Endless Evolution: Last Star

Crack.

A bottle of strong whiskey landed on the rock as Douglas took out three glasses.

Adam raised an eyebrow.

'Where did he get that from, and why the hell does he carry booze with him? Damn, why does this man know so many secrets?'

Silvana was equally impressed as she tried to refuse when Douglas directed the bottle toward her glass.

"No... Mr. Douglas, or rather Douglas. I don't think I want to drink right now."

Splash.

Douglas filled her glass to the brim with a broad grin.

"Hahaha! I assure you, it will help! You won't want to hear what comes next, but after what you've seen, you have no other choice."

Adam took the glass, looking at the dark amber liquid.

"What? More bad news? Wilfred told us enough to ruin my mood for the week ahead. Or is this some kind of competition?"

Douglas shrugged as he raised his glass.

"Those are the rules, Adam. You're partly to blame for this yourself."

Adam frowned. "Agh? What does that mean? I just got back from the Dark Shore and all I hear is how weak I am, that we're all screwed in seven years, my family will die, and so on! Tsk, I wish I had stayed at the K3 level. Honestly."

"Well, the thing is, it was supposed to happen differently. You were supposed to fulfill two of the three conditions for your last key and find out that you needed the Midnight Crystal. The government would have helped you with that and told you the same thing Wilfred did, but in greater detail and smoothing over the unpleasant parts."

"Pfffft!" Adam snorted. "Then it's good that I learned everything from Wilfred. At least he can say everything straight and to the point. That way, I have more confidence in his words, you know?"

Douglas nodded.

"Sure, I agree, but strict straightforwardness doesn't suit all Phantoms, especially considering the topic of conversation and all the consequences. And, it's important to note that the next World Wipe is only seven years away. With so little time left, the chance of panic is quite high."

"So... If it weren't for the whole Fallen Ring Castle and Hollow Wave monsters thing, I would need the Midnight Crystal instead of the Twilight Crystal, right?" Adam asked.

Douglas simply nodded.

"Exactly. You would have returned to the Citadel, received help, and learned the first part of the secrets. Then, you would have gone through the evolution and ended up in roughly the current situation."

"I see..."

A few moments later, Adam took his first sip as he turned his gaze to Douglas.

"So, what was that? I don't know what you're capable of at your peak, not in this brief skirmish we had, but you're very strong. Especially considering that you're neither a Phantom nor a monster, right?"

Douglas was slightly embarrassed. Deep down, he wanted them to remain in the dark so he could shock them even more.

"Yeah, that's true, I'm not a Phantom or a monster."

"And not a human," Silvana said sharply. "I can see that. I figured it out a long time ago!"

Click.

Before Silvana could comprehend this, Douglas flicked her forehead, causing her to gasp.

"Quiet. Don't jump to conclusions. I am much more human than both of you. However, it's true, I possess energy and impressive physical power on par with a K4-Phantom, even though I am not a Phantom."

Adam and Silvana exchanged glances.

Instead of providing them with answers, Douglas puzzled them even more.

"I am not an ordinary human, that's true. No ordinary person, military or government agent, can under any circumstances compare to me or others like me."

Douglas placed his palm on his chest as his eyes deepened and his gaze became more serious.

"I am a Touched Human. There aren't many of us, but we have been helping the Citadel function and survive for a long time."

"Touched Human?" Adam tilted his head in confusion. "Something like an Awakened Monster? Or are you an alternative to the Hollow Wave monster?"

Douglas smiled faintly.

"Hah. If you put it that way, I'm much closer to the Awakened Monster, but you and Silvana have already seen people like me, once they were in their official uniforms."

Silvana blinked several times, trying to understand what Douglas was talking about, when Adam's eyes widened and he realized who Douglas was referring to.

"The Gamma Division? The special military personnel in white clothes? Are they all like you?"

Douglas smiled broadly, satisfied with Adam's response.

"Yes, that's right. However, not all of them are as strong as I am. And, not all people from the Gamma Division are always on duty at Heaven Island or in their departments in the military system."

Adam smiled bitterly as his gaze shifted downward. "Hah, Andreas is just like you, right? He has a different job, but he's also a member of the Gamma Division, isn't he?"

"Damn, you're quick on the uptake, kid. Much quicker than when we last met. Although, considering you're still growing up, that's not surprising."

The Gamma Division was one of the most secretive services in the entire Citadel. An ordinary person had no chance of meeting a member of the Gamma Division if the military officer was in uniform.

People like Douglas, Andreas, and others were somewhat of an exception, although few knew their true status.

Adam and Silvana, despite recently being at the K3 Level, thought Douglas was a high-ranking military officer, but not a person with superpowers.

Silvana coughed as she looked at Douglas with a serious expression.

"So, Douglas, what makes you so special? Judging by everything, the Gamma Division members are much smaller than the Phantoms. Are you all part of some experiment or mutation or... What happened to you to make you so strong?"

Adam crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes, Douglas, answer me! You have energy and strength on par with the K4-Level, it can't be just luck!"

"Well, it is."

Douglas pressed his palm firmly against his chest.

"The truth is, a long time ago, my body absorbed a fragment of the Last Star."

His voice grew lower.

"The Midnight Crystal is inside my body. That's what gives me my strength."