Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1522 1522: Hunting in the Forest

Adam remained within his inner consciousness for a considerable duration. His dialogue with Silvana and his initial discovery of the Ancient Flux had consumed more time than expected.

However, in the physical realm, barely sixty seconds had ticked away.

Even so, that brief window allowed the Head Golem to fully regenerate its severed limb, while Alexia continued her futile attempts to breach the energy barrier.

Bam.

The collision of Alexia’s fist against the Head Golem’s heavy strike sent a shockwave through her frame, once again knocking her backward.

“Your approach is all wrong,” Adam remarked, casually resting his chin on his palm while perched on a nearby boulder.

“Shut up!” Alexia snapped, scrambling back to her feet. “What do you expect me to do? Sacrifice my strength and flirt with death like you did? Even if I were prepared for that, I’m not going to just mimic you! I will discover my own path!”

Adam simply gave a noncommittal shrug.

“I admire the grit, but you’ve been acting as a punching bag for an hour now. I’m starting to get bored.”

The Head Golem shifted its gaze toward Alexia.

“Young lady... perhaps he speaks the truth. If you cannot sense the ancient energy after such a relentless battering, then you are either unready... or this particular path is not suited for you...”

A fierce, competitive fire ignited in Alexia’s eyes.

“WHAT? He was just lucky! And I’ve been unlucky! That is all! Eventually, I will grasp it! I won’t let a lack of luck stop me!”

With no other choice, the Head Golem shrugged and resumed their tedious training session.

Every Phantom aspiring to reach the Second Rank was required to harness Ancient Energy eventually. This was a reality both Adam and Alexia now recognized.

Naturally, Alexia refused to be left in the dust. She was willing to endure any hardship to stand as Adam’s equal once more.

‘Heh...’ Adam felt a spark of amusement as he watched her. ‘She blames everything on her fortune, even though she’s doing fine. Well, if that delusion provides her with infinite drive, then I suppose there’s no harm in it.’

Thump!

Following Alexia’s latest failure, Adam addressed the Head Golem.

“Hey, is there a spot nearby to hunt for food? I mean here on the ridge, not down in the Frost Oasis.”

The Head Golem appeared confused by the request.

“Food...? Are you actually feeling hunger? You only just arrived in these territories, did you not?”

Adam waved off the concern.

“Yeah, I’m a bit hungry and the cold is getting to me. Is that a problem?”

The Head Golem paused for a moment before gesturing toward the woodland where Adam and Alexia had first landed after their run-in with the ice wyvern.

“The forest contains everything necessary for survival... Though...” The Head Golem looked at the massive carcass of the worm. “What prevents you from consuming this beast?”

Adam looked away, shaking his head in disapproval.

“Nah, it might sound odd, but I have no desire to eat that worm. I fought it as a rival in combat, warrior against monster, not as a predator hunting prey.”

Without waiting for the Head Golem’s reply, Adam rose and walked with purpose toward the tree line.

The edge of the forest was clearly visible from this vantage point on the Frost Ridge.

“I won’t be long. With any luck, Alexia will have made some headway by the time I return.”

Alexia squeezed her fist tight.

“I will! I’m on the verge of it, I can feel it! I’m certain!”

The Head Golem remained skeptical. He acted neither as their savior nor their foe; his duty was simply to guard the Frost Oasis, either repelling intruders or granting passage. Thus, he had no alternative but to keep sparring with the girl.

While Adam possessed the power to shatter the barrier and perhaps force Alexia through, he wasn't entirely certain of the outcome.

More importantly, he knew it would be a reckless mistake.

‘If the Head Golem is blocking our path, then entering the Frost Oasis without ancient energy is pointless. Until Alexia masters that power, she would find nothing but a grave down there. I don't want her death on my conscience.’

Months ago, when the threat of the World Wipe first reached Adam’s ears, he would have rushed every action, desperate to save every second.

Now, however, he was content to let Alexia evolve at her own speed.

With that thought, Adam descended from the Frost Ridge and reached the forest’s perimeter. He wasn't sure if the white predators from before were still lurking, but he was confident a worthy challenge would present itself soon.

“Hmm...” Adam scanned the area, feeling a sense of unease.

The area was eerily still; no ravens watched from the branches, and no common beasts crossed his path. It appeared deserted, though Adam knew better than to trust appearances.

“Am I truly that unlucky, or are they hiding from me? Or perhaps, like the wyvern, they only swarmed us because they sensed the teleportation?”

Adam knew a guaranteed trick to draw attention. He usually avoided it since trouble tended to find him regardless, but current circumstances required a different approach.

By venting his internal energy, he would surely attract a monster seeking to devour that power for its own evolution.

But before doing that, a new idea struck him.

“What would the reaction be if I released ancient energy instead of star energy?”

In the last ten minutes, he had only managed to replenish a tiny fraction of his Ancient Flux—merely a few droplets.

“This should suffice.” Adam shut his eyes and tightened his grip.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

A faint, shimmering stream of gray-purple energy radiated from his skin, enveloping him in a translucent shroud. Unlike the violent flares of his usual energy, this felt like a steady, rhythmic tide.

Nevertheless, the sheer density of this aura was more than enough to pique the interest of local predators.

The sound of approaching footsteps reached Adam’s ears, yet he continued to manifest the energy.

Opening his eyes, a grin spread across his face as he spotted a massive wolf prowling toward him.

“Time to play the hunter... isn't that what Damien suggested?”