NOVPUBThe Star Seal was the snd step in the evolution after Phantom destroyed the First Wall. This event was the snd one after the First Wall, not at the K2 level.
The point is that the First Wall itself was supposed to be the first cell for the Star Seal, after which the Star Seal would appear, sensing the presence of the star.
Yet, in Adam’s case, it was different. His The First Wall didn’t need extra time, genes, and energy to evolve into something else, it was too strong for the additional steps.
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
With an active shudder, the first star appeared next to Adam - black with burning purple flames billowing around it.
The Evolution Tree proclaimed:
[The first one - the Wall Star.]
Before Adamuld say anything, a bright white light illuminated the left side of Adam’s face. The bright star floated amidst the darkness, emitting a pleasant, familiar warmth to Adam.
This time, the Evolution Tree didn’t need to say anything; Adam knew full well what kind of star it was.
"Operator’s Star..." Adam muttered, his heart began to beat faster, Silvana was not only his backup, but she also gave him the key to the Star Seal.
Watching the white star for a while, Adam nodded deeply, a slight smile on his face.
"I see, so this is what Refesa was talking about, things are slowly falling into place. How curious..."
The next moment, a third star appeared between the two stars, white and black - possessing twolors at once, purple and crimson.
Adam’s eyes went wide. He knew immediately what the star meant, he received it just recently and didn’t even know it had any special meaning.
[The Desire Star... It was supposed tome much later, at the very end to change you and your Nexus... But...]
For a few snds, the Evolution Tree was silent.
[Your will, along with the extraordinary power of your First Wall, made it happen ahead of time.]
Adam looked around, staring intently at each of the stars. They were all part of his power, of himself, something he got on his own, and something his Operator helped him with.
"So... You weren’t lying, I already have three stars out of four. So I’ve practically opened the Star Seal. But, where am I supposed to get the fourth star?"
Adam had a few guesses, but he wanted an answer from the Evolution Tree.
[Hah... Adam, you know where. Of all the special things, you’ve alreadympleted all but one unfinished business...]
Then, Adam’srners of his lips went up, forming a bitter smile.
"The pact with Lona Blaze, right? There’s a reason you wouldn’t let me reveal the lastndition of the pact. Well, that makes sense, I didn’t realize why it was necessary until the destruction of the First Wall."
[Yes... There’s no point in hiding anything from you anymore. Now... Adam, are you ready to get stronger?]
"Agh...?"
Adam gave a questioning look.
"What are you talking about? Didn’t I destroy the First Wall? I mean, my next step is the Star Seal."
The Evolution Tree grunted approvingly:
[Grhm... Adam, each starntains a great volume of energy as well as a part of your path. In their appearance, they have affected you, in different ways, but... while they are just floating amongst the darkness... they are nothing more thanntainers of resources... it would help if you utilized them...]
The Evolution Tree immediatelyntinued:
[I’m sure... Once you leave your inner space, Silvana will tell you everything... but it’s obvious even to me... Every star you use, every cell filled on the Star Seal is one level forward...]
Even though Adam just destroyed the First Wall, he understood what his Evolution Tree was talking about.
"I see... there is a significant difference between a Phantom with no stars or with three, four stars will open the Star Seal, destroying the Snd Wall."
[Exactly... I don’t think I’d be wrong if I said that instead of waiting for the first star to appear from the First Wall, you immediately activate three and bme much, much stronger...]
Adam’s eyes sparkled for a moment.
When he saw the Star Seal, he thought he would have to go the long way again as with the First Wall, but he alreadympleted most of it.
Most Phantoms in his place would not have a single star, he has three and made the pact with External Artifact, so it won’t be long before he gets a fourth star.
"Hmm... I understand where I got the Operator’s Star and the Desire Star from, but what about that one?"
Adam pointed to the black star.
"Does it appear right after the destruction of the First Wall? That doesn’t make sense."
[No... It takes a lot of time and resources to create the Wall Star, but... in your case, it happened while that girl was still married... I think her name is Osana...]
Adam blinked a few times. He didn’t remember anything similar to the fight against the Blind Commander happening back then, the moment the Desire Star appeared.
The Evolution Tree saw hisnfusion, he was too stunned by Gladius’s power that day to realize it.
[Gladius, his aura and the fight against the high nobles impressed you so much... that itmpletely changed your First Wall.]
The Evolution Treentinued:
[This was not the Wall Star’s birth, but it was the beginning, the catalyst... When you entered the fortress... I think then the Wall Star wasmplete...]
Silence.
No one said anything for a while, Adam pondered what had happened, while his heart beat faster and faster in anticipation of a new power.
[Go, Adam... There’s no point in wasting any more time... Insert three stars into the cells, reach the edge of the K2-Level, and fulfill your obligations to Lone Blaze...]
With a look full of determination, Adam nodded deeply, his fists clenched tightly as his gaze fixed on the Star Seal.
"Sure, you don’t have tonvince me for long."
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
At a wave of his hand, the three stars headed toward the Star Seal, in flashes they plunged into the cells, leaving only the top one empty.
Then, Adam’s aura grew to an unprecedented scale.
...
...
...
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
Over a hundred Phantoms defending the fortress, and thousands of monsters trying to destroy the solid walls, simultaneously froze in place as they felt waves of shiversming from beneath the ground.
Shivers ran through their bodies,ldnessursing along their backs.
It didn’t matter what the monsters were doing at that moment: hiding in the sand for a surprise attack, trying to destroy ice towers, or fighting among the fog.
All of them, without exception, stopped like stone statues, hovering in place.
The Blind Sinner and the Dormant Lord were no exception, temporarily stopping their endless chain of clashes.
Synchronously, they pointed their heads down the fortress, sensing that something important was going on in the depths.
Tremble.
The first shockwave was weak, almost imperceptible. It seemed to be the aftermath of a battle, but the monsters realized it was something deeper - an evolution.
The Phantoms were not so experienced in this, but when the snd shockwave came, together with their Operators, they managed to figure out what the cause was.
Step. Step. Step.
At the same moment, Viron and Gnash returned to the fortress. They came in victorious, leaving behind two dead monsters, the strongest after the Dormant Lord, but it wasn’t easy for them.
Viron’s right arm wasvered with numerous cuts and severe burns, yet his gaze remained calm andnfident.
Streams of blood flowed from therners of Gnash’s mouth, a wide crimson stainvered her right side soaking her black robes. Her left ankle was twisted at a painful angle, she limped heavily and every step reverberated with agony, but she didn’t let herself grunt in pain.
Before stepping over the gate line, Viron and Gnash glanced over.
"Hah, looks like the Prime Grim Warro proved too strong an opponent for you, didn’t it?"
For the first time, Viron let out a short laugh losing hisld expression:
"Hahaha... Looks like you’re much better at joking than you are at fighting. Just look at you, you have several times more wounds than me."
"Pffft!"
Gnash snorted, she jerked her head as her hair whipped through the air.
"My supports will get me back to normal in no time. I have a great team."
Viron shrugged.
"Well... So do I."
A few snds later, they met Katrin surrounded by dozens of Phantoms. She looked healthy and ready for battle, in the time Viron and Gnash were battling, Katrin regained her peakndition.
"Looks like I canngratulate you on your victory, doesn’t it?"
Tremble.
Before Viron and Ghashuld answer anything, a third and final shockwave passed through the fortress.
It was so powerful that some Phantoms lost their balance, including Gnash with her injured foot.
"Agh...!"
At the last moment, Viron caught her with his left, unharmed arm.
No one knew what exactly was going on below, but everyone had one guess.
Viron frowned.
"Looks like the Unknown Phantom has achieved its goal. Now... what should we expect next?"
