Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1633: What Happened to the Phantom?

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Every time Adam tried again, the surge of energy pushed him away forcefully. Although he could have smashed the glass cube easily with one fist, the rules of the training permitted only his energy usage—and up to now, his efforts hadn't yielded much success.

Tron employed just a tiny portion of his power, yet because he operated at a superior tier, it posed a genuine challenge for Adam.

In the meantime, Tron, Silvana, and Riska lounged at a nearby table, sipping juice and munching on cookies. They had packed these snacks from home, aware that Adam would need considerable time to master this training segment.

"Riska, I have a question." Silvana looked her way, aware of Riska’s history.

"Hmm?" Riska propped her head on her hand. "Sure, I’m listening."

"You were originally a Phantom, right? So... I couldn’t have known this before, but what happened to your power when Tron reached K2, K3, and especially K4 Level?"

These represented the stages where an Operator evolved beyond simple emotional and informational aid to a Phantom, integrating into the core strength itself.

However... Riska had never served as an Operator. Actually, her situation stood out as exceptional. She had been a Phantom who chose to abandon that existence, desiring solely a trustworthy companion.

"Oh, I see," Riska gave a faint smile. "Well, it might seem like a complicated story, but it’s actually simple. My Evolution Tree, my Nexus, and all the abilities I had—they’re gone."

"Agh?"

Riska nodded.

"Tron’s Evolution Tree absorbed everything I had. There could be no other outcome, because sooner or later, everyone in our position must become a true Operator."

"True Operator?" Silvana looked puzzled. "What does that mean?"

Riska smiled, gazing at Silvana with a soft intensity.

"Haven’t you ever thought about that?" She looked toward Adam, immersed in his training. "Before his Evolution Tree granted you your energy, before you entered his inner space. What sets you apart from the countless other female Operators?"

Silvana found herself taken aback.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

Riska smirked. "Exactly what I said. What prevented Adam from swapping you out for another? If that girl matched his personality and handled Operator duties effectively, she could have taken your place without issue."

Cold sweat beaded on Silvana’s brow. She longed to protest, but the words stuck in her throat, leaving her motionless.

She grasped that Riska spoke the truth.

Similar to many fellow Operators, she had studied at the academy amid hundreds of similar girls. Unfazed by self-assessment, Silvana acknowledged that several were more attractive, intelligent, and diligent than herself.

"Just statistically... One of them would have suited Adam just as well as I did, and maybe even better."

Next, Silvana comprehended that early in their journey, while Adam differed, she remained an ordinary human. Devoid of energy, abilities, or anything special, any comparable girl could have substituted for her seamlessly.

"Now, you understand that, right?" Riska remarked, sipping her juice.

She turned to Tron, softly grasping his hand.

"Until you received energy from your Phantom’s Evolution Tree, you weren’t a true Operator. You were merely a mission department staffer assigned to partner with this Phantom. Beyond tasks and personal bonds, little else tied you together.

"For everyday people, that suffices amply, but not for our kind. Thus, plainly stated, you became his Operator for real only when Adam shared his energy with you. Prior to then, you were simply a human assistant to him, nothing beyond that. Yet he was a Phantom brimming with energy and might."

Silvana swallowed hard. This revelation from Riska surprised her, yet she found no grounds to refute it, as it mirrored reality precisely.

Riska smiled.

"Still, he chose you, didn’t he?"

"Y-Yes."

Riska nodded and trailed her hand across Tron’s chest.

"I went through that, too. And, to be honest? It was the best day of my life. The day I realized that I was now a real Operator and not a failed Phantom, the day I embraced the role I desired. Back then, I realized that my choice wasn’t just a whim. From the very beginning, it was one of the options."

Silvana bent forward, nibbling her nails thoughtfully.

"So, despite our beliefs in the early days, in reality, absolutely anyone can become a Phantom or an Operator? For some, it’s just luck, for others, a choice, but still... It’s possible in every instance."

This time, Tron entered the discussion.

"Yes. Ultimately, it all comes down to the fact that a Phantom and an Operator share the same inner space and draw power from the Evolution Tree. Technically, until that moment, the Operators simply don’t exist."

Riska leaned her head against Tron’s shoulder.

"So, to answer your question, right now I’m definitely his Operator and nothing else. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to become a Phantom again or regain my powers, but I don’t need to know that. It’s not what I want."

Silvana nodded while shifting her gaze to Adam, persistent in his training. He hadn’t succeeded yet, but she trusted that eventually, he’d discover how to drive out Tron’s energy from the glass cube.

’How strange it all turns out... Before we arrived at the Dead Lands, many others and I thought it was all just a matter of luck and talent. But, in reality, it’s much more complicated, isn’t it?’

She buried her face in her hands, peeking out only with her eyes as she observed Adam.

’Great, I don’t want to know that we’re here because we got lucky. We’re here because we’ve come all this way together, and one day... We’ll reach the First and Last Star together.’