Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 931: The Bottom (Part 1)

Adam and Silvana didn't know what to say, staring at Risha with eyes wide in shock.

Each of them had seen the deaths of the military and the Phantoms. Thanks to the Katrin incident, Adam saw what the change and loss of the Initial Gene looked like, but he had never thought about the Operator's death.

Deep inside, he wanted to pounce on Risha with many questions, to find out everything about her past Operator and the reasons for his death. But, at the last mont, he stopped when he saw Silvana. She shook her head touching his hand.

"Damn..." he muttered. "I don't know what I was originally expecting to hear, but definitely not this."

Risha shrugged, glaring to the side.

"Don't sweat it. If I didn't answer then you'd think we were hiding sothing about you or had deceived you during the conversation. What's more, I had to repay my embarrassing defeat sohow."

With a thoughtful face, Adam turned to Orel. "So, even losing the Operator at the K3-Level isn't the end of it, is it?"

"Fortunately or unfortunately, yes. With a higher level of strength than the previous stages, the Evolution Tree can make up for the missing parts using energy. But by losing his Operator, Phantom not only becos weaker as a being, but he can no longer use so ability, that's obvious."

Then, Orel's eyes flickered to Risha, who was having to go through this difficult path for the second ti.

"As far as I know, if after such a tragedy, the Phantom finds a new Operator and they co to the sa level of understanding as before, then everything returns to normal. I dare not say that the Evolution Tree does not care who is the Operator of its Phantom, but you cannot reverse a death.

"The Evolution Tree and Phantom must move on with their lives and forge ahead. If a new Operator must be found to survive then Phantom will do it and the Evolution Tree will apply all its efforts to make it happen as soon as possible."

Misa rose touching Risha's shoulder.

"I'll get the ice cream. Your usual chocolate one, right?"

In response, Risha only nodded weakly.

For a while, silence fell. Silvana gulped, mulling over what she had heard. The Operator's death was a very rare event compared to Phantom's. However, it was possible.

'Especially at the Lower Ring...' she internally muttered as her face paled. 'Shit, I wouldn't want that to happen. We should be more careful. I don't know what exactly happened to Risha's Operator, but it doesn't seem to be so unique case.'

Silvana looked at Risha who was still recoiling from the question.

'This sort of thing happens at the Lower Ring from ti to ti. Risha is not the first Phantom it's happened to, though... Phantoms... Even at the Upper Ring, they die often. Then what's happening here?'

Tap.

Adam drank half a can of beer and dropped it on the table with a clatter. He realized he might have acted inappropriately, but he didn't want the funeral atmosphere to continue.

"I hate to interrupt a mont like this, but I think we've discussed just about everything Silvana and I were interested in."

Orel raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Almost everything?"

"Yeah... The Four Beasts? I figured out that the Red Bears are one of the Four Beasts, the main organizations at the Lower Ring, but what about the other three?"

Risha's eyes sparkled as a sly smile appeared on Orel's face.

"Oh boy, so you co down here to us at the Lower Ring and you don't even know such things? Hah, how is that even possible? If I had decided to head upstairs, I would learn all about the Twelve Branches and the Big Three."

"Agh...?" Risha tilted her head. "The Twelve Branches? The Big Three?"

Orel pointed in her direction. "See what I'm telling you?"

"Pfffft!" Adam snorted irritably as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just answer . I know why I ca here, but I found out about the fact that there are only four major powers here at the last minute!"

"Fine, it's not that hard."

At the sa ti, Misa returned with ice cream. Oddly enough, she was holding a tray of different colored cones.

"Guys, at first I wanted to appease Risha, but..." Misa looked at the ice cream, perfect multicolored spheres. "I figured it would be better if everyone could try sothing they love or maybe give new things a chance?"

Once the tray was on the table, Risha imdiately grabbed a chocolate one, depriving the others of that flavor. No one else was in a hurry, though.

"Oh, good, this is just what we needed," Orel chuckled slyly taking the cherry ice cream, "So, since we're here we'll start with our organization."

Orel lifted the ice cream cone before taking a quick bite.

"The Red Bears, but you already know about that," then Orel pointed taking the vanilla ice cream and handing it to Silvana, "Next up is the White Tigers. Sorry, Silvana, I hope the vanilla flavor works for you."

Silvana just shrugged her shoulders listening to him intently.

Moving on to the third organization, Orel smirked and handed Misa a pistachio ice cream.

"The Green Dragon is third on the list and... before we move on to the last one," Orel narrowed his eyes. "Adam, which ice cream would you take next?"

"Well..." he scratched his cheek looking at Risha who had already destroyed half of the cone. "Perhaps chocolate would be the most appropriate, wouldn't it?"

"Hahaha, looks like you already know the answer!" Orel exclaid before pointing to the ice cream in the very corner of the tray, it was blackberry flavor.

Before Adam realized it, Orel was in front of him handing him an ice cream cone.

"The last one, and the most sneaky bastards are the Black Swan."

Silvana's eyes went wide, frozen, but Adam wasn't surprised. He'd expected that answer since it almost made sense, almost.

Adam took the ice cream making a small bite. "The Four Beasts? Since when is a bird a beast?"

A playful glint ran across Orel's eyes.

"Hah, so you have no questions for the dragon then?"

Adam shrugged, his gaze deepening.

"Fair enough."