Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1650: First Drop

Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.

Adam’s fingers spasmed rhythmically as his heart rate began to accelerate. With a monumental effort, he forced his eyes open, only to be greeted by expansive caverns and desolate, ash-colored rock faces.

"W-What the hell is this...?"

Gone was the familiar, upscale comfort of his penthouse kitchen overlooking the First Ring. Instead, Adam found himself in a gargantuan cave system, where only massive natural stone pillars sustained the towering ceiling.

The ambient silence was broken only by the rhythmic dripping of water, which echoed as droplets struck the floor from the jagged rock formations above.

"Argh!" Adam gripped his skull, a tidal wave of agonizing, searing pain flooding his consciousness.

Never before had he suffered such an excruciating headache. It felt as if he had been subjected to back-to-back teleportations, the pressure far exceeding anything he had previously endured.

Fortunately, it wasn't a physical injury. After several long minutes, he managed to stabilize his breathing, even while he continued to pant heavily.

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

"Damn it, where on earth am I?" Adam muttered, pulling himself onto his feet.

His knees knocked together, and he nearly collapsed again, desperate for stability, he leaned his weight against the nearest boulder-sized pillar.

"Was this the work of Gladius?"

His gaze swept across the horizon, assessing the sheer scale of the environment. Far from a simple, linear tunnel, the path curved around a massive, yawning abyss that plunged into darkness. The cave structure spiraled around this central void, creating a series of concentric, ring-like levels.

Worse yet, the structure continued downward.

"Shit..."

Adam peered over the edge, spotting identical cavern levels stacked deep beneath him. Each tier shared the same cold layout, dominated by supporting columns and the hollow darkness of the central chasm.

His only visual cue was a faint, shimmering light emanating from somewhere ahead, which grew progressively dimmer the deeper the levels descended.

"Whether it was Gladius or Xyrea, someone is responsible for this. Now the only question is, which path leads to survival? Up or down?"

As Adam prepared to advance, hoping to find an exit, a sudden realization halted him.

He looked down at his own hand, noticing the vial that had somehow remained firmly in his grasp despite the ordeal.

"Hah, I see. So, he wasn't lying after all." Adam hoisted the vial, catching his own distorted reflection in the dark, viscous liquid. "Queen Elisa... what sort of fate befell you if your very blood is required to fulfill my cultivation conditions?"

He recalled his earlier expectation: to extract the Blood of God from Vaarh, a beast that wasn't even at the Lord Level.

"Part of me feels honored that my requirements are so profound, but..." He cast another glance at the oppressive, labyrinthine caves. "Honestly, this is nothing but a death trap."

He stared at the vial for a lingering moment.

This wasn't how he had envisioned it. He had expected to meet this condition in the midst of a glorious, high-stakes battle against a proud, formidable entity—the dragon Vaarh had seemed like the perfect catalyst.

But the reality was far more gruesome. To ascend to a higher form of power, he would have to consume the blood of a fellow Phantom—not just any warrior, but his own Queen, the sole entity who had shielded humanity from complete extinction for centuries.

Adam didn't know his current coordinates, but he knew he was in a hostile environment. This was clearly a test orchestrated by Gladius, and his only leverage to survive was the blood of Queen Elisa.

"Blood of God. It was inevitable that I would eventually possess it," Adam muttered, swiftly twisting the cap off the vial.

A potent, iron-rich scent flooded his nostrils, setting his heart into a frantic, predatory rhythm.

In that moment, he felt like a starving beast who had finally locked eyes with fresh sustenance. Every fiber of his essence and every spark of energy in his Dantian craved the contents of that container.

"There is no alternative. If this is truly part of Gladius’s grand design, then lacking this power guarantees an ignoble death."

With one final breath, Adam tipped the vial against his lips.

As the first drop touched his tongue, his body froze, his irises contracting into sharp points.

...

Simultaneously, Silvana was struggling back to consciousness. Unlike Adam, who had been transported to the unknown, she remained within the confines of the house she shared with him.

Through a hazy veil, she saw two figures seated at the kitchen table. Warm steam rose from fresh cups of coffee, drifting between them as they carried on a nonchalant discussion.

After flickering her eyes open, she recognized the pair as Xyrea and Gladius.

She kept her composure, recalling their arrival, though the specific moment Xyrea had incapacitated her remained a blank spot in her memory.

"Adam... Where is Adam...?" Silvana mumbled, the fragmented pieces of her memory beginning to click back into place.

Her eyes suddenly widened in sheer terror as she fixed her gaze on Gladius and Xyrea, who had just realized she was awake.

"Ah, it appears our young Operator has finally regained her senses. Good morning, Silvana." Gladius lifted his coffee cup in a polite, mocking gesture.

Instantly, Silvana scrambled backward, her eyes darting frantically around the room. It didn't matter where she looked; Adam was gone.

Furthermore, all her usual tracking methods were failing.

"W-Why? Why can't I reach him?" Silvana’s voice shook with unconcealed shock. This was unprecedented. Regardless of how far apart they were or the peril of his mission, she had always maintained a connection to him.

Gladius waved a hand, his expression dismissive.

"Oh, do not fret. It is merely the interference of the Qi in his current location. Once he returns to the Citadel, everything will resume its proper state."

"You... where did you send him?" Silvana gritted her teeth, her face flushing with raw indignation.

Gladius did not respond immediately. Instead, he pulled out an empty chair, signaling for her to join them.

"Please, have a seat. I assure you, we are no foes of yours."

"Shut up!" Silvana swiped her arm through the air. "What twisted place have you trapped him in that our powers cannot even pierce the distance? Adam won't last in such a nightmare! You only intended to kill him!"

Gladius rested his chin upon his hand, his expression calm.

"Is that so? Then why would I entrust him with the vial?"

"What?"

Gladius’s eyes narrowed into slits.

"You shall feel it, given time. You are correct; he is currently within a treacherous domain, which means he is at this very moment consuming her blood."

His voice dropped, resonating with a deeper, grave intensity.

"Even now, Adam is taking his first drop. It will prove to be a transformative moment for both of you."