Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1552 1552: Coming from Above

As the creator and master of the Frost Oasis, Vaarh stood as the ultimate challenge for Adam and Alexia. This role had been thrust upon him against his desires, yet it marked his route to enduring, and so far, every choice he made proved spot on.

Countless lives of monsters and Phantoms had been sacrificed, granting Vaarh the vital power needed to forge a fresh form for himself, one boasting nearly the same might as his previous vessel.

Though the clash hadn't kicked off yet, he had already caught them off guard on two occasions. First came his sudden arrival and tale, and now this transformation of a portion of his former body into an arm.

Adam fixed his gaze sharply on the extended, shadowy, metal lance with a bluish hue clutched in Vaarh's hand. Its point stretched unusually far for a standard spear, edging close to halberd territory.

Nevertheless, nothing stood out as special or distinctive in the look of Vaarh's armament. It resembled a plain spear one might spot gathering dust in some forgotten forge nook.

Yet Adam's pulse raced wildly, for he realized it couldn't possibly be so straightforward, not after all the ordeals they had faced.

Alexia had been pushed by the Red Demon to unleash one of her most potent skills. She overcame it without much trouble, but that beast paled in comparison to Vaarh.

The gap between them was vast, evident just from Vaarh's radiating presence. Both Adam and Alexia harbored doubts about overpowering him, and at their core, fear gnawed because they outnumbered him two to one.

"Adam, keep our objective in mind. Have Alexia strike first; she's got more power than you at this point. The moment you draw his blood, your evolution kicks off."

Silvana's words echoed inside Adam's mind.

"I'm not certain you can take him down before gaining more strength, but fulfilling that Third Grand Star requirement will trigger it. That's a guarantee."

Adam gave a faint nod. Through Louis, Alexia was aware of their strategy, but even without words, she grasped her role perfectly.

But.

Step!

Vaarh chose to seize control and dictate the rhythm of the confrontation.

Dust billowed from the earth with his following stride, and as the hazy cloud enveloped his steady gaze, he lashed out with his spear.

SLASH!

A slicing gust of wind surged ahead while Adam barely dodged in time, the edge grazing just above his head and shearing off strands of his hair.

Tremble!

The edge struck the barrier, carving a profound gash into the rock.

Right then, Alexia charged ahead. Holding nothing back, she summoned the pale fog without delay.

"If you believe you can beat us, think again!" Alexia shouted while her punch aimed straight for Vaarh's features.

Showing no trace of dread in his stare, Vaarh extended his open hand to intercept Alexia's blow.

Oddly, it worked. Alexia's assault met Vaarh's palm as if slamming into an unyielding boulder.

Or... was that merely the illusion?

BAM!

The force surged through Vaarh's frame, hurling him rearward. His face twisted in astonishment as he jammed his spear into the dirt to halt his slide.

Struggling to accept the events, Vaarh examined his hand. Fresh gashes had split open across his iced-over flesh.

No words were necessary from Vaarh. His face revealed his inner turmoil plainly.

He never anticipated failing to halt Alexia's punch. With his prior form and power, he could have repelled her strike and struck back instantly. In such a scenario, Alexia might have suffered grave wounds from the start.

"Hmm..." Vaarh murmured, flexing and relaxing his grip repeatedly. "Got it. Time to play it safer."

As Vaarh lifted his gaze, he plunged into yet another bind, since Alexia exploited that short lull.

Tap.

Pair of massive frozen lances materialized overhead as she hoisted her limb skyward.

"What? Caught off guard that I could wound you? You're too full of yourself!" Alexia declared prior to sweeping her limb down.

Like whirling augers, the duo of frozen lances rotated before hurtling directly toward Vaarh, who remained rooted in place.

Just as earlier, no alarm flickered in his eyes. A single error had left him with minor marks. To him, fear held no place.

He belonged to the rare breed that endured endless blunders to ascend to his rank. Reaching Lord Level didn't demand a grueling trek for every monster.

At present, a single triumph stood between him and reclaiming his peak prowess, and he harbored no qualms about conquering this hurdle too.

"Two lances? Alright, I've got a counter for that."

Vaarh's gaze sparked while elongated, razor-like talons of dark steel emerged on his off hand.

A shimmer danced along the talons as he executed one swift arc.

Three pale trails materialized midair, smashing into the frozen lances and exploding them into shards.

Chilled mist from the shattered lances spread thick, clouding sight for everyone involved.

Whoooooooosh.

Alexia bounded forth, aiming to exploit the chaos and surprise Vaarh.

Yet Vaarh shared that exact notion. Battles like this were old hat to him.

"Agh?"

Alexia's stare bulged when she sensed the crush on her right arm. The steel talons clamped her bracer with crushing might, sealing the conduits and crumpling the alloy exterior.

"Your footwork's sharp, but I'm amazed you're not dead yet. Taking gambles like that in fights would've cost me over a hundred lives, if I was lucky."

Beneath his resonant tone, Vaarh hoisted his spear aloft.

'Damn!' Alexia struggled to escape, yet Vaarh refused to release her.

'Alexia, deploy it now, or he'll shred you apart!' Louis's urgent call resounded in Alexia's thoughts.

She nearly consented, but right before Vaarh's descent, an unexpected twist unfolded.

Tap.

A small stone dropped onto Alexia's shoulder, trailed by a colossal frozen serpent that erupted from the soil layers directly into their battleground.

At this instant, Alexia and Vaarh hovered mere moments from the gaping maw of the ice worm, its myriad fangs poised to swallow them whole.