Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1584 1584: Another Warrior
Previously on Endless Evolution: Last Star...
In a clash between a Lord and the Second Rank Phantom—or the K4-Phantom edging toward evolution—one element stood out to reveal the power balance between them.
This served as a test, one that held a high degree of reliability.
What lay at the core of this test?
Simply stated, the side that revealed their weapon first proved to be the weaker force.
Liliane called forth her rapier, her Arc, aiming to strike down the mysterious hunter swiftly and seize Adam. She had no intention of lingering on Alexia, fully aware that the girl couldn't endure a single blow.
Yet, all the others—save for the young man—brought out their Arcs the instant they witnessed Goen halting Liliane's onslaught.
This move strayed from their strategy. They responded purely on reflex, and in that instant, they flunked the test.
"W-Wait..."
The girl with blue hair recoiled, glancing at her bow and Goen's bare hands.
The truth dawned on her, just as it did for the rest.
"This is serious." The pale man scowled. "We number seven, and we've all drawn our Arcs, but he hasn't revealed his Nexus. Damn it."
"Hey!" The young man burst out. "Not all of us! I'm not scared of him like you lot! Hahaha!"
The axe wielder scoffed. "Tch. Cocky little fool. That just proves your senses are dull. You can't detect danger staring you in the face!"
Whooooooosh.
Liliane tuned out their banter while she descended gradually. No longer suspended in the air, the energy around her feet let her plant herself straight on the water's surface. In a way, it mirrored the technique they used to hover and soar through the skies.
She directed her rapier forward, issuing a command.
"Listen up. Our focus now is this hunter. We'll take him down and fulfill our objective."
The blue-haired girl set her bow aside and nocked a water arrow to the string. The red-haired girl struck her blades together, sparking electrical bursts nearby, while the pale man melted into the shadows, gearing up to encircle the whole lake.
The axe man and hammer man clutched their Arcs more firmly, ready to back Liliane, whereas the young man stayed at ease, drifting in the sky.
"You..." Liliane snarled, fixing her gaze on Goen. "Draw your Nexus! Give us a battle worth watching!"
"Nah, that's not gonna happen." Goen dismissed with a casual wave. "My fists ought to suffice against you all."
This bold defiance from the enigmatic Phantom fueled Liliane's rage, leaving her no choice but to ignite the battle.
Whoooooooosh.
With her signal, the axe man charged ahead.
It wasn't their usual setup for the team, but they understood how to handle a lone formidable foe. They'd drilled for such encounters in both drills and real action.
"You underestimate us, don't you?" The axe man growled, seizing his axe with both hands.
"I'll force you to respect our power and dread the Befallen Crown!"
Yellow lightning flickered in the man's eyes as his axe slashed straight toward Goen.
BLAST!
A jet of water erupted skyward, briefly hiding their forms.
The group froze in suspense as a sharp object hurtled from the haze.
Whoooooooooooosh.
The axe man's form soared beyond the fifth team, smashing through trees until it slammed into the cliffside.
Eyes bulging in shock, everyone whipped around. Disbelief gripped them.
"GHA!" The axe man wheezed in agony as blood poured from his wounds.
Only he, Liliane, and the hammer man donned armor. For Liliane and the hammer man, it was thick plating that offered real defense against fellow Lords or deadly beasts.
Yet... it offered no shield against Goen.
A fist mark dented the solar plexus spot, the armor folding like flimsy foil.
Steamy heat rose from Goen's knuckles, his skin unmarked.
"Folks, if that's your top fighter, I'd suggest fleeing in terror. You have no clue what you're up against."
"Pffft." Liliane scoffed. "That strike means nothing to us! Right?"
Stomp!
The axe man hauled himself from the rubble and gave a firm nod.
"Absolutely. It's a scratch. I've endured far worse in my time."
Suddenly, the blue-haired girl loosed her shot. The water arrow raced at blistering speed toward Goen, slicing the lake's top.
Wheeez!
Simultaneously, the red-haired girl flashed in from the flank in a red blur. Her blades hummed with lightning, poised to slash Goen's throat while the arrow diverted him.
'Perfect. No way he'll handle us both!' She mused.
Thump.
Fear gripped her heart as Goen's left eye flicked sideways, locking onto her with intensity.
'What? He spotted me... That quickly?!'
The water arrow struck home, yet Goen stood firm without evading.
Clutch.
He snatched the arrow mid-flight. Its quivering point halted inches from his stoic visage.
His shoulder dipped, body twisting.
Before comprehension could set in, he hurled the water arrow back at the red-haired girl with explosive might, rippling the air.
THRUST!
Blood sprayed from her shoulder, agony twisting her features.
'Damn! Gotta reposition!' She pushed through the hurt, focusing on combat.
Tremble!
As space quivered, Goen materialized before her, his fist driving into her gut.
The blast hurled her skyward, soaring past the barrier shielding his home from monsters.
True, the red-haired girl ranked as a Lord, but to the Primal Lands' beasts, that meant little.
Ice wyverns promptly emerged from the clouds, eager to shred the vulnerable girl.
Goen squinted, turning grave about the skirmish for the first time.
For reasons unknown, the wyverns halted as a figure materialized beside the girl.
A man with azure skin, one horn atop his head, and hooves for feet.
"Well, well, quite the powerful hit, eh?" The Old Horn smirked, facing the girl.
He seized her shoulder tightly and inquired:
"You know, perhaps we could do without a frail one like you—what say you?"