Endless Evolution: Last Star

One of the few rules that always worked for all Phantoms was how they got to their mission locations.

The K0-Phantoms could leave the Citadel through the gates or reach monster nests using trucks. Cases where a K0-Phantom was allowed to use a fighter were quite rare.

The stronger the Phantom became, the further away from the Citadel it hunted. This rule worked on the Upper Ring as well, but the Cave Grid was arranged completely differently from the Dead Lands; there was no need for fighters there, just tunnels that had long been dug by the Second Rank Phantoms.

Adam didn't think about this problem, but as he moved from one level to another, he felt how much longer the distances were becoming. With each level, it took 2-3 hours longer to reach the desired location.

Moreover, no one had control over the Dead Lands, where fighters could fly freely if their safety was ensured, but this did not apply to the Dark Shore and the Tarnished Lands.

The Lords watched not only their land but also the sky and everything below.

So, to save time and preserve the lives of pilots, the Citadel needed another way to move Phantoms to hunting grounds.

Strangely enough, a solution was found, and even a K0-Phantom could feel the effect of the sources.

The teleport was a complex device that worked based on spatial anomalies, energy, and the advanced technology possessed by the Citadel.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam walked along the long corridor following the female soldier, or more precisely, one of the Gamma Division, which was evident from her white outfit.

"I see... It seems that teleports are only available to a limited number of people. Although, it's not surprising that they need to be used at the K4-Level or higher."

"Mr. Adam, this will be your first time using a teleport, correct?" The woman said in a low voice without turning around.

"Yes. I only recently learned that this was possible."

The woman nodded.

"Sure. I must warn you that even in an emergency, we won't be able to return you to the Citadel. It takes at least an hour for the negative effects of the spatial anomaly to wear off."

"Got it. If I try to teleport again, I'll just be torn to pieces, right?" Adam surmised.

Whether he wanted to or not, he had experience with spatial anomalies in the past. Once at the very beginning of his journey and a little later than that.

"Yes. However, if you become stronger, the side effect will gradually weaken until it disappears completely. Just be careful and be prepared for slight dizziness."

Crack.

The massive mechanical doors opened, revealing a platform with a chamber hidden underground.

Nearby was a terminal behind which another Gamma Division member was setting coordinates.

There were only a few teleports in the entire Citadel. Each of them was unique and very expensive to produce because, for them to exist, they required not an ordinary spatial artifact but an External Type.

Only monsters and Phantoms could use ordinary artifacts. Well, the military and the government were also involved in this, but they used artifacts as a source of energy rather than applying their properties. For this, an External Artifact was needed.

"The Corrosive Lakes, huh?" The man behind the terminal shook his head. "Mr. Douglas is acting recklessly as usual."

The woman shrugged as she nodded toward the platform.

"If that's what he's decided, no one can change his mind."

Adam frowned.

Their conversation had begun, but he already didn't like the direction it was going.

"What's the deal?"

The woman turned to him. "Nothing critical just that my partner thinks the Corrosive Lakes are too dangerous for the new K4-Phantom."

"Hah."

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin.

"What about you?"

"I have a different opinion. It's not the easiest zone it's quite difficult. However, I looked at your profile and your achievements are impressive. Still, your task is not just to survive there but to kill a Flash Carrier. It won't be easy."

The man behind the terminal shook his head disapprovingly as he finished the setup.

"Too many K4-Phantoms have died over the past twenty years. We need to be more careful. With this trend, it may be difficult for us to recover quickly after the World Wipe."

Then, he waved his hand and pressed the panel.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The space above the platform distorted as the woman took a few steps back.

"Go on. Once you're in the center of the anomaly, you'll be transported to one of the spires. Naturally, we chose the one closest to the Corrosive Lakes."

Adam nodded weakly and did as she said.

All of this was new to him, but he understood how it worked and what was supposed to happen, so he wasn't worried at all.

"Alright, good luck, kid. I hope you don't die. I haven't seen Phantoms progress this quickly in a long time, especially before the World Wipe. Well, you're not the only one, but you know what I mean."

Adam smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah, sure."

With the next tremor, space distorted as Adam's frame shook. His silhouette shattered into pieces as he moved dozens of kilometers to the west, as close to the Tarnished Lands as possible.

Tap.

When the teleportation was complete, the man turned off the chamber with a single press and turned to the woman.

"Adam Vinter, right?"

The woman nodded deeply. "One of the few who still has a chance to become a Second Rank Phantom."

In response, the man smiled bitterly.

"Well, well... The K4-Phantoms appear from time to time, but... the Second Rank ones. If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Dozens of Lords will be born and die before the Citadel gets a new stellar warrior."

"Don't be so dramatic. You talk as if a Second Rank Phantom can only appear once every few hundred years. Kogen Noukx alone is enough to tear dozens of Lords to pieces."

The man scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yeah, I completely forgot about him. It's just... when he fights, he's more like a monster than the monsters themselves. Compared to him, the Lords are aristocrats, and he's a wild, insane beast."

"Not only that." The woman grinned. "But also a very strong beast."

The Gamma Division members were practically the only people who had extensive access to what was happening with K4-Phantom and the Second Rank ones. They often discussed this very topic.

Many of them had seen the world come to an end many times and had seen Phantoms, both the weakest and the strongest, die.

Sure, the Gamma Division members were not immortal, but they could live very long lives, and the longer they lived, the stronger they became, which only increased their lifespan.

Moreover, creating a new member of the Gamma Division was much more difficult than creating a Phantom, because Phantoms appeared constantly, especially the Artificial Ones.

The Gamma Division rarely took part in battles, only in emergencies, because the Second Rank Phantoms and the three main factions were always there to defend the Citadel and all of humanity.

They always helped the Citadel recover time and time again and sent the Phantoms on missions of the highest level. They didn't know what to expect, as they had seen almost everything.

...

Less than a minute after the teleport was activated, Adam's frame materialized on the same platform but very far from the Citadel. Even the fastest fighter in Refesa's arsenal would need at least 12 hours to reach this location.

Underneath the platform was a similar chamber with a spatial artifact. They were connected but could be used in any combination; the most important thing was correct calibration.

Step. Step. Step.

Adam stepped off the platform, walking unsteadily as if he had a severe hangover. Slowly, his vision returned to normal, but it would clearly take time for everything to return to a static state.

Soon, he saw a woman in the same white outfit. At first, he thought it was the same person, but he soon noticed the differences.

"Right, that one had black hair..." Adam thought, looking at the blonde woman with a stern face.

"Mr. Adam Vinter, how are you feeling? This is your first teleportation, the side effects can be very strong."

Adam smiled bitterly.

"Hah, I won't hide it, I felt much better, but it's not as bad as I expected. By the way, where the hell am I?"

In response, the woman pointed ahead.

Adam turned around to see a floor-to-ceiling panoramic window covering the entire wall.

Step. Step. Step.

As he reached the end, he saw vast lands stretching out before him, with no end in sight.

And... the first thought that came to his mind was:

"Damn, it's like one huge garbage dump in the slums or at the Lower Ring outskirts."

The woman nodded.

"Yes. With the World Wipes, everything is thrown far away from the Citadel, leaving the lands between the Citadel and the Dark Shore almost untouched. The same cannot be said for the Tarnished Lands."

In addition to mountains of trash, Adam saw iron beams, stone ruins, trees, parts of various territories, and practically everything he could imagine.

At the very border, there were no distinct territories, just a continuous mess where everything was located at once.

Adam couldn't see it, but several dozen kilometers away, green lakes were bubbling with toxins capable of corroding anything, even the mighty Black Threat Monster.

"When are you ready to go to the Corrosive Lakes?" the woman asked in a serious tone.

Adam smiled in response.

"Right away."