Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1636: Wave of Wind

Slice. Slice. Slice.

Silvana focused on cutting the apples, carefully following Riska’s precise instructions while preparing the dough. Cooking was second nature to her; she often seized any opportunity to craft Adam’s favorite meals herself, preferring her own efforts over dining out.

Yet, the atmosphere remained uncharacteristically serious. Silvana realized this wasn't just any dessert for Adam; the final creation had to be good enough to impress even Tron.

When Tron became involved, Riska refused to settle for anything less than perfection.

"Excellence," Riska remarked, nodding as she inspected the apple cuts and the perfectly whipped batter. "Now, preheat the oven and arrange the slices in a vortex. This layout ensures a stunning presentation, a perfect cross-section, and a balanced blend of tart and sweet in every bite, all wrapped in a rich aroma."

Silvana swept the sweat from her brow, momentarily pausing to gaze at her own reflection in the polished surface of an apple she held.

"These apples—the variety seems unfamiliar. They are quite elongated, and the edges are surprisingly sharp..."

Riska nodded knowingly.

"This type is exclusive to this farm. Consider it a perk of our current location. Every farm of this caliber tends to harbor such unique specimens."

For some reason, Silvana let out a soft laugh as she rotated the fruit in her hand.

"Hmm?" Riska raised a questioning eyebrow.

Silvana shook her head.

"I was merely pondering... we both take such joy in cooking for them. At the Citadel, we have an abundance of ingredients for even the most intricate recipes. Yet, how many hidden, rare ingredients exist—ones we cannot reach because they thrive only in the Dead Lands?"

She glanced at Riska, the memory of Adam’s time at Goen’s home surfacing.

"I witnessed the wonders of the deep Primal Lands, and I suspect that was merely a tiny fraction, wasn’t it?"

Riska tilted her head, tapping her cheek in contemplation.

"Well, look at you, thinking far beyond our borders. That is commendable, but for now, we have no exotic fruits from the Dead Lands—only apples, batter, and sugar!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Silvana replied with military precision.

...

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Adam rubbed the back of his head, struggling to conceive how to damage every steel block simultaneously with one blow.

Two more laser attempts yielded the same stagnant result—barely clearing a single block. Compressing his ancient energy any further proved beyond his current limits.

Though he longed to just unleash his full power, he understood that brute force alone would not achieve his goal.

'Tsk, Tron didn't ask me to avoid destroying them without reason. This isn't about damage; it's about reach, right? But... how can I hit the tenth block if I neglect the ninth?'

Memories of recent events flickered in his mind—specifically, the moment Keranda had intervened to save him and Merra.

'Right, she shattered those walls effortlessly, ignoring even the strongest protective runes. I could sense the raw pressure of her energy from the air, long before she even landed.'

Tap.

He rose, stretched, and slipped into his fighting stance.

'I don't need to attack the blocks themselves, but rather the space they occupy.'

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Every ounce of his ancient energy surged from his Evolution Tree, flooding into his tightly clenched fist.

Tron, initially indifferent, expected another laser attempt. Suddenly, his attention sharpened.

Adam acted differently this time; instead of compressing, he forced the purple energy outward, forming a volatile bubble.

The bubble expanded until it reached its breaking point, shattering into countless transparent shards that danced through the air, merging with the wind.

Tron’s eyes narrowed as Adam stepped back and delivered a massive strike against the first steel block.

WHOOOOOOOSH!

Rather than a concentrated laser beam piercing through, a ferocious gust of wind slammed into the towering structures.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The wind, saturated with ancient energy, shredded the edges of the steel, sending metallic fragments flying outward. The current didn't stall; it pushed forward, gaining velocity as the narrowing gaps of the steel blocks allowed the wind to accelerate.

"Huh, he grasped that so quickly?" Tron mused, shaking his head. "No, that's not it. He managed to project his ancient energy over a distance without losing control."

As the wind current dismantled the final steel block, Tron’s expression softened into a nod of approval.

'Excellent. That was precisely the outcome I desired. Whether he intuited my thoughts or simply found the only viable solution, he has passed.'

Step.

Tron left his position by the table, approaching Adam, who stood panting heavily.

"Agh... Agh... Agh..."

He had spent all his stored energy on that single strike; he could not afford failure, as the recharge time would have been agonizingly long.

"How exactly did you realize the solution?" Tron asked softly.

Adam turned around, a smirk gracing his lips.

"Ah? Is that your way of congratulating me? Honestly..." He gestured to the damaged blocks. "What other options remained? If my highest level of compression only scratched the surface, clearly a wide-area strike was the necessary path, wasn't it?"

Before Tron could reply, the elevator doors parted, revealing Silvana and Riska approaching.

Riska carried a drink, while Silvana walked ahead, a proud smile on her face as she balanced an apple pie, the steam still curling into the air.

"Regardless, you succeeded. It looks like it is time to transition to Dark Energy trials."

"Truly?"

"Indeed, but first, we eat."

"Hah, sounds perfect!"