Chapter 1215: External Force

Adam didn’t know it yet, but he had never encountered anything like this before. Perhaps indirectly, when he was at the Dark Shore, the monsters from the Sacrificial Waterfalls turned to monsters with much higher power and status for help.

However, Adam did not know that Osmer and Rosana had established contact with someone from the Befallen Crown, the most powerful and influential faction among the monsters.

Sure, there were many powerful monsters among the Free End, but there was no unity among them.

The monsters of the Free End were loners following their own path, while sharing a common opinion about the role of the First Star in their world.

The Befallen Crown, on the other hand, was practically an empire with a strict hierarchy, and among their ranks were several powerful individuals whom even monsters such as Bathild turned to for help.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

At tremendous speed, from the far side of the Dark Shore, a blue mass moved, crossing the border of the Corrupted Volcano in just a few seconds.

Blue light illuminated the land, soon appearing before the eyes of five creatures ready to fight to the death on the lower level of the Kirani Colony.

Adam looked up like the others, watching the mysterious star, the same color as Bathild’s bright tattoo on her chest.

“This… What is this power?” Adam muttered to himself.

Among all of them, only Bathild and Marhen had the answer, but soon it would become clear to everyone what Bathild had done.

In a heartbeat, the star flashed before a powerful stream of energy crashed down on Bathild.

A tremor ran through the ground as a suffocating aura forced everyone back.

Only Adam remained in his spot, even though he was closest to Bathild. Something in him helped him cope with the ancient energy that had come to Bathild’s aid.

Soon, an ethereal silhouette rose above the dying Bathild, without a distinct form. It was impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman, but it was obvious that it was some Lord.

Bathild’s bleeding stopped as her wounds gradually began to close due to the tremendous amount of energy wandering around her.

“You did it…” the silhouette’s voice rang out. “And… Against whom do you need my power?”

Then, the silhouette looked to the side as it saw Adam. Its eyes widened for a moment.

Bathild brushed the blood from the corner of her mouth.

“Miss Exarch, I wouldn’t have done this if it weren’t for him. I need your power! That’s why I offered my loyalty to the Befallen Crown!”

‘Exarch…?’ Adam thought to himself. ‘Is that some kind of power stage? No, it’s more likely a status, a position of power. Shit, the Befallen Crown, they’re capable of a lot.’

Adam remembered well how, at the Befallen Crown’s behest, a dozen Lords had arrived at the Soaring Chain Islands to kill Saegar, but they had miscalculated their strength. Considering that Wilfred was there as well, they didn’t stand a chance from the start.

The Exarch nodded.

“I see… Adam Vinter, you were lucky last time… You managed to escape from the Dark Shore. But this time you won’t be so lucky. You… must disappear for the good of all monsters!”

With these words, the Exarch’s eyes lit up as powerful streams of energy rushed toward Bathild, causing her tattoo to come to life.

“For your loyalty and desire to deal with one of the targets on the list, I will give you my power, but… Only once. After that, you will have to sign a new contract or find your power.”

The Exarch’s voice grew deeper as she rose above Bathild, looking down at her with mixed emotions of contempt, arrogance, and hope that Bathild could become a worthy fighter or at least an obedient servant.

“Defeat Adam Vinter, prove your worth, and perhaps the Befallen Crown will find a place for you.”

Bathild clenched her teeth as her veins swelled to their limits, glowing brightly with the power of lightning.

“A title.”

The Exarch raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm?”

Bathild exclaimed:

“I need a title!”

Then, the Exarch nodded deeply as the tattoo on Bathild’s chest turned into a circle with four long, sharp horns.

“Sure. Even if you use someone else’s power… Adam Vinter’s death is worthy of a title.”

The Exarch was about to disappear, her frame trembling, but something made her stop.

“That’s all?” Adam asked, staring intently at the unknown but powerful Lord.

“What do you mean?”

“The Lords or the Elders. Aren’t you going to send them to help Bathild?”

The Exarch frowned, her eyes filled with hatred, but not for Adam, for someone else. However, Adam knew that person.

“Tsk. That’s impossible while SHE’s alive! Or do you think I’m so stupid that I’d send valuable monsters to their deaths?!”

Adam asked no more questions.

He understood who the Exarch was talking about—Frida. Since this was the Dead Lands, everything was within her range of influence. If several Lords decided to attack the K4-Phantoms hunting the Black Threat Monsters, Frida would get rid of the Lords, and the K4-Phantoms wouldn’t even know about it.

Then, the Exarch disappeared, leaving the last, most powerful stream of energy for Bathild.

Under many gazes, the energy headed for her tattoo, turning into a solid multifaceted crystal in the center of Bathild’s chest.

Adam’s eyes widened as a flood of memories rushed over him.

A similar crystal, the energy core, was possessed by the Essence Thunder Demon, who had not managed to fully merge with the artifact, which was his weak point and which Adam ultimately exploited in his final move.

The unusual feeling that Adam had once again encountered one of his most important opponents completely overwhelmed him.

The Exarch’s energy was much more connected to lightning and the nature of the Essence Thunder Demon than Bathild could show even while fighting for her life.

“This…” Adam muttered as a smile began to form on his face without him realizing it.

At that moment, a single tremor ran along his Path Construct, moving further than the initial star, like a glimpse of the future.

Now, Adam felt that he wanted to fight, that there was meaning in it.

He didn’t know what was happening in his inner space, but his desire to defeat Bathild was sincere.