Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1648 1648: Blood Gift (Part 1)

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. What had once been a perplexing yet lighthearted interaction rapidly spiraled into a grim predicament.

The revelation of Gladius’s true allegiance struck Adam and Silvana like a bolt from the blue.

The very individual who had extended a helping hand and essentially spared his life was now revealed to be collaborating with the person who had nearly claimed it at the dawn of his journey.

Furthermore… this was the precise person currently harboring what Adam required most.

Adam desperately needed a moment to steady his nerves and synthesize the situation, yet time was a luxury he was denied.

Tremble!

A chilling sensation crept down their backs as a malicious aura materialized in their wake.

Adam and Silvana pivoted in unison, bracing themselves to confront this unknown hostility.

"Agh…?"

To their astonishment, no assassin or faction member greeted them. Instead, a tall girl with raven-black eyes and long, violet hair stood before them. Draped in a brown coat that reached her ankles, her posture alone signaled to Adam that she was far from ordinary.

'Her stance, those shoulders, that suffocating, menacing aura... Shit, who is this?' A sudden realization made his pupils contract. 'Wait, she’s a woman working alongside Gladius. Could she be...?'

Tap.

Gladius placed a firm hand on Adam’s shoulder, causing his heart to skip a beat. His wide, knowing grin suggested he was fully aware of Adam’s suspicions.

"You’ve already concluded that she is my Operator, haven’t you?"

Adam swallowed hard. "Even so, every Phantom is paired with an Operator, correct? Even a scoundrel like you has one."

"True enough. But I believe I still have a few surprises in store for you." Gladius gestured broadly.

At his cue, Xyrea shed her coat. Beneath, her skin remained mostly exposed, yet her more vulnerable areas were shielded by flexible, reptilian scales—resembling those of a dragon. These plates shimmered over her forearms, legs, torso, and the lower curvature of her chest.

Following this, purple tattoos began to glow, snaking from her shoulders down her arms and across her back.

Silvana’s eyes widened in profound disbelief as she fixated on Xyrea.

As an Operator, she possessed a superior ability to identify a creature’s species simply by reading its aura.

The truth was undeniable; the girl standing before them was distinctly non-human.

"How can this be?" Silvana breathed, her voice trembling.

Adam quickly caught on to the implication as well.

"Is your Operator a monster? Don't tell me... are you actually human?"

Gladius blinked several times, clearly caught off guard by the blunt inquiry.

"Pffft, of course I’m human." He released his grip on Adam’s shoulder and leaned against the table. "Come now, Adam, have you truly never pondered the nature of an Operator? Surely you understand by now that it revolves entirely around energy. Throughout the inception of your journey, Silvana acted as your auxiliary senses from behind her monitors."

Adam fell silent, his mind racing. They had touched upon this topic recently in discussions with Tron and Riska, and both he and Silvana had sought clarity on the matter.

Gladius continued his explanation:

"If a monster were to sacrifice everything she has for your sake—for the sake of your energy—what prevents her from becoming your Operator?"

His voice dropped to a somber, gravelly tone.

"If Riska, a former Phantom, could pull it off, why wouldn't a monster be capable of the same?"

Adam’s complexion drained of color as he whirled to face Gladius.

"How are you privy to that information? Have you been tailing us?"

Gladius rested his chin in his hand. "Isn't it obvious? I intended to execute this move the moment you returned to the Citadel. However, you chose to diverge for training with Tron and Riska. I simply waited. I am a patient man, after all."

"What about the wedding ceremony? Did those actions also stem from Aiden’s dictates?"

Gladius shook his head.

"Adam, I work for Aiden, but he is not my master and I am no servant. Our alliance is long-standing and born of mutual respect. Every move I made at the ceremony was my own choice. Furthermore, the decision to bring Queen Elisa’s blood was mine; I merely required Aiden’s endorsement, given how precious her blood remains."

Everything about the situation urged Adam to distrust Gladius, yet he struggled to detect a shred of mendacity in the man’s tone.

Silvana felt the same conflict, yet her instinct drew her gaze back to Xyrea. She remained in a state of shock.

Step.

She moved closer, planting herself before Xyrea. The monster’s sheer presence was overwhelming, dwarfing Silvana.

Had the paths of Adam and Gladius never converged, a direct clash between Silvana and Xyrea would have spelled instant ruin for the former. Xyrea, a lethal monster, would have shredded a mortal like Silvana in a heartbeat.

But now, they stood as equals—the Operators of their respective Phantoms.

"How did you become his Operator? What would compel a monster as formidable as you to serve him?"

Silvana’s query was raw and earnest. She sought to grasp the nature of this unique bond.

Xyrea did not dismiss Silvana. Though the realization had yet to dawn on the pair, Gladius and Xyrea had not arrived as adversaries, but with entirely different objectives.

"What do you mean?" Xyrea peered down at her. "The reason is quite simple, isn't it?"

"Ahg?"

"Initially, it was Gladius’s desire. I resisted, naturally, but in the domain of monsters, the weak invariably submit to the strong. Though... I have realized that, over time, the same principle holds true for humanity."

Step.

Xyrea closed the gap between them.

"I have traversed the same development as you. We are both Operators, regardless of the vastly different origins of our paths."

Gladius watched from the periphery, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

'Well, well, Xyrea hardly ever speaks this much. This is proving to be far more intriguing than I had anticipated.'