"Door"

In the empty, dark cave.

Apart from the rock face illuminated by the Flying Saucer lights, almost nothing else could be seen.

There were no plants, and certainly no other living things.

It's likely that, apart from Ian and King, no other human has ever reached this dark and gloomy cavern.

It's even possible that... there aren't any living organisms at all...

Ian and Kim flew for an unknown amount of time. They exchanged a few words from time to time, but most of the time they fell into silence.

Until...

A sliver of light appeared ahead.

When Ian saw a small ray of light ahead, his face changed slightly, and he exclaimed with delight.

"Jin, there seems to be something ahead!"

Even without Ian saying anything, Kim, who hadn't dared to let his guard down, naturally noticed the light. A hint of excitement flickered in his eyes, but he suppressed it and said...

"Yes, I saw it too. Get ready, Ian. Judging from the situation ahead, we should have reached an exit!"

After their conversation, they immediately sped off towards the distant light.

About five minutes later, the Flying Saucer's speed gradually decreased.

Inside a vast, dark space, Ian and King stared wide-eyed at the scene before them, their faces filled with shock.

A massive "Wormhole," resembling flowing liquid metal, stretched across the path ahead, blocking their way.

This "door" looks incredibly eerie, as if it were formed from countless aggregates of mercury, reaching a height of nearly a hundred meters.

The reason we were able to determine that it was a "door" is...

It's because...

Occasionally, a huge beam of light shines out from within, its luster resembling soft sunlight.

Ian and King stepped out of the Flying Saucer, their faces still showing shock as they stared at the bizarre, dynamic "Wormhole" before them.

"Gold... do you know what this is?"

Ian asked first, after all... he hadn't read Don Freecss's travelogue, and maybe the other man had mentioned something similar in that book.

Upon hearing Ian's words, Kim's lips twitched slightly.

"Hey, you overestimate me, Ian. Anyone with a brain knows I've never seen or even heard of something like this..."

"However, I suspect this is some kind of spatial passage leading somewhere..."

Jin's gaze was fixed on the bizarre "Wormhole" before him.

"How about... you go in and give it a try?"

Ian grinned and joked.

"Don't joke around. This kind of unknown place... if we actually go in, we might really die there..."

Kim rolled his eyes and vehemently protested Ian's suggestion.

Ian randomly found a spot, plopped down on the ground, looked up at the eerie Wormhole, and muttered to himself.

"I wonder if Aimina and the others have ever seen something like this before, but it seems unlikely..."

"This seems more like something left behind by a more advanced civilization; who knows, it might even hold some kind of secret..."

After hesitating for a moment, he took out a plate of roasted chicken from his [Gadget Combination Belt], tore off a chicken leg, and started eating.

I'm hungry...

Let's fill our stomachs first...

"Would you like something to eat, Jin?"

Ian's mouth was stuffed full, and he handed the steaming hot roast chicken to Kim.

Kim was speechless for a moment.

However, smelling the enticing aroma, and not yet having decided what to do, he sat down and joined the rice army.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, their condition improved significantly.

"Fully revived!"

Ian stretched, looking refreshed, and then after a slight hesitation and a moment's thought, he spoke.

"I feel that there's probably nothing more to be found by exploring this cavern further. This 'door' is probably the only mystery hidden here..."

"Should we take it with us?"

Upon hearing Ian's words, Kim was taken aback and asked in confusion.

"Take it with you?"

He even glanced back at the enormous Wormhole that stretched almost the entire underground space, thinking Ian's idea was too far-fetched.

"If you want to take it away, there are ways..."

"Okay, I've decided to do it this way. I don't know what it is, but it'll be good to take it out and see..."

Thinking of this, Ian pulled out a set of "cutlery" [Cutting Knife and Fork] from his pocket.

It can cut through matter, even seawater, and keep it in the same state it was in within the original space.

"Watch me!"

Ian said in a low voice, then turned on the [Shrinking Flashlight].

"Bite!"

A beam of Shrinking Ray shone onto the Wormhole, and in no time, the Wormhole, which was originally nearly a hundred meters high, became a miniature Wormhole about the height of a person.

Then Ian stepped forward, carefully sliced off the wall along with the Cutting Knife and Fork, and held it up in his hand.

It looked like a bizarre, liquid metal cake stuck in it.

Under Kim's incredulous gaze, Ian held it up, waved it at Kim, and laughed loudly.

"We did it! Let's go, Jin!"

Then, Ian opened a [Anywhere Door] and stepped inside, with King following closely behind. The surrounding scenery suddenly changed, and they arrived at the edge of the sinkhole.

By the time they reached the outside world, it was already night, and the sky was dark.

Ian first placed the "Wormhole" still stuck in the ground, then shouted.

"Big White!?"

In the still of the night, his shouts echoed around the sinkhole, bringing a unique sense of dread.

"Buzz?"

In the dark Forest not far away, a mountain shook violently, and the White Stone Crab slowly opened its sleepy eyes.

It seemed to hear its owner calling its name...

Then, he sensed his master's presence!

Eight sharp, terrifying claws instantly activated, crawling across the ground with a tremendous tremor, and it quickly reached Ian.

Upon seeing Ian, it became very affectionate, even making "purring" sounds in its crab mouth as if to blow bubbles to express its happiness.

"Big White, come over here and watch over us..."

Seeing that the White Stone Crab was alright, Ian breathed a sigh of relief.

Although it should be fearless in its current form, this is the Dark Continent, and it can't afford to gamble on a one in ten thousand chance.

The White Stone Crab was originally intended to be made according to Ian's orders.

At this moment.

But a strange sound came out of its mouth.

It instinctively sensed something it had been afraid of since birth, something ingrained in its Genes...

"Buzz?"

It wasn't very intelligent and seemed puzzled. It lowered its large head, its two protruding eyeballs and antennae trying to figure out what had caused its fear.

Then it saw the presence beside Ian that it feared from its Genes —the "Door".

"Buzz!!"

The moment its gaze fell upon the "door".

The White Stone Crab let out a huge, terrified roar, and then its eight claws instinctively flew backward, seemingly trying to escape from the place in a frantic manner.

Its strange behavior immediately caught the attention of Kim and Ian.

Both of their expressions changed slightly.

Ian certainly didn't doubt that the problem lay with his [Animal Training Gloves], and King also noticed the presence that the White Stone Crab feared.

The two of them froze, their gazes turning to the tiny "Wormhole" that now appeared extremely small.

"Big White... seems afraid of this thing..."

Ian looked surprised, while Kim, standing beside him, had a complicated expression and chimed in.

"You saw right, so... what kind of terrifying thing did we bring back...?"