Endless Evolution: Last Star

Each evolution happened differently. Adam didn't know what to expect. Sometimes all of his abilities might change, and other times he might gain new abilities and challenges, but now it was time for a fusion, something he had essentially been doing as part of his journey as a K3-Phantom.

Adam couldn't help but notice how more and more of his abilities and power components were combining to become something more formidable. Thanks to the presence of the Global Gene, Adam did not feel a lack of abilities.

On the contrary, starting from the K2-Level, he had more and more freedom in how he could use his powers, and the Global Gene was the most important factor for that. Without it, the fusion of genes and abilities would have severely limited Adam.

Now it was time for the final stage, the fusion of his Nexus and the Power Gene. But... Adam did not expect that the darkness coming out of Silvana would completely shut down his Foundation Artifact. Now, it was unavailable, just as his initial gene was, while Lone Blaze worked with the new energy.

Tap.

Adam touched Silvana's shoulder.

"How are you feeling? Looks like a lot more changes have happened to you this time than usual."

After a while, Silvana nodded deeply, showing Adam a confident grin.

"Hah, I think I might surprise you, I got something special!"

"A new ability?"

Silvana nodded again. "Yes! And just for me! Though... it still has to do with you."

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Silence fell in the inner space, only the crackle and shudder of the growing Evolution Tree could be heard. Adam and Silvana watched as the black branches appeared at the top of the tree, as dense layers of thick, black bark, like solidified tar, moved from the top straight to the roots.

Then, Adam turned to Silvana to confirm his theory.

"Dark energy. Your ability isn't related to it, is it? On the contrary, half of the dark energy left in you is hiding something."

"Yes, just like with your Foundation Artifact..." Silvana muttered, raising her gaze to the wreath.

Now, the wreath was hidden by a thick darkness that seemed to be very slowly being absorbed, changing the structure of the artifact.

Silvana gulped, worried. "You think this is an effect of the Twilight Crystal? I mean, there should be a difference between absorbing the Midnight Crystal and the Twilight Crystal, at least something."

"Yeah, there might be. Either way, it looks like the main thing is going to happen with them." Adam pointed to his Nexus and Power Gene.

Before Silvana could respond, the two rings and the intimidating double-bladed sword slammed into each other.

Sparks mixed with darkness and streams of energy of different colors broke into multiple streams. Red shockwaves from the sword intersected with crimson and purple surges from the two rings, while white and black waves roamed around.

Unlike the smooth fusion of the two branches, or his artifact and elemental root, no intervention was required from Adam now. His new power and the overflowing energy that far exceeded his current capabilities were enough to merge the two entities into one.

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

Time after time, the Desecrated Sword and the Deep Desire, his rings, crashed into each other. Each collision broke off a piece of them, which remained nearby like a broken link in a chain.

There was no telling how much time had passed, but the growth of the Evolution Tree was almost complete. It only needed to absorb a little bit of energy which was a mere trickle compared to the past powerful flow.

Adam's Power Gene and Nexus had also come to the end of their mutual destruction. All that was left of them was a single piece that wasn't much bigger than the shards around it.

Silvana held her breath.

"Now... It's going to happen now!"

She was right.

As if at her call, all the broken shards condensed energy around them and simultaneously headed toward the center into a single point.

Instead of the usual shivering in Adam's inner space, a deafening explosion erupted as the energy compressed to the limit. For a moment, the heat was comparable to the core of a great star, under the pressure of which anything could merge.

Tremble.

With a shudder, all excess vanished into the far reaches of the darkness, leaving something entirely new floating in front of the tree, but not forgetting its predecessors and their characteristics.

"It's...?" Adam stammered. "What is that thing? It doesn't look like a weapon..."

An unusual instrument appeared before their gaze, though Adam's first guess was correct.

Five crimson rings with rough edges, each slightly larger than the previous, one drifted amongst the darkness. Five chains flowed from each ring, connecting it to the next, turning the five separate rings into a single, solid structure.

It could have been a tool, a weapon, or a piece of armor, all at once. It was up to Adam what his new Nexus would eventually become or...

[The Core Nexus was the result of the merger and destruction of the Power Gene and the former Nexus.]

[Core Nexus - Epos of Exhausted Descent was created.]

Adam's eyes went wide for a moment when a stream of energy swept in front of him and Silvana, allowing them a better look at Adam's new piece of power.

[Epos of Exhausted Descent

Five rings of unique power under the strong will of a warrior were transformed into a single entity. This is a dangerous weapon that can lead to both a quick victory and an agonizing death due to defeat, caused only by the mistake of the owner of this weapon.

Every warrior has a limit, as do the five rings, but the Epos of Exhausted Descent will destroy its wielder rather than allow him to use its full power. The stakes are too high, but in the event of success, even a hundred failures will make no difference.]

Adam gulped.

He wanted to find out what his Core Nexus was capable of as soon as possible. On the one hand, it reminded him of his Power Gene, sword, chains, and crimson destructive energy, on the other hand, it replicated his rings that for a long time had been his Nexus, and there were more than enough differences.

And, one of the main differences Adam was about to see right now.

His Core Nexus trembled, finding itself on his Evolution Tree above his Foundation Artifact.

There was no need for Revelation Rings or cases anymore, for his weapon had become a part of him.