Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1782: Gray Sea (Part 2)

For a while, Adam and Silvana stared at the map, a mix of curiosity and shock.

Not even the mission department had a world map as detailed as Aiden’s. It was a piece of information they could have studied for hours, learning about various nests, cities, and rare locations.

However, as soon as they saw the Gray Sea surrounding their world, all their attention shifted solely to it.

Unlike the lands, the Gray Sea had no clear boundaries. It began where the lands of their world ended. Wherever the border of the Tarnished Lands or Primal Lands was, there lay the beginning of the Gray Sea, and this rule applied to all four lands without exception.

"Aiden, do you want me to go there?" Adam asked, his voice trembling. "But... Even if I can get the Bottomless Void there, how am I supposed to find it? The Gray Sea is huge!"

Silvana gulped. Even after learning more about their world as an Operator of a K4-Phantom, she couldn’t imagine that something like this existed in their world.

She was still reeling from the Hollow Lands after Adam’s story, but the Gray Sea was on a whole other level.

Aiden nodded deeply.

"Yes. That’s what I said. The Gray Sea is the emptiest, most depressing, and possibly most dangerous place in our world. I don’t see how you could get the Bottomless Void anywhere other than this place."

He turned, letting his gaze linger over the map.

"You might have thought the Hollow Lands were a lonely place, but you should have realized that’s not the case at all. Sure, the atmosphere is different from the Primal Lands, but in my opinion, the Hollow Lands have established a distinct structure that the monsters living there follow."

Slowly, Aiden turned, his bright amber eyes meeting Adam’s.

"In fact, Adam, you’ve already been to the Gray Sea once. You just haven’t realized it yet. Remember when you were at the Forgotten Mills to fulfill your conditions for the Second Grand Star? Where did you end up?"

Adam was shocked that Aiden knew so much about him, but now was not the time to focus on that. He had already realized that Aiden had been following him and knew far more than he could have imagined.

"R-right. Wait, Norax... He mentioned that."

For a moment, memories from the Forgotten Mills flashed through his mind. He recalled all his battles and memorable moments.

The most vivid memory was undoubtedly his encounter with the Silver Weaver. It happened when he fulfilled one of the conditions for the Second Grand Star, the Desire of Beyond.

But before that happened, he had to face the Silver Beacon and its trials, led by Bertrada, an artifact with a consciousness. She conducted her trials within a far more powerful artifact than herself, the White Spire.

It had once been an Ancient Artifact, but for a long time, since its demise, it had been one of the Hollow Artifacts of their world.

"Wait..." Adam looked down, his eyes wide. "The Silver Beacon, Bertrada, is located at the Forgotten Mills. However, I didn’t undergo the trials there, but in a completely different place where the White Spire stood, now the Hollow Spire..."

Aiden nodded deeply.

"The Hollow Spire Island. That’s the island you ended up on during the Silver Beacon’s trials. As you now understand, it wasn’t part of the Tarnished Lands, though I’m sure Norax should have told you that."

"Yeah... He mentioned it, but I thought it was just some extra territory farther away from the Tarnished Lands, like the Pit near the Hollow Lands. But, actually, it’s the Gray Sea, and it surrounds our entire world, right?"

Without hesitation, Aiden confirmed everything that had been said.

"You’re not mistaken. The Hollow Spire Island is just one of hundreds of islands filling the Gray Sea."

Aiden turned back to the map, pointing to the Gray Sea, which was depicted as a thick blue line in several layers, running around the borders of their world.

"The Gray Sea is vast. Its size is truly staggering, but you must understand that 99% of it is just grim waters where there is nothing. The remaining 1% consists of the islands, most of which are lifeless and have long been dead."

However, this did nothing to ease the tension in Adam’s expression.

"Even so, the Gray Sea is still easily comparable to any of the lands, let alone the Citadel. Maybe these islands are abandoned, but I remember what it’s like to be on one of them. The density of energy there is unlike anything else."

Aiden waved his hand.

"It all depends on the island. You can also learn a lot about an island if you know which part of the world it’s in. Near the Primal Lands there’s one type of island, but the Hollow Lands have completely different ones."

"I see..." Adam sighed deeply as he touched his temples.

He hadn’t expected to learn about the Gray Sea right now, but something else was troubling him.

"You’re saying I have to go to the Gray Sea to get the Bottomless Void, but how am I supposed to get there? Aiden, I’m a K4-Phantom. I’m not strong enough to go to the far reaches of the Hollow Lands or the Primal Lands!"

In fact, Adam was right. Most K4-Phantoms didn’t have to face such difficult conditions.

The plan Aiden was proposing would barely be feasible for a K4-Phantom at the very edge of the First Circle. Adam still had one more step to take before reaching that level.

"Shut up."

"Agh...?" Adam blinked several times in disbelief.

Lifting his gaze, he saw Aiden’s eyes, cold as ancient glaciers, and the scorn on his face.

"You defeated Zin, Silence of the Abyss. It’s one of the strongest Black Threat Monsters in the entire world right now. You can be sure of that."

Aiden spat out, looking Adam up and down.

"Accept the fact that you’re a talented and powerful bastard, and get ready to head to the Gray Sea to become stronger. You’ll go there through the Tarnished Lands, and I won’t take no for an answer."