Chapter 1177: Corrupted Volcano (Part 1)

From the day Adam learned about the World Wipe from Wilfred, all his thoughts revolved around this inevitable threat.

The conversation with Douglas, Damien, and Mariam did not improve the situation at all. On the contrary, everything became much worse, and even Silvana’s agreement to start a family with Adam after the World Wipe had only a negative effect on him.

Sure, besides the World Wipe, what Adam saw at the Dark Shore also had a strong influence on him.

The power possessed by the True Lords, and therefore by Phantoms like Damien and Frida, was beyond his comprehension.

Adam did what most people in his position would have done — he chose the best option available to him, which was to start over after the World Wipe with Silvana.

Well…

There was another option — to stop the World Wipe, the battle between the Last Star and the First Star, once and for all.

However, this option was not among the possibilities, even in theory, Adam had no idea how he could do it or what it would take.

These thoughts attacked Adam’s mind in an endless stream, pulling him deeper and deeper into the abyss, where he gradually became someone other than the person he had been just a week ago.

As is often the case, when words and thoughts were unable to change the situation, there was only one option left: brute force.

Fromund returned to Adam’s life at a rather opportune moment, as did his fist, which slammed directly into Adam’s face.

Step.

Adam stepped forward after his last words, leaving behind him a dirty, gray energy that quickly shattered into pieces and was carried away by the first gusts of wind. It was unclear what it was, just the remnants of an aura or a burden that weighed on his shoulders and gradually consumed his mind.

“Agh…”

Adam took a deep breath, stopping to the right of Fromund, who was looking at Adam with a satisfied smile.

“Thank you. That… That was really what I needed. I completely forgot that choosing the best option available isn’t how I’m used to solving problems.”

In response, Fromund just shrugged.

“Glad to help. What I saw while we were flying here wasn’t Adam Vinter, but some weakling. I didn’t lose to this person.”

A bitter smile spread across Adam’s face.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

From the very beginning of his journey as the Phantom, Adam had always chosen the riskiest options if there was even the slightest chance of success.

Convinced that there was no chance of stopping the World Wipe, Adam betrayed himself by choosing the safest option — saying goodbye to his family and starting a new one with Silvana.

It was important to understand that this wasn’t a bad choice at all. It was a mature decision, as stopping the World Wipe was hardly possible, and in this way, Adam chose the best option available to him.

But… that wasn’t how he operated.

The chances were slim, but Adam believed they were better than zero. Not only he, but Fromund held the same position.

“Hey, Fromund… You’re going to fight to the end, too, right?”

Fromund crossed his arms over his chest as he nodded deeply.

“There’s no question about it. Arayna told me to wait for the World Wipe and accept everything as it is. She had the same defeated look in her eyes as you do. So, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I’m not going to give up!”

“Hahaha!” Adam laughed briefly. “Did you punch Arayna in the face too? Or was I the only one who got that honor?”

“Hey! Don’t compare yourself to Arayna. That would be wrong on every level!”

Then, Fromund waved his hand.

“What’s more, I’m not going to stand by and watch the shockwave from the World Wipe turn my sisters into nothing. I just can’t let that happen, no way!”

Adam wanted to say something, but stopped himself mid-sentence.

The perfect word appeared in his mind, a word that perfectly described how he felt at that moment.

‘Greed.’

He glanced at Fromund.

‘That’s not about him, but about me. I’ve never been stopped by how difficult my goal was. I was willing to do it if it meant I could have everything, no compromises.

‘Agh, isn’t that greed? That’s what drove me forward all this time. But… when it came time to make the most important decision, I decided to take a step back. Fuck, that was a mistake.’

Clutch.

Adam clenched his fist tightly while the fire in his eyes grew brighter and stronger with every passing second. Even his aura underwent a change, becoming calmer but not losing its power.

‘Why the hell should I choose something when all the options are complete shit? I want to save my family and start a new one with Silvana! I want it all, and I know what I have to do to get it!’

Perhaps Adam was overly naive and optimistic, but he forgot that there was nothing wrong with trying.

Fromund was right, in one year, Adam had managed to reach K4-Level despite being a simple man who hoped to earn a little money by participating in the Spark test.

True, it didn’t guarantee Adam that even in five years he would be able to reach the Second Circle, let alone stop the World Wipe. However, it showed that Adam had a lot of time ahead of him, and there was no point in giving up so early.

Tap.

Fromund’s hand fell on Adam’s shoulder.

“So? Are we ready to move on? Going back to Bastion after everything that’s happened wouldn’t be very cool, right?”

Adam brushed away the trickles of blood and nodded deeply.

“Sure. It’s time to get back to the mission. We had a little delay for… emotional support. Yeah, let’s call it that.”

Then, they both looked ahead at the spreading lava rivers across the dark lands and the monsters roaming in the distance.

Somewhere, two or even more Twilight Crystals were waiting for them, all that remained was to find them.