Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1518 1518: Flux

To an outside observer, Adam appeared to be taking a suicidal gamble that should have resulted in his certain demise.

During the previous exchange, the Head Golem had held back its full power, yet Adam had been prepared for the impact. Despite his readiness, he had been unable to maintain his footing, and his arm was now covered in a multitude of injuries.

Furthermore, the Head Golem didn't truly need to lift a finger. He had only struck out of respect for Adam's brutal determination to face this trial.

Had the Head Golem simply stood by and watched, Adam would have succumbed to the freezing cold within a minute, his heart ceasing to beat as he turned into a statue of ice.

But from Adam's perspective, this was no mere gamble. When the Head Golem first struck him, he had caught a fleeting glimpse of ancient energy attempting to penetrate his inner space.

However, his inner space was already saturated, leaving no room for this foreign power. With nowhere to settle, the ancient energy had vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

Perhaps a longer confrontation would have yielded different results, but Adam wasted no time on such idle thoughts.

He focused his entire being on drawing that ancient energy back to him, like a parched well pulling in a sudden stream of water.

'This radical approach might not have been strictly necessary, but...' Adam mused as gray-purple currents were reflected in his pupils. 'It was certainly worth the price.'

Just as the Head Golem’s fist was about to collide with Adam’s palm, a sharp, echoing crack resounded within his conscious mind.

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

The sound was heard not only by him, but also by Silvana, Lone Blaze, and the Silver Weaver.

Pinpointing the source of the noise was an easy task for them.

Silvana looked up, her eyes widening with pure terror.

They all witnessed the Evolution Tree beginning to disintegrate, starting from its very peak, directly above Lone Blaze.

The Evolution Tree didn't shatter instantly like glass; instead, it peeled away layer by layer. Within moments, a deep fissure formed, opening into a dark, endless void that had manifested according to Adam's will.

"ADAM!" Silvana screamed, desperate to reach his mind. She understood better than anyone that the Evolution Tree was on the verge of destruction, and Adam himself was the cause.

Despite her plea, Adam remained stoic, his expression not shifting in the slightest.

"Relax, my dear Operator, reinforcements have arrived."

Whoooooooosh.

As if responding to his call—or rather, his invitation—the gray-purple flows surged into the darkness of his inner space.

The process was reminiscent of the start of his journey, when Adam would consume monster genes to extract energy, meet specific conditions, and grow in Cultivation. Back then, pale-blue flows would merge with his Evolution Tree to elevate his power.

While this was an entirely different form of energy, the scale felt familiar.

Compared to the vast reserves Adam held at his peak, this energy was like a few drops falling into a massive lake. However, these were no ordinary drops.

"What is this..." Silvana whispered, watching the gray-purple currents rush toward the fracture in the Evolution Tree.

Adam had purged his own power to create a vacuum for the ancient energy, and now, those flows had discovered a perfect vessel.

They weren't sufficient to saturate the entire Evolution Tree, but they possessed enough potency to seal the single gap.

The moment the ancient energy touched the fissure, a brilliant flash illuminated the inner space. Silvana watched in awe as something entirely unprecedented was forged upon Adam's path.

The section that once consisted of white bark and standard energy had been transformed into a gateway for a different power. A luminous rift now stood where the gap had been, and the surrounding bark regained its luster, now infused with a distinct purple tint.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The Path Construct began to vibrate. Although Adam had not yet met the requirements for the Third Grand Star, the Path Construct acknowledged every significant milestone in his evolution, not just the Grand Stars.

This event was clearly a monumental turning point.

[The Ancient Flux has been established.]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed through the inner space, vibrating in Silvana’s mind.

"A-Ancient Flux?" Her voice shook as she stared at the violet rift atop the Evolution Tree.

Their understanding of ancient energy and ancient monsters was shallow at best, yet Adam now commanded a portion of that very power.

"Wait, if this is part of the Evolution Tree now, does that mean Adam can wield ancient energy? But..." Silvana bit her lip nervously. "How? What will the final result be?"

Whoooooooosh.

A sudden, violent wave of frost swept through, forcing Silvana to wrap her arms around herself to ward off the biting chill.

She had been so captivated by the Ancient Flux that she had momentarily forgotten Adam's physical body was still in mortal peril.

The danger was immediate; Adam’s current power level was too low to withstand the freezing temperatures for much longer.

However, he had no intention of falling here.

His gamble had paid off, and he was ready to unleash the full extent of the ancient energy he had just acquired.

Adam’s eyes flashed with a purple light as he blinked. The gray-purple energy surged toward his palm, condensing into a small, dense barrier that moved like a flowing river.

BLAST!

The Head Golem’s massive fist crashed into Adam’s palm. But instead of Adam being crushed, it was the Head Golem who recoiled.

The force of the impact vibrated through the Head Golem’s massive frame, causing its arm to shake as the entire momentum of the strike was neutralized by Adam's barrier.

"You understand now, don't you?" Adam said, meeting the Head Golem's gaze. "It wasn't a risk. It was an invitation."