Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1504: Thousand Anomalies (Part 2)

As Adam approached the Citadel's perimeter, several sentries atop the walls and distant Phantoms tracked his progress.

While some recognized his face, others were baffled by the sight of a lone youth trekking through a territory infested with monsters.

Though none of the creatures in this vicinity could threaten Adam now, the area remained lethal for K0-Phantoms or ordinary humans. It had only been eighteen months since he himself had been hunting in these very lands, facing several brushes with death.

Frida had actually rescued him once in this region, a memory that remained hazy because he had collapsed from sheer exhaustion at the time.

Step. Step. Step.

The earth vibrated with every stride he took. The dune-filled desert fell behind him, replaced by a monotonous expanse of gray terrain.

Adam’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a dusting of snow on the distant stone plains. It was a massive, empty plateau stretching for hundreds of kilometers, devoid of anything but rock and ice.

‘Hah, it’s true. If I hadn't been told they were here, I never would have come here by choice. It’s close to the Citadel, yet isolated enough that stumbling upon it by accident is impossible,’ he thought while maintaining his pace.

For a K0 or K1 Phantom to reach this area, they would typically need a fighter jet and a specific mission assignment.

Naturally, the mission department never issued objectives within this particular zone.

Consequently, even though the silhouette of the Detached Mountains could be spotted with binoculars from the Citadel walls, the location remained undiscovered by the public.

Even if someone had stumbled upon it, the Gamma Division and the elite Phantoms possessed numerous methods to "rectify" such an oversight.

“Hey, I’m getting close, right?” Adam questioned, watching the wind-driven snow whip toward him.

Silvana gave a nod as she monitored Adam’s coordinates. On her blue 3D map, he appeared as a luminous dot. Just a few kilometers ahead lay a much larger marker: the Detached Mountains.

Seconds later, Adam’s speed increased. He lunged forward, leaving the barren earth behind as his passage sent the snow swirling in a sudden gust.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

A ripple of blue energy suddenly pulsed through the vacant air. Adam’s eyes fell upon a sophisticated, multi-layered barrier he had just breached.

He could feel every layer of the ward against his skin, the internal pressure mounting with every heartbeat.

Then… the weight vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of crisp, fresh air.

He had no time to ponder the barrier's mechanics, however, because of the panorama that unfolded before him.

“What the…?”

True to their name, several massive peaks stood before him. Specifically, five great mountains were encircled by smaller peaks, forming a chaotic ring of stone.

Like any frigid climate, the summits were buried under heavy ice and snow, reminiscent of the destination he and Alexia intended to visit in the Primal Lands.

Buildings were visible near and even carved directly into the slopes. Small outposts had been established there, with light spilling from many of the windows.

Furthermore, much like the Citadel, the primary entrance was guarded by colossal gates that seemed to have fused with the two mountains flanking them over time.

Beside the gates, two enormous gears turned flawlessly despite the frost-covered metal. It was a massive, indestructible mechanism powered not by fuel or electricity, but by pure energy.

Adam was certain that even more fascinating structures waited inside, yet that wasn't what caused his eyes to bulge.

Scattered across the Detached Mountains were countless shimmering lights of various hues—actual anomalies.

“Hey, those are anomalies, aren't they?” Adam asked, his voice laced with shock.

After a brief silence, Silvana nodded solemnly. Like him, she was struggling to process the scene.

“Yes, it certainly looks that way. Damn, Adam, I can count over a hundred already, and that’s just what’s visible on the surface!”

Adam swallowed hard as his expression grew serious.

“No, it’s more than that. Look at the perimeter; look how far the barrier sits from the mountains.”

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

Adam’s brow furrowed.

“Maybe I'm wrong and the barrier is just positioned to hide the peaks better, but I suspect something else. The Gamma Division couldn't risk anyone accidentally stumbling into these anomalies, especially since most of them aren't at the top—they’re at the base, where we can't see them.”

Silvana’s pupils contracted as the implication hit her.

“Shit, you’re right. If there are anomalies beneath the surface, then we aren't talking about hundreds—there are thousands!”

Adam had encountered anomalies several times back when he was a novice Phantom. Over time, anomalies stopped being a threat to elite Phantoms, as External Artifacts and even Ancient Artifacts became the primary focus.

Yet, Adam vividly recalled the two times he had been trapped in an anomaly and nearly lost his life, a fate that befell many Phantoms daily across the Dead Lands.

“But why are they gathered here? No…” Adam shook his head. “That’s not the only mystery. Why are there so many in one spot? They aren't drifting; they stay in their own small zones. Don't they ever collide?”

Adam had a mountain of questions, but neither he nor Silvana possessed the answers.

That wasn't a dealbreaker, however, as they knew someone was waiting who could explain everything.

Whooooooosh.

As a particularly freezing gust of wind howled past, Adam came to a halt before the massive iron gates.

He scanned the area, expecting a greeting or a transmission, but not a single member of the Gamma Division appeared. He was certain they were the ones overseeing this classified site, which was hidden even from K3-Phantoms.

Slck!

A peculiar noise from above drew Adam’s gaze upward, where he found Damien perched atop the gate.

Despite the surrounding ice and the heavy snowfall, Damien was staring with intense focus at a bowl of strawberry ice cream.

Moments later, Damien looked down at Adam and flashed a wide grin.

“Yo! You finally made it!”

Adam felt a slight shiver.

‘There is definitely something wrong with that guy's head.’