Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1582 1582: Unknown Hunter

It was odd how the Befallen Crown and its monstrous forces fixated so intensely on an ordinary K4-Phantom such as Adam Vinter.

Wouldn't it make far more sense to target the Second Rank Phantoms, those who truly endangered the realm of monsters?

That was precisely the issue at hand.

While Lords numbered in abundance, Second Rank Phantoms were scarce by comparison, yet each one wielded devastating might.

Beyond individuals like Damien, the leaders of the Twelve Branches or the tower chiefs in the Lower Ring also commanded vast strength.

Thus, whenever the Befallen Crown spotted a chance to eliminate a threat of that caliber, they seized it without hesitation.

Within the Dead Lands, striking at Adam proved far too hazardous. Frida's safeguard extended over him, just as it did for numerous other promising Phantoms in his vein.

The Tarnished Lands presented a trickier scenario, thanks to the Renegades' presence. Though not outright foes of the Befallen Crown, they wouldn't tolerate turmoil ripping through their domain merely for one K4-Phantom.

Therefore, only two regions remained where the Befallen Crown could operate without restraint: the Dark Shore and the Primal Lands.

Had Adam wound up near the Dark Shore, close to the Befallen Crown's territories, his demise would have come swiftly. He faced assaults there, indeed, but a handful of formidable fighters aided his getaway.

However... in this place, the Primal Lands, who could possibly come to his aid?

The fifth team from the Crown Squad included seven Lords under Liliane's command, a seasoned warrior who had endured countless skirmishes.

Furthermore, the Old Horn represented yet another layer in the fray. His involvement all but ensured that even if the mysterious hunter managed to stall Liliane's group, Adam's getaway would prove impossible.

Up to this point, however, neither Adam nor Alexia harbored any such suspicions.

They remained utterly absorbed in the coffee and jam that Goen had whipped up from the local berries.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Alexia shoveled spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. She hurried through it, eager not to linger over breakfast.

"Where are you rushing off to?" Adam arched an eyebrow, puzzled. "You know that scarfing it down faster won't speed up your recovery, right?"

"Pfffft!" Alexia huffed, a smudge of jam lingering at her lip's edge. "Of course I know that. What I'm after now isn't regaining my strength—it's thrashing you! I'm positive that by nightfall, I'll snag way more fish than your piranha!"

Arguing with Alexia on this front was pointless, so Adam merely shrugged and took another gulp of coffee.

Goen shook his head.

"Hah, it's been ages since I crossed paths with someone sporting such a fiery spirit. Truth be told, I'm shocked you're still kicking, Alexia."

She offered no reply, instead polishing off her jam and lifting her coffee cup.

"I handle everything perfectly and always come out on top—that's why I'm standing here, while my rivals are pushing up daisies!"

"Solid response." Goen nodded, prodding the fire's embers with a stick.

Sip.

Alexia sipped her brew, wiped the jam from her mouth, and prepared to head back to the lakeside. She and her rod had plenty more catching to do if she aimed to shatter Adam's record.

Who could say what choice Adam might have made that day, were it not for Goen's sudden scowl.

"Hmm?"

Over the two days spent in this spot, he'd never witnessed such a look on Goen's face.

"Is something wrong?"

Before Adam could voice his concern, Goen sprang ahead and seized both Adam and Alexia by the shoulders.

The final sight Adam caught was surges of azure energy plummeting toward them like a thunderbolt. A blink later, and they stood across the lake.

Thump!

Adam and Alexia tumbled to the earth as their gazes fixed forward.

"What the...?"

Their eyes bulged in shock while they stared at the obliterated campfire. No hostile energies had registered, nor had any beasts appeared nearby. Absolutely nothing hinted at impending danger.

"Look up." Goen's voice cut through, icy and sharp. "Seems like somebody figured you two needed dealing with, and fast."

Adam tilted his head skyward and went rigid.

Seven silhouettes hovered overhead, with a long-haired blonde girl boasting blue eyes at their forefront.

Though not matching Adam's own prowess, his accumulated know-how let him grasp that they were all Lords.

A notably ominous presence radiated from Liliane and the youth positioned in the second line. They stood apart from the others, despite the rest of the fifth team's efforts to appear even more intimidating than that young man.

Alexia swallowed hard.

"S-Seven Lords? Who are they?"

Goen gestured toward the crown emblem on their chests.

"The Crown Squad. I'm unclear on their exact makeup, but they're surely in the Top 10. They answer straight to one of the Befallen Crown's mightiest monsters."

For all its peril, Goen stayed utterly composed. To him, this was old news. Clashes with the Befallen Crown's troops weren't new territory.

Adam and Alexia saw things far differently. They realized matching seven Lords was beyond them.

Perhaps dodging the clash or slipping away remained viable?

Tap.

Liliane glided down to the ground with elegant poise. Her companions trailed after, save for the young man who chose to linger aloft.

She scanned the fishing rod, the coffee remnants, and the fire she'd just ruined.

Next, she strode to the water's edge and fixed her stare on Goen across the way.

"Who are you, hunter?"

Goen's face stayed devoid of feeling.

"I've got the same query for you. You barged into my territory unannounced and wrecked my campfire."

Liliane's eyes narrowed.

"Hmm? Your breakfast's mess-up worries you more than your own neck?"

She flicked her hand, uninterested in dragging out chit-chat with a mere hunter.

"We hold the authority to take any steps required for our mission! That's a directive from the Befallen Crown! We, the fifth team of the Crown Squad, arrived to seize Adam Vinter and eliminate the other K4-Phantom!"

Liliane jabbed a finger at Alexia, then at Adam.

"Hand over these two, and we'll leave you be. This is my sole warning!"

She recognized the hunter's potential might, yet Liliane felt no dread.

Any human thriving solo in the Primal Lands' heart attested to his capability. Still, with seven Lords at her back, triumph seemed inevitable.

"Surrender these two to you?" Goen inquired, his tone suggesting genuine deliberation. "What fate awaits the boy and the girl?"

Liliane noted the talk turning to bargaining, so she prepared to elaborate:

"Adam Vinter gets taken alive, per our boss's command. This girl... Alexia, well, she holds zero worth to us."

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Goen rubbed the nape of his neck, his features twisting in unease.

"Got it. Pretty straightforward, huh? In that light, I've got a proposal of my own."

His green gaze turned frigid, far removed from a hunter's laid-back vibe.

"I'll wipe you all out and rustle up dinner. Sound good?"

Liliane's eye flickered, but she held back from escalating.

She let out a deep sigh.

"Truthfully, I expected that kind of comeback. You've convinced yourself that solo survival in the Primal Lands makes you untouchable, right?"

Whoooooosh.

A white metal rapier materialized in her grasp, its tip glowing azure with a curved guard.

"Fine then, we'll stick to the initial strategy."

Azure energy currents swirled about her as she dashed ahead. She skimmed the lake's surface, sending waves fanning out in her wake.

Adam and Alexia traded looks. Mere seconds separated them from Liliane's arrival.

Yet Goen's eyes betrayed no trace of alarm.

He blinked.

BAM!

A massive fog fist slammed down upon Liliane from on high. Her startled wide eyes revealed she'd only spotted the looming shadow in time.

Water erupted skyward like a blast from dynamite, but this marked just the start.

Goen lifted his hand, fingers curling faintly as though brushing the breeze.

Instantly, a storm of fog fists rained upon the lake, evoking dread beyond a thousand cannon volleys.

The lake's waters churned wildly, the earth quaked, and doubts swirled if Liliane could endure the onslaught.

WHOOOOOOOSH!

In a streak of blue, Liliane burst free, slicing through the fog fists blocking her way.

"Gha... Gha... Gha..."

Her breaths came ragged, her hand slick with blood from clutching the rapier so fiercely.

"You..." Liliane ground her teeth. "Who are you?"

Goen shrugged.

"I'm just a hunter."