Endless Evolution: Last Star - Chapter 1360

Chapter 1360: Cold Clouds

Tremble.

With a tremor of space, Mona found herself in the same place where she had hidden from Bertrada’s gaze earlier. She stared at the multitude of white fragments floating in the void as she slowly approached them.

Soon, she noticed that energy had gathered near several fragments, filling the void with small outlines, as if they were sockets where palm-sized fragments could be placed. There were only two such sockets, just like the trials Adam had passed so far.

“Master…” Mona muttered. “Did this always happen when a contender passed a trial, and I was just blind to it?”

Then, she shook her head, realizing that it was impossible.

“No, I don’t remember the last time I came to this place during the trials. Moreover, I would have definitely noticed if there had been any changes here. Most likely, this is happening because Adam chose the amber crystal and managed to pass two trials, as well as forcing me to flee here earlier…”

After a few moments, Mona gulped and carefully touched the sockets, feeling the majestic energy, even if it was only a small part of the past.

“Two fragments and two trials. What will happen when Adam passes the third trial? What awaits him? And… what should I do in that case?” Mona lowered her gaze.

She understood that Bertrada knew nothing about what was happening here, neither about this hidden chamber nor about the dark fragments that Adam had received.

Shaking her head, Mona opened the portal and returned to the top, to the glass sphere. Now she had to continue doing her job and serving Bertrada. Everything else depended on Adam.

“Mistress, Adam Vinter is moving on to the final trial,” Mona announced calmly.

Bertrada nodded deeply, without even looking in Mona’s direction. She was completely focused on the mirror in front of her, because Adam was entering the territory of the third trial. This was her last chance to avoid the heavy pay that awaited her if he reached the end.

“He… How dare he refuse my offer? He was one of the few I offered this to, and everyone else agreed immediately! They knew how difficult the trials were, they understood that only death awaited them, unlike him!”

She bit her lip until it bled, staring intently at Adam.

“Tsk. Last time he outplayed me, but now I will act immediately!”

Whooooosh.

Before Adam had a chance to open the gate, Bertrada sent three bright flashes straight to the guard of the third trial. She couldn’t forgive herself for her arrogance during the second trial.

If the Crystal Golem had possessed Lord Level power right away, Adam would most likely already be dead or too injured to continue.

In any case, it was a great failure on Bertrada’s part.

Mona’s gaze followed the flashes, but for some reason, she wasn’t worried about Adam.

‘He didn’t find the special item at the second trial, but this time he won’t be able to defeat the guard with pure power alone. I hope you can do it before the sharp claws tear you to pieces.

…

Crash.

Far below, several hundred meters away, there was a rumbling sound as the gates slowly opened.

Wind gusts as fierce as a blizzard greeted Adam as he took step after step until the gates were fully open.

“What the hell…?” Adam muttered, shocked by the sight before him.

A dark, stone bridge covered with a thin layer of ice and snow stretched from him straight to the other side of the arena.

All around were hundreds of icy peaks rising from the boundless white void that was already familiar to him. No matter how far he looked down, he could not see the beginning of the peaks.

Each peak was flat at the top, where the wyverns, creatures covered in blue scales, with broad wings growing from their front paws and deep eyes with elongated jaws with several dangerous fangs, were located.

Some believed that the wyverns were related to dragons, but inferior to them in every way, yet they still posed a great threat to anyone who dared to fight them, as evidenced by their powerful auras.

Not all peaks had wyverns. Some were empty, while others were veritable nests for entire families.

However, all this paled in comparison to the fortress soaring high above the bridge, in the very center of the chamber. The base of the fortress was a massive glacier, blue and dark, emitting a frightening frost.

But… what was truly important was the object at the very center of the glacier — a bright, red heart bound in chains. With each heartbeat, a dark aura burst forth before quickly disappearing and reappearing, as a warning to everyone not to approach the fortress or, especially, the red heart.

Finally, at the very top of the chamber, a bright, dazzling light shone, like a tiny sun illuminating the entire arena and flashing in a multitude of ice peaks.

Adam gulped. He began to feel nervous, but soon he smiled.

“I see. Now, unlike the amber orb, I can see my goal right away. That’s good, but where is the fearsome guard of this trial?”

Whoooooooosh.

As if in response to his words, a gust of wind blew as a shadow fell on him, forcing him to look up.

Two wide wings cut through the sky before the formidable Azure Wyvern clung its claws to the edge of the fortress, surveying its domain. Only it could approach the red heart at any moment.

The Azure Wyvern was larger and more dangerous than all the other wyverns, but what really set it apart were its eyes, full of wisdom and meaning. Adam immediately realized that the cheap tricks he had used against the Silver Gargoyle and Crystal Golem would not work against the Azure Wyvern.

Crunch.

Adam stretched his neck and stepped onto the bridge, ready to fight.

“Alright, you look dangerous, I admit.” He raised his head, locking eyes with the monster. “So, let’s get this over with quickly.”

The Azure Wyvern spread its wings, but instead of attacking Adam, the monster rushed straight up toward the light.

At the same moment, three bright flashes pierced the void, striking the Azure Wyvern’s chest.

“Shit… The Silver Beacon… So she can learn from the mistakes? That’s bad!”

Now, the Azure Wyvern, the guardian of the third trial, would possess the power of the Lord from the very beginning, and Adam’s only salvation would be to find a weapon that would allow him to destroy the red heart.

He had no other choice.