"So... what do you make of the situation?" Pariston asked.
"What do I make of it?!"
Saiyu clenched his Ruyi Staff tightly.
"We've used nearly all our trump cards, and we still can't get past that Flame Demon Dragon…"
"Beyond?"
Pariston smiled, locking eyes with their leader.
"Do you think this expedition will end the same way as yours from fifty years ago—total failure?"
"Hmph."
Beyond wasn't fazed by Pariston's usual sarcastic tone, the way he always played both sides.
"Failure?"
"We're still far from that point, brat."
Pariston smiled with narrowed eyes.
"It's great to see you're still this confident. But if you could explain where that confidence comes from, it'd be even better for us."
Saiyu also turned his head, curious.
"I've found the trick," Beyond casually said, tossing the leftover bones to the side of the campfire.
Without a care, he wiped the grease off his hands onto his robe.
"What trick?" Pariston asked, though the slight curl at the corner of his lips showed he already had an idea.
"In the final trial of the Gatekeeper, I fought a demi-human it created. That's when I first felt it."
Beyond glanced at the two men, then explained:
"My father—Isaac Netero—was incredibly strong. When I was young, I never once beat him. After I placed the 'Blood Vow Shackles' on myself, I never challenged him again."
"But fighting that demi-human brought that old feeling back.
The blood-pumping thrill I had when battling the Flame Demon Dragon—it completely overtook me."
"I felt like my body had returned to its youth, but I still had the memories and experience of who I am now."
"The next time I face the Flame Demon Dragon, I will surpass Isaac Netero. And I will surpass that dragon, too. I'm certain of it."
Saiyu couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement as he listened.
He had always admired Beyond.
Beyond always delivered on what he promised.
He said he'd take them to the Dark Continent, and he did.
Now he said he'd surpass Chairman Netero—and the Flame Demon Dragon.
So he would.
Saiyu had long accepted that in this life, he could never surpass Chairman Netero.
And maybe that's why, without realizing it, he placed that hope on Beyond instead.
Pariston was not easily dismissed by these words.
"How long until the next time exactly? Tomorrow? The day after? A week later, or a month from now? That's a big question."
He didn't need to flip through the notebook to remember the current supplies clearly, but he deliberately pretended to look through it in front of Beyond.
Pariston was always like a stinging scorpion in stories, making things uncomfortable for those around him, like stinging the frog carrying him across the river.
"Our supplies won't last more than two months."
He licked his thumb, flipped a page, and stared at the notebook.
"Do you understand? After that, we will have no choice but to leave in disgrace."
Beyond chuckled a few times and said,
"This time, I absolutely won't leave so easily... Last time, I almost succeeded, but unfortunately the alchemy plant withered halfway through. How can this time be worse than last time?"
"So... what exactly are you planning to do?"
"Simple. We need to find a safe place, set up camp, and survive like the birds and beasts here."
Pariston lifted his head, his eyes sharp and focused on Beyond.
"Do you mean we live like savages, eating raw meat and drinking blood, or do you mean we expand our territory here?"
Saiyu frowned and said,
"Beyond, you know that no one—not even your father—managed to settle and survive on the Dark Continent, right?"
"This matter isn't as difficult as you all imagine," Beyond said.
The creatures here aren't all as terrifying as the Flame Demon Dragon.
And Isaac likes to challenge powerful creatures too much.
He has artificially raised the difficulty."
He leaned forward, his shadow shrinking back to his feet.
"Besides, you won't forget Germain, right?"
Pariston and Saiyu were both stunned for a moment.
Then one nodded, and the other shook his head, but both expressed the same meaning.
Beyond smiled and said, "Pariston's previous guess makes a lot of sense. He is most likely already on the Dark Continent, waiting to reunite with Isaac and the others."
"That means Germain already has a relatively stable place to live," Saiyu thought carefully.
"He managed to do it..."
Beyond continued, "Ancient humans were able to survive on the Dark Continent. Hundreds of years ago, that Don Freecss also managed to do so. There is no reason to doubt that in the future, others won't be able to survive there as they did."
"The danger level in each area of the Dark Continent is directly proportional to the value of the resources hidden there. The more precious the resources, the more dangerous the place—just like the principle of 'Vows and Limitations.'"
"If you understand this, then you understand how to survive on the Dark Continent."
Pariston nodded.
"You mean we should quickly find a simple, ordinary place, and that will be our 'home' for the next few months, right?"
"That's right… After I finish training this power there…" Beyond lowered his head to look at his strong arms, veins bulging, "everything will be different."
Pariston thought for a moment and said, "Well, it's better than turning back right now. After all, everyone who can use the group traversal ability is already dead."
"Now there's one more problem," Saiyu said. "How long do you think Chairman Netero… Isaac and the others will take to reach the Dark Continent?"
Pariston stroked his chin and calmly replied, "If Chairman Netero or the members of the Twelve Zodiacs come personally, then Muherr and the others probably won't be able to delay them for long."
"So… it depends on how quickly they can resolve the chaos on the New Continent?"
"That's right."
Saiyu thought for a moment, then asked curiously, "I'm still a bit confused. What exactly is King Nasubi doing? He's always so mysterious."
"He seems to have released a terrifying monster…" Pariston shrugged and said, "But that's not our problem—it's the Hunter Association's."
"Just as Pariston said," Beyond added, "In the original agreement, he didn't have to explain all the secrets to me. We use each other and get what we need."
"The most important thing is, he promised us that the Kakin Empire established on the New Continent will welcome our return and help us make good use of the 'results' we bring back."
*******
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