Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1638: Dark Power (Part 2)

Tron did not call forth a titan or trigger a nuclear detonation. He simply summoned his glass clones, with the only variation being the specific essence he utilized to bring them into existence.

Nevertheless, that display alone was enough to make Adam’s eyes widen in sheer astonishment.

"Wait, how exactly did that occur?"

Tron offered a smirk. "What exactly are you referring to?"

"That clone, and... the second one..." He fixed his gaze upon the dark figure lurking behind Silvana. "I failed to observe how the second clone emerged, how it managed to shift behind us, and how you traded places with it instantaneously."

Tron gave a brief nod, patting Adam gently on the shoulder.

"Indeed. While it was once merely a decoy meant to mirror my movements, it has evolved into a tool for lightning-fast strikes or, quite the opposite, an avenue for sudden escape. Watch, I can replicate that maneuver with minimal effort."

At Tron’s gesture, his two dark clones surged forward. Upon reaching a distance of a hundred meters, they separated, sprinting toward different rocky outcrops to scale their peaks.

Taking a few sideward steps, Tron waved his hand, and his entire form began to shiver.

Tremble!

Accompanied by a dark ripple, he exchanged positions with one of his manifestations, repeating the process in rapid succession.

In the span of a single blink, Tron had shifted his location twice. Regardless of the speed Adam or any other entity of their tier might achieve, such movement was simply unparalleled—because it was, in essence, teleportation.

Admittedly, Tron could not maintain this indefinitely. Every technique has its inherent boundaries.

Riska stepped forward to intervene.

"As you can clearly see, the clones have not only increased in potency thanks to the Dark Energy, but Tron has also unlocked a new function within his ability. Naturally, each displacement consumes a portion of his reserves, and he will inevitably reach his breaking point."

Silvana glanced toward her.

"Does he actually employ this in the heat of combat?"

She provided a nod. "He does, though he limits the number of leaps during a real skirmish. He is executing this now purely to illustrate the extent of his enhanced power, while also ensuring you understand the cost associated with it. However, as I mentioned before, this is not the full extent of his capability."

Tap.

At that exact moment, Tron materialized directly before them. Although his breathing grew ragged and his aura lost some of its initial stability, he was far from being incapacitated.

"Previously, you observed that my glass clones merely mimicked my actions. Well... with these, the reality is quite different."

THUMP!

As Tron extended his arm, a massive block of steel plummeted from above. A translucent glass blade, wide and long enough to rival any genuine armament, manifested above his hand. He possessed the capacity to forge such items from his energy at any given second.

Whooooooosh.

With a clean swing, he left a deep, jagged scar across the surface of the steel block.

"I could have funneled more power into that strike for greater destruction, but that wasn't the objective of this demonstration."

Tremble. Tremble.

The clones quivered, transforming into masses of shadows that swept across the earth before sinking into Tron’s own shadow. The obsidian mist receded from his shoulders, serving as a reflection of his waning strength.

The glass blade took on a darker hue as Tron took a heavy, jagged breath:

"Gha...!"

Stomp!

He lunged forward, executing a sweeping arc. Though the glass blade fractured into fragments, a crescent-shaped wave of black energy carved through the air.

While it appeared to be an enhanced slash, the crescent pulsed with the same peculiar tremors as the dark matter just before it impacted the steel block.

The crescent suddenly multiplied, culminating in eight separate blades overlapping into a lethal grid.

Adam stared in awe as the blades sheared through the steel, carving it into a pile of cubes with clinical precision.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

As the cubes slammed into the ground, the flames of excitement in Adam’s eyes glowed with renewed intensity.

He cast a wide grin toward Tron. "Damn! That was absolutely incredible!"

"Gha!" Tron buckled as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Silvana let out a startled gasp.

"Are you alright?"

Wiping the blood away with the back of his hand, Tron nodded.

"I am fine. I pushed the ability a bit longer than I should have, but I trust you understand the potential now."

Riska moved to steady him, turning her gaze toward Adam.

"I am certain you are already contemplating the vast potential held by Dark Energy. While the power is real, you must not rush your choice of ability."

"Hmm?" Adam looked at her, clearly puzzled. "For what reason?"

A bitter smile creased Tron’s lips.

"Because Dark Energy is bound to its anchor point. You will retain its source exactly where it resides now, but at present, only one additional location can be supported."

Though Adam remained confused, Silvana’s expression hardened as she grasped the situation immediately.

"I see. So, Adam is restricted to enhancing only a single ability, choosing between its standard and dark iterations? And until he generates more Dark Energy, he cannot augment his others?"

Riska nodded. "That is correct—"

"Not entirely," Tron cut in.

Riska shifted her attention toward him. "Oh? What do you mean?"

"Given the trial Adam endured to secure this Dark Energy so early, one of his abilities should rightfully possess its dark evolution as a reward. Other than that specific occurrence, however, Silvana’s assessment is accurate."

Adam had a glimmer of insight regarding Tron’s words, though he felt unprepared to push such a technique to its limit.

"Understood. To harness Dark Energy, I must select one ability, and if I wish to change that choice later, I must reach a level of strength far beyond my current one?"

Tron gave an affirmative nod.

"Precisely. Take your time and think carefully. You aren't just learning to manipulate Dark Energy; you are selecting a weapon that will define your capacity for victory—or even your survival—in the times to come."

Adam rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing in deep contemplation.

"And you’re telling me there is no way to predict the specific effects of the dark version beforehand?"

Tron offered a firm shake of his head.

"Damn it. In that case, this is far more complicated than I had initially imagined."