The moonlight was bright and clear.
As the mechanical drone flew up and down, its surface reflected a glimmering light—twinkling like stars.
It led Germain and his group through a path of piled-up monster corpses, guiding them toward the front of the fortress.
Several spotlights flashed over them briefly before sweeping away. All the cannon barrels were lowered. None fired.
The main gate of the fortress didn't open.
They stood beside the wide, noisy flight path, watching a smaller door off to the side.
With the sound of gears clicking and turning, the door slowly opened, and a figure stepped out from within.
The drone flew into the figure's palm, its wings folding in, shrinking into a compact shape.
He grabbed the machine and tucked it into the pocket of his trousers.
It was List, with short golden hair and a crisp white shirt.
He gave a small bow to the group, and when he lifted his head again, there was a faint flush on his cheeks.
Even someone as composed as him couldn't help but feel emotional in such a dangerous moment—seeing Germain, Ging, Bisky, and Shizuku standing before him.
List had spent the last two months on BW-1, under extreme tension, along with the Hunter Association's exploration team.
He often wished they would reach the Dark Continent quickly—before BW-1, that ticking "bomb", could explode.
What he didn't expect was that just before they reached land, BW-1 still fell into uncontrollable chaos.
There was nothing he could do about it.
After all, he specialized in technical support.
If even Chairman Netero and the others couldn't stop what happened, then he certainly didn't have the power to fix it.
So when he sent out a number of mechanical scouting spheres, hoping to regroup with other survivors, he was overjoyed when he unexpectedly spotted Germain and the others.
From the bottom of his heart, he said, "Germain, Ging, everyone… seeing you all again—it really means a lot to us."
List glanced cautiously toward the shadows of the early morning.
"This isn't the place to catch up," he said. "I'm sure we all have a lot of questions. Let's head inside. We can talk as we walk."
Everyone followed List through a small side door next to the fortress gate. Once they had all entered, the door shut behind them with a loud clack.
Behind the small door was a long corridor. On both sides stood fully armed soldiers, weapons at the ready.
They gave Germain and the others a passing glance, without much reaction. But when they saw Queen Oito, several of their expressions changed instantly.
"These people are the remaining soldiers of the Kakin Empire," List explained. "The entire fortress needs guarding right now. They've agreed to temporarily follow our orders."
The soldiers clearly recognized Queen Oito. Many stepped forward and saluted.
Queen Oito raised her hand slightly. "You've done well. Please, continue with your duties. I'm not a military expert. From now on, follow the orders of the Hunter Association."
The soldiers quickly acknowledged her command.
List continued leading them forward. "I've already informed the other members of the Hunter Association's exploration team here that I found you and guided you to the fortress."
"However, we only just secured the fortress less than an hour ago, and everyone's overwhelmed with tasks. That's why I came alone to meet you."
They stepped out of the dim corridor and into a wide, open hall—where a chaotic, almost boiling noise greeted them.
There were cries of pain, screams, people weeping with joy, and others sitting in silence. The hall was filled with survivors—each bearing their own story, their own struggle.
Many human corpses were laid out flat on the cold floor, each one covered with a thin white cloth. Only the heads were left exposed, allowing people to identify them—if the bodies still had heads at all.
People hurried back and forth, stopping briefly to examine the bodies.
When someone recognized a friend or family member, they were overwhelmed with grief—some collapsed to their knees and wept uncontrollably, while others stood in silence, staring blankly at the remains.
Those who couldn't find anyone they knew wore expressions filled with complex emotions. They didn't know whether to feel relieved… or worried.
In another section of the hall, many injured people were being treated by doctors and nurses in white coats.
There weren't nearly enough temporary wards. Only those critically injured but still with a chance of survival were allowed a spot in the makeshift infirmary.
"There are currently 1,313 survivors inside the fortress," List said. "There are Hunters, soldiers, Mafia members… but most are just civilians."
At that moment, the sound of a soft, lilting flute began to echo through the air.
Everyone who heard the melody couldn't help but be drawn into it. Their hearts gradually calmed, and the sobbing and cries slowly faded.
Germain was one of the few who remained unaffected.
He turned his head and looked up toward the platform not far away. There stood Melody, playing her flute, soothing the wounded souls with each note.
At the same time, her music was also keeping further chaos and riots at bay.
Though she looked like a mole or a marmot, her heart was unbelievably gentle and beautiful.
After a while, Melody lowered her flute and took a short break.
Only then did List begin walking again, leading the others toward another part of the injured ward.
There, two people stood side by side.
Both were wearing thick protective suits and medical masks. But even through the layers, it was clear they were "Dog" Cheadle and "Snake" Gel.
Cheadle, with her dog-like features, and Gel, whose slender figure resembled a snake's, were doing all they could to save the living—while preventing the spread of disease from the dead.
One was a doctor. The other, a coroner and pharmacist. In situations like this, their expertise was indispensable.
When the others arrived, the two women only gave them a slight nod.
They didn't speak. Instead, they quietly continued with their work.
It wasn't until a long while later that the brown-skinned girl, Gel, gently draped a white cloth over the corpse's head on the floor. Only then did she and Cheadle walk over to greet the group.
They were still steeped in grief, far from showing the kind of excitement List had when he saw Germain and the others. Their tone remained calm and composed.
"She was our association's exorcist," Cheadle said, without removing her gloves or mask. From a short distance away, she pointed to the body on the ground. "She... died in the line of duty."
Germain recognized her.
She had once helped him remove a curse.
He never expected that the next time they'd meet... would be like this—her lying there, cold and lifeless.
Somewhere along the way, the flute music had stopped.
Melody had noticed the group as well. She walked over and offered her greetings.
She seemed genuinely happy to see Germain and the others, but given the many casualties around them, it was impossible for her to express too much emotion.
At that moment, Bisky took the initiative and explained how their group had reunited.
She "casually" revealed the details of Germain and the others' "secret infiltration mission" under Chairman Netero's orders.
*******
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