Endless Evolution: Last Star

The red and blue Spirits clashed, destroying themselves and showing that the aura powers were roughly equal.

With a bright flash combining the two colors, the duel began as Edir and Milisa simultaneously moved from their spots.

All eyes were fixed on them, someone sure to learn something from this fight. There was every reason to do so.

...

Step. Step. Step. Join the adventure on m,vlemp _y,r.

Edir looked bored as he headed toward the arena center, toward the platform that would lift him and bring him back to the A-Zone.

With each breath, he exhaled vapor with particles of blue flame that soon fell to the ground like hundreds of snowflakes due to the low temperature.

Milisa was covered in blood that didn't flow at all since it was frozen. Her breathing was stable, nothing threatened her life, but her eyes were empty since several powerful attacks had disabled her.

"Agh... I wanted more. Well, what else would you expect from someone who enjoys wine and oysters so much without the most precious thing of all - freedom." Edir muttered, returning to the A-Zone.

The many prisoners stared at him wide-eyed, he paid no attention to anyone. Now, he wanted to somehow get rid of the bitterness of frustration that was literally devouring him from the inside out.

He wasn't a wild beast ready to attack anyone, so... he'd chosen the tried-and-true method of many years.

Splash.

The amber liquid of strong alcohol poured from the crystal bottle into the glass, covering a round ice block.

"I'll rest for now. I suggest you hurry up." Edir muttered, taking a sip. He didn't look anywhere, but Adam realized - Edir was addressing him.

"Sure." Adam nodded, seeking an opponent for himself.

Edir had already filled one cell, and in just two fights, he would be able to challenge the Guardian.

True, Adam would not fight Guardian, but given their unusual situation, if Edir defeated Guardian, they would both make it to the S-Zone.

Not because Gurdian will be defeated and everyone could do the same since the passage will be open, but because Edir recognizes Adam. He would just let him through or say they are equally strong, and that's it. Everyone understood that, so even such a formality was not necessary.

...

Whoooooosh.

The ghostly needle collided with the transparent spear, then again and again, each time creating a cascade of colorless sparks that soon disappeared into the void.

"Fuck. Why the fuck is his Spirit so strong?!" The man gritted his teeth and growled, trying to resist Adam's aura.

Phantoms didn't always use The Will at the beginning of a fight, since if the opponents were of equal strength there wasn't much need for it.

However... if one was superior to the other, it allowed one to get an advantage, and Adam had already realized that.

He stood still, waving his hand from time to time and thus controlling his Spirit.

The needle could act without his supervision, but then the accuracy, speed, and power of the attacks as well as the density of the aura suffered greatly.

Adam wanted to get used to his new power to understand its capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as how to make the ghost needle turn into something bigger and reach the second stage.

'Hmm... Perhaps this is overconfident, but it seems my needle is stronger not because it's a needle but because my aura is much denser due to a combination of various factors...' Adam internally muttered sharply, waving his hand from top to bottom.

Crackle.

The needle pierced the spear, shattering it into tiny shards. Then, it rushed towards the man, passing through his chest.

"Argh!!!" The man spat out a mouthful of blood, but the damage wasn't enough to end the fight.

"Bastard... Satisfied? Can we move on to the real fight?!"

Adam didn't answer. He just swung his arm, letting the needle pass through the man once more, but... nothing more happened. The man didn't seem to have taken any damage, though that was it.

"Hah, surprised? Just to think, you have such a powerful aura and Spirit, yet you're a complete novice at this." The man shook his head with a bitter smile, "However, that means you deserved to get that kind of power. I can't help but admit it."

Adam gave him a questioning look.

"Idiot, I'm talking about how an aura can't hurt more than once!" The man exclaimed, causing Adam's eyes to go wide.

The man continued, "You broke my Spirit, so your aura attacked me. I took a fair bit of damage, as you can see."

The man showed his bloody hands and looked at the crimson spot on the ground.

"But, that's the end of it. If it were some K1-Phantom rookie in my place, he would have fainted after your attack, but I'm strong enough to keep fighting on." The man said proudly.

Adam nodded understandingly.

Aura had no physical embodiment, it couldn't leave a cut on a body or tear clothing. Now, Adam realized how important it was.

"Fine." Adam bowed slightly, "Thank you for the explanation. I now have a better understanding of how and for what to use The Will. However... I still need to fill my cell."

At the same moment, lightning streaked down Adam's legs as he became much faster - attacking with all his might.

...

By mid-afternoon, Edir and Adam had finished two fights each - each time with victory on their side. The second time they fought simultaneously, filling two boxes in the arena.

Edir looked for his next opponent now and then, teasing Lola. Each time, he became more and more persistent, and Lola gradually gave in, though she didn't even realize if he was serious or just playing with her to relieve his boredom.

Adam spent his free time lying on the couch that Milisa had previously occupied, after the fight with Edir, she had gone to the infirmary and then to her cell to recover.

He pondered, trying to figure out how to make the Aura Seal evolve so that Spirit would transform, but Adam didn't know how to do it. Moreover, he had one important question that remained unanswered.

'Second stage...? Does it have to be related to the monster of my Initial Gene, or does the form of the creature depend primarily on me and my power?'

Sure, Adam could have asked Edir this, which he did, but Edir didn't give him an answer, or rather, he told him not what Adam was hoping for.

'If I tell you, you'll get too hung up on my answer. Just do as you feel you have to, up to this point, this tactic has worked, so I see no reason to deviate from it.' - is what Edir said.

"Agh... Whatever... While Edir hasn't challenged the Guardian yet, there's something else I have to deal with. I don't know why, but I feel like it's going to be a one-way trip to S-Zone."

Adam jumped over the couch heading for the gate, but not to the S-Zone, but to the B-Zone, for his ultimate goal was the F-Zone, where Narata was supposed to be.