Endless Evolution: Last Star

Several years ago, when Ureyn decided to lock himself in his mill, he could not reflect Adam's Imaginary Cut, neither with his needle, nor with his techniques, nor even with his wind.

It would have been impossible, not only because Ureyn was a little weaker as a being at the time, but because his control over energy was much worse.

Now, he realized that spending several years on techniques and needle control was a big mistake, but his efforts did not go unnoticed by his wind.

And, Ureyn was only gaining the power that should have been his from the beginning.

He was a monster from the Forgotten Mills, and his result should have delighted the others, for there was such talent among them.

However, the joy was only visible on the Black Cut side, and in their case, simply because they enjoyed watching the fight.

Draug clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Ureyn.

"He has such talent, and now the Gray Needle won't get any of it!"

Soon, Draug realized something as his anger gradually subsided.

"No, it's not about Ureyn, it's about this Phantom!" Draug gritted his teeth, his gaze piercing Adam, who stood on the other side of the arena. "If it weren't for him, Ureyn wouldn't have had to leave his mill so early!"

Perhaps Draug was right. It is unknown what would have happened if Ureyn had spent another seven years in his mill, right up until the World Wipe.

That might have been enough time for him to fully master all the techniques and, most importantly, his needle.

Well, things rarely went according to plan.

No one could have known that today, at the Forgotten Mills, Adam Vinter would arrive, the Phantom who had appeared just a year ago, long after Ureyn had shut himself away in his mill.

For someone like Draug, one year meant practically nothing. He had lived too long to worry about such time frames, especially before the World Wipe, when there was always a lull before the storm.

Despite his greatness, he could not change anything. Adam did with Ureyn what Draug had failed to do in many years.

The reason wasn't that Adam was special, but that Adam allowed Ureyn to be himself, while Draug tried to remake Ureyn for his faction.

"Damn," Adam said after a long pause, watching the clouds slowly reform. "Did you see that, Silvana? He just went ahead and reflected the Imaginary Cut!"

Silvana bit her lip as a chill ran down her spine.

"This is not good! If he could do that, just imagine what he's capable of!"

Tap.

Suddenly, Adam's hand fell on Silvana's shoulder.

"Agh?"

His grip was unusually strong, and a little more and it would have hurt Silvana. This had never happened before, which left Silvana puzzled.

"Hey, don't worry so much. My opponent has finally shown what he's capable of, and we have to respond in kind, right? Just... Stay with me and watch me win."

Against her will, Silvana's spectral form shattered into fragments as it flew past Adam's blue eyes.

His calm expression lingered for only a few seconds before disappearing, replaced by a broad smile full of excitement.

"Come on, Ureyn! Show us something else!"

In contrast, Ureyn was more serious than ever. His hands trembled slightly as he miraculously managed to stop the Imaginary Cut. If he had failed, he would not only have lost but would already be dead.

"You know, Adam, your Operator is right. You shouldn't be having fun in the middle of a battle. The stakes are higher than ever, and you don't even understand what's waiting for you!"

His pupils narrowed as gray streams of wind like wild beasts burst from his body, engulfing the entire battlefield.

The wind grew darker and darker, filling every part of the plain, whether it was a rock, a rift after his attack, or a destroyed mill.

Soon, Adam could see nothing but the fast-moving streams of wind that completely blocked his view.

BAM!

Before he could adapt, a figure appeared from the side. Then, a fist plunged deep into his stomach, causing him to double over.

"GHA!" Adam gasped, pain like an electric shock coursing through his body.

Ureyn wasn't going to stop there.

"What now?"

Bam!

The blow landed squarely on Adam's jaw, knocking out a clot of blood.

"You showed your threads, your needles, and even your cut!"

BAM! BAM!

Two quick kicks to Adam's side threw him aside, but Ureyn was already behind him. His hand fell on Adam's shoulder, forcing him to turn around.

"You're in the middle of my wind, Adam. I'm the only one in charge here, and it's thanks to you that my power will only continue to grow. However, I won't let you win, because... the essence of the Connected Heart, your energy, will allow me to take the next step toward power."

Adam tried to counterattack. He clenched his fist tightly, but the gusts of wind prevented it from reaching Ureyn's face, completely thwarting all of Adam's attempts to change the situation.

"Perhaps we find ourselves in a rather ironic situation. You reminded me that I have the right to be an arrogant bastard, but... do you have that right, or is it all an illusion you've been living in for too long?"

These words made Adam's eyes widen as Ureyn's palm slowly touched Adam's chest.

"Just look around. You used everything you had and couldn't win, but I only need my wind to take away any chance you have of winning."

Wind currents flowed toward Ureyn's hand, causing it to glow brightly.

The impact threw Adam back dozens of meters, the dark wind moving aside without hindering his fall as gaps opened up, allowing the audience to see what was really happening in the fight.

Step. Step. Step.

Ureyn stepped forward while his aura grew without stopping.

"I'll ask you again, Adam. What now?" He looked up arrogantly, as if to say that Adam's defeat was near.

Adam spat out a clot of blood and brushed his mouth.

"Hah, you want to know so badly?" His gaze changed. "Then I'll show you!"

Adam stretched out his hand as the space between him and Ureyn distorted.

With a devastating thunderstrike shaking the ground, a sword appeared, with a long, dark blade and demonic wings on the guard.

Electric discharges rippled around as the Dual Demon Sword arrived — Adam's last card.