Chapter 427: S-Level Mission Gluttony Tree
Aizen listened patiently as the receptionist explained the process.
She handed him a thick task authorization book, and he selected a task from it.
When the receptionist saw the task Aizen had chosen, her eyes widened in shock, and she stared at him in disbelief.
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "Sir, are you certain you have not made a mistake? This mission is an S-level mission!"
On the page Aizen had selected, there was a blurry photograph attached.
Next to it was a brief description.
Pure demon species - Gluttony species - Gluttony Tree.
Danger level: S-level, two stars, extremely dangerous.
The receptionist's shock was understandable, given the task Aizen had picked.
S-level missions were known for their extreme difficulty.
Since the establishment of the Hunters Association, very few had successfully completed such missions.
Only the gem-level hunters, who served under the Hunter Association's Holy Hunt Council, were capable of such feats.
However, those hunters were masters recruited by the major forces that formed the Hunter Association, and they rarely took action.
It seemed as though they deliberately placed pressure on civilian hunters to grow stronger.
This particular mission to defeat the Gluttony Tree had been issued by the Hunter Association itself.
"Sir, are you sure you want to take this mission? It is extremely dangerous. I suggest you consider choosing another one," the receptionist said, her voice filled with concern.
Aizen listened to her advice and gave a gentle smile.
"It is fine. I will take this one," he said.
His glasses reflected the light slightly.
Beneath the glasses, his eyes sparkled with a sense of curiosity and exploration.
Over the past two years, the oceans of this world had begun to change gradually.
Many plants, animals, fish, and Sea Kings had undergone mutations.
People were horrified to discover that these changes were the lingering effects of the Demon God's influence on the world, left behind after the War between the Two Gods.
As Morgans of the World Economic Newspaper had proclaimed, the great era of magic patterns had begun.
The overlapping of multiple eras was truly overwhelming.
In this era of magic patterns, mutated creatures appeared endlessly.
Humans classified all these mutated creatures as demons.
There were demonic species from mutated animals, magical plant species from mutated plants, demonic fish species, sea monster species, and more.
Among these demons, one type stood out as particularly unique: the pure demon species.
As the name suggested, they were purely demonic.
Before the great era of magic patterns, the demons that had occupied the Island of Fear were all classified as pure demons.
The fear species, a subset of the pure demon species, was also known as the fear of demon species.
The target Aizen had chosen, the Gluttony Tree, belonged to the gluttonous species within the pure demon species.
Though it appeared to be a tree on the outside, it was, in fact, a pure demon species, formed entirely from the pure magic power of gluttony.
Due to the nature of the gluttonous species, its growth was exceptionally rapid.
If a Gluttony Mine happened to be present in its location, its growth would accelerate even further.
Since the dawn of the great era of magic patterns, five natural disasters had emerged among the gluttonous species: the Gluttony Tree, the Brood Dragon, the Island Swallowing Whale, the Blood Leech, and the Disaster Locust.
Collectively, they were known as the five major disasters.
While other pure demon species were still developing slowly, these natural disasters had already begun to cause widespread destruction.
It was rumored that the Brood Dragon had been captured by the Four Emperors Golden Lion on an island and was being trained by the Yamata god Orochimaru.
The Disaster Locusts, on the other hand, spread in massive swarms from their mother bodies. Wherever they went, crops and plants were devoured entirely, and even living creatures could not escape their wrath.
This natural disaster had forced the Hunter Association to assemble a crusade team, but the locusts had since vanished.
The Island Swallowing Whale had a habit of devouring entire islands. It was elusive and targeted small islands, fleeing after consuming them.
If left unchecked, it would cause immense harm, and the Hunter Association had dispatched gem-level hunters to track it down.
It was said that the whale had eventually been taken under the command of Kujira, one of the Seven Apostles of the Demon Clan.
The Blood Leech preferred to wreak havoc in the sea and rarely came ashore, so it remained active to this day.
The Gluttony Tree, however, had taken root on a specific island and was rumored to be continuously devouring magma, as the island was volcanic.
Moreover, the island was not too far from their current location.
"Alright, sir," the receptionist said.
"I have recorded your selection," she added, seeing that Aizen was resolute in his decision.
She chose not to dissuade him further.
If someone was determined to take such a risk, no one could stop them.
"Here, this is the hunter trainee armband," she said, handing Aizen an off-white armband.
"After completing the mission, you can use this to visit any Hunter Association station for the evaluation," she explained.
The receptionist had just taken a photo and uploaded Aizen's information.
Receptionists at other Hunter Association branches could retrieve the corresponding details by entering a number.
This was done using a button-like device on her desk, connected by a cord and pressed onto a Den Den Mushi, resembling a telephone button.
This equipment, produced by either the Hunter Association or the Kingdom of Corti, the land of miracles, was highly efficient.
By entering specific keys or using facial recognition on the Den Den Mushi, the device could retrieve and print the required information.
Aizen accepted the off-white armband, noting the number printed on the back.
As he prepared to leave, the receptionist called out to him.
"Sir, the closest island to the Gluttony Tree is Fumissi Island. You can purchase a permanent pointer for that island at the Miracle Chamber of Commerce next to the Hunter Association," she said.
"If you prefer to travel by merchant ship, you can buy a merchant ship itinerary catalog," she added.
Since The Great Martial Arts Era had disrupted various industries, greater efforts were needed to stabilize the situation.
However, transportation across the seas remained challenging, especially on the Grand Line, where the magnetic fields were chaotic.
As a result, Den Den Mushi began to be bred on a large scale by certain forces for communication purposes.
Permanent pointers for individual islands were also manufactured in large quantities.
Merchant ships expanded their services to include passenger transport.
The Kingdom of Corti, the land of miracles, had shared a technology with major forces: embedding seastone in the hulls of ships.
This service was made available to the public, allowing commercial ships and marine vessels to pay for seastone embedding.
Pirate ships, unless disguised, were naturally excluded, but those that could pass undetected were permitted.
Consequently, the power boat industry flourished rapidly, spreading across the world and various regions.
South Blue, known for its mechanical style, had seen the fastest development in this sector.
The Nighteye Chamber of Commerce, controlled by the South Blue dark curtain organization, was the undisputed leader in this industry.
In response, the World Government had intensified efforts to develop the Seven Water in the first half of the Grand Line.
They also turned their attention to the sea train, which was still under construction.
However, due to risks at sea and high costs, the sea train project had not gained significant traction.
"Thank you for the reminder," Aizen said, offering a gentle smile to the receptionist who had kindly advised him.
He then turned and left without looking back.
The receptionist watched his retreating figure.
In her mind, she murmured to herself.
This man carried himself with calm confidence, and it was clear he was no fool.
Could he truly complete this mission?
She shook her head, dismissing the thought.
Such matters were beyond the judgment of someone in her position.
Her task was simply to prepare a record.
Taking on a mission of this magnitude, even if it seemed like a prank, could not be ignored.
Time passed slowly.
One day later, on Blackstone Island, a place made terrifying by one of the five major gluttony disasters, a strange scene unfolded.
The island, home to several volcanoes, was dominated by a massive, twisted gray tree that blocked out the sky.
Rooted in the central crater, it loomed ominously.
An eerie silence enveloped the area, broken only by faint, peculiar sounds.
At that moment, an uninvited guest set foot on the island.
(End of this chapter)