In human cognition, the Gatekeepers are all magical beasts.
Of the 149 known recorded voyages, every single one relied on the assistance of the Gatekeepers.
Beyond that, humanity knows nothing about the Gatekeepers.
Why they exist, why they guard the boundary-
To this day, there are no answers.
In Moses's eyes, the existence of the Gatekeepers inevitably reminded him of the opening plot of Hunter x Hunter.
When Gon took the Hunter Exam, the ones guiding him were also magical beasts possessing human-like intelligence and wisdom.
There was a faint parallel between the two.
The difference is-
The Gatekeepers stationed here were far beyond the magical beasts of the Six Continents in terms of power.
Just the sheer amount of their Manifested Aura was enough to fill the hearts of all the experts present with awe.
'Another innate, absolute biological gap...'
Those who had faced the Chimera Ants, such as Kanzai and the others, thought to themselves.
Especially Kanzai.
He naturally recalled the magical beast he had encountered during their first voyage to the Dark Continent.
Against such creatures, which held innate advantages in physical strength and Manifested Aura, an Enhancer like him, who specialized in self-healing, felt utterly weak, pitiful, and helpless.
The Gatekeeper who had opened the door to welcome them paid no attention to the reactions of Kanzai and the others. His gaze remained fixed on the eyeball of Mammon in Moses' hand.
Spudimen.
This was the name that the Gatekeeper with goat horns and golden eyes gave himself so that it is more easily recognizable to humans.
For countless years, he had interacted with many humans who sought to journey to the Dark Continent.
Each time, he would first announce this name and then observe the humans' reactions.
But this time, his attention had been captured by the Mammon's eyeball, causing him to neglect his usual habit.
Greed…
From within that gray, petrified eyeball, Spudimen could sense an unmistakable, pure greed.
'Only humans can bring about such a Calamity.'
Spudimen's gaze toward the Mammon's eyeball gradually sharpened. This shift in emotion indirectly affected the Aura surrounding him, releasing a razor-sharp edge.
Faced with this obvious change in the Aura, the group, who were already somewhat tense, no longer cared about etiquette and other precautions, and instinctively entered combat stances.
But at this moment, Spudimen abruptly reined in his previously exposed emotions.
'But Calamity is also a necessary condition for 'rebirth'...'
Spudimen still paid no attention to the humans' reactions. After muttering something in his heart, he consciously withdrew the sharpness that had lasted less than two seconds.
Calamity originates from humans-
Yet through humans, new life is born.
No matter how many times he interacted with them up close, Spudimen could never fully grasp the meaning of humanity's existence.
"What is given to me shall be repaid."
Without any intention of introducing himself or engaging in further conversation, Spudimen raised his slender, claw-like fingernail and slowly pointed at the eyeball in Moses's hand.
His perfectly fluent common language of the Six Continents caused the group to pause momentarily.
They had initially assumed they might need to rely on the translation software developed by Pyon, but now, it seems that it is not necessary.
Faced with Spudimen's unabashed demand, Moses did not hesitate in the slightest. Without a second thought, he stepped forward and handed over the Mammon eyeball instead of cautiously throwing it over.
Gatekeepers despise rudeness…
This was a truth proven by humanity's recorded voyages, and it is also the fundamental reason why Moses chose to hand it over instead of throwing it.
Spudimen accepted the Mammon's eyeball and said nothing more. With his other hand, he gathered a mass of Aura and conjured a demi-human magical beast beside him.
The group's attention was immediately drawn to this creature.
Human face, bird body, white wings.
Its chest is bulging, unrestrained by its white feathers, fully displaying the characteristics of a human female.
Its face was bewitching, yet upon closer inspection, there was an uncanny, sculpted artificiality to it.
"The Guide..."
At the sight of this demi-human magical beast summoned by the Gatekeeper, everyone except Kanzai immediately thought of the 'Guide'.
In humanity's recorded voyage history, the Guide summoned by the Gatekeeper was the key to successfully reaching the coastline of the Dark Continent.
Without the Guide's lead, attempting to cross the Dark Waters would be no different from stepping straight into the underworld.
Spudimen turned and walked back through the gate.
Without any visible movement from him, the open wooden double doors made a rumbling sound again and slowly closed.
The group exchanged glances, stunned by the complete lack of opportunity for communication.
The entire process of seeking passage had gone so smoothly that it left them baffled.
And the key to it all seemed to be that stone-like eyeball Moses had presented.
Judging by the Gatekeeper's reaction, they realized the eyeball was clearly more than it appeared.
Mizaistom and the other Zodiacs' members couldn't help but feel curious.
However, Moses gave them no chance to ask questions. He walked straight toward the human-faced, bird-bodied demi-human magical beast.
"Please lead the way."
"…"
The Guide nodded without saying a word.
Moses noted this and understood that this Guide, which is likely a Nen Beast, possessed a certain level of intelligence, and like the Gatekeeper just now, it could understand the common language of the Six Continents.
This is very convenient.
After all, the software developed by Pyon is not a universal translator, and it is difficult to guarantee that it can be used at all times.
Now that this Guide understands the common language of the Six Continents, it is naturally the best outcome.
However, the Guide seemed either unwilling or unable to speak.
It walked ahead on its own and had already begun to take on the role as a guide.
Seeing this, Moses and the others could only catch up quickly.
…
Inside the Great Wall.
The land there was barren.
The earth was desolate, devoid of life.
Spudimen stood in the middle of the wasteland and held Mammon's eyeball up to his gaze.
The moment his fingertips touched the eyeball, Spudimen could feel the pure, unadulterated greed emanating from it… an unmistakably human desire.
"What a pity…"
Muttering under his breath, Spudimen suddenly tightened his grip, crushing the eyeball into dust.
Human desires were more complex, more pure, and far darker than anything else in this world.
If such a thing were to land on the right 'soil', it would undoubtedly take root and grow with near-insane fervor.
Spudimen could not allow even the slightest possibility of that happening.
So he chose to eliminate the problem at its source and directly destroyed the existence of the eyeball.
The reason he found it a pity was that he could have consumed part of the eyeball's energy to strengthen himself, perhaps even...
Extend his time.
If he had the ability to fully digest all the greed within the eyeball, he would definitely not choose to destroy the eyeball.
Rustle-
The gray-white powder scattered onto the barren earth, blending seamlessly into the surroundings.
Spudimen glanced at the ground, then turned and walked away.
Within just a few steps, his towering figure had vanished without a trace.