After eating and drinking their fill, everyone wiped their mouths, packed up, and continued on their way.
The aroma of roasted Cloudfeather Wing still lingered at the tips of their noses. Everyone was fully energized, and their steps had become much lighter.
The deeper they went into the heart of Floating Land, the more different the surrounding vegetation became.
The outskirts had been filled with common ingredients like giant radishes, cucumbers, and sweet potatoes. The farther inward they went, the stranger the plants became.
Some blades of grass glowed faintly, some flowers slowly turned with the wind, and some vines bore tiny crystal-like fruits that sparkled beneath the sunlight.
The air also grew fresher, carrying a faint scent of grass and trees. One breath made even their lungs feel clear and bright.
Even the wind had softened, and there were far fewer turbulent currents.
"This place is way too comfortable," Gon said, taking a deep breath, his eyes shining. "It's much nicer than outside."
"The closer we get to the center, the more stable the environment becomes," Genos said as he scanned the area. "The ultraviolet intensity and turbulence frequency here are far lower than in the outskirts. It's as if something is protecting this place."
Leorio stretched lazily and said with a grin, "So the farther in we go, the more it looks like paradise. It'd be pretty nice to build a house here and live in it."
Kurapika said nothing, merely furrowing his brow slightly.
It was too quiet.
There had still been birds and beasts in the outskirts, but the farther inward they went, the more even the sound of insects vanished.
The entire region was unnaturally silent, as though every living creature had deliberately avoided it.
He did not say it aloud, unwilling to spoil everyone's