Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1670 1670: The Big Pit

"S-Secret?" the woman muttered.

Kaerno nodded.

"Yes. You should have sensed it. You've been watching him from afar the whole time. His aura… It's strange, and it's not just that he's on the verge of his next evolution, there's something else going on here."

In fact, the woman had come to the same conclusion, but like Kaerno, she couldn't figure out why.

"Do you think Gladius is somehow involved in this? If so… then, Master Kaerno, we must make sure nothing bad happens to him!"

Her concern was understandable. The last thing they needed right now was for a Phantom of Gladius's level to unleash his wrath upon their pillar. It was a catastrophe they had to avoid at all costs.

Kaerno raised his hand, and the woman fell silent.

"We've helped him enough. If he can't handle the Pit, or loses a fight, or… even falls to the Frenzied Shard, then it means he wasn't strong enough for this place. No one will avenge the weak. I know that for sure."

He closed his eyes, letting the wind sweep past him, enjoying the fresh breeze.

"Keep watching him from afar. In fact, your priority should be Sarka, not him. One day, that little monster will become just as strong as you."

The woman bowed deeply.

"Y-Yes, Master Kaerno."

Thus, her form trembled as she vanished.

…

For most of their journey, Adam and Sarka tried to outrun each other, but even they knew when to stop the fun.

They slowed down as the endless gray dunes and pillars were no longer visible in the distance. A few kilometers ahead, nothing awaited them, just emptiness, at least from their perspective.

The Pit was close. Adam knew that, but he couldn't help but notice something else.

"Hey, Kaerno told me that all pillars are divided into two types, and that his pillar contains his subordinates and followers. So was it your decision to go to Kaerno and become part of his team?"

Sarka nodded with a broad smile.

"Yes. At first, I had to beat up a few of his men, but when he saw my strength, he let me in right away!"

"Why? Why did you choose his pillar? Why did you decide to go to the Blade Pillar and not the Dome One?"

Suddenly, Sarka's expression turned irritated, almost arrogant.

"Because they're boring, arrogant bastards! Imagine Larth, only five times worse! That's a typical monster at the dome pillars."

"Hmm?" Adam was confused. "Is there a reason for that? Does the shape of the pillar's top have anything to do with it?"

When Kaerno told him about the two factions, he didn't mention that they had any special characteristics.

In response, Sarka shrugged.

"Who knows? Somehow, it just turned out that the monsters who want to fight and progress that way usually go to the Blade Pillars. Maybe it's all about the towers, with them and the Gray Watchers, you have a view of a huge area, which means more opportunities to fight. As you saw, we have one too."

She glanced at the nearest dome pillar as a frown crossed her face.

"But these jerks? They think they're the smartest! Tsk, instead of fighting and evolving, they hide under their dome, slowly and patiently accumulating energy and constantly practicing. What annoys me the most is that there are strong monsters among them. Shit! How is that even possible?!"

Adam nodded.

"So, at the blade pillars are those who prefer to fight, finding opponents through the tower and thus becoming stronger. At the same time, at the dome pillars, everything is different. They absorb energy, practice, and don't show themselves unnecessarily."

"Does the fact that they have a pillar with a dome top affect their defense in any way?"

Sarka gritted her teeth. "Yes. If our pillar is a more suitable place for the Gray Watchers and surveillance, then their domes are literally fortresses that are impossible to destroy."

Suddenly, Adam gave a short laugh.

"Hahahahaha."

"Argh? What's so funny?"

Adam shook his head.

"Nothing. You can tell you guys have some stiff competition. That makes sense considering there are only two factions here. But, I'm glad it was one of your Gray Watchers who found me."

"Yeah, you should. Master Kaerno treated you to some wine. At the dome pillar, you'd have died of boredom by now!"

"Hahahahaha! I suppose you're right."

Perhaps their conversation would have continued, but their time for talking had come to an end.

Their expressions changed as they stopped. A few steps ahead, nothing but the edge awaited them, as if some cosmic giant had taken a sword and cleaved this place in two.

But this was not the end of the Hollow Lands, much less the world, far from it.

"So, is this it, the Pit?"

Sarka stood beside him. "Yes."

Ahead, stretching for tens of kilometers, lay ruins: the bones of long-dead monsters among shattered rocks, as well as objects that had come from entirely different lands, whether it was fallen trees the size of hills, iron spires that once reached for the heavens but were now covered in dust, or even huge mirrors next to unusually large weapons, driven into the ground.

If the Tarnished Lands were vast slums of the Dead Lands, filled with expansive territories and dangerous monsters, then this place, as its name suggested, was one giant pit where it seemed everything that had ever been lost in this world was gathered.

Step.

Sarka stepped forward, stopping at the very edge. A handful of sand and pebbles rolled down the steep slope.

"A few years ago, in this very spot, I received my Hollow Mark. Then, I fought and fought until I earned my rank as one of the Fangs."

Adam scanned the Pit, but he didn't notice anything remarkable. Though there was hardly anything unremarkable here.

"I take it there isn't a single Frenzied Shard in our line of sight right now, right?"

Sarka smirked.

"Of course not. You think it's that easy? Come on, we have to lure them out?"

"Agh?"

Without waiting for his reaction, Sarka jumped off the edge, leaving him no other choice.

'Well, anything is better than dying by your queen's blood. I must hurry!'