Chapter 1241: Chart with ?
Whether Adam wanted it or not, only one person changed his destiny so much that no one else could, not his parents, not Lone Blaze, not the Evolution Tree, and not even Silvana.
It was Aiden Henk, and his role in Adamâs life changed time and time again depending on what stage Adam was at on his journey. At first, it was pure anger and a desire for revenge filled with hatred, then confusion and a desire to find out what was behind Aidenâs actions.
Naturally, his conversation with Wilfred had a big impact on this, but even someone as influential as him couldnât give Adam all the answers, because he didnât have them.
Itâs unknown how many people in the world knew what Aiden Henk was doing and what he wanted to achieve. Well, one of them was definitely Gladius, but Adam didnât even know they worked together.
The only way to find out was to meet Aiden in person. Adam had wanted to do this for a long time, but every time he tried, obstacles appeared in his way.
âMaybe I should do it right now? Iâm already a K4-Phantom!â
Adam exclaimed inwardly with determination.
âHeâs a scientist, a special one, but heâs still human, right? No matter whoâs covering him, I should be able to get something out of him!â
Step.
Adam took a step forward, toward the Morton Observatory, but something stopped him after only a few steps.
It wasnât that he was unsure, no, as soon as his gaze fell on it, a strange aura directed itself toward him, as if warning him not to approach.
This aura was unlike any Adam had ever felt before. It wasnât that he didnât know the owner of the aura, but its essence, unlike any monster, human, or even hybrid.
âWhat is thatâŠ?â Adam gulped, watching the almost imperceptible golden glow emanating from the white dome at the top of the Morton Observatory.
Darkness permeated the golden energy, which soon disappeared. It was only a warning.
âShitâŠâ Adam stamped his foot, gritting his teeth. âWhat happened that day? What are you doing, Aiden?!â
âŠ
At the same time, a man with white hair and amber eyes, wise and deep enough to outshine even the mighty Lord, took a sip of black coffee.
For a moment, he looked ahead, straight at the bare wall, where Adam stood several dozen kilometers away.
Adam had no idea who or what was the source of the golden aura. He assumed it might be a Phantom protecting the Morton Observatory from unwanted eyes, but that was not the case.
If it had actually been a Phantom, the aura would have been purple, emanating from Gladius.
âIâm sorry, Adam Vinter, but if you come to me now, youâll ruin everything.â Aiden sighed slightly as he turned to the 3D chart hovering above the desk.
He waved his hand, and dozens of names and photos flashed before his eyes, most of them of young people.
The chart was divided into several categories, taking into account the strengths and achievements of each of the pretenders. The chart also contained a lot of other information, but the level of strength, origin, and battles fought were the basis.
Among them were several people Adam knew. For example, Alexia and Katrin were at the chart as well.
Katrin had been added to the chart relatively recently, because until she made some serious changes to her path, she was not worthy of being in Aiden Henkâs chart.
Sure, none of them knew about it. Unlike Adam, who from time to time returned to thoughts of Aiden Henk, Katrin knew practically nothing about him. Neither did Alexia.
What about Fromund and Nessa?
They werenât on the list.
It wasnât that they werenât strong or talented enough, no, Aiden wasnât just hunting for strength, his criteria were specific in nature, and some Phantoms simply didnât fit the bill.
Whoooosh.
Aiden waved his hand as the chart scrolled down, skipping dozens of photos until the blue light changed to gray.
It was nothing more than a graveyard.
Sip.
Aiden took a sip, looking at the hundreds of dead Phantoms in the chart who had never been able to climb higher. All these people had failed, and that was just in the last 100 years.
Every âpretenderâ had a position in the chart, and only Adam didnât have an N# next to his name.
Instead of N#, there was only a â?â.
The reason for this was simple: Aiden either wanted to add all the other Phantoms to the chart but couldnât for some reason, or something changed, as happened with Katrin, or they were his target from the beginning.
Some performed very well, like Alexia, while others failed to achieve results, like Lana Tiates, who was the only one to get a Spark during the test. It was with this test that Adamâs journey began.
He became a Phantom because of Aidenâs mistake.
This happened extremely rarely. Aiden didnât allow himself to make mistakes because he understood what was at stake; any mistakes were unacceptable to him.
But, unfortunately, sometimes it happened. Everyone made mistakes, monsters, robots, and humans alike.
Still, Lana Tiates and Alexia were on the list, even though Aiden knew that Lana would never reach the same level as Alexia or Katrin. She would die seven years later in the World Wipe.
âWhen the time comes, we will meet again, Adam. No need to worry.â
Aiden glanced at Adamâs photo because he had a special category. He was the only one whose progress exceeded all of Aidenâs expectations, considering that Aiden didnât even see the potential in Adam.
The fact that Lana Tiates had the Spark was nothing special to Aiden.
Many people on the list were originally ordinary people whom Aiden had turned into the Natural Phantoms. They didnât know that Aiden had arranged everything, that it was part of his plan and carried out by his subordinates, but that was the truth.
However, everything that happened to Adam was a series of coincidences. He should have died dozens of times, both at the beginning and during his journey, but each time he exceeded Aidenâs expectations.
âK4-Level and the First Grand Star, right?â Aiden muttered. âWell, that means we wonât have to wait too long. Iâm sure you want to know what my goal is. Youâll be surprised, I can guarantee that, but for now youâre too weak, and who knows, maybe others will overtake you, or death will finally punish you for your recklessness.â
Then, he waved his hand and removed the chart. A bitter smile spread across his face.
âHah, history repeats itself, and maybe Iâll finally change itâŠâ