Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1662 1662: Fangs, Thorns, and Fingers

Right from the outset, Adam had sensed a profound chasm in power separating Larth from Kaerno.

Still, Adam hadn't grasped the full extent of that gap. Now, he was slowly coming to realize the immense strength of the creature facing him.

"You're a Finger? What in the world does that signify?" Adam muttered in bewilderment. "Why pick such odd titles? What's the meaning behind it?"

Kaerno just offered a faint smile amid Adam's flood of queries. He had anticipated this very response, since Adam hailed from distant realms.

"It's simpler than it first appears." Kaerno gestured dismissively, directing his finger toward Larth. "Take Larth—he's a Fang. That positions him as likely the mightiest among fellow Elders. It's like a special tier within the Elders."

Adam nodded thoughtfully.

"Got it… Larth is indeed powerful, even if I haven't witnessed his full arsenal yet. And the Thorns?"

Kaerno gave a casual shrug.

"You're aware the Lords split into three primary categories, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Lesser Lords, Ascended Lords, and the supreme ones—the True Lords."

"Thorns emerge solely from Lesser or Ascended Lords. They come in two varieties, based on their prior rank: Shallow Thorns and High Thorns."

Adam's face turned grave.

"So you're implying a typical Lesser Lord pitted against a Shallow Thorn would stand scant chance of surviving?"

Rather than reply outright, Kaerno grinned and posed his own query:

"Imagine you clashing with a K4-Phantom at your own tier on the battlefield. Who'd hold the edge? Could your foe flee? Or would you need to bolt to preserve your life?"

The queries piled up, yet the conclusion was clear. Adam recognized he'd overpower nearly any K4-Phantom matching his level. No hubris there—just cold fact.

Of course, a fatal duel with Tron, who outranked him by a level, would spell Adam's doom without question.

Kaerno flicked his hand.

"Exceptions exist, naturally. A Shallow Thorn versus a prodigy from the Befallen Crown might not guarantee our monster's triumph, though both sides would harbor real odds."

Adam paused briefly, then nodded with conviction.

"I get it. Fangs surpass regular Elders. Shallow Thorns outmatch most Lesser Lords, High Thorns eclipse most Ascended Lords. However…" His gaze hardened on Kaerno. "Where do Fingers fit? You and a select few reign at the pinnacle, right?"

Kaerno clasped his arms behind him, gazing over the Hollow Lands.

"I hide nothing about my standing. As you've probably surmised, Fingers match the True Lords in might, the ultimate beasts. Yet unlike Fangs and Thorns, it's far more nuanced here."

"Agh?"

Kaerno pressed on with a wry grin:

"Fangs and Thorns dominate most Elders and Lords, but Fingers don't top the True Lords. Such a boast would smack of supreme arrogance and utter folly."

He faced Adam, eyes sparking with intensity.

"That said, our rank comes from proven merit. Fingers may not crack the top 1% or 10% of True Lords overall, but we surpass fully half of them."

Adam gnawed his lip. "Meaning if fifty Fingers battled fifty True Lords, the Fingers would generally prevail on average?"

"Assuming random matchups and pure average power among Fingers, yes. But hahaha, it's hard to fathom the catastrophe needed to gather a hundred True Lords in one spot."

Larth, lingering nearby, blanched.

"I'd rather not ponder what apocalypse that would unleash. That… That spells utter catastrophe!"

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Adam rubbed the back of his head, brow furrowed slightly. He wrestled to absorb the deluge of details Kaerno had shared—far beyond his expectations.

"The Hollow Lands follow their own hierarchy, but not every monster here ranks as Fang, Thorn, or Finger, correct?"

"Right. These Hollow Lands span enormous domains, akin to any major zone in our world. Amid countless Black Threat Level monsters, Elders abound just like elsewhere, though only a rare few qualify as Fangs. Larth counts among that elite, as you know."

Adam's eyes sharpened.

"The cream of the crop? Makes sense—if Phantoms held regular bouts at the Citadel, we'd devise a parallel ranking. Not every K3 or K4 Phantom measures equal, despite sharing a level. That's plain."

"Hmm. I've gained plenty of insight, but how do you actually attain these ranks? Like honorific titles? Do surrounding monsters witness your feats and deem you Fang-worthy?"

Larth parted his lips, eager to elaborate, but Kaerno silenced him with a piercing look that softened instantly.

"I could explain, but demonstrating beats mere words."

Step.

Kaerno advanced, halting directly before Adam.

Tap.

Before Adam could react, Kaerno's hand pressed against his chest.

"Agh?"

Shock washed over Adam's features as a mild shockwave rippled through him, hurling him rearward.

Kaerno sought no harm to Adam. This wasn't an assault. His aim was straightforward: shove Adam off the pillar's brink.

Instinct kicked in—Adam flailed to seize anything solid—but he was airborne, with dozens of meters of void below culminating in solid earth. He hurtled toward the grand pillar's far side.

"Master…" Larth uttered breathlessly.

Kaerno inclined his head.

"Proceed. Employ the mark. Reveal to our visitor a Fang's true prowess."

His gaze intensified.

"This will illuminate the raw might our monsters wield—the core spirit of our domain."