Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1511: Frozen Spine (Part 2)

The second white beast refrained from a counterattack after Alexia’s toss. Just as Adam had suspected, their intention wasn't to slaughter the two Phantoms, but rather to gauge their capabilities.

In this forest, they were the masters; they could not tolerate the presence of anyone weak or unworthy within their borders.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Emerging from beneath a pile of shattered branches, the second white beast stood up. It directed a sharp snort toward Alexia but took no further action.

It was clear to all present that if Alexia possessed the physical power to lift and hurl such a massive creature, she would undoubtedly emerge as the victor in a fight to the death.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam began to walk forward. Internally, he felt a flicker of curiosity regarding whether he could replicate Alexia's feat and lift the white beast through pure physical Cultivation strength.

However, he decided against mimicking her to avoid wasting time. Their priority was reaching Frost Ridge, where the abyss lay in wait.

The pull of their internal energy guided them toward that destination, making this forest nothing more than a brief detour.

“Hmm, without that ice wyvern, we likely would have collapsed before reaching Frost Ridge, somewhere between the woods and the peaks. Did it drop us here by design, or was it merely luck?”

“Pfffft!” Hot steam erupted from the first white beast’s nostrils as it snorted.

The creature prepared to lung at Adam, but its eyes bulged when a brilliant flash of light ignited in Adam’s palm.

Though the monster sensed a lethal threat approaching, its reflexes were too slow to respond.

Adam’s silhouette flickered, blurring as he reappeared directly in front of the white beast.

A long, white needle hovered inches from the beast’s right eye. A simple thrust of Adam’s hand would have concluded their confrontation instantly.

“Hey, this should be plenty to prove our point, right?” Adam remarked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The beast was unable to speak, yet the visible sigh of relief it let out was answer enough.

“Rgh!” With a sharp jerk of its head, the white beast retreated into the thicket, followed closely by its companion.

Their business here was finished. There was no longer a reason to linger.

“What? Is that all?”

Alexia’s brow furrowed in disappointment.

“I anticipated something much more exciting! Also, what’s with that?” She gestured toward Adam’s weapon. “Are you seriously still using that same needle?”

Adam responded with a casual shrug.

“It’s strange, but of all the transformations my needle has undergone, this form is the most similar to its original state. That said, you haven't witnessed its true power yet.”

For a fleeting second, Adam’s right eye shifted to a vibrant green as the dark aura swirling around the needle's edge grew dense and heavy.

An involuntary shiver raced down Alexia’s spine. Every instinct she possessed warned her that facing Adam in this state would be a grave mistake.

Click.

He snapped his fingers, causing the needle to shatter into countless shards that swirled past his vision.

“Shall we go see what lies on the other side?” Adam asked, gesturing toward the towering mountain peaks.

The mountains formed a massive crescent, walling off the abyss on one side. To reach their goal, they would have to scale the heights.

“Pfffft! I don't care what trick you just pulled; I’m still annoyed you didn't go all out!”

“Hah, there will be plenty of chances for that later.”

Pouting with puffed cheeks, Alexia marched forward. Adam followed, but he paused to glance back over his shoulder before they exited the tree line.

‘Is it my imagination, or are we being watched? Is it a monster? But... why can't I pinpoint the source of their gaze?’

A nagging sensation bothered Adam. He felt certain that an observer had been tracking them—perhaps a curious beast, or perhaps a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He couldn't be sure.

He sensed a faint, concealed aura emanating from deep beneath the earth.

‘But that’s impossible, isn't it?’

...

Eventually, Adam dismissed the thought with a shake of his head as they moved toward the mountains.

Even for K4-Phantoms, traversing such a vast distance and conquering these massive peaks was a grueling endeavor.

It took over thirty minutes just to reach the upper slopes, a delay that frustrated Alexia, who found the climb tedious.

They ascended ledge by ledge until the snowy summit finally loomed above them.

“Tsk! That annoying anomaly had to drop us on this side! And then that wyvern!”

While Alexia vented her frustration, Adam examined the gargantuan spine looming over them. It stretched across the entire range, its massive ribs fused into the very stone of the mountainside.

‘Good grief, how enormous was this creature? Only a being of that scale could have toppled the White Spire on the island. And yet...’

Adam felt a lump in his throat. Despite its overwhelming power, the creature had been slain long ago. The thought of whatever was capable of killing such a beast was truly terrifying.

Crack.

They gripped the final ledge and hauled themselves up to the peak.

A freezing gust of wind roared against them as the full vista of Frost Ridge opened up. It was an exact replica of the landscape they had observed at the Winding Fragments.

“Hah...” Alexia let out a short laugh. “This is definitely the spot.”

They stared directly into the abyss. There was no doubt this was their destination; their internal energy hummed in response to it.

However, Adam’s expression darkened.

“Alexia, something feels off.”

“Hmm?” She glanced back. “What are you talking about?”

Adam pointed toward the surrounding mountain peaks.

“Look at the peaks. They're completely deserted. Why is it so silent in a place this vast? I can feel a massive concentration of energy here. I’m certain the density will only increase as we approach the abyss.”

“Maybe the monsters just find this place too remote?” Alexia suggested with a dismissive wave.

“Please, they’re probably all just hiding. They saw how powerful I am and—!”

Whooooooosh!

The ground suddenly heaved as a colossal shadow swept past Alexia.

Her eyes widened in horror as a massive ice worm, its maw lined with hundreds of rotating teeth, swallowed Adam whole.

Alexia stood frozen, watching as the ice worm surged upward, its titanic body eclipsing the sun and bathing her in shadow.