Chapter 1389: Choice and Cake

Strange as it may seem, monsters knew how to relax just like humans. Sure, monsters had to be at a certain level of power to have self-awareness and emotions, but for many K4-Phantoms, such feasts became something natural.

A year and a half ago, Adam would never have believed what he was now participating in — he was sharing a feast with monsters arranged in his honor. He socialized, drank cider, and ate delicious food along with desserts, sharing all these blessings with other monsters.

But now, he saw no problem with it, although he wouldn’t blame his past self either.

“What do you say, Adam? Misty’s desserts are the best!” Karso exclaimed, stuffing a large piece into his mouth.

Adam replied something indistinct, enjoying the delicate texture.

Misty would never show it, but even through her calm expression, it was clear that she enjoyed receiving praise from everyone who tried her dessert.

Neither Adam nor Karso ate more than Ureyn. He had only recently returned from hunting, which was also his training. The monster he had brought back had already been prepared and would soon be roasted to a crispy crust.

“Master Norax, dessert is usually the last course,” Narica said, glancing at the massive bonfire. “Are you sure we need that much meat?”

In response, Norax waved his hand, tearing a piece off the bone. “Look at these beasts! Do you think they’ll stop after eating sweets? I know my people, they won’t calm down until they’ve eaten everything.”

“I understand.” She bowed slightly.

Tap.

Ureyn put his plate aside with a heavy sigh.

“Damn, this isn’t what I expected to see when I returned, but I definitely came at the right time.”

Then, he glanced at Adam, who was silently taking another bite of cake.

“You, what are you planning to do next? Return to the Citadel?”

Adam smirked. “Want to come with me? I’m afraid I won’t be able to explain to most Phantoms and humans why I have a monster with me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ureyn waved his hand. “If I approach too quickly, they’ll destroy me. I’m serious. Not many Phantoms stay outside the walls for so long, although you’re far from the first.”

Before Adam could respond, Norax joined their conversation.

“Yeah? What about you, Ureyn? You wanted to regain your strength so badly that you could get revenge on Adam, but he turned out to be much faster than you could have imagined, didn’t he?” Norax’s eyes flashed.

Ureyn puffed out his cheeks. “So what? I wanted to become stronger, and as you can see, I did pretty well!”

For a moment, Ureyn’s aura grew as Norax nodded deeply. Even though Ureyn had only had a few months, he was able to return to his previous level. Now, he was as strong as he had been during the String Duel.

Sure, he was still two steps behind Adam, but for both a monster and a Phantom, such progress was considered truly rapid. His problem was that his rival was Adam, who was moving just as fast and had the initial advantage of having defeated Ureyn in battle.

“Well, you did a good job, no one disputes that, but if you ever want to fight Adam again, you need to speed up.” Norax shrugged.

Ureyn crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, easier said than done. I thought I was progressing quickly, but when I returned, I found out that Adam had become even stronger!”

“Hahaha! There’s nothing you can do about that! But it will be good motivation for you!”

Then, Norax turned to Adam, who was silently eating cake while listening to their conversation.

“Now, you, Adam. You came to the Forgotten Mills to get the Connected Heart, then you got the Desire of Beyond, and you have one more goal left, right?”

Adam nodded.

“Dark Heart. I know I need to kill a Hybrid for that, but I know very little about them. I think I should go back to the Citadel and study the situation. I didn’t expect my journey at the Forgotten Mills to take so long.”

He wasn’t complaining, but this was actually the first time he had been away from the Citadel for so long. What’s more, he had done much more work than he had originally expected.

But… did that mean he had to return to the Citadel right now?

“Hmm, the Hybrids?” Norax’s lips curved into a smile. “They are dangerous opponents. However, technically, you will be fighting against the Absolute Type, won’t you?”

Adam nodded. Damien had told him a lot about the Hybrids, so it was no surprise that Norax knew about them too.

“Look, you can return to the Citadel and find the next place where you can become stronger, or you can take advantage of my help.”

Confusion reflected on Adam’s face.

“What? You know where the Hybrids live?”

Norax nodded. “Sure, I know a lot, but that’s not the help I was talking about.”

Adam tilted his head. “I don’t understand. Besides, why would you help me? Is this some kind of cunning plan again?”

“Hahaha! No, there are no tricks this time, I swear. You’ve done a lot for my territory. Of course, you got your reward, but it’s entirely your own doing. Not only me, but every monster of the Black Cur should be grateful to you.”

Norax leaned forward, clasping his fingers together.

“I actually know a few Hybrids, but if I send you to them, at best, they’ll beat you up and send you back with a long list of complaints to me. Although most likely they’ll just rip your head off as soon as you decide to fight them.”

Adam gulped. He had heard such threats many times before, but coming from Norax, it sounded different, much more frightening.

“And…?” Adam’s voice trembled. “If your Hybrid friends are too strong, how can you help me?”

In response, Norax turned to the left, looking at the land beneath the red light of the blighted scar cutting across the sky.

“Well, after you hear me out, you’ll decide what’s best. Return to the Citadel or visit another city?”