Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1647 1647: Blood of God

The Blood of God.

Adam had previously operated under the assumption that this substance represented the primary condition out of three he needed to fulfill.

Some inner intuition convinced him that if the Winding Fragments guided him toward the Primal Lands, a monster carrying this very blood would surely be found there. The moment he faced Vaarh and beheld the dragon's head, everything seemed to click, at least initially.

It turned out he did not require Vaarh's essence. He had not journeyed there to claim the Blood of God, but for the Highest Bliss.

Naturally, Adam constantly questioned the true nature of the Blood of God, and it was their unexpected guest, Gladius, who ultimately supplied the answer.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The shards of the cube rattled faintly, levitating above the case. Waves of purple energy pulses rippled around them, linking the fragments and revealing they functioned as part of one powerful, singular seal.

The entire elaborate mechanism served only to shield a rare treasure from prying eyes: a small vial holding a measure of specialized blood.

Though the container appeared to be an unremarkable, sturdy glass vial with a lid, the contents held immeasurable value.

A single glance confirmed to Adam that this vial contained exactly what he needed.

Every fiber of his being signaled that before him sat the Blood of God, one of the two remaining prerequisites for the Third Grand Star.

Yet… Gladius seemed to imply that the discovery was still incomplete.

"W-What?"

Silvana's voice wavered as she recoiled, grabbing the back of a chair to steady her shaking frame.

"What was that you said?"

Gladius gave a grave nod, validating their most desperate assertions.

"My statement is the absolute truth, nothing more and nothing less."

He gestured with his hand as if unveiling a priceless artifact, which was not far from the reality of the situation.

"Setting aside Adam's specific condition, what you see before you is the blood of Queen Elisa herself."

Adam swallowed hard.

He had heard the words, but his mind refused to fully process their implications.

"Queen Elisa's blood…? Where could it come from? No… How is this possible? Isn't she relegated to being little more than a living statue these days?"

Gladius remained silent, lingering in the dim shadows with a faint smile gracing his features. He felt entirely comfortable with his position.

The mixture of terror, shock, and curiosity radiating from Adam and Silvana served only to amuse him. It was a reaction he had perfectly anticipated.

"Regrettably, I cannot disclose the exact method used to acquire this blood, but you may trust that it is indeed Queen Elisa's. As evidence, I shall provide a brief demonstration."

With those words, Gladius drew a plain coin from his pocket and flipped it upward with a practiced flick.

Judging by the arc, the coin should have landed squarely on the vial, but as it neared, its momentum failed. An invisible force began to impede its progress.

Eventually, the coin stalled completely, hovering motionless above the vessel.

Tremble!

The black cubes shivered as a burst of energy callously shunted the coin away.

Gladius caught the object with an agile reach of his hand.

Adam felt his pupils expand as he observed a wisp of smoke curling from Gladius's palm.

'How did a simple coin gather such intense velocity? No… it was those cubes, the seal itself. Gladius manipulated them with ease, but I doubt either Tron or myself could breach that seal, given what remains locked inside.'

"But… why does this figure into my condition? Furthermore, how is it that you know so much?" Adam asked, his wariness heightening.

Gladius dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand.

"I possess my own sources. Your reaction to the blood was entirely predictable, given your circumstances."

However, Silvana harbored different worries. Her gaze flickered between the vial and the man before them.

"Mr. Gladius, we appreciate your prior assistance and guidance, but what is the source of such an item? To my knowledge, you are unaffiliated with any of the three major factions. How have you gained access to such a priceless object?"

Adam nodded in agreement.

Though still reeling, he understood that among the vast arrays of treasures tucked away in the Citadel's vaults, the blood of Queen Elisa occupied a tier of its own.

Gladius, as it happened, was prepared to explain.

"I understand your reticence. I wanted to avoid delaying this development, so I omitted one crucial detail until now."

"Detail?" Adam asked, confused. "Does that clarify the origin of this blood?"

A crafty smirk played across Gladius's lips for a heartbeat before his expression returned to a mask of composed calm.

"In a sense, yes, Adam. Since our initial encounter, there is a fact about myself of which you have remained unaware. It is essential for you to grasp the current landscape."

Under their expectant stares, he rested a hand over his heart and offered a slight nod.

"You are correct; I possess no membership in the three dominant factions. I do not serve any of them. However, the patron I serve wields enormous influence across the Citadel."

A cold chill raced down Adam's spine as Gladius made a dismissive gesture.

"Aiden Henk. I trust you both recognize that name, especially you, Adam, do you not?"

Adam's pulse accelerated. Every revelation Gladius uttered felt like a personal blow.

"You… you are associated with Aiden Henk? But… how? You aided me previously. Why would you stay silent?!"

Gladius opened his arms wide, swaying his head in a performative display of mock sorrow.

"The moment was not right previously. Besides, you never inquired. Now, there is no need for further concealment."

Step.

He moved aside, positioning himself ahead of the vial.

"Believe me when I say my actions were of my own volition, yet without Aiden's blessing, I would never have brought such a precious item here. In a way, this is another debt you owe to him."

Adam balled his hands into tight, angry fists.

"Thank him? Are you even aware of the things he has done?"

Gladius pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for stillness.

"Naturally, I am aware. But the time for talk is over. Shall we proceed, Xyrea?"

Adam prepared to lunge forward, but some unknown pressure held him in place.

Deep within the depths of Gladius's eyes, he finally spotted a figure standing behind them—a woman with flowing purple hair, who had been waiting in the shadows all along for her Phantom's command.