Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1991: Beating Heart

Whether among monsters, humans, or Phantoms, fights rarely ended with a slow and exhausting series of punches.

More often than not, the two fighters would use up 80–90% of their energy, resources, and trump cards before realizing that it couldn’t go on like this. This could only happen if the two fighters were roughly equal in strength; otherwise, the fight simply wouldn’t have reached this stage, as one of them would have already won.

In such cases, both fighters would gather all the energy they had left to deliver their final strikes. This could be a physical punch, a sword swing, or a powerful, destructive ability.

For Adam, this was nothing out of the ordinary. He had been in such situations countless times.

Most of his battles ended this way, with him and his opponent gathering all their remaining energy for a final strike.

However, the fight against Breydar was an exception.

Adam hadn’t thought about how his fight against Breydar was supposed to end, but if he had considered it at the very beginning, he would hardly have predicted such an outcome.

Step. Step. Step.

Taking small steps, drained of strength, Adam approached Breydar.

“Arh… Arh… Arh…”

Breydar was breathing heavily, but all he had the strength for was to stay awake. If he lost his concentration now, he would simply fall asleep and die in his sleep.

Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.

The tips of his fingers twitched, but it wasn’t enough. He couldn’t get up off the ground or brace himself with his hand against the surface.

The blood from the two cuts on his forehead trickled slowly downward, approaching his amber eyes, while his gray hair spread out on the ground in a halo around him.

Step.

With the next step, Adam towered over him.

His eyes were just as weary as Breydar’s, but unlike him, he could still stand on his own two feet.

“Looks like this is the end for both of us, doesn’t it?” Adam’s faint voice rang out.

Still, Breydar heard him – every single word.

“Y-Yes…” Breydar muttered as a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. The punches he’d taken earlier had inflicted serious injuries; that, too, was part of the fight – not just the explosions or Adam’s needle.

His eyes shifted from the dark sky to Adam.

“I can’t even get up, Adam… I won’t even be able to die standing on my own two feet…”

He bit his lip, resentment appearing deep in his gaze.

“Damn it… I stole this crystal, escaped the Veiled Souls Clan, and even killed every one of them here… at the Gray Sea… but… I didn’t have enough strength left for you…”

Breydar had lost; he knew it. Nothing and no one could save him now. But he wasn’t angry at Adam.

He felt terrible because he knew he’d been just a little bit short of surviving and walking away from here as the victor. If he’d been even 10%, no… just 5%, stronger, he would have won.

“I have one question,” Adam’s voice rang out.

“Huh? What else do you want from me…? Just… just end it.”

Adam nodded.

“Sure, but before that, I want you to answer. Answer honestly – one important thing depends on it.”

“Tsk…” Breydar glared to the side. “Fine… Ask away. Do it quickly before I die… I don’t have an endless supply of blood.”

Adam chuckled.

“Huh. I see. So…” He stared at Breydar. “What should I do with your body after you die? What would you like?”

Breydar raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously? Is that your question? Do you always ask your opponents things like that?”

“No. Only a few of them.”

Breydar smiled bitterly.

“Oh… In that case, I’m flattered by your concern.”

Breydar was silent for a moment. He just stared into the distance at a single point, but soon Adam got his answer.

“Just… Just throw me into the water beyond this island. That’ll be enough.”

Adam nodded.

“I see. In that case…”

Step.

He stepped forward, holding out his arm to him.

“Ah?” Breydar was confused.

“Come on. Get up.”

Was Adam afraid that Breydar would use this as an opportunity to attack and kill him?

No.

He knew that Breydar was now too weak even to clench his hand into a fist, let alone land a punch strong enough to kill him.

Breydar hesitated for a moment before raising his arm with difficulty.

Adam grabbed his wrist, helping him to his feet.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Breydar’s legs were shaking; they barely kept him on his feet. But thanks to Adam, he was able to stand.

“Well… This fight didn’t go at all the way I expected, but I’ll remember this, Breydar.”

Adam smiled, letting go of Breydar’s wrist.

“After all, I came to the Gray Sea because of you. You were my mission here. But… It’s time for me to go home.”

Breydar couldn’t say a word; without Adam’s support, he began to fall again, inevitably drawing closer to the ground.

THRUST!

Before Breydar could hit the ground, Adam’s palm pierced his chest, straight through his beating heart.

Blood gushed out in a powerful stream as Breydar’s eyes fixed on Adam.

His dry lips moved, but he couldn’t say anything coherent.

There was no need; Adam understood everything from Breydar’s gaze.

Thump!

Breydar fell with a hollow space in his chest as his heart remained in Adam’s hand.

He didn’t throw it away or crush it. Instead, he placed the still-beating heart on Breydar’s chest. Then he took Breydar’s hand and placed it on his own heart, and did the same with his other hand.

“Finally… It’s over…”

Adam fell onto his back, among the bare rocks.

Gusts of wind swept across Island A217, forever changed by their battle. The wind ruffled the tips of Adam’s black hair as his eyes were fixed on Breydar’s heart.

Thud. Thud. Thud…

The heart continued to beat, gradually slower and slower, until it stopped.

Breydar was dead.