Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1577 1577: How about fishing?

Though Adam hadn't scaled the mountain's peak yet, his strength had surged to the point where he could venture into the remote borders of the Dark Shore, the stronghold of the Befallen Crown's primary troops.

"A-Adam Vinter?" Liliane's voice quivered. "But if he's just a K4-Phantom, isn't our team way above this challenge?"

The man clasped his arms behind his back.

"He's traveling with another Phantom of equal might. Plus, they're both worn out from a recent fierce clash. When you arrive, they won't have recovered at all."

The hammer wielder creased his brow. "So what's the issue then?"

"There's a hunter involved. We can't pinpoint who exactly, but it's probably a Phantom pushing the K4-Level's edge or dipping into early Second Rank. Either way, your seven should handle them without trouble."

"But!"

The man lifted his hand.

"Eliminate the hunter and the girl by any means, but capture Adam Vinter alive no matter what. His powers intrigue certain commanders. They think he could prove valuable to our side."

Liliane squinted her eyes.

"You always claim that about every promising Phantom. Yet they end up as mere slaves or playthings for some elite beast."

The man grinned cunningly.

"Even if that's the case, does it bother you?"

"No."

Liliane's expression stayed blank, devoid of feeling.

"If it's the miss's command, we'll follow through. That's our duty."

The man inclined his head solemnly.

"Excellent. Then depart immediately. The shorter his recovery window, the simpler your task becomes."

With that, the man spun on his heel and exited the training area with steady steps, abandoning the fifth squad to themselves.

"Liliane... Why does this feel like a penalty?" The girl with blue hair inquired.

The gaunt man beside her dipped his head. "I sense the same thing."

The youth scowled.

"Tch. They're dispatching all seven of us for one K4-Phantom? This has to be a prank! I figured we'd landed a real challenge at last. Got my hopes up for nothing!"

The rest of the group echoed his sentiment. From the details shared, the assignment hardly matched their caliber.

"Quiet!" Liliane snapped. "This comes straight from the miss. Remember, the scouts lowballed him, and over ten Lords bit the dust because of it!"

The axe bearer rubbed his cheek.

"Sure, but... Liliane. Back then, he had two True Lords and a Second Rank Phantom backing him. We don't know this hunter's power, but unless it's a heavyweight like Wilfred, the Blighted Wanderer, we're golden."

Liliane dismissed it with a flick of her hand.

"Doesn't matter. Mission's ours, so we'll execute it! Snag Adam Vinter and wipe out anything else blocking our way!"

"YES!"

...

At times, a savage creature, a monstrous entity, or a battle-hardened fighter might detect looming danger from a distance.

A survivor like Adam, forged in countless savage fights along his journey, ought to have picked up on the fact that a pursuit had just been unleashed against him.

Or perhaps not...?

"Ghmha!"

Adam stretched with a yawn, his eyes fluttering open gradually.

"Damn... How much time passed while I was out?"

He rose, scrubbing at his eyes.

"Alexia's gone already? Where'd she head off to with that injured leg? And..." His gaze swept the space, landing on the cauldron that remained partly unfilled. "She skipped eating in the end?"

All at once, the enticing aroma of grilling meat wafted to Adam's nostrils, seizing his complete focus.

A mere few hours of rest had left him ravenous beyond measure. The showdown with Vaarh had drained every ounce of his energy and then some.

"What's that scent?"

Adam bolted from the shelter without a second thought, his eyes bulging in astonishment.

The massive blaze had dwindled to glowing embers, above which a colossal snake rotated lazily, joined by a stick threaded with tiny fish.

Goen oversaw the roasting with keen vigilance, making sure the snake browned uniformly and gained a crisp exterior.

The snake wasn't intact; prior to the fire, he'd sliced it into uniform segments and seasoned them with his own blend of spices.

Alexia perched close by, fixated on the snake like it held her in a trance. Drool escaped her lips' edge. Hunger gnawed at her fiercely, yet Goen barred her from sampling until perfection.

"Ah, you're up at last?" Goen shot a quick look at the stunned Adam.

Adam bobbed his head slowly.

"Yeah... That soup of yours wasn't just tasty; it weighed my eyes down like lead. I had no choice but to crash. But." He gestured toward the snake. "This has to top it in flavor, doesn't it?"

Goen flashed a smug grin.

"Naturally. I stick to plainer fare usually, but with visitors, this qualifies as a feast."

"Adam!" Alexia called out, gesturing wildly at the hill. "You won't believe what's inside! He's got this massive ice cavern packed with heaps of provisions and slain beasts! Damn! That snake was frozen solid in a giant ice chunk only two hours back!"

Strangely, Adam accepted her words without question. No evidence required.

'It adds up, doesn't it?' Adam mused. 'Goen might favor the hunter's path, but he can't always be chasing game. Days come when he craves downtime. Stockpiles make that possible.'

Adam couldn't picture himself embracing Goen's lifestyle, yet he grasped the reasoning behind it.

"Ha, I'd do the same in his shoes." Adam settled onto a stone beside Alexia. "Plenty of beasts out there would make mincemeat of me."

Goen lifted his shoulders.

"Can't argue that. Tougher foes bring sweeter triumphs. Sadly, meat doesn't always follow suit, but this snake? It'll melt in your mouth. I've sampled its kind before."

Adam eyed the smoldering coals, extending his palms to soak in the warmth.

"What's your next move, mighty hunter?"

"Ha, skip the title. But I've got a plan."

Goen's eyes drifted to the river.

"Ever tried angling?"