiously vacant. There are no mission objectives for trainees there, and no recorded monster nests.”

“Hah, then they definitely exist. But why out there?”

“Hmm?” She tilted her head. “What are you getting at?”

Adam pointed toward the sky.

“Azure Island, Heaven Island, the First Ring, the Zero Day Vault, and the Lower Ring—they are all stacked in a vertical alignment. That’s how Queen Elisa ensures the Citadel’s core assets are shielded during a World Wipe. So, why would the Detached Mountains be left outside that defensive line?”

A faint smile played on Silvana’s lips. She appreciated Adam’s tactical mindset; he was starting to think like her.

“It suggests that whatever is there either couldn't be moved to the Citadel or was far too hazardous to keep inside. Regardless, we must seize this chance if it brings you closer to the Primal Lands.”

“Hah, you’ve got a point.”

Moments later, Adam stood ready to depart as the elevator pinged open.

Silvana escorted him out, but she paused at the last second to ask a final question.

“Adam... regarding Alexia. Are you certain you two can function as a team? Your collaboration with Fromund was a success, but this is a different dynamic entirely.” Her tone was laced with concern.

Adam’s grin widened confidently.

“Don’t sweat it. It might sound arrogant, but fighting by Alexia’s side just once was enough to prove her mettle as a warrior. Besides, don’t forget that she has walked the same path as I have. Her strength is every bit the equal of mine.”

Silvana offered a silent nod in response, watching as the elevator doors slid shut.

...

In less than thirty minutes, Adam stood before the massive, grinding gates of the Citadel—one of the ground-level exits typically reserved for rookie squads.

The mysterious Detached Mountains awaited him in the distance, but for the moment, he took a breath to appreciate the landscape where his journey had first begun.