Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1531 1531: Too Slow (Part 2)

Just as Adam anticipated, the outcome of their second try didn't vary greatly from the initial one. They did gather considerably more Glowing Tips, though they also benefited from extra time.

"Tch, have we really not advanced even a bit?" Alexia grumbled while coughing up a glob of blood. A ghost spider had struck her side with considerable force.

Adam shook his head.

"Not quite. Every Glowing Tip gathered ramps up the speed of the golden spiders and boosts the strength of the ghost spiders. In other words, snagging five tips starting from zero versus when you've already secured 25 presents entirely different challenges.

"Still, you're correct. That's insufficient progress."

Next, Adam scanned the surroundings, eyeing the lake's surface. Roughly 20% of it featured stone pathways. Clearly, this setup was obstructing Adam and Alexia. Whenever a golden spider lingered between peaks, they were forced to navigate through the air to prevent plunging into the water.

Regardless, this greatly hampered their performance, so action was necessary to push ahead.

"Alexia, I've got a question for you."

"Huh?" Alexia cocked her head, puzzled.

"From what I gather, the majority of your powers still revolve around ice. Plus, your Nexus hasn't evolved dramatically since our previous encounter. It's grown more intricate and potent, and you've added boots to your gauntlets, but the core remains unchanged, correct?"

Alexia nodded without a word.

"Got it. Then..." Adam gestured toward the lake encircling them. "Is it possible for you to freeze the entire area?"

Rather than replying outright, Alexia approached the edge, knelt down, and extended her arm over the water. Energy gathered before her palm while the air chilled noticeably.

Seconds later, ice started forming on the water's surface, yet it spread far slower and thinner than Alexia anticipated.

Had she confronted a mere pond of plain water without any energy, a mere burst of her aura would have transformed it into a massive ice block.

"Tch. Be it the ordinary stones or the water here, everything's infused with such thick energy that freezing even one path demands tremendous effort."

Adam blinked. "But you can manage it, can't you?"

Alexia responded with a broad grin.

"Naturally. And unlike you, I've devised an actual strategy."

"Huh?"

Alexia jabbed a finger at him.

"Silvana explained to me the capabilities of your fresh Nexus that you just acquired. Why hold back on using it? It lets you dash at incredible speeds, doesn't it?"

Adam blinked repeatedly, taken aback.

In reality, it had slipped his mind, or more precisely, he hadn't considered that angle. His goal was to gauge their potential without relying on powers, and while his new Nexus enhanced his speed, it wasn't straightforward. Thus, Adam explored alternatives, overlooking this possibility.

"Ha, seems like someone's not as clever as they believed!" Alexia teased before thumping her chest. "Since I'm the brains here, we'll execute my strategy!"

Adam let out a chuckle.

"Fine by me. So, what's the plan, brilliant one?"

"It's straightforward."

Alexia pointed at him again.

"I'll freeze them all, leaving you as the sole pursuer!"

"Huh...?"

Adam felt bewildered. This wasn't the approach he had in mind.

Nevertheless, he didn't dismiss the idea. It sparked some thoughts.

"Hold on, this could actually succeed. With them frozen or at least sluggish, it'd simplify things for me greatly. I'll operate solo, but time might suffice," he murmured, stroking his chin.

"Hey!" Alexia flailed her hand. "Are you paying attention? Do you approve or not?"

Adam gave a faint nod.

"Yes, I approve. I'm set to begin immediately."

Instantly, Adam's aura intensified dramatically. Black gloves and boots materialized on his hands and feet, forged like iron, along with the black staff known as the Staff of Defeat—his Stellar Nexus.

Yet that wasn't everything Adam planned to deploy for this challenge. Employing his Nexus meant their subsequent try had to clinch the win.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Adam's aura swelled to a fearsome intensity, prompting Alexia to retreat several steps on instinct.

A four-pointed star materialized in Adam's left eye as Silvana's energy coursed through him, while his right eye shifted to green.

Though he skipped his needle, that didn't bar him from harnessing the Silver Weaver's power.

At this point, Adam embodied his deadliest form.

"Proceed, we're prepared."

The platform quaked as Alexia's eyes bulged. She hastily invoked her Nexus and positioned herself at the lake's heart.

Adam needed to snag 60 golden spiders by himself, yet he trusted that Alexia's support would enable it. Each now had a distinct role, often proving more efficient than duplicating efforts.

[The trial has begun.]

[You have 10 minutes to collect 60 Glowing Tips.]

The moment the Ancient Voice echoed, the spiral crystals vibrated, unleashing scores of ghost spiders from every direction.

Tap.

Before Alexia could unleash her icy surge, Adam struck his staff against the ground.

"What?"

In that instant, he vanished from Alexia's sight and rematerialized several meters forward.

Crack.

The black staff crashed into the golden spider, reducing the creature to mere energy residue.

This marked their initial Glowing Tip, with 59 remaining. It was time for Alexia to act.

"Fine, my go now!" Alexia declared as frosty vapor billowed from her gauntlets' vents.

Without delay, she slammed her gauntlets toward each other, but they halted short. A small frost sphere emerged between them instead, drawing in escalating energy over time.

The chill intensified swiftly, frosting the ground encircling Alexia as she flung her arms apart and clapped with full force, detonating the frost sphere.

Before her eyes, the surroundings solidified into ice, ensnaring all in her unrelenting freeze.