Endless Evolution: Last Star

Flying monsters were not the most common type, as they were generally quite weak. Sure, they had wings, but that only allowed them to avoid combat, not to win.

However, that did not mean that all flying monsters were weak. Many of them possessed formidable power.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

White energy burning like flames trembled at Adam's feet, coping with the cutting gusts of wind.

"Hah!" Adam smiled happily. "I think I'm getting the hang of it. I feel like I'm falling slower!"

However, instead of Silvana's joyful exclamation or praise, he heard something else.

"Adam! Turn around! It's the Toxic Vulture!" Silvana exclaimed.

Adam turned around with a joyful smile, greeting the massive bird. Well, he wasn't happy to encounter the Toxic Vulture, he just hadn't had time to switch gears to the new crisis yet.

Click.

The large beak opened wide as a bright green flash appeared deep in the monster's throat.

In a heartbeat, Adam's expression became serious as he jerked his left hand.

The toxic blast was about to hit Adam, but the second needle was already in his hand.

Slash.

Simultaneously with the Toxic Vulture's strike, Adam swung the needle, creating a lesser path for himself.

A green ray with a series of explosions swept across the gray sky, tearing the floating clouds apart, leaving only trembling rings, but the main target was not hit.

Tap.

Adam landed on the Toxic Vulture's back while the grin on his face grew wider.

"Maybe I can't fly yet, but others can, can't they?"

"GROOO!!!" the Toxic Vulture groaned, raising its head and looking straight at Adam. Thanks to its long neck, this was possible.

Adam looked up, maintaining his mocking grin.

"What? Are you going to shoot yourself? Let me help you!"

Without hesitation, Adam summoned the first needle, quickly plunging the dark blade directly into the Toxic Vulture's wing.

"GROOOOH!!!"

The Toxic Vulture's painful roar echoed across the Corrosive Lakes lands, but Adam had no intention of stopping, continuing to inflict wounds.

Sure, he could try to take control of the Toxic Vulture or even tame it, but he didn't want to waste time on that.

In any case, he had to kill the Toxic Vulture, otherwise it would chase him and attack from above.

"Well, the landing won't be the softest, but I'm fine with that," Adam thought before making another swing.

The wide gash was the final blow for the Toxic Vulture, after which the monster could no longer stay in the air.

In an instant, their situation changed as the Toxic Vulture spun chaotically and crashed toward the ground.

Adam grinned as he watched the ground getting closer and closer as they had long since passed the cloud level. He held on to the great bird's stiff feathers while streams of blood remained behind.

"Hey, this one was an F1 Black Threat Level, right?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't advise you to get cocky about it. The Toxic Vulture didn't expect you to end up on its back and essentially outmaneuver it in the air, in its own battlefield.'

Adam shrugged in response as his eyes caught sight of the ruined tower in the distance.

"Well, I just didn't have any other choice. I was busy with other things anyway!"

Below him and the Toxic Vulture was a lake full of corrosive liquid, clearly not a place Adam wanted to be.

"Alright, time to jump!" he exclaimed and broke free from the Toxic Vulture's frame, which was desperately trying to regain its balance.

Crash.

With his arms crossed in front of him, Adam crashed into the top floor of the tower as splinters flew in all directions along with a cloud of dust that burst through the windows.

It was unknown where this tower had come from and during which World Wipe it had been thrown here, but it turned out to be not only old but also useful.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Breaking through one floor after another, Adam found himself on the first floor, covered in dust and debris. Small pebbles rolled off his shoulders as wooden beams broke beneath his back.

"Fuck... This turned out to be rougher than I thought." Adam muttered as he raised his hand.

His pupils narrowed—he saw a splinter.

"Damn! How did it get here!?"

"Are you serious?" Silvana raised an eyebrow ironically. "Either way, you should be more careful. Like at the Wild Lands and the Dark Shore, everything here is saturated with dense energy. Although the Corrosive Lands aren't as deep, so you were hardly hurt at all.'

Getting up and dusting himself off, Adam nodded.

"Yeah, if that had happened at the Dark Shore, I would have broken a few bones falling from that height and smashing my body on the rocks!"

That would have happened to a normal person whose body was not much stronger than the objects around him. To some extent, Adam now had an advantage because he was on the border of the Tarnished Lands.

Leaving the tower, Adam looked around.

There was nothing nearby except a massive lake and old buildings scattered among dark rocks full of green crystals.

GRH! GRH! GRH!

In the center of the lake, the Toxic Vulture's silhouette trembled as it tried to escape from the deadly liquid, but its wings were no longer able to help it.

In less than a minute, the Toxic Vulture's groans ceased as its frame completely disappeared at the bottom of the lake.

Soon, massive bones appeared on the surface, bare.

"Shit, not even a piece of flesh or feathers left, and it all happened so fast. I wonder how long I could last in a lake like this?" Adam waved his hand, curiosity evident in his eyes.

Silvana rolled her eyes. "I don't advise you to test it. It's not stone or wood, it's concentrated acid that even the Black Threat Monsters can't do anything about, they all avoid the lakes."

After a few moments, Adam nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I see. I'd do the same in their place. So, where should I go? Where did the black flash happen?"

Ding!

Adam's NEP flashed.

'I've sent you the coordinates. Follow it.'

After a few hills and lakes, Adam found nothing less than an ancient crypt engulfed in darkness and green flames, frightening and attractive at the same time with its quiet danger.