Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1508 1508: Frost Ridge (Part 1)

Adam remained at the Citadel for a significant duration, utilizing the time to recover and settle his affairs while gaining unexpected knowledge—the existence of the Detached Mountains had been a welcome revelation.

Previously, Adam had puzzled over how the more powerful Phantoms reached their specific destinations. The prospect of trekking across vast territories every time he completed the Forgotten Mills seemed both exhausting and inefficient.

However, believing the spires were the only available method of transport, he had kept his frustrations to himself. That stoic acceptance lasted until this very moment.

Step.

Adam and Alexia moved forward together, their eyes fixed on the shimmering spatial anomaly vibrating above their heads.

A single leap was all that separated them from a location situated dozens of kilometers away.

"Hey, before we go." Adam glanced toward Damien. "Do you think we'll be able to find what we're looking for there?"

Damien offered a noncommittal shrug.

"Who knows? It all depends on you. If your energy points you there, then by overcoming all the trials, you will definitely gain something for yourselves and become stronger. It works every time. You both should know that better than most."

Alexia gave a solemn nod. Her demeanor had shifted to one of intense focus the moment they arrived at the spatial anomaly. Inwardly, the upcoming trial made her feel a sense of trepidation.

Their mission wasn't just about meeting the requirements for their Third Grand Stars. More significantly, they were venturing into the dangerous Primal Lands.

"Alright, Adam, we have to go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back, right?"

Adam blinked in surprise, not expecting such a pragmatic push from Alexia.

"Well, well, it seems you're actually worried, aren't you?"

Before Alexia could offer a retort, Adam seized her hand, and the two of them leaped high into the air.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The fabric of space shuddered as the spatial anomaly surged, momentarily expanding its reach several times over.

The rift attempted to pull in Damien as well, despite him standing several meters back, but his internal energy acted as a shield. Even a spatial anomaly lacked the power to move Damien against his will.

"What do you say?" Damien inquired, watching the rift slowly shrink back to its original size.

Beth's voice echoed within his mind:

"What do you want me to say? They just used a spatial anomaly. This isn't the first time for any of them. They've used teleports and gotten caught in anomalies like this several times during missions."

Damien dismissed her point with a wave of his hand, clarifying his intent.

"No, what about their chances? Even if each condition is unique, you know what to expect given their conditions, don't you?"

A few moments of silence passed before Beth nodded in agreement.

Beth had been truthful when she explained the nature of the Third Grand Star conditions to Adam and Alexia earlier.

Still, with her vast experience, she could usually gauge the difficulty of a task simply by the name of the condition assigned.

"I'm not worried about Alexia, the Ancient Frost? Let's be honest, it doesn't sound dangerous at all, especially considering that she uses ice and frost in battle throughout her entire path. But, Adam's condition... That's a different story."

"Blood of God. Is there anyone at Frost Ridge who fits that description?"

Beth shook her head slowly.

"I don't know. Maybe it's some kind of ancient monster. In any case, I advise you or someone else to keep an eye on their mission. If we lose those two now, it could be a big blow."

Damien’s gaze darkened for a heartbeat. He understood her concern perfectly. Despite their potential, Adam and Alexia were still far too weak to stand as equals among Damien and his peers.

"Agh, among all the new K4-Phantoms, they are one of the few who have a chance to go further. Considering that they made such progress at the very end of the World Wipe, it gives me optimism."

It was a matter of perspective; to Damien and Beth, "new" K4-Phantoms weren't defined by age. While Adam and Alexia were not yet thirty, the elders categorized anyone who emerged since the start of the current World Wipe as a newcomer.

The two of them had existed for so long that they measured time in centuries and the 250-year cycles of the World Wipes rather than simple years.

In every cycle, the patterns usually repeated without change... or at least, that was how it usually went.

...

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Hundreds of kilometers away from the Detached Mountains, high above a frozen landscape where a great forest sat before a mountain range, the sky began to distort.

A piercing, icy gale slammed into Adam and Alexia, leaving them momentarily dazed and disoriented.

Damien had briefed them on the sensations of spatial travel, and they understood the theory behind it, but the physical reality of the experience was far more jarring than any description.

The two Phantoms traded looks of alarm as they plummeted through the clouds at a terrifying velocity, the ground rushing up to meet them.

Looking through the Winding Fragments, the mountain peaks and the blue abyss were visible, though the anomaly had deposited them some distance from the actual Frost Ridge. Such inaccuracy was a standard quirk of spatial anomalies.

While their exact landing point was unpredictable, such rifts never manifested outside their designated zones.

"Look!" Alexia shouted, her finger pointing toward the horizon.

Visible in the distance were the snow-dusted peaks and the massive, spine-like structure that draped over the mountains.

It was unmistakably the landmark they had glimpsed through the blue portal. The anomaly had delivered them to their target.

A grin began to form on Adam’s face, only to instantly vanish.

"What the..."

A massive shadow blotted out the sky as two sapphire wings unfurled, revealing a pair of eyes with predatory, vertical pupils.

A gargantuan ice wyvern was soaring toward them, its gaze filled with a dangerous curiosity toward the two intruders who were still struggling to find their bearings.

They had entered the Primal Lands. If they intended to stay alive, they needed to stop acting like simple warriors and Phantoms.

They needed to become hunters.