Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1714: Invite Him (Part 2)

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Two figures exchanged blows. Water currents and protruding, sharp roots clashed violently, annihilating each other.

Their might was perfectly balanced. With another exchange of punches, their fists met, and the resulting shockwave sent them both recoiling.

Like unranked monsters who had honed their skills in isolation within their respective dome pillars, they maintained composure, analyzing the unfolding situation.

The long-awaited moment had arrived: Adam Vinter was scheduled to fight in the arena, signifying that the Grim Court had finally become relevant to them.

"You can certainly take a hit," the man clad in a blue coat remarked, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.

His adversary, a tall, slender man, offered a slight smile, acknowledging the statement.

"I could say the same for you. However, we must conclude this swiftly. The victor needs ample time to prepare for the confrontation with Adam Vinter."

A chuckle escaped the man in the blue coat. "Hah, you took the words right out of my mouth."

Tremble!

Their auras surged and wavered as they readied their most potent abilities, paying no heed to the Hollow Marks.

The combat stipulations Narha had proposed to Batar had rapidly become the established norm for such encounters. It was logical, as entering the arena against Adam in a depleted and injured state would be futile.

Abruptly, something caused both of them to halt their actions.

An amber flash blazed across the darkened sky, and their confusion rapidly morphed into apprehension.

STRIKE!

With a thunderous roar, Kelya descended before them, her wings unfurled, revealing razor-sharp edges crackling with electrical energy.

"You..." the tall man stammered, disbelief etched on his face.

Kelya regarded them with evident disdain.

"Why?" she demanded, advancing. "Why are you fighting? Do you truly believe you stand any chance against Adam Vinter!?"

Before either could formulate a response, Kelya's form convulsed, and electrical sparks flared in the tall man's eyes.

The next instant, he saw Kelya's fist, armored in a simple black leather glove.

BAM!

The impact sent the man hurtling into the ground, the surface fracturing into fragments that were violently propelled upward by the force.

Blood erupted from the tall man as his eyes glazed over.

A single, decisive blow from Kelya was sufficient to shatter his face and end his existence.

Such was the consequence of a minor disparity in strength. The tall man lacked the crucial moments needed to react to Kelya's assault and did not possess the necessary fortitude to endure it.

Tap.

Kelya spun with sharp agility, her luminous amber eyes locking onto the man in the blue coat.

"Wait, wait, wait! This isn't how it's supposed to go down!"

BAM!

Kelya's fist drove deep into his abdomen, causing him to double over. Blood surged from his mouth, drenching Kelya's arm, yet her expression remained unreadable.

"Grh!!!"

The man collapsed onto the ground, clutching his stomach, clinging precariously to consciousness.

Kelya, meanwhile, remained silent. She cast a final, resolute glance in the direction of other sensed auras before ascending sharply into the sky.

A powerful gust of wind followed her wing beats, sweeping past the fallen man.

In truth, both of them owed Kelya their lives. Had her intention been to kill, she could have easily done so.

However, her objective lay elsewhere – the elimination of her rivals.

Now, these two, battered and instilled with fear, were in no condition to even consider participating in the Grim Court.

Furthermore, their intelligence dictated that if Kelya could defeat them with such ease, they stood no chance against Adam Vinter in a direct confrontation.

Cough! Cough! Cough!

The man in the blue coat expelled blood with each cough, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Damn it all!"

...

Step. Step. Step.

The soft echo of footsteps resounded on the wooden stairs, the vista expanding with each descent until a magnificent library was revealed.

Countless books lined the towering, floor-to-ceiling shelves, forming an intricate labyrinth within the otherwise desolate Hollow Lands.

"Well, well," a man's voice resonated through the silent hall as he moved along an aisle. "Who would have imagined such an intriguing turn of events would unfold before the next World Wipe, wouldn't you agree?"

The man paused a few paces from a woman with long, crimson hair. In stark contrast to the majority of the powerful entities inhabiting the pillars, she was adorned in an elegant, floor-length black robe accented with golden trim.

Clasp.

She closed the aged tome she was reading, turning slowly. Her verdant eyes, full of sternness and commanding majesty, radiated an aura that commanded respect.

"What brings you here, Kaerno?" she inquired, noting his subtle smile.

Unlike her, who was dressed in opulent attire and exuded an aura that inspired either awe or dread, Kaerno presented a starkly different image.

His frame was clad in mere tattered rags, barely clinging to his thin body. His feet were bare, and even his hair and eyes were a dull, lifeless black, creating a sharp contrast with his pale complexion.

Her eyes drifted to his still slightly damp hair.

"So, you chose to depart from the Bone Lakes specifically to come here?"

A smirk played on Kaerno's lips.

"Do not be so severe, Es'aha. Reflect on how long we have known each other. Is that not reason enough for me to visit your library and peruse some reading material?"

Es'aha's expression turned even sterner.

"Indeed, many years have elapsed, but tell me, how many books have you truly engaged with during all that time? Hmm? I cannot recall the last occasion you even so much as laid a hand on a single volume from my collection."

Kaerno simply shrugged.

"Everything in its own time, wouldn't you agree?"

Turning, Es'aha returned a book to its designated spot, her fingertip lingering over its spine.

"'The Grim Court'? And one of the combatants is Adam Vinter himself?"

"It appears you possess considerable knowledge about him."

"Naturally. I make it a point to observe all exceptionally gifted warriors, be they monster or human."

Then, Es'aha slowly pivoted back. She recognized that the smug expression on Kaerno's face did not bode well for her situation.

"Why have you come? What is it that you desire from me?"

Kaerno's grin expanded.

"I wish for you to persuade him to participate in the arena's bouts today."

A concealing shadow obscured his form.

"I am aware you can communicate with him. It is imperative that you do so, seize this chance while it presents itself."