Endless Evolution: Last Star

The green lizard didn't stand a chance from the start. Its only task was to try to wound or even kill Dayra or Adam as soon as they opened the gate. However, their powers were not equal.

The large monster was unable to resist Dayra's roots, which bound its paws and turned it into a stationary target for Adam, who took advantage of this with ease.

Sure, Adam would have won without Dayra's help, but this way he was able to conserve his strength, because Lyrod would certainly not be as easy an opponent as Kolos or the weaker monsters.

Crack.

Blood gushed out as the green lizard's left eye twitched, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Its long life, lasting more than a hundred years, ended in an instant.

Making sure the lizard was dead, Adam pulled the needle out of its head with a slight nod and looked at Dayra.

"Good job. As you promised, the lizard didn't move at all."

Dayra grinned smugly. She couldn't hide the fact that Adam's praise was pleasant and had an effect on her.

"Hah, of course! If I were a little stronger, you wouldn't have been able to do anything against my roots!"

Adam shrugged as he nimbly jumped off the lizard and directed his gaze toward the crypt.

"I understand that besides you and Kolos, Lyrod has quite a few subordinates who will try to protect him at any cost, right?"

Dayra's expression became serious as she nodded deeply.

"Sure. It's not just about Lyrod, but also about the energy of the dark dream. Most of it is naturally allocated to Lyrod, but even if it's just wandering shreds of darkness, it can be an important component of evolution for other monsters."

"Agh... Honestly, I haven't even seen this Lyrod yet, but this guy is already annoying me. First, we had to find the crypt, then open the gate, collect the seals, deal with the lizard, and now we have to go down and find him!"

Then, Adam's eyes widened as he realized something that had previously escaped his notice.

"Wait, you can help me with this, can't you? As one of the Elders, you must know exactly where Lyrod is so we can get to him by the shortest route, right?"

In response, Dayra scratched her cheek uncertainly.

"Well, that would be true if Lyrod didn't know that we were coming after him, that there was a Phantom upstairs that threatened not only his life but evolution as a whole.

I think he changed his location a long time ago. He should be at the main altar on the middle floor of the crypt, but... considering it's Lyrod, he's probably hidden himself in the farthest, darkest corner so you won't find him."

Adam rolled his eyes and shook his head to gather his thoughts.

"Hmm... Alright, then let's go there and check every suitable place."

Dayra nodded, and they set off.

Unfortunately, Adam and Dayra couldn't use the gene field or their auras to figure out where Lyrod was, because Lyrod was stronger than Dayra, making it impossible for her. His power level was about the same as Adam's.

However, it didn't matter how great the difference in strength was or how well the creature was able to hide its aura.

Everyone's eyes worked equally well, and if there was a monster in front of you, you would see it.

Step. Step. Step.

Their muffled footsteps echoed off the cold walls, while rare green torches lit their way, lighting up and going out depending on where they were.

"How many floors are there in this crypt?" Adam asked.

"Nine. The middle floors are the fourth and fifth, the altar is on the fifth, but as I said earlier, I doubt Lyrod is there. If he sent the green lizard to the top, then he's at least scared of your power."

Adam grinned.

"Hah, stop flattering me. I haven't heard as much praise from my Operator in a month as I have from you in the last few hours."

"Hey!" Silvana's voice rang out from the other side. "I just don't throw words around! When I say something, I mean it!"

Adam waved his hand, slightly teasing Silvana, who saw every change in his facial expression.

"Well, you turned out to be much stronger than I expected. I'm just telling the truth." Dayra shrugged. "I disagree with Kolos on many things, but he's right about one thing. Monsters respect strength, and I'm no exception."

"Hah, at this level, humans respect strength as well. Fuck, it's literally necessary for survival!"

There was a moment of silence as Dayra fell silent. She understood what Adam was talking about — the impending World Wipe.

Sure, neither Adam nor Dayra had anything to worry about. Adam would survive because Queen Elisa would protect him, and Dayra would find a lord who would agree to protect her as well.

Unlike humans, who have their main base, the Citadel, and their main source of protection, Queen Elisa, things are a little more complicated for monsters in this regard. Many of them have to make deals or improvise, monsters like Dayra for sure.

She was strong enough to survive the World Wipe under the barrier, but too weak to do the same without it.

However, for those monsters who obeyed a Lord, this was not a big problem.

Naturally, the stronger the Lord, the larger and stronger its barrier. A Baron was only capable of protecting a few dozen monsters, while for someone like Saegar or Kenward, it was no problem to cover hundreds or thousands of monsters with their barrier.

What about the main base of the Befallen Crown?

Well, it was the closest thing the monsters had to the human Citadel. The same rules applied there as in the Citadel. If you were a Black Threat Monster, there was no point in worrying about the World Wipe. It was better to think about the consequences and the first years of this catastrophe.

Gradually, Adam and Dayra descended to the first floor, where the floor guard was already waiting for them.

A knight with an oval shield and a great lance stood in the center of a circular platform, waiting for one invader and one traitor.