Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 1754: No more sounds

The outcome adhered strictly to established rules: Zin faced defeat, Adam emerged victorious, and crucially, both combatants had survived the ordeal.

Despite Zin's survival, Es’aha was consumed by regret for her preceding actions. With Zin's safety now a certainty, her previous conduct offered no justifiable excuse.

Es’aha pressed her lips together, then executed a deep, respectful bow towards Adam, disregarding the disparity in their social standing.

"I offer my sincerest apologies. My conduct was entirely unacceptable. I allowed my emotions to overwhelm me and..."

SLAP!

Kaerno’s hand met Es’aha’s posterior with a resounding smack.

"Ouch!" Es’aha cried out, taken aback by Kaerno’s flagrant lack of decorum. As members of the Fingers, such behavior was unprecedented!

"What on earth are you doing?" Es’aha demanded, tending to her stinging backside.

Kaerno let out a hearty chuckle. "Come now. Who requires your apologies? Adam understood everything from a single glance at you. Am I correct?"

All eyes turned toward him.

"Indeed. I comprehend. It appears Zin holds significant importance to you, doesn't he?"

Es’aha’s breath hitched, a flush momentarily coloring her cheeks. Though Adam had gracefully accepted her apology, the situation had somehow become even more mortifying.

"Regardless of the circumstances, I am relieved this confrontation concluded as it did." Es’aha clenched her fists tightly. "Your final assault was truly remarkable, Adam Vinter. Had you engaged in such a display within the desolate expanse of the Hollow Lands, Zin would not have endured."

Adam simply shrugged, his demeanor betraying a less intense engagement with the situation than Es’aha’s.

"No."

Leerna’s voice, laced with a somber tone, cut through the air.

"The apology should be mine. My duty as the arbiter was to intervene during moments of critical danger. I failed in that responsibility."

Kaerno dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand.

"Do not be so severe with yourself. You could not have foreseen Adam's capabilities. He obliterated Zin’s heart with a mere touch. Even I would have lacked the swiftness to react to such a maneuver."

Both Leerna and Es’aha fixed their gazes upon him.

"Are you fabricating this?" Leerna questioned.

Kaerno tilted his head, thoughtfully stroking his chin.

"Who can say?"

Kha! Kha! Kha!

Zin expelled a cough laced with blood as Es’aha hurried to his side.

"Are you alright?"

Yet, Zin offered no reply. The attendant monsters continued their ministrations to his injuries; for the moment, he could still withstand the vibrating sound waves that sustained his dwindling heart function.

At this precise juncture, another matter held greater importance for him.

"Ms. Leerna, I believe it is fitting to officially announce the victor of our contest, would you not agree?"

Leerna’s eyes widened slightly before she nodded, her demeanor quickly returning to its customary seriousness.

Step!

She advanced, drawing the collective gaze of the spectators who had remained in a state of bewildered confusion for the preceding moments. A few, anticipating a potential escalation of conflict with Es’aha, had already begun making their hasty departure from the arena.

With a resolute expression, Leerna grasped Adam’s wrist and elevated his arm high into the air.

"The victor of the Grim Court – Adam Vinter!"

Her proclamation reverberated throughout the grand arena, reaching the ears of every single individual, regardless of their distance from the focal point.

"From this moment forward, the Phantom known as Adam Vinter shall be recognized as one of the Fangs of our domain! This esteemed position was earned through honorable combat. You all bore witness to it!"

Then, she closed her fist and gestured encompassing the crowd.

"All wagers will be settled accordingly, as is customary! My congratulations to Adam Vinter on his hard-won victory, and to all who demonstrated courage by placing their trust and bets upon him!"

Silence.

A profound quietude enveloped the surroundings for several long moments.

Typically, the Grim Court proceedings concluded in such a manner, with the presiding judge remaining seated and announcing the winner from their elevated vantage point.

However, the tumultuous events involving Zin and his precarious condition, coupled with Es’aha's fiery outburst, had irrevocably disrupted the usual, predictable sequence of affairs.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Abruptly, delicate applause commenced from the periphery, originating from a young woman seated in a location incongruous with her perceived status.

"Yeah!" Sarka cheered with unbridled delight, her clapping growing more enthusiastic. "I had faith in you! You triumphed, Adam! You are absolutely magnificent!!!"

In support of his subordinate, Kaerno joined the applause, quickly followed by every member of his faction who had attended the match.

Before long, the entirety of the Hail Passage was a cacophony of clapping, as onlooker after onlooker rose to their feet, signifying their profound respect.

Any triumph within the Grim Court was inherently a significant spectacle, and this particular victory warranted exceptional recognition.

"YES!" A young man exclaimed, his face alight with a jubilant smile. "I knew taking that chance was the right decision! Hahaha! Now, I'll finally be able to acquire my own private pond at the Bone Lakes!"

"Ha! Merely a pond?" The woman seated in the adjacent row regarded him with the smug air of a triumphant victor. "Thanks to this wager, I shall be in a position to purchase an entire lake! Hahaha!"

Where there were victors, there were inevitably those who suffered loss. Such was the immutable principle governing all forms of gambling.

Nevertheless, even those who had forfeited substantial land allotments did not display overt disappointment with the outcome.

"Well, one can always recoup lost lands, can't they?" The man with the long, dark hair offered a wry smile. "However, it is highly improbable that we will witness another contest of this magnitude within the span of a century. It was undeniably worth the gamble."

Unquestionably, the most significant loser in this affair was Es’aha. She had forfeited thirteen land cubes, a colossal stake for any monster, even one belonging to the esteemed Thorns.

On the flip side, Kaerno and Garzo emerged as the primary beneficiaries. Their unwavering faith in Adam’s triumph—or perhaps their audacious gamble—paid off handsomely, granting each of them an expanded domain.

"YES!" Garzo roared with unbridled joy, his fist clenched. "I knew this guy had it in him! Just look at him! He wasn’t even fazed by Es’aha’s strike! Hahaha! I really should have wagered double, no, triple the amount!"

The pallid maiden, her black hair cascading in sharp, pointed strands, offered a nod. "You're the man, boss. Your gut feelings never lead you astray."

However, unlike common monstrous beings for whom even a single cube of land represented a significant gain, thirty land cubes held little consequence for these three titans.

Each Finger commanded an immense swathe of territory.

Their wager was not about broadening their dominion, but rather about amplifying the battle’s thrill and discerning who among them possessed the superior acumen for analyzing combat.

Kaerno swiveled his head to address Adam.

"What do you reckon? That wasn't too shabby, was it?"

Adam drew a slow, deep breath. "Indeed, but I can barely remain upright. That final assault… I poured every ounce of my might into it. Yet, I believe your attention ought to be directed elsewhere, not solely on me."

"Hmm?" Kaerno’s brow furrowed in curiosity.

"I speak the truth, do I not, Zin?"

Es’aha whirled around as Zin flashed a smile. A subtle shift had occurred within his eyes, a transformation that infused Es’aha’s heart with an unexpected warmth.

"The sounds… I feel that after this engagement, I have absorbed all I needed to. I am prepared to advance."