Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1671 1671: Quiet Servant (Part 1)

Step. Step. Step.

Following their savage plunge, Adam and Sarka moved ahead. Adam flicked dust from his shoulders, since the Pit's domain remained untouched by them, yet loomed perilously near.

"What do you mean by luring out the Frenzied Shards? Are they actually alive?"

Sarka shook her head side to side in reply.

"Kind of. Frenzied Shards hold a will rivaling mighty artifacts, even without true minds of their own. They swarm the Pit, and as you've grasped, their power surges enormously."

Adam cocked his head to one side.

"Isn't approaching a Frenzied Shard incredibly risky?"

"Naturally it is, but has danger ever held you back?"

A sly smirk played across her lips as she eyed him.

"Though we've barely met for a single day, it's clear your youthful power came not from endless meditation or drills. You battled relentlessly, thrusting yourself into desperate perils. And since you stand here alive today, you triumphed every time your life hung in the balance."

Silence met her words from Adam. She spoke truth, leaving him wordless. Indeed, Sarka mirrored him perfectly—that's why the Blade Pillar became her lair.

"Monsters hunger for this might, and while only a scant few can endure a Frenzied Shard's force, much less forge the Hollow Mark from it, hope lingers faintly."

Adam rubbed his chin after a brief ponder.

"So the Frenzied Shards lurk in hiding or shield themselves somehow?"

Her eyes sparkled as Sarka snapped her fingers sharply.

"Bingo! But Frenzied Shards lack self-defense, so they enlist monsters for the task. They strike pacts with exceptionally mighty beasts. These beasts heed their commands and guard them fiercely.

"It's mutually beneficial, for the link lets the Frenzied Shard dole out power to its minions. True, it's merely a sliver compared to devouring the shard outright, yet zero dangers come with it."

A grin spread over Adam's face. "Huh, I believe you're mistaken there."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Think you know this place better than me?" Sarka's brow furrowed, cheeks ballooning out. "Remember, you're the outsider here! Pffft!"

'Childish behavior, plain as day.'

"Nah, not quite." Adam gestured from himself to her. "You claimed no dangers for those monsters, but consider us? If I were them, I'd dread crossing paths with types like you and me."

Her face shifted abruptly.

"Oh yeah, spot on!" A broad smile lit her features. "They'll all fear us here—we're too powerful!"

"To reach a Frenzied Shard, do we hunt down one of those monsters first?"

"Frenzied Servants."

"Agh?"

She nodded toward the side.

"That's their name. Frenzied Servants are essential for us. Each Frenzied Shard commands several at minimum, and they don't idle beside it—they patrol like elite sentinels.

"The swiftest and feeblest post farthest out. They alert to dangers and rally defenses. Usually, though, they ambush swiftly and eliminate intruders on the spot."

Sarka nearly delved deeper into Frenzied Servants—a subject she mastered—but halted abruptly.

Rather than heed her, Adam gestured toward a colossal shattered mirror afar. Its enormous frame dominated amid the surrounding wreckage.

"Like that one over there?"

"W-What?"

Whirling around fast, Sarka's eyes bulged wide.

Perched on the mirror's rim hunched a monster, knees folded. Elongated arms, legs, and torso defined it. Thick armor of countless dark-blue, metallic, petal-shaped plates encased its form.

Matching plates sheathed its head, with eyes glowing through slim slits. Yet those eyes blazed amber fire—the hallmark of Frenzied Servants.

Adam remained unaware then, yet one look revealed it all.

'Faintly, its aura echoes Larth's Hollow Mark. So this is truly a servant? Perfect—we skip the fruitless hunt.'

Chattering teeth betrayed Sarka's shock. She never anticipated encountering a Frenzied Servant this soon.

"H-Hah, talk about luck, huh?"

Adam shook his head slowly. "One of those servants, right?"

"Yep, but recall my warning. Spotting one this close means this Frenzied Shard boasts hordes of them. Deeper dives would otherwise await."

Tension mounted as Adam fixed his gaze on the beast. The servant scrutinized them intently in return.

"Among that Frenzied Shard's servants, this one ranks as the speediest weakling?"

Sarka bared her fangs while nodding vigorously.

"Correct, yet every one packs serious strength, no matter their rank in the pack. Its aura should tell you plenty. Hahaha, an epic Frenzied Shard lies in wait!"

"She's spot on," Adam tensed up, probing the servant's aura. "If I gauge right, it matches Kaerno's maids in might. But… he mentioned they survived the Pit, kept their minds after brushing a Frenzied Shard. How is this thing so formidable?"

"Hey, Adam."

"Hmm?"

Trembling gripped Sarka's fingertips.

"Once our auras flare, that beast bolts for reinforcements. You get why we can't allow escape."

"Why not trail it instead?"

"Relax, extracting intel is my specialty."

Fierce light flickered in her gaze.

"Ready for pursuit?"

Adam crouched ahead, locking eyes with the servant aware of impending doom.

"Yes."

"Great."

Grinning fiercely, Sarka unleashed her aura, igniting their hunt.