Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1515: Abyss Guards (Part 2)

The sudden appearance of the golems took Adam and Alexia by surprise, yet there was no immediate sign that this confrontation would be as lethal as their struggle against the ice worm.

Instead, it was the mention of the Frost Oasis and the cryptic statements of the Head Golem that truly seized their curiosity.

“Are you certain we are prepared?” Adam questioned, his voice laced with uncertainty.

While he stood ready for a fight, his emotions regarding this meeting were conflicted. He remained unsure of the golems' nature: were they foes, companions, or merely silent sentinels?

“Indeed… I shall not pry into why you intend to disturb the Frost Oasis… It matters little to me… Nevertheless… I must ensure that your sacrifice will not be in vain…”

Alexia arched a brow, her expression one of indignation.

“Sacrifice? Pfffft! What is that supposed to mean? We aren’t planning on dying!”

The Head Golem fixed his gaze upon her before shifting his eyes back to Adam. He recognized their conviction.

Still, their seriousness did nothing to alter his perspective.

“Your bravery is worthy of respect… You shall be neither the first nor the last to commit such an error… But is that not the very core of your kind, the nature of humans?”

The Head Golem tilted his head upward, as if searching for the distant silhouette of the Citadel.

“You are determined to repeat the same blunders endlessly… clinging to the hollow hope of altering reality…”

Alexia opened her mouth to snap back at the Head Golem, viewing his words as a blatant slight, but Adam intervened before she could speak. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, he felt a strange affinity for this creature; it felt like conversing with a machine that had only recently begun to grasp the mechanics of this cruel world.

“Why?” Adam asked, a faint grin appearing on his lips. “Isn't that the primary advantage of humanity? We possess the ability to adapt to any circumstance.”

To his surprise, the Head Golem shook his massive head in disagreement.

“Young man, you are mistaken… Though I do not fault you. Your time in this world has been too brief to realize that these territories are the only ones that have truly adapted to the laws of this existence…”

The Head Golem swept his heavy arm through the air:

“Everything else—the shadows on one side and the chaos on the other… as well as the fusion of both at the very heart… You are all merely attempting to rewrite the existing rules rather than adapting to them…”

Alexia’s brow furrowed as she fought the urge to scream at the stone entity.

‘What is this pile of rocks even rambling about?!’ she shouted in her mind.

Adam, however, grasped the Head Golem’s meaning.

‘I understand. He is referring to the Dark Shore, the Tarnished Lands, and… the Citadel?’

Adam exhaled a long breath.

“So, you will only permit us to reach the Frost Oasis if we prove our worth, and you are convinced that doing so will be our downfall. Do I have that right?”

The Head Golem gave a slow nod.

“Yes… young Phantom. I can feel the craving for combat within your heart… You journeyed here to increase your Cultivation… But regardless of what happens, I will not bar your path. If you prove worthy, you earn the right to advance.”

In response, Adam gestured toward the fallen carcass of the ice worm behind them.

“See that? We finished off that monster without taking any major damage. I believe that serves as sufficient proof of our capabilities.”

Adam expected the Head Golem to yield or acknowledge his point, but instead…

“Haha… Hahaha!” The Head Golem erupted in laughter while the golems standing behind him shook their heads in unison.

It was clear that Adam was missing a fundamental truth.

“You assumed I intended to test your martial strength? If the matter were that simple, there would be no need to halt your progress… Even though your auras are tranquil and suppressed… that alone tells me all I need to know about your power level…”

“Huh?” Alexia scowled. “Then why did you get in our way? We slaughtered that worm just so we could keep moving!”

Refusing to wait for the Head Golem’s characteristically slow response, Alexia marched forward. She lacked any fear of the Head Golem or his followers attacking; even if they did, she was prepared for the strike.

“Pffft! I’m done wasting time. I’m going in there and—!”

Thump!

Suddenly, Alexia collided with an unseen force so violently that she tumbled to the ground, clutching her throbbing, reddened forehead.

“Ow!” Alexia cried out before snapping her eyes open.

A ripple shimmered across an invisible wall that encircled the abyss. The golems stood safely beyond its perimeter.

“What? Since when was there a barrier here?!”

Adam's eyes narrowed as he observed the phenomenon.

“It has been here the entire time.”

“Eh?”

Adam turned his gaze toward the Head Golem.

“Am I right?”

The Head Golem nodded solemnly.

“It was invisible to you before… This is what I meant… Until you surpass this boundary, the Frost Oasis will remain out of reach.”

“What? You should’ve led with that!” Alexia barked, scrambling back to her feet.

Without a moment's hesitation, she balled her hand into a fist and drove it into the barrier with her full strength. She was certain her power would be enough to shatter the obstacle.

However…

Whooooooosh.

The recoil sent Alexia spinning through the air. With a gust of wind, she tumbled past Adam, who watched her with a look of mild curiosity.

It was painfully obvious that brute force would not bring this barrier down.

“If an attack can't break it, how are we supposed to cross?”

The Head Golem leaned forward, staring directly into Adam’s eyes.

“The solution is already known to you, is it not, young man?”

Adam gave a slow, knowing nod.

“The ancient energy?”

The Head Golem gestured toward the barrier, a section of which was now visible. It glowed with a pale blue light, edged by a subtle purple tint.

“I shall be honest… were your power significantly greater, you could simply crush this wall with raw might… But for you, the path requires the use of ancient energy—or more accurately, you must accept it…”

Adam let out a sigh.

“And? How do we go about doing that?”

The Head Golem signaled with his hand.

“You may attempt it on your own, or you… young man… may choose to receive my strike and experience the ancient energy firsthand…”