Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1826: A lonely peak and black sand

Adam didn’t know what Laroza and Krador were talking about, and perhaps that was for the best.

If he had found out what they knew about Aiden, he would have had even more questions.

Right now, he had to focus on his goal, finding the Glass Root. That was the first step toward obtaining the Bottomless Void.

But there was something that bothered Adam.

“At the Blind Eye Tower, I was busy with other things, but… why is Silvana ignoring me?”

Adam felt that Silvana was in no danger. However, for some reason, she had distanced herself, as if she were busy with something important and trying to keep it a secret.

“Well, I hope it’s for the best.”

He had trouble fully trusting Silvana. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have been able to get this far.

Sure, Adam couldn’t know that right now Silvana was training under Aiden’s guidance, but he had some pretty good guesses.

Step. Step. Step.

For some time now, Adam had been moving swiftly toward the Silent Hills as the walls of Varreyn receded farther and farther into the distance.

Adam glanced at the Mist Owl emblem on his belt.

‘This thing turned out to be useful. As soon as the guards saw it, all their questions simply vanished. Tsk, no matter where you are, in a world of monsters or humans, status and money rule everywhere, don’t they?”

On his way to the Silent Hills, Adam crossed several small areas. Each one contained nests and hunting grounds, but usually only the weakest monsters of Varreyn ventured here.

The territories near the cities were always relatively safe, since all the major threats had long since been eliminated.

Soon, a light layer of fog began to cover the gray land. For Adam, this was a sign to slow down.

“Krador said I’d have to fight a thousand monsters, but… maybe that was just a figure of speech? If there are so many monsters here, where are they all hiding?”

The closer Adam got to the hills, the slower he moved. He cautiously climbed the hill in front of him, looking around.

The fog here was so thick that when Adam stretched his arm forward, he couldn’t even see his hand, only his wrist.

However, Adam didn’t panic.

“This…” Adam blinked. “It’s so quiet here.”

The names of these territories didn’t always accurately describe them, but “Silent Hills” was spot on.

“Huh, if Zin were here, he’d probably like this, wouldn’t he?” Adam chuckled before taking another step.

Naturally, he let his guard down. He’d been walking through the thick fog for over ten minutes now, seeing and hearing nothing.

He knew he was supposed to be on guard, but he simply couldn’t help himself.

‘Krador didn’t warn me about this effect. Is it all because of this fog, or is there another reason?’ Adam frowned.

Then he shook his head.

‘No, I shouldn’t be thinking about that right now. The summit is almost within reach!’

With one final burst of energy, Adam suddenly found himself breaking out of the thick fog and standing at the top of his hill.

The peak, no more than five meters in radius, was the only place the fog didn’t reach, and that was no accident.

“Wait, they’re just like me.” Adam gulped, looking around.

No matter how high the hills were, whether lower or higher than the one he was standing on, there was no fog on their peaks, as if that were a rule of this territory.

Still, no monsters were in sight.

As Krador had said, in most cases, the Silent Hills were safe territory. If Adam decided to go further and leave now, it was unlikely anyone would attack him.

But he couldn’t. He had to find the Glass Root, and that was sure to get him into trouble.

Adam remembered where the Glass Root was supposed to be, in the rifts between the hills, but before he could start looking for it, something made his eyes widen.

“Oh… R-Right, Krador warned me about this…” Adam stammered, looking at the lands ahead.

Now that the fog wasn’t obstructing his view, he could gaze upon one of the most dangerous and mysterious places in their world.

The Gray Sea.

Adam gulped.

Right at the horizon, he saw waves crashing against the dark shore. It wasn’t ash or soot like in many areas of the Dead Lands, but black sand, with rare crystals glinting in the moonlight.

The Gray Sea was too far away for Adam to see anything else. The islands lay beyond. He would have to get closer.

Clutch.

Adam clenched his fists as he came to his senses.

“No, there’s no point in going there without a compass. Laroza is right, first I have to find the Bottomless Void, and then fight Breydar.”

His gaze fell on the ravine between two hills. At the very bottom, the fog was especially thick.

However, Adam already knew what he had to do.

“The trick Laroza taught me, it’s useful not only at the Gray Sea and in the water, isn’t it?” he muttered, looking at his hand.

A few moments later, the white veil covered his hand, and soon his entire body was protected by the aura armor.

It didn’t necessarily have to be a robe like the one at the bottom of Tooth Lake. The aura could take any shape Adam desired.

“Alright, that should be enough.”

Without hesitation, Adam leaped forward, sensing that his target was close.

Flying more than a hundred meters downward on powerful gusts of wind, Adam finally saw the ground and what he was looking for: the rift leading to the right.

Adam narrowed his eyes, searching for the Glass Root. At least one had to be somewhere here, until—

“RARGK!”

A deep roar rang out from the side, forcing Adam to turn around.

The tiger, woven from mist, appeared out of nowhere, pouncing on Adam with its sharp claws and long fangs. The tiger’s eyes glowed brightly in a yellow light like ghostly lanterns.

Whoooooosh!

Adam dodged, landing not far from the rift as a bitter smile spread across his face.

“Huh, now I understand what he was talking about.”

It wasn’t just one tiger, or even two.

More than a hundred tigers emerged from the fog, and they kept coming as their yellow eyes appeared.

“Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll take you all on!”

Adam’s blue eyes flashed.

“I’m ready. Come at me!”