Gavial was sent away.
Hyperion had small aircraft too. Ceobe had inexplicably been deployed, and after fighting for a while, she forgot all about the honey cakes and left with them. As for Zumama, Gavial took the advice and brought her to Rhodes Island for labor reform.
Incidentally, Gavial's loving forehead strike knocked Zumama unconscious for a full six hours. The clinical diagnosis was a mild concussion.
But that was fine.
She received timely battlefield treatment—from Dr. Gavial.
Hoshino, meanwhile, vanished. In truth, she remained at the scene and followed the High Priest deep into the dark temple.
It was as if history had revealed a corner.
The temperature inside suddenly plummeted, but the humidity remained unchanged, giving the place a damp, chilling atmosphere. The vivid murals depicted all manner of improvised scenes—wild and utterly chaotic, the work of primitive people with no artistic foundation.
The people here included crocodiles, birds, and snakes.
The murals were unclear, but their racial features were distinct. This truly seemed to be a civilization that had existed since ancient times.
Hoshino nodded.
The High Priest walked through the darkness without lighting any source of illumination, yet moved freely. It either knew this place extremely well or possessed exceptionally strong night vision.
Was this what the secret of the dense forest referred to?
Hoshino closed her eyes. The mission showed no reaction, so it seemed she would have to keep digging deeper. That was fine; she only needed to continue following it.
She looked around. Other than the temple, everything else here belonged to tribal civilization.
"Heh."
Hoshino steeled herself and continued inward.
She noticed something interesting: the farther they went, the less vitality this macaw-like High Priest possessed, and the more inhuman it became. Its steps grew increasingly regular, and its arm swings gradually