Why?
Germain had teleported here from the Lantern half a minute ago. The creatures nearby should have sensed his presence by now.
But they neither attacked nor retreated. Instead, they stayed silent, as if... observing him.
That was it. Humans rarely set foot on the Dark Continent, so the creatures had no idea what this unfamiliar presence was.
They were using Germain's scent, appearance, and movements to figure out what he was, and where he belonged in this ecosystem's food chain.
It was a necessary skill for surviving on the Dark Continent.
But this wouldn't last long, because the surest way to tell was always to come up and take a bite.
"Puff, puff, puff—"
Soil flew into the air as several creatures that had blended into the surrounding terrain suddenly revealed their bright red shells. They charged toward Germain on six slender legs.
They looked like stink bugs, but each one was as big as a small car. There was no way they were ordinary stink bugs.
Their quivering, straw-like mouthparts showed Germain exactly how things would end if he stayed.
He lowered his gaze to the Lantern. The cooldown timer read "0:03." It was nearly ready to teleport again.
Then this visit would have to end here.
He wasn't worried about the "stink bugs" in front of him, but about the other creatures stirring nearby.
They were all watching, and there was a good chance the scene would play out like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.
The enormous vermilion "stink bugs" had surrounded him, but Germain had already extended his little finger and taken hold of one Messenger Imp's hand.
With a "whoosh," like a bubble bursting in the sunlight, Germain and the Lantern vanished together, leaving only his footprints behind.
After decades, another human had set foot on the Dark Continent, leaving a trace.
"Bang—"
The "stink bugs" couldn't stop in time. Their small heads and sturdy bodies crashed into one another.
Having failed to catch their prey, they poked out the long antennae on their heads, searching the wilderness for the thing that had disappeared.
After another flicker, Germain returned to the dark forest.
He bent to pick up the Lantern. Four Messenger Imps were crouched at his feet. The cooldown timer had changed again. This time it read "Cooldown: 1:59."
Germain checked the attribute panel projected by the Hunter Badge. His Spiritual Vision Pressure had gone from 2 to 12, and he had gained a strange new "Trait"—"Kleptomania."
That made the price of using Lantern Teleport quite clear.
Each time he used the Lantern, its cooldown before it could be used again increased.
At first, it could be used immediately. Then he had to wait one minute. Now he had to wait two.
That wasn't all. Every time he returned from the Dark Continent, his Spiritual Vision Pressure forcibly increased by 10 points, and he might also gain a Negative Trait.
His new Kleptomania Trait was a negative one. It would make him more likely to steal anything he came across, without caring about the circumstances.
This meant he had to be extremely cautious and well prepared each time he used the Lantern. Otherwise, it would be a terrible bargain—and the further he went, the more obvious the Lantern's side effects would become.
Still, traveling to and from the Dark Continent with the Lantern was much safer and more convenient than going through the Gatekeeper and bringing back a calamity.
Germain moved his fingers and named the fixed Lantern at his landing point on the Dark Continent "Dark Continent: Arid River Valley."
Then he grabbed the Hunter Badge hanging around his neck and put away the Meat Saw, Blunderbuss, and Lantern.
The forest's purple glow vanished in an instant, replaced by moonlight filtering through the branches.
Finally, he rubbed the Hunter Badge, and the conjured fragment disappeared too.
Through this experiment, Germain had proven that he could develop and make use of the Hunter Badge, steadily increasing his own combat strength.
That meant that sooner or later, he would become strong enough not to fear threats from the Phantom Troupe. It was only a matter of time.
When that day came, neither his origins in Meteor City nor his membership in the Phantom Troupe would be able to hold him back.
Germain would finally be free, able to do what he truly wanted—
Explore the Dark Continent, surpass Don Freecss, who had written New World Records based on his adventures there, and accomplish a feat no one had ever achieved before and no one ever would again.
After confirming the Lantern's teleportation ability, Germain had begun to form this vague idea.
But after spending just one minute on the Dark Continent, he realized he needed greater combat strength, more ways to protect himself, and a team. Otherwise, he might teleport over and die on the spot.
Until he was ready to try again, he would quietly build up his strength.
Germain returned to the Bell Tower, tore off a large piece of curtain, shook the dust from it, and wrapped it around himself. Then he curled up in a corner and made do for the night.
The place was crude, but at least it kept out the wind and rain.
When the faint light of dawn filtered through the glass and stung the corners of his eyes, he woke up and instinctively went to rub them. Only then did he remember that he wasn't in a clean bedroom, but inside the Bell Tower.
He was covered in dust.
Germain threw off the curtain, stretched, and brushed the dust from his clothes. He picked up his hat from the ground, put it on, and hurried out of the Bell Tower.
He found a clear lake in the mountains, stripped off his clothes, and walked into the water naked to wash.
After cleaning himself, he scrubbed the remaining bloodstains from his clothes, used Nen to get rid of the stubborn grime, then used Nen to dry the soaked garments.
Fifteen minutes later, Germain was dressed and walking down a narrow mountain path, pushing aside the weeds that kept getting in his way.
"Grrr..."
His stomach protested. He pursed his lips and quickened his pace.
An hour later, he arrived at a small town at the foot of the mountain called Cross. He found a little restaurant that served noodles, ordered a meal, and sat down to wait.
The steaming noodles were brought over by the restaurant owner herself.
"Take your time."
She set the bowl and chopsticks in front of Germain, then, as if by chance, brushed her fingers across the back of his hand.
Germain looked up at her in surprise. She winked at him, as though she were giving him a flirtatious look.
The proprietress smiled without saying a word, swayed her hips, and returned to the kitchen.
Germain was taken aback for a moment before remembering that this body of his was quite handsome. So she had just taken liberties with him—and sent him some sort of signal.
If you're interested, come along with me...
Germain didn't pursue the thought. He picked up his chopsticks, lifted some noodles, and ate at his leisure.
Suddenly, he sensed someone watching him.
He turned, expecting to see the proprietress, but instead saw a blonde girl with twin tails sitting at another table.
The girl ate her noodles in tiny bites, sneaking shy glances at Germain. When she realized he'd caught her looking, she lowered her head bashfully, her cheeks turning red.
Germain turned back and continued slurping his noodles.
But as soon as he picked up a clump of noodles, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
A blonde girl with twin tails?
A wine-red Lolita dress?
Could this girl be...?
Before you continue